Chapter Two - Briggs
CHAPTER TWO
Briggs
“Stay by me, girl,” I warn my over-eager labrador, Sunny, as we approach the abandoned silver camper. The damn thing is a nuisance and makes this part of our pristine property look like a dump. And now it seems it’s attracted a visitor. I had an alarm put on it for insurance purposes and five minutes ago, that alarm told me that someone wants to get in a whole heap of trouble today.
I approach cautiously. Solace Springs isn’t known for crime, but every once in a while, we get someone from out of town who doesn’t know just how tight-knit our community is. You can’t go five minutes without someone knowing your business. And this intruder’s five minutes is up.
“Come on out with your hands up and we won’t have any trouble,” I say calmly. Sunny’s tail wags ferociously. She’s never been much of a guard dog.
A teal Converse slips out of the camper in front of the heavy silver door and swings it open. A teal Converse that I would recognize an acre away because of the ridiculous doodles it has all over it, of flowers and horses and hell knows what else .
“Really, Briggs? What kind of Western movie do you think you’re in?” My lanky little sister Kaylee jumps out of the door with her hands up. Sunny runs over to her in a flash of golden fur and runs around her excitedly until Kaylee gets down to give her proper scratches.
Kaylee is my little sister, but ever since our parents passed away five years ago, my brothers and I became her guardians. Our parents had her a whole 12 years after they had my youngest brother, Reese. She was only 11 when they got taken from us, and our sorry asses had to figure out how to step up in our 20s. But I love this girl and stepping up for her has been an honor. Even while she’s going through this sassy teenage phase as a 16-year-old that leaves us completely out of our depths.
“You know this is off-limits, Kaylee. How did you even get in?” I stride toward the old thing to check on the door.
“The key was literally just resting on the wheels,” she stands up and crosses her arms.
I take a deep breath and try to remind myself of the advice give by a school counselor who is much wiser than I. Be patient and try to understand.
“And what made you want to break into an old rusty trailer that isn’t ours?” I say, mustering all the patience I can.
“It’s been on our property for as long as I can remember. I think there’s some law that makes it ours.” She rolls her eyes.
Before I can explain that’s not how it works, she takes a deep sigh. “I need my own space. There’s too much male energy in our house.”
“Male energy?” I raise an eyebrow at her.
“There’s so much green and brown in that house that I’m not sure you don’t know that it’s not a forest.”
“Forests are relaxing.” I shrug.
“Not for me.” She peaks over her shoulder back into the trailer. “And you know these things are expensive, right? Airstreams go for a pretty penny. Why is it just rotting here?”
“For that, you’d have to ask Blaire Evans. And good luck with that.”
I shut the door behind her and head back to the ranch.
Kaylee’s feet skip as she hurries to catch up with me.
“You’re telling me that Blaire Evans, America’s sweetheart, a woman who is probably richer than the President of the United States, won’t hand over a measly little trailer?”
I pick up a stick and throw it for Sunny, who races ahead in a fuzzy golden streak.
“It’s complicated.” I shrug.
Kaylee sighs in exasperation. “That answer doesn’t cut it anymore. I’m an adult. I can handle complicated.”
Even though she’s technically wrong, as her eighteenth birthday is not even in sight. She’s right that we should talk more openly with her about things. She can handle it.
Well, some things. Most things to do with our relationship with Blaire Evans will never be appropriate to talk about with her. So I tell her about what I can.
“You remember Suzie?” I glance sideways at her. She’s fidgeting with her long blonde hair as she looks at me eagerly.
“Mom and Dad’s assistant who worked here when I was younger?”
I nod.
“That’s Blaire’s grandma. She would use the Airstream in the winter to sing at bars and clubs and then park it here during the summer. When she passed, she left it to Blaire, who hasn’t been bothered to do a thing about it.”
I don’t mention that the last time we saw Blaire, things were… complicated. So none of us are eager to reach out to her.
“Wow, I always saw Blaire around the ranch, but I didn’t know Suzie was her grandma.” She kicks at a rock on the ground. Her head whips up, eyes full of excitement. “I remember her being really nice. Why don’t you just call her?”
Oh yeah. She’s really nice until she’s stomping all over us with those designer heels.
“Well, we won’t need to soon. Suzie put a stipulation in that Blaire had to collect it before five years were up. She left an envelope for Blaire and everything. Not sure what’s in it, but I guess Blaire can’t be bothered to retrieve any of it.” I look up over our land’s large expanse, which breaks open by the jagged mountain range right at the edge of our property. I didn’t get a ride through the mountains today and my body feels jumpy, like it didn’t do its duty for the day.
My eyes don’t dare meet Kaylee’s, who I imagine is suspecting I’m withholding from her. Why didn’t anyone warn us that teen girls come with superpowers? Her observation skills are terrifying.
I glance back at the silver camper again. I’d be so glad to finally get rid of the thing and all it represents. I think of how gracious my parents were to everyone and that they let Suzie keep the camper here without hesitation. I think about Blaire and how much fighting she caused between me and my brothers. And I think about how our life seems to have been on pause for the last five years, as we’ve tried to come to terms with everything, but the vines around that camper kept growing.
And how Kaylee matters more than all that.
“I’ll tell you what,” I finally bring my eyes to hers. “If she doesn’t come back for it, then it’s yours. But don’t get too excited. She still has another month or two.”
She looks at me wide-eyed.
“There will be rules, of course, as to how you can use it. But we can renovate it together.” I get ahead of myself with the offer. Colt and Reese will kill me for promising this without talking to them first. But she’s right. She should be able to spread her wings a little before she’s off to college and maybe out of the house forever.
In response, I feel her bony arms wrap around my waist. “Thank you, thank you, thank you.” Her voice is high-pitched with excitement.
She pulls away and runs toward the house, her ‘thank you’s’ now pouring out into the dusk.
“Hey, where you going?” I shout after her.
“To start a Pinterest board!” She shouts back.
I have no idea what that is. But I do know that I essentially just offered a sixteen-year-old her own movable apartment to avoid talking about Blaire.
Which isn’t even the worst thing that Blaire Evans has made me do.