Book 4 - Shot of Life

Chapter One

Montana

Such a magnificent beast.

JJ moved back to Montana to help his parents and brother keep up with the ranch. Their parents are older and have had trouble keeping up so back to Montana he went. His brother Jack stays on the farm and lives at one of the cottages on the property. Due to financial hardships, they've had to let several farmhands go so a lot of the cottages are now empty.

He moves the last of his boxes into his cottage and starts to unpack. Everything has a place, everything has to have ordered, and everything has to make sense. It's been ingrained into his brain from the moment he got off the bus for Bootcamp. Marines made him hard and direct. When he pulls his honorary discharge paperwork from the box he looks down at his prosthetic leg. In the last deployment, he was caught in a vehicle roadside bomb and unfortunately lost his leg.

He lived in the city which was easier for rehabilitating with one leg but now found himself struggling to find peace. Away from his routine at his apartment, away from the city, back to the open and unobstructed views. He's back with one less leg, less a fiance, and less stability. Jack told him they were turning the ranch into a wedding venue to help drive finances up.

Great... Wedding crap.

JJ believes his dad just got lazy with the finances and the cattle drive was less profitable. They get a slight stipulation from the government since there are wild horses that roam part of their thousand-acre property. That is nowhere near enough to keep them afloat. Pop's best friend in Colorado suggested this wedding idea that has made their ranch extremely profitable. If you were to ask JJ, about weddings, and marriage, the whole idea is for the weak-minded. The thought that you need someone else is just pathetic.

Jack knocks on his door, "JJ?"

"Hey, Jack,"

"Welcome home, how are you settling in?"

"Like a glove. The cottage is nice. Who was this one? Charles?"

"Yeah, he got up and moved to Oregon to be with his grandkids. He's loving life apparently,"

"Nice,"

"We've got dinner with the parents in 30, ready to go?"

"Yeah, give me a minute,"

JJ finishes up cleaning just as he likes it, clean and organized. It's the way of life. They jump in the truck and head up to the main farmhouse where their parents live. Walking up they see the parents in the kitchen window. As much as JJ is thankful to see them, he is dreading the dinner conversation they will be having.

Their mom sees them and opens the door yelling down to them, "My boys! Come in, come in!"

"Hey Pop, hey momma," they both say as they pile in the door.

They help set the table and then gather around to ding into the home cooking. This is one thing JJ missed was the home cooking.

"No one makes fried chicken as you do," JJ admits.

"Amen," Pops throws his hands in the air.

"Thank you, boys," Momma beams with pride.

"Alright, we need to get down to business boys. There are some changes going on this week. We are having a photographer and wedding influencer here for six months. Treat them well because they can make or break a business. They are well known and have a lot of connections."

"You really are going through with this wedding idea?" JJ is annoyed by the whole situation.

"Yeah, John Sampson is prospering and this Roxana Photography has put them on the map. People come from out of state to get married at one of her signature photography venues. She trained a photographer who is on-site there now. The girl is talented," Pops states.