Free Lone Star Cinderella by Debra Clopton

property. His map. His choice. Looking at Seth she wanted to scream that he had no right to take this from her. She’d found the map. But she already had him thinking she was half-crazy—that could be why he needed to think about what to do with the map. “Okay,” she said, holding in her frustrations. “But please give it fair thought.” That said, she hurried to her car and drove away.
    Â 
    â€œCole, I’m telling you one last time to get on the phone, call Wyatt and tell him if he doesn’t call me I’m going to hunt him down.”
    â€œHold on, Seth.” Cole’s rumbled laughter came across loud and clear on the other end of the phone line. “I already told him. He called yesterday from Greece.”
    â€œGreece!”
    â€œHis partners needed him to fly over there to meet a client. He said to tell you to calm down. He’ll be back in town next week. But for now he said to chill and to stop worrying about keeping people off your property and out of your life.”
    Seth’s grip tightened. “He needs to mind his own business—”
    â€œHe’s our big brother. You know how he is. Once he gets something in that head of his, he won’t let it go.”
    â€œWhat exactly is it he’s gotten into his head?”
    Cole groaned, which didn’t reassure Seth. Growing up, their big brother had thought it was his born duty as the firstborn to lead them whether they wanted to be led or not.
    â€œLook, Seth, you know as well as I do that he flies by the seat of his pants. When opportunity knocks he takes it.”
    â€œYeah, so what are you saying?”
    â€œI think he met this Melody and he thought she was too sweet to pass up. Look, man, let her do her thing. From what he said she was a real shy case. He’s a marshmallow and couldn’t turn her away.”
    â€œI’ll say he didn’t turn her away! He moved her in, and now everything is in a mess.”
    â€œRelax, Seth—”
    â€œCole, she found a treasure map,” he snapped.
    â€œGet outta here! For real?”
    Seth leaned back and looked up at the ceiling. “For real. It was hidden behind a slat in the hall closet and there’s more. It’s proof that the campfire tales had merit. Grandma Jane documented that they took in a sick man, and before he died he gave them the directions to where he hid some saddlebags of gold coins in a cave in the ravine.”
    Cole laughed then let out a slow whistle as the news sank in. “Man, all those years when we were roaming that place dreaming of finding the treasure and proving the legend was true. So, what does this mean?”
    Seth grunted. “That my quiet country life could turn into a circus.”
    â€œYou’ve got to be kidding me. We’re talking about a real live treasure hunt.”
    â€œYeah, loonies, trespassers and jerks running amok thinking this is a green light for them.”
    â€œNow, just wait a stinkin’ minute. You were the leader as a boy when we would roam those hills for treasure. Where’s that kid now? I think that’s what me and Wyatt have been wondering about for a while now. What happened to you, man?”
    Seth rubbed his temple. “That went away with my stick horse and my pop gun.”
    â€œYep, that’s what Wyatt’s talking about. You need to loosen up, and he thought this was the way to do it…he’ll be as blown away as me when he finds out about this treasure map. Now, tell me about this map and the woman.”
    A vision of Melody played across Seth’s mind. Knowing he’d let her down was eating at him, even though he’d warned her all along. But more than the treasure maps nagged at him, he had to know who had been on the end of those phone conversations that had upset her so much.
    â€œSeth, you there?”
    â€œYeah, I’m here. Melody’s a real nice lady. Real quiet—most of the time.