31. Vulture Troubles

CHAPTER 31

Vulture Troubles

LIAM

I t had been a few days since I'd spilled my guts to Caleb about the whole Corey King debacle. To say he was understanding would be the understatement of the century. The guy had been a rock, solid and unwavering in his support.

The morning after, I'd cornered Jimmy in the kitchen. "Alright, spill," I'd said, fixing him with my best interrogation stare. "How did Caleb know to come over?"

Jimmy had played it cool, shrugging as he poured himself a cup of coffee. "No idea what you're talking about, man."

"Bullshit," I'd shot back, not buying it for a second. "Come on, Jimmy. I know you had something to do with it."

He'd sighed, finally meeting my eyes. "Okay, fine. I might have given him a call. You were in a bad way, Liam. I was worried."

I'd felt a pang of guilt, remembering how I'd snapped at him earlier. "I'm sorry," I'd said, my voice soft. "For what I said before. I was out of line."

Jimmy had waved it off, but I could see the relief in his eyes. "Water under the bridge, dude. Just don't scare me like that again, okay?"

I'd nodded, pulling him into a quick hug. "Deal."

Now, a few days later, I found myself sitting in the ranch office, surrounded by the other hands and Hank. Apparently, Caleb had called a meeting, and we were all just waiting for him to show up.

I drummed my fingers on the arm of my chair, fighting the urge to check my phone for the millionth time. Patience had never been my strong suit, and the curiosity was killing me.

"Relax, kid," Hank said, his gravelly voice cutting through my thoughts. "You look like you're about to jump out of your skin."

I forced a laugh, trying to play it cool. "Just wondering what's taking so long. Don't we have work to do?"

One of the other hands, a burly guy named Mike, chuckled. "What's the matter, city boy? Got somewhere better to be?"

I opened my mouth to retort, but before I could, the door swung open and Caleb walked in.

My breath caught in my throat. Even after all this time, the sight of him still got to me. He was wearing his usual work clothes - worn jeans, a plaid shirt with the sleeves rolled up, showing off his tanned, muscular forearms. His hair was a bit messy, like he'd been running his hands through it nervously.

Our eyes met, and he smiled - that slow, easy smile that never failed to make my heart skip a beat. Without hesitation, he crossed the room and pulled me into a hug, pressing a quick kiss to my lips.

I froze for a second, caught off guard by the public display of affection. We hadn't really talked about how "out" we were going to be, especially around the ranch. I mean, this was still a small town. You couldn't be too careful.

But then I heard Hank's voice, gruff but warm: "About damn time."

Mike let out a dramatic sigh of relief. "Thank God! I thought we were gonna have to lock you two in a barn or something to get you to finally admit it."

Dean chuckled, shaking his head. "Seriously, the sexual tension was so thick you could cut it with a knife. I was starting to worry about the livestock getting uncomfortable. "

Leo piped up, a mischievous glint in his eye. "I had a bet going with Mike about how long it would take. Looks like I owe him twenty bucks."

"Only twenty?" Caleb asked, his arm still around my waist. "I'm insulted. I thought our epic love story was worth at least fifty."

I felt my face heating up, but I couldn't help but laugh. "You guys are the worst, you know that?"

Hank raised an eyebrow. "Oh please, you two were about as subtle as a bull in a china shop. I'm just glad we don't have to watch you make googly eyes at each other across the dinner table anymore without being able to do anything about it."

"Yeah," Dean added with a grin. "Now you can make googly eyes and then actually follow through. Just, you know, not in the barn. We have to work in there."

"No promises," Caleb said with a wink, making everyone groan and laugh.

As embarrassing as it was, I couldn't help but feel a wave of relief and happiness. These people, our makeshift family, they accepted us without hesitation. In that moment, all my worries about small-town prejudices seemed to melt away.

"Alright, alright, settle down," he said, but I could hear the laughter in his voice. "We've got business to discuss."

As everyone quieted down, I couldn't help but marvel at how easily Caleb commanded the room. He'd always had that quality, even when we were kids. People just naturally gravitated towards him, respected him.

As I stood in the corner of the crowded living room, I watched Caleb take a deep breath before addressing the group. The worry lines on his forehead were more pronounced than usual, and I fought the urge to reach out and smooth them away.

"Alright, folks," Caleb said, his voice steady but serious. "I'm not gonna sugarcoat this. The ranch is facing some pretty serious financial issues."

I watched as the faces around the room fell. Dean, one of the older hands, leaned forward, his brow furrowed. "How bad we talkin', boss?"

Caleb sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Bad enough that if we don't come up with a solution soon, we might lose the ranch to the bank."

The room erupted in a chorus of disbelief and anger. I felt my stomach twist. This place meant so much to Caleb, to all of these people. It wasn't just a job for them; it was a way of life.

"Now hold on," Caleb said, raising his hands to quiet the room. "I know it's not good news, but I want to be transparent with y'all about what's going on. You deserve to know the truth."

He went on to explain about the drought last year, the unexpected equipment repairs, and then hesitated before continuing. "There's something else you need to know. My dad… he took out a pretty substantial loan a few years back when my mom got sick. Cancer," he added, his voice catching slightly. "The treatments were expensive, and well, you all know how stubborn my old man is. He didn't want to ask for help."

The room fell silent, the gravity of the situation sinking in. I saw Hank, the oldest among them, nod solemnly. He'd been around when Caleb's mom was sick, had probably seen firsthand how it had affected the family.

Mike, always quick with a joke, was uncharacteristically serious. "So what are our options, Caleb? There's gotta be something we can do."

Caleb nodded, seeming to draw strength from the supportive faces around him. "I've been looking into a few things. We might be able to diversify a bit, maybe open up the ranch for tourism or events. It's not ideal, but it could bring in some much-needed cash."

"Hey, I could help set up a website, maybe do some social media stuff to attract people. My cousin runs a pretty successful bed and breakfast on her farm, I could ask her for some tips." Leo suggested.

"That's good thinking, Leo," Caleb said, a small smile breaking through his worried expression. "We're gonna need all hands on deck for this."

Dean cleared his throat. "What about selling off some of the herd? I know it's not what any of us want, but if it could save the ranch…"

Caleb shook his head. "That's a last resort. Those animals are our livelihood, and frankly, with beef prices the way they are, it wouldn't make enough of a dent to be worth it."

"So what're we gonna do?" Mike asked after a while.

"We're not going down without a fight," Dean declared, his weathered face set in determination. "Whatever you need us to do, boss, we're in."

Caleb nodded, a small smile tugging at his lips. "I appreciate that, guys. Really. And actually, we might have an idea."

He turned to me then, and I felt my heart skip a beat. This was it. My chance to actually contribute, to help save this place that meant so much to Caleb.

"Liam here had an idea," Caleb said, gesturing for me to speak up. "Why don't you tell ‘em, Li?"

I cleared my throat, suddenly feeling all eyes on me. "Uh, right. So, I was thinking what if we held a fundraiser? Here at the ranch?"

There was a moment of silence, and I rushed to fill it. "We could open up the ranch to the public, you know? Have food, games, maybe some live music. Get the whole town involved."

I held my breath, waiting for their reaction. To my relief, I saw nods and thoughtful expressions around the room.

"That's not a bad idea," Hank said, stroking his beard. "Could bring in a decent chunk of change if we do it right."

"Exactly," Caleb chimed in, his eyes shining with enthusiasm. "And I was thinking we could make it even bigger. What if we had some local talent perform?"

"Like who?" Mike asked, sounding skeptical. "Not like we can afford to bring in anyone famous. "

Caleb's eyes met mine, and I saw a glimmer of something there. Then, to my surprise, he said, "Well, I could sing."

"You can sing, boss?" Dean asked, voicing everyone's surprise.

Caleb shrugged, looking a bit embarrassed. "Used to, back in high school. Haven't done it in a while, but for the ranch? I'd dust off the old pipes."

I watched as the ideas flew around the room, each suggestion more exciting than the last. But something was nagging at me, a feeling that we were missing a crucial piece of the puzzle. I couldn't quite put my finger on it, but I knew there was more we could do to really put this ranch on the map.

"What about a petting zoo?" Dean suggested, his eyes lighting up. "Kids love that stuff."

"Ooh, and we could do hayrides!" Mike chimed in, practically bouncing in his seat.

I nodded along, trying to look enthusiastic, but my mind was racing. These were all great ideas, but they weren't enough. We needed something big, something that would draw people from all over, not just the locals.

Just as I opened my mouth to voice my thoughts, a commotion erupted outside. Shouting voices carried through the thin walls of the office, and we all froze, exchanging confused glances.

"What the hell?" Hank muttered, rising from his chair.

Before any of us could move, the door burst open. One of the younger ranch hands - I think his name was Tommy - stumbled in, his eyes wide with panic.

"Boss!" he gasped, looking directly at Caleb. "There's a bunch of reporters outside! Your dad's trying to argue with them, but they're not backing down."

My heart dropped to my stomach. Reporters? Here? Oh god, had they found me? How? I felt the familiar tendrils of panic start to creep up my spine, my breath coming in short, sharp gasps.

Caleb's eyes met mine, and I saw the concern there. He knew what this could mean for me, for us. Without hesitation, he stood up, his voice steady as he addressed the room .

"Alright, everyone stay calm. I'll handle this," he said, his tone brooking no argument. Then, softer, just for me: "Liam, stay here, okay? I've got this."

I wanted to protest. The urge to run, to hide, to do something was almost overwhelming. But I forced myself to nod, knowing that Caleb was right. Me showing my face would only make things worse.

"Be careful," I managed to croak out as Caleb headed for the door.

I paced the empty meeting room, my fists clenched at my sides. The others had rushed out with Caleb to deal with the media circus outside, leaving me alone with my thoughts. And right now, those thoughts were far from pleasant.

"Goddamn vultures," I muttered, kicking at a chair. It skidded across the floor with a satisfying screech. "How the hell did they find out I was here?"

My phone buzzed in my pocket. I yanked it out, half-expecting to see a flood of notifications. Instead, it was a message from Jimmy.

"Heads up. Word's out that Corey King might be in Oakwood. Don't know who leaked it, but it's spreading fast."

"Fuck!" I shouted, hurling my phone onto the couch. It bounced harmlessly, which only irritated me more. I wanted something to break, something to show the physical manifestation of my anger.

I stalked over to the window, peering out at the crowd gathered near the ranch entrance. I could see Caleb's dad, red-faced and gesticulating wildly at a group of reporters. Caleb stood nearby, his stance solid and calm, a stark contrast to his father's agitation.

"I swear to God," I growled, "when I find out who leaked this, I will feed them to Martha."

I turned away from the window, running my hands through my hair in frustration. My eyes landed on the whiteboard where we'd been brainstorming fundraiser ideas just minutes ago. It all seemed so trivial now.

I grabbing my phone again. No new messages from Jimmy, but there were a dozen notifications from various news outlets. All of them asking the same question.

"Well," I said to the empty room, a bitter laugh escaping me, "guess the cat's out of the bag now."

I typed out a quick message to Jimmy. "What's our next move?"

As I waited for his response, I couldn't help but wonder how Caleb was handling things outside. The uncertainty was maddening. But one thing was clear – things were about to change, big time. And whoever had leaked my location was going to regret it. I'd make damn sure of that.

The silence was deafening, broken only by the muffled sounds of the commotion outside. I couldn't take it anymore. I needed to do something, anything. Before I could second-guess myself, I hit Jimmy's number on speed dial. The phone rang once, twice, three times. Come on, pick up, pick up.

"Liam?" Jimmy's voice came through, tinged with concern. "What's going on?"

"It's a fucking shit show, Jimmy," I blurted out, the words tumbling over each other in their rush to escape. "There's a whole pack of reporters outside the ranch. They know I'm here. Well, they suspect Corey King is here. Same difference."

"Fuck," Jimmy breathed. I could almost see him pinching the bridge of his nose, the way he always did when things got complicated. "How bad is it?"

I let out a humorless laugh. "Bad enough that Caleb's out there right now, trying to fend them off. His dad too."

There was a pause on the other end of the line. Then, "Do you need me there?"

For a moment, I was tempted. Having Jimmy here, with his level head and PR expertise, would be a godsend. But then I thought of Caleb, of how he was out there right now, fighting my battles for me.

"No," I said, surprising myself with the firmness in my voice. "No, Caleb's handling it."

"You sure?" Jimmy asked, skepticism clear in his tone. "This is big, Liam."

"I know, I know," I cut him off, running a hand through my hair. "But I trust Caleb."

I could practically hear Jimmy's eyebrows raising. "Us? Sounds like things are getting serious with cowboy Casanova."

"Not the time, Jimmy," I growled, but I couldn't help the small smile that tugged at my lips. Leave it to Jimmy to find humor in the situation. "Look, I need you to do something for me."

"Name it," he said, all business now.

I took a deep breath, steeling myself. "I need you to find out who's been leaking this information. Someone's been talking, and I want to know who."

"Consider it done," Jimmy said without hesitation. "I'll put some feelers out, see what I can dig up. Anyone you suspect?"

I thought about it for a moment. "No one specific. But it has to be someone who knows I'm here."

"Alright, I'm on it," Jimmy assured me. "In the meantime, lay low. Don't confirm or deny anything. Let Caleb handle the wolves for now."

"Yeah, okay," I agreed, even as every fiber of my being itched to do something, anything. "Keep me posted, yeah?"

"Will do. And Liam?" Jimmy's voice softened. "Be careful."

I swallowed hard, memories of sleepless nights and panic attacks flashing through my mind. "I remember. Thanks, Jimmy."

As I hung up, I felt a strange mix of emotions swirling in my gut. Anger at whoever had leaked my location, fear of what this could mean for my carefully constructed life, and an overwhelming sense of gratitude for Caleb and Jimmy.

I resumed my pacing, this time with renewed purpose. My mind raced with possibilities. Who could have talked? Was it someone at the ranch? One of Caleb's friends? Or had I slipped up somewhere along the way?

"Get it together, Liam," I muttered to myself. "You've dealt with worse than this."

But had I? This was everything I'd been running from, everything I'd been trying to escape. And now it was here, on my doorstep, threatening to tear down the walls I'd built around myself.

I was so lost in my thoughts that I almost missed the sound of the door opening. I whirled around, my heart leaping into my throat.

Caleb strode in, looking tired but relieved. "They're gone," he said, running a hand through his hair. "For now, at least."

"What? How?" I sputtered, my brain struggling to catch up.

"Jake showed up," Caleb explained, a hint of disbelief in his voice. "Used his sheriff authority to clear them out. Said they were trespassing on private property."

I blinked, trying to process this information. "Jake? As in Jake Thompson?"

Caleb nodded, a wry smile tugging at his lips. "The one and only."

"Well, shit," I muttered, flopping down onto the nearest chair. "Never thought I'd see the day I'd be thanking that asshole."

"People change, Liam," Caleb said softly, perching on the edge of the desk.

I snorted. "Yeah, well, forgive me if I'm not rushing to sing his praises just yet."

Caleb studied me for a moment, his brow furrowed. "You're still pissed."

"No shit, Sherlock," I snapped, immediately regretting my tone. "Sorry, I just… I can't believe this is happening. How the fuck did they find out I was here?"

I started pacing again, unable to contain the restless energy buzzing under my skin. "I mean, I was so careful. We were so careful. And now, what? Some random tipster decides to blow my cover? For what? A quick payday?"

"Liam," Caleb said, his voice calm and steady. "We'll figure this out. But first, we need to consider all the possibilities. Could it have been your parents?"

I froze mid-step, turning to face him. "My parents? Why would you think that?"

Caleb shrugged. "They know you're here, right? And they've never been exactly supportive of your music career."

I shook my head, resuming my pacing. "No, it's not them. If it was, they'd have done it in a much more public way. You know, full press conference, cameras rolling, the whole nine yards. They'd want to be seen as the concerned parents, not some anonymous source."

"Okay," Caleb nodded. "So if not them, then who?"

"I don't know!" I exploded, throwing my hands up in frustration. "That's what's driving me crazy. It could be anyone. Someone at the ranch, someone in town, hell, maybe I slipped up somewhere along the way and didn't realize it."

Caleb stood up, crossing the room to stand in front of me. He placed his hands on my shoulders, effectively halting my frantic movement. "Hey, look at me."

I met his gaze reluctantly, feeling the fight drain out of me at the concern in his eyes.

"We're going to figure this out," he said firmly. "Together. Okay? But you've got to calm down. This panic isn't helping anyone, least of all you."

I took a deep breath, trying to center myself. "You're right. I know you're right."

"I know," he said softly, pulling me into a hug. "And we'll get that peace back. I promise."

I melted into his embrace, burying my face in his shoulder. For a moment, we just stood there, the steady beat of his heart grounding me .

"I already asked Jimmy to look into it. He's got connections, might be able to trace it back to the source."

"Good," Caleb nodded. "What about damage control? We need a plan for if or when this gets out."

I stiffened, pulling away from him. "It's not getting out. We'll find the leak, plug it, and that'll be the end of it."

Caleb sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Liam, be realistic. The reporters are gone for now, but they'll be back. And next time, Jake might not be around to save our asses."

"So what, you want me to just… come out? Admit to the world that I'm Corey King?" The words tasted bitter in my mouth.

"Maybe," Caleb said carefully. "It might be better to control the narrative, you know? Get ahead of the story before someone else tells it for you."

I laughed, but there was no humor in it. "Yeah, because that worked out so well for us in high school, right?"

As soon as the words left my mouth, I regretted them. Caleb flinched like I'd slapped him, hurt flashing across his face.