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You have a beautiful home. Briar said as I pulled
up the main drive.
I pocketed my phone and cut the engine and helped
her out of the truck. The big house was brown and rustic.
Lots of stone and wood, it had been added onto five times
over the years. I loved it.
Holy cow, Briar squealed as a pack of dogs
rounded the side of the house and barreled towards us.
Some were mutts, others purebred herding dogs. Mostly
collies and shepherds. I knelt down and said hello, and
Briar followed suit. They seemed to like her and licked her
hands, and her face. She stood up abruptly and wiped her
mouth. That black one went right for my lip gloss.
Stinker, I glared down at the old collie and told him
to behave. Sorry, he s the odd one of the bunch.
She laughed. It s okay.
Chase! I turned around. A couple men rolled up
next to the truck on ATV s. One was my cousin Grant, who
acted as ranch foreman. The other was John. He was
Grant s right hand man, especially when it came to calving.
What do we have here? Grant had red hair, a
bushy red beard, and was the closest thing to a brother to
me. He was in his early thirties, and had stepped up to help
when I left for Florida.
Briar, this is my cousin Grant, and our foreman,
John. I introduced them. Briar is going to spend her
summer with us.
Grant grinned, shaking her hand. Welcome to
McCree. You ll be a breath of fresh air around here Miss
Briar. My mother, Millie, will love to have another lady
around.
John was a little more standoffish and smiled, Nice
to meet you. I ll take care of Ash for you, Chase.
I thanked him and left Grant to whatever he was
doing, leading Briar up the stairs and across the wide
porch. She paused as I opened the front door for her.
Something wrong? I asked, taking in her wondrous
expression.
She smiled, sweeping her hand in a wide gesture.
It s like a postcard.
Rocking chairs and swings lined the porch. An old
barrel had a piece of wood nailed to it and was painted to
look like a checkerboard. My father had made it for me. I d
never get rid of it.
Briar left me by the door, heading across the porch
for Aunt Millie s cat, Whiskers. I liked cats, but that one was
a pain in the ass. He d scratched me on more than one
occasion, sometimes just for walking past him.
He liked Briar though. She picked him up and petted
his fur.
He s so sweet. She giggled, scratching his head.
I kept my distance. He s an ornery old goat.
She set him on one of the porch swings and came
back to me, stepping in the foyer. What?
I hate that cat. We don t get a long.
Why?
Ask him, I d love to know. I shut the door behind us.
Millie?
Kitchen, she shouted. I ll kill you if you ve got dirty
boots, Grant.
I grinned. She isn t paying attention.
Briar smiled, following me through the living room.
Her jaw dropped at first sight of the chandelier made out of
antlers and the bearskin rug. She ran into me when I
stopped, staring at the deer head mounted over the
doorway.
I ve gone from looking at a postcard to being on a
western movie set. She spun in a circle, taking everything
in. Those aren t fakes, are they?
I shook my head. My family likes to hunt. Uncle Jerry
made the antler chandelier. The buck over the fireplace
was my first. The bear got onto our property and killed a
cow. Millie ran outside and took him down with a twelve
gauge.
Briars face was comical. You re kidding.
No, ask her yourself.
She shifted and bit her lip, Will you teach me how to
shoot?
I laughed, honestly caught off guard. Really?
Yeah, I mean, I don t want to kill anything&
No problem. I took her hand and pulled her along to
the kitchen. Millie had her back to us, and was hovering
over a pot on the stove. I smell chili.
And cornbread, she stiffened and whipped around.
Lord have mercy! Get over here!
I crossed the room and picked up the little, but tough
woman in a hug. I set her back down and she wiped
her eyes. Miss me?
Millie nodded, I knew you wouldn t be gone long.
I stepped aside and smiled. Millie, this is my friend
Briar.
She sputtered, looking between us. You never told me
your friend was a girl.
I laughed, You didn t ask.
She grabbed a wooden spoon off the counter and
swatted me, I have half a mind to& goodness. Just
like your father.
Briar hugged Millie and thanked her for letting her
come stay. I didn t want to intrude.
Hush, I am pleased as punch to have you with us for
the summer. We don t get many visitors. Millie patted her
gray hair. It was coming out of the tight bun she always kept
it in Well, we don t get any visitors outside of extended
family. And your parents are alright sparing you for two
months?
Briar nodded. Oh, they won t even notice I m gone.
Millie frowned. You must do things differently in
Florida. Go say hello to your uncle, take Briar with you,
Chase. I ll make sure her room is ready.
Briar protested, trying to tell Millie not to worry, but
my aunt wouldn t hear it and shooed us from the kitchen. I
took Briar upstairs to the office we ran the ranch from.
Knock, knock. I said, leaning in the doorway.
Uncle Jerry was at his desk shuffling through papers. I
thought I told you to get cleaned up for dinner&
Nope.
Jerry looked up and frowned.
Howdy partner.
Chase, He stood, grabbing his cane and rounding
the desk. Did you just get in?
Yeah, I hugged him and looked back at the door.
Briar was hesitant to come in, but she slipped up next to
me and shook Jerry s hand.
His eyebrows went up. Well, who is this pretty lady?
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