I grin at Stella. “Thank you for that beautiful gift.”
I give her another hug just as a voice breaks the peace.
“Dammit, Sally Ray, how many times have I told you to make sure that door’s shut?”
“Oh,can it, Luke. You know that stupid uni ain’t going nowhere. Nobody wants her.”
Oh, crap.
“Nobody but Rowe,” Luke says snidely.
“Speaking of ...” Sally Ray and Luke are getting closer. I go very still, pushing myself up against Stella. “What happened last night at the poker game?”
“Nothing, that’s what,” Luke spits. “Nothing worth mentioning.”
“Uh-huh,” she says, sounding like she doesn’t believe him.
“I’m telling you, we’ve got nothing to worry about. That farm’s going to be ours, and so will whatever magic that place has left. We take the farm, breed the unis on that land—we get the magic back. Our plan is gonna work, Sally.”
What?They’re going to take the farm hoping to get close enough to the ley lines that their unicorns will have magic again? Well, I’ve got news for them: If the piggycorns don’t have magic, there’s no way the unis will get it back just by moving closer to the source.
Those jerks.
They want to take the farm that’s been in my family for generations. No way will I let that happen.
Outside the barn, I can hear the clank of keys on a key ring and the clomp of boots on grass.
“That Wadley place took my best worker.” Sally cusses. “I tried offering Ron triple the pay, but he still won’t come back.” There’s a pause. “You get that drone yet?”
“It’s coming,” Luke tells her. “Now, I’ll take this side,” he says. “You make sure the other side’s locked up, too.”
“Why do I have to walk around to the other side?”
“Because I’m tired. Someone’s got to make sure the Wadleys don’t succeed in buying back that property. You think it’s easy to come up with ways to break Rowe’s spirit?”
Sally Ray laughs, as if hurting me is some kind of fun game to her. “I got to admit, honey, buying the furniture was a good idea. And using that foreclosure clause? It was brilliant. I tell you what ...” There are sounds like she’s kissing him. “When we get back inside, I’m gonna show you how proud I am of you.”
More kissing. Gross.
“I tellyouwhat,” he says, his voice sounding low and horny. “When we get back inside, I’m going to let you.”
They are two peas in a pod—horrible, despicable people.
While they’re kissing, and as quietly as possible, I dart away from Stella, out of view of the door that I stupidly left open, and head deeper into the barn toward the far end.
The door’s shut tight, and Sally’ll see that as soon as she comes around. Now I’m in the dark, and there’s no way Luke will spot me.
The kissing stops, and it sounds like he smacks her ass. Then his inky-black silhouette comes into view.
Luke starts to close the door and stops. “Roses? What the hell? The only person Stella makes roses for is Rowe.”
Double crap.
He studies them for a moment. “Hmm, probably just a fluke. You don’t have to check the far door, Sally.”
“Good,” she mumbles from beside him.
Luke pauses and I’m deathly still.What is going on?He starts to close the door, and I exhale.
