I went home and up to the club room. It was paneled in dark wood and was where we had the liquor locked up so the teenagers wouldn’t get into it. My older brothers wouldn’t be home yet—they’d still be at work. I poured myself a generous glass of scotch and drank it while I paced around the room.
Outside, the rain poured. Through the haze, I could make out the cottages through the trees. They were historic and slowly being renovated. One was for Mace and Josie and one was for Archer and Hazel. There were several on the property. The Harrogates who had originally built the estate hadn’t wanted friends, in-laws, and other relations in the main house and had shunted them off to the cottages—not that they were small by any means. I wondered if Sadie would like to live in one. Maybe she’d rather live in town? Garrett had bought Penny an old Victorian house one of Harrogate's historic neighborhoods, and they were renovating it.
“I don’t want to be neighbors with Garrett,” I muttered and took another sip.
“No one wants to live next to Garrett,” Mace said cheerfully from the doorway. He had been chipper ever since Josie had come into his life. I wanted that with Sadie, but maybe I was jumping the gun. Wasn’t that what my father did? He would meet a woman, then the next step was to move her to his compound.
I shook my head, drained the glass, then poured another one.
“Whoa, how much have you had to drink?” Mace said.
“Not enough. Where’s Garrett?”
“You’re going to deal with him? Drink up, little brother.” He poured me another glass then one for himself. “He’s in the office. Come on.”
I trailed Mace down the hall to the large home office. Garrett was at his desk, studiously ignoring Hunter as he argued with Remy.
“I don’t care if it’s cute. We cannot have goats.”
“Garrett bought horses,” Remy protested. “You know horses need some company. A goat would be great. Ernest is so happy that the Rural Trust is helping him that he offered two goats. We could make cheese.”
I felt nauseous walking into the room.I think I’m going to be sick.
“Goat cheese is good,” Remy said. “You’ll like it. Also, I put it in the casserole that I’m making for dinner. It should be ready soon. Did you see the goats Sadie posted online?” Remy showed Hunter his phone. “Look at Parker with the goats. Isn’t that adorable?”
“Parker was looking for you,” Mace said to Garrett.
“Anything to not have to hear about the goats,” Hunter said.
“What?” Garrett asked, not looking up from his screen.
I was seriously going to hurl. My brother looked up at me.
“What is it? You know I don’t like it when people insist on having a meeting then are unprepared. It’s a waste of time. If you call a meeting, you need to have an agenda or at least have your talking points prepared.”
“I saw Dad.” My mouth was dry.
Hunter nodded. “I thought I saw him too. I think it might have been Blade. He’s been trying out this new mapping software, and he wanders around at odd hours.”
“No.” I set the glass down on the edge of the desk. “I—he called me and texted me. I met up with him at a diner. Then again at the abandoned county expo building.” I swallowed.
The rage was creeping up Garrett’s face. Remy had a cold blank look, and Hunter’s eyes were flat.
“I knew it,” Garrett spat, coming around the desk. “I knew you were hiding something! Give me your phone.”
I backed up.
“Give it to him,” Hunter warned. “I can’t believe you. After everything we’ve been through.”
“What did he want?” Remy asked. Gone was my fun older brother. In his place was the dangerous one who had done several combat tours.
I squared my shoulders. “I think he wants Sadie.”
“Sadie?” Mace said. “Jesus, why?”
“She’s blond and a virgin,” I said bitterly. “Or was.”
“Holy shit.”
