My pulse pounded in my ears. I’d known my father wouldn’t be coming home the next day or anything, but the reality of weeks of being without him on the ranch hadn’t hit me until that moment. Someone was going to have to take over the business side of things. Angelo knew all there was to know about calving, but he’d never had a reason to learn any of the indoor work. For a moment, I considered asking Blake to come back, but if my father found out, there’d be a lot more trouble. I could ask Ken and Andy for help, but theirs was a horse ranch not a cattle operation. They didn’t know our business either.
But you do. I heard the words in my head in Blake’s voice. You know everything there is to know about how to run this ranch.
A sense of calm settled over me, one I hadn’t felt since I’d fallen asleep on Blake a few weeks ago.
“Thank you, doctor. Is my father where we can see him now?”
“Yes, but only one person can go in at a time. He’s in recovery.”
“It should be me,” Leanne whined. “I’m the one he’d want to see.”
I couldn’t argue with that. I was sure my father would much rather see her than me. I turned to Katie. “Let my father know everything is under control back at the ranch. He probably won’t believe it, but I’ve got this.”
“Do you have any other questions?” the doctor asked.
“No, thank you. The hospital has my number if you need me.” Without another glance at Leanne, I walked away.
As soon as I located my car in the hospital parking garage and cranked the engine so I wouldn’t boil in the hot interior, I called Blake. He answered almost immediately.
“Riley, how are things?”
“My dad’s going to make it, but he’ll be in the hospital for a while and then in rehab for weeks.”
“Did you talk to him?”
Before answering, I finished the last of the bottle of water I’d gotten while waiting. “Only one person could go in, and Leanne was going to pitch a fit if it wasn’t her. He’d rather see her anyway, so I’m heading back to the ranch.”
“What’s your plan?”
“I told Leanne and her sister to tell my dad I’d take care of things at the ranch, so that’s what I’m going to do.”
“I couldn’t be more proud of you, boy.”
Hearing Blake call me that had me sagging back against the seat, some of my tension finally draining away. “Thank you, Daddy. There really isn’t anything else to do. I’m the only one who knows how to run things.”
“Some people would walk away and let Lawson get himself out of the mess he created.”
“My dad did bring this on himself in more ways than one, but none of the other people at the ranch are to blame. If I leave, they’ll all bear the burden of it.”
“You told me once you weren’t as good a person as I thought. Look at yourself now, Riley, because you are fucking amazing.”
Warmth spread through my chest. “I always feel so much better when I talk to you.”
“I’m glad, but remember you came to the decision to take all this on by yourself. This was all you.”
“I heard your voice in my head, though.”
“Did you now?” His low chuckle made desire stir in my stomach.
“I’m sure I’ll have a lot of questions.”
“I’ll be here. You can ask me anything.”
I fiddled with the air conditioner, turning it down now that the car had cooled. “I wanted to ask you to come take over again, no matter what my father said, but I knew that wasn’t right.”
“No, it’s not, but that doesn’t mean I’m not going to support you.”
I sighed. “I should head back now.”
“Hang up so you can focus on driving. You’re already distracted and probably more tired than you should be.”
“Yeah. It’s been a long two weeks.”
“And you’ve got more coming, but you’ll make it.”
I pulled on my sunglasses and put the car in reverse. “You know what?”
“What, baby?”
“I actually think I will.”
Despite Blake’s admonishment to stay off the phone while I drove, I called Angelo, assured him we’d get through this, and asked him to pass on the word about my dad. Things were crazy when I got back. I jumped back in and let muscle memory take over until finally there was enough of a lull that most of us could break for dinner.
Once we’d all taken the edge off our hunger, I glanced around the table. I was nervous about trying to give everyone a pep talk and afraid they wouldn’t trust me to try to run things. I was just the boss’s brat after all. But most of the hands had come to accept me and even appreciate the fact that I was willing to work.