Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 75734 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 379(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75734 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 379(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
I had one thing to be thankful for by the time we reached the Houstons’ ranch. Melanie had to meet Kenneth at a business dinner in two hours, and I would finally get a break. I plucked at the top I was wearing, wishing it were longer instead of stopping just above my waistline. The fact that I would be able to change into comfortable clothing soon was a relief.
“I’m sure Saxon will be working with the horses until late. With his father busy, he has more work to do. But don’t you worry about going to help. It will mess up your nails, and they look so lovely in that shade of pink. If Trevor comes by or calls, you are allowed to go wherever he wants to take you,” she said as we came to a stop in front of the house.
I wasn’t expecting a call or visit from Trevor, but I nodded my head. I had given up trying to explain that we were just friends. She didn’t seem to think that was possible and acted as if I weren’t even speaking when I tried to tell her there was nothing more going on.
Saxon was walking from the stables toward us as we got out of the car.
“Saxon, honey, I’ve got to hurry and get changed to meet your father for a dinner party at the Royces’. I’ll have Mrs. Jolene make sure you and Madeline have dinner,” Melanie called out to him before making her way up the steps to the front doors.
I waited on Saxon since he was still headed in our direction.
He gave me a once-over and smirked. “Looks like Mom had her way with you today,” he said.
I nodded.
“Looks good,” he told me.
I frowned and glanced down at the clothing she’d chosen for me. I didn’t want to say anything that might sound ungrateful, but I wasn’t comfortable being dressed up by someone else.
He laughed then.
I lifted my eyes back up to meet his. “What?” I asked.
“Your face is so damn expressive that you don’t have to speak for someone to know what you’re thinking. Don’t worry; this is all new for her. She’ll move on to something else soon. Just roll with it until she’s over having a girl in the house. She means well even if it doesn’t seem like it,” he said with a smile.
I had to hope he was right. I couldn’t do this for long. Melanie was turning me into someone I didn’t want to be. The image of Declan made me want to grimace. I wasn’t like them. I never would be. I’d seen life outside of this world of wealth. That was who I was. Not a pampered debutant.
Before I could think of a proper response, a black truck pulled up the drive.
“Shit,” Saxon muttered under his breath.
I turned to look back at him. “Who is it?” I asked, seeing the dread on his face.
“Not someone I want to deal with,” he replied quietly.
Curious, I watched as the driver’s door opened, and out stepped Blaise Hughes. I suddenly understood his reaction. Not liking Blaise was something we could agree on.
Blaise’s gaze cut to me, but only for a brief second. It was clear he wasn’t impressed with my makeover. He tilted the black cowboy hat on his head back with his pointer finger, and the sunlight made his green eyes stand out, even from this distance.
“I need boarding for Empire. You got room?” Blaise asked Saxon as he approached.
Saxon’s eyes widened. “Yeah, uh … I mean, I need to call Dad, but we have room. You found him?”
Blaise scowled. “Yeah, I found him.”
“Uh, that’s good,” he replied, and I could see he wanted to ask him more, but didn’t.
“Took my guys all fucking night,” he said with annoyance. “I’ll have him brought over before noon tomorrow. If there is an issue, have Kenneth call me.”
Saxon nodded. “Sure. No problem.”
Blaise looked over at the stables. “Do you have a stall farther away from the other horses? More secluded?” he asked.
Saxon cleared his throat and shifted his feet. Was he scared of Blaise? I hadn’t gotten that impression at the party. But right now, he appeared nervous.
“We can make one,” he assured him. “The horses are pretty evenly spread out, but I can move things around so Empire has his privacy.”
A horse that needed privacy? I rolled my eyes and looked off toward the house with a sigh. Blaise was infuriating. This was Saxon’s ranch. He didn’t have to bow down to Blaise simply because he was rude, arrogant, and liked to intimidate people.
“Am I bothering you, Madeline?”
Blaise using my name made my head snap back around, and I met his gaze.
His eyes still held that air of superiority, but there was a twinkle of amusement there that surprised me more than him knowing my name.