"You said the bull would die. Then you said I should sell him for ten thousand dollars. Now you're offering to buy the animal and part of my property."
Wade looked back.
Claire folded her arms.
"If he's so worthless, why do you keep coming here?"
He had no answer.
The representative quietly closed his portfolio.
Wade climbed into the pickup.
They drove away without another word.
The ranch hand watched the truck disappear.
Then he shook his head.
"That man has more money than common sense."
Claire laughed softly.
"Maybe."
But her smile faded.
Because Wade had been right about one thing.
The bank was asking questions.
And if she couldn't create reliable income from the ranch, keeping Cedar might become the least of her problems.
The financial meeting took place the following week.
Claire sat across from a loan officer in a small office in Beeville.
She had brought her ranch records.
Income statements.
Feed expenses.
Livestock inventories.
Veterinary invoices.
Maintenance estimates.
Projected operating costs.
And a carefully prepared plan outlining how she hoped to rebuild the ranch's breeding program.
The officer reviewed the documents.
He was polite.
But he did not pretend the numbers were easy.
"You've made improvements," he acknowledged.
Claire nodded.
"But your cash reserves are still thin."
"I know."
"And you've invested substantial money in one animal."
"Yes."
He looked toward the photograph of Cedar.
"Has he been certified fit for breeding?"
"Not yet. He's still being evaluated."
"Then we can't treat future breeding revenue as guaranteed income."
Claire nodded.
"That makes sense."
The officer studied her.
"You understand your situation better than most borrowers who come in here."
Claire smiled faintly.
"I've had a lot of practice being worried about it."
He returned the smile.
Then his expression became serious.
"We need a plan that doesn't depend on a single bull becoming valuable."
Claire looked at her hands.
That was exactly what she'd been thinking.
The officer continued.
"Have you considered agricultural assistance programs, cooperative arrangements, or restructuring your operating schedule?"
"Some."
"Then let's look at realistic options."
For the next hour, they discussed the ranch as a whole.
Not just Cedar.
Claire needed to improve certain fences, maintain grazing capacity, stabilize operating expenses, and avoid taking on more livestock than the property could reasonably support.
The loan officer encouraged her to seek independent business planning assistance through agricultural extension resources.
Claire left the meeting without a miraculous financial rescue.