The Bachelors of Blackwater Lake

She was waiting for more questions, but Leah chose that moment to toddle over and grab her mother’s jeans-clad leg. She started to whine and, when picked up, pointed to the crackers-and-cheese plate on the island.

“Someone’s hungry,” Ellie said, quickly kissing the rosy-cheeked little girl before handing her to her father. “I don’t want her to fill up on snacks. Honey, if you could put her in the high chair and feed her that would help. It would be better if she eats before we do.”

“Gotcha, little bit,” he said, tickling his daughter to make her giggle.

“While you do that, I’ll show Linc and Rose to the guest wing so they can freshen up.”

The three of them grabbed the bags and took them upstairs, following Ellie to the end of the long hall.

“So, it’s a guest wing,” Linc said. “Aren’t you the grand one?”

“No. Just awesome.” Ellie grinned at him, then pointed out the two large bedrooms connected by a bathroom. “Rose, I’m putting you in the one with the window seat that faces the backyard and mountains. Dallas is flat and I thought you might enjoy a different view. Linc, you take the other one.” A piercing wail came from downstairs. “I’d better go help Alex. Hungry and tired is not an attractive combination on my daughter. See you two in a few.”

Alone in the hall Rose met Linc’s gaze. “So, your sister doesn’t know we were married.”

“No.”

“You kept me a secret—”

“No.” He took her arm and tugged her into his bedroom, then shut the door. “Not a secret.”

“When you withhold significant life details from your favorite sister it kind of falls under the heading of secret.”

“That was a complicated time.” He didn’t look happy.

Tough, she thought. “You were ashamed of me.”

“No.” His voice was sharp. “Not you. It was all me. My bad. Then I took a long break from everyone and everything. After that there was no point in saying anything.”

“So now we’re in Blackwater Lake and staying with your sister. Arrangements that you made and didn’t see fit to share with me.”

“Look, I know you’re miffed—”

“That’s way too nice a word for what I’m feeling,” she snapped. “But there’s a silver lining.”

“What’s that?” There was a wary look in his eyes.

“You didn’t think it through about how to explain me.”

He nodded grimly. “I thought you were enjoying that a little too much.”

“Actions have consequences—even after ten years. Especially if you keep secrets.”

“Look, Rose, I was a jerk.”

“Was?” She folded her arms over her chest.

“I apologized for it and I’m handling the divorce,” he continued, ignoring the dig. “I groveled.”

“Yes, you did.” She would give him that.

“Ellie and I are close. She’s the one who convinced me to come back after I left—”

“And you don’t want your favorite sister to know how big a jackass you are,” she mused.

“I’m not comfortable with the jackass part,” he said, “but essentially you’re right. I’d consider it a big favor if you would keep the details of our relationship just between us.”

Rose was loving this. Confident and unflappable Lincoln Hart was insecure and uneasy. “You know, this is a very unfortunate time for you to find out that what they say about reaping what you sow is true.”

“Could you be a little more specific?” Tension tightened his jaw.

“I don’t trust you,” she reminded him.

“So you’re going to rat me out to my sister?”

Rose shrugged, then walked through the connecting bathroom and closed the door behind her. This was too sweet. She was charging him an arm and a leg for this decorating job, which was pretty great all by itself. But now she had leverage and that was priceless.

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