Page 21 of One Wild Chance

“Yeah. Earl told me that the manager had been skimming money,” Grady says, adding some fresh strawberry jelly to his roll. “Three years before he died, Dad handed over the financials to a new guy. Dakota Lightning was taking up Dad’s time, so he didn’t catch it. The guy inflated invoices from vendors, while he collected boarding fees that disappeared from the books. He also padded the feed and supply costs and pocketed the difference. Mom realized it after Dad died, but it was too late by then.”

Anger burns in my chest. My parents were always generous to their workers, treating them like family. Sometimes they even sacrificed part of Dad’s paycheck so they could pay their employees first. They didn’t deserve to be treated like that.

I lean back in my chair, folding my arms. “Seems like Mom didn’t tell us a lot of things. First, the loans. Now I find out some scumbag was cheating them.”

“Wait, back up. What loans?” Rhett asks, pushing aside his plate.

“That’s the other thing James told me after you guys left his office. This farm is carrying a lot of debt.” I get up from the table and pull the loan documents out of the folder, passing them around. “The loan Dad took out against Dakota Lightning still hasn’t been paid off. And the balloon payment is coming due.” I toss my napkin on the table. “I don’t know how we’re going to save this place.”

Grady sets the documents down. “Mom probably didn’t want us worrying. You know her.”

I chew my bottom lip. “It is our worry now that the farm’s in trouble. And if the bank takes it, that’s the end of four generations of Chances on this land.”

“Maybe we could pool our money?” Rhett suggests.

I shake my head. “Mom wouldn’t want us to. Even Earl admitted that the horse industry is risky. We couldn’t afford to gamble our money if things went sideways. Lucky Chance needs to earn back what it owes.”

I stare out the window at a horse grazing and think about what Earl told me today—how Hank Branford’s father cheated our family. Dad never trusted a Branford after that.

With my hockey career over, I’ve got nothing lined up. Maybe it’s time to stop waiting for a door to open somewhere else. It doesn’t mean I have to stay here forever. I just have to make sure Branford doesn’t get Lucky Chance.

I rest my elbows on the table. “What if we were to come up with a plan? Would you all be in?”

“To save the farm?” Wyatt clarifies.

“We get it profitable enough that the bank leaves us alone. And in two years, we become the owners and decide what comes next.” I look around the table. “Well?”

Wyatt lifts a hand. “I’m in.”

“Same,” Grady adds.

Rhett throws his napkin on his empty plate, the last holdout. “I’ll do it. But only because I refuse to lose to you three at something.”

“Yes!” Wyatt fist-pumps the air. “I’m getting a hat and boots. The whole nine yards.”

“This is not cowboy cosplay,” I remind him. “It’s a business.”

“Can’t it be both?” Wyatt asks.

Grady holds up his hand. “Before we get too excited here, do we have any ideas on how to make this work?”

“Based on what Earl told me, the boarding barn is a pretty reliable income,” I say. “Thirty-five horses are paying monthly board right now. Maybe we should increase that. Add a few more broodmares and foals. And our prize stallion, Gent, still has a name in the industry and a decent stud fee.”

“You’re forgetting one thing.” Grady leans back. “All that requires someone who knows the clients and horses.”

I shift in my chair. “Which brings us back to the same problem.”

The table goes quiet.

“Summer,” I mutter.

“She’s been doing this job for years,” Grady says. “She knows everything Mom knew. We’d be idiots to waste that.”

Outside, horses graze in the far pasture. Dad knew what he was doing when he put this place in a trust. He probably guessed that we’d all have reasons not to come back, so he made sure we’d spend time here.

The screen door bangs from the kitchen, and I hear Ada Mae say, “Summer, did you eat dinner yet? There are plenty of leftovers.”

What is she doing here?