
Chapter One
Sam turned on the windshield wipers to help clear the view of the long stretch of road before him. "Looks like the weather guys missed this one," he said as he turned up the heat.
"Yeah." Cody glanced behind him out the back window before turning back toward the front with a frown. "Do you ever feel like you're being watched?"
Sam glanced between his brother and the road. "Watched? Boy, you've been watching too many damn scary movies."
Cody snickered as he adjusted his seat belt. "Yeah, you're probably right. Are we moving the cattle tomorrow?"
Sam shrugged. "Might as well if this doesn't turn into a damn blizzard. You never know what the weather will do out here."
"If I had known it would turn out this cold, I would've suggested picking up a girl for the weekend."
Sam snorted. "You know damn good and well I don't like sharing local girls. They talk too damn much."
"Talk can be a good thing."
"Yeah, and it can also be a bad thing." He gave his brother a pointed look. "Do you remember how long it took that last rumor to die down? I don't want a repeat of that, Cody. Our sex life is our own. We shouldn't have to explain to the people we do business with on a daily basis that we like to share."
Cody mumbled something incoherent, but Sam let it go. He knew his brother didn't agree with him on the privacy issue. Cody thought it shouldn't matter, but Sam knew it did. So he insisted they keep that part of their life quiet and get their girls from somewhere other than their hometown, which usually meant they went without.
The ranch kept them pretty busy, and with the winter weather moving in, it was time to reposition the cattle anyway, bring them closer in.
"How about if I let you fly the helicopter tomorrow?" Sam asked as he glanced over at Cody.
Cody smiled slightly. "Really? You gonna seriously hand over the reins?"
"For tomorrow."
"Wow," Cody drawled as he teased Sam. "I promise I'll take real good care of her. I won't let nothin' happen to your baby."
Sam frowned. "Keep it up, smartass, and I'll retract my offer."
Theirs was one of two ranches in Montana that had helicopters. Cody had balked at the price, but after three years, he finally conceded that it had been a smart investment. Though he was the younger brother, Cody actually had a pretty good head on his shoulders for business and investments. Sam would probably never admit it, but he knew it was Cody's money management that had tripled their personal net worth and almost doubled the profit at the ranch.
Their dad would be proud, if he was still alive.
Sam saddened just a bit as he thought about their dad. He had been a good man, a good rancher, and most of all, a good father. He'd taught Sam and Cody everything he knew about ranching and even listened to their ideas about expanding. The three of them had made Keller Ranch one of the largest and most profitable in the country.