except when they didn’t and it seemed lately she made her brother angry at every turn. She finally turned off the water and dressed in her pajamas. She had made it to her room and was turning back her covers when a knock sounded on her door.
“Hey, Trent,” she greeted her brother as she opened the door and he entered.
“I’m sorry if I was difficult this evening.”
“I’m sorry I made you get out when you didn’t want to,” Amanda admitted to her part in the evening.
“No, don’t be; I had fun. I think I needed to get out; didn’t make it easy though,” he admitted.
“I know,” she nodded.
“Listen, I know I keep…about Cade, Mandy…”
“What about Cade?”
“He’s…”
“Yes?”
“Look, you’re young and impressionable…”
“Stop right there,” Amanda held her hand up. “I am fifteen; as I said I am not that kind of girl. I am aware that Cade is really attractive and I am not immune but…I am not that kind of girl.”
“What kind of girl, Mandy?”
“Okay, first of all, as I’ve already said, I don’t see sleeping with someone as a light thing…”
“If you really cared for someone?”
“I’m a little young to be making that big of a decision. Besides, I do care for Cade, too much to get him in trouble and I know that would be trouble…for everyone. So chill; okay?”
“Somehow that is not as reassuring as I’m sure you hoped it would be,” Trent informed her as he seated himself on her desk chair.
Amanda sighed and shook her head. “What could I say that would make you feel better?”
“That Cade isn’t the least bit appealing to you and that further more he is no way deserving of getting anywhere near you,” Trent offered with a smile.
“I see, you want me to lie?” Amanda was smiling now too.
“No, the last part is pure truth; I had foolishly hoped the first part was as well.”
“I am not stupid or naïve regardless what you think. I know Cade has a way with women and I know he’s not prince charming. That’s the best I can offer you and still be truthful. Good enough?” Amanda offered. She watched her brother smile ruefully.
“Good enough,” he nodded.
Nine
Amanda urged Dandelion into a trot and relished the wind in her face as they gained speed. She had been missing her special place for weeks but hadn’t made time to go. Today she looked forward to spending some time there sorting through her crazy emotions. The closer it got to time for her brother to leave the more torn in two she felt. On one hand she would miss him terribly. On the other hand, tensions remained high around the house and she, herself, often found herself the nearest target for everyone’s frustrations. Her aunt had snapped at her twice just today and her brother and father were as unpredictable as a Montana spring. She felt as though she was walking on egg shells these days.
The old cabin came into sight and Amanda admired its disheveled beauty as she slowed. The old place had seen better days but it still maintained a kind of timeless beauty that drew her. Her great, great, great, great grandfather had built it as his first home. His expanding family and modest success as a rancher had led him to build the current house on the land he had set aside for that purpose. The story was his wife had wanted their home on that spot and he promised her that he would one day build her a “proper” place right there where she wanted. Nine years later he had kept that promise.
The old cabin was four rooms off a wide central hallway. There were two more large rooms with slanted ceilings above that had served as bed rooms. Amanda slid from Dandelion’s back and tied him to a porch post before climbing the rickety front steps and shoving the sagging door open. Discarded pieces of battered furniture sat scattered throughout the old rooms. As the first of her great, great, great, great grandfather’s children had grown, the old cabin had once again been put to use. The last person to occupy it had been Naomi. When Amanda’s mother died, Naomi moved in with Sterling and the children and the place had fallen into disrepair, quickly deteriorating with no one to see to its upkeep.
Amanda meandered through the “updated” kitchen and bath and then made her way up stairs. A large iron bed stead stood, an old spring set on it but no