F ord had made it to the ranch an hour before suppertime, which was pretty good, he thought. Gave him a chance to get the lay of the land and talk to Ty before anyone else popped up.
The house…. Jesus, it had changed over the years. Instead of a square frame house, now the old house was the center of two wings, both log-cabin style and stretching out for three windows in either direction. When Ford parked in the old, pitted dirt drive, he didn’t know what to do.
He wandered up to the front porch, not sure if he should knock. He settled on calling his uncle, who opened the door before two rings sounded.
Ty waved at him impatiently. When Ford climbed the stairs, Ty grunted. “What are you doing, boy? Get in here.”
“Sorry. It’s different. You’ve been working hard.”
“Stoney has, you mean. The little son of a bitch is always building something.”
“So he’s still here, huh?” He knew it, but his steps slowed, because Ford didn’t want to see Stoney River, damn it.
“This is his home, Ford. He owns forty-five percent, as you well know.”
“I know.” He chuckled. “Hope springs eternal.” Ford cut anything else right off, because it wasn’t fair to Ty. The man loved Stoney like a son, and Ford had chosen to run away from it all those years ago. His bad, not Tyson’s. He took a hug, surprised at how skinny Ty felt. “How are you?”
“Dying, but I’m old and that’s to be expected.”
“You’re not that old, man.” Tyson was what? Sixty? That was fucking middle-aged these days.
“I am for a Type 2 diabetic who has too much fondness for cinnamon buns and beer.” Ty chuckled, whacking him on the back a couple of times. “Come sit with me, kiddo.”
Tyson led him into a little office with a huge desk, three cushy chairs, and a half-built Lego Death Star.
How old was the kid now? Nine? Ten? God, how bad was it that he had to think for a minute to come up with Quartz’s name? Ford and his cousin, Brittany, had been thick as thieves once. Now she was gone, and Ford’s ex was the father of her son….
What the fuck had gone wrong all those years ago?
“Nice office,” he told Ty.
“Thank you. I like it. Sit.” Tyson eased himself down in his chair with a sigh. “Thank you for coming out, son. I appreciate it.”
“I knew it had to be serious for you to ask. What can I do?” He sank down into one of the chairs, the scent of leather and wood oil and horse so strong, so well remembered.
“I’m moving to Grand Junction, Ford. I need dialysis. I got Medicaid now and all, but I need help.” Tyson stared at his desk. “I’m not asking you for money, necessarily, but I’m tapped out.”
Ford pursed his lips. “Well, if you don’t want to take money, what do you want?”
Tyson met his gaze head-on now. “Help with the ranch. Now, Stoney has a good head on his shoulders, but he’s a cowboy. We do things the way we’ve always done them because it’s Western, and God knows, we love it, but it ain’t working. BLM is fixing to cut off our lease instead of renew it, because our land-use plan is outdated. We can’t get the guests with the money to come. I think you’re the best hope to keep things going.”
Ford blinked, trying to process all that. Tyson didn’t want his money outright, which would be a hell of a lot easier…. Damn .
“Why me? Surely someone else….”
“Shit, boy. Like I’d screw you out of your half. I wouldn’t do that to your daddy. You can buy the five percent and keep the majority vote, or I can lease it to Stoney.”
Either way that would give Tyson what he needed to buy a condo in the Junction, or maybe buy a year or two in assisted living. Jesus, his strong-as-an-ox uncle in assisted living. Ford wanted to shout a denial right into Ty’s face, but what good would that do?
“Let me think about that for a few days maybe. We’ll focus on other things first, like the lease. I’ll need the paperwork on that.”
“I’ve got it right here. Stoney’s more than capable of dealing with the day-to-day running of the ranch. Shit, the man’s a cowboy’s cowboy, but… he’s no businessman.”
“He’s not stupid.” No, Stoney was a lot of things, and he’d sucked at college-level classes, but Ford knew he was sharp. “What exactly are you trying to do? Improve the ranch, make it less hunting lodge and more guest ranch?”
“I’m trying to retire, Ford.” The slow wink was wicked, clever, and made him laugh, just like it was intended to.
“Yeah, yeah, you lazy old fart.” Ford grinned. “I mean, that would be my plan, but I have no desire to step on toes.” If Brittany’s son wasn’t in the picture, Ford would just offer to buy out Stoney and turn the ranch into a personal retreat, but that wasn’t going to leave any kind of legacy for his…. What? What did he call Quartz? He was a second cousin, but really more like a nephew.
“Stoney wants the world to be like it was in the Old West—where there was land and horses and that was enough. I’m not saying he’s hidebound, but he’s in love with this place and has been from the first time you brought him.”
“Yeah.” Whoa, still bitter much, Ford? Damn. He forced a smile. “It’s good land, but without some new form of income, he’ll lose it.”
“Yeah, and losing the BLM land is gonna hurt bad. He’ll starve before he lets anyone go, and he’s the king of second and third and twelfth chances.” Ty smiled, the expression fond as hell. “He’s a good man, but that doesn’t make him a good businessman. I’m protecting him as much as this ranch.”
“Well, so long as you know I’m helping out for you and for Quartz, then we’re good. I’d let Stoney starve, Ty, and I’m not sorry for it.” He had to be upfront.
“That’s up to you, Ford. He owns what he owns, and if you go against him, you do.” Ty pegged him with a look. “I find out that you speak against him to my grandson, and I will have you skinned alive.”
“Hey, I might hold a grudge, but I’m not a solid-gold asshole, Uncle.” He wouldn’t do that. Especially not the way his mom had badmouthed his dad all these years for having the temerity to die on her.
“Good. Whatever bullshit you two have between you, it’s old and you were stupid kids. Let it go and move the fuck on.”
“Sure. I’ll get right on that.” Stung, Ford grabbed the stack of papers on the edge of the desk. “I’ll write up a proposal for the BLM.”
“Thank you.” Tyson waited until their eyes met. “I love you, Ford, as much as if you were mine. You’re one hell of a man, and I’m proud.”
“Thanks.” His ears heated. That meant a lot. “I’m still a work in progress, huh? So you’re really leaving tomorrow?”
“I have dialysis. I’ve been going out there for a few days, coming back in for a day, heading back. It’s hard to make the drive, though, and it’s confusing to Quartz.”
“Have you got a place in mind there?” He would front the money right off if Tyson had a good prospect.
Tyson’s cheeks went dark pink. “I have a friend to stay with to begin.”
“Like a female-type friend?” he asked. Tyson hadn’t dated since Aunt Barbara left him, so far as Ford knew.
“Yep. We’ll have lunch sometime soon, all three of us. You’ll like her.” Tyson chuckled, clearly tickled he’d brazened that out.
“You old dog. Go you, man. Seriously.”
“Thanks, son. She works at the hospital, can you believe?” Ty shrugged. “She’s offered to come stay here, but Stoney is here, and she’d have to sell her house…. I’d rather go there.”
“Sure.” That meant no assisted living, right? Ford could get behind that, 100 percent. “Well, if you don’t mind, I’ll spend the night, kick your ass at cards, and then head into Aspen tomorrow. I’ll call the BLM rep in the morning.” This was what he did. Land rights, water rights, negotiations. Legal shit. That would be the easy part.
“I appreciate it. Very much. I mean it. I’ll have my lawyer draw up papers to transfer the land to you. It’ll save you inheritance taxes too.”
“Uncle Ty? You in here, man?” The deep voice was immediately recognizable—still pure Texan, still strange from a man of relatively small stature.
“Come on in, Stoney,” Ty said, even as Ford shook his head in warning.
“Yes, sir. How are you feeling today?” Stoney asked, and the shock of him walking into the room rendered Ford speechless.
“Well,” Ty said. “I’ve had better days.”
Yeah. Better days. So had Stoney, from the look of complete and utter shock on the man’s face. Someone hadn’t been expecting company.
“But look, Ford is down to visit.”
Stoney was still one of the finest men Ford had ever seen—tanned and lean, with a shock of blond hair and eyes the color of a dove’s wing. The straw cowboy hat came off, held in gnarled, scarred-up hands. Stoney shot Ford a quick glance, then offered Ty a smile. “I didn’t mean to interrupt, sir. I’ll get out of your hair. Call if you need me.”
“Now, don’t run off, son.” Ty glanced at Ford, who tried hard not to roll his eyes. “We need to chat too.”
“What’s up?”
Ford noticed Stoney didn’t come any farther into the room, didn’t so much as budge.
“I need to tell you about the arrangements I’m making, Stoney. For the ranch and all.” Tyson’s chin went like a rock, a facial landscape Ford knew all too well. He’d seen it his entire span of teenage years.
Obviously Stoney knew it too, because all vestiges of fidgeting stopped and the man’s face went as still as his name. “Lay it on me.”
Ty nodded sharply. “I’m going to Grand Junction tomorrow, and I’m gonna stay, at least for the time being. With Sophia.”
“Okay. Good deal. She seems like one hell of a lady.”
“She is. You’re welcome anytime. And of course I’ll be around to see Quartz.” Ty smiled, a ghost of an expression.
“Well, that’s good news. You know he loves you, you old fart.”
“I know. I want you two to try to work together.”
That had Stoney’s eyebrows flying up like Spock’s. “Pardon me?”
Ford tried to keep his expression locked down. “How?”
“Stoney, I’ve signed the ranch over to Ford, my part. You have a new partner. Congratulations.”
Stoney River fastened his gaze on Ty, not saying a single word, and not having to. Ty stared back, and then Stoney turned on his heel and left. No stomping, no slamming doors, nothing but pure disgust in the line of the man’s shoulders.
“Well,” Ford drawled, “that went well.”
Shit, way to assure that this situation was going to suck big hairy donkey balls. He didn’t give a shit about Stoney, but hell, he didn’t need another pain in his ass.
Ty sighed. “I didn’t think you’d be here so fast when I called. I was going to talk to him tonight and hope you could make it in tomorrow.”
“Nice. What exactly do you want from me, Ty?”
“Fix the BLM lease and make this place something that makes money. Be good to my grandson. Don’t kill Stoney.”
He could manage the first two. Ford had no idea if the last one was possible.
“Okay, I’ll tackle the lease this week. The rest will take some time. I need to look at the operation.”
“Of course. Absolutely. Let’s talk about the good stuff. How’s Santa Fe? I haven’t been there in a coon’s age.”
“Bustling. The tourists are coming in droves.” He’d thought a lot about moving his office out toward the rodeo grounds, in fact, getting out of the hectic older part of town near the plaza.
“That’s good for the economy, huh? Doesn’t help you much, though.”
Through the huge window, he saw Stoney head out across the pasture, the man’s face like thundercloud. Still, he moved like a man on a mission.
“I do a lot of traveling to the pueblos now instead of people coming to my office.” Frankly, all the travel was exhausting, and Ford had been thinking about taking on a partner so he could just stay in one place once in a while. Settle down some.
“Good on you.” Ty followed his gaze, smiled. “He’ll be fine. He’s basically a good guy.”
“Honestly, Uncle Ty, I don’t give a shit. You sure it’s okay for me to spend the night?”
“Of course. We’ll have potato soup and bread. Rumor is that there’s sweet potato pie too.”
“Yum. Okay. I’m gonna go grab some stuff out of my truck, maybe move it around by the old barn.” He would talk to Ty again this evening, try to pry more details out of him.
“That works. Don’t block the silver duallie.”
“You got it.” He rose, then bent to give Ty a brief hug. This man had raised him as much as anyone had, and Ty was sick now. It broke Ford’s heart a little.
“You can stay over on this side. It’s the room with the big wooden four-poster.”
“Got it. I’ll see you at supper, old man.” Ford kept it light. The shit would hit the fan soon enough.
“Yessir. Take it easy.”
Ford headed out to his truck to grab his bags so he could get a little work in at least.
He felt eyes on him from every angle. He swore he could sense Stoney’s fury, focused on him like a laser.
Good. Good. Let the fucker burn with it. They’d both need a healthy dose of rage to make it through this. Ford grabbed his laptop case and his rollaboard, breathing deep. Glenwood had a unique smell, all woodsmoke and green, mountain and canyon mixed.
Magic.
This place was magic, and Stoney River had stolen it from him.
Ford blinked away the moisture trying to rise in his eyes. Anger or sadness, it didn’t matter. Never let them see you sweat, even from the eyes.
Eye sweat.
For fuck’s sake.
He was losing his mind. Obviously he was dehydrated. Leadville did that to a man. Even someone who lived at 7000 feet all year long.
“Daddy! Daddy, we ran! Did you see?”
“I saw, son. Very good. You walk him out now, okay?” Stoney’s voice was calm, warm, and surprised the heck out of Ford, wherever the hell he was.
“Okay. Just a sip of water, right?”
“Yes, son. Good memory. Doogie, you got this, man? I got to….”
“Go on, boss. Me and Quartz can keep each other busy for a week.”
“I’ll buy you a beer tonight, buddy.”
“Whenever you get the chance.” Doogie had that old cowboy look, the kind that told Ford he’d been around the block more than once. Hell, Doogie had been around the block more than once before Ford had left all those years ago.
“You mind Doogie, boy.”
“Yessir!” That was a happy kid.
God. Brittany and Ford had been close once upon a time, and he wanted her son happy. He did.
He headed back into the house, trying not to dread… well, everything about the next few hours. That was impossible, so yeah, Ford just needed to suck it up. He pulled out his phone, knowing Eileen would still be at the office.
“Good afternoon, sir. How’s it going?”
“I think I went to Hell and not Glenwood. I need to set a meeting with whoever is doing the BLM leasing in my uncle’s quadrant. ASAP.”
He could hear her typing, the sound furious on the keyboard. “ASAP as in tomorrow?”
“If possible. If not, we’ll go Monday. One way or the other, I’ll have a proposal ready.” That would be his first real act as owner, right?
“I’m on it. Anything else?”
“I need to know if Quartz River goes to school locally.” Something told him the kid was homeschooled, but he wanted to know the situation for sure.
“Quartz like the rock?”
“Yes, ma’am. My nephew. Well, technically, he’s my cousin Brittany’s kid.” He knew nothing about Quartz, really, and suddenly he was ashamed of that fact.
“I’ll have all the pertinent information forwarded ASAP, sir.”
“Thanks. Lunch on me tomorrow.”
“Those are my favorite words, you know.”
“I do.” She would make him take her to Creperie du Village or something froufy like that. Eileen had an unnatural fondness for fondue.
Of course, interactive food made him happy, so he’d take it.
“Thanks, lady. See you tomorrow.” He opened his laptop once he got to his room, and immediately had to go hunting Ty again. “Hey! Is there Wi-Fi?”
“There is. The password changes every day. Wait. I think that’s just for guests. Hold on.” Ty grabbed his phone. “Miranda honey, what do we do for Wi-Fi here? Ah. Ah, right. Thanks. Use the notforpublicconsumption deal and the password is stoneysaysso.”
“Stoney…. Right.” Grr . Ford shook his head. Lord. He had to get over this whole thing where Stoney’s name made him grit his teeth.
“Y’all can talk about changing it. I just put it in the once and it’s saved.”
“No problem.” He turned on his heel, heading back to his room. Hiding.
Fuck.
Fuck a doodle doo.
What was he supposed to do now?