Chapter One
~Scarlett~
The low hum of the laptop I’m currently using to balance the ranch’s books with drones on and on, pulling a yawn from my mouth as I nearly fall asleep and hit my head on the keys. Finances can be boring, but numbers have always come easily to me and I enjoy them for the most part, so having taking care of my family's finances as my job was kind of a no brainer.
Usually, I get excited anytime I see a balanced budget on the spreadsheet, or check on the ranch’s investments and see that our savings is growing in such a way that secures the future for us all. Lately though, my heart just isn’t in it.
My job as the ranch bookkeeper has always been predictable, but it didn’t used to bother me as much as it has lately. Maybe it’s because I don’t have much else going on in my life and have been lonelier than ever lately. It certainly doesn’t help that sometimes when I’m looking back at old ledgers, I come across one with my mom or dad’s handwriting in it, just like earlier today.
On the one hand, it was nice to see a little piece of them still around and think of them, even though I do that fairly often anyway, but it still made me sad. Al and Rebecca Landry werethe best parents any kid could ask for. They were kind, attentive, and instilled a sense of hard work and responsibility in their children. I only wish I had gotten more than sixteen years with them.
As the youngest Landry sibling, I got the short end of the stick where our parents were concerned. It would have been nice to have mom around for all the teenage angst I was dealing with during my later high school years or to help reign my brothers in with their whole over protective shtick.
My four older brothers: Sawyer, Brooks, Mav, and Wyatt Landry have been vigilant about their need to watch over me since our parents departed this world. Don’t get me wrong, I love my brothers, but I would love it if they would finally realize that I am a twenty-two year old woman and don’t need their protection. Thank God they all have partners now, so at least I get a reprieve from their controlling ways every now and then.
My best friend and now sister-in-law, Georgie, says I should count my lucky stars that I have so many people who love and look after me. As the only child of neglectful parents,Georgie can't help but see all my complaining about my brothers as ungrateful, but it’s not like that.
I want to be able to go out and meet some new people without my brother’s feeling the need to comment or butt in by showing up at Tipsy’s bar when I’m out on a date, glaring at the man I’m with until he’s so uncomfortable that he leaves. Yes, they actually have done that, not that it would have made much of a difference if they hadn’t. Most of the guys I have gone out with wouldn’t have lasted long anyway. Juniper Creek is full of boys. I need a man.
Growing up the youngest of five and the only girl, I had to be loud and brash to ever get a word in against my brothers, and that part of my personality can be a little off-putting to most of the guys my age. My strong opinions and direct way of speakingisn’t something they can handle, so we don’t end up making it past a first date, sometimes not even past drinks at the bar.
The kind of guy I’m looking for would value my assertive nature, and enjoy listening to my point of view on everything from romance books being the most underrated writing genre to how investing in green technology is the way of the future. That last one has always been a sticking point between my brothers and me. They don’t want to hear about how solar panels on the roof of the homestead and barn would cut our utility costs by eighty percent. Like I said, numbers can be boring, but that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t listen to my ideas.
Clicking my mouse on the folder markedImportant, I open it up to look at the proposal to upgrade parts of the ranch with solar paneling and geothermal heating and cooling, smiling when I look over the impressive numbers and wonder if I can try and get a moment with Sawyer to discuss them.
A knock draws my attention away from my spreadsheet and over to where the very same brother I was just thinking about is leaning against the door jamb. “Hey, Lettie. Do you have a minute?”
Lettie Lou is a childhood nickname that my brothers don’t seem to want to let go of. I let it slide since in the grand scheme of things, it’s one of the least annoying things they do. “Of course,” I tell him, gesturing to the old leather chairs in front of my desk. Sawyer takes off his cowboy hat and dusts the brim as he sits. “What’s up?”
Sawyer sinks into the chair and sighs. “I was just wondering if we have it in the budget to upgrade our security. With all of the new additions to the family, I was thinking we should put in a better security system than the one we have now.”
A snort escapes from my nose. “What system? You mean the string of cowbells strung along the barn exit or the broken deadbolt on the front door?”
Sawyer grimaces at my sass and shakes his head. “Exactly. We need to have better locks and video surveillance at least.”
My head bobs because he’s right. The security we have now is pretty laughable and it could use an upgrade. “Well that would depend on how much the system you’re looking into will cost. Do you have an idea of what that might be? Have you contacted anyone?”
Sawyer scratches his jaw as he shakes his head. “Not yet. I figured you might be able to do that for me. You know, since the rest of us are pretty busy.”
Feeling irritation rise in my chest, I bite my tongue so I don’t say something I’ll regret later. My hands sweep over my desk covered in vendor receipts and billing statements. “Because I have so much free time?”
My eldest brother has the audacity to shrug a shoulder. “I mean, the rest of us have our regular ranch stuff going on and wives and…” Sawyer cuts himself off, probably at the look on my face. I can feel the heat in my cheeks from how upset I am.
“So I should take on another project because I’m single and the rest of you have lives? Is that what you’re saying? Maybe I would be busy too if you all would butt out of my love life and let me find a man.”
Sawyer sighs again. “Lettie, please. The guys you pick are far from appropriate and run away at the first sign of a challenge. You really want a guy like that?”
No, I think to myself, but I’m not going to admit that to him. “Maybe I want a guy I can push around. You ever think of that?”
“No, you don’t, so don’t even pretend,” Sawyer tells me with a knowing look. “Now, if you don’t want to take on findingout about security, fine. I’m sure we’ll all be safe.” He puts on a hangdog expression as he stares at me. “Little Albie is close to being able sit up on his own, so I’m sure he’ll be able to throw a punch soon enough. He’ll probably be fine.”
Damnit. Sawyer knows I would do anything for my nephew, even give up my spare time to look into security for the ranch. I love that chubby little nugget, and from the smug look on my brother’s face, he knows he’s got me too. “Ugh. You are the absolute worst. You know that, right?”
Sawyer’s wide grin tells me he knows it and doesn’t give a fuck. “Thank you, Lettie Lou. You’re the best,” he tells me, starting to stand. “Now, I’ve got to get back to work.”
Since I’m doing him a favor, maybe now is the time to strike about my green tech idea. “Before you go, I was wondering if you would look over a few numbers with me.” I turn my laptop and point to the spreadsheet with the finances all laid out for him. “I ran the numbers on switching to green tech again, and-”
“Sorry, Lettie,” Sawyer cuts in, a small frown on his face. “I know you younger people are all about going green, but I just don’t think that we’ll be going that route anytime soon. We need to focus on the security and maybe hiring a new ranch hand first.”
