Page 74 of Buck ’Em Cowgirl

“We start by doing what we do best. You focus on marketing, I focus on the bulls. You don’t have to know everything about this life overnight, Fable. Just take it one step at a time.”

Without hesitation, she pushed off the couch, walked over, and grabbed me by the shoulders.

“Alright, let’s go,” she said, steering me toward the desk.

“Harleigh,” I groaned, dragging my feet as she guided me forward.

She ignored me completely, forcing me down into the chair before giving my shoulders a firm squeeze. “You’re going to research and watch bull auctions,” she instructed.

I sighed, leaning back. “And what exactly am I supposed to be looking for?”

She perched on the desk beside me, crossing her arms. “Bull auctions are a whole event. You’ve got the stock contractors who bring in their bulls, and buyers looking for the best stock for breeding, competition, or rodeo circuits.”

“You know so much,” I groaned, dropping my head against the desk.

Harleigh laughed. “Babe, I grew up with this. That’s why I’m here—to help.”

I lifted my head, pouting. “And what exactly are you doing while I’m stuck watching cowboy bidding wars?”

She pulled out her phone as she slid into the chair across from me. “I’m setting up our social accounts for the ranch and following every cattle, mare, and rodeo page around here. You focus on auctions, I’ll handle making us look like we actually belong in this world.”

I huffed, clicking open a tab on my laptop. “Fine. But I want breaks. And snacks.”

“Done.” She grinned. “Now, get to work.”

The rest of the afternoon passed in a blur of auctions and frantic note-taking. I watched the way buyers leaned in, the way the announcers hyped the bloodlines, and the charged energy in the room. It wasn’t about selling bulls—it was about selling a story.

That was where Twisted Spur Ranch could stand out.

People wanted more than stats on a page. They wanted to see behind the scenes, watch the bulls train, learn their personalities. They wanted to feel like they were part of something before they even placed a bid. If we could make the auctions more immersive, if we could get people invested in these animals before they hit the ring, then the sales would follow.

Live streaming smaller auctions, letting buyers engage before they even set foot on the ranch. Featuring the bloodlines, hyping up the bulls like athletes, showing their lineage like a legacy worth investing in. Getting riders who worked with them to talk about their power, their skill.

There was so much potential.

At some point, Harleigh had left, saying something about getting food, but I barely registered it. I was too wrapped up in what I was watching.

By the time she returned, the scent of warm cheese and grease filled the office, but I didn’t look up. She dropped a pizza box on the desk beside me with a loud thud, but I was still too focused on the screen, barely acknowledging her as I reached for a slice.

“You are officially unwell.” She teased me, flopping onto the couch with her own piece.

I hummed in response, chewing as I scrolled through another auction, my fingers moving mindlessly to wipe the grease off on my napkin before typing again.

Harleigh sighed dramatically. “I mean, you could at least pretend to enjoy this and act like I didn’t save you from starvation.”

“Thank you,” I mumbled through a mouthful, still glued to the screen.

She groaned, but didn’t push it, eating in silence while I worked. I didn’t even notice how much time had passed until Harleigh stretched beside me, groaning as she rolled her shoulders.

“Alright, it’s five. I’m checking out,” she announced, sliding her phone into her back pocket. “You coming?”

I barely looked up from my screen, my fingers still typing. “I’m going to keep working,” I murmured.

She grabbed her bag. “Alright, workaholic. Don’t stay too late.”

I heard the door shut behind her, but I didn’t move. I kept at it until my eyes blurred, until my head felt too full, until my body finally forced me to stop.

I leaned back in my chair, exhaling, staring at the ceiling for a long moment.