Page 120 of High Water

“I don’t know about—” I hedge, looking back at Aspen. It’s her birthday.

“You can go today. She won’t rest if she can’t get a ride in before she leaves tomorrow.” Aspen shakes her head.

Fallon is flying out with Ethan for the week before school starts up again. I’m not looking forward to Fallon leaving us, but I’m excited to have Aspen to myself for an entire weekend on her birthday. She’s been gone for the last few weeks at field school and having her back home—let’s just say I have plans.

“Are you sure?” I raise a brow, skeptical that she truly wants to be alone.

“I’m sure. I’ll spend a little more time with Clover here, and then when she’s tired of me, I’ll get a little reading in on the porch.” Aspen grins. “I could use a little read and nap before we go meet the family for dinner tonight.”

“You don’t want to come with us?” Fallon rolls her lip in a pout.

“Nah. I think it’s you and your father’s turn for a little alone time.” Aspen shakes her head.

“Can we ride to the lookout?” Fallon looks to me.

The lookout is just around the mountain, and it has a spectacular view of my family’s ranch, but it’s a bit of a ride from here. I glance down at my watch.

“You should have time if you hurry.” Aspen reads my mind.

“All right. Let’s get them ready. I got the tack over here.” I nod over my shoulder for Fallon to follow me.

“See you later.” Aspen kisses my cheek. “Thank you. Truly. I love her.” Aspen grins back at her horse and then glances back at me. “I love you.”

“I love you too, honey.”

As we ride out around the ridge to the lookout, the Bradford ranch comes into full view. A scattering of rolling clouds flows over the landscape around it, which makes it look like it could be something from a painting. From up here, you’d never know it was anything but picturesque. It still holds all the memories it used to for me, but in light of the present, they seem distant enough now that I have a plan to turn it into something productive.

I’ve been hatching a plan for the last month with Aspen. One we started dreaming about when we opened the safe deposit boxes with the keys she found in the mine. There was a hell of a lot more than we bargained for—several million dollars in gold bars. Ones her grandfather had put there. The gold was divided equally. Each box was left with a note that said “for a rainy day” in her grandmother’s handwriting and addressed to each of her sons: Kip, Creighton, and Jay.

Jay’s portion was given to his surviving daughter. Creighton’s money has been set aside as the foundation for a new nonprofit dedicated to the repatriation of artifacts and the prosecution of black-market trade. An organization headed up by Zephyrine and Charlotte. Kip’s portion was intended to be divided amongst all the siblings, but Grant, Levi, and Ramsey all refused to take their share, insisting that they all had more than enough money and property for a lifetime. So Aspen and I promised to make sure that we created a legacy that would make a difference in his name.

“What’s all that down there?” Fallon asks as she notices all of the construction equipment that’s made its way onto the ranch property.

“That’s our future.” I glance over at her.

“What are you building?”

“A place where kids who have it hard at home can get away for a bit. We figure that we’ll start with a summer camp or two. Maybe have some weekend classes. They can learn to ride. Spend some time with the horses.”

“Really?” Fallon looks back at me in surprise, shielding her eyes from the sun.

I nod. “That’s why I thought you might want to have Pepper. Learn the ins and outs so you might get to a place where you can teach some other kids eventually.”

“That sounds fun.” She grins. “Maybe barrel racing too?”

“Maybe.” I laugh. “If that’s what you want to do. We’ll see what we can make happen.”

Her lips press together, and her eyes dip down to the ground for a moment in thought before they meet mine again.

“I’m sorry for the things I said when you first came back. I know I didn’t make it easy on you.”

“You’re all right.”

“No. I mean it. You’ve made Mom happier than I think I’ve ever seen her. I understand now why she was so excited that I’d get to know you.”

“Are you happy? I know you miss your dad, and this transition hasn’t been easy on you.”

“More than happy. I do miss Dad. I’m excited I get to see him this week. But I’ll miss you and Mom while I’m gone, you know. He’s my dad, but you’re my pops.” She grins brightly at me, and I shake my head in amusement. “And I don’t know how we made it without you around all this time. I can’t imagine you not being here now.”