She answered emails.
She read contracts.
She attended county meetings.
She negotiated a lower landscaping rate.
She also believed rules worked best when she was the one interpreting them.
Her first encounter with Garrett had been pleasant.
She came to the ranch one spring afternoon carrying a folder and wearing white sneakers too clean for the dirt driveway.
Garrett had been repairing a water trough.
“Mr. Miller?”
He looked up.
“That’s me.”
“I’m Victoria Sterling.”
“I know.”
That surprised her.
“You do?”
“You send enough letters with your picture at the bottom.”
She laughed.
Garrett had meant it kindly.
At the time.
Victoria explained that she wanted to discuss “community integration.”
Garrett wiped his hands and listened.
Her idea was simple.
The ranch road created a direct route between Meadow Crest Drive on the east and Juniper Hollow Lane on the west.
The official paved route required residents to drive south, loop around a low hill, cross Pine Valley Boulevard, and come back north.
Depending on destination, Garrett’s ranch road saved between four and seven minutes.
Victoria suggested formalizing neighborhood access.
Garrett said no.
Not rudely.
Immediately.
“No.”
Victoria blinked.
“You haven’t heard the proposal.”
“I heard enough.”
“We could compensate you.”
“No.”
“Perhaps the association could maintain the road.”
“No.”
Her smile tightened.
“May I ask why?”
“Livestock.”