The doors were all open and I could see about three bedrooms to my right and a full bathroom. To my left was what I had described to Autumn as the master suite.

Autumn.

This must have been a secret project she had been working on.

I stepped into the room to find a metal bedframe and a newly sanded antique dresser. It was clear that it was from the correct period.

I hated that we couldn’t salvage any of the furniture that was left in the space. Previous tenants or the weather had damaged most of it. But Autumn knew a good find when she saw it.

“This bathroom is killer.”

Following my sister into the black and white penny-tiled bathroom, it amazed me to see a clawfoot tub that was large enough for my body on one end and a stand-up shower on the farthest wall that would accommodate my height.

“Who designed this? Because. . .wow,” Sadie pointed out and I agreed with her sentiment.

“Autumn must have done this.”

“Damn. Is she going to tackle the rest of the house?”

“I hope so.”

“I can’t believe this is the same woman you outbid for the property and then somehow her father tricked her into helping you restore it. Her dad must be freaking awesome.”

“He really is. And his ranch is something else. I bet he’d love to pick your brain sometime.” When she looked at me in confusion, I elaborated that it was because he was a farmer and she studied environmental engineering.

“When can I meet them and the other couple? Mr. and Mrs. Chisolm, right?”

“Yeah, my old coach and his wife. We are meeting up with them tomorrow. We can actually go next door to the Easterly’s right now if you want.”

“Really?” she said eagerly, but it was clear she didn’t care for the actual answer as she dashed down the stairs, leaving me alone in the attic.

By the time I made it downstairs, Sadie was bouncing on her toes by the truck’s passenger door.

“Behave,” I scolded my sister as I turned around in my driveway. Or what would soon be my driveway. It was still a mud pit for now.

I drove the ten minutes to the entrance of Sunny Brook Farms and waited patiently for Sadie to get the full effect before I pulled through the gates.

“My goodness. It’s so beautiful, Colton.” Her face was basically pressed against the glass of her window.

“I had the same reaction when I came here for the first time. Wait until you see the house and farm.”

We passed through the harvested corn fields until we crested the hill that pulled away like a theater’s curtain as it showcased the Easterly’s ranch.

Breathlessly, I could hear Sadie murmur, “Oh, wow.”

Yeah, I know, kid.

“Now, before we go in there, I want you to be prepared that I haven’t seen Autumn in over a week, so. . .”

“So, I need to make friends quickly so you can scurry off with your girlfriend?”

“Well, not exactly. I haven’t spoken to her in like two days, so she may have my balls.”

“What? Colton! Why haven’t you spoken to her? What if she thinks you’re dead?”

“She doesn’t think I’m dead, but I’ve been hanging out with you. I even turned my phone off, remember?”

My agent was probably going nuts right now, but I’d enjoyed the reprieve from technology. I spent the last couple of days going with Sadie to all her favorite places and learning more things about our mom. But I’d completely ignored the thought that Autumn may have reached out to me.

“Probably not your smartest idea, big bro, but I guess you don’t get paid for your brains, huh?”

“Man, not holding back with the punches, are you?”

“No way.” As we exited the truck, Sadie asked who was going to be in the large modern farmhouse and I explained I had no idea, but Nash and Marisol were Autumn’s parents.

Walking toward the house, I was used to seeing people milling about that worked the farm or at least Nash hanging around the house. The man couldn’t sit still to save his life.

I knocked on the large wooden door and waited, but when there was no answer, I twisted the knob and pushed the door open.

“Hello? Anyone home?” I called out, tilting my head for Sadie to follow me.

The sound of chatter grew as I approached the kitchen and living area, hoping Sadie was following behind me. When I crossed the entrance, I was surprised to find all of Autumn’s siblings grouped over a computer that they were scrolling through, her dad leaning over the kitchen island with his phone in his hands, Marisol resting on the couch watching a decorating show on television. The same show that would be filming at my home in six months.

“Hey, everyone,” I greeted, hoping to receive a warm welcome. I’d become good friends with the Easterly family. Instead, they greeted me with complete silence.

Autumn’s sisters turned to face me in astonishment and her brother cracked his knuckles, a vein bulging in his neck.

“Well, don’t you always seem to make a dramatic entrance,” Alex said.

“What?” I whispered just as Sadie stepped up beside me.

“Hi, everyone! I’m Sadie Cartwright, Colton’s half-sister.” Leave it to my sister to stun the crowd further.

“So you’re not cheating on Autumn with your sister?” Alex exclaimed as she stood at the table.

“What? No, don’t be ridiculous, Alex.”

“Ridiculous?” the tall blonde exclaimed as she approached me, her fists clenched at her waist. It was obvious she was itching for a fight and I got the feeling it wasn’t on Autumn’s behalf, but maybe something going on in her own life. “I’ll show you ridiculous, you two-timing-”

A domineering shout masked the room as Marisol stood from her spot on the couch. “Hush, Alexandra. I told you from the beginning that you and your siblings jumped to conclusions. Look at her. This young lady has so nicely come to meet our family and you all haven’t even welcomed her and Colton. I am ashamed of you all.”

“We didn’t know, Ma. There were pictures and stories,” Alex tried to explain, but my focus had zoomed into the laptop screen on the kitchen table. There was a zoomed-in picture of me leaving Sadie’s house with her at my side. The headline accused me of having multiple women since my breakup with Nina.

“Did Autumn see this?” I asked, interrupting Mrs. Easterly and the growing noise in the room. “Hey! Did Autumn see this?” I shouted again. Finally, that seemed to get the room’s attention.

Nash approached me with his eyes open and brows relaxed. “She did, but she defended you tooth and nail. She immediately knew this young woman was your sister. And so did I.”

“Where is she?” I asked frantically, grabbing Nash’s forearm. “Was she okay? Did she seem upset?”