Page 13 of Beautifully Broken Control

I fought the sneer that wanted to surface. Her movements felt desperate and grasping and seemed to grate against my skin. “No, thank you. I’ll just be on my way.”

A flicker of annoyance passed over the woman’s face. “Of course, sir.” She stepped out of my path.

I headed down the aisle, careful to keep my distance as I passed the woman. I ducked through the door and stepped out into the sunshine, inhaling deeply. The runway was surrounded by forest. The fresh pine scent filling my lungs had my muscles easing. This was precisely what I needed, some distance from the ghosts haunting me in Portland, and some good old-fashioned peace and quiet.

“Mr. Hale, sir.”

I blinked against the sun to see a man wearing slacks and a button-down, standing near an SUV. “Mr. Fields?”

The man strode towards me, extending his hand. “I have your vehicle all ready for you.” He inclined his head to the Range Rover behind him. “All the requirements are to your specifications. And if you have any issues, please contact me directly.”

I nodded, shaking the man’s hand. “Thank you. I appreciate you bringing it to the airstrip.”

Fields grinned. “Happy to do so.”

Of course, he was happy. I’d taken a top-of-the-line Range Rover off his hands and paid cash for it. “Keys?”

Fields handed them over. “Will you be needing anything else?”

“That’s all.” I beeped the locks so the porter could stow my bags in the back.

Fields gave a nod. “It was wonderful doing business with you.” He turned and walked to a waiting vehicle. I instantly liked him. No polite chit-chat. No wasting of my time. Simply gave me what I asked for and left. I’d use him again if I decided I needed another toy out here, something that went fast.

“All of your bags are stowed, Mr. Hale. Can I do anything else for you?” The porter barely made eye contact with me when he asked.

“That’ll be all. Thank you.” I reached out, handing him a bill.

His eyes bulged as he took in the president on the paper. “Thank you, sir.”

I climbed into the Rover and pressed the button to start the engine, glancing at the clock. I had fifteen minutes before I needed to meet the realtor at the first property. I plugged the address into the navigation system and headed out.

The tiny Sutter Lake airport, more designed for hobby pilots and skydiving, sat on the edge of town. As I made the turn onto Main Street, I grinned. I hadn’t been here in a year or two, but nothing had changed. The streets were immaculately kept with baskets of bright flowers hanging from antique lamp posts. The storefronts all looked as though they belonged on the set of an old western film. And people milled about with smiles on their faces.

It was the perfect, picturesque small town. But I knew better than most that small, idyllic places sometimes held the darkest secrets. Sutter Lake was no different. They’d had their share of heartache lately, and my friends had not come out unscathed. But they had come out alive, and so had the women they loved. And that’s what was important.

I made it through downtown in approximately ninety seconds. I grimaced, thinking of all the things from the city I wouldn’t have access to. It would be worth it for a little peace.

Soon, the paved roads turned to gravel, and I wound around until my GPS told me to turn onto a private drive. The gate was wide open, and I didn’t see any security system in place. That would be the first thing that would have to change if I bought the home.

My vehicle climbed the gravel drive, and as I crested a hill, the full picture of the property came into view. The house was large, a well-designed mix of wood and stone. This could work. What wouldn’t, was the vast array of outbuildings. Barns and what I assumed were storage sheds for machinery.

My jaw made a clicking noise as it clenched, the sound that always belied my frustration. I didn’t want to run a farm or a ranch or anything of the sort. I wanted privacy. I’d made that clear when I spoke with the realtor. Privacy meant no staff. No one nosing around to deal with land or animal maintenance.

I shut off the Rover and climbed out. A woman stood on the front steps of the house. Her blonde hair was perfectly curled, her makeup expertly done. She wore a figure-hugging dress paired with cowboy boots and a cat-that-got-the-canary smile. “Mr. Hale, I’m Kelly. So lovely to meet you in person. What do you think? It’s perfect, right?”

I scowled. “No.”

Her smile faltered. “No?”

I strode towards her. “No. Privacy.”

A look of bafflement overtook her face. “This ranch is ten thousand acres. You can’t get much moreprivatethan that.”

I shook my head. She didn’t get it. “I need a property that doesn’t require a massive staff for maintenance.” I gestured around us. “Fields that need tending, animals. No.”

The realtor blinked up at me for a moment, then straightened her shoulders. “All right, then.” She pulled a tablet from the purse on her shoulder and began tapping on the screen. “Let me just adjust our plan for the afternoon.”

I waited in silence as she scrolled. I wondered if I’d be able to find a place here. I hadn’t really thought through everything that went into these country homes. Was there even anything here that wasn’t full of crops and livestock?

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