a lot of ‘and Grandpa said’ at the dinner table.”
Which made Blake happy and sad at the same time, the thoughts of his father’s confession never too far away. If he could help build a few more good memories for both grandfather and grandson, it was a good thing.
“Of course the horse can stable here.” Blake glanced at his brother. “You okay with me offering Lance full-time work once high school is officially done?”
“You can offer, but he’s headed to university at the end of summer. He’s keen about getting his bachelor’s degree in sustainable agricultural systems.”
Blake blinked. “Right. The conservation stuff he was telling me about.”
Daniel smiled. “Yeah, that’s pretty much what I said too. But once he’s done, I know he wants to come back and rejoin the family.”
“And he’ll be welcome,” Blake assured him, twisting as a knock on the open doorframe echoed off the walls.
“So this is how the other half lives.” Jesse wandered in and eyed their coffee cups. “At least you’re not munching down cake or doughnuts.”
“I can help with that.” Another voice sounded, and Jesse moved aside to allow Uncle Mark to join them. “Good to see you again, boys.”
He placed a full box of doughnuts on the table, popping the lid open and helping himself to one before pointing at Jesse. “You don’t need to make yourself sound so hard done by. I saw the size of that sandwich you were eating in your truck.”
Jesse paused in the middle of reaching for a chocolate Bismarck. “Jeez, you spying on me, Uncle Mark?”
“You were parked at the side of the road,” Mark said dryly.
Blake’s brother grinned then nabbed his target. “Vicki makes Joel’s lunches. The woman must think Joel’s got a tapeworm, because there is always more than enough for both of us to have second breakfasts.”
The room was getting crowded. Blake caught hold of the rolling chair behind the desk and moved it out. “Jesse, grab a chair from the hallway.”
“Don’t bother,” Daniel said as he rose to his feet. “I need to get back to the shop.” He said his goodbyes all around, grabbed a doughnut with a wink, and headed out.
Jesse eyed Uncle Mark. “So.”
Their uncle raised a brow.
“If the Coleman genes bred true, you’re here to ask a favour. Basing this on the fact that you showed up with bribe material.” Jesse grinned.
Mark leaned forward, elbow resting on his knee as he met Jesse’s gaze evenly. “If the Coleman genes bred true, then you’d know a man doesn’t need to bribe anyone to succeed. You’ve obviously had to connive your way out of a mess of trouble far too many times in your life.”
Blake rubbed a hand across his mouth to hide his smile.
Jesse leaned back, but if anything, his grin got only bigger. “I like you. You’re nearly as cocky as me.”
This time Blake couldn’t control himself. He laughed, the sound escaping like a donkey bray. He shook a finger at Jesse before turning his attention to the older man. “Uncle Mark, what can I do for you? And thank you for the doughnuts—it’s a treat.”
“You’re welcome.” Mark spoke to Blake, but his gaze lingered on Jesse. “I wondered what the procedure was for building on Coleman land. I know this one and his twin have fairly new homes on SP land.”
Blake had wondered when this might come up and had even discussed it with Mike recently, to be prepared. “Until the amalgamation, it was up to the individual families. Now, I’d suggest you build on your own personal land, but somewhere it makes sense so as to not limit our future land uses.”
“So no dropping a place in the middle of prime grazing land?”
Jesse grinned, licking chocolate from his fingers. “Oh, you can build there, but you’re going to have mooing neighbours up close and personal off and on throughout the year as we move the herds around.”
Blake crumpled up a piece of paper off his desk and threw it at Jesse’s head. “Hush,” he ordered before nodding at Uncle Mark. “If you’re thinking of building, one spot would be somewhere close to the rental—I mean your original house, where Becky and Trevor are, or…”
He got to his feet. Mark joined him, and they walked over to the maps to examine the entire Coleman holdings.
Jesse joined them there as well. He tapped his finger on the corner near the junction of four ranches. “This spot would work. Gabe’s new place is here. I’ve heard that Lee and