Page 1 of Second Chance at Mountain Creek Ranch
1
HARPER
I love everything about living in the city—the restaurants, the museums, the culture, the people. There’s nothing quite like the energy you feel when you live in a thriving metropolis. I should know, I grew up in a small ranching town, but when I moved to the city, everything changed. I had a thriving career, a fully furnished apartment that came with my job, a ton of friends, and a life. But one mistake completely derailed the path I was heading on up the corporate ladder.
They saydo good things, and good things will come to you. Well, I learned firsthand that it doesn’t work that way. My good thing cost me everything—my job, my apartment, my friends, and the life I spent years building.
This is not supposed to be my life.
But somehow, I find myself in a crappy car that's almost as old as me, filled to the brim with all of my belongings, heading to my hometown of Centennial Springs, Colorado population 512. Well, I guess it’s 513 now.
A sign approaches, telling me that I'm twenty miles away. I never thought I'd be going back. Visiting my family on holidays or special occasions is one thing, but when you have nowhere else to go, there aren't many options besides going home again.
I just want to get to the ranch, take a shower, and sleep away my problems. The past week has been nothing but a shit storm, and this day can't get any worse. I'm ready for it to end.
Almost as soon as that thought crosses my mind, there’s a loud popping sound under the hood of my car and an angry hiss. The car starts to slow, despite my foot still pressing on the ignition pedal.
“No! No, no, no, no. No!” I yell out loud and smack my hand on the steering wheel.
I pull the car off to the shoulder of the road, the steadythump,thump,thumpof the tires hitting the rumble strip is just the cherry topping on this already crappy day. The car slows to a stop, and the engine cuts out entirely. Steam billows up from beneath the hood. I don't think the car will explode, but I wouldn't put it past the universe to see this as an opportunity at the rate my life is going.
I pop the hood and get out to check what's going on under there. It's so hot I nearly burn myself lifting it. I wave away the steam but quickly remember I know nothing about cars, and I have no idea what I'm looking at.
I check my phone. I have seven percent left on my battery and have one bar for a signal. I scroll through my contacts and call the ranch. There's got to be someone at the house that can get me. The phone rings three times before someone finally picks up.
“Hello?” One of my younger brothers asks. Landon and Jameson sound almost the same, so I take a shot in the dark.
“Jameson, hey, it’s Harper.”
“Hey, are you almost here?” he asks, sounding distracted. I can hear the sound of jars rattling in the fridge door as he opens it.
"I was, but something happened to my car, and now I'm stuck on the side of the highway just passed the exit for Eagleton. Can you come to get me?"
“I can’t leave right now. Some cattle got loose, and I need to go find them.”
The phone alert in my ear tells me I’m on borrowed time. My phone is about to die. I pinch the bridge of my nose in frustration. I know it’s not Jameson’s fault, but I just may have throttled him if he was in front of me.
“You did hear me say that I’m on the side of the highway.”
"Relax, will you? I heard you. I was going to say that I'll see if Willow or Savannah can come to get you."
"Thank you," I sigh in relief. "You should know my phone is dying, so if you guys try to call and I don't pick up, you'll know why."
“Got it,” he says. “Hang tight. Someone is on their way to get you.”
We hang up. It’s going to be at least an hour before someone will get here. The sun hangs low in the sky. I just hope that whoever is coming gets here before it’s dark out.
TRAVIS
I was ready to head off on one of the ATVs to look for the missing cows when Jameson came out of the house and waved me down.
“Change of plans,” he says, handing me the keys to one of the ranch’s trucks. “My sister’s car broke down on the highway near the Eagleton exit and needs someone to go pick her up.”
“Then why don’t you go? Nash toldmeto find the cows.”
Jameson rolls his eyes in annoyance, but I know that he’s pissed off at himself. I feel this change of plan had more to do with the fact that Jameson was dicking around with some chick in the barn when he should have been keeping an eye on the cows. Nash let him have it good before he told me to go clean up his mess.
"Yes, well, you have the skills to get the car up and running again." He pauses, trying to give me an authoritative look, despite my being older than him by five years. "I'm not asking."
