Sweet Little Lies

Chapter 1

Four Years Later

I sat at the airport waiting for Dan to pick me up. He's late as usual. Standing up, I started to pace in front of the bench I was sitting on. Breathing a sigh of relief when I saw his dark blue pickup truck.

He waves as he pulls up to the curb and I can't help but smile and wave back. Dan got out and got around the truck.

He hugged me quickly.

"Sorry, got caught up at work." He apologizes, picking up my two large bags and putting them in the back of the truck.

I buckled into my seat and buckled up.

I wait until he pulls away from the curb before I start asking questions.

"So, how is everyone?"

"Everyone?"

"Yeah, Mom, Dad, you, the Stuarts, the Wests, everyone." I clarified.

"Everyone is fine. Nothing really changes around here." He answers, blandly.

"No lady love?" I asked, not really interested in knowing the answer.

"Harper." He snaps, irritated.

Dan's never been much for talking, just like Ajax.

No, don't think about Ajax, Harper.

"I just want to get to know my big bro all over again." I replied, faking sadness. He sighs and I know I've won.

"No, there's no lady love. Just work and more work. Mr. West announced yesterday that he hired you from Flagstaff." He says, sounding proud.

"Yep, I sent him my resume before I decided to come back. I wanted to make sure I could find a job. Good thing I spent my summers interning at T.K. Accounting Firm or I'd have no business working at the West End Ranch." I told him, excited to work for the West's and to be home.

"You know Mr. West has a soft spot for you. He would've hired you regardless and you know it." He states, smirking.

I smile thinking about Paxton West.

When I was little, around four years old, I told him I wanted to marry him. He had to explain that he was already married and I innocently told him he could marry us both. Having to hear that story told again and again growing up was torture, but I have to admit it always made me laugh.

Plus, I never got it as bad as Ajax. Growing up, his Grandfather, Preston West, would tell us all kinds of embarrassing stories about him. From potty training debacles to sweet stories about how the West named their only son after him. Even sharing the fact, they were told they'd be having a girl and a screaming boy was born instead. That's how I learned Grandpa Preston's real name was Ajax Preston West.

Ajax always hated hearing those stories, but was always a good sport to his grandfather.

They were close until he passed away just after Ajax's fourteenth birthday. It was the first time I had seen Ajax cry, which only made me cry harder.

I realized something while I was gone. I can't be mad at him for not loving me back. I was angry for a long time and it got me nowhere. He doesn't deserve any of my animosity or anger. I can't make him love it and it's fine.

I've moved on, truly.

Although, I admit I measure every man I meet, it's not his fault that they never measure up.

That doesn't mean that I want to start spending time with him.

To be honest, I want to stay as far away from him as possible.

It's not that I don't trust myself not to fall for him all over again.

I know there's nothing between us and never will be. It's just self-preservation.

Old crushes die hard. I just don't want to relive the humiliation I felt after I heard him say he thinks of me like a sister.

I saw West's mansion in the distance. They moved out here and built the house shortly after Ajax was born. Then they added bunk houses for seasonal workers and nice two-story homes for workers like my father, who stay year round. I see our home way back behind the main house and my heart swells along with my eyes.

I haven't seen my parents for four years.

I wiped my tears as Dan looked over at me.

"For f**k's sake! Don't go all blubbering female on me."

I saw the vehicles and turned to Dan, giving him the" you've got to be kidding me" look.

"A party?"

"A coming home party. Ma said she told you." He laughs, seeing my shock and horror.

I scoff. "No! She didn't."

"Don't worry, she only invited everyone in the state of Montana. Nothing too drastic." He jokes, keeping a straight face.

As soon as we pull up to the house, Ma runs down the porch with her floral apron still wrapped around her. I hopped out of the truck, returning her smile. She really is so beautiful, as always, perfectly made up and happy. I missed her. Her arms came around me, crushing me to her and she cried, "My baby, My baby."

I laugh at her reaction until I feel another pair of arms go around me and my feet leave the ground.

"Harry!" Ma yells.

"My sweet pea is home." Pa says, setting us both back down.

"I missed you guys." I told them, drying my eyes.

"Welcome home, honey. Come inside, everyone is waiting to see you." Ma gushes and pulls me towards the house.

As soon as I open the door, I'm passed around getting hugs and kisses. The, "do you remember me?" question makes me laugh every time. I was gone four years, not twenty.

"You look great Harper." Mrs. West remarks, giving me a hug. I can already sense Ajax's eyes on me but I ignore it.

"So do you, Mrs. West." I remarked, noting she hadn't changed at all.

"Paxton is so happy to have you working for us. With all of the changes coming to the West End, it's good to know we hired someone we can trust." She says, hugging me again.

"Really? What changes?" I asked, intrigued.

"Paxton didn't tell you? We're handing the ranch over to Ajax. We're going to start traveling. Since someone won't settle down and give us grandchildren." She complains, glaring behind me at her son.

"Soon." He replies, seriously. I feel a slight ping in my heart but steel myself from feeling anything else.

Why wouldn't he be dating someone?

He's the most eligible man in Montana.