money’s been tight. Cosmetics aren’t a priority right now.”
“I don’t understand …” Rachel shook her head. “Did something happen?”
“Yeah, the economy dove nose-first down a sinkhole.” Trace gave a helpless shrug. “We’re not the only ones having trouble. I heard tonight that the Circle Four is filing for bankruptcy. Damn shame.”
Cole scrubbed a hand over his face. He’d heard the news last week and decided to keep it to himself. No need to cause panic.
“Bankruptcy?” Rachel’s eyes widened. When she moved to sit on the couch with Jesse, he reached over and rubbed her shoulder. “I don’t think anyone around here has ever gone broke before. Do you think it’s true?” she asked, her frightened gaze finding Cole.
“I wouldn’t doubt it. The cost of shipping beef has put a drain on all of us. Expenses keep going up.” Cole inhaled. “At least we haven’t laid off anyone yet. Just about everyone else in the county has.”
“Yet,” Rachel murmured, her face growing pale. “How bad is it?” she asked. “For us, I mean.”
Cole’s insides twisted. No more hiding, no more whitewashing the truth. Even if he wanted to, the bank ledger would call him a liar. “Bad. Real bad.”
Trace abruptly turned his head, directed a probing look at Jesse, who remained impassive. He was a lot like Cole in that he kept his emotions in check, everything else close to the vest and spoke sparingly. After his discharge from the air force, Jesse had become even more circumspect.
Rachel’s voice was shaky when she asked, “Does Mom know?”
“We haven’t had any discussions, but she’s not a stupid woman. I’m sure she’s noticed the same things you have.” Cole sighed. “Hell, the whole place needs improvements. So far, I’ve been able to keep the creditors off my back, but I can only trade on our reputation for so long.”
“It’s not fair to hide the problem from her.”
At the hint of accusation in her tone, Jesse jumped in. “We’re not hiding, just trying to survive. Why point out the obvious with no solution in sight?” He looked pointedly at Cole. “Creditors are on our backs, too, bro. This isn’t only your problem. We all have a stake here.”
Cole rubbed his jaw. Sure they all had a stake, that’s why he felt so damn guilty. Because the responsibility to make the place profitable was his alone.
Trace fidgeted, loosening the collar of his blue Western-cut shirt. What the hell was he looking guilty about? This wasn’t his fault. Not just because he was still young. Maybe he was feeling sheepish for not understanding the depth of their problem. But the failure of the ranch was on Cole, always had been. He didn’t deny it.
He shifted to find Jesse staring grimly at him. “Jesus, you think you’re to blame?” Jesse shook his head in disbelief. “You arrogant bastard.”
“Screw you. You know Dad left—”
“Stop it.” Rachel stared at them in equal measure. “What’s wrong with you two?”
Cole just smiled. This was his and Jesse’s way of keeping each other in check. They didn’t mean anything. Rachel must’ve forgotten. She didn’t relax her clenched fists until Jesse grunted out a laugh.
Rachel rolled her eyes. “Okay, you two Neanderthals, here’s the thing. I understand the economy sucks, but I don’t buy that there’s no solution.” She paused, and no one seemed eager to end the silence. Hunching her shoulders, she seemed to crawl into herself. “Oh, God, I spent all that money on graduate school … You should’ve told me.”
“Come on,” Cole said. “Knock that off.”
Jesse elbowed her. “I used money for school, too.”
“Those were the old days when we could afford it.”
“Old days, huh?” Jesse looped an arm around her neck and mussed her hair. “You little squirt.”
“You know what I mean.” She shoved him until he released her from the headlock.
Cole wouldn’t argue the age issue. At thirty-two he felt older than dirt. Jesse was only a year younger, but Cole suspected his brother had already seen more than most men saw in a lifetime.
Rachel set her sights on Trace. “Was the lack of money the reason you chose not to go to college?” she asked, her voice soft and miserable.
“No.” He made a face. “I hate classrooms and staying indoors all day. You know that.” He plowed a hand through his longish dark hair. “I’m sorry, Cole, I knew we were postponing repairs and holding on to equipment, but I guess I didn’t want to see how bad it was. Bet you wanted to kick me to next Sunday when I asked for a new truck a few months back.”
Cole shook his head. “You’re twenty-six. ‘Course you want a new truck.”
“Okay …” Rachel straightened. “So let’s talk about what we need to do to get back on our feet.”
Cole smiled patiently at the family optimist. “It’s not that simple. Too many factors are out of our control.”
“Such as?”
“High diesel-fuel costs, consumers’ shrinking grocery budgets. Corn has gone way up because so much of the crop is going for ethanol …” He continued while she listened intently, nodding occasionally and not once interrupting.
His speech went on longer than he’d intended, maybe because it felt good to release some of the pressure, but he cut himself off when he saw the depressed expression on Trace’s face. Jesse had slumped deeper into the couch and stared at his boots. Only Rachel looked unbowed. She sat forward, her green eyes sparkling and ready to do battle.
“I have an idea—” she said thoughtfully “—that just might solve our problems … at least in the short term … and who knows, maybe for the long term, as well.”
Cole tamped down his amusement. Although he was all for her participation, she was about to learn there was no easy answer. “What’s that?”
“Don’t say anything until I’m finished because it won’t cost much to get started—”
“Rachel, wait, stop. We don’t have any money. I don’t know how to say it more plainly.”
She put up her hands. “Hear me out.”
“All right,” Cole said, his jaw clenched. Jesus, he’d thought it was a kindness to spare the women useless worry. Obviously he was wrong. Rachel couldn’t seem to process the ugly truth.
“I’ve had this thought for a while, a couple of years really—ever since my sorority sisters went all gaga over the pictures of the Sundance on my screen saver slide show.” A big smile stretched across her flushed face. “What would you think about starting a dude ranch?”
Thunderstruck, Cole and Jesse stared at her.
Trace snorted. “A what?”
“A
