Embracing Hope (Cowboys of Sagebrush Rose #5)

Chapter Fifteen

“Sleeping with Isaac? Really, Hope?” Sam Rose settled himself on the corner of his desk. He looked agitated and tired.

Hope woke that morning to a note from Isaac on his pillow. It read, “I have a meeting with my brother and Sam this morning. Stay put today and I’ll be back as soon as I can. There are a couple of hands keeping watch on the house.”

“Daddy, Isaac and I are grown adults. It’s high time you started treating me like one.” She had nothing to be ashamed of.

“You’re right. You’re an adult, and I trusted you to act like one and put this ranch first,” Sam ground through pursed lips.

“I take offense to that. I did as you asked. He’s on board with this merger.” At least she hoped.

“Did you also help him decide to pull out of the merger?” His eyes were steely.

“Pull out? That’s not possible.” She felt like she’d been socked in the gut.

“Well, you were wrong. CJ pulled the plug and told Isaac to come home.” Creases formed at the corners of Sam’s eyes.

“Are you suggesting that I was involved in Marcum Livestock's withdrawal?”

Sam rubbed his forehead. “Isaac came clean, about everything. The two of you. You telling him about my illness. The marriage demands.”

She wouldn't have been more flabbergasted had she been punched in the stomach. “I trusted him,” she said as much for herself as for her daddy.

“I can’t say I blame them for changing their minds.” He reached into his drawer and took out the newspaper. “It appears we’ve made the paper again.”

“What are you talking about?”

He tossed the newspaper into her lap. “Read it.”

“Daddy, you know I don’t bore myself with local news. I don’t care that Mrs. Thomas won first place for her pecan pie or that Millie Roberts opened a tanning salon over on Church Street.” She rolled her eyes.

“You might be interested in the current news section.”

She opened to the second page, and there she read the headline, “Open Letter to The Public.”

She skimmed each line and her stomach rolled.

Her daddy’s cancer. The marriage arrangements. Another hand was mysteriously wounded. Sagebrush Rose Ranch was a danger to Sagebrush Pine residents. Last but not least, Hope Rose had written a tell-all book about her family and the private town.

All there in black and white.

She clenched her jaw until she thought she’d break a tooth. “The letter is from someone anonymous. Townspeople will see it for what it is…”

“But everything is true. Right, Hope?”

She swiped her palms down the thighs of her jeans. “I planned to tell you about the book.”

He stood and threw his pen onto the desk. “Did you? After it was published, or maybe you hoped I’d make it to my grave first?”

“Daddy, don’t be ridiculous. I was going to tell you before the book came out.” Her mouth dried.

He went to the mini bar and poured himself a stiff drink.

“Doc said you shouldn’t be drinking,” she reminded him.

“Have you forgotten I have terminal cancer?” He downed half the drink in one gulp.

“People were bound to find out about the cancer. Sheriff Dussan will find out who broke into the house and who attacked Billy. That is no fault to any of the family. And the book…it’s loosely based on Sagebrush Pine and our family.”

He laughed but nothing about it was humorous. “And that’s supposed to make me feel better how?” He didn’t wait for her answer. Instead, he dropped back down in his chair behind his desk. “It’s too late to cry over spilled milk.”

“I’ll talk to Isaac…”

“And what? Are you suggesting you’ll seduce him to alter his decision?” As soon as the words left, Sam narrowed his eyes. “I apologize. I realize that’s not your intention, but it feels as if all my efforts have failed. I can't afford to begin from scratch. This merger was essential for you and your sisters to carry on with the ranch.”

“Daddy, we’ll find a way. We always do.”

He eased his frame back into the chair, appearing as if he carried the world's weight on his shoulders. “There’s not much choice left but to sell everything.”

“Let’s figure this out…”

He held up his gnarled hand. “I’d like to be alone.”

“Daddy?”

He lowered his head.

Reluctantly, she stood and waited a second before leaving the office. She practically ripped the paper to shreds from her tight hold. She imagined that it was Isaac’s neck. The only person who could have known all the details was him.

Marching outside, everything was a blur. Her focus was on finding Isaac and drilling him a new asshole.

She went from barn to barn until she finally found him speaking to Jinx.

When the two men saw her coming, Isaac frowned, and Jinx waved. “Howdy, Hope.”

“I need a moment alone with Isaac,” she kept her gaze glued to the man she wanted to chew up and spit out.

Jinx cleared his throat. “Sure.”

Before he made it from the room, she threw the wadded-up newspaper into Isaac’s chest. He caught it. “What’s this?”

“Please cut the bullshit. You know what it is.”

He blinked. “Sorry, but I don’t.”

“Page two. Peek at the story,” she said coldly.

He shook out the paper and read the article. His face turned grim.

“Hope, I’m not involved in this,” he stated confidently.

She felt bile rise in her throat. “You were the only one who I told about the book. No one else would have, could have, known. You betrayed me. You said I could trust you.”

He moved in closer. “You can rely on me. I’m not the only one who knows. You signed a contract with the publishing company and they could have made the news public.”

“Can I rely on you? After you revealed everything to Daddy. That wasn’t your place!?”

“Yes, I did. Hope, if I’m brave enough to sleep with a father’s daughter in his house, then I’m going to be brave enough to admit it if he asks me. I’m not ashamed of what we’ve shared. And I certainly won’t lie.”

“What about the merger? You said you wanted this. Was that a lie?”

“It wasn’t a lie, but I’m not the only one who decides. CJ wanted to withdraw.”

She held back her tears. “Was it because you mentioned Daddy’s cancer?”

He looked down for a moment. “Hope, CJ and I run the business together. It was important for him to hear the truth from me. I care for Marcum Livestock as much as you care for Sagebrush Rose. You should understand that.”

“Did you even fight for the deal? You said you were impressed with the ranch.”

He shook his head. “Maybe this isn’t the right time—”

“The right time? Are you serious?”

Her cell phone buzzed. In agitation, she pulled it out and saw that it was Courtney. Her message read…

“I need to see you. Please come as soon as you can. Courtney.”

“Hope, let’s sit down and discuss this. I have some ideas—”

She shook her head, sending tendrils of hair around her face. “I have nothing left to say, especially to you. I’m going to see Courtney, and by the time I get back, I expect you to be off this property.”

*****

Isaac wanted to chase after Hope, but uncertainty steadied his feet like glue to the barn floor.

How could she believe he’d divulge her secrets, and her family’s, to anyone? She should know him better than that.

“Hey? Did Hope leave?” Jinx said when came back into the barn.

“Yeah, she’s gone,” Isaac said dryly.

“Shoot. I wanted to tell her the news.”

Isaac swung around. “What news?”

“Sheriff Dussan was shot an hour ago by his stepbrother, Dex Carter. I figured she’d want to know, considering all the trouble he’s caused her friend Courtney and now to her and Billy.” Jinx looked worried.

“What do you mean?”

“I’ve heard that Dex left a letter confessing that he stabbed Billy, broke into the main house, and has been stalking Hope. They’ve got everyone out searching for him.”

Then it clicked with Isaac where Hope was going. Isacc didn’t know much about the man, Dex, but he had a feeling the first place he’d go is to his family. A man doesn’t leave a signed confession unless he’s planning something sinister.

“Jinx, do me a favor. Keep trying to reach Hope. She told me she was heading to Courtney’s. I’ll head there.” He had a feeling Hope wouldn’t answer his calls or texts.

“Will do, buddy.”