Page 60 of More Than This Land

“Because the partnership benefits the ranch.” He tried for his usual shrug, but it failed him.

“You could get grazing access from three other properties without offering anything close to this return.”

Luke finished his coffee and set the mug in the sink behind him. “I forgot what it meant to be a friend and a neighbor. I don’t ever want to do that again.”

Brody stood with his mouth twisted to one side, tapping the folder against his palm, then he put it on the table and pushed it toward Luke. “I’d want the equipment access to include the tractor for spring planting. Your proposal only specifies haying equipment.”

“Agreed.” Luke made the note in the margin and signed it with his initials. “Anything else?”

“The branding day crew. I’d want the same arrangement to run both directions. My family shows up for 4C Ranch, your crew shows up for us.”

“That’s what I intended.”

Brody put his hand out. “Then we have a deal.”

They shook on it, and Luke drove back to the ranch with the signed copy on the passenger seat and a smile so wide his brothers would fall over in shock if they saw it.

That clarity lasted until he passed Oak Street.

He didn’t look down the road. He kept his eyes on the intersection ahead. But his peripheral vision caught the white fence and the front porch and the small house where his mind wandered in unguarded moments.

She was in there making her decision. Or she’d already made it. He didn’t know, and he didn’t dare stop and ask again.

He spent the afternoon in the north pasture with Eli, fixing the fence he’d mentioned. Eli was good company for physical work, offering observations when needed and letting silence stand the rest of the time.

“Post is good.” Eli tested the last one with his full weight. “That section’ll hold through next winter.”

“Good.” Luke loaded the remaining wire into the truck bed. “Thanks for letting me help.”

Eli closed the tailgate and turned. “Man, wild horses couldn’t keep you from helping if that was what you wanted to do.”

“True. Still. It felt good to get out and get my hands dirty.” He rolled his aching shoulders. “My back won’t appreciate it tomorrow, but my head sure does.”

Eli picked up his gloves from the truck hood. “Amen and amen. I have a lifetime subscription to ibuprofen.” He checked the sun falling behind them. “Better get to the house. About time for the ranch meeting.”

Luke rushed to the truck, threw his stuff inside, and climbed in. Eli jumped in the other seat, closing his eyes for the entire drive up to the main house.

He had just enough time to knock the mud from his boots and wash his hands before Dad called for everyone to hurry up.

He started off the meeting with prayer, then turned it over to Luke letting him walk them through the implementation updates.

He presented each item with the competence the work deserved. He showed them the follow-up notes, the timeline adjustments, and the contact names. Claire’s framework spoke for itself, all he did was prove he’d been paying attention and had a willingness to change.

He’d just finished the guest ranch expansion update when Noah set his pen down.

“Okay.” Noah spread his hands on the table. “What’s going on?”

Luke looked at his agenda, then around the table at his family, who all stared back at him with wide eyes and slack jaws. “I have two more items.”

“Luke.” Caleb raised both hands. “We surrender, brother. You have done more good deeds in the last two weeks than most people do in a year. Every item on that list is real progress. And you’re running through it like you’re trying to outrun a stampede.”

“I’m not⁠—”

“Brody Kessler.” Noah ticked his finger. “Tom Martin’s contract. The 4H relaunch. The freezer program. The fence line in the north pasture.” One finger after another. “You also called the church hospitality committee, reorganized the equipment storage, personally delivered the vendor paperwork to three separate businesses instead of mailing it, and fixed the gate hinge on the south entrance that’s been sticking since October.”

“It needed doing.” He tried to press the point home. Why were they fighting him on this?

“In a week?” Caleb stared him down, and for some reason he didn’t have a comeback.