The Cowboy’s Daughter

by Jamie K. Schmidt

  He shuffled through some of the paperwork. “Your last three months have been erratic. Some weeks much less than others.”

  “But if you look at the last three years, you can see that my income has been pretty even.”

  “I’m afraid that’s not strong enough for the loan. I’m sorry.”

  “You’re turning me down?” Fear and that old familiar feeling of shame coursed through her.

  “This is the bad part of my job. Turning down good people for loans.”

  “But this loan would let me build up a business. I would be turning a profit quickly. Didn’t you see the business plan I submitted?” Kelly forced herself to sound calm and professional, but inside she was shaking apart. She had wanted to go back to her father with a rental agreement on her terms, not with her tail between her legs.

  “We did take that into account, but I think you’re basing the business on New York interests. The bank felt it was a risky investment for a town as small as Last Stand.”

  “I see.” Kelly swallowed hard. “Thank you for your time.”

  She shook his hand and walked back out into the lobby. Refusing to meet Janice’s gaze, she poured herself a cup of coffee—might as well get something out of the bank today. Wandering over to the lobby, she sank down in her chair and tried to regroup as her sister went in for her meeting.

  She could go back to New York. The ranch wasn’t in any immediate danger. But Trent had complicated things. Now that he was staying in Last Stand, would he want joint custody of Alissa? Kelly almost choked on her coffee. She couldn’t imagine being without Alissa for a weekend, not to mention a few weeks or months out of the year. That made her hands shake so much, she almost spilled the coffee. Placing it down on the side table, she crossed her arms over her chest, hugging herself.

  She wasn’t leaving her daughter. Even if her parents were right down the road from Trent, she wouldn’t be able to sleep in New York if Alissa wasn’t with her. Which meant, she was staying in Last Stand. She would have to face her father every day, and instead of her helping him out of a jam, she would be reliant on him.

  Kelly stood up and paced. Of course, had her father not tricked her into riding to his rescue, they could have all happily gone on with their lives, not knowing the truth. And yet, she couldn’t regret it. It was a relief to know Trent hadn’t ghosted her. It healed places she didn’t know were wounded.

  So much for her photo studio, though. Disappointment fluttered through her. Kelly hadn’t realized how much she wanted her own business until the prospect was gone. She’d stick around and help her sisters, if they didn’t get turned down as well. And if that happened, their only chance at saving the ranch was the rent money that Trent and Donovan were bringing in. From what Mom said, that money would buy time, but it wouldn’t solve the problem.

  The worst part of this was going back to her father a failure. The coffee churned in her stomach. She had wanted to impress him. She wanted to shine for him again. She wanted to be successful so when she had to disappoint him again by revealing Trent as Alissa’s father, it would be all right because she had helped save the ranch.

  Janice came out about a half hour later, looking as dazed as Kelly had felt.

  “What happened?” Kelly crossed the lobby to get to her.

  “Let’s grab some pie,” Janice said with a fake smile. She wouldn’t meet her eyes.

  Oh, that bad. Pie before lunch was medicinal and the calories didn’t count. They hit the Last Stand pie shop and slid into a booth. Janice ordered a slice of apple pie with vanilla ice cream, but Kelly was all in with chocolate fudge pie with real whipped cream.

  “So, you got turned down too.”

  “No.” Janice sighed. “But I almost wish I had.”

  “Why?” Kelly asked, happy for her sister, but miserable for herself. She was also worried about Emily. Unless Emily could call in some favors, it didn’t look good for her either. As far as she knew, Emily didn’t even have a decent-paying job.

  “I didn’t tell the bank I was planning to give notice to my job in Kentucky, and I had to put my horses up for collateral.”

  Kelly dropped the fork she had been about to dig into the pie. “You can’t do that.”

  “It’s done. It’s a good motivation to get things up and running so I don’t miss a payment. I’ve got some savings, but they’re not going to last long.”

  “I can help a bit. I’ve got a few credit cards to max.”

  “You’re going to be busy with your own project.”

  “No. Didn’t you hear me? I got turned down. I don’t have enough on my cards to go forward without the loan.” Kelly stared down at her plate. Not even chocolate could make her feel better. It stung that she was going to have to return to her father with the hint of shame again.

  Janice ate a few bites of pie. “It’s not like you to give up like this.”

  “I’m not giving up. I said I’d help you.”

  “We need to think about what we need. I think we should combine our savings and credit cards and with that and the loan, we can build both. My women’s retreat can share a parking lot and some facilities with your photo studio. I could use your photos as decoration and sell them in the gift shop. Meanwhile, we could have you on trail rides to take candid pictures. I know it’s not exactly what you wanted, but I can add a photo studio and shop into the retreat house. It’ll be tiny,” she said apologetically.

  Kelly’s head whipped up. “No, it’ll be perfect. The only thing is I won’t be paying Dad rent.”

  “But I will be. I know we wanted to give him two income streams, but I’ll make sure the rent is high enough that it will be as close as possible to what the two of us would be paying him.”

  “This could work,” Kelly said, getting excited again.

  “We should coordinate with Emily,” Janice added. “Maybe there are nature lovers or kids who’d like to get their pictures taken.”

  “Do you think Donovan Link would hire me for trophy portraits?”

  Janice made a face. “I don’t think that’s going to work.”

  “Why not?”

  “Emily will flip her shit if you’re taking a picture of Bambi hanging from a tree with a yahoo and his shotgun grinning into the camera. I think you’d be better off asking Trent if he’d pose for a few pictures. Without his shirt on.”

  “Janice,” Kelly warned.

  “What? A girl can dream, right?”

  “Well, wake up. He’s taken.”

  “Is he?” Janice smiled slyly.

  “I could do a ranch hand catalog shoot. Do you think I could get Nate to strip down and pose with Sunflower and Pippi?”

  “I think you’d have a better chance getting Dad to do it,” she said dryly. “Seriously, though. Trent’s students are going to want some professional pictures with him and their parents are definitely going to eat up any candids you take. You need to wow everyone with your rodeo shots, though.”

  “I plan to. What are you going to work on?”

  “The retreat center. It’s going to be rustic as hell. The guests can’t be expecting a five-star spa and resort. It’s camping and survival skills. I’m going to need you to tell a story with your pictures for the brochure and the website.” Janice stabbed at her pie with a little more gusto.

  “You got it. I won’t let you lose Synergy and Black Dahlia.” Kelly reached her hand over and clutched her sister’s. “I think this is going to work.”

  “Of course, it’s going to work. We’re Sullivans. We don’t give up.”

  Chapter Eight

  Trent was installing a television on the mounting frame inside the studio when he heard a trailer pull up. By the time he was able to secure the TV onto the base, there was a lot of commotion outside. After stepping down from the ladder, Trent went outside to see what the ruckus was all about. Frank Sullivan and his granddaughter—his daughter—were standing outside of the pen, looking at a sheep.

  Trent didn’t own a sheep.

&nbs
p; Frank turned around as they approached. “I want you to teach my little girl, here, how to ride a sheep for the mutton-busting event.”

  Trent wasn’t prepared for that. He leaned up against the pen and said, “She needs equipment. I don’t have anything in stock yet for the little ones.”

  “Got it covered.” Frank went into the truck and came back with rope, a protective chest vest, gloves, and a helmet. “We went shopping in the city. The rigging fits the sheep. I already checked.”

  “You did, huh?”

  “You got the chute all prepared. What do you say?”

  Hunkering down to Alissa’s level, Trent asked her, “What do you think?”

  Her eyes were blue and sparkling. He had a lump in his throat, and he was not expecting the wave of emotion that flooded over him. So, this was love at first sight. Alissa was his daughter. Did he want to have this time with her? Hell yeah.

  “She nodded vigorously, her blonde curls bouncing up and down.

  “Can she ride a pony?” he asked Frank, as he got up.

  “She’s been on one with me or Nate leading her.”

  “It’s going to be a little like that at first,” he said to her. “But before we put you on top of the sheep, we’re going to have to go over the basics and talk about safety. That might be a little boring.”

  “I promised her pink chaps with leather fringes. She’ll sit through anything,” Frank drawled.

  She would look adorable in that outfit. “I hadn’t thought about doing wool-riding lessons, but why not? I’m game if you are.”

  Alissa nodded again, and slipped her hand into his. He lost another piece of his heart.

  “Okay,” he said, leading her into the studio. “We’re going to practice how to fall, because you’re probably going to fall.”

  “Will it hurt?” she asked with a little wobble in her voice.

  He started to get second thoughts. “Where did you get the sheep from?” he asked Frank.

  “I bought it. It’s been used in the rodeo before. It’s a good first ride. It’s yours, by the way.”

  “Mine?”

  “What am I going to use a sheep for?” Frank said. “Keep it for the school. For the little ones.”

  “Her name is Flower,” Alissa said. “And I love her.”

  Well, that was that. “All right. Thank you. I’ll make Flower a home here.”

  Trent didn’t have a curriculum set up for mutton busting, but he did his best. He gave Alissa the T-shirt he was saving for her that had his bull-riding school logo on it. She immediately put it on. Then, they went over the equipment and how important it was to take care of it. After that, he fished around for a few videos off YouTube and had her watch them on his phone.

  “Just get on with it already,” Frank said, exasperated. “Stick her on the back of the sheep and let’s go.”

  “Patience,” Trent admonished, keeping the edge out of his voice. The old man was pushy, but he had his heart in the right place. It made him wonder what his father would have been like. Would he have wanted Trent to follow in his footsteps? Would he have been proud when he became a professional bull rider instead? Had Trent ever met him and neither of them knew they were father and son? Maybe a DNA test would show him who his father was. Or at least a match. But he couldn’t think about that right now. Not when his own flesh and blood was sitting next to him. “You want her to love this, right?”

  “She’ll love it.”

  “She’ll love it, if she’s prepared.”

  Next, they practiced how to fall and to tuck and roll away from the hooves.

  “It’s not a bull, for Pete’s sake. The sheep will probably stop running before she falls off.”

  “Probably,” Trent said, mildly.

  Then they worked on gripping the rope and he had her stand on a riser while he gently pushed her to see how she would keep her balance. Alissa was a sweetheart, with a fierce scowl and a determination that he was enchanted with. He wished he knew her mother better than one night, a handful of texts and a few stolen kisses. Trent was going to remedy that because if she was even half as amazing as her daughter, Trent was going to make sure Kelly Sullivan was all his.

  “All right, I think you’re ready to try the sheep.”

  “Well it’s about damn time,” Frank said, tiredly. He looked drawn and snappish and was having a hard time getting up from his chair. He accepted an arm up from Trent.

  “You okay?” Trent asked.

  “I’ll live,” Frank said grimly.

  Trent rounded up Flower and got her ready for a ride. It seemed surreal to be standing in the chute, but aside from having his foot stepped on, he wasn’t in danger. Frank lifted Alissa and handed her to him. For a moment, she clung to Trent and his heart flipped over. He settled her on the back of the sheep.

  “Are you scared?” he asked.

  She nodded.

  “I was too the first time I did this. But those butterflies in your stomach are worth it for the thrill.”

  “What if I fall?” she asked.

  “You’ll get banged up a bit. Maybe get dirt in your mouth, if you have it open. But your grandpa and I will be right there to pick you up.”

  “Okay,” she said.

  “Now, remember, hold on tight. Dig your feet in and put your toes out.”

  She smiled.

  Frank had made his way to the front of the chute.

  “All right, then. Give your gate man the nod when you’re ready.”

  She did.

  Swinging the gate open, Frank jogged into the center of the paddock anticipating a mad dash. The sheep trotted out, the bell attached to the harness startling it. Alissa held on like a champ and Trent ran alongside it. Sure enough, it stopped running before she could fall off and he swooped her up and twirled her around.

  “You did it!” he said.

  “Again!” she cheered.

  “What the hell is going on here?” Kelly asked from outside of the paddock.

  “I’m mutton bustin’, Mommy.” Alissa wiggled down and ran to her mother. “I did great.”

  “Don’t fuss over the child,” Frank said, leading the sheep back into the chute.

  “She’s my child to fuss over.” But then Kelly met Trent’s eyes and looked away.

  “She was perfectly safe,” Trent said. “I made sure she was prepared.”

  “Yup, we did drills and watched videos,” Alissa said, climbing up the rails of the paddock. “I didn’t get a chance to fall. And we practiced that.”

  “You did?” Kelly asked faintly.

  “Can I go again?”

  Trent felt badly. “I’m sorry. Your father came here with all the gear and the sheep. I assumed you knew about it.”

  “Not only did I not know about it, I also told him I didn’t want her to compete this year.”

  “PawPaw is going to get me pink fringed chaps.” Alissa climbed over and went around to the studio.

  “And now I’ll be the bad guy for saying no.” Kelly shook her head.

  “It’s safe,” Trent said. “Just go and help her on the sheep. Your dad will open the gate and I’ll keep watch in the pen. The sheep is a real pro.”

  “All right,” she said, dejected.

  “How did the bank go?” he called after her.

  “I’ll tell you later.”

  Janice came up to the fence. “This looks like fun. Too bad I’m in my good clothes.”

  “Go change and come back,” Trent suggested.

  “Nah, I’ll just watch.”

  Kelly appeared holding Alissa’s hand. She lowered her on the sheep. “Hold on tight.”

  Alissa nodded like a pro and Frank opened the gate. This time the sheep ran fast and Alissa slipped under him, still holding on.

  “Let go,” Trent called, sprinting over to her.

  She covered and rolled and was on her knees by the time he scooped her up.

  “Alissa?” Kelly called.

  “I’m okay.” She waved. “I didn’t get di
rt in my mouth. Let’s do it again!”

  They set her up a few more times, but then the sheep was getting tired. “All right, Flower needs a break,” Trent said.

  “And you need a bath,” Kelly said to her daughter.

  “I want to ride a bull next.”

  “No,” all the adults said at the same time.

  Alissa pouted and crossed her arms over her chest.

  “Mutton busters don’t pout,” Trent said.

  “That wasn’t in the rules,” Alissa countered.

  Trent blinked at her, momentarily lost for words. “Well, it should have been.”

  “I’ll bathe her,” Janice said to Kelly. “You’re dressed all nice. Why don’t you take Trent out to lunch? I’ll catch a ride back with Dad.”

  “I wouldn’t say no,” Trent said.

  “All right,” Kelly agreed.

  Trent wasn’t sure he trusted the look in her eyes. She still seemed a little steamed. But he was eager to spend some time with her and hear all about Alissa.

  “Helluva time, Trent. Thank you.” Frank clapped him on the shoulder.

  “I’ve got a video of some of the rides,” Janice said. She showed her phone to Alissa. “If it’s all right with the two of you, I can post it on YouTube and you can use it for promotion for your school.”

  “It’s all right by me.” He looked at Kelly.

  “Let me think about it,” she said, taking her keys back from Janice.

  “Okay. Have fun you two.” Janice smiled and helped Alissa get into Frank’s truck.

  “She did great,” Trent said as they watched them drive back toward the house. “Has she always been so fearless?”

  “No, but her grandfather’s approval works magic. Ask me how I know.”

  “I’m sorry, I should have called to check with you.”

  “It’s okay. I’m not annoyed with you.”

  “Well, that’s good at least. She did great. She’s going to be a cowgirl.”

  “I hope so.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “My father always does shit like that. He does what he wants and to hell with everyone else. He’s a master manipulator. I bet he buttered you up so you couldn’t say no.”