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Why is she so easy to talk to? I never would’ve thought I could open up to anyone, especially her. But here I am, spilling my guts. If she’s surprised, she doesn’t show it.
“Those are super popular. I’ve had clients who have done them.”
“See, and most of your clients are wealthy, right?”
She hems and haws. “My private ones were, yeah.”
“Well, with Sadie pregnant, Jude wants me to take over more on the ranch, so he won’t even consider it. Even though until he was going to become a father, he never thought me worthy or capable of taking on more.” I refrain from telling her about the deal I made with Ben. I’m not sure how she’d feel about it.
“Is this what you’re working on at night and stuff?”
I twirl my pasta around my fork and bring it to my mouth. My taste buds explode in happiness. “This is so good.”
“You’re dodging the question,” she says.
“No, I just didn’t want to forget to compliment you. To answer your question, yeah. I want to carve out my own place on the ranch, and it’s not running the day-to-day operations. That’s Jude’s thing, and he loves it, but I like people. I want to work with people.”
She looks up from her plate and smiles. “Tell me more.”
And so, for the next hour while we sit on the patio, I tell her everything about what I envision. She listens and asks follow-up questions, and when we call it a night, it’s like another jolt of excitement has hit my veins.
Screw my brothers. I’m going to do this. Somehow, I’m going to make this happen.
Chapter Sixteen
Briar
“How are the classes going?” Darla asks me.
She’s not leisurely talking to guests this morning but waiting for me. My back straightens, and my gut clenches because this is it. Am I being let go? People have tried the yoga class and seem like they enjoyed it, but even I know the attendance has been low.
“They’re going well,” I say.
She falls in line with me as I walk toward the studio. “Scarlett has started to advertise in Hickory, but we recently got word that Wild Bull Ranch is building a spa.” She rolls her eyes. “That boy just loves to push buttons.”
“Why would he build a spa, and who is he?” I ask.
Darla stops at the kitchen doors. There’s no way I can have a big breakfast today. So I take a few steps away as if I’m about to go to the studio.
“Walker Matthews. He’s got something to prove, but I’m not sure what. He’s Plain Daisy’s biggest competition. I think he got word about you and now thinks this is how he’ll one-up us.”
I remember a Walker hitting on me last year at the Plain Daisy Ranch ball game, so I’m assuming he’s one and the same. I actually drove past Wild Bull Ranch the other day and saw how much it resembled Plain Daisy Ranch.
“Anyway, that lit a fire under Scarlett.” She shakes her head. “Nothing gets that girl’s engine revving like some good old-fashioned competition.”
“I imagine with her job, she’s all about making this ranch successful.”
Scarlett runs the office for the entire ranch, and I’m pretty sure she’s in charge of all the financials, marketing, and everything else.
“Exactly. So, keep at it. I’ve heard great things. Especially the one you did for women over sixty the other day. Brad and I were downtown this weekend, and everyone kept stopping us and telling how sweet you are and how fun the class was. That they didn’t think they could bend like that.”
“Oh, I’m glad.”
“Yeah, I won’t fill you in on the rest. Let’s just say you spiced up some bedrooms.”
I smile and laugh. “Maybe that should be the marketing line.”
She points at me and chuckles. “I’m telling Scarlett that idea.” She runs her hand down my arm. “Have a good day. I just wanted to check in with you and let you know we’re committed to making this work.”
