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"What was that about?" Scarlet still looked in the direction Cinnamon retreated. She finally turned her eyes on Kaleb, her brow pinching. "What did you do?"
"Nothing. When I got back last night, she was already here. I didn't see her in town, and we haven't spoken."
Grady rubbed his chin. "Did you snap at her before she left?"
"Nope. I reserve my snapping for you two."
Grady grunted. "If only that were true." Sarcasm dripped from Kaleb's little brother.
"Seriously, Kaleb, what did you do?" Scarlet's accusations irritated him.
"Nothing." Kaleb clicked a few buttons on his tablet. "We haven't spent any time together. What makes you think it was me? Maybe her date with Mayson didn't go well."
Hope flared within him. If her time with the coffee shop owner didn't go well, that would make sense why Cinnamon barely spoke to him. Although, she chatted with Scarlet and Grady before he arrived at the breakfast table. Was it really him? And if so, why?
"That could be a possibility, but I don't know." Scarlet shook her head. "Anyway, what's the schedule for this next group? Also, how are the plans coming for Red, White, and Ewe?"
"Same as last week pretty much. This group wants more hiking. We can show them around Winter Springs and the lake, but they want to explore the mountains on their own." Kaleb scrolled down on a page. "We'll need to prepare them for bears and such, but that isn't too hard to do. The person who put this all together is a ranger, so he'll know what to expect."
"Good. Grady, the sheep looking good for the Fourth of July?" Scarlet turned all business in a matter of seconds. The growth in his little sister shouldn't have surprised him, but it did. Perhaps that was because he finally gave her more responsibility on the farm and no longer saw her simply as someone who cleaned the stalls or took care of the flock.
"Your fiancé assures me they are all healthy and ready for riding." Grady grinned. "I've ordered the fireworks, and I have the fire department already committed to working with us that night."
"Looks like everything's running pretty smoothly then." Scarlet slumped in her chair.
"What about the wedding plans? How're you doing with that?" Kaleb closed the tablet and studied his sister. She practically glowed with excitement whenever someone mentioned her wedding.
Today was no exception. "It's going really well. Shane's family is going to fly in this fall to meet me in person."
"You nervous?" Grady lifted his cup of coffee and took a long gulp.
"No. I think it'll be nice to finally meet them in person." Scarlet pulled her phone out of her back pocket. "I wanted to talk to you guys about the plans for the house. Kaleb, you said we could get started on the building soon, right?"
"Yep. Grady and I got the permits. Everything's taken care of. You two met with the contractor. What did he say?"
"He said he'd be able to start in July, after the holiday." Scarlet clasped her hands in front of her. "I can't believe I get to design my own home."
"You are letting Shane help, I presume?" Grady's lip quirked.
"Of course. Since his office is in town, though, he said he didn't mind what our house looked like as long as I was in it."
Kaleb and Grady groaned. "Spoken like a man in love."
"As he should be." Scarlet grinned and stood. "I've gotta make a few phone calls."
"Yeah. I need to do some paperwork." Grady clapped Kaleb's shoulder. "Whatever's going on with Cinnamon, be nice to her."
"I had no intention of being mean, if that helps."
"It doesn't." Grady ran out of Kaleb's reach when he went to punch his arm, laughing.
Kaleb opened his tablet once more. He typed Jewel Johansen in Google. A link to her website popped up. Clicking the link, her page jumped in front of him. She had several books, a short biography, and ways to purchase her stories as well as sign up for her newsletters.
Interesting. Nothing screamed for him to buy a book or sign up for her newsletter, but her authenticity shone through all of her pages. To say he was impressed put it mildly. Someone with her caliber of talent stopped to speak with a person reading her book.
A throat cleared behind him.
Kaleb spun in his chair. "Sorry, Cinnamon. I didn't hear you. Did you say something?"
