Page 48 of Spencer and the Younger Girl
Charlotte waggled her eyebrows. “Dark hair. Lean muscles. He’s basically an older version of Damien.”
“How old?”
“Only twenty-one,” Hadley interjected. “Not that old.” She’d be eighteen in three days, an adult.
Charlotte rolled from the bed. “Come on. Jack was already grousing about dinner being late tonight. Let’s not keep him waiting any longer.”
“What did we order?” Hadley asked.
“Order?” Charlotte looked to Cassie.
“You guys only let Papa make dessert, right? He is not allowed to cook real food.”
Charlotte laughed. “Duh. How long have we been friends? We got Mexican. Just don’t tell my mom. I’m supposed to be dieting in preparation for my competition next month. But you’ve better believe I’m going to slather my quesadilla in sour cream.”
Hadley hid a grin with a cough. Her prim best friend had started relaxing in more ways than just her actions. She talked more like a teenager now than an eighty-year-old.
Roman and Jesse were setting plates on the table when the girls descended the stairs.
Sometimes Hadley wondered if having her friends here so much irritated her grandfather. But other times—like tonight—his smile told her differently. They gave him life.
* * *
On Friday,Hadley showed up at the ranch at five in the morning. Her body still hated her from the day before, but she pushed through it. When she woke, she’d found herself excited to get the day started.
Spending time with horses and goats beat being in school, even if she had to clean up after them.
The sun dawned over the sleepy ranch as her tires kicked up dust on her way down the drive. She cut the engine and looked to the house, but there was no movement.
A neigh had her snapping her gaze to the exercise pen where Harbinger stood still.
Sitting on the ground, his legs crossed and eyes focused, was Spencer.
Dark jeans sat loose on his hips. A hole stretched up one knee. He folded his arms across his black shirt. No hat sat on his head.
She approached the pen carefully, not wanting to spook Harbinger when he stood so close to Spencer. Putting one foot on the wooden fence, she hoisted herself up to straddle it, using her borrowed boots to keep her steady.
Spencer didn’t move.
What was he doing?
Harbinger kicked the ground in agitation, and Hadley wanted to yell for Spencer to get out of there.
But he wouldn’t have listened to her.
“Hadley.” The voice behind her made her jump and fall from the fence. She groaned as her shoulder hit the ground. Was there anything at this ranch she hadn’t fallen off of?
She looked up at Mr. Lee, a sheepish expression on her face. “Morning.”
He shook his head with a laugh. “Morning, darling. Spencer is working with Harbinger today, so you’re with me.”
She swallowed. She barely knew the Lee patriarch, but if he was anything like his oldest son, today wouldn’t be easy.
“Don’t look so scared, Hadley. You and I are heading out to the grove today.”
“The grove?”
“We have a small orange grove. The citrus from our trees is only sold at farmers’ markets. We’re having an irrigation issue, and I need a second set of hands to fix it.”
