Chapter 3
CHAPTER THREE
SADIE
It’s Tuesday.
I haven’t left my room in forty-eight hours. Tuesdays usually mean brunch with Mia and Tori, followed by an afternoon floating in Mia’s infinity pool. But not this Tuesday.
My morning begins the same as yesterday and the day before—staring blankly at the ceiling until my bladder wins and I finally drag myself to the bathroom.
The only time I even considered unlocking the door was when the savory and delectable scent of breakfast wafted into my room, making my mouth water and my stomach growl.
I’m aware I will have to leave this room eventually. But I’m not ready to face them all again.
Scrolling through my feed, my thumb hovers on a photo of Mia being fed a slice of fruit by Tori—both of them laughing, sunlight glinting off their skin, the city skyline blurred behind them.
I should be there.
Instead, I’m lying on a bed that isn’t mine, in a complete stranger’s house that smells like cedar and fresh coffee, trying my best to ignore how seemingly normal everything is here.
Nobody’s responded to my last text, so I stare at the photo for a while before tapping the little video icon, half-hoping they won’t answer.
The screen lights up with Mia’s face first—messy bun, dewy skin, an effortless glow that somehow never fades.
“Sadie!” She beams. “Oh my God, we were just talking about you.”
“Were you?” I ask, trying to smile.
“Obviously,” she says. “We miss you. It’s so weird without you here.”
“I miss you, too,” I say after a beat.
Tori leans into the frame a second later and waves, holding up a ribbed glass tumbler with a fruit skewer sticking out of it.
“How could you possibly miss us when you’re living out my dream fantasy?”
I roll my eyes. “There’s nothing even remotely dreamy about being shipped off to the middle of nowhere surrounded by a bunch of strangers, Tori.”
“Whatever. So, are they hot? Tell us everything.”
I roll over onto my stomach, the bed frame creaking beneath me as I glance out the window. A large black horse flicks its tail near the fence line.
“Um. I don’t know. I’ve only met the owner and his sons so far. One of them gave me a tour. The other one is…busy. I don’t know.”
Mia’s brow furrows a little. “Are they nice, at least?”
“Yeah,” I say quickly. “Fine. Just…different.”
Tori shows Mia something on her phone and they both laugh. It’s loud and familiar, and it makes something ache deep in my chest.
Mia’s smile softens. “It’s only for the summer, right? It’ll go by fast. Maybe Tori and I can come visit.”
I nod, even though I don’t share her optimism.
Tori leans closer to the camera. “There has to be at least one hot cowboy to make this worth it.”
I huff out a laugh. “I don’t know. They’re strangers.”
“You don’t have to know them to think they’re hot.” Her eyes light up. “Maybe this is exactly what you needed. A passionate summer romance with a hot, rugged cowboy to lasso away your virginity.”
“You’re feral,” I say. “That’s absolutely not going to happen.” They both laugh and before I can stop myself, the words slip out. “Have either of you heard from Kolson?”
Mia’s smile falters. “Um. Not really.”
Tori exhales, rolling her eyes. “Oh my God, Sadie, don’t start.”
“What?” I ask, even though my throat already feels tight.
“She’s just—” Mia starts, but Tori cuts her off.
“He’s fine. Thriving, apparently. There were pictures of him in the Maldives with some Pilates influencer.”
I laugh, too quickly. “Of course there were.”
Mia shoots Tori a look. “We weren’t going to bring it up.”
“It’s fine,” I say, even though it’s not. “Seriously.”
“Hey.” Mia’s voice softens. “He doesn’t deserve you, okay?”
“Yeah, I know.”
She nods, studying me through the screen. “You sure you’re okay?”
I force a smile. “Yeah. Just tired.”
“Call me anytime, okay? I mean it.”
“Yeah,” I say again, quieter this time. “I will.”
When the screen goes dark, the silence fills the room again. Only the distant birdsong answers back.
As long as I stay locked in this room, I can pretend. Pretend I’m at some cheesy cowboy-themed resort. Pretend my father didn’t exile me from my life and friends to save his own reputation. Pretend I’m not sharing a roof with three complete strangers in the middle of nowhere.
But pretending is temporary.
While waiting for the water to heat, my gaze lingers on my reflection—the tired shell of the girl I used to be.
I’ve been showering twice a day to pass the time. It’s always been my favorite place to think, and now I have nothing but time to let my mind spiral.
The endless hot water is the only thing holding me together right now.
My fingers dip beneath the stream one last time, only to jerk back at the bite of the cold.
The water is frigid.
No. Please, not this too.
A hot shower was literally the only thing I had to look forward to. And now it’s gone.
I swallow the lump in my throat and tilt my head back, blinking at the ceiling.
Hot tears stream down my cheeks as sobs tear through me. I don’t even try to hold them in. I’m sure they all assumed I’ve been in here crying the whole time, anyway.
Why should I care what they think?
Once I finally get a hold of my emotions, I look into the mirror again. Red, puffy eyes stare back at me—I look exactly how I feel.
Fucking awful.
I don’t want to see them. I don’t want to see anyone.
Sucking in a deep breath, I reach for my toothbrush and toothpaste.
Going out there in my pajamas and a messy bun is one thing—but morning breath? That’s where I draw the line.
I walk into the dining room with my head held high, faking confidence with every step.
The sweet smell of maple syrup and a fresh pot of coffee envelopes my senses, and my stomach growls.
Heath sits at the head of the table, sipping from a dark teal mug with white speckles. He peers over the newspaper, lips pressed into a thin, disappointed line.
My stomach drops and my feet waiver slightly, but it’s all in my head. I’m fine. Heath is not Warren.
“Ah, look who finally decided to join us,” Heath says gruffly, not even looking at me as he turns the page.
I roll my eyes and shake my head—not that he notices. “No. I actually came down to tell you the hot water isn’t working.”
Movement flickers at the edge of my vision. Emmett leans against the kitchen island, arms folded across his broad chest, mouth drawn in a tight line.
My gaze drops before I can stop it, shame and regret tightening my chest. My fingers twist the hem of my shirt.
“Is that so? Sit down and eat.” Heath chuckles, tilting his head toward the seat in front of me. “You haven’t come out of that room in days, and I promised your father I would take care of you.”
“Does providing access to hot water not fall under that promise?”
A low snicker drifts in from the kitchen.
My head snaps to shoot a glare at Emmett when instead my eyes meet Wesley’s. He’s taken Emmett’s place, leaning against the island and holding a coffee mug of his own.
His eyes scan over me, lingering on my mouth before the muscle in his jaw twitches and he takes a sip from his cup.
Emmett’s has moved onto one of the barstools, chewing a bite of bacon with a smug little smirk, not even trying to hide it.
Great. Glad this is so amusing for him.
I scoff, turning my attention back to Heath, who’s still eating breakfast and reading his newspaper.
Nobody says anything.
“Well…is someone going to fix it?” My jaw clenches as I cross my arms, the thin fabric brushing against my skin and doing very little to hide my braless situation.
Heath finally looks up at me, narrowing his eyes and twisting his mouth to the side.
“It’s not going anywhere. Sit down. Eat. It’s not a request.”
Huffing, I turn around, ready to storm back upstairs, when Wesley’s deep voice chimes in. I freeze on the threshold.
“Aw, chin up, buttercup.” He tosses back the remainder of his mug and sets it in the sink. “There are worse things than getting an all-inclusive free stay for the entire summer.”
A humorless laugh catches in my throat as I spin around, leveling Wesley with a glare.
“Free?” I choke on the word. “This summer will cost me everything, you vapid dick.”
My entire body feels like I’ve been lit on fire. A single tear slides down in silent betrayal. I swipe it away before anyone can see.
Seconds feel like minutes and no one utters a single word as all three of them gape at me. But I stare back, refusing to cower. Tired of making myself smaller. Tired of everything.
I’m an angry crier—and I fucking hate it. People always mistake me for being sensitive or a crybaby when in reality, hot rage is bubbling over and I am on the verge of a catastrophic detonation.
“Ho-ly shit,” Emmett murmurs under his breath, eyes flicking between all of us.
I shrug, a bitter laugh slipping out as more tears rim my eyes, blurring everything. Wesley slowly raises his hands in surrender, a stunned expression falling over his face.
Heath clears his throat, breaking the tension.
“Sadie.” He glances at his sons before looking back at me. “I would really like it if you would have breakfast with us.”
My gaze clings to Wesley as he drops his hands to the edge of the island behind him. His eyes flicker with something unspoken, like a silent dare.
If this were poker, I’d fold.
“I’m not hungry.”
The words come out in a choked whisper as I turn and disappear into my room, locking the door behind me.