BLAZE*

I arrived fifteen minutes early. And have been pacing back and forth in front of the grand ranch house this whole time. It reminds me of my dreams of owning a similar house in the countryside, where my future wife and our three or more children would live. The thought makes me frown, as I can't help but feel that finding a loyal woman who wouldn't cheat on me was becoming difficult.

I'm feeling really nervous about meeting Lyra. Additionally, I'm concerned about the family seeing the house and its surroundings for the first time since we finished the structure. While we all seem to love it, it's important to remember that it's not our opinion that counts. Word of mouth has the power to either make or break a business like this.

Glancing out, I could see Tanner's truck making its way down the drive. I was relieved to see him, as I really needed to let off some steam before Jace and the girls arrived. Tanner parks his truck a little further down the road and walks over to me with a wide grin on his face.

"Hey, Blaze! I think they are going to love it. Can you even imagine what it's going to look like when they bring the horses and other livestock over?" Tanner said, glancing around at all the hard work we had put in. "We did good, cuz."

"I hope so," I said nervously, pacing again.

The family that is moving in is incredibly large. The couple has nine kids, three of whom are already married and have children of their own. Until now, they have all lived separately in their own homes while managing the ranch. However, they will now live together under one roof. We designed the mansion with separate wings for each family. Despite its size, the house has a shared kitchen and dining room.

It is currently ten o'clock, and Jace has not yet arrived. It wouldn't surprise me if they were late because he is bringing women with him.

"Blaze, what's wrong with you, man? Chill out," Tanner said, walking over to me and slinging an arm around my shoulders. "Everything is going to be just fine."

"Jace is bringing his girlfriend and her sister along. I think he's trying to play matchmaker."

I grimaced at the thought. Am I in any state of mind to get into a new relationship?

Tanner sighed, his frustration clear. "Aw, hell. It's been six months since Jessa wronged you. You're not the player type, and you need a woman. I've seen a few pictures of Vega, and let me tell you, dude, she's a fucking gorgeous. Plus, Jace can't stop talking about her, so I can tell she's an amazing woman. Mom and Dad are constantly bugging him to bring her over. Apparently, Vega and her sister are taking summer courses, so their free time is pretty limited. Or at least, that's what he says," Tanner said, taking a seat on a nearby bench.

When Tanner and Jace were very young, Tanner's mom left and their dad had little involvement with them after that. As a result, my parents raised them, which is why Tanner now refers to them as his mom and dad.

As I sat next to Tanner on the bench, I expressed my thoughts, "Smart and accomplished, she sounds like the perfect match for me. However, I'm unsure if I'm ready for a relationship."

Glancing towards the open pasture, I couldn't help but think about the dream I had last night and confided in Tanner. "I had the most unbelievable dream last night. It was about a woman I had only glimpsed once. Which was three years ago. The dream was truly extraordinary, as if she could be my soulmate. Adding to my confusion, this woman lived in one of the first houses we built, after our parents' home. It's as if work is now infiltrating my dreams," I muttered, running a hand down my face.

"Yeah, man, it sounds to me like you need to get laid. Not Vega's sister, though. Let's go to the club tonight. Let loose a bit," Tanner said with a grin on his face.

"I guess so. Why not? It's been a while since we've gone out."

"Well, for you, yes. Bot not me. I go out once every other week. Find a girl, chill with her for a bit, and then move on." Tanner said as he shrugged his shoulders.

I don't have a comeback for that one. It's uncertain if Tanner will ever be the same after what Bailee did to him. They were together from seventh grade of junior high to his last year of college. They were even engaged and had plans to get married right after graduating with their master's degrees. However, things took a dramatic turn when Bailee started fooling around with one of the football jocks and ended up getting pregnant. She wasn't sure who the father was and could have easily passed it off as Tanner's, but she chose not to. To make a long story short, she's now married to the other guy, who I can only describe as an idiot.

Glancing at my wrist, I noticed it was already ten past ten. My dad had gifted me this exquisite Rolex watch to celebrate my master's degree graduation, and I cherished it dearly. However, one thing that irked me was people being late. It simply drove me crazy. As if on cue, I raised my eyes and spotted Jace's truck making its way down the driveway. I breathed a sigh of relief, realizing I was just about to call him, knowing it would have led to nothing but trouble.

Jace parked his car behind Tanner's truck and promptly stepped out from the driver's side. He jogged over to Vega, opening the door for her. With a gentle grip, he assisted her as she descended from the truck. It was then that I noticed her vibrant red hair, and I couldn't help but acknowledge Jace's newfound chivalry. As if on cue, he extended his elbow, and she gracefully linked her arm with his. They took a few steps forward before Jace shut the door, and I strained my eyes to glimpse her, but they remained too distant for me to discern any details.

'Wait, what about her sister? Where was she?' I thought to myself.

As Jace and Vega approached, I couldn't help but feel like the universe was playing a cruel trick on me. The woman from my dream, who was Jace's girlfriend, was now walking towards me. It was a frustrating coincidence.

Although I knew I should get up, I found myself rooted in place on this bench, my face frozen in shock. Tanner, standing up, glanced down at me.

"Hey, get up. What's wrong with you?" Tanner asked.

"That's the woman I dreamed about last night," I whispered.

"Oh! Shit!" Tanner said, a bit too loud for my liking.

Waving my hands in the air as I tried to make sense of all of this. "Yeah, and I made love to her in that dream. So I'm freaking out a little here."

"Play it cool. We'll discuss this further tonight." He spoke dismissively just as Jace and Vega approached.

Jace introduced his companion with a lovey-dovey grin on his face. "Vega, meet my brother Tanner and my cousin Blaze," he said. Then, turning to us, he continued, "And guys, this is my girlfriend, Vega."

With reluctance, I made myself rise from the bench and forced a smile. Tanner extended his hand and shook hers, saying, "Nice to meet you, Vega," in a cheerful tone.

I attempted to maintain a forced smile as I approached Vega and extended my hand to shake hers. Unfortunately, there were no sparks or any sort of connection. Frustrated with the universe, I struggled to find the right words and settled for a nod while keeping up my smile. We engaged in some small talk for a few minutes, delving into our respective fields of expertise. Then, out of nowhere, Vega's phone rang, interrupting our conversation. She excused herself and walked away, raising her voice as she spoke to someone on the phone. I assumed it was her sister Lyra, the person everyone had been waiting for.

Vega ran back to us screaming, tears streaming down her face. "Jace, we've got to go. Lyra's been in an accident, and I have to go to her," Vega screamed and ran towards Jace's truck.

Jace burst from his seat and ran to Vega, helping her climb into his vehicle. Then jumped in, started his truck, and gunned it down the drive.

LYRA*

It's Saturday morning and to be honest, I didn't expect this place to be so busy. But they proved me wrong as it's now almost ten o'clock and I've just received my order after waiting for thirty minutes. Today, of all days, this had to happen to me. I really dislike being late to places, so I'm considering not going to the Ranch at all at this point. I should have gone with Jace and Vega. It's one thing to be late, but being late and alone is a whole other situation.

I devoured my breakfast burritos. When I was done, I saw it was after ten already and heaved a sigh.

I had made a promise to Vega that I would be there, and I didn't want to disappoint or anger her any further than I already had. Determined to keep my word, I entered the pin into my GPS, reversed the car, and set off towards the ranch. In order to reach my destination faster, I took the loop, hoping to save time. However, as I was transitioning from the ramp to the access road, an idiot crossed four lanes of traffic and collided with the front of my car. The impact caused my car to veer sharply to the left, and the vehicle behind me crashed into the driver's side.

As the airbag went off, it pinned me between its force and the caved-in door. During the impact, I must have hit my head on the window. The warm, gooey blood started streaming down my cheek and onto my shirt. To make matters worse, the driver who clipped me drives off, leaving the scene of the accident. Frustrated, I reached over as best as I could and activated the phone button on the dashboard.

"Call Vega," I screamed.

"Calling Vega." The radioactive voice says. It rang twice, and Vega picked up.

"Where the fuck are you? It's ten-thirty! You said you would be here, and Jace's cousin Blaze has been looking at me weird this whole time," Vega yelled.

"Vega, I've been in an accident! I'm trapped inside the car, pinned and unable to move! My tears are mingling with blood, and I'm scared!" I scream, the words escaping through my trembling voice.

"Where are you, Lyra? I'll come to you! You hit your head, didn't you? Our twin link activated, and I felt a sudden pain in my head. That's why I'm asking?" Vega asked.

"Yesss..." My words trail off as vertigo sets in. My head was throbbing now that the adrenaline from the crash was wearing off.

"Use the tracker on our phone. I can't think of where I am."

"Ok, I'll put it in, and then I'll call you right back. I'm here, Lyra," Vega said.

"Jace, we've got to go. Lyra's been in an accident, and I have to go to her," I heard Vega scream, and then the line went dead.