Megan stared at the blue light of the clock. "Ugh! Three hours of sleep." After readjusting the pillow and nestling under the blankets, her eyes shot open. Images of Colby flashed in her mind. He carried himself with pride and any woman would find him attractive, but Megan sensed he was here to find something other than romance. He needed to find something he had lost. "Do I have the answers he seeks? It seems impossible, as I am now beginning my own journey. How would I have answers for him?"
With a deep sigh, Megan pushed the blankets aside. Sleep was not returning any time soon. With slow, controlled movements, she dressed and then sneaked outside. "Whew. I didn't wake the girls. Chatty, giggling girls at 6 a.m. doesn't sound pleasant."
Her gaze traveled the ranch's perimeter. The cottonwood trees slept in the morning hours, but soon their green leaves would shimmer and shake in the breeze. Fresh, cold air moved last evening to the main focus. "Why did Colby Jackson seek me here in Wyoming? Do I hold the keys to unlock the mystery?"
Realizing the Circle M rarely revealed hidden answers, Megan headed to the barn. Work usually filtered out problems, but Colby refused to leave her thoughts. "How do I reunite Colby with his grandparents?" she wondered, leaned against the planted shovel.
"Good morning, sleepyhead."
"Hey, Brett," Megan said, never looking at her cousin. Thoughts focused on Colby. "Why does he disregard his grandparents? Is family transitory to him? Call them when you need them, forget them the other days?" While tapping her finger on the shovel handle, she said, "Experience taught me to never take family for granted. How do I make him understand?"
"Cuz, are you scheming?"
"Scheming, no," she said, looking at Brett. "Thinking, yes."
"Thinking, scheming, same in my book." The shovel full of manure had Brett holding his hands up, calling a truce. "Okay, okay. What are you thinking, cousin dear?"
"That's better." Her laugh held a serious tone. "How do I reunite Gray Cloud and Colby?"
Sighs echoed in the barn. "I have tried for years to get those two to talk. I know why Colby left-a great job opportunity, but there is no explanation as to why he refuses to keep them in his life. I know you want to help, but they have to find the path that connects them."
Part of her understood and knew he was right, but it did not settle well in her soul. "Gray Cloud helped me, now I want to return the favor. Is that wrong?"