Chapter Ten #2
Sadie’s and Sam’s eyebrows shot up at the same time. She turned to openly look at her new husband.
“He seems to have a new favorite,” she said jokingly to him, though Sam could clearly see the concern settling over her features when her eyes narrowed slightly.
Sam didn’t say anything yet and just watched Walter, who jumped up the steps to the porch, where he tried to wipe off some of the mud splatters. They smeared, so he gave up.
“That road is terrible!” he exclaimed angrily, staring at Sadie as if she’d flung mud at him personally. “You need to do something about that!” Sadie crossed her arms in front of her chest and nodded slowly, though it wasn’t in agreement with what he’d said. It was more of a sarcastic gesture.
Then her uncle paused and openly scowled at her.
“Niece!” Walter yelled with a questioning look on his face. “Did you not hear me? I’d like to speak with your husband alone!”
Sam’s nostrils flared. He didn’t like the way Walter spoke to Sadie, but she surprised him when his new wife just shrugged nonchalantly, demonstratively turning her back to her uncle.
Looking at Sam, she shot him a pointed glance, then she walked inside the house as if she was unbothered.
Something told Sam that she would stay close by and try to listen to their conversation.
He hoped she would, because he wanted her to know everything that was being said.
Walter watched her with a leery expression. Then he spun around to Sam with a wide grin.
“Mr. Brown… or is it Nielsen, now?” he questioned with an inquisitive stare.
“What do you want?” Sam asked calmly, not taking the bait. Walter straightened to his full height and hooked his thumbs into the lapels of his suit jacket, bouncing on the balls of his feet.
“I have a business proposition for you,” he said then, which was completely unexpected.
Walter raised a single eyebrow, probably thinking that Sam was interested in hearing what he had to say.
He even paused for a brief moment, clearly waiting for his reaction, but Sam remained silent.
Instead, he sighed and crossed his arms in front of his chest. Walter quickly continued.
“I know of a local farmer nearby who is currently thinking about selling his ranch,” he said. “He’s getting old and he’s struggling, you know?” Walter obviously tried to appear sympathetic to the rancher’s situation, but Sam knew him well enough by now not to believe it.
“Either way,” Walter said with a tight mouth. “I need you to give me the money to buy it.” Sam stared at him with his mouth agape. Walter chuckled at that.
“I’m joking,” he said then. “I would like for us to buy that ranch together, as business partners. We’re men.
We should work together. My idea is that I would run that ranch while you take care of yours here.
That way, we can expand our businesses right next to each other, keeping the family together, you know?
” Sam slowly shook his head as he recovered from the initial shock.
“I’m not in the position to make any business deals right now,” he replied carefully.
Just because he and Sadie were married now didn’t mean that Sam could go and spend all her money—nor would he want to.
Walter clearly thought that he could get hold of Sadie’s wealth through him, but her uncle was sadly mistaken.
They had both signed contracts to protect her wealth from scenarios just like this one.
On top of that, Sam wasn’t interested in her money.
However, Walter clearly was. He scoffed dismissively.
“What do you mean?” he called out. “You are supposedly married now, so one way of proving to me that it’s true is you giving me some money!”
Sam was rapidly losing his patience. That didn’t even make sense. And the audacity of that man was unbelievable.
“You’ve got to stand up to her, my friend!” Walter continued his rant. “Don’t forget that everything my niece owns and has is now yours! You are the man in this marriage! You get to say what will happen with it and what not!”
Sam studied him for a long moment. It would be an understatement to say that he had a very bad feeling about Walter.
“That’s not how it works,” Sam countered with a flat tone.
“And even if it did, why would I give you—of all people—any money? I don’t know you.
You haven’t shown Sadie or me any kind of respect.
You are rude and abusive. In fact, I would kindly ask you to leave and not show up here unannounced anymore. ” Sam bit his tongue not to get louder.
“So, you won’t give me money?” Walter asked, clearly not intimidated by him.
Sam didn’t like to be challenged. He’d had his fair share of experiences with bad and mouthy men just like him when he’d worked as a sheriff.
He didn’t let them get away with it then, and he most certainly wouldn’t let Walter get away with it now.
He pulled his shoulders back and stepped closer to him, which finally forced Walter to move backward.
He held up both of his hands defensively.
“All right! All right!” Walter gave in, chuckling nervously. “One would think that you’d help out, since we are now family and all that.”
Sam ignored the comment, even though it very much rubbed him the wrong way. He’d never consider that man part of his family. He raised his head slightly to look down his nose at Walter.
“We’re done here,” Sam told him coldly.
“Are we? Are you not going to invite me in for a coffee?” Walter asked. Sam couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “We could chat and get to know each other better. Hey, maybe we could get together for a drink one day.” Sam grunted at that.
“Have a good day, Mr. Nielsen,” Sam said to him, turning on his heels to leave.
“Mr. Nielsen?” Walter exclaimed, outraged. “Isn’t that a little too formal? You married my niece! I’m your uncle-in-law now!” Then he laughed at his own joke, but Sam didn’t find it funny. Was there no way to get rid of this man?
“Just do me a favor and think about my business offer,” Walter called after him, as Sam stepped toward the front door, putting his hand on the knob.
When he pulled the door open, Sadie was standing right behind it and her eyes flashed with raw anger.