Page 57 of The Last Dance You Saved
She nodded.
“I’m going to help Sadie clean up the kitchen first, but I’ll be back up.”
A knowing smirk lit Fallon’s lips, and I realized again just how savvy my daughter was. She’d clearly read the energy that existed between Sadie and me. But what Fallon didn’t know was that I was more determined than ever to send Sadie away as soon as possible. If I could, I’d ship Fallon off too. I’d get them as far away from me and the ranch as I could to ensure nothing touched them.
Somehow, I had the feeling it would be easier to send my daughter away than it would be to send the fiery fae who’d snuck into my life like a thistle works its way amongst the hay. And just like the weed, Sadie would be determined to stick. Reedy and strong, she’d be impossible to pluck out without taking some of my skin along with it.
Chapter Nineteen
Sadie
COWBOYS CRY TOO
Performed by Kelsea Ballerini with Noah Kahan
As we cleaned up the kitchen, Rafe’s face was lined with worry, and his voice was low and gritty as he revealed what Adam and Fallon had told him about what had been happening with Lauren. He looked exhausted, weighed down by heavy burdens that came from protecting the people he loved. Though he didn’t say it, I could tell he felt somehow responsible for all of it. Every failure. Every wound. Every danger. As if his not being at the ranch was the reason everything was crumbling.
I wanted to smooth his brow, ease the load, bring a smile to his face. I ached to touch him again, and not just because the air between us was still burning intensely with unsatisfied desire, but because I wanted to bring him a respite from his troubles. I wanted the bond we’d formed in Levi’s cabin to strengthen until I was the one person this strong, commanding man let permanently into his heart and soul. I could see the possibility of it shimmering around us, but it was overshadowed by all the ways our lives would never work. Not the least of it was that we lived thousands of miles apart.
I’d stumbled into far more than I’d expected when I’d gotten on the plane heading for Vegas. I’d found a man my heart wanted to claim as its own but also more mysteries than had already traveled with me from Tennessee. And the simple truth was, I had an entire life I needed to return to and my own worries to handle. I couldn’t see a route through the mire that led to something permanent between us.
It meant I would leave. That I would eventually get on a plane and go back to my real life and the future I’d started to envision that somehow seemed emptier than ever before. But it wouldn’t be until I’d seen this week through and helped him…helped all of them…as much as I could.
Silence followed us as we retreated to the second-floor landing. We stared at each other for way too long, all those possibilities and wants and needs and trepidations building and twisting and turning in the air between us. I was the one to turn away with a quiet goodnight. As I started for the stairs and my room on the next floor, his voice, soft and raw, stopped me.
“Thank you. For everything you’ve done in the last few days.” He rubbed his beard, a mannerism that would be a tell if he was playing poker with us. Unsure. Uncomfortable. “You have a natural goodness, a kindness, that practically shines out of you. I couldn’t live with myself if something happened to that light—to you—just because you were trying to help us.”
He trailed off, that exhaustion settling over him again, and the ache in my chest grew. His words were beautiful and strangely sweet coming from a man who was mostly gruff and demanding, but I also recognized what he was doing. Instead of ordering me to leave as he had earlier, he was imploring me to do so. And maybe it would have worked if I wasn’t already so set on staying.
“I’m not leaving until Sunday, Rafe. They may look small, but my shoulders can handle a lot. It would be my honor if you’d let me carry some of your load this week.Iwon’t be able to live withmyselfif I walk away without at least trying.”
I didn’t wait for him to respond, to argue his way with a logic I’d know was right. This wasn’t about logic. This was about following your instincts, your heart, your conscience. These people needed someone, a third party not tied up in all the history and hurt, to help mediate. To fill in the cracks before the splintering glass tore the family apart for good.
I’d do my best to be that person, to help them find their footing amongst the waves that were trying to knock them over. It wasn’t my responsibility, but I wanted to do it as much for myself as for them, and I hadn’t wanted anything for myself in a long time.
? ? ?
Lauren was essentially out of commission the next day. I wasn’t sure if it was the sleeping pills or the terror of believing someone had tried to kill her that had left her huddled and small in her bed. But she’d given Rafe her phone with the long list of things that needed to be done, not only for the upcoming wedding but regular ranch chores.
Over breakfast, both Maisey and I insisted on helping. The only person who didn’t offer was Adam, and when Rafe asked him what his plans were for the day, he said, “Tera asked that I handle some business for her in town. I’ll be back this evening.”
Then, he left without even a hint of remorse. After the back door slammed, Rafe turned to Fallon and asked, “Who’s Tera?”
“His girlfriend. We haven’t even met her yet because she doesn’t live in Rivers full time. But he’s been seeing her for about a year.”
While I was frustrated on behalf of his family at Adam’s lack of involvement in the hard labor of the ranch, I was also annoyed he’d avoided talking to me about the jewelry yet again. I wasn’t sure what it meant. Was he trying to find a way to keep the jewels without telling the insurance company, who’d reimbursed them for the loss? Did I even care? Iwantedto hand the jewelry over to this broken and battered family who needed something good to happen in their lives.
But first, I needed to tell my family the entire story so they’d understand why I’d handed over hundreds of thousands of dollars to people I didn’t know.
Except, I did know them.
I might have only been here for a handful of days, but I saw and recognized their struggles. Even the danger that had hovered around them last night was something my family had experienced. We’d battled both bankruptcy and evil cartels.
If Adam wasn’t going to help me figure out if an insurance company had any claim to the jewels, I’d tell Rafe, and we’d figure it out ourselves. I wanted to believe we’d built enough of a friendship that he’d realize, even if it turned out to be true that my great-grandmother had stolen from his family, it had nothing to do with me.
I had to wait for us to be alone though, because I wouldn’t mention the jewels in front of Fallon for the same reason Adam hadn’t wanted to tell Lauren. I couldn’t get her hopes up. The problem was, instead of dividing the long list of tasks up between the four of us and sending us in separate directions, Rafe insisted we all work together. He told the girls it was because four pairs of hands would get each task done faster, but the way his eyes lingered on all of us whenever we drifted too far away proved he was still worried after the incidents from last night.
After taking care of the morning feeding and cleaning of the horse stalls and paddocks, we headed into Rivers to the grocery store for the items Lauren wanted stocked in the old homestead and bunkhouse for the wedding party that would be arriving throughout the day and into Friday.
