“I don’t work with cattle, if that’s what you’re asking,” Lainey replies with a laugh. “I help businesses brand themselves so they’re more recognizable to the public. I’m here to give y’all a whole new look—new logo, new website, new tagline. The whole shebang.”
“I had no idea that job existed. How cool.” I mean that. I love living in Hartsville, but there’s not a lot of variety around here when it comes to professions. Sometimes it feels like everyone on earth is either a rancher, a cowboy, or a cook.
“It took me a long time to land on this as a profession,” Lainey continues. “But I love it. The creativity aspect is really what drew me to the field, and I started taking on projects while I was still in business school.”
My heart thumps. “I’m amazed. Welcome to the ranch, Lainey. I look forward to working with you.”
“I don’t want to count our chickens before they’re hatched, but I think giving your ranch a few key updates in terms of your marketing and the look you’re going for will really push your numbers in the right direction. Sky’s the limit.”
“I’msoon board.” I glance at my father. “I’m kinda surprised you signed up for this, though.”
He shrugs. “I’m not gonna be around forever, Billie. I wanna make sure I leave y’all an operation that’s in tip-top shape. I know y’all work hard to make our little world go round, and I have every intention of honoring that.”
Mom and I chat with Lainey for a while. Apparently Dad offered her housing on the ranch while she’s working here. She’ll be starting sooner rather than later, although she and Dad are still ironing out the details.
Later, I head out to the barn, where I know I’ll find Tate. He’s brushing down a gorgeous Andalusian that we named Dwayne after The Rock, AKA Dwayne Johnson, because the horse is fifteen hands high and an absolute giant.
“If I tell you something juicy, will you tack up a horse and come for a ride with me?” I ask Tate.
My brother cuts me a look. “You know it’d be just our luck that you’d fall off again, and this time, you’ll mangle your arm so badly they’re going to have to amputate it. I know youcantake on the world with just one arm, but do youwantto?”
I laugh. “I’m not gonna fall again. Law of averages.”
“Explain that law to me.”
“The average chance of falling off a horse is, like, two percent, and since I just fell off on my last ride, I have ninety-eight thousand more rides until I fall again.”
He shakes his head, a big old smile on his face. “That makes zero sense.”
“Please, Tate. I’m losing my mind, and I really need a friend to talk to right now. And I’m not even wearing the sling anymore. I promise, my arm is fine.”
His smile fades. “Everything okay?”
Yes. No. I don’t know.
I look at him. He looks back.
At last he sighs. “Fine. But if anyone finds out, I’m saying this was your idea.”
A rush of relief leaves me feeling woozy. “Thank you.”
I need to use a mounting block to get up on my horse. It’s humbling, to say the least. But the second I’m in the saddle, the worn leather creaking in a familiar way, I immediately feel better.
The tightness in my shoulders and chest dissipates. Guiding my horse into the October afternoon, I suck in lungful after lungful of crisp autumn air.
“So what’s goin’ on?” Tate guides his horse into a trot beside mine.
“Dad wants to rebrand the ranch. He’s thinking a whole new look, logo, website. Everything.”
Tate scoffs. “Okay. That’s not what you need to tell me, though.”
“It’s not.” I give him a rueful smile. “But I do think it’s interesting. He’s bringing a woman in, Lainey, to give us some ideas. She’s a branding expert.”
“Didn’t know there was such a thing.”
“Me neither. She just got her MBA at UT Austin. She’s so confident and…” I carefully lean forward to pat my horse’s neck.“Interesting. She got into a line of work I didn’t even know existed. Apparently she loves it.”
Tate looks at me from under the brim of his cowboy hat. “And you know all this how?”
