Love Makes A Way to Forever Love Ranch

Chapter 1

"Come on, you are much better at organizing stuff than I am." 

The more Brooke thought about it the more she liked the idea. So the next week she talked to her boss about getting extended time off, explaining that she was helping a friend out. Her boss was generous and granted Brooke the requested 6 weeks of leave.

Addy was ecstatic when Brooke told her.

"I have the perfect place for you to rent while you are here. I swear you'll love it. I'd let you stay with me but I'm living with my parents until I find a place of my own. You are going to love my town. It is quaint, charming and everything you need in a getaway," Addy had gushed.

"We will see if it is as charming as you say, but I agree I need this break. What kind of place do you have me renting?" Brooke asked.

"It's a cabin, kind of rustic but charming. The man who owns it lost his wife a few years back and he likes to rent it out once in a while to help pay the bills."

MK barked, bringing Brooke back to the present and her overflowing pasta pot. A moment later her overly sensitive smoke detector went off as the water hit the burner and steam rose. Brooke grabbed a kitchen towel and waved it frantically at the smoke detector. Then realizing the pot was still over flowing she hurried to turn the burner off and moved the pot.  After several minutes of more frantic waving the alarm finally stopped. 

MK barked again.

"Yes, girl?" Brooke said, but MK only spun in a circle. Brooke looked over at the empty dog dish realizing that she had yet to feed MK. Brooke sighed again, it was not like her to forget something like that.

As she poured the dog food into the bowl, she said, "It's time for that vacation." In a few days, Brooke was headed out of Happy Valley on her way to Forever, CA.

A Few Days Later

Brooke pulled out her lunch from the fridge, leftover curry from the night before, and headed to the door. MK was already in the car ready to go. Brooke hurried to join her before she could get into too much trouble.

Brooke had been packing for the last several days and on an impulse grabbed her camping gear with the hopes of getting some time to enjoy the outdoors. She was planning on taking her time driving to Forever and hoped to make some stops on the way to enjoy the view. When Brooke reached the car, she saw that MK was in the front seat.

"MK, get in the back," she said. MK looked at her with what looked like chagrin but didn't move. Brooke pointed to the back of her black Toyota Camry.

"You know it is not safe for you to ride in the front, plus you always try to sit in my lap while I am driving."

Brooke scooted MK towards the back and she reluctantly went. Brooke sat down in the driver's seat and turned on the car. Before reversing the car she did a mental check of what she packed, searching for anything she might have missed. She looked in the rear view mirror. 

Brooke quickly took in her tired navy blue eyes and red hair that seemed to have a life of it's own. At 5'1" she was petite and had trouble finding women's clothing in her size. Today she was wearing a pair of blue jeans, an old college t-shirt, and a gray flannel over-shirt. Even though it was summer, Oregon was still on the chilly side today. Brooke figured that would change when she got to California. 

 She glanced one more time over her shoulder and backed the car out. She was on her way.

A few hours later as she was stopping for lunch, her phone rang. Checking to see who it was Brooke answered it, "Mom?"