*Sadie ferreted through the hay bales in the barn for eggs. The chickens seemed intent on hiding them from her, and Jethro had pointed her in this direction, knowing his animals’ habits way more than she did. She reached down between a couple of bales, searching for eggs. Her fingers skimmed over something soft seconds before a sharp, stabbing pain shot through her hand and she stumbled back and landed on her butt. “You mongrel bird.” Sadie wiped at the blood trickling down between her fingers, her stomach lurching dangerously. She didn’t need to see blood any time soon.
An angry chicken squawked and flew out of her hiding place. Sadie backed away, terrified it would attack again. “What the heck did I ever do to you?” The chicken dusted off her ruffled feathers and gave her a look that conveyed her dislike at being disturbed.
“Thanks for nothing.” That little fright had taken years off of her life. “All I wanted was to make Jethro an omelet for breakfast, for goodness’ sake.” After spending the last couple of weekends at the ranch, Sadie thought she was capable of egg collecting. She might have to rethink her ideas.
When her heart rate settled down, she searched the spot where the chicken had been. Hidden down in the hay was a clutch of eggs. She put them in the pail she found in the barn and said to Clumsy, “Thank goodness for that. For a moment there, I thought I’d gone through hell for nothing.”
“You always talk to yourself like this?” Nate walked into the barn.
“Yes, I guess so.”
“So, you and Jethro. You really like him, huh?” He put his hands on his hips and stood in front of her, but his intimidating skills left a lot to be desired.
“Yeah, I really do. Not that it’s any of your business, Nate, so stand down and stop being so protective. Jethro’s a big boy and can look after himself.” She brushed past him, but he grabbed her arm.
“I’m not trying to intimidate you.”
She frowned and held her ground.
“Okay, so maybe I am. But hear me out, all right? He’s our big brother, and we can’t lose him, not even to you.”
Sadie put the pail on the ground and faced him. “Nate, I’m not taking him anywhere. You’re not going to lose him. That’s just silly talk.” She swirled her foot in the dust, making patterns as she chose her words. “Jethro and I… well, it’s kind of complicated.”
“You don’t have to take him anywhere for us to lose him. You break his heart and he’ll withdraw from us and the ranch. This place is his new focus, his new life. Crease and I understand that.” He moved a step closer to her. “You see, he wasn’t anyone until he realized how much this place meant to him, and it’s saved him in more ways than one. I don’t want you taking that away from him by messing with his heart.”
“I’m not messing with him. I’m really enjoying the time we spend together, but don’t you think that’s something between me and Jethro? It’s not your business.”
“Really? Just let me make something clear, Sadie. If you hurt him, you hurt us.”
“I have no intention of hurting anyone. What I mean to say is, my life is complicated. What I feel for your brother isn’t.”
“Maybe if you put him first and not your job, things will become uncomplicated.”
Sadie stared at his back as he walked away, thinking how much it made sense. Her relationship with Jethro was more important than her job. A relationship was forever. A partnership could be dissolved, the company brought out, and then where would she be? Or the company she wanted might not want her. There was so much more to think about when someone had everything in little boxes the way she did.
Sadie still had that thought rolling around in her mind the next day when she was back in the office.
“Miss St. Martin?” The woman opposite her knocked her knuckles on the desk to get her attention.
“What? Oh, sorry, Mrs. Lanyard. Forgive me, please. Where were we?”
Her client pulled a sheet of paper from her handbag. “I want you to make these changes to my will. Ms. Cox said I was to give it more thought, and I have. I’ve written down what I want to change, and I want you to act as executor so’s there won’t be any fighting among the children when I go.”
“But surely you mean for Ms. Cox to be your executor. You’ve only just met me.”
The gray head shook vigorously. “Nope. I know my own mind. I might be getting on in years, but I like you and I get to choose who I want to represent my wishes when I go. You’re young and new in town, but so far you’ve proven yourself more than capable of taking on anyone and getting the job done.” She smiled, easing the handbag to the floor. “You’re making friends for the work you’ve done in the short time since you’ve been here. I like to think I’m one of them.”
“Thank you.” Sadie cleared her throat, but emotion still stopped her from speaking for a moment. “I’ve really enjoyed getting to know everyone, and I’m honored you would want my name on your will. But let’s hope you live long enough to annoy your children.”
Laughing, she was seeing Mrs. Lanyard out of her office when as her phone rang. “You get that, love; I can see myself out. Give me a chance to catch up with Emily.” She closed the door behind her as Sadie ran for the phone.
“Hello.”
“Sadie. I have news.” Her father didn’t pause for breath or her greeting. “This is what you’ve been working for, Sadie. I spoke to James Milton last night over dinner, and he wants to see you. I’ve told him that I’m prepared to give you the money as your partner contribution if they take you on, but it means a face-to-face meeting.”
“I can’t, Daddy. I’ve already told you why. I won’t let Layla down after all she did for me.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” he brushed her off. “It’s a small-town law firm that deals with wills and traffic fines. I’m sure the country won’t come to a grinding halt if you take a few days off to sort out your own future. Goodness knows it isn’t in Cowsville, Montana.”
“Don’t be facetious, Daddy. It’s Marietta, not Cowsville, and I like it here. It’s interesting.” How was she going to tell him her goals might have changed? Her life was no longer the rigid plan on her whiteboard.
“I’ve told him you’ll be back next week. Your mother and I think you should make the effort after all we’ve sacrificed. I’m sure once you get back and have your meeting, you’ll make the right decision.”
“Daddy…”
“Stop procrastinating, Sadie. It’s what you’ve been aiming for since you were a little girl watching Perry Mason reruns. Now’s your chance to make your mark on the legal world. Good heavens, if you play your cards right, you could end up as a judge by the time you’re fifty.” He gave a satisfied harrumph. “Your mother and I would be incredibly proud of you.”
“I can’t promise anything. Layla’s on leave for another month.” And it gives me more time to think. Something you don’t seem to want me to do.
“Leave it with me. Your mother will call and tell you the arrangements. It’ll be like old times, having you home again.” He hung up before she could protest again.
A knock on her office door and Emily popped her head into the room. “Don’t forget you have a court appearance in half an hour.” She walked in and dropped a file in front of Sadie. “What’s that look for?”
Sadie waved a hand in the air. “My father. Wants me back in Denver for a meeting I’m not sure I want to take part in.” She opened the file and skimmed over the top sheet.
Emily folded her arms. “I can juggle your appointments if need be. Not that you have much booked in next week anyway.”
“I’ll let you know, Emily. I’m not sure which direction I want to go yet.” She flicked over the page and then closed the file. “Guess I’d better see if my client is going to appear in court today. Nothing about this case has been easy, and I can see it going bad if we don’t sort it out.” She stood up and reached for her purse.
“Don’t be too harsh on Cyril. Poor man has been through a lot lately. Lost his wife and his daughter ran off with some no-good drifter. Poor man’s been holding the rest of the family together with a wing and a prayer.”
“I understand that, but the judge isn’t partial to drinking and driving. Got him off the last time, don’t like my chances again unless I can come up with such a brilliant idea that I can get a sympathetic plea bargain”
“I’m sure you’ll think of something. Layla wouldn’t have hired you if you weren’t so good at what you do.” She turned and walked out, pausing at the door. “You aren’t thinking of leaving us now, are you?”
Sadie let the words roll over her shoulders. Was she? “I don’t know what’s going to happen. When Layla comes back, I doubt she’ll need me. This business is only really big enough for one lawyer. Guess I’ll be heading back to her old company—that’s if they’ll have me back.”
“I thought that was the agreement she put in place before she asked you out here.”
“It was. But things move fast in the city. I wouldn’t be surprised if they’ve filled my spot.” Sadie collected the file, scooped up her handbag and ushered Emily out to reception. “I’m sure things will work out fine, and I’ll let you know about next week too.” She headed out of the office and strutted toward the courthouse, enjoying the sunshine and the peaceful surroundings on her way.
Her client was waiting for her outside on the front steps of the courthouse. “Mr. Thompson.” She shuffled her files into her other hand so she could shake his. “Let’s go inside and find a seat where we can talk, okay?”
He nodded his head, eyes downcast as if he was expecting the worst. “Yes, ma’am.”
She found a quiet corner and sat down, opened his file. “The judge is probably going to want to make an example of you today. Because this is the second time you’ve been picked up DUI, it’s not a good look, and he’ll want to stop you from being picked up a third time or injuring someone. How are we going to convince him that you’ll behave in future?”
Forty-five minutes later, she stood on the steps shaking the hand of a very relieved client. “Can’t thank you enough for what you did today, Miss St. Martin. I could’ve gone to jail but you talked up a storm and saved my butt. Don’t know how to thank you.”
She walked down the steps as she said, “I did my job, and now you have to do yours, Cyril. You can’t go on like this. At some point, you have to move on from the past and make the best of it. I’m not saying it’s going to be easy, but you still have your kids to think about. You’re no good to them locked up.” She looked over the town, smiled at people she knew. Living here was beginning to mean more and more to her each day. She’d saved one family from being split up, and her work wasn’t done.
“I think you can do anything you put your mind to if it’s what you want. You have to convince yourself you’re doing the right thing, and the rest is quite simple if you focus on it.”
“You sure make it sound too easy.” He dropped his shoulders and sighed. “Life has a funny way of taking you by surprise, you know? Some days I wonder what I did to deserve the hand I got dealt, then I think of the children and thank God I still have them. My Mabel would be rolling in her grave if she could see me now and how I’ve let them all down. I sure never planned on being a single father.”
“Nobody believes in planning more than I do. But there’re some things we can’t plan for, no matter how we try. Days when everything goes wrong. It’s called life, I guess.”
“Bet that don’t happen to you. Seems to me like you have everything mapped out, your goals set in concrete.”
If only he knew. “I thought I did, Cyril. But even I’ve found out that you have to roll with the punches and sometimes go with your gut. It’s the only way. And I want you to know that if you ever need to talk, to plan things out, I’m your girl. I want to see you succeed.”
Her mother called later that evening. “Darling, Daddy’s booked your flights, and I’m going to pick you up from the airport. We’re going to go shopping for something special for your meeting with James.”
“Mom, I haven’t cleared it with my boss yet.” Not that she would have trouble doing it, but she wasn’t keen on being pushed.
“Honey, it’ll be so good to see you. I’ve missed you.”
“Missed you too, Mom.”
“Guess what I heard at the club yesterday? Young James Jr. is working back at the firm, too, now he’s back from his stint in the London office. You two always got on so well.”
“Oh, really? Well, that’s interesting.” But was it interesting enough to tempt her to join the firm? He was certainly handsome; they got on well and had similar interests. Not that they’d actually dated seriously, as in exclusive. More like hung out with the same group and caught up for the odd dinner or theatre. But he was the type of man she’d imagined marrying. Good looking, a go-getter, a good match. Focused on his future just like she was. Or had been.
“Yes. I was thinking we should invite him to dinner. No harm in doing everything we can to encourage his father to accept you into the firm. Of course, being married to the senior partner’s son wouldn’t harm your chances either.”
Oh boy. This was where things were going to get awkward. Her affair with Jethro was ticking along nicely. A few quiet dinners, followed by delicious sex, and Sadie liked it. He was calm, easygoing, and everything James wasn’t. But could she imagine spending the rest of her life with him, especially since it wasn’t what she thought would happen?
*
“You’re going where?”
“Denver. Home.”
“You’re coming back though, right?” She had to be. He wouldn’t survive without her now that he’d found her.
“Of course I am, silly. It’s only for a few days. I have meetings I need to get out of the way. Things that were in the works before I came out to Marietta.”
“Okay. Well, I guess you gotta do what you gotta do, then. I’ll hear from you when you get back?” Why did he have the feeling that this was the beginning of the end, that there was more to this story than what she was saying? They’d only just gotten into a routine where they shared a meal a couple of days a week followed by amazing sex. More than a few times over the past couple of weeks they’d woken up together, and he liked having her by his side more than he thought possible. He was going to miss her. Miss knowing she was only in town and they’d be together before sundown. Miss seeing her happy face across the dinner table. Miss waking up with her hair spread out on his pillows.
“I’ll call you.” The sigh she gave him melted his heart. It sounded remarkably like she didn’t want to go.
“Sure. I’ll be here waiting for you to come home.” Watching the clock, checking my messages, and hating every minute you’re away.
“Okay. I have to go. I’ve a plane to catch. Bye, Jethro.”
He hung up and slipped his phone into his pocket. Her voice sounded different, much like it did when they first met and she was the up-and-coming lawyer who’d been called in to help out Layla. Over the last few weeks, her tone had softened, partly because they’d shared the baby’s arrival together. It’d changed everything about her. The way she talked to him, how she acted around him and others, her outlook on life. He tried to tell her that once and she brushed it aside, disagreeing with him. But Jethro had gotten a sound impression of her before their morning had been turned on its head. She’d been prim and aloof. Untouchable even. Nothing like the woman she was with him now.
She’d become more easygoing, calmer even. Less stuffed shirt, more small-town girl. The right girl for him.
“What’re you moping around for?” Nate walked into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator door, stared blankly at the contents.
“Nothing.”
“Looking at your face, it’s something, all right. Looks like someone stole the last piece of cake and you were saving it.” He pulled out a plate of leftover roast beef and picked at it. “This still good to eat?” He sniffed the plate.
“Guess. Only made it day before yesterday.”
Nate searched the fridge for the cheese. “Sadie coming over tonight? Hear she did well in court for Cyril the other day. That girl is getting some fans in town from what I gather.” He grabbed a loaf of bread, a knife, and a plate and sat at the table, making himself a sandwich.
Jethro stood, watching him layer the meat one way, cheese the opposite before squirting the whole thing with mayonnaise. “No. Had meetings in Denver. She’ll be gone for three or four days.”
“Damn. That’s a shame. Was looking forward to a decent meal again. That girl can cook.”
Her cooking wasn’t what was in the forefront of Jethro’s mind. It was how much he was going to miss holding her against his chest with the sweet smell of her perfume soothing his senses as they both fell asleep. “Yeah, she can.”
“What’re you gonna do about it?” Nate spread a thick slab of bread with golden yellow butter before layering wedges of meat on it and squirting a stream of hot sauce over the whole thing.
Jethro shrugged. “Nothing. She’ll be back soon, I guess.”
“Wasn’t what I meant. When she gets back. Are you gonna marry her or what?”
“What? We’ve only just met, for goodness’ sake.” Not that the idea hadn’t crossed his mind more than once in the last couple of weeks.
“Bullshit. You’ve been sleeping with her for ages now. And you’re happy for the first time in God knows how long. Wouldn’t let her get away if it was me.”
“You kidding me? You don’t know the first thing about keeping hold of a girl. You go through more women than clean shirts.”
“’Cause I haven’t found the right one, fool. Anyone can see that she does it for you. Stupid if you don’t do something to keep her here.”
He’d be the fool to take dating advice from his brother. Especially since Nate never dated the same girl more than three times. That was how long it took for them to find out just how hopeless he was. The joke between the brothers was, first date ’cause he was handsome, second because she thought she might be onto something good and everyone made at least one mistake, third because she couldn’t believe how wrong she was and had to double-check that she wasn’t imagining his shortcomings.
“Sadie has things to sort out before we even go down that route. Supposed to be going back to work in the city when her stint here is over anyway. Moving to Marietta was only a temporary thing.” Much to his dismay now that he was beginning to get to know her. How tempting it was to drop hints about Layla wanting to offer her a partnership. But Chance would kill him if he did, and at the end of the day, it wasn’t his business to interfere. Better he be here for her to bounce ideas off of, if that was what she wanted.
“Surely you can talk her into staying?” Nate slapped the top piece of bread on his sandwich and picked it up. “Gotta be something that’d make her want to.” He bit into it and leaned back in his chair, chewing contentedly while Jethro tossed his words around in his mind. “Maybe you need to up your game with the lovin’ or something. If you want lessons or ideas, you need only ask. I have all kinds of magic tricks the ladies love.”
As if. They were from two different worlds. That was the problem. It’d worked for Tyson Watson though. Why couldn’t it work for Jethro?
Because he didn’t have the Watson brothers’ charm, that was why.