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I blushed when the woman behind the counter chuckled. When he set me down, he tipped his hat to her. “Hi, Sammy,” he greeted her.
She waved. “Hi, Jacob.”
“Come on, darlin’, let’s go get some delicious fatty desserts to munch on while you catch me up.”
“Darlin’? You really have gone down the western rabbit hole, haven’t you?” It was not a question. But by the little frown lines that appeared at the corners of his mouth, I assumed he hadn’t appreciated my comment. Well, too bad for him I always said what I meant.
An hour later, I sat wiggling on my chair in a massive office at the infamous Rawhide Ranch with the remnants of my cold coffee. The man who sat opposite me somehow reminded me of Gray, only an older version. He had an air of confidence and dominance about him that had me wanting to bolt for the door. And maybe I would have if Jacob hadn’t been leaning against it.
“You have quite a history, Miss Carrington. Do you have a problem with authority?”
Uh-oh. My eyes flew to Jacob. He nodded his head for me to answer, and I was suddenly grateful for the long lesson on what was expected of me here. I accepted the challenge and put on my most contrite expression. “No, Sir, I don’t have a problem with authority, Sir.”
Derek chuckled. “Relax, Harmony, this isn’t the military.”
I took a deep breath and fingered the rock in my pocket to stay calm.
“Jacob didn’t share much with us except to say that you were his cousin and in trouble. Can you tell me what brought you to Rawhide?”
This was what I had been rehearsing with Jacob in the truck. I swallowed, taking a moment to gather my courage. “I had an issue with a man back home and in order to avoid any potential scandal on the family or the institution, I was asked to leave. Uh, not just the school, but New York as well. My parents have… well they’ve dumped me, to be honest, and the only person I have in my life is Jacob. I begged him to help me.”
Yeah, not.
Harmony Carrington didn’t beg. “And he said you had a safe haven here where maybe I could seek shelter.”
Okay, so maybe I was milking it a bit, but I really needed to get this man on my side.
I grew uncomfortable under his stare, which had me feeling naked, like he could see inside of me and all my lies and deceit. I attempted to swallow the lump that had suddenly taken up residence in my throat and worked on remaining calm.
“What was the name of the school?”
“The Etiquette School of New York. It prepares you for university and the workforce. Unfortunately, I failed the program when I had a run-in with Gray Remington, my teacher.
A look appeared and disappeared so quickly on Derek’s face that I wondered if I’d really seen it. But I swore there was a glint of recognition in his eyes when I said Gray’s name. His family was extremely well-known for their philanthropic work, and I wouldn’t be surprised if their names had made it all the way to the Midwest, too.
After that he handed me a contract that I pretended to read—total yawn fest—and then Jacob walked me over to the university to settle in.
My dorm was empty, but Jacob explained that I did have roommates, and they were probably attending classes. I didn’t really care about roommates; I wasn’t exactly here to make friends. I dropped my stuff on the floor and exhausted, threw myself on the surprisingly comfortable, albeit small bed, and promptly fell asleep.
Chapter 4
Gray
I took the pathway that wound itself through the property instead of the tunnels I knew ran under the entire property to Derek and Sadie’s home, nicknamed The Big House on the map I carried. I had a feeling the sunset would be spectacular, and I wasn’t disappointed. Orange and pink streaks stretched across the vast sky. I passed a few couples snuggled on benches or picnic blankets who seemed equally mesmerized by the pretty colors and the perfect weather of the evening.
“Welcome.”
Derek reached out his hand to shake mine after greeting me at his front door. Standing back, he beckoned me inside. I was a rich man, old family money, and had seen some of the most exclusive homes in New York, and the Hawkins’ home easily rivaled the twenty-five-million-dollar penthouses currently on the market.
“Nice digs.”
Derek smiled. “Thanks. I thought a lot about what I wanted before I even broke ground on the place.”
I felt there was a message in his words. Earlier we had discussed my long-term plans, or lack thereof. I was honest with him when he asked me if I was happy. When was the last time anyone had asked me that question? Career and money didn’t necessarily equate to happiness. They were supposed to make attaining it easier, but sometimes I wondered if it wasn’t a hindrance more than an asset.
As Derek toured me through his home, which should be showcased in a Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous ranch-style magazine, I noticed the craftsmanship in every single detail.
“I don’t suppose you’ve read all of those?” I pointed to the vast library. I didn’t believe any person could have read that many books in two lifetimes, but you never knew.
