Chapter 1 #2
Once I’d finished my coffee, I closed my eyes and pictured the ranch as it had been the last time I’d visited. I knew that since then, more businesses had popped up, with the kids getting older and starting their own.
There was a long ass driveway that Mike had already put the no trespassing and private property signs up on and there were cameras.
The only other way onto the property was an old utility road that wasn’t used to my knowledge.
With the whole property being so large and mostly fenced in because of the pastures, there was really no way to get security around it all.
A gate on the driveway might be too much, given that it was used by countless people and vehicles during the day and late into the evening. I would try to suggest that anyway.
Anyone determined enough would be able to make it onto whatever part of the ranch they wanted to, though. I hated that.
I saw plenty of camera installations and a makeshift security room built somewhere on the property, just in case. There were things I could do, but I needed to see the situation I had on my hands first, instead of relying on inaccurate memories.
I took out my phone and checked my email, then frowned at the message from my mom.
She was living in Finland again, she’d gone back a few years ago when her husband—my so-called father—had suddenly passed away.
They were both Finnish, but I’d been born in Wisconsin where they’d been living at the time.
I’d been to Finland many times and I loved the country, but it wasn’t home.
I didn’t have a home, really. Which, if you thought about it, was kind of sad.
Mom wanted me to come during the summer to help her out with her summer cabin by the lake near her childhood home in eastern Finland. It wasn’t as if she couldn’t hire someone with the money I sent her for that purpose. It also wasn’t as if I hadn’t told her I was constantly working.
She worried about me working too much. She didn’t get that it was a way of life. That being wherever Wren needed me was the closest to feeling at home I’d come in my adult years. I couldn’t take her worry seriously. She should’ve worried more when I was a child, being pushed around by my father.
Ignoring the message, I ordered another coffee. I wasn’t tired, but I didn’t need the afternoon slump to hit me when I made it to Denver and still had a two-hour drive to look forward to.
Wren had contacted Mike and Jenn, and I knew she was expecting to feed me. That was just who Mama Harrington was as a person. She kept everyone’s schedule aligned and she fed people. And took care of the grandkids she’d been blessed with since I last saw her.
Wren had told me endless stories about growing up in Colorado. Most of the memories and all the really good ones included the Harringtons or at least Bodhi.
With ten kids and thirteen years between the oldest and youngest, they were a very interesting lot. I went back to my notes and went through everyone again.
In the past year and some change, they’d added two new spouses to the family. Crew had paired off with Malachi who had come with a built-in kiddo, and Hawk had a steady partner, an older man called Carter Cahill, now too.
Cahill was interesting. He was wealthy, but seemed to have started some sort of a program to help out new entrepreneurs. I hadn’t looked into that much yet. I wanted to meet the man first, but I had a feeling he could help the family see things my way when it came to security.
Jesus Christ, I still had over an hour left of the flight. I really fucking hoped they had my rental car ready by the time I made it out of this metal tube and back onto solid ground.
It was nearly three hours later that I turned onto that long driveway.
Since it was the afternoon, I could observe the surroundings as I drove slowly along the well-maintained road.
The thing about the Harringtons had always been—according to Wren—that they never half-assed things. They weren’t wealthy, but they had money and they used it to better and maintain it all.
The herd of cows in a multitude of colors was on a green pasture to one side, and on the other, there was a new road leading… somewhere? To something being built in the distance. I had no idea what that might be, but then again, I was here for the latest information that Wren didn’t have.
I needed to have a meeting with whomever the family decided should be part of the conversation on security, but I could do that tomorrow.
I didn’t know where Jenn would tell me to lay my head, but I was sure there’d be a spot for me somewhere. Driving to Russell Crossing, the nearest town, wouldn’t be too bad, but I hadn’t checked if there was anything available there, either.
Driving slowly, I saw the signs and even a camera that was good but not the quality I’d have chosen. I would have to fix that, too.
I drove past the turns to the barns that were each dedicated to different purposes, and then eventually I heard the donkey alarm. He was an actual donkey named Juanpablo. Not super keen on most people, but he would alert whenever someone drove close enough to his paddock by the main house.
Chuckling, I rolled to a stop by someone’s truck in front of the house. If I only could clone the donkey and set a handful of them free on the property. Who needed cameras anyway?
As I got out of the SUV and stretched my legs, then the rest of my body, the front door opened and Jenn walked out onto the porch.
“Ville! It’s so good to see you!” Her smile was pure motherly love she seemed to have for every living being.
“Hey, Jenn. Thanks for accommodating what we need,” I replied as I went to accept the hug she wanted to give me.
“Pshaw,” she swatted my arm gently. “I know you need security for Wren, but it’s you that’s doing us a favor.” She smiled and stepped back. “Come on. You must be hungry. I just put the coffee on.”
I chuckled under my breath and followed her inside.