Page 26 of Trickster King

I laughed. “Absolutely none of you dislike breaking my heart. You do it for fun because you can.”

“You can’t have every horse in the kingdom.”

“I don’t understand why not.”

He joined me in chuckling. “You must leave some of the horses for others. Like me.”

“Well, I suppose you can have a few of them. That seems reasonable. Somewhat.”

“I’ll let you go. While it would be amusing to witness the utter panic when trailers loaded with cattle start showing up without warning, I’d rather have my cattle trailers on the road where they do you some good. I’ll put a few calls out to the other ranches to see if we can get your place cleaned out in record time.”

“Appreciated. At current calculation, we’d be at it for the rest of the day and through tomorrow with our fifteen trailers.”

“I think we can get you transferred faster than that. And if you give one of the ranch hands the keys to the one you’re driving, I’ll bring over enough to feed everyone so you can barbecue to your heart’s content. And I’ll deliver a plate to your queen, making use of the helicopter. Just get me clearance to land on the palace roof.”

“Clearance shall be yours, and I’ll send enough over for the kids, if you don’t mind.”

“Don’t mind at all.”

“I’ll see you later, then.” I hung up, texted Randy with my request for Senator Padrino to land his helicopter on the palace roof to feed my wife yams and chicken, and then put in the same request to the head of her detail. Between the two of them, he’d have the landing authorization in record time.

Only a fool came between Jessica and her chicken.

SIX

“No, it’s the act of a dad, Dad.”

The instant Eddie realized we were mass evacuating the ranch to have all the fields redone along with other important maintenance projects, he dived straight into panic. I waited all of three seconds before chuckling at his horrified expression, realizing he wouldn’t get to stay in his room for at least a few days.

“Eddie, you’re not being evicted. You’ll be on a road trip with me, and we’ll be hotel cruising and ranch surfing until the work is done. We can’t meet the horses here, and it’s a good time. Everyone here will be housing at Senator Padrino’s ranch and working there.” I pointed at the offending wall in Eddie’s room. “That wall is coming down, you’re getting your own bathroom, and you’ll have space for a desk in here without having to go into the dining room unless you want to. Nobody’s ever used the bedroom next to yours, and as this is your house, you get the new master bedroom. The head rancher already approved my request, and as he had a list of house maintenance tasks we need to do anyway, we can get everything done while we’re gone. You’ll like it.”

Eddie stared at his bed. “But what will happen to my bed?”

I joined him, eyeing his size and the bed, which would be too small for him given another few months. “We’re going to make some time to pick you a new one, because at the rate you’re growing, your feet are going to be off the end of it by next week. You’re grown enough it’s time you picked your own bed, and I expect you to be spoiled about it. A queen is the smallest you can go. You’ll have plenty of space for it once the renovation is done.”

“I’m getting a new bed?”

“One you will pick out, that is the right hardness or softness, whatever your preference is,” I promised. “Now, pack your bags. If you don’t have enough for a week, we’ll go clothes shopping. I expect you need some new stuff at the way you’re packing on inches again.”

“My boots are starting to get tight again,” he admitted.

“Well, I guess it’s time we need to get you some new boots then, too. That problem is easily solved. Leave your schoolwork behind. We’re both on vacation, and the only work we’re doing is fun work. We just won’t tell your school you love the work I’m forcing on you, as I am a cruel and evil tyrant who informed them you would be slaving away as child labor.”

In the hall, Randy snorted a laugh, and the head rancher, the man I’d bought the ranch from, stuck his head into the room. “Are you even capable of being cruel or evil, Pat?”

“I’m hurt, Frankfurt. I’m capable of being cruel and evil. I’m also capable of being a tyrant. I’m going to have you take this bed out and repurpose it while I make him pick a new one. That is truly the act of an evil, cruel tyrant.”

“No, it’s the act of a dad, Dad,” Eddie informed me.

I grinned, ruffled his hair, and left his bedroom. “You’re old enough you need to pick your own furniture, too. During renovations, have them clean out everything, and I’ll take him to a store on our way out. I’ll give you a call if he wants to keep any specific pieces. If nobody wants the stuff he doesn’t want to keep, send it to one of those thrift stores and have them distribute it appropriately.”

In the case of royally donated furniture and other odds and ends, it went to those truly in need, who often couldn’t afford even thrift store prices. Thanks to some clever thinking on Jessica’s part, we’d gotten a program set up to funnel basics to those at or below the poverty line, all with the goal of making sure every Texan could afford food, shelter, and a few luxuries.

We had a long way to go, but year by year, we made a little more progress.

“Oh. I doubt Senator Padrino has the supplies needed for yams and chicken, so we need to empty the fridge and freezers, get the coolers loaded into the cabs, and grab the spices. I’m having supper flown out to the wife and kids so they don’t miss out. Randy?”

“Landing authorization has already been approved, and Avery took care of informing the food-thieving tyrants they will be given a large meal of yams and chicken. They seemed pleased with your offering.”

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