Chapter Three #2
“Nice to meet you. I’m Sam Brown,” he replied in a deep baritone. Ellen gently nudged Sadie with her elbow. Sadie didn’t know what to do about it, though she recognized that his voice sounded very smooth and warm.
“We are here to see Sadie!” the little girl told Daniel as she pointed at the women. She was still sitting high up in the saddle, seemingly with no fear at all. Despite its intimidating size, the stallion was as calm as a sleeping lamb.
Sadie knew about horses and small children and assumed that it was because of the little girl. She couldn’t help it, the breeder in her desperately wanted to learn more about this horse. It was breathtaking.
Up until then, Sam still had his back turned to them, until he finally lifted his head and followed where the little girl was pointing. His gaze locked with Sadie’s.
Sadie’s breath hitched.
His eyes were as blue as the brightest summer sky. There was a shadow of a beard along his strong jawline and his full lips curved into a kind smile as he tipped his hat in greeting.
Sadie’s fingers dug into Ellen’s arm and she forgot how to breathe for a second.
“He’s so handsome!” she whispered to her friend. Ellen snorted at her reaction.
“Is Walter out of the picture, then?” she asked with a giggle. Sadie looked at her as if she was speaking another language.
“Who is Walter?” Sadie asked. Both burst out laughing. It released some of the tightness in Sadie’s body. She hadn’t been aware that she’d been so tense.
Turning back around, Sam carefully lifted the little girl down from the saddle and onto the ground. Sadie expected her to run away, but she didn’t. She stepped aside and waited, happily bouncing on the balls of her feet, though she did wave again.
“What’s his name?” Daniel asked about the horse as he took the reins, scratching its strong neck. “He is gorgeous!” Sam smiled at that with a nod.
“Thank you,” Sam replied politely. “His name is Black Shadow. He’s followed my daughter around like a shadow since she could walk, so…”
Daniel smiled at that. “I’ll take good care of him,” he said.
Sam nodded. Then, he turned and looked back up the porch. He hastily pulled off his hat and combed his fingers through his long black hair before he started walking with long strides toward the women.
Sadie could see that he was just as nervous as she was. His mouth was a thin line, hinting at an awkward smile, and his gaze kept darting back and forth between her and Ellen. He was probably unsure which of the two he needed to speak to, though his eyes lingered on Sadie a tad longer.
However, the little girl had no such inhibitions.
She ran ahead of her father and came bouncing up the steps to the porch, smiling from ear to ear.
Looking up at Ellen and Sadie, she did a polite little curtsy—the cutest thing Sadie had ever seen—then she confidently stretched her hand out to Sadie.
“Are you Sadie?” she asked curiously. The girl had the greenest eyes and her little button nose was dotted with tiny freckles.
“Aren’t you a smart one!” Sadie said with a nod, as she crouched down, gently taking the girl’s hand. “And what is your name?”
“Oh, I’m Ruby!” she exclaimed with a shy giggle. “Grammy told me to say that first. I forgot.” Sadie laughed softly.
“I won’t tell,” she said quietly. Ruby beamed at her.
“Would you like a cookie?” Ellen asked then, taking the girl’s hand. Ruby looked back at her father, but he nodded reassuringly, so she happily followed Ellen.
Sadie watched as the two of them bounced toward the table. She chuckled and straightened up, coming face to chest with Sam Brown.
He was at least a foot and a half taller than her and she had to tilt her head back to look at his face. Seeing him that close took her breath away. His eyes were so intense, she couldn’t look away.
He cleared his throat. “Miss Nielsen? I’m Sam Brown,” he introduced himself, awkwardly holding out his hand. Sadie nodded shyly and took it, trying to deliver a strong handshake.
Her father had always told her how important a strong handshake was, because it was the first real impression a man got from somebody, and Sadie wanted to leave a strong impression.
Taking a deep breath, she slipped into her business persona, the one her father had taught her, where she’d learned to stand her ground and not back down.
The only difference was that she wasn’t trying to buy or sell a horse this time.
She was trying to find a husband. Looking at the man in front of her, she wondered if this could be him. The kindness in his eyes certainly drew her in.
“It’s so nice to meet you, Mr. Brown,” she replied politely. “I’m sure the circumstances are equally uncomfortable for both of us.”
Sam tilted his head slightly, then nodded.
“It’s definitely not something I’ve ever done before,” he replied with a shy smile.
“Would you like a cold beverage? Or a tartlet? Louise made fresh lemonade this morning,” Sadie offered, just because she didn’t know how to steer the conversation to the actual reason Sam had come here.
“Lemonade would be great,” he replied, nervously turning his Stetson in his hands.
“Please, take a seat,” Sadie said, pointing at the chairs dotted all along the porch. Then, she turned around and rushed toward the table where Ellen and Ruby were discussing the perfect consistency of cookies.
Sadie grabbed two glasses and started to pour some of the lemonade into them with a small ladle. She was so nervous, she wanted to run to her room and hide underneath the covers.
“I don’t know where to start,” Sadie admitted to Ellen with a panicked look. Ellen released a small sigh. Then she took two cookies off the plate and handed them to Ruby.
“Why don’t you bring these to your father, Ruby?” she told her with a bright smile. Ruby didn’t even hesitate. She spun right around and ran down the porch to where Sam was sitting. Then, Ellen turned back to Sadie.
“Do you dislike him?” she asked directly. Sadie’s jaw dropped at the question, but she shook her head.
“That’s not it. He seems very nice,” she told her friend. “I’m just so nervous. How do I ask a strange man to marry me?”
Ellen’s eyebrows shot up, then her shoulders. “I don’t know,” Ellen said with a whiny undertone. It wasn’t very helpful in that moment. Where had her earlier confidence suddenly disappeared to?
“Think about what it would be like to be married to Walter,” Louise said quietly as she stepped through the front door out onto the porch.
“To marry your uncle just so you can keep the ranch your father built? What do you think Walter will do, once he’s got his hands on everything?
Everything you already own, might I add. ”
For a brief moment, Sadie’s heart felt heavy. Losing the ranch would never be an option. She couldn’t let Walter win. Ever!
Louise looked over the table, pretending to check on it, but then her eyes landed on Sam. She gasped and her hand flew to her chest. Then, she stared at Sadie, seemingly slightly bewildered. She cleared her throat.
“You could either marry Walter,” she repeated with a disgusted face. “Or, you could come to an agreement with that incredibly handsome young man over there. Is that even a question?”
Ellen nodded in agreement with Louise.
They were right. It wasn’t a question. Sadie could do this.
She pulled her shoulders back, inhaled deeply, took both glasses, and walked toward Sam.