“It’s not like you to be difficult, son. I expect that from Kaiden or Danny, but you’ve always stuck things out and not complained.”
“Then maybe it’s my turn to stick my neck out and do something for myself? I’ve been doing these trail rides for a year now, Dad. Why is this one any different, and why are you making such a fuss about nothing?”
Jeff glowered at him. “You’re jealous, aren’t you?”
“Jealous of what?”
“People being happy. I thought Adam was bad enough, but you take the cake. Maybe if you spent less time moping around the ranch and went out to meet some nice women you’d stop sulking and get a life.”
“Gee, Dad, you’re such a motivational speaker, you should have your own talk show.” Ben stood and faced his father. “I’ll be working for BB Morgan for ten days, and then I’ll come back, and you can yell at me all you want, okay?”
“Perhaps I won’t have a job for you,” Jeff snapped. “I let you come back twelve years ago, and maybe once was enough.”
“Fine by me.” Ben walked past his father. “Have a great week.”
He kept walking until he reached the end of the long hall and took a right into his bedroom where he very carefully didn’t slam the door. There were enough drama queens at the ranch without him adding to it. The force of his father’s last words hit him hard and he sank down on the side of the bed. Had his dad meant it?
If he had ... what the hell was Ben going to be doing in two weeks’ time?
Chapter Two
Silver exited the hired Jeep and stared out over the lush green fields toward the towering bulk of the Sierra Nevada and let out her breath. It looked so empty out here and the sky was enormous. To her right there was the cutest little ranch house, and to the left a big wooden barn just like the one some enterprising kid in a musical would use to hold a show.
“This place has been here for over a hundred and fifty years,” her dad said coming to stand beside her. “Run by the same family as well.”
“Wow, that’s impressive,” Silver replied.
A dog barked somewhere, and a guy in a cowboy hat came out of the barn and walked toward them, his spurs jiggling like an old-fashioned gunslinger.
Silver’s dad stepped forward. “Hi! I’m Phil Meadows. Are you BB Morgan?”
“Yup.” The man shook her dad’s hand and then hers. He had such piercing blue eyes Silver wondered if he wore contacts. “Glad you found the place okay.” He gestured at the ranch house. “Come on in and meet my family.”
“I can’t stay long,” her dad said. “I’m leaving the Jeep here in case Silver needs it, and I’ve got a car picking me up in an hour to take me to the local airport.”
Silver frowned. “You didn’t tell me that you were going back tonight.”
“I had no choice, my love. Your sister’s got an audition tomorrow, and I promised to take her.”
Her dad sounded way too jovial, but Silver didn’t want to have an argument with him in front of the Morgan family. The fact that he was willing to leave her by herself for the first time in two years was amazing, and she wasn’t willing to sacrifice her freedom over something petty.
When she’d floated the idea of coming out to a ranch to do some research for the indie picture role, she’d expected him to immediately veto the idea like he had all her other attempts to regain her independence. When he’d agreed, on the proviso that he got to approve the place, she’d been thrilled, but suspicious.
It was her first chance to show him that she was more than capable of living her own life and picking acting roles that were serious and required her total commitment. If she got through this, she’d move on to phase two of her campaign to get her life back.
Silver paused at the door of the kitchen and surveyed the huge pine table and the elderly woman cooking at the stove.
“This is my grandma, Ruth Morgan,” BB said. “She runs the ranch and feeds the family.”
Ruth was as small-boned as Silver, and about the same height. She had the same bright blue eyes as BB and a very welcoming smile.
“My, you’re a little bitty thing, aren’t you?” She pointed at the table. “Now, sit yourself down and I’ll get you something