Page 65 of Broken Trust
Probably in the rain. Before sunrise.
Royce looks at me. “Is the summer over yet?”
I chuckle. “Not even close.”
The truth is, the two of us get out of a lot of shit because of rodeo. Growing up, we all had to pull our weight, but since high school, the two of us have pretty much breezed in and out of town without having to contribute much.
It’s probably time we changed that. After all, Wildhaven Storm will be the place where we ultimately land, so it’s only fair.
Micah raises a brow. “You boys aren’t scared of a little honest work now?”
I point at him. “You literally just got here. You haven’t earned the right to talk trash yet.”
“Yeah. Don’t start none, won’t be none,” Royce adds.
Micah grins.
The bastard doesn’t have to earn shit. He can ride anything with four legs and fix anything with an engine.
Cabe looks between us. “Seriously though, we’d appreciate if you guys could pitch in just until we’re able to fill those fancy new bunkhouses Matty had built for ranch hands.”
The new bunkhouses, barns, and stables have been some of the biggest projects on the ranch, aside from the rodeo academy.
Matty has hired a few cowboys, but the beds aren’t completely full yet. However, they will be eventually. And when that happens, we’ll have plenty of help.
At least, that’s the hope.
Royce sighs. “So, what, we’re a cattle ranch now?”
Cabe shrugs.
I look toward the main ranch house. The familiar old barn, arena, horse pens, and the mountains rising beyond all of it.
Wildhaven Storm has always been a horse ranch.
Always.
The entire identity of this place is built around horses.
Breeding them. Training them. Racing them. Riding them. Teaching people how to ride them.
Everything revolves around horses.
The idea of becoming something else feels strange. Like somebody broke in and rearranged the furniture in your house without asking for permission.
But before I can say any of that, Cabe beats me to it.
“If Ironhorse can be a cattle ranch that trains horses”—he pauses dramatically, then points toward the ranch—“then Wildhaven Storm can be a horse ranch that sells a little beef.”
I open my mouth.
Then close it.
Because, damn it, that’s actually a good point.
Holland Ludlow and Caison expanded Ironhorse to include a new training and breeding facility for racehorses. They built one of the most successful operations in the state by refusing to limit themselves.
If they can make it work, so can Wildhaven Storm.
