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“I heard you inherited the farm. Congratulations.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, infinity,” he teased.
I chuckled, looking down at the slats of the porch.
“So what are you going to do with it?”
“Well, if you know that I inherited, you know Jake inherited half.”
“I do.”
“And you also know we have to decide everything together.”
“Naturally. Of course, I didn’t figure you’d stick around. I thought you’d be back to New York.”
I frowned. “You and everybody, it seems.”
“It makes sense, that’s all. Don’t take it personal,” he said, somehow sounding reassuring. “You know Dad’s been trying to acquire your farm forever. Maybe one day, it’ll be up to you and me. We can put the feud to bed by joining forces. I’m sure you know we could do a lot for your farm. How we could use our reach and money and expand.”
“I’m sure you could, but I think we’ll be just fine on our own. We’ve lasted this long.”
He smiled sidelong at me so amiably, not a single warning bell rang. “You have. And I’m sure you’ll outlive us all. But it’s a nice thought, isn’t it?”
I was just about to thank him again for a laugh and excuse myself, but before either of us could speak, the back door flew open, and Jake blew out.
He stormed. He brewed and crackled. He rumbled and thundered with whorls and eddies of darkness.
His eyes were locked on Chase.
But Chase watched him approach, unfazed. He took a final lazy drag of his cigarette and flicked it into the yard. “Heya, Jake. Condolences.”
“Fuck you, Patton.”
Chase put up his hands in surrender and straightened up with the fluid grace of a cat. “Come on now. You don’t want to do this today, do you?”
“Today feels like the best day to do it. If I had my way, you’d already be in your car on your way to your daddy’s house with a broken nose.”
“And since you didn’t have your way, who did?”
Neither of us answered, but I swore I heard a battle cry rattling in Jake’s chest.
“I see,” he said with that cavalier smile on his face. “Well, I think I’ll say my goodbyes.” He turned to me. “It was nice seeing you again, Olivia. Hope next time it’s under better circumstances.”
I didn’t know how to respond, and he didn’t seem to need me to. He and Jake eyed each other like wolves as Chase passed and mercifully left our presence.
I exhaled, sagging against the wall. “God, thank you for—”
“What the fuck did he want, Olivia?”
My brows drew together in confusion. “Excuse me?”
“What did he want with you?”
“Nothing. He just happened to be here when I snuck out for some air.”
“He wants you to sell, doesn’t he? He wants you to sell to his greedy daddy.”
“He talked about working together, but—”
“What did you say?” He loomed over me, everything about him accusing. “What did you tell him?”
“Nothing! If I wouldn’t sell to you, why the hell do you think I’d sell to Patton?”
“Chase Patton gets what he wants. This farm. You too, if I know anything about him—and I know too much. He gets whatever he wants, and he’ll take it before you’ve even had a chance to refuse.”
“I cannot believe you,” I said, my hands shaking from fury. “I cannot believe you’d accuse me of—”
“You know better than to get in bed with the devil, Olivia. Don’t give me any more reason to fight you for this farm.”
I stood, dumbfounded, as he gave me his back and headed for the door.
With a slam, he was gone.
And I was alone once again.
7
Farmgirl
OLIVIA
I deserve a gold star.
The shower stream pinged my skin like hot little knives, but I didn’t touch the faucet. Instead, I sighed, closed my eyes, and tipped my head up.
Really, I should have made one of those adult chore charts. Do laundry? Get a star. Make your bed? Shiny little sticker. Shower? That should be worth two. Fill it up, and you get a pair of designer shoes. Not that they’d do me any good out here, but think of how pretty my closet would be.
I’d spent the last three days in bed. Chase Patton had been right about one thing—the day after the funeral had been worse. Even the rest of the wake was unbearable, the sting of Jake’s dressing-down fresh and raw. We avoided each other like a couple of south magnets, the force too great to fight. It was easy to stay away given the density of the ring of people around him. By the look he’d worn, you’d think he was trying to take a nap on a porcupine, but he stood there and listened as everyone offered their condolences. Occasionally, one of them sought me out, offered a few words, and headed away again. But few of them knew me, not after all this time. Some of them had a look in their eyes, a quiet hurt, directed at me.
