Page 78 of The Wedding Ranch
“Yes, I did.” He didn’t regret it. “But we might come up with something on our own. I’d rather invest in the scholarship than overhead costs.”
“We’re all in agreement on that. We should set a goal right now for when we want to hold the first event and get it on the calendar,” Ross said.
“True, because our calendar is going to fill even quicker now.” Reece pulled out her phone. “Is a year too long to wait, Uncle Ryder? We can get the branding going and start working on the awareness plan now.”
“The sooner the better.” Ryder stood. “Doesn’t have to be fancy to get started. We could do something over the holidays. People are always in the giving mood then, and it would position us for a scholarship for this year’s seniors.”
“We won’t waste a minute,” Reece said.
Diane, Reece, and Ross gathered around Ryder, holding hands. Ryder said, with tears in his eyes, “Thank you. Really.”
He turned and made a hasty exit. He wasn’t one to cry in front of others. Thunder tossed his head when he saw Ryder come out of the house. Ryder hopped into the saddle, giving Thunder one swift kick, and took off back down to the creek, then back over the hill where Valerie and Ronnie Dwayne were buried.
He knelt there beneath that tree until, finally, peace fell over him.
Chapter Twenty-three
It was Labor Day and Lorri was glad for the extra day off after the long weekend of celebrating with Cody. There was nothing that made her feel more alive than spending time with old friends.
She worried about Ryder. He hadn’t come back to the reception. She’d stayed longer than she normally would have just in case he returned.
Pam was a night owl. That girl had always had more party in her than Lorri back when they were in school, and that hadn’t changed one bit.
It had been a long night though, and she was slow moving today for it.
She went up to the loft. All of the cuttings from the mat board and framing of Cody and Kasey’s present were still on the floor. She swept them into the trash and put everything away.
Then she sifted through the large portfolios lined against thewall. Work in different stages had been neglected for so long that she didn’t remember how they’d started.
She was anxious to see what she could create now with so many new beautiful things inspiring her.
Mister came upstairs, a little more clingy than usual after she’d been gone so much over the weekend. He laid on the floor and lifted a brow, as if to accuse her of being the one to make a mess this time.
“I did. You’re right, and you were so good. I’m going to take you for an extra-long walk today. Maybe even a ride.”
His head popped up. She’d have to take him for a ride now. He already had his hopes up.
With the mess cleaned up, she sat in her chair and pulled an easel in closer. Making long, sweeping motions with a charcoal pencil, she lightly sketched an outline. She was not even sure exactly what she was creating at first but it came together quickly. She abandoned the safety of the sketch process and started dipping her brushes into paint.
She worked for hours, stopping and stretching her arms up in the air, twisting from side to side.I haven’t used these muscles in a long time.She took her phone from the corner of the easel and was shocked to see that the day was nearly gone.
“Mister, I owe you a walk.” She dropped her brush into the cleaning jar and washed her hands in the hall powder room. “Come on, buddy. We haven’t even eaten all day.”
She made two sandwiches, one for her and one for Mister. She had a strict rule about sharing scraps with him, but that dog adored a good PB and J, and she loved treating him to oneonce in a while. For each bite she took, she tossed a piece of his sandwich to him. No matter how bad of a toss she made, Mister snagged it in one hungry bite.
“Last one.”
Mister anxiously shifted on his paws, watching her. Instead of throwing it, she handed it to him, and he took it with all the grace of a child. Gentle and slow.
She rubbed him under the chin as he slopped the peanut butter around in his mouth.
He followed her to get the leash and then sat on command, waiting for her to connect it and lead the way outside.
She walked the neighborhood with new appreciation of what this land once represented. A thriving family business. Crops and cattle. Generations of habits and dreams. It was hard to imagine a time when none of this was here.
One day would all the small farms in America be gone, gobbled up by developers hoping to entice families into newer, trendier homes? Someday would these neighborhoods be bought and sold again? Perhaps demolished and turned to rubble only to be cleared away to let the soil again take control and grow crops or nourish livestock? It seemed doubtful, although only fair. Then again, maybe this type of community that Bloom had created was the best of both worlds. It could be if each of the homeowners took advantage of their acreage to grow food for the community, or at least themselves. Her neighbors had chickens; they brought her eggs once a month. A neighborly gesture. She supposed the hydroponic gardens and farmers market subsidized by the college also helped. Grownon the land and purchased at a fair price by the folks living here. It felt like an equalizer, although she doubted Ryder would ever agree on that point. She couldn’t blame him really.
She counted the number of homes as she and Mister walked through the neighborhood. Lorri understood Ryder’s misgivings, especially since he’d thought the property would remain in their family, but all in all it seemed like a really good compromise.
