Page 24 of The Last Dance You Saved
No way was this a coincidence.
No way Sadie Hatley ended up on the ranch without purposefully arranging it.
That same sense of betrayal and disappointment that had swarmed me yesterday morning returned, growing in leaps and bounds as that damn beast rattled around in its cage again. Was Sadie after something from me in particular? Or was she just after any rich man? Had she entered the dart tournament as a way of getting close to me, or was she really working for Puzo? His man following her made everything all the more uncertain.
But there was one thing I was sure of—I wasn’t going to let her screw with me and my family. Whatever was going on, whatever excuse she’d used to get on the property, it didn’t matter. I was going to kick her sweet little ass all the way back to Tennessee before she could do me or mine any harm.
Chapter Nine
Sadie
GOOD GIRL
Performed by Carrie Underwood
I’d spent a good portion ofthe last twenty-four hours on horseback, riding over countryside that almost put my home to shame. The craggy mountains were so much taller, rockier, and stoic than the hills of Tennessee. Flowers stuck out of white cliffs, and gorgeous waterfalls cascaded into clear pools where fish teemed. The Harrington Ranch was stunning.
Lauren knew every inch of it. She’d explained how she’d grown up there, sharing the story of how her family was twined with the Harringtons. A tale that felt like something you’d read about in a book or see in a show rather than having occurred in real life. A twist of fate that had turned with a flip of a card. Diamonds having been discovered on the property after the ranch had changed hands, made it all the more devastating. But she’d laughed it off as ancient history.
When I said it had righted itself now with her marrying into the family, it had caused clouds to cover her face that I’d kicked myself for. But she’d just shrugged and told me she hadn’t inherited the land on her husband’s death. The estate was in a trust managed on behalf of their daughter, Fallon.
It was a day into my visit, and I still hadn’t met Adam, who was not only the ranch manager but Lauren’s brother. He’d sent a text to Lauren this morning saying he was taking care of some things for his girlfriend, apologized for not being here to welcome me, and promised to sit down with me this evening.
While it was frustrating to not be able to talk about the jewels with him, it hadn’t been a hardship to tag along with Lauren. I’d gotten a much-needed release of endorphins riding the same delightful mare as the day before, and it eased that homesick feeling enough to bring a smile to my face.
After helping Lauren feed the animals and muck stalls and pens, we’d saddled the horses and headed out. Our first stop had been down by the waterfall, where we’d weeded a clearing near a picturesque red bridge that crossed over the river as it merged from three into one. Lauren explained that an arch and chairs would be assembled in the clearing in the next day or so. They used a local florist and wildflowers from the ranch wherever possible and used antique linens that had been in the family for generations unless a guest required a specific color they didn’t have in stock.
From the waterfalls, we’d returned closer to the main house where we’d mowed and smoothed out a large expanse of grass near the barns where the marquees for the guest tables and a dance floor would be set up. The guests would have the same majestic view of the mountains and rivers I had from my room.
After lunch, she took me out to the old homestead. It was a charming craftsman house that had been added onto over the years in a hodgepodge sort of way, decorated with a sweet, farmhouse chic. We cleaned rooms, changed sheets, and compiled a list of items that needed to be restocked in the kitchen and bar. Our final stop had been the bunkhouse done in a rustic cowhide and wagon wheel theme, where we repeated the process of freshening up the rooms and making a list of groceries.
Much of the work was familiar to me from helping on our own ranch. I’d worked the land and the resort from my earliest memories, sometimes loving it and sometimes hating it but always being proud of what we’d accomplished. I sensed that same pride in Lauren. That same sense of heritage and belonging, but her sadness seemed to hover around her like a bee, warning others away and ready to sting at any moment.
The one major difference between this ranch and ours was that Lauren worked mostly alone. Adam never showed up to schlepp the stalls or help with the animals, and her daughter wasn’t around. There didn’t even seem to be any other farmhands. When I asked about the lack of help, she said they’d had to cut most of the workers in the last year, but that her daughter was due back tonight.
I realized, with a twinge to my stomach, just how desperate things must be for them.
It was after five by the time we headed back to the main house. Once inside, Lauren told me to go on up and shower while she put the pasta dish she’d assembled before we’d left this morning in the oven. She said she’d join Adam and me in the office after she’d had a chance to clean up, and she pointed at the door as we went by it.
I showered quickly, dried my hair, and pulled on a clean pair of jeans and a loose floral tank before heading barefoot down the stairs in the direction Lauren had indicated. My leg was acting up after two long days of manual tasks and hard riding, and I had to grit my teeth and force myself not to limp as I approached the office. I knocked before opening the door and nearly stumbled across the threshold.
When she’d said office, my mind had flashed to the plain double desks crammed into a room off the barn Ryder and my dad used in managing our family’s business. But this room was more library than office. Shelves lined the walls from floor to ceiling with a rolling ladder clipped to the ledge. The floral, embossed copper tiles from the entry’s ceiling were repeated here, and another chandelier shed sparkles of light across the plush carpet. Warm woods, deep brocades, and a large fireplace made the room feel welcoming rather than intimidating.
Set before a large window seat was an oversized, formal desk where a man sat working on a laptop. He looked up as I entered, and the frown on his face turned to a smile. He shut the computer, dragged a pair of square-framed glasses from his face, and left them on the desk before striding over to me.
He wore black dress pants, a long-sleeve white button-down, and a blue patterned tie. Tall and lanky with the same wavy, blond hair as his sister, he greeted me with a smile that reached eyes several shades darker than hers. Eyes that were red in a way that matched the tip of his nose, as if he was battling a cold. Or maybe allergies. Maybe that was why he hadn’t been out in the fields with us.
“Sadie, it’s a pleasure. I’m sorry I haven’t been around much since you got here. I had several things come up that needed to be handled immediately.”
I shook the hand he extended. “I’m just glad to be here, and I thoroughly enjoyed spending the day with Lauren.”
His smile disappeared, worry replacing it. “She’s had a hard go of it since Spencer died.”
“I’m so sorry for your family’s loss.”
He headed to a cabinet in the corner, opening the doors to reveal a shelf of crystal bottles. “Can I fix you a drink?”
“Honestly, just water if you have it. The heat wore me out today.” I’d spent so many of my days at the bar in the last eighteen months that my body wasn’t quite used to the long hours spent in the sun.
