"So, I didn't have to be in on this. I have a lot this weekend. I don't have time to come to Montana and milk a cow."
"Ty, who else would come with me? We're the main actresses in a series. Alex is serious about it and wants it to come out good."
"I want it to come out good too. I'm the one who committed five months of my life to doing this. I'm already learning lines and getting into it. I think about it more than you know. I don't need to milk a cow to show how serious I am."
"It doesn't hurt, though, right? I mean, it can only help. We are here now. Regretting it is not going to help anything. We may as well enjoy the next two days."
"There's an arrow. Do I pull all the way into this garage?" she asked, starting to drive into it before I had the chance to answer.
"It seems like they want us to," I said, reading a sign on the inside that was personalized to greet us. It was painted on poster board in neutral tones and neatly designed lettering. I knew my sister would like it, and I glanced at her for her reaction.
"I mean, I already knew I was going to make the most of it now that I'm here," Ty said, shaking her head as she turned off the ignition. It was a two-car garage, and she gestured to the off-road cart type vehicle that was in the space next to our rented car. "This is cool," she said with a smile. "Is that how we're supposed to be getting around while we're here?"
I knew she would want access to that. Our parents had a golf cart, and Ty drove it around their neighborhood all the time. Growing up, we had friends in the neighborhood, including Alex, and she started taking the golf cart to their houses when she was ten years old. She asked to drive it even before I did. I preferred to ride with her. I got my driver's license before she did, but only by a few months. She was eighteen months younger than me, and I knew I'd never live it down if she got her license before me, so I bit the bullet and went to driver's ed even though I didn't have much interest in driving at the time. My sister definitely liked driving more than I did, which was why she was the onegetting out of the driver's seat currently. She especially liked ATV's and had already mentioned that she hoped this place had a four-wheeler.
"Your dreams are coming true by the minute," I said, climbing out of the car. "Oh, look how sweet. There's a whole note. Look at this. It's so nice."
There was a note for us on a piece of paper that had been printed and laminated. Our names were at the top.
Amelia and Trinity,
Welcome to Sutter Farms! We look forward to meeting you! Please use the code provided in your email to open the lock box. The keys to the Gator are inside the apartment, along with a few other things in a welcome package on the bar. I included a map of our ranch along with information about areas where it's safe to explore on your own. We have a nice creek on the north side of the property that you can reach by foot or on the Gator. Dinner will be served tonight at 6:30. I'll be available to answer any questions you might have and fill you in on what to expect for the next two days. You may call any time before that. You have my cell phone number, but there is also a landline in the apartment. In the welcome package, you'll find my contact information, along with local grocery and dining options.
Welcome to Montana! We hope you feel at home here! It is my number one goal for you to be comfortable and enjoy your stay at our ranch. You'll see the map when you go inside, but our home is two minutes from you by ATV or 5-10 minutes by foot. Unless I hear otherwise, I'll see you at 6:30 for dinner!
Best,
Jen Sutter
Jen had left another note in the apartment. This one was next to the map, and it explained about areas we could exploreby ourselves. There were some snacks on the bar, along with juice and soda. All of it was part of the package I had paid for, but I didn't say that to my sister when she complimented how nice they were for leaving it all.
"I'm going to the creek since we have a couple of hours before dinner," I told her as I put the drinks into the fridge.
"I'm not. I have about twenty emails to answer—especially if we're going to be busy tomorrow."
"Yeah, the whole thing is to unplug for the weekend."
She sighed. "Yeah, well, I'll plug back in at night, that's for sure. And I have to do some things now. I have emails about that event we're putting on next month. I've got several things coming up."
I knew my sister was busy. She was finishing her sophomore year of college, and it had been one for the books. She had a leadership role in her sorority and had been documenting her college life on a YouTube channel which now had hundreds of thousands of subscribers and made real money. She had also put on a couple of events recently. She had a lot going on in her life, and I respected that. But I knew she was taking this acting role seriously and would ultimately be glad we had this experience once the time came for us to start filming. We both knew it. Ty liked to give me a hard time, but she knew this trip would be productive for us. She had already admitted it.
"I'm taking this map. I'm going exploring," I said.
"Go. I'll get enough of that tomorrow," she said. "I'm taking care of calls and emails. And I'm showering before we go over there for dinner."
"All right. I'll probably be back at around six to wash up."
Chapter 2
Henry Sutter
Henry kicked off his boots at his mom's back door. His feet hurt and so did his back. It had been a long, busy week, and he was at the end of a long day. He could just crush some food right then.
"Oh, my gosh, Mom. It smells so good. What are you even cooking? It smells like Thanksgiving in here." Henry spoke as he went to take the cover off of one of the dishes that was on the counter. Jen Sutter, his own beloved mother, reached out and smacked the back of his hand with a quick, snapping motion that caused him to furrow his eyebrows and stare at her with an injured expression.
She made a face back at him. "I'll have plenty left over, don't worry, but you can't get into it yet. They'll be here any minute, and I have it looking pretty."
"Who's it for?" he asked.
