The house smells like coffee when I walk in, my boots heavy on the hardwood floors. Voices drift from Frank's old office. Our meeting room now, and I follow them, stopping at the doorway.
They're all here. Tucker sits in Frank's chair behind the desk, looking tired in that way single parents always do. His daughter Emma is with her grandparents tonight, which means this meeting really is serious. Mason leans against the bookshelf, arms crossed, his military bearing still evident even in ranch clothes. Boone occupies the worn leather armchair by the window, quiet as always, while Colt paces near the fireplace like a caged animal.
And Rhett stands at the desk, laptop open.
"There he is," Rhett says when he sees me. "Thought we might have to send a search party."
"East fence." I grab the extra chair by the door and drag it closer. "It's worse than we thought. We're going to need—"
"About six thousand dollars' worth of materials and a miracle," Rhett finishes. "Yeah, Tucker told me. That's actually related to why I called everyone together."
I don't like his tone. It's too careful. Too measured. The voice he uses when he's about to suggest something he knows I'll hate.
"Just say it," Mason says, saving me the trouble.
Rhett looks at each of us in turn, then settles on me. "I found an investor. Someone willing to put serious capital into the ranch,enough to cover our immediate debts and fund the repairs and improvements we need."
The room goes silent. I feel every muscle in my body tense.
"What's the catch?" I ask, my voice flat.
"She wants to be actively involved. Hands-on. Learn the business, have input on decisions, that kind of thing." He pauses. "She's coming tomorrow to tour the property and meet everyone. If we all agree, she'll draw up terms for a partnership investment."
"Partnership." The word tastes like ash. "You mean she wants to buy in. Own part of Promise Ranch."
"Not own," Rhett says quickly. "Invest. We'd maintain controlling interest. The six of us would still make all final decisions. But yes, she'd have a stake in the ranch's success. Her money, our expertise."
"Absolutely not." I'm on my feet before I realize I'm moving. "Frank left this place to us. The six of us. We're not bringing in some outsider who—"
"Wade." Tucker's voice cuts through my anger with the same calm he uses on Emma during a tantrum. "Frank left us a ranch that's drowning in debt. He didn't know how bad things had gotten. Hell, we didn't fully know until he was gone and we got a look at all the books."
"So, we work harder. We find another way."
"We've been finding another way for two years," Mason says, not unkindly. "We're out of ways, brother."
"Who is she?" Boone asks, speaking for the first time. "This investor?"
Rhett pulls up something on his laptop. "Sierra Vaughn. Twenty-six, from California originally, been living in Seattle. Recently inherited a significant sum and is looking for investment opportunities. Specifically interested in agricultural businesses with turnaround potential."
"A kid." I shake my head. "A rich kid playing with daddy's money who thinks she can—"
"Eight point four million dollars," Rhett interrupts. "That's what she inherited. And she's serious about this, Wade. I've been emailing with her for a week. She's done her research. She knows our situation, knows the ranch is struggling, and she still wants in. That tells me she's not looking for a sure thing. She's looking for a challenge."
Eight million dollars. The number sits in the air like something obscene.
"Why?" I demand. "Nobody with that kind of money invests in a failing cattle ranch in the middle of Montana unless they're stupid or they have an agenda. Which is it?"
"Maybe she believes in what we're doing here," Boone suggests quietly. "Some people still value that."
"Or maybe she's another developer in disguise." Colt finally stops pacing. "Wants to get in, gain our trust, then push us out and turn this place into a resort or subdivide it for vacation homes."
"I thought of that," Rhett says. "Her emails don't read that way. She seems genuine. Talks about honoring her father's memory, proving herself, making a real difference."
"Everyone seems genuine until they're not." I return to my chair, sitting down hard. "What do we actually know about her besides the money?"
Rhett scrolls through his laptop. "Business degree from University of Washington. No practical experience, but she's smart. From what I can gather, her family didn't react well to the inheritance. There was some kind of conflict about it. She's looking to invest to prove something, probably to them."
"So, she has something to prove and no experience." I laugh, but there's no humor in it. "That's who you want to trust with Frank's legacy?"
