I started pacing as hot tears sprang to my eyes. Any time I thought about making changes to the breeding business, it made me feel like the tenuous connection I still had to my mom was stretching thinner.
“Give me more time, Josh. Iknowthings are going to turn around. I need a year.” It felt like I was fibbing because I knew no such thing, but there was no way I was going to miss out on buying that damn horse. I needed her.
He sighed. “Shannon, you can’t keep doing the same thing and expect the program to suddenly start earning more money. I’ve given you plenty of time already?—”
“Josh, I’ll look into new procedures, okay?” I interrupted. “I’ll make some changes. I just need more time.”
My voice cracked a little, and Josh flinched, but then set his shoulders, looking resolute. “I can’t give you a year. If you can’t turn things around by the end of the season, we’re using theextra money for a trail horse instead of the one you want. I’m sorry, but this family business is a business first, Shan, and I’ve got to invest in the avenues that are actually earning for us. Our trail ride program is booming. Our horse breeding program… isn’t. I can’t keep sinking money into the breeding side if it’s not going to turn a profit.”
“Fine.” I frowned. “But define ‘turn things around.’ What do you need to see from me to prove that the program is on the right track?”
“You don’t actually have to bring in a profit this year, okay? I’ll make it easier on you. I want to see that you’re phasing out some of the old school techniques, like pasture breeding. It takes too damn long, and we don’t have the luxury of time these days, not with all of the competition. And I want you to stop using paper for the intake forms and move to the tablet. Zoe already has everything all set up for you. All you have to do is start using it.”
My eyes went wide. “But…”
“I know, I know. Mom used paper. But I know from experience that the tablet is way more efficient than using paper first, then transferring to the computer. It’s like you want to create extra work for yourself.”
I hung my head. The forms still had the logo Mom drew in the upper left corner, with her initials hidden in it. With Zoe’s mad design skills, she’d modernized the logo into something eye-catching for the ranch’s new website, but I was still partial to the homey one my mom had created when she’d married Dad.
“Fine.”
“Good.”
We stared at each other in silence until I picked the fork back up and started cleaning again. I hated that Josh was pushing me to make changes almost as much as I hated admitting that he was right.
“Are you going to be grumpy with me from now on?” he asked.
“Nope,” I said unconvincingly, frowning and shaking my head.
He snorted. “Yeah, right.”
“I need to get to work. I havesomuch to do now,” I said in a sarcastic voice.
“You know who can help you out?” Josh asked, ignoring my childishness.
“If you say Becca, I’m going to smack you with this thing,” I said, shaking the fork at him.
Josh finally laughed. “No, you goof.Declan. Before he came here to try for Dr. Wilcox’s practice, you know he was working for a big operation in Salt Lake City, right? They had a major breeding program affiliated with USU’s vet school. He might have some insights for you on ways to make things more efficient around here.”
I froze. I’d been tryingnotto think about Declan, but my mind kept wandering back to him. I still wasn’t comfortable with the idea that he might be back for good. I’d been crushed when he’d rejected me all those years ago, and I still wasn’t past it.
“Huh.”
“I think he’d be a great resource for you,” Josh said, heading out of the barn. “Want me to call him and set something up?”
“No!” I yelped. “I mean, it’s not necessary. I’ll call him if I need him, okay?”
Josh shrugged. “Fine, whatever. Hey, Shannon.”
I stopped cleaning to look at him.
“I want you to be successful, okay? I believe in you, and this program. I know you have what it takes to bring it to the next level. You just need to be open to change.”
I softened to my brother. Sometimes it was hard running a business with him because he had a tendency to want to control everything and had a hard time delegating. But I knew that he was so invested because he cared about the ranch and about his family. And in this instance, it felt like he truly was trying to push me out of my comfort zone for a good reason.
“Thanks.” I finally managed a little smile.
“The clock starts now,” he said, destroying any of my warm feelings for him. “And don’t be stubborn; talk to Declan.”
