strong man who’ll be able to figure things out. I don’t think you need to worry.”
But I do worry, Brooke thought bleakly, knowing she probably worried too much. She was getting more and more involved with Adam, and not just in bed.
“As for you,” Sandy continued, “give the idea of becoming an instructor some thought. It will be a challenge—but you’re good at challenges.”
Brooke leaned over and kissed her cheek. “Thanks, Mom.”
They were elbow deep in flour, making chocolate-chip-cookie batter and sugar-cookie dough, when Josh came in.
“I’m calling a family meeting,” he said.
As Doug and Nate strolled in after him, Brooke asked sharply, “There wasn’t a problem with Tyler, was there?”
“Nope, nothing to do with him,” Josh said. “Although if I say so myself, he took to my riding instruction well.”
Brooke rolled her eyes, then tapped Nate’s hand as he tried to take a fingerful of dough. “Get a spoon! And Josh, I taught that kid everything he knows, and don’t forget it.”
While Brooke and Sandy worked on the cookie dough, and Doug prepared a salad to start off dinner, Josh took a seat at the breakfast counter and gave them all a serious look.
Nate, who’d grabbed his ringing cell phone, sent it to voice mail. “What’s up?”
“You know this Aspen boutique who wants to buy some of my work?” Josh began.
Everyone nodded, and Doug added, “That’s impressive, son.”
Josh gave a half smile. “Thanks. Well, it’s getting even bigger than that. Whitney, the owner of Leather and Lace, contacted me through Brooke, and she’s interested, too—in my work.”
Nate chuckled.
“It’s not like that,” Josh said, shaking his head. “I haven’t met with her yet, and don’t know if I’d do it—I’d have to feel comfortable, after all—but, this is just getting too big for me to make decisions on my own, a bigger time commitment than I ever thought I’d make to something that was always a hobby for me.”
“You’re training Adam to prepare the leather, right?” Brooke asked, licking her finger. “That’ll help.”
“Get a spoon!” Nate commanded.
She stuck out her tongue.
“But that’s not the point.” Josh sighed. “We’re a small ranch, and we all have to work. I don’t want to make any of you work harder because I’m off doing something that will only benefit me.”
“Nobody ever said you had to devote every wakin’ moment to this ranch,” Doug said as he dumped sliced carrots into the main salad bowl. “We’ve got Adam now—and if we have to hire someone else, I think we can, right, Nate?”
Nate nodded. “We’ve really diversified the last couple years. We’re okay. I wouldn’t ever want you to feel like you owed us, Josh. Just like you showed me I could pursue my favorite part of this job, you can do the same.”
Brooke scraped her dough into a plastic container and labeled it for the freezer. She was afraid to look up, afraid to show any disappointment. Now wasn’t the time for her to bring up her own idea that would take her away from the ranch part-time. No way would she let her dad think they were all deserting their parents. Maybe she should just forget it.
Sandy cleared her throat and looked pointedly at Brooke, who shook her head quickly.
“What is it?” Doug asked.
Everyone was staring at her, and for once, words failed her. She gave her mom a pleading look, but Sandy just waited patiently for her to speak.
“Mom and I were just talking about an idea when Josh called this meeting. What a coincidence,” Brooke added with an awkward attempt at cheerfulness, looking at her hands as she washed them at the sink rather than at her family. Her nervousness showed her how much the idea of teaching kids and adults to ride already meant to her. “I’ve been enjoying working with Steph and Tyler, and thought maybe I could be a part-time riding instructor here at the ranch.”
For a moment, there was complete silence. Gritting her teeth, she made herself look at everyone, saw her mother’s encouraging smile, Josh’s grin, Nate’s eyes wide with surprise—but she couldn’t read her father’s impassivity.
“We already give sleigh rides in the winter,” Josh said. “Riding instruction would be another way to generate some tourist money and help the town out, too. We don’t have anything like that right in Valentine Valley.”
She’d known Josh would support her. She looked at Nate.
He shrugged. “I have nothing against it. If we’re already talking about keeping Adam on, if he wants it, or hiring someone else, that should