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“But it’s not too late. Trust me. My parents are two of the rottenest people you’ll ever meet, and I cut ties with them long ago. Yet deep down, I still care. They’re my family and always will be. It would take a lot, but if they made an honest effort, I’d forgive them.”
My voice wavers. Still, I won’t let the choke of emotion stop me. “It isn’t too late to make things right, Sage. You have a chance to make that effort. Just do what your children are asking. Do the right thing.”
Everyone stares at me with varying degrees of overwhelm, wonder, and perhaps even kindness. Scarlett links an arm with her twin while wiping tears from her eyes, and he pulls her close, kissing the top of her head.
Brooks wears a grin that spreads from ear to ear as does Cole. Even Trey’s usual frown has disappeared, replaced by a softer expression, and call me crazy, it might even be approval.
For the first time, it feels as if the Kincaides are accepting me, maybe even seeing me as one of them. I shudder, awestruck and also a little freaked out.
“Fine.” Sage sniffs and nods, seemingly unbothered by the single trail of wetness, already drying on her face. “I’ll contact the lawyer, Charlie, this week to see when he might have time to discuss it. There will be a process to follow, I’m sure. It won’t happen overnight.”
Does she mean it? Or is this another stall tactic? A way for her to keep the wolves at bay while she regroups and thinks of another plan of attack.
Ridge pulls open a drawer and holds out papers. “No need.”
Smiling, he places the neat stack of pages on the desk in front of her. “The documentation is already drawn up—in triplicate, and with page flags to mark the spots where you need to sign. Charlie had no problem doing it right away. He was quite agreeable to it, actually.”
She stares, dumbfounded, and I press my lips together to stifle my shock. Ridge isn’t kidding. He took the steps to make this happen, and not just someday, but now.
I stare at him with what I’m sure is disbelief or adoration or maybe a little of both, and he winks at me, grinning from ear to ear.
“Lace, you want to hand Mama that pen?”
“Uh.” I clear my throat, still stunned by how things are unfolding, and also warmed by his heated gaze.
Without a care for who’s in the room or the situation, Ridge only has eyes for me. His need ever-present and growing.
A ragged, lusty breath rushes from me and my cheeks flush. This man has no shame. His naughty grin widens as if to suggest he’s well aware of what he’s doing to me.
Our fingers brush as I take the pen from him, and I force a steady, “Of course,” extending the pen to Sage.
I watch as she signs over the future of Canyon Spring Ranch. Ridge’s warm hand lands on my shoulder and gently squeezes.
A small part of me can’t help but feel for Sage Kincaide. She isn’t a kind woman, but she recently lost her husband. She must still be grieving and now she’s losing control of the ranch. It can’t be easy to surrender, even if it’s the right thing to do, especially for a woman like her.
Before the ink’s done drying on the page, she stands, raises her chin in the air like any prideful person would, and leaves the room.
No one follows her—not even Trey. They all gather round, sharing a few hugs and handshakes, and gawk at her signature like they’re checking to make sure it’s real.
“Well, we did it. We won.” Ridge chuckles nervously as if he too can’t quite believe it’s true.
“No.” Brooks sighs, satisfied but resigned. “This is just the beginning. There’ll be repercussions. There always are.”
“Speaking of repercussions.” Ridge glances at me, and I don’t miss the subtle tic to his jaw. “We still have another problem.”
At first, I’m unsure what he means, then it hits me as he says grimly, “There’s also the matter of Lacy’s parents.”
Jett’s brow furrows. “What about them?”
With eyes on me, I fill them in on first Sage’s offer and then Ridge’s, and end by saying, “Now that they’ve had a taste of the Kincaide money, they’ll come back for more.”
“Just cut ’em off.” Jett shrugs, clearly missing the point.
Trey curtly shakes his head and looks at me. “We’ll make them listen. Understand that leaving you alone is best for them. But for now, let’s at least celebrate today’s victory. And Lacy, you won us this round.”
Startled by the praise, I’m unprepared when Ridge pulls me onto his lap. “Yes, she did. She’s an unstoppable fucking force of nature.”
I let out a squeak and wrap my arms around his neck. My lips graze the shell of his ear as I lean in so only he can hear. “You sure you don’t want to stop me?”
