Expecting His Secret Heir(6)

Zach studied them a moment, then asked, "How's Luke doing?"

"Much better," Jacob said. "They say he can come home tomorrow."

"No further damage to his legs?" KC asked.

Jacob shook his head. "None."

"Good," Zach added. "We don't need any more damn tragedies around here."

Everyone murmured their agreement.

"Anyway." Aiden stepped closer. "My wife is in firm need of sustenance  that isn't hospital food, and I promised her some of your mama's fried  chicken."

Zach grinned in a way that took Sadie's breath. "With a baby on the way,  that woman should have anything she wants to have. She's doin' all the  work, after all."

"Amen," Christina said, leaving the whole group laughing.

Sadie smiled, even though she knew it was a little sad around the edges.  The group reminded her of her family. There were only three of them,  but she, her mama and her sister had taken care of each other through a  lifetime of heartache. They could often make each other laugh during the  hardest times. And they never gave up hope that they would be together.

Zach stepped back to the kitchen to put in the order without so much as  looking in her direction, intensifying Sadie's feeling of solitude in  the midst of the crowd. She eyed the distance back to the table she'd  come from, but the Blackstones simply took up too much space for her to  squeak by without notice.

Then the silence around her registered and she glanced back to realize  she'd become the center of attention. Four sets of eyes studied her. Her  familiar technique of disappearing into the shadows where she wouldn't  be noticed wasn't an option here, as she was boxed in by the wall on one  side and the bar counter behind her.                       
       
           



       

Finally the woman she recognized as Zach's sister stepped closer. "Hi, there. I'm KC, Zach's sister. And you are?"

Sadie wasn't used to people offering her their hands, but she shook anyway. "Sadie Adams."

"Let me guess," KC said with a slight smile. "You must be Zach's new nemesis."

How had she known? "Um..."

"Oh, is this the woman from the mill?" Christina asked, interest lighting her eyes.

Suddenly Sadie felt as though someone had dialed up the spotlight.

"I believe she is," KC replied.

"How did you know?" Sadie asked.

"Honey, it's a small town." KC's smile was friendly, not condescending as Sadie had expected. "Trust me, everybody knows."

"I don't know," Aiden said with a frown.

Christina patted his chest. "I'll fill you in later, dear."

That didn't stop him from studying Sadie in a way that made her more  reluctant than ever to stay. But KC picked up her now watered-down drink  from the counter and dumped it before starting a fresh one. "Come on  over and tell us about yourself," she invited.

Sadie hung on to that friendly smile, even though she knew more than  anyone how deceiving it might be from a stranger. But she needed these  people for her mission, so she forced her feet forward.

"What do you do, Sadie?" Christina asked.

"I'm a photographer." It wasn't the entire truth. She did take  photographs. She just didn't do it for a living, as she'd led them all  to believe.

"Oh, where's your camera?"

"Outside." She'd been afraid Zach would make a scene if she brought it in.

Christina didn't seem fazed. "Have you had anything published?"

"Yes, actually. A few pieces through Barnhill Press." The art press  wasn't anything to sneeze at, so at least Sadie didn't feel like such a  fraud.

Until another voice chimed in. "So you no longer describe yourself as domestic help?"

The people around her froze, unsure how to take Zach's comment. Sadie  had no problem with being seen as domestic help. After all, she'd fallen  into that category all of her life.

She'd tried to stick as close to the truth as possible. She'd only ever  held two things back from Zach the first time around: her employer's  true identity and her sister's situation.

Sadie raised her chin and spoke confidently. "Actually, my longtime  employer recently passed away. I'm taking a bit of a break before  looking for a new position."

"Good luck," Aiden said.

"Thank you." She took a deep breath for courage. "I have an idea I think might interest you."

Suddenly the trio on this side of the bar with her adopted that slightly  uncomfortable look that rich people got when they know they were about  to be asked for money. She'd seen it often enough back home. But that  wasn't what she wanted...

"I wondered if I could have your permission to shoot a series of  photographs about the rebuilding of the mill? I visited the town several  years ago and became quite attached to it." If they only knew... "From  what the people here have been telling me about your family and what you  are doing to keep the town alive, well, it's incredible."

She smiled brightly at Christina, since the woman's calm features were  easier to focus on. "If nothing else, I think it would make a wonderful  memento for the people of the town."

Christina glanced back up at her husband. "Aiden, that sounds wonderful."

"I could talk to the publisher at Barnhill. I've worked with him on  several projects...though this would be my first solo proposal," she  added, feeling the need to be honest.

On the other side of the bar, she could feel a sense of frustrated  resistance coming from Zach. He stared at her, though she refused to  meet his gaze. Luckily, she'd already gotten a positive response or she  had a feeling he would have blasted her before his employer, simply to  keep her from getting close.

Though he still didn't know how close she planned to be...

KC must have sensed it, too, because she kept glancing sideways at her  brother. But she didn't speak. Finally Aiden said, "That does sound  good. I am a bit worried about safety issues-"

Before he or Zach could go further, she cut him off. "Not a problem.  I've already seen the destruction at the mill, and I would definitely  need someone to steer me in the safest direction. Someone local, with a  lot of experience with the area who could introduce me to people who  know the history, the ins and outs of the area. The people and places  that make Black Hills so special..."                       
       
           



       

"That's a great idea," Christina enthused.

Jake and Aiden were nodding along with her. "Definitely," Aiden said.  "Zach fits both those criteria and as head of security could keep us  informed about your project, too. Would that be a problem?"

"Not for me," she assured him.

Only after speaking did she glance at her former lover, whose hard-won  mask barely covered the resentment pushing to get out. Sadie wondered if  anyone else could see it. Probably not, because they went on talking as  if this were a done deal.

Only Zach kept quiet. Good thing he didn't know the whole story. Otherwise, she might have to worry about her safety.

But at least he would learn. She would get what she wanted...no matter what.





Four

"Just what the hell did you think you were doing?"

Sadie quickly suppressed her smile before turning to face Zach's rage.  She and she alone knew the depths of despair she'd experienced since the  last time she'd walked away from him. But she couldn't have realized  she'd be thrilled to see him under any circumstances...including when he  looked like he would choke her if he could.

"Who, me?"

Her innocent question only served to incense him even more. The show was  quite spectacular, in fact. Zach's skin took on a ruddy color  underneath, showcasing the extent of his anger. But a lifetime as help  to people who only wanted things to go their way had taught Sadie to  take her kicks where she could get them, even if she could only feel her  amusement on the inside.

"You knew I didn't want to spend time with you. So why would you set this whole thing up?" he growled.

Ouch. That hurt, but she had known the way he felt before he even said  it. "Look," she said, not afraid to push back. "You started this with  your high and mighty attitude, not me."

"So this is all a game to you?" He waved a hand at the damaged building  behind him. "This is not a game to these people. This place was their  life."

"Yes, and I think it will mean a lot to them to have someone document its resurrection, don't you?"

She wasn't wrong in this. Knowing how much people got attached to  places-like she had to Sheldon Hall, even though it would never be  hers-gave her a glimpse of exactly how these townspeople felt. "Building  positive memories will help shore up the community and keep people  here. Isn't that what you want?"