Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 82671 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 413(@200wpm)___ 331(@250wpm)___ 276(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82671 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 413(@200wpm)___ 331(@250wpm)___ 276(@300wpm)
“Then why come here?” Luke asked.
“The scenery. The peace. Perhaps their partner always wanted to be a cowboy or cowgirl. So, they come, and the partner gets to live their dream. They get to sit in the sun, read, relax, enjoy the tranquility, and watch their partner enjoy the time.”
He shook his head. “I swear this is all beyond me.”
“Haven’t you ever wanted to give someone you loved something they wanted?” I asked. “Something you can’t give them?”
A dark look crossed his face, and he stood. “No,” he snapped.
Rachel’s eyes went wide, and she stood as well. “Maybe you should take Sammy around with you today. Show her what a day on the ranch is like for you.”
He shut his eyes and drew in a deep breath. “Fine. I’ll get a horse ready for you. Be at the stable in fifteen.” He strode to the door, grabbing his jacket. “Dress appropriately today, for God’s sake.”
Then he stormed out.
“I touched on a nerve there,” I observed.
Rachel nodded, looking sad. “His ex did a number on him. She came across as the right kind of person for him, but the truth was, she was anything but. Nothing he did was enough. This ranch, the lifestyle he offered, even his love. No matter how hard he tried, it was never enough.”
“Oh God, I put my foot right in my mouth, didn’t I?”
“You didn’t know. Luke will be fine once he calms down. He just doesn’t like to be reminded of her. I don’t think he’s ever come to terms with the fact that it was her, not him, who was at fault. She left him jaded and angry, and he hasn’t believed in love since then. At least not for himself. He doesn’t trust easily.”
“I see.”
“You’ll see my goats today.”
“Luke mentioned there were some.”
“I’ve been working on making my own goat cheese,” Rachel said, looking nervous. “Tyler thinks it’s delicious. So does his mom. I thought it might be an add-on for some people to watch the process. Participate.”
I sat forward eagerly. “You could sell it. What a great memento. Take back cheese you helped to make.”
She nodded. “I have the license applied for. The kitchen at the farm is graded for commercial. Tyler’s mom runs a business there already. It’s really very simple, but the milk is so fresh and I use herbs from the farm.”
“I love that idea.”
“I make beeswax candles too, and I have honey from the hives I keep at Tyler’s farm. I also use the wool from our sheep to knit. My mom taught me how, and I love it. I send the wool away to be processed, and when it comes back, I knit things with it.” She held up her arms. “Like this sweater.”
“It’s gorgeous. I was admiring it.”
“I work with the company that processes the wool, and they custom dye it with the colors I want. The hues are slightly different, but they are all on the blue and gray theme. I always have a project on the go.”
I tapped my lips. “If you could display a couple things, you could take custom orders.”
She blew out a long breath and frowned. “They’d be expensive.”
I smiled. “There will be people coming here who would spend that sort of money. On a custom sweater or a blanket. Handmade goat cheese or your beeswax candles. Maybe down the line, you can open a shop. Display not only your wares, but other local artisans as well. They get a spot in the store and pay you to have it there, plus a small percentage of their sales.”
“Oh, I would love that.”
“Something to think about, for sure.”
She nodded. “Another thing I was thinking about—every Friday, there is a barn dance in town. Admission is a canned good for the food bank. Local bands, lots of cowboys. Hayrides. Town businesses provide refreshment. It’s always popular. Maybe guests would like that?”
“That would be awesome.”
Rachel stood. “Okay. I will see what else I come up with. Luke will take you around the property today on horseback. Tomorrow, you can live the guest experience of fun in the sun. Then you can do the hands-on experience. After that, Luke will let you be involved with the be-a-cowboy package. You can do everything but sleep in the bunkhouse. Once you give us feedback, we’ll tweak.”
“Great. That gives me enough time to talk to the architect about the drawings. It’ll go fast since we’re just adding a few walls.”
“And the bathhouse.”
I grinned. That was my idea. A small wooden structure behind the bunkhouses with a deep trough for a tub. Just like you would see in a cowboy movie. Except this one would be situated under a skylight. You could book the space for two hours at a time. Soak in the tub, looking at the sky or the stars. Drainage and plumbing were already there from when it used to be a small cleanup building. It would be cozy, relaxing, and a great feature. Luke had rolled his eyes and looked at me strangely when I told him, but he didn’t object.