Tyson started the truck and hit the gas just hard enough to make the tires spin on the gravel. "See you, Cole."
He watched the truck disappear down the drive, torn somewhere between disappointment and jealousy. He yanked his suitcase off the ground and headed into his mother's house. Just as he reached the door, Sarah appeared on her porch and locked the door behind her.
"Where are you going?"
She jumped straight up as she spun around, obviously not expecting anyone to be standing nearby. She glanced at the taillights turning onto the road. "Why aren't you with them?"
"Something came up. Where are you going?" He repeated the question already knowing he wasn't going to get an answer.
"Just... out."
"Sarah, you know we're going to talk about this sooner or later."
She waved her hand and hurried down the stairs. "Maybe, but not now." Before he could say anything, she disappeared behind the houses where he couldn't see her. A faintwhooshreached him, which made him frown. Wherever she was going, she wasn't afraid to use her dragon form. He let out a deep sigh. That just made things even worse. Anyone local wouldn't require wings.
Vinia sat at the table with a mug of coffee. She gestured to the pot. "Your girl will be here in a couple hours, if that."
Colton forced Sarah from his mind as he poured himself a mug. "Who is she?"
"I don't know."
"You don't know?" He shook his head. "So, I just gave up my trip and you don't even know who she is?"
"All I was told is that she's high profile and needs privacy. The woman said that it was somewhat of an emergency that her friend got out of town for a bit. She didn't say why."
"Great," Colton complained. "She's probably some mentally exhausted, depressed, anxiety-riddled prima donna that just needs to be stroked to feel better about herself."
"I don't care if you have to stroke her the entire time she's here." Vinia sipped her coffee. "We need the money, Cole. We're in deep trouble if something doesn't turn around and having a movie star or whatever she is could be the boost that we need."
"I know. Just give me a few minutes to wallow in self-pity, will you?"
Vinia reached over and patted his cheek. "You don't wallow. You're my good one."
He sipped his brew before he asked the question that he was afraid might set off a time bomb. "Any idea where Sarah went?"
"She's gone already?"
"Yep. But at least it sounds like you knew she was going."
"She told me that she was going to see some friends and would be back early in the morning." Vinia shook her head. "I don't like it, but at least she told me that much."
"Wherever she went, she flew."
Vinia's brows shot up before they furrowed. "She shifted? Where could she be going that she'd have to?"
"That's what I'm afraid of. I'll find out though."
"Well, you know how these kids are on that internet thing. Maybe she met someone a few states over."
"Maybe." Colton didn't believe it, but if Vinia was fine with potential, so was he. He was the one that had to listen to her after all.
"You think your brothers will be okay going without you?"
He chuckled. "It's a little late for that question, don't you think? They'll be fine. Tyson has a good head on his shoulders, and he knows what the score is. At least whoever this princess is coming in will make the hit for the cost of the horses a little easier to roll with."
"True. We've needed those horses though. We have two that needed to be retired a year ago."
"That's why I didn't cancel the trip. And if this woman pays off like you want, we'll need the fresh trail riders. Did you get any indication of what she wants to do while I'm babysitting?"
