“Go easy. He doesn’t need the stress.”
Neither do I, Lizzie thought, shouldering her bag and heading to the hospital room.
Brock was lying in the bed, a blue blanket covering him to his hips, still dressed in a hospital gown. His color was paler than usual, his gray hair limp on his head. There was a newspaper on his lap, but it was abandoned and his eyes were closed.
She turned around to leave when his voice stopped her. “I’m awake. No need to run away with your tail between your legs.”
Stay calm, she reminded herself, and don’t let him provoke you. Pushing a person’s buttons and then gauging their reaction was a Brock Baron litmus test. One she’d become pretty adept at passing.
“How’re you feeling?” she asked, perching on the bed.
“Like I got run over by a bull. Oh wait. I did.”
“Yes, you did, you big fool. What on earth were you doing bull riding anyway?”
“It was a seniors’ rodeo and I’m not in my grave yet.”
“You’re going to be if you keep up this foolishness.”
He lifted an eyebrow as his eyes cleared. “You’re starting to sound like my wife and not my daughter.”
“That’s probably because we both love you, you old coot.”
His face softened then. “Hard to argue against that now, isn’t it? Glad you’re giving me a hard time like normal. All the long looks around here and I was starting to worry I wouldn’t be okay.”
She sighed and relaxed. “I’m under firm orders not to upset you. But really—how are you?”
“The pain’s okay. Head hurts a bit, which is why the lights are low. The painkillers are taking care of most of it.”
“Good.”
“Doc said it’s going to be a long haul, but I’ll be up and around before you know it. You wait and see.”
This was where it was going to be difficult. “Dad, it’s going to be a little while at least. I can step in at the office until you’re back to full strength.”
“I was thinking Jet should step in. Perfect time for him to take on more responsibility.”
This was what she’d been afraid of. “Dad,” she said gently, “I know you want Jet to be part of the business but he’s simply not interested. I talked to him about it last night....”
“And talked him out of it?”
She heard the accusation in his voice and held back another sigh. “Not at all. I asked him to come aboard. To work with me. He wasn’t interested. Jacob, on the other hand...”
“Jacob’s the best rodeo man we have on the place. He could go all the way this year. I’m not pulling him off the circuit.”
“Even if that’s what he really wants?”
“Fool boy doesn’t know what he wants.”
There was no arguing with that tone, even though she was fairly sure Jacob knew exactly what he wanted. Lizzie knew the tone well and so she let the matter drop—for now. She would not pick a fight.
“Dad,” she started again, “I can do this. I just need the go-ahead from you.”
He rested his head back against the pillow. “I don’t know, Lizzie. The rest of the board—they’re old school. I’m not sure how they’ll take to a woman sitting at the head of the table.”
“I’m not just a woman. I’m a Baron. I have more at stake than any of them. The days of the old boys’ club are over, Dad.”
“Mark is the natural choice, as CFO,” Brock continued, looking sideways at her.