A few years ago, my brother pitched the idea of running a breeding facility on the ranch. After it was approved by the family, I was asked if I’d join him and help manage the operation. I couldn’t say no. After we acquired more stud horses and expanded our boarding stalls, we had Payton transferred here to help full-time. Before that, we all worked in different areas on the ranch and often did the same bitch work. He’s a hard worker and friends with my sister, Kaitlyn. While we keep him as much as we can, we’ll send him to the goat farm when our cousin Ethan is shorthanded. He mostly keeps to himself but also does his fair share of shit-talking.
Spring through summer is the fertile season for the females, so we’re always very busy. We board mares for a month to ensure they get pregnant. Considering we have twelve different studs, we’re taking care of twenty-four horses at a time for six months of the year. It’s a lot of damn work, but it's worth it for our one-hundred percent pregnancy rate.
Payton passes me to refill his empty buckets and then finishes. As the horses eat, we hop in the truck and make our way to the B&B to quickly eat breakfast. Since we’re the only two working all week, we don’t have any time to waste.
“I didn’t expect you to be working so early,” I admit as I drive us there.
“I know. Thought I’d get a head start so we’d have plenty of time to have seconds. Woke up starvin’.”
I chuckle, and we go inside. “I know the feelin’.”
My mouth waters as I take in the scents of frying bacon and butter biscuits that fill the room. Dishes clank, and chatter fills the dining room. It’s just a typical work day at the B&B. A handful of other ranch hands are already taking advantage of the first round of food to come out of the kitchen for the morning. As soon as I grab a plate, my cousin Maize comes from around the corner, shaking her head.
“Y’all are gonna make me work extra hard today, aren’t ya?”
I chuckle. “You know you’d be bored out of your mind if it weren’t for us. How much food can twenty guests who are stayin’ here really eat?”
She pokes me in the shoulder. “Exactly my point. I wouldn’t have to work nearly as hard, and then maybe I could really focus on my catering business. Ya know?”
“We love ya for it, though, cuz. Nobody makes a buttered biscuit quite like you.”
She cracks a smile. “Okay, now you’re just tryin’ to butter me up. Smart. You can have extra.”
I pile up sausage, bacon, biscuits, blueberry pancakes, and a hefty scoop of western scrambled eggs, then join Payton at an empty table.
“What’s on the schedule today, boss?”
“I think a quarter horse is showing up today, so we’ll have to sign contracts, unload, and get the stall setup connected to Blitz’s pasture.” The registered Arabian stallion is the son of a champion racehorse. The breeding fees for him bring in a small fortune, not to mention what we make for housing the mare.
“That’s it?”
“I believe Juniper Blossom, the fire engine red quarter horse we’ve had since the beginning of May, is being picked up around eight. So we’ll have to deal with customers for a few hours, contracts, loading, and then make sure the stall is clean for tomorrow. Then rinse and repeat. Oh, we need to probably check the cameras we have installed to see how many times the horses mated yesterday so we can keep track.”
Payton swallows down a bite of eggs. “Sounds good. Is Knox coming in today?”
“He said he might stop by in the afternoon, but I'm not sure yet. I told him to stay home and enjoy his time off, but you know how well he listens.”
He nods and chuckles. “Yeah, as well as a screaming toddler.”
“You’re right ’bout that.” I put butter and strawberry jam inside my warm biscuit, then eat half in one big bite. Payton gets up and grabs another plate of food, then returns. Guess he wasn’t kidding about being hungry.
“Seems like we’ve got a busy day,” he continues.
“Yeah, pretty sure it’ll be like this for the rest of the week, and next month, oh, and the next.”
Payton shrugs. “That’s life on the ranch, ain’t it? Beats the alternative.”
When we’re almost finished clearing our plates, my cousins Riley and Ethan enter. They’re being loud as hell too.
Uncle John comes from his office and glares at them. “Y’all need to quiet down. We still have guests sleepin’ upstairs and don’t need y’all wakin’ them up being rowdy.”
He manages the B&B and has since he was our age. Without him, I’m not sure this place would be as successful as it is. My cousin Maize is his daughter.