Page 84 of A Rancher's Bride
Metallic banging rang out—the familiar sound of feed buckets clanging together. Dustin usually carried three in each hand. “Yeah. Just…I want this all to be settled. Everything with Silver Stone and her finances. I hate not knowing what’s going on. I hate that I can’t do something to fix it.”
“Youaredoing something,” Caleb assured him. “Every day that you come and work with the family means you’re doing something that matters.”
Dustin must have dropped the pails to the ground, because a clatter rang out, sharp and piercing. “It doesn’t feel like it. Doing chores, moving animals—those are all tasks that get done over and over and don’t change a damn thing. I’m not good at anything in particular. Not like you or Walker. Everyone works harder just because they want to impress the big rodeo star.Yousee what needs to be done and who’s the best to do it. Luke makes the horses damn near dance for him. Heck, Kelli has contributed more to the family than I have, and she’s not even officially part of it yet.”
“Stop comparing yourself to others.”
It was a sharp reprimand. Sharper than Kelli expected from Caleb, and sharp enough to shove her shock at being mentioned to the background.
But then Caleb continued the way she expected he would, concern and stubborn humour in every word. “We do not need another Luke, another Walker, or another Caleb in this family. One of each is plenty, thanks. At times, one Luke ismorethan we need.”
Dustin snorted softly.
“I’m serious, though. I understand what you’re feeling. Those early years after Dad was gone, you would not believe how often I could have put my ass down on the ground and cried like a damn baby because I was screwing up so bad. I couldn’t do a thing the way he had—and our father was a damn good man, so it made me feel like a piece of crap to not live up to his standards.”
“You’ve been great,” Dustin insisted.
“Silver Stone is in trouble, and I’m in charge. I screwed up somewhere for that to happen,” Caleb drawled.
“It’s not your fault. You’ve done everything right. You didn’t cause the flooding, or the outbreak from the neighbours that meant we had to cull.” Dustin’s indignation as he defended his idol was clear. “You’ve always done your best. You did what you neede—”
He stopped mid word.
A low chuckle rose from Caleb. “There you go.Nowyou understand what I’m talking about. Our best is all we can do, Dustin. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. The only thing we’re in charge of is what we do, day by day. Maybe you’re right. Maybe you don’t have anything special you’re extra good at yet to offer Silver Stone.Yet. When I was twenty, I didn’t either. Find out what you love and work at it. But in the meantime, do the best job you can at those boring, repetitive tasks that are vital to Silver Stone. Trust me, you’re making a difference.”
Kelli stared upward, keeping silent as a cat walked across her and settled on her chest.
“I hear you. I really do, but what if—?” He stopped. Lowered his voice. “What if it doesn’t work. What if sales drop, or Luke’s hopes for the new connections fail? What if Kelli and Luke fight, and she breaks up with him and wants to leave, so she pulls her rights to Nemo and we have to pay her out? What then?”
“Then we deal with it,” Caleb said calmly. “But I doubt that will happen. You have a morbid mindset, bro. You should take up writing murders or something.”
“She could shut it all down,” Dustin warned.
“If she were the type of person who would do that, I’d worry, but she’s not. If it were Penny…”
Kelli slammed a hand over her mouth to stifle her gagging noises.
Dustin gagged loud enough for both of them. “Thank God Luke came to his senses. You’re right, Kelli is awesome. So far.”
Caleb chuckled. “Feel better, now?”
“Yeah.” Dustin cleared his throat. “Caleb? Thanks. You really have been the best. I mean that.”
Kelli could imagine the scene below her by the sounds that followed. A man hug, with accompanying back pounding. Caleb strode off and Dustin picked up his pails, the clatter of them banging together fading as he marched toward distant pens.
The calico cat using her as a cushion rose and stretched, arching her back before stalking off, tail held high. Kelli watched her go as she considered what she’d learned.
Luke had always taunted that someday she was going to regret eavesdropping, but this conversation had been particularly informative. She hadn’t realized the full repercussions of Silver Stone sharing Nemo’s rights with her.
A plot and plan rose to mind. Something that would not throw away the good thing she’d been granted, but that would help Silver Stone at the same time. A move that would offer everyone positive proof that Luke wasn’t only interested in her because it made sense for them to stay together.
Proof that her love for Silver Stone and her love for Luke were two separate things.
It meant contacting the same lawyer who had drawn up the papers for the ownership split in the first place. She had to do it on the sly, but meanwhile, she was really enjoying the training that had been added to her job list. Luke had asked her to take on another of the new horses, which was amazing.
But Chili Pepper was still her first priority.
Luke had joined her on Wednesday afternoon. Training had gone well, and they were guiding the horse back to her stall when his phone buzzed with a message, and Pepper wiggled anxiously.
