Chapter 1
Another story for you all. Updates may be slow at times. This story was originally 30 chapters long. It may still be or I will combine chapters. I am no professional writer and my writing style differs from other writers. I will not be changing how I write. Positive feedback is appreciated.
Cast of Characters:
Amber Stone
Age: 29
Parents: Carl and Alice Stone
Brothers: Alex and Adam
Sisters: Anna and Abby
Sisters-in-law: Sarah and Georgie
Daughter: Lily Rose Stone
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Luke Walker
Age: 29
Parents: Hank and Dana Walker
Brothers: Lance and Lawson
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Carl Stone
Age: 50
Wife: Alice
Sons: Alex and Adam
Daughters: Amber, Anna, and Abby
Granddaughter: Lily Rose
Owner of Stone Ranch
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Alice Stone
Age: 50
Husband: Carl
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Adam Stone
Age: 31
Wife: Georgie May Stone
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Alex Stone
Age: 25
Wife: Sarah Nelson Stone
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Anna Stone
Age: 27
Boyfriend: Trevor Davis
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Abby Stone
Age: 23
Boyfriend: Ricky Foster
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Sarah Nelson Stone
Age: 25
Parents: Alan and Cara Nelson
Only Child
Husband: Alex Stone
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Georgie May Stone
Age: 29
Husband: Adam Stone
Parents: Bill and Barbara May
Only Child
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Ricky Foster
Age: 25
Parents: Peter and Nina Foster
Girlfriend: Abby Stone
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Trevor Davis
Age: 28
Parents: Sam and Faith Davis
Girlfriend: Anna Stone
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Lance Walker
Age: 33
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Lawson Walker
Age: 27
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Lily Rose Stone
Age: 4
Mother: Amber Stone
Father: Unknown
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On with the story!
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Amber stood in her bedroom packing her bag. She was heading back home to her family’s ranch she grew up on. She had left there six years before when she caught her boyfriend at the time in bed with another woman who she didn’t know. She dumped him, packed up, and left town to go to college at Columbia University and stayed in the city to work as a personal assistant to the CEO of the Walker Advertising Agency.
“Mommy, I’m ready,” Lily said.
“Okay baby girl,” Amber said. Lily was her four year old daughter. She wanted to have a baby on her own and decided to visit a sperm bank and was matched with a donor and did the artificial insemination and became pregnant. She had her friends there for her when she needed them but she did most of the work on her own.
KNOCK KNOCK
She walked out of her room and went to the door and opened it and saw her boss, Luke, standing there.
“Amber,” Luke said.
“Luke, what are you doing here?” Amber asked.
“Can we talk?” Luke asked.
“Sure but I was packing for my trip home,” Amber said.
“It’s important,” Luke said. She stepped aside and let him in. She closed the door.
“What’s going on?” Amber asked.
“I can only let you have three weeks,” Luke said.
“I know that,” Amber said.
“I need to ask you something,” Luke said.
“What is it?” Amber asked.
“Did you ever wonder who the father of Lily was?” Luke asked.
“I heard my name, hi Lukey!” Lily said. She ran and hugged him. He knelt down and hugged her tight.
“Hey sweetheart, are you ready for your trip to see your grandparents, aunts, and uncles?” Luke asked.
“Yep I’m so excited!” Lily said smiling.
“Yes you are and you need to make sure you got everything,” Amber said.
“Okay bye Lukey,” Lily said.
“Bye sweetheart, I’ll miss seeing you around the office,” Luke said.
“We will be back,” Lily said.
“I know you will,” Luke said. She went back to her room.
“Why did you ask me about her father?” Amber asked.
“I just wondered if she asked you about him?” Luke asked.
“She has and I told her that he was not a part of our lives anymore,” Amber said.
“I can check into it for you,” Luke said.
“Why,” Amber said.
“In case something happens and you need something from the father or his side of the family,” Luke said.
“I was going to do that if anything happened,” Amber said.
“Wouldn’t you like to know before then to be prepared,” Luke said.
“I doubt you will be able to find out anything,” Amber said.
“The sperm bank on 5th Street right?” Luke asked.
“Yes, that’s where the doctor got it from,” Amber said.
“I am a client there, I donate to help others become parents or a parent, because the way things are in my life, I doubt I’ll find that special someone,” Luke said.
“She’s out there, Luke,” Amber said.
“Just like yours is out there,” Luke said.
“Oh no I’m not looking,” Amber said.
“Ambs, we are friends right?” Luke asked.
“You are my boss,” Amber said.
“And your friend too because I consider you my friend as well, one of the many people I trust, actually I trust you and my brothers the most,” Luke said.
“Yeah I trust you too,” Amber said.
“Not all guys are like your asshole cheating ex,” Luke said.
“ I know but I just want to focus on Lily and providing for her,”Amber said.
“You are doing just fine, she’s perfect and she’s an amazing kid,” Luke said.
“We should get going, my flight leaves in three hours,” Amber said.
“I’ll take you so you won’t have to pay to keep your car there,” Luke said.
“We were going to take a taxi,” Amber said.
“Nonsense, I’ll take you and then I will go check on the thing at the bank,” Luke said.
“If they tell you anything,” Amber said.
“They will, I do donate money to them as well so I have my ways of getting the info,” Luke said. She got her bags and Lily’s. Luke carried the bags while she locked up and held Lily’s hand. They got into his car and he took them to the airport. They arrived at the airport. Luke parked and she got out with Lily and their bags.
“Let me know when you are back so that I can pick you guys up,” Luke said.
“Okay Luke thank you,” Amber said.
“Not a problem, bye sweetheart,” Luke said smiling at Lily.
“Bye Lukey,” Lily said. She and Amber walked into the airport and went to their gate, checked in, and she checked their bags and they got on the plane to Dallas, Texas. The plane landed a few hours later and they got off and looked around and saw her eldest brother, Adam waiting.
“Adam!” Lily said. She ran into his arms. He hugged her tight.
“Hey squirt! I’ve missed you so much!” Adam said.
“I’ve missed you too, where’s Aunt Georgie?” Lily asked.
“She’s at the house with Nana and Papa,” Adam said.
“Hey bro,” Amber said.
“Hey sis,” Adam said. He hugged her while he held Lily. He kissed her head. Out of the siblings, Amber was the closest to Adam and vice versa.
“I’ve missed it here,” Amber said.
“Could always move back,” Adam said.
“Not really, Luke would go crazy if I quit, he could only let me go for three weeks, after that he would be coming to find me and drag me back,” Amber said.
“Can’t survive without you huh,” Adam said.
“Nope,” Amber said.
“Let’s get going, got a long drive to Gainesville,” Adam said. They got the bags and walked out and got into the truck and they headed out.
“How are things on the ranch?” Amber asked.
“Well Dad and Mom aren’t saying much, they are waiting for you to come home before they say anything, but I think the ranch is in trouble,” Adam said.
“You think or know?” Amber asked.
“I think, cattle prices are down and it’s just been hard lately but somehow we manage to stay afloat,” Adam said.
“I may not live down here but I love the ranch, we grew up there, it’s been in the family for generations, you are set to take over,” Amber said.
“Dad says I’m more than ready, but with the way thing are, he’s hesitant about stepping down,” Adam said.
“Maybe I can help if that’s the case,” Amber said.
“Sis,” Adam said.
“No bro, we can’t lose the ranch if that’s what’s going on,” Amber said.
“Do you have any ideas?” Adam asked.
“Let’s find out what is going on,” Amber said. They arrived at the ranch. 
They parked and got out.
“There’s our baby girl!” Alice said.
“Nana!” Lily said. She ran into her grandma’s arms.
“There’s my oldest daughter,” Carl said. He hugged her.
“Hi Daddy, I missed you,” Amber said.
“We’ve missed you too honey,” Carl said.
“Amber honey,” Alice said.
“Come to Papa, little lady,” Carl said. Lily jumped into her grandfather’s arms as Alice hugged Amber.
“Hey Mama,” Amber said.
“Oh my girl, I’ve missed you so much,” Alice said.
“Missed you too,” Amber said.
“I can’t believe how fast you are growing,” Carl said.
“I know,” Lily said. Adam carried in the bags and they walked in and found everyone there.
“Sis!” Alex, Anna, and Abby said.
“Hey sis!” Sarah said.
“Hey sis! Lilybug!” Georgie said.
“Aunt Georgie!” Lily said as she jumped into her arms.
“Hey Ambs,” Trevor and Ricky both said.
“Hey guys,” Amber said. Everyone hugged her and she got settled in her old bedroom and after she got Lily down for a nap, she came down sat down.
“So what’s been going on?” Amber asked.
“Now that everyone is here, it’s time to get right into it, the ranch is in trouble, kids, deep trouble, we barely are making ends meet, I had to let most of the ranch hands go because I can’t pay them, I just can get ahead, we could lose the ranch,” Carl said.
“Dad,” Alex said.
“How bad?” Adam asked.
“We have enough for one more payment and then even if we sell more cattle, we won’t make the next one,” Alice said.
“How did it get this bad?” Abby asked.
“Cattle prices are way down, feed prices went up, it’s just getting to be too much,” Carl said.
“We can’t lose the ranch, Daddy, it’s been in our family for generations,” Anna said.
“I know honey, I’ve been trying to figure out ways to keep it afloat but I’m running out of options,” Carl said.
“We can all get jobs in town,” Alex said.
“Yeah,” Adam said.
“Boys, I let the guys go which means it’s just us here running things and we have so much to do,” Carl said.
“But we need to save the ranch Dad,” Alex said.
“We can’t lose it,” Adam said.
“We want to help,” Trevor said.
“Yeah,” Ricky said.
“I can get a job,” Sarah said.
“Me too,” Georgie said.
“Yep,” Abby and Anna both said.
“I can help too,” Amber said.
“Amber,” Carl said.
“Am I not a part of this family?” Amber asked.
“Yes honey but you have your life in New York,” Alice said.
“But this ranch is a part of my life too, I want to help save it, I’m a Stone,” Amber said.
“Yes you are,” Carl said.
“Of course you can help honey, we just thought you would want to relax and enjoy your time with all of us,” Alice said.
“I can do that while we figure out how to save the ranch,” Amber said. She hugged her parents.
