Wild adventures aside, Capri was dedicated to protecting her mother, who had married a man who tended to get a bit mean when he drank. Her mother’s well-being was paramount—even to the point of Capri turning down multiple marriage proposals. Thankfully, as her stepfather aged, lemonade had finally replaced the glass of bourbon in the old man’s hand.
Despite the twists and turns life had tossed their way, the four remained staunch supporters of one another and the best of friends. It was no surprise to see them standing in front of her, ready to help her celebrate.
Reva looped her arm in Charlie Grace’s. “We have another surprise.”
“We aren’t meeting for breakfast?”
Capri shook her head. “Not this morning.”
Lila pointed to Charlie Grace’s pickup. “Get in and follow us.”
“Where are we going?”
Reva beamed. “You’ll see.”
The destination turned out to be Teton Trails Ranch. As Charlie Grace maneuvered the final bend on the familiar dirt road, she glanced down at her phone to see a text message on the screen.
Surprise!
Charlie Grace looked up and nearly choked. At the entrance into the long winding lane leading to the house and barns stood a massive wooden gate her father had erected long before Charlie Grace could even remember. A crane perched feet away, lifting a large wooden sign into position on the upper cross beam.A man on the ground in an orange safety vest waved to a couple of other men perched in a hydraulic bucket ready to fasten the wooden placard into place.
The sign read:TETON TRAILS GUEST RANCH.
Charlie Grace’s eyes filled with tears. She pulled the truck to the side of the road and cut the engine. With the back of her hand, she wiped her face and glanced in the rearview mirror, trying to collect her composure.
Taking a deep breath, she climbed from her truck. “What is this?”
Her three best friends ran to her side, radiating with broad smiles. “Are you surprised?” Capri asked.
Charlie Grace’s hand went to her chest. “Shocked is more like it. How did you…why did you?—”
Reva drew her into a shoulder hug. “It’s our gift to you. Charlotte Grace Rivers, the proud owner of the best guest ranch within a hundred miles of the Tetons.”
“Well, me and my dad. I mean, technically….”
Reva brushed off her comments with a wave of her hand. “The ranch is in a trust now. You manage the trust.”
“That’s not all,” Capri blurted. She motioned to Lila, who pulled a laptop from the briefcase bag hanging from her shoulder. She opened the computer and set it on Charlie Grace’s pickup bed.
After a few clicks of the keyboard, a beautiful image of the ranch with the Teton Mountain Range in the background appeared on the screen. “Voila!” Lila said, grinning from ear to ear.
Reva peered over their shoulders. “It’s your new website. It will be no time at all before visitors to our area will be flocking to have the experience of their lifetime…right here at Teton Trails.”
Capri clapped her hands with excitement. “Included is the latest in online reservation systems. You are state of the art now, Charlie Grace.”
Once again, Charlie Grace could barely breathe. A website was on her long list of things she had to get done before the opening, but she was technologically challenged, so she’d let the job fall to the bottom of her tasks. “I can’t believe you guys did this.” She turned, tears brimming once again. “You are the absolute best.”
She drew her girlfriends into a hug. “Thank you doesn’t seem enough.”
And it wasn’t.
It would take time to fully absorb how she’d been surrounded by friends who’d given her a glimmer of hope. Despite the obstacles ahead, perhaps the future might, indeed, be bright. Regardless, these women would not leave her side.
The Teton Trails Guest Ranch was scheduled to open in less than two weeks. A skeleton crew had been hired, and food and supplies ordered. She would do everything in her power to make the enterprise a success…and earn every ounce of this support.
If she were lucky, she’d also gain her father’s respect, although that notion was a stretch. She’d likely be more apt to land on the moon.
4
