Page 1 of Stables Spurs Suits
Chapter one
ATLAS
WELCOME TO THE RANCH OF MOOS, MEN, AND MISFITS
“A nudist retreat is exactly what we need,” I tell Dean for what feels like the millionth time as we sit down to eat. He rolls his eyes, the deep-set lines creasing his forehead. His lips pick up on one side, though in a sort of half smile that gives me hope that my idea isn’t so far-fetched after all. He’s lightened up since he and the local vet, Preston, got together. Preston moved in with his daughter, and suddenly the hardest guy I ever met was baking pies and singing while he worked. Love is weird.
“Nobody wants to see a ranch full of naked people milking cows and riding horses,” he replies.
Preston walks in behind him and leans forward, placing a kiss on his cheek.
“Are you sure about that?” he asks, taking his seat beside him. “I can’t say I found watching you working shirtless to be all that bad.”
“He’s not talking shirtless; he wants to be naked. No clothes. Zero. Do you really want to see these guys all naked?” he asks, and Preston sweeps his gaze around the table, a cheeky smirk on his lips. Dean nudges his side. “Never mind, don’t answer that. I think I like it better not knowing.”
Preston lays his hand over the red-and-white checkered tablecloth Sally-May has set out tonight.
“I’m just teasing. You guys wouldn’t have to be naked, not unless you wanted to be. The guests would be the ones taking part, and Atlas, of course.”
“Exactly, see, even the doc knows it’s a good idea,” I say.
“My answer is still no.”
“You always say no to all my ideas,” I whine, and I’m not oblivious to how childish I sound right now.
“I said yes to the new stables Connor’s bankrolled, didn’t I? Speaking of which, how are they coming?”
“They’ll be ready in about a week, just in time for the new additions,” I reply, my mood instantly lifting when I talk about the horses. I’ve got about fifteen I look after now, which is a lot for a ranch that’s supposed to be a dairy farm. But last winter, a small wild herd was really struggling, so we took them in, and they’ve settled in so much that they don’t want to leave. Don’t ask me how I know that. I just do.
“You’re taking on more horses?” Preston asks, and Dean nods.
“Just another six. They’re former working horses, ready for the sweet life of retirement here on Beaker Bros,” I tell him.
“You’ll have more horses than cows if this one gets his way,” Preston says.
“That’s the plan,” I reply, and Dean shakes his head and waves his fork my way.
“No it’s not. You can fill the new stables, but then that’s it.”
“Connor wouldn’t mind helping to build another one when it’s full,” I say, just as he walks in with his partner, Hayden, followed closely behind by the other half of the Beaker brothers, Nial, and the young farmhand, Skye.
“Sure, I can help,” Connor says before taking his seat. “What am I agreeing to?”
“You should probably know that before you agree, don’t you think?” Nial laughs, but Connor just shrugs.
“What good is all this money if I can’t help the people I love?” he asks.
“You’ve helped enough,” Dean replies.
“There ain’t no such thing as enough when it comes to family. Seriously, what do you need? I can get Matthew onto it tomorrow.”
“How is Matthew settling into town?” Dean asks, and now it’s my turn to roll my eyes.
Connor’s new assistant has no place out here on the ranch, yet he shows up every day like he’s on some important mission in his tailored suit pants and buttoned-up shirt. He belongs in the city and should just go back there.
“I bought the old tailor’s beside Doc Green’s for him to set himself up in. The apartment above it has been vacant since Mr. Lawrence passed away a few years back. Outfitting the tailors into office space will take a bit of work, but he seems up to it.”
I scoff without thinking, and all eyes turn to me as I grab my water, pretending it was just a tickle in my throat. Thankfully, Sally-May and her husband Perry walk in from the kitchen carrying trays of meat and vegetables, and the sweet-scented steam rising from the food makes my stomach growl.
