Taking the Reins(75)

“Noted.” Trace leaned a hip against the counter. “Got some time to talk?”

Bea rolled her eyes and checked her watch. “No, sorry. Big day today.”

“Thought you might say that.” Without warning, Trace lowered his torso until he could fit one shoulder under Bea’s stomach to lift her. She shrieked again and beat her fists against his back while he carried her to the kitchen table.

“Dammit, Trace! This wasn’t funny when we were kids and it’s not funny now! Put me down!”

“No problem.” He dumped her in a chair, catching her by the wrist when she almost flew off the seat. “We’re going to have a talk, and if you won’t sit still for it, I’m not above getting some rope and practicing my roping skills on you.”

Bea huffed, her breath pushing a strand of hair from her eyes, and crossed her arms over her chest. Peyton sighed. It was like looking at Bea ten years ago. A sulky teen who had just found out she couldn’t talk or flirt her way out of everything.

“So talk.”

Peyton sat down and crossed her ankles, lacing her hands over her stomach. “The ranch is split three ways. You know that now.”

“Right.” She shifted in her seat, as if about to make a breakaway. But when Trace inched forward to crowd her space, Bea settled down. “I know. I read the papers that lawyer guy gave us.”

“Tim,” Peyton said, keeping a strangle hold on her patience. “And yes. We are all equal owners, currently.”

“And there was something about needing a majority to make big decisions.” Bea’s pouty mouth curved into a smile that would scare anyone paying attention. “But since that didn’t define what made up a small decision, we’re entitled to make those ourselves.”

“That’s something we’re going to iron out, with Tim’s help.” Trace sat down, apparently realizing Bea wasn’t going to run.

“So if I wanted to suddenly paint all the tack bright pink, I could. I doubt that’s considered a big decision.” Bea’s grin only widened.

Peyton let her forehead slap the table. “I told you.”

“Bea, be serious now.” But Trace’s voice was amused, as Peyton knew it would be. Even when they were kids, he babied her. Everyone did. Sweet, pretty, doll-like Beatrice. Needs pampering, not as tough and boyish as her sister. Someone has to look out for Bea. “You can’t just start making changes. You haven’t been here. Hell, I haven’t been here. Peyton has.”

Bea was silent for a moment, then nodded. “You’re right.”

Peyton’s head snapped up so fast her neck ached. She watched Bea’s face for signs of trickery or sarcasm, but for once, her sister seemed to be shooting straight. No games.

“Don’t look at me like that,” Bea snapped, anger firing her Muldoon-blue eyes to an icy sheen. “I’m not an idiot. This ranch was never mine. I just lived here. And frankly, I don’t know the first thing about running a place like this. I’d run it into the ground, the same way Mama tried. Daddy’s place deserves better.”

Peyton swallowed around the lump in her throat at the mention of their father. “Yes, it does.” After a moment, she debated, then pushed on. “I didn’t think you even cared for Daddy.”

Bea shrugged, but her fingers picked at a seam in the table’s wood. “I barely knew the man. I spent all my time indoors with Mama. You two were his shadows.”

If Peyton didn’t know better, she’d think Bea was upset by that. But years of dealing with her sister had taught her to read between the lines and not take much at face value. “So you’re not going to interfere.”

“Nope. Just write the check and I’m good to go.”

“Check?” Trace and Peyton said at once, looking at each other.

“Sure. To buy me out. Then it’s just a fifty-fifty split, unless Trace does the same. But really, ownership looks good on you, bro.” She patted his arm condescendingly, and Bea’s man-eater, I-don’t-care persona slid back into place.

“Bea . . .” Trace looked to Peyton.

“We can’t afford to buy you out,” Peyton said flatly. Why sugarcoat it? “The place isn’t worth much right now. You want a check cut? It wouldn’t pay for more than a few months of rent for you out there in Cali.”

Bea’s mouth dropped. “Seriously?”

“Seriously.” Peyton felt a moment’s satisfaction at having disturbed her sister’s perfect image of how things would work. Petty, and she could admit that. “If you want to wait it out, you can always head back to California and we can notify you when big things are coming up. Eventually, after things are off the ground, we can revisit the idea of buying you out.”