Epilogue #4
“Well, I’m glad you didn’t. I know it hurt at the time, but you’re moving through the pain, and you will be that much stronger for it.”
“Strong enough not to give my heart away again.”
“With the right man, you’ll find it’s easier than you think.”
“Yeah, well, that’s not going to happen. I learned my lesson.”
Gran reached up and tucked a stray piece of hair behind Sadie’s ear. “I heard you singing in the kitchen. It’s been a while. I’ve missed it. Remember the concerts you and your sister used to do on the front porch for Gramps and me when you were little?”
“Lauren had the voice. I just gave her the words to sing.” Her heart squeezed as more memories flooded her mind.
Sadie blinked back the sudden rush of tears as she edged off the bed and moved toward the door.
“I’ll leave you to eat in peace. I’m going to tidy the kitchen before Dani and Lily arrive. ”
“Dani Sullivan and Lily Hart? They’re coming here?”
“Yes, I ran into them at Martha’s last night when I picked up dinner. They asked if we could get together today because Dani has an idea she wants to discuss, so I suggested breakfast here. You don’t remember me mentioning it when I came back last night?”
Gran waved a hand as she picked up her fork. “Right, right. I remember now. These pain pills Doc has me on give me foggy thinking.”
“You just had your hip replaced, Gran. Healing takes time. Isn’t that what you just told me?” Sadie left the door open, then returned to the kitchen.
She wiped spilled milk off the counter, put the cobalt blue mixing bowl in the dishwasher, and slid a tray of French toast and sausage in the oven to stay warm. As she set the skillet in the sink of soapy water, she heard a nickering from somewhere close by.
She peered through the blue and white checked curtains and found a gray horse staring at her through Gran’s open kitchen window. The skillet slipped from her hands and splashed into the water, soaking the front of her tank top.
“Uh, Gran.” Sadie grabbed a dish towel as she backed away from the sink, then hurried down the hall. “There’s a horse in the window.”
Gran looked up from the devotional book in one hand, her teacup in the other. She set it back on the tray. “A horse? Gray, dappled coat with a black muzzle?”
“I didn’t get a great look, but that sounds about right.”
“That’s probably Gus. He’s an escape artist who lives next door. He likes my apple trees. I’ll give Asher a call to come and get him.”
“Who?”
“Asher Quinn, Terry and Angie Quinn’s nephew who’s managing their ranch while they’re RVing around the country.”
“Right—the one who rang the doorbell at three this morning.” The image of the soaked guy with dark hair, dark beard, and even darker eyes swam into focus. In her sleep-fogged brain, the details were a little fuzzy.
“He’s always looking out for me.” Gran patted the white top sheet with lavender flowers rumpled around her. “My phone’s around here somewhere.”
Sadie lifted the quilted lavender bedspread. The phone tumbled from the folds. She caught it and handed it to Gran.
“Thanks, love.” Gran scrolled down her screen, found the number, and called. When he didn’t answer, she left a message and set her phone on the tray. “Maybe you should take Gus back to the barn.”
Stepping back, Sadie pressed a hand to her chest. “Me? I don’t know anything about horses. And that thing was huge.”
Gran waved away her words. “Aww, he’s a gentle giant. Grab an apple from the kitchen, talk softly as you approach, then hold out your hand. Direct him across the lawn to the Quinn property.”
She made it sound so simple. As if an apple was going to lure the horse home.
Gran raised her eyebrows and lifted her chin. “You may want to change first.”
Sadie glanced at the wet, gray tank and navy running shorts she wore as pajamas. She blew out a breath and headed for the guest room down the hall, calling over her shoulder, “If I’m not back soon, you’ll know that beast got the best of me.”
Sadie exchanged the wet clothes for tan shorts and a red T-shirt. She pulled her hair into a ponytail and threaded it through a navy hat to help shade her eyes from the rising sun. Sliding on her sunglasses, she headed to the backyard.
The morning air chilled her arms as the wet grass soaked her flip-flops. Maybe she should’ve borrowed Gran’s rain boots.
She rounded the side of the white cottage and stopped, a gasp whooshing from her lungs as her eyes widened.
A large tree sprawled across the patio. Splintered wood, shattered glass, broken pots, spilled dirt, and decapitated flowers littered the concrete.
She followed the length of the tree and found the fractured base on the other side of the damaged split-rail fence that separated Gran’s property from the Quinn ranch.
The gaping hole explained how the horse had escaped.
Sadie eyed the large animal grazing under the apple tree. Without any kind of rope, she had no clue how to get Gus back to his owners. And she’d forgotten to grab an apple out of Gran’s fruit bowl. Sadie shielded her eyes and glanced at the large stone house next door.
Was it too early to knock and ask Asher to fetch the horse? It wasn’t safe for the animal to be roaming free.
The sound of a chain saw whined across the yard. Okay, so someone was awake.
Sadie plodded through the wet grass, climbed over the fence, and headed for the neighbor’s property.
She passed the dark stone house and headed down the dirt path that led to the large, white-washed building with a forest green metal roof. Scents of hay and fresh wood wafted in the morning air.
Chips of wood flew around a man bent at the waist as he sliced through the thick trunk of a different downed tree. Sawdust blanketed his cargo shorts, bare legs, and grimy work boots.
Apparently more than one tree suffered in last night’s storm.
The man cut the power to the saw and straightened, pressing a hand to his lower back.
“Excuse me.”
He turned. Dark sunglasses shielded his eyes, and a black ball cap covered his dark hair, shadowing his face. Stray wood chips clung to his dark beard. Faded, puckered scars ran down the left side of his neck and disappeared into the collar of his T-shirt. “Yeah?”
“Are you Asher?”
“Who wants to know?”
Feeling a sense of déjà vu, she cleared her throat and removed her sunglasses. Squinting against the morning rays shining toward her, she jerked a thumb toward Gran’s house. “I’m Sadie, Henrietta’s granddaughter. I believe we met early this morning when you checked on us during the storm.”
“Right.” He lifted two large pieces of wood and chucked them toward the growing pile next to the building.
Okay, then.
She took another step toward him. “Your horse is in Gran’s backyard, and I need you to get it.”
Straightening again, Asher turned and dragged the back of his wrist across his forehead, dislodging his hat.
Then he reached for a half-full water bottle sitting on the ground and chugged the rest. As his head tipped back, she caught the lines and angles of his profile—straight nose, high cheekbones, and squared jaw covered in scruff.
Something about him seemed familiar, but she couldn’t place it.
Without a word, he headed into the large open door that led to the stable.
Sadie exhaled and followed him. “Well?”
“Well, what?” He pulled some sort of equipment off a hook near one of the empty stall doors.
“Are you going to get the horse?”
He held up his full hand. “Had to get his harness and lead rope.”
“You could’ve mentioned that.”
“I just did.” He strode out of the stable.
She hurried after him. “Whatever. There’s also a tree across Gran’s back patio. It came from this property. You’ll need to get it removed.”
He started for the yard, then faced her. “Are you always this bossy?”
She swallowed the words blistering her tongue. “Would you please get your horse and remove the tree?”
He snapped a salute that would’ve made her father proud. “Ma’am, yes, ma’am.”
Rolling her eyes, she jammed her sunglasses back on her face and headed back to Gran’s.
Jerk.
What did Gran see in him?
Wasn’t Sadie’s problem. She didn’t do mysterious. Since Asher had it practically tattooed on his skin, she planned to stay as far away as possible.
She’d been gullible once, and that was enough for a lifetime.
Trudging into the house, Sadie headed down the hall to her grandma’s room. She heard talking and paused. Something in Gran’s tone kept Sadie from returning to the kitchen and giving her privacy.
“Thank you, Mia. I’ll have to think about it, then let you know what I decide.” Gran let out a sigh.
Sadie knocked on the doorframe and stepped into the room. “Everything okay?”
Chin trembling, Gran fingered the quilt, then looked at Sadie with watery eyes.
She waved a hand over the room. “The cottage needs some work if I’m going to stay here.
Aging in place, I think your father called it during our phone conversation last week.
My only option is to sell the bakery, so I contacted Mia Franklin.
She called with the appraisal, but it’s much lower than I expected.
Maybe it’s time to sell this place too and move into an apartment complex off island. ”
Sadie moved into the room and sat on the edge of the bed. “Gran, no. You love this place. It’s been your home for decades. You can’t leave the island. What would you do without your daily visits with Doris and Annabelle?”
“I don’t want to leave, love.” She waved a hand over her room.
“The cottage needs a new roof, new windows…It’s too much for one person, especially on a limited income.
And the bakery’s just sitting there. Seb Jonathon offered to buy it after Gramps passed away, but I couldn’t part with it, sentimental fool that I was.
With your father stationed in Hawaii, he’s not going to want it.
” She shook her head. “I don’t know what to do. ”
Sadie leaned forward and gathered her in her arms. “Don’t make a rash decision based on how you’re feeling right now. After Dani and Lily stop by, I’ll call Mia and talk to her about the appraisal. We’ll figure it out.”
“Promise me one thing, love?”
“Anything, Gran.”
“Don’t tell your parents about me needing to sell the bakery. I’ll tell them when I’m ready. Your dad’s already questioning my decision to stay here. I don’t want to give him more ammo to ship me off to a retirement home.”
Sadie hated secrets, especially keeping things from her parents, but she also didn’t want Gran to worry needlessly.
“I won’t say anything, Gran, but you know Dad would never do that.
He’s just concerned, especially after your recent fall.
With them being in Hawaii, it’s challenging for him to be here when you need him.
I think that’s what’s bothering him more than anything—they aren’t here for you. ”
Having lived around the world as an Air Force brat, Sadie always found security in her grandparents’ home on Jonathon Island, and she’d do whatever she could to keep Gran in the cottage she loved so much. Even if it meant paying for the repairs herself.
But that meant taking on more SEO remote work until she could find a better job.
She’d do it for Gran. She’d been so supportive after Sadie’s life had fallen apart and she’d spent the last six months treading water.
She’d figure it out.
Somehow.