I take a step back. “Is that what you think I’m doing? You think?—”
“You’re the one who showed me that blood is thicker than water for you. You knew me, and you chose to believe him. You loved me, and you knew how much I loved you, and you were okay with the idea that I was hitting on Landon?” Her voice isn’t raised. It’s tight. Accusatory. It’s striking every target she intends.
“I can only apologize, and that’s good for fuckin’ nothing. And I know that.” I hold her gaze, let her see me, see the torment I feel. “All the girls preferred Landon over me. He was the handsome one. The smart one. The one going places, while I was going to stay right here in WildflowerCanyon. And…I always felt you were above me. You were going to become a vet, while I was going to work the land.” I let out a long breath. “It was easy to believe you wanted him, Sarah, because I knew I was unworthy.”
She sends me a flat, unimpressed stare. “Great! Thanks to your insecurities, I had to suffer being called all kinds of names, right after I was raped.”
She isn’t going to give an inch. I can see that. And why should she?
“I won’t say anything about that unless you give me permission,” I promise.
“And what if Landon?—”
“I love you.” That stops her, and I see her heartbreak. It’s written clearly all over her face, in her eyes. “I know I killed whatever you felt for me. But no matter what the future holds, the one thing I can promise you is that I won’t let you down…ever again.”
She licks her lips. Swallows. Looks just about ready to bolt like a spooked filly.
“I will stand with you, in front of you, behind you, wherever you want me, and help you take my brother down.”
She did bolt after that. She called it having to see a horse about a man, but she ran from my words and me.
Now, there’s no sign ofthatwoman. She looks carefree as she talks to Joy, a glass of water in hand, in the plush banquet hall at Blackwood Prime.
She doesn’t drink alcohol. Not in public. Maybe in the privacy of her home? It’s because of how unsafe she feels,still, after a decade. And I hate myself some more.
“You need to stop staring at her, dude.” Kaz stands in front of me, blocking the view.
I arch an eyebrow. “Don’t know what you’re talkin’ about.”
He grins. “Sure, you don’t. Interestin’ seeing you here. You usually don’t show up for such shindigs.”
He’s not wrong. I stay the fuck away fromparties, especially polished ones like this that Mav throws. This one is taking place in his steakhouse. We have white tablecloths, chandeliers as soft as starlight, and waitstaff moving as smoothly as dancers with trays of bourbon and a variety of hors d'oeuvres: crab cakes, goose liver, salmon with fancy caviar…oh yeah, the wholeshindig, as Kaz calls it, smells like money.
It’s to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of Kincaid Farms. The original farm was in Texas, and then Mav moved here eight years ago. Regardless, he’s good at finding excuses to bring people together—ranchers, politicians….
The man is all about networking.
Mav asked me to come, and I said what I usually do, “Busy.” He then said that Sarah will be there, and I said, “I’ll make time. But I’m not wearing a suit.”
But I’m not the only one. The banquet hall is packed with people in elegant dresses, tailored suits, as well as jeans, button-downs, and cowboy boots.
I did leave my hat in my truck and even ran a brush over my boots (so they ain’t dusty). So, yeah, this is as good as it gets.
“How is she holdin’ up?” Kaz asks conversationally as he sips his bourbon.
“Who?” I tilt my head like I’m waiting for him to fill in the blanks.
He rolls his eyes. “Don’t be a dick, Mercer. You know who I’m talkin’ about.”
I shrug. “She’s fine.”
“I heard what happened.”
Now, I really don’t know what he’s talking about. “When?”
“At the diner. I set Eunice straight. She said that it’s Noelle Dunn who’s been spreadin’ the rumor that Sarah poisoned your bulls.”
I swear under my breath. “And why the fuck is Eunice believin’ a word of what comes out of Noelle’s mouth?”
