Expecting His Secret Heir

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?”

She could see on his face that there wasn’t a right answer. He did want that, but it meant spending time with her. Though the reality made her chest ache, she had a job to do just as much as he did. With just as much at stake.

Through clenched teeth Zach brushed her off. “I don’t have time to mess with you right now. The fire marshal is here. Just go back to the B and B.”

As he stalked across the parking lot, she couldn’t help needling him a little more. “I can get some exteriors, though, right?” she called.

He might as well have flipped her the bird, considering the glare on his face. But he held his temper in a gentlemanly way, at least in the midst of the crowd of people he now walked through.

Sadie chuckled, simply because crying in front of everyone wasn’t an option, either. She’d suspected that coming back here would be tough, but she could never have imagined the roller coaster of dealing with her own emotions while matching wits with Zach.

Ever comforted by her camera, Sadie set off around the perimeter, once more trying to capture the compound from angles that showcased both the tragedy but also the potential for rebuilding, because that was exactly what people needed to see.

Just a few minutes in, a bell sounded. Glancing around, Sadie saw numerous soot-covered men exit the site and make their way across the parking lot to a couple of huge tents that had been erected along the far edge near the fencing. Must be lunchtime.

After taking a few shots of the men, she edged away from the crowd. Her focus here was pictures, not food.

“Hey, there,” a voice said from behind her a few minutes later.

Sadie sighed but finished up her shot before easing her camera down from her face. Had Zach sent another security guard to escort her away today? If so, he was going to have a hell of a fight on his hands.

Turning without any rush, she eyed the man behind her. There was no badge attached to his clothing, and he didn’t look dirty like most of the men here. A buttoned-down shirt and Dockers weren’t really appropriate attire for a disaster site. But at least he looked friendly.

“Hi,” she said, her unease calming down a notch.

“Is that a Canon Mark III body?”

Warmth spread through her. A fellow photographer, maybe? “Yes, with a custom lens. You know it?”

“Ah, I admire from afar and spend my budget on paper and ink instead.” The man grinned, looking young despite his thinning hair, and held out his hand. “I’m Lance Parker, editor of the local paper.”

She met his hand for a firm shake. “Nice to meet you, Lance. I’m Sadie.”

“You must be getting some good pictures, then.”

Pulling the camera from around her neck, she clicked on the picture preview and turned the screen so they both could see.

Fifteen minutes of talking cameras and photo composition and lighting fed Sadie’s artistic soul. None of her family were interested in photography. She had few friends because of all her responsibilities, but she had managed to join an artists’ group near home that she tried to go to once a month. Sometimes it worked out, sometimes not. But she tried to get her fix in when she could.

“Would it be possible for me to use a couple of these in the newspaper?” he asked. “We’d compensate you, of course. These are wonderful and my two photographers are busy with the cleanup, which keeps them from snapping away right now.”

Sadie barely had a chance to think before another voice cut in. “Hey, Lance. How’s it going?”

She looked over the newspaper editor’s shoulder to see Zach’s sister, KC, approaching them. Lance smiled as she arrived.

“As good as can be expected, I think.” He gestured to Sadie. “Just trying to convince Sadie here to share a few of her pictures with the community. They would be a great accompaniment to the recovery stories.”

KC studied Sadie for a split second, but then her lashes swept down, shielding the expression in eyes so like Zach’s. “That would be cool. So, Sadie, what do you think?”

That I don’t like being put on the spot... “Yeah, I’ll come by and we can look over them again. Tomorrow?”

“Great,” KC said, as if she’d decided the subject was closed. “Now y’all want some lunch?”

Lance agreed enthusiastically, but Sadie shook her head. “I’m still full from the breakfast spread my landlady puts out, but I’d be happy to volunteer, if you’d like?”

KC’s raised brow and hesitant “Sure” didn’t make Sadie feel better. She knew it didn’t really matter what KC thought of her, whether she approved. Sadie wouldn’t be sticking around Black Hills long enough to make real friends...or sisters-in-law. Somehow that didn’t stop her from wishing differently.

Although KC might be hesitant for completely different reasons. Had Zach told her about Sadie? How much did she really know?

* * *

Zach made his way back across the parking lot to the food tents KC and Christina had installed. He tried to keep an eye out for Sadie along the way, though he desperately wanted to curse himself for caring where she was in the first place. He could tell himself all he wanted to that it was about suppressing her plans, but deep down he was afraid there were far deeper reasons than that lame excuse.

He didn’t see her until he was closer to the tents, and that fiery red hair came into view as she scurried behind the serving line. It wasn’t entirely clear from this distance, but it looked almost as if she were in charge.

“Kind of amazing, isn’t it?”

Zach glanced to the side to see his little sister approach, her arms filled with a box. He automatically reached for her burden, taking it on himself as he nodded his head in Sadie’s direction. “What’s going on here?”

KC didn’t look at the other woman but continued to watch her brother...making him very uneasy. “She volunteered to help after saying she wasn’t hungry. I could tell she wasn’t thrilled with the setup when she joined us, but she didn’t say a word.”

One side of KC’s mouth lifted in a slight smile. “I wondered if she would, but she never did until I started asking for help. It took a few minutes to get her to open up. As soon as she realized she wouldn’t offend me by making suggestions, she took the lead. We were whipped into shape in ten minutes and served hundreds in less than half an hour.” KC shook her head. “She’s good.”

Very good. But Zach didn’t want to think of that in front of his sister.

“She told me before that she made a living as domestic help, but never went into specifics,” he mused as he watched Sadie navigate the chaos with the calm demeanor of a woman who had many pots on the fire but wasn’t worried about losing one. He glanced at his sister, only to find her still studying him.

He was in trouble now.

“So you knew her before, as in before this trip to Black Hills?”

Why hadn’t he just kept his mouth shut? “Hmm...”

But KC wasn’t buying the noncomment. “Did you meet her while you were in the military?”

No, but those days right after he came home had been a blur of nightmares and worry over his mother, his family. He hadn’t known how to tell them he was falling in love. After she disappeared without a trace, he’d been glad he kept Sadie to himself and not made her a thing—that thing he had to explain to friends and family, pretend not to miss, or realize hadn’t been as real as he’d thought. He had happily done most of that without public scrutiny.

Now, though, he could talk about Sadie without having to get into all the ugliness of regret and pain. He’d never been a liar, but he kept it brief, strictly answering the question that was asked. “No, she’s been to town before.”

KC slapped her hands to her hips, making him wish he hadn’t been gentlemanly enough to take the box. “She was here before, long enough for you to talk to her about her job, and you never mentioned her. Was she a customer? Or—”

“What’s for lunch, my lovely?” Jacob’s voice interrupted his fiancée’s, much to Zach’s eternal gratitude.

“Barbecue and fixin’s,” KC said, giving Jacob a big smile.

“What?” her fiancé’s voice boomed over the lot. “Barbecued meat, a pretty lady and a cold beer? All I need is our son and it’ll be heaven.”

“Christina’s got him at the manor,” KC said, giving Jacob a quick kiss on the cheek. “Your mom started running a fever this morning, so she stayed home and offered to keep him, too.”

Zach saw the flash of concern that crossed Jacob’s expression, and knew that even the slightest bug could be very harmful for the Blackstones’ mother, who had been in a coma for many years. But KC gave him a reassuring smile.

Jacob pulled her into his arms. “Well, how long is that gonna last? Forget the barbecue. Let’s go home.”

“Nope, sorry,” she said, laughing as she swatted his chest.

Jacob buried his face in KC’s neck. “Doomed” was all Zach heard before mumbling and giggling took over. He glanced away, grinning at the two lovebirds’ antics. In the sea of chaos under the tent, Sadie stood oddly still. The look on her face, even from this distance, had a hint of sadness and longing before she blinked and it was gone. Actually, all emotion was gone, as if she were afraid for Zach to see too closely inside.

Funny, he felt the same way.

Finally Jacob and KC separated, walking to the food tent hand in hand. Zach fell in step beside them. They talked about the next step in their plan as they joined the dwindling line for food. Sadie certainly had stepped up the efficiency of the process, and now the parking lot was filled with hungry workers eating their fill.

“I’m so glad we could do this,” KC said, surveying the scene.

Jacob kissed the top of her head. “Me, too. Whatever it takes to keep Black Hills alive, that’s what we’re gonna do.”

They reached the steam table set up under the tent and chose their meal. Zach deposited the box in the serving area before taking his food tray. Sadie was at the other end in a cute apron with a pig on it, pouring drinks.

“Wow,” KC said as she reached Sadie’s table. “This was incredible. Thank you so much.”

Sadie shrugged away the thanks. “It was no problem.”

“No problem? I didn’t think so.” KC laughed. “Of course, I’m used to a well-ordered kitchen. Being outdoors and not knowing where everything is throws me off.”

“Organization is key,” Sadie said with a wink.

Jacob reached out to shake Sadie’s hand. “Well, we are extremely grateful for your organizational skills.”

Sadie shifted as if their praise made her uncomfortable. “I’m glad I could help,” she said, handing him a large iced tea.

“Would you be free tomorrow to help some more?” Jacob asked.

Sadie blinked. “I’m sure I can,” she said. “I’ll be out here tomorrow to take more pictures anyway.”

“Did you get any good shots today?” KC asked.

“Sure did.”

Jacob looked over at Zach in a way that made him distinctly uneasy. He kept looking. Zach could see the wheels turning.

“Tomorrow,” Jacob finally said, “we have a truck coming in with lots of supplies for the workers. Decent boots, heavy overalls, protective gloves and such.”

Oh, no. Jacob, please don’t do this to me.

Jacob didn’t even glance in his direction. But his jaw twitched as if he were aware of Zach’s dread...and amused by it.

“We need some help getting everything organized and out to the employees. I don’t want them working cleanup without good-quality gear.”

Zach looked at Sadie in enough time to see her eyes widen. “Isn’t that costing a lot for a company that’s not bringing in any money at the moment?”

Jacob nodded. “But we want them safe. Those that opted to stay on through the temporary closing and rebuilding are being paid wages to help with cleanup and reconstruction.

“We wanted to keep the work local, as much as possible,” Jacob said, his tone firm. “We’ve got some donations, but everything else is at Blackstone expense. Ultimately, this is about the good of the town. The people who live here deserve to be able to stay.”

KC chimed in. “Not be run from their homes by a crazy person.”

“That’s commendable,” Sadie said.

“Not really,” Jacob responded, giving her a puzzled look.

“Trust me.” She met his look without wavering. “I’ve known some businessmen who couldn’t care less about anything but their bottom line. They’d bring in the cheapest labor and not care who lost their livelihoods. Y’all are doing good here.”

Zach could see Sadie mulling all this over, her brain working in overdrive even though she didn’t ask any more questions. She simply picked at the puzzle, trying to unravel the complicated strands.

The fact that he could discern this made him uneasy. He didn’t want to read Sadie’s mind. Didn’t want to feel her curiosity, her disbelief that the Blackstones were good people who cared about their workers. What had happened in her life to lead her to question that?

No, he didn’t want to know.

“Sadie, if your organizing skills make this as easy as serving lunch, we’ll be in business in no time. Zach will be here when the truck arrives in the morning around nine. He can make sure whatever you need is carried out.”

Sure I will. Don’t ask me what I want.

Then Zach wondered if his thoughts were showing on his face, because his sister was watching him—very closely.

Sadie, on the other hand, looked pretty pleased with herself. Considering how he’d treated her since she came back to town, he had to wonder why.

As his sister and Jacob moved on, Sadie smiled over at him. “Looks like it’s you and me together—again.”

Was that a statement...or a threat?

Five

“It’s the truth, I tell ya.”

Sadie couldn’t help but grin at the man before her. Wearing the traditional farmer uniform of overalls, plaid shirt, ball cap and messy white hair, he was a perfect candidate for sitting on a bench in the town square. So were the other two grandfatherly types with him. But he was the talker.

“I think you’re pulling my leg,” Sadie insisted, knowing it would spur him on.

“No, I would never,” he said with a sincere shake of his head. “But I betcha they’re all in on it. The other cotton industries are pressuring the state to shut us down, because they want the business we’ve always had here. That’s why all of this is happening.”

She knew old men were prime candidates to become conspiracy theorists. They had too much time to sit around and think and talk and spin events into the way they wanted to see them. So she asked, “But Blackstone Mills has been here since the town started, hasn’t it?”

“And still putting out quality product,” one of the other men, Earl, said. “That’s why they have to put us out of business.”

Well, as much as she’d like to brush them off, the fact that a bomb had exploded here couldn’t be denied. That was deliberate malice, so someone definitely had it in for Blackstone Mills. And the police weren’t talking yet.

“I still don’t understand why anyone would want to put you out of business,” she said, hoping to get more gossip. “Wouldn’t someone local have to be in on this? Have access to the plant?”

“Oh, they were,” Mr. Farmer breathed.

“The other textile companies found someone local to do their dirty work, we’re pretty sure,” Earl said.

Farmer interrupted, “We heard about all kinds of things. Can’t keep stuff like that secret. Equipment failure and missing shipments. But it was the cotton that was the kicker.”

Now they were getting somewhere. Sadie forgot about the lines of men behind her, getting loaded up by fellow workers with their safety gear after she’d streamlined the process for them. Zach had introduced her to the lead volunteer then disappeared, which she was grateful for now, because she was pretty sure these old-timers wouldn’t be speaking to her with him around.

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