The Wrangler's Last Chance. Jessica Keller

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       Chapter Two

      Shannon ran a currycomb in a circular motion over the bay gelding named Memphis. Memphis was a large but gentle and patient horse, which made the big lug perfect for the Mighty Girls Horse Lessons Rhett had placed Shannon in charge of for the spring session. Girls from the area who were in the foster care system were offered the opportunity to learn how to ride and take care of horses for free at Red Dog Ranch. The winter session had been canceled, but they hadn’t wanted to do that again. Her father had been gone a year and it was high time for all the programs to be up and running as usual again.

      While the Jarrett family homestead was a working cattle ranch, the main mission of Red Dog Ranch was to serve to better the lives of foster children. The ranch ran a free summer camp program, hosted holiday parties, had internships available to teenagers who wanted experience for their résumés and had programmed classes and lessons throughout the year, like the riding lessons, among other things. Rhett and his wife, Macy, had recently gone through the process of being approved to be foster parents, as well. Everyone who lived on the property was busy and many were overextended at the moment.

      Mighty Girls Horse Lessons was usually run by one of the staff members, but there had been so many changes at the ranch in the course of the last year that the staff was still in flux and Rhett had been at a loss, which was how the lessons had ended up on Shannon’s plate. Not that she minded. It was nice to be in charge of something, even if it was temporary.

      Even if she had been his last pick.

      She was surprised he wasn’t here to hover over her. Like he usually did.

      Since the breakup with Cord, Rhett and Wade had both engaged in far too much hovering. As if Shannon might fall apart if they weren’t around to take care of her. At first she hadn’t minded—it had almost been sweet—but now it was nothing short of annoying. She knew they had watched over her these last nine months because they loved her and wanted only the best for her. And whenever she got frustrated, she reminded herself how blessed she was to have a family that cared so much, but it was high time they let her be.

      Allowed her to sink or swim on her own.

      Between Cord’s controlling ways and now her brothers’ overprotection, she was so sick of men calling the shots in her life. She wished someone would come alongside her and cheer her on or join what she was doing instead of telling her what to do.

      Was it so bad to want her brothers to see her as something other than their baby sister? Once, just once, she would love it if they had admiration in their eyes, pride instead of pity.

      Because either her dad or brothers had always stepped up to run things, Shannon had never actually been in charge of anything at the ranch before. In high school she had been happy to serve as a summer camp counselor at the ranch, and as she had gotten older, she had started floating around the ranch, pitching in wherever necessary but never having a defined role. A fact that had never bothered her before, not as long as she was busy and felt useful. But now she questioned why she hadn’t asked her father for more responsibility and opportunities to lead when there had been chances. The way her life had panned out, she knew a little about a lot of aspects at the ranch, but she was a master of nothing. She wished it was different, but wishes never helped anything.

      Shannon gripped the brush a little harder. She would change all that now. She would square her shoulders and swallow her doubts and learn how to lead.

      Rhett had told her the new head wrangler would be aiding her with the lessons, and for that Shannon was grateful. While she didn’t want one of her brothers nosing around, she didn’t mind the newcomer. He didn’t know her past, her failures. For all he knew she was capable and smart. A strong woman.

      Far from the truth.

      Finished with the currycomb, Shannon traded it out for a large stiff brush that she used in a sweeping motion to clear the dirt and hair the currycomb had loosened. She sighed. If only it was as easy to brush away her mistakes and worries. In a show of affection, Memphis leaned into her. There was a reason he was one of Shannon’s favorites among all their trail horses.

      In nearby stalls Carter and Easton, a teenage boy who’d started volunteering at Red Dog Ranch a few months ago, were both busy СКАЧАТЬ