by A. D. Ellis
Reid gave a small smile. “Don’t go makin’ things harder than they already are.”
Norma arched a brow.
He simply shook his head. “Never mind. I just don’t want to get too attached. I won’t be staying long.”
“My boy, I think it’s already too late. I’m feeling all sorts of love for you. Plus, you’ve got to teach me to dance.” Norma hugged him close to her side. “You may find ranch living is just what’s been missing in your life.”
4
Later that evening, after eating the best meal Reid of his entire life, and that included the most upscale restaurants on the west coast, he insisted on helping Norma clean up the kitchen. Walker checked on the horses, and most of the other ranch hands who had accepted the dinner invite went to finish their chores.
Several of the children and their mothers stayed at the main house. The dog crew loved having the kids to play with, and the mothers laughed with each other and Norma as they packed up leftovers and washed dishes.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Reid stood, hands on hips, at the kitchen entry. “What’s wrong with this picture?”
When all the women gave him a blank look, he continued. “Ladies, this is not the 1800’s where the little missus is barefoot and pregnant, making sure the hardy stew is ready for the menfolk. Why are only females in here cleaning up?”
Norma laughed. “Well, dear boy, I happen to get paid a nice salary to cook and clean up. I’ll let the others defend themselves.”
A beautiful young woman with olive skin, deep brown eyes, and ringlets of dark hair rubbed her belly. “Personally, I’d much rather be in here. It’s cooler, smells better, the company is great, and I don’t have to worry about stepping in horse poop.” She pointed behind Reid. “My brother adds to the male population.”
Reid had learned at dinner that the young woman was Shay. She was married to a young, black ranch hand named Wes. They had a little girl, Elise, and a baby expected within five months. Shay’s brother, Ezekiel, lived with them on the ranch.
“What about the rest of you?” Reid frowned at the other women.
They shrugged and one of them spoke up. “Same as Shay. I enjoy the company. I love horses, but I don’t want to muck stalls. It’s not a male/female thing. I just would rather talk with my friends, watch the kids play, cuddle some dogs, and not get stinky.”
Norma’s eyes twinkled. “Why are you in here?”
Reid pursed his lips. “Point taken. I’d rather be inside, as well. The smell of horse poop almost makes me puke.”
“We gather where we feel most comfortable.” Norma nodded. “We don’t have these big dinners often, so it’s a nice time for the moms and kids to visit and play.”
Reid was quiet for a moment. “Well, as long as you’re not in here because it’s expected of you, I guess it’s okay.”
When the dishes were washed and the kitchen cleaned, Norma put on coffee and tea and ushered everyone to the large living room.
“Do the dogs have names?” Reid lowered to the floor next to Elise and the other children.
“They do,” Norma said with a chuckle, “but they all look so similar, it’s hard to tell them apart. Usually it’s just ‘the dogs’ because where one is, they all are.”
Seven-year-old Elise climbed onto Reid’s lap. If anyone noticed the look of shock and fear on his face, they were kind enough not to mention it.
“The one that is a little bit smaller than the rest is Louise.” Elise pointed. “The others are Donald, Daisy, Huey, and Dewey. Donald has a tiny spot on his forehead. Huey has a light part on his belly. And Daisy’s back foot has a little blonde on it.”
“Donald, Daisy, Huey, Dewey, and Louise? That’s awesome; all named after cartoon ducks. I think I’ll call them the duck dogs.” Reid laughed.
“We didn’t want to name the last little girl Louie, so we went with Louise,” Elise explained. “I like the duck dogs.” She smiled.
“You know their names really well. How did you learn them all?” Reid jostled Elise.
“I play with them all the time.” Elise giggled. “My dad says maybe I can have a dog when I’m older. And when we don’t have to worry about the baby crawling around and grabbing the dog’s tail. But me and Zeke think we should get a dog now. A big ol’ dog. It could help on the ranch and be a guard dog. We think a black Lab would be best. And we’d name it Bandit and it would wear a red handkerchief around its neck.”
“Not that she’s thought about it at all,” Shay spoke from the couch with a laugh.
“I bet this crew here loves that you come play with them.” Reid reached to pet Dewey.
Ezekiel popped his head into the room and pointed to his phone. “Um, Reid? Walker wants you out in the barn office. Says I can show you the way if you don’t remember.”
Reid scowled, but lifted Elise from his lap and stood. “I’ll take the escort if you don’t mind.”
Zeke nodded.
“Thanks so much for dinner and the great company.” Reid waved at the ladies.
“Actually, we’ll walk out with you,” Shay said as she stood from the couch. “Come on,” she motioned to Elise, “let’s head home. Give the pups love.”
As they trooped down the main house steps, Elise grabbed Reid’s hand. “I’m so glad you’re here. I want you to teach me to dance like you’re going to teach Norma.”
Reid’s heart constricted.
“It was very nice meeting you.” Shay gave Reid a hug. “It may not be what you’re used to, but this place is special. We’re all like family here. We really are happy to have you here. Your grandfather was a very generous and kind man, we respected him very much. He basically saved our lives, we owe him everything.” She turned to Ezekiel. “Don’t stay too late. You’ve got some homework to finish.”
The kid nodded.
“How long have you lived here on the ranch?” Reid asked as they began to walk toward the barn. He held his hand over his nose and groaned. “Ugh, that smell is so nasty. I don’t know how you do it.”
Ezekiel laughed. “You get used to it. I hated it when I first got here, don’t even notice it now.” He kicked at a rock in the driveway. “Been here about two years. I’ve lived with just my sister for a long while now. We used to live with our grandma, but she died. Shay was eighteen so she became my guardian.”
Reid glanced at Ezekiel, taking in his deeply tanned skin, crystal blue eyes, and short, curly hair. “How old are you?”
“I’ll be eighteen in a few months.” He shrugged. “Probably leave here, that’s for sure.”
“Why? Do you not like it?” Finally, maybe a person who wasn’t going to sing the praises of the ranch.
“I like it fine. But I don’t really fit in. I’m not white, I’m not black, I’m not Hispanic. And everyone aside from Wes and my sister is either way older than me or way younger than me.” The young man bent to pick up a stick. “Plus, how am I ever gonna meet girls?”
Reid whipped his head to frown at Ezekiel. “Girls, huh? I didn’t see that one coming.”
The kid stopped dead in his tracks and faced Reid. “What the hell is that supposed to mean? Huh?” He shoved at Reid’s chest.
“Whoa, relax. My bad. I’m usually very good at recognizing a fellow gay boy. Maybe my skills are messed up because of the damn horse shit.” Reid held up his hands. “Really, I’m sorry.”
“I’m not gay.” Ezekiel growled.
“Okay, like I said, I…,” Reid started.
“I’m not.” Zeke snapped again.
“Dude, there’s an old saying about the more you protest and deny, the more guilty you appear.” Reid crossed both arms over his chest. “Now, I barely know you, so I’m sorry for making assumptions. But, as a gay man myself, I don’t see why you’re getting so worked up over my mistake. It’s not the end of the world to be gay. In fact, I think it’s pretty damn awesome.”
Ezekiel’s face softened a bit. “Sorry. I just get called gay at school all the time and it sucks.�
��
Reid nodded knowingly. “I get it. I got made fun of so much in school.” He put an arm around the kid. “Seriously, though, once I accepted who I am and started loving myself more than I cared about what those assholes thought, my life got better day by day.”
“Touching story, bro.” Zeke elbowed Reid. “But I’m still not gay.”
Reid chuckled. “Okay, okay.”
They reached the barn office.
“Can you make it from here?” Zeke asked.
“Yeah.” Reid reached for the door. “Hey,” he grabbed Zeke’s shoulder.
The young man turned.
“I won’t be here long, but I’ll leave my info in case you ever need a place to stay in California or just someone to talk to, okay?”
“I won’t.” Ezekiel’s chin jutted out. “But thanks for the offer.”
Reid pressed his lips together and just nodded before walking into the barn.
He paused and looked to the left. What seemed to be a hundred horses were being tended to in some way for the evening. He shuddered and turned to the right toward Walker’s office.
“What’s the story with Wes and Shay?” Reid plopped down in the chair across the desk from Walker.
Walker simply frowned. “Not really my place to divulge their personal life.”
“It’s my grandfather’s ranch. He knew their story. You know their story. I want to know, as well.” Reid jutted his chin.
Walker rolled his eyes. “Funny how you show interest in the ranch when you want something.” He shook his head. “Wes and Shay came here when Elise was just a little thing. The ranch where Wes worked in Texas got bought and sold.”
“They’re both so young. How’s he know about horses? And what does Shay do on the ranch?”
“He grew up around horses. He’s amazing with them. Good, hard worker.” Walker shuffled some papers. “And Shay takes care of Elise and watches some of the other little ones as needed. A lot of the spouses take turns watching the kids, carpooling the older kids to school, grocery shopping, keeping the ranch clean and inviting, up and running basically. A good amount of the ladies do handmade crafts and sell them online. Some choose to homeschool. They all stay very busy and very productive and very important to the ranch.”
“What about Ezekiel? He said Shay is his guardian.”
Walker nodded. “Yeah, he came with them. He was so very angry when they got here. Still has some issues. Still trying to figure out who he is. Like he can’t decide if he’s the rough and tough bad boy or the soft and caring good guy.”
“Definitely got the vibe he’s not sure who he is,” Reid agreed. “Why can’t he be tough and soft? Rough and caring? Maybe he’s stuck because he doesn’t fit in one exact category.”
“Sounds like you relate?”
Reid shrugged. “I guess I just feel like society is too quick to pigeonhole people. Girls wear pink, boys wear blue. Girls play nice, boys play rough. Girls like to read and write, boys like math and science. Girls like dance, boys like football. Girls like dolls, boys like trucks. No wonder kids are so fucked up trying to figure out who they are.”
Walker simply sat quietly.
“It’s not the end of the world if a boy likes to wear pink or purple. A girl should be encouraged to love math and science. Some of the best dancers in the world are men. Why shouldn’t a boy play with dolls and learn to take care of a baby? He may be a father someday. And I know some girls who could totally kick my ass in every single sport.” Reid sighed.
“You’re right. I agree completely.” Walker leaned back in his seat. “Maybe having you here will be good for Zeke. You’re closer to his age than I am. He has Wes and Shay, but he could use a friend.” Walker’s words were laced with a challenge.
“Well, that’s as good of a segue into what we need to talk about as any, I guess.” Reid narrowed his eyes and bit his lip. “Really wish you’d all been total assholes. Would have made this easier.”
Walker sighed. “Come on, out with it. I need to know what I’m dealing with here.”
5
“This will be easier if you could just listen to all I have to say first.” Reid frowned. “We can discuss questions and specifics after.”
Walker’s face held the same frown, but he nodded in agreement.
“So, you knew my grandfather much better than I did seeing as how I never met the man. Maybe all of this will make more sense to you than it does to me since you knew him.” Reid shifted in his seat. “Pine Ridge has been in my family for generations.”
Walker reclined in the desk chair and steepled his fingers at his chin.
“Growing up, I heard about the ranch, but my dad never spoke of it without a grimace and a few curse words, so I always imagined it as a scary, nightmarish place. As I got older, I simply pictured it as a rundown heap of cows and barns, a waste of space.” Reid glanced up from the spot on the desk he’d been staring at and met Walker’s gaze.
The cowboy cocked a brow in question.
Reid laughed somewhat wryly. “Don’t get all riled up, I know better now.”
Walker gestured for him to continue.
“I was vaguely aware that the ranch was always passed down from father to son. That was a fuzzy transaction in a child’s mind; I sometimes imagined my unknown grandfather handing a large barn to my father. ‘Here, son, this is yours now.’ Of course, I later realized it had to do with transferring ownership and a lot of legalities and paperwork.” Reid paused for a moment. “None of this registered much in my mind because I was a thousand percent certain that when my dad became owner of the ranch he’d sell it in a nanosecond if not quicker.”
Walker closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose.
“After my grandpa died,” Reid began.
“You know,” Walker interrupted, “he would have been so very happy to hear you call him Grandpa Jack.”
Reid scowled briefly. “I didn’t even know the man.”
Walker shrugged. “He knew you and was so proud of you.”
Reid shook his head. “Fine. When Grandpa Jack died, the family was called in for a reading of the will.” He stopped in his story for a moment. “You know, I always thought a reading of a will sounded so proper and fancy, but it was really pretty tedious and boring. Anyway, my boyfriend at the time, if you could even call him that, was stoked I asked him to attend. He touted this and that about all we could do with my inheritance. I didn’t want to burst his bubble, but since I’d never met Grandpa Jack, I had very little hope that he was leaving me anything.”
Walker shifted, leaning forward in his chair to prop his elbows on the desk as Reid’s story continued.
“And I was right,” Reid went on, “he didn’t leave me a single cent. I’m honestly surprised Jeremy didn’t get up and walk out of the room as soon as he realized I wasn’t getting a dime.” He worried his bottom lip with his teeth. “Well, I guess that’s not an entirely accurate statement. Jack left me something of value, I just don’t get the money. Yet.”
Walker’s eyes grew wide. “He left you the ranch?”
Reid nodded.
“What about the tradition of leaving it to the first-born son?” Shock and confusion mixed with dismay on Walker’s face.
“I guess Grandpa Jack wasn’t one to go along with something just for the sake of tradition. His will stated that he knew his son had always despised the ranch and wouldn’t want to burden him with the responsibility.” Reid chuckled. “You should have seen my dad. Sputtering, face red, demanding something be done about the injustice. He yelled and slammed things, swore he had always held the ranch in a special place in his heart and wanted nothing more than to inherit part of his father’s life.”
Walker snorted. “From what I’ve been told, your father wasn’t the least bit interested in the ranch or in his parents, especially his father.”
Reid nodded. “Right. And it seems like Grandpa Jack knew that and anticipated what Dad would do with the ranch.”
“But isn’t that exactly what you’re also going to do?” Walker’s voice took on a hard edge.
Reid’s shoulders slumped. “Well, the will stated that the ranch would remain as part of Jack’s possessions for three months. During those three months, I am required to live full-time on the ranch. At the end of three months, I can do one of three things. Allow the ranch to be sold and take one hundred percent of the profits. Allow the ranch to be sold and split half of the profits among ranch employees as I see fit. Or keep the ranch in the family and take over ownership. At that point, the will specifies that I could be an owner in name only and leave the running of the ranch to a person of my choice.”
Walker bowed his head and clasped both hands at the back of his neck. Taking a deep breath, he finally glanced up at Reid. “Well, which option are you leaning toward?”
“I haven’t decided.”
“Don’t bullshit me,” Walker bit out the words. “This affects the lives and futures of every single person on this ranch, including me. I think it’s only fair that you let me know what we’re facing.”
“Look, I’m not lying to you.” Reid sighed. “Up until the moment I stepped foot on the ranch, I would have unequivocally said I was going to spend the three months, sell the ranch, and take the money. No questions asked.”
“And now?”
“Now. Well, now none of the options sound particularly great.” Reid rubbed a hand over his face. “I get it, man. The people here count on the ranch. I’m not a terrible monster, I don’t want to rob them of their jobs and their lives.”
“What about option four? Take over ownership and leave. Let me run the place. How does that hurt anyone?”
Reid pulled his knees up in the chair and held them against his chest. “This is the part where I get angry at my grandfather for putting me in this position. First, what the hell do I know about picking a good person to run the ranch? Second, that option leaves me without anything other than maybe the interest coming from ranch operations.” He pressed his forehead against his knees. “I feel like a total asshole saying that, but I’d like to be out from underneath my parents and the sale of the ranch would allow me to do that.”