AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Duke cleared his throat, drawing my attention away from Lee. “Annie, you’ve outdone yourself. Smells great,” the grumpy but lovable farmer remarked, his voice gruff yet appreciative.
“Thanks.” I grinned, grateful for the compliment and the change in subject. “I wanted tonight to be a little bit special.”
Aunt Tootie walked into the room, her wispy gray hair piled high atop her head. Her eyes twinkled with mischief as she surveyed the scene. “What’s all this fuss about, honey?” she asked, her voice tinged with joyful curiosity.
“I kind of have something to share with everyone,” I replied, feeling a mix of anticipation and anxiety coursing through my veins. “I’ve been digging into the town’s history, and I think I might have found something.”
The room fell silent, and everyone turned their attention toward me. Even Lee, who stood by my side, squeezed my hand reassuringly.
“Okay, so,” I began, my voice barely above a whisper, “it’s clear the Sullivan family and the Kings were not always rivals. In fact, back in the late eighteen hundreds, I have proof that they were friends and neighbors.”
Stunned silence filled the room, and I continued, the words tumbling out of me like a cascade. “I found out that they intentionally purchased adjacent parcels of land through the Homestead Act, and it seems like their families shared a close friendship. But something happened, something that tore them apart, and the feud began.”
Kate’s eyes widened, mirroring the surprise that rippled through the room. “How is this possible? Our families have been at odds for generations. What happened?”
“I’m not entirely sure,” I admitted, my mind racing with possibilities. “But I think it’s connected to the strange goings-on at the farm. The tire tracks, the evidence of someone on the property, someone looking into mineral rights—it all might be tied to the secrets buried in your family’s past.”
Beckett leaned forward, his curiosity piqued. “Secrets are never good. Some are downright dangerous.”
I tamped down the ripple of unease at the truth in his words. I had to remind myself that he was talking about the farmhouse and not the major secret I was keeping.
I cleared my throat and pressed on, a surge of determination coursing through me. “It won’t be easy, but if we keep digging, we might finally be able to put an end to the feud and discover what really happened all those years ago.”
“End the feud?” Lee’s voice was incredulous. “Why the hell would we do that?”
Duke sighed. “I’d really like it if the Kings would stop fucking with my truck, for one. Last week someone paintedHonk if you’re hornyon my tailgate. It took me half a day to figure out why everyone in town kept honking and waving at me, grinning like a bunch of fools.”
I stifled a burst of laughter, and Lee covered his own chuckle with a fake cough.
As we gathered ourselves, silence hung in the air, the weight of my words settling upon us. The Sullivan family were waiting for my next move, for my guidance. I looked at Lee, his eyes filled with unwavering support and affection, and something inside me shifted.
Beckett’s words rattled around in my head.Secrets are never good. Some are downright dangerous.
* * *
“Is that rat shit?”My stomach curled as I backed away from the corner of the barn.
Lee shrugged. “Probably.”
I dropped the shovel with a clatter and raised both hands in the air. “Okay. I’m out.”
I stomped toward the barn door, but Lee stopped me. His gloved hand squeezed my elbow. “Hang on.” His hand reached into my hair. “You’ve got a cobweb crown happening.”
I squealed and danced on my toes as Lee plucked the web from my messy bun.
Dusting the front of my jeans, I pleaded with him. “Remind me what we are doing here, again?”
“Tootie said there were stacks of boxes with old family records buried in here somewhere. One might have more information on our land.”
I looked around the old barn. For as long as I could remember, all the kids in town swore it was haunted. Years ago, when Sullivan Farms expanded, the property around Highfield House was no longer the main property, so this barn was relegated to storage and housing mean old barn cats. Based on the evidence of mice, those cats weren’t doing a very good job.
I stared up at Lee as he finished fishing cobwebs out of my curls. Studying his face, affection and desire pooled in my belly. For so long I’d trained myself to not stare too long, but now that our relationship had evolved, I could stare all I wanted. His jaw was stubbly and strong. It cut at sharp angles, and I loved the way it moved when he was thinking or annoyed.
When I looked up, his eyes were staring down at me. “Why are you staring?”
His full lips pulled up on one corner. “You started it.”
I blushed and tried to look away, but his gloved hand caught my chin, forcing my eyes to meet his again. “Truth is, I’ve always been staring.”
