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“What’s your deal, Elijah? Don’t you have something else you could be doing right now?” Annabel’s voice rose enough to pull his attention to her. “You need to stop staring like a crazy person. You’re weirding Scarlett out.”
He glanced to Scarlett but was unable to read her expression. “I’m allowed to be out on this porch as much as anyone else. It doesn’t belong to just you.”
“No, but if I want to catch up with my friend, you should have the decency to give us some privacy.”
Elijah took a few steps toward her. He leaned against the post at the stairway and crossed his arms. “Maybe I’m not willing to believe Scarlett is here with good intentions.”
Annabel scoffed. “What is that even supposed to mean?”
“It means that Scarlett has never been the best influence on you.”
Annabel rolled her eyes. “You barely know Scar. So how about you mind your own business.”
His gaze drilled into Scarlett. “You said you planned on staying? Where are you going to work while you’re here? Because Copper Creek is nothing like working for a big company abroad. It’s still just a small town.”
Scarlett shifted in her seat, but her gaze never wavered. “I don’t know where I’ll be getting a job. It’s not like there’s a lot of people looking for someone who can speak different languages here, so my college degree isn’t going to do me much good, is it?”
“Exactly. The Scarlett I knew wouldn’t just come here without a plan. She would have figured out what she was going to do for work, where she was going to live, and when she was going to go crawling back into the hole she came out of.”
“Elijah!” Annabel gasped. “What is wrong with you!”
“You want to know what’s wrong? I’ll tell you what’s wrong. Scarlett has been nothing but trouble since the time you were kids. I might be younger than you, but even I could tell that she manipulated you into doing things you shouldn’t have. She was using you.”
Pain and surprise flickered across Scarlett’s expression, but only briefly. She looked away but didn’t argue.
Annabel, on the other hand, was quick to strike. She shot to her feet, her face flushing with indignation. “You don’t know what you’re talking about. You have no clue.”
“Yeah? Well, how about you enlighten me? Huh? Tell me why I should welcome the likes of her on our property after what she did to you.”
“What she did?” Annabel shook her head. “I don’t owe you anything. Not a single explanation. How about you slink away like the rotten brother you are and leave my friend and me alone, all right?”
Elijah glowered at the two of them. This wasn’t going to end well. He could feel it deep in his bones. If he was going to ensure that his sister remained safe, then he needed to make sure that Scarlett didn’t do anything stupid. But how was he supposed to do that when Annabel wanted him banished from her presence?
“Well? Leave. Go, before I call some of the guys out here to drag you inside.” Annabel’s voice seethed with venom, but what did he expect? She had always come to Scarlett’s defense from the moment anything ever threatened her.
He let out a huff and stormed inside. He’d come up with a plan eventually. And maybe he wouldn’t have to use it. If he was right about Scarlett, then she’d be out of here before the end of the month.
* * *
Elijah threw allhis energy into harvesting the hay the following day. He needed to stay busy or else his thoughts would immediately revert to Scarlett and how infuriating it was that she’d returned.
What was worse was the fact that Wade didn’t care. He seemed to believe that Annabel was perfectly fine choosing the friends she wanted to spend her time with. And if Scarlett was one of them, she was grown up enough to make that decision.
Clearly, Wade had forgotten the last time Annabel went off the deep end with her drinking. Hopefully, she was still going to meetings. She’d need the support.
Elijah finished up with the tractor and drove it along the dirt path that led to the barn. He’d park it out back, and then he’d have one of his other brothers take the baler out to the field in a day or two after the hay had dried up enough.
When he climbed down from the tractor, Lucas was coming straight for him. Elijah fell into step beside him as they both headed for the barn. His brother glanced at him out of the corner of his eye. “I have a favor to ask you.”
A grunt escaped Elijah’s throat.
“I know you’re busy with the harvesting, but I just got a call from Mr. Perez.”
Elijah stiffened. Why had Scarlett’s dad called him? He faced his brother, his eyes narrowing with suspicion.
Lucas offered a crooked grin. “Mr. Perez cut his hand pretty bad when he was working in his fields. He’s not going to be able to finish the season out, and Scarlett doesn’t have a clue how to run a ranch.”
Already, Elijah could see what was coming. Lucas had made the mistake of offering his help on their ranch when he’d shamelessly flirted with Scarlett the other day. Of course Mr. Perez would request help from their family. On top of that offer, Scarlett’s friendship with Annabel would almost ensure that the Keagans would put in some free labor. “Geez, Lucas. It’s the middle of harvesting season. We don’t have time to go out there and help them. What were you thinking?”
