Page 1 of Sweet Beginnings

Chapter One

Preston Sweet slammed the door of his SUV and slipped his keys into his pocket. Unlike his apartment in town, the front door of the Sweet Ranch was never locked. From the near empty drive, it looked like only his brother Carson had beat him home. Every Sunday the driveway would be filled with cars. Tonight would be the first time the house would be bursting with Sweets on a weeknight for no other reason than his mom had called and asked.

The sound of spitting gravel cut off his thoughts. Even with the dust cloud blowing in the thick summer air, preventing a clear view of the approaching car, he knew the driver had to be Rachel. His sister was the only person in the family who considered every open road a NASCAR track.

The car came to a screeching halt within a few feet of him, though it felt like inches. She probably should have moved to Hollywood and been a stunt car driver. “Cutting it pretty close, don’t you think?”

Rachel yanked her overnight bag from the back seat and shook her head at her brother. “Nah. I had plenty of room.”

Even though he had just seen her a couple of weeks ago, he scooped her into a warm hug as though it had been forever ago.

“Any idea what this is all about?” she mumbled into his shoulder. The same underlying tinge of tension he’d felt since his mom’s cryptic call could be felt in Rachel’s embrace.

He shook his head and eased back. “I can’t decide if Mom announcing she’s getting married would be best-case scenario or worst-case scenario.”

Like a shot, Rachel sprang back. “Mom’s getting married? I thought you didn’t know what this is all about.”

“That’s not what I meant.” He shook his head more forcefully. “I was simply wondering what could be so important that she would call all of us and tell us she needed us home.Now. Then it hit me a wedding would be something seriously important. Especially if it wasourmother getting married again. Once my mind wandered that far, then I couldn’t decide if that would be a relief or the beginning of some new kind of hell.”

“She’s not even dating.” Rachel smacked him lightly on the arm and growled her frustration with her big brother. “Why would you even go there?”

“Because the other option was she’s dying and I don’t want to go there—ever.”

On a heavy sigh, Rachel nodded. “That would certainly make getting hitched more appealing.”

He reached for her bag. “Did you ever think about it?”

“Mom getting married again?”

Moving forward, he bobbed his head.

“Nope.” She fell into step beside him. “I just can’t picture anyone with Mom except Dad.”

“Know what you mean, but still, it has to be pretty lonely some days in this big old house.”

“Yeah.” She stopped at the porch steps and looked up at the expanse of the beloved two-story stone and log home that had grown through the generations to house the Sweet family for well over two hundred years. “But for now, I don’t think this is it.”

“I hope not. I’m not ready to think about Mom remarrying. Some day, but not yet.” Preston held the door open for his sister, the way his dad had drummed into all their heads since they were old enough to walk. “And the more I think about this call, the more I’m sure whatever it is, I’m not going to like it either.”

“Any word from Garret?” Rachel strolled past him.

“No, and I didn’t expect to hear back from our nature-loving brother. He warned us there’s no cell service where he and his buddies are camping in Idaho.”

“I know.” His sister shrugged. “I just thought, sometimes with technology you never know.”

Despite the massive appearance from the outside of the home, the inside was cozy, welcoming with large upholstered furniture that created a comfy seating area with a great view of the expansive property, and quiet. Too quiet.

Rachel paused mid-stride. “I’m surprised Mom isn’t here waiting for us.”

The same thing had crossed Preston’s mind. For as long as he could remember, since the day he’d left home for college, the minute his mom heard the rumble of his engine, she was out the door and on the porch waving frantically at him. As a matter of fact, now that he thought about it, everything inside and out seemed unusually quiet.

“Maybe she’s helping the ranch hands with something. This is around vaccine time before the big sales.”

“Maybe.” Without being given direction, he led his sister down the hall to the room she’d shared with her twin Jillian, and dropped the bag on the bed. “I’m going to see if I can find Carson and Mom.”

“I saw a light on in the study.” Rachel unzipped her bag. “I’m going to take a minute and unpack.”

“Don’t you usually pack a lot less?”

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