Pointing to me, Scott asked, “Does that include you? Can she run this business better than you?”
Staring into Scott’s eyes, I felt the frog forming in the back of my throat. Clearing my throat, I said, “If given the chance to prove what she can do, and I don’t mean organizing files—”
Scott glared at me when I made that last comment. “I really think, sir, you would be surprised by some of the ideas she has for things.” Letting out a quick breath, I said, “Scott, she is your daughter. This has been her entire life. I can remember watching her follow you around and asking you everything she possibly could about the horses.” Shaking my head, I looked down, then back at Scott.
“Sir, don’t hold her back. She has so much more to offer than sitting behind some desk being unhappy and miserable. The stallion. That is in her blood.”
Reaching back and grabbing his chair, Scott pulled it in close to him and sat down. Motioning for me to sit, I did as he asked. Beads of sweat began to form on my brow, and I was waiting for Scott to chew my ass out.
Looking down at his desk, Scott pursed his lips together and nodded his head. “I’ll never forget the first time I walked into the barn and saw Lauren dragging a stool over to a stall. She couldn’t have been more than four or five years old. She climbed up onto the stool so she could reach Blazin’ Fire. Damn that horse was a bitch of a mare. Hated everyone but she had some of the best racing bloodline in her than any other horse I had before or since her. Blazin’ walked up and looked over the stall door at this tiny little curious thing. Lauren reached up and said, “Fire Girl, let me touch you.”
Smiling, I saw tears fill Scott’s eyes as he paused. It was as if he was drinking in the memory. “Blazin’ leaned as far down as she could and Lauren rubbed her neck. Then she wrapped her arms around Blazin’s neck and that damn horse lifted Lauren right off the stool. My first instinct was to run in there and grab Lauren, but something held me back. Lauren held on for dear life as her laughter filled the barn. A few other horses snickered as if they knew what was passing between Blazin’ and Lauren. Slowly setting her back down on the stool, Blazin’ snickered and bobbed her head at Lauren who laughed again, then proclaimed that she was going to love Fire Girl for the rest of her life.”
A tear threatened to spill from Scott’s eyes before he quickly wiped at his eyes. “She’s always been fearless like that, Colt. Always. The first horse she was ever one, was Blazin’ Fire. That damn horse moved like she was walking on a cloud anytime Lauren was on her. No one else could ride her. I mean no one. I came out of the barn one day when Lauren was around eleven. She was riding up from the pasture on her Fire Girl. Those two were inseparable.”
Nodding my head, I whispered, “I remember.”
Glancing at me, Scott said, “Yes, you would remember because wherever Lauren was, you were there, too. The two of you, training horses and pushing things always to the limits. It’s always scared me.”
Scott let out a chuckle. He was about to say something else when a look of fear crossed his face. Dropping his face into his hands he let out a frustrated moan. “Dear God, what have I done?” Slowly shaking his head, Scott dropped his hands. “I did tell Lauren that.” Scott’s face was pained and my heart broke for him. “I also mentioned you when I told her that. I mentioned you taking over the ranch someday.”
My mouth went dry and I had a hard time swallowing. Shit.
We sat in silence for a few minutes. “All right. Have Lauren help with the stallion. I’m trusting you on this, Colt. That girl is my . . . she’s . . . if anything ever happened to her.” Scott’s voice cracked.
Standing, I nodded my head as I attempted to push down my own fears. “Believe me, sir. Lauren is the very air I breathe. Without her with me, I honestly don’t think I could go on. I will do everything in my power to always keep her safe.”
Getting up, Scott reached for my hand. His grip was firm and he shook my hand quickly before dropping it. “I know you will, Colt. I appreciate your love for my daughter. I want to tell you how lucky you are to have her, but I’m sure you know that. Just know, Colt, she is also the lucky one as well.”
By the time I walked out of Scott’s office, it felt as if a huge weight had been lifted from my shoulders. Scott wasn’t holding Lauren back because he thought she couldn’t handle the task. He was holding her back out of fear of something happening to her.
Pulling the baseball cap out of my back pocket, I slipped it on and headed back to the barn with a smile plastered on my face. All I could see was my future with Lauren. Her and I together, working on the ranch and starting our own family here. Watching our own daughter someday fall in love with the horses.
