He ignores me and strides out toward the north paddock where Wyatt “Topper” Westin is mucking a stall in the main barn. Topper runs point on the day-to-day, handling everything from horse rotation and supply runs to keeping the ranch running. If something breaks, he fixes it. If someone needs to talk at 3 a.m., he’s there. My best friend since boot camp and one of the only people I trust to call me on my shit.
“Old man!” I shout while Jameson barks and laps at my heels. Rusty says nothing and straightens his Stetson.
“Topper?” I yell as I approach. “You have something you need to tell me?”
Even the elevation of my voice doesn’t get his attention, and as I near, I see he has earbuds in.
“Hey, hello?” I say, waving my hands in front of his eyes once I reach the stall.
“Oh, hey,” he says, tugging his earbuds out.
“What’s going on?” I insist.
Topper’s smile dissolves when he sees my expression.
Rusty clears his throat as our therapy horse, Goose, bobs his head from behind his stall door.
Topper’s eyes flick to Rusty and then back to me. “Oh boy, is this the part where I’m supposed to tell you what Rusty doesn’t want to?”
“Guess so,” I say, putting my hands on my hips.
Topper stretches his neck and sets his pitchfork against the wall. “So, remember how I told you I nominated Firebird Ranch for a contest Uncharted TV andWorld Explorermagazine are running?”
My heart thuds in my ears. “I’m not aware of this, no.”
“Right,” Topper says, with a nervous chuckle. “That’s because I neglected to tell you.”
I slam my eyes shut. “And why did you not tell me this?”
“Because I knew you’d be boilin’ mad.”
“I see.”
“Andareyou boilin’ mad?”
“I think you know the answer.”
“See!” Topper slaps his hands together. “I was right.”
“Why the hell did you nominate us for some dumb contest?”
“For starters, if we win thisdumbcontest we could get fifteen million.”
My eyebrows tent. “That’s a ridiculous amount of money. What kind of contest is this?”
“A contest the billionaire owner of Uncharted TV is putting on. He wants to highlight hidden gems in America that have helped others and now need help themselves.”
“That money would save the ranch if we win,” Rusty adds.
“No shit,” I say. “Wait …ifwe win?”
“There’s a chance we won’t,” Topper says. “But we will if weshow the people fromWorld Explorermagazine how special this place is.”
I rake my hand through my hair. “And how are we supposed to do that?”
“Can I interest you in a scotch or two or twenty before I tell you the rest?” Topper asks, putting his hand on my shoulder.
“It’s 7 a.m.”
