Page 67 of Untamed Heart
‘It was a shock for us too,’ Lil said, keeping her composure. ‘I just didn’t think it was the way we did things here. Not amongst old families, farming this land for generations. We’ve both been here for what – almost a hundred years now? Sinclairs and Deans, side by side?’
Dotty nodded, taking a long drink from her coffee. The tops of her cheekbones were tinged pink.
‘Elizabeth, Charlotte,’ she said eventually, looking to each of us. ‘You have my word when I say that there will be no repeat of Zach’s behaviour. You’re quite right, that is not how we do business here – with anyone, let alone old friends. In fact, I’ll go one better: I’ll have my lawyers change up my will. There will be no purchase of Diamond Back without forfeiting the right to inherit Elk Creek.’
Lil’s eyebrows were lost to her hairline.
‘I’m ashamed that my boy would do such a thing,’ she added, shaking her head. ‘But this is why we don’t ever leave the men in charge.’
Lil’s shoulders sagged with relief.
‘Thanks, Dotty.’
‘No, no, come on now. There’s no thanks needed. Although, I do thank you for coming to me on this. You had every right to take something like that to the sheriff, and then we’d all be in a whole other position.’
‘It won’t leave my phone,’ Lil replied, keeping her back straight as she held Dotty’s rigid gaze.
I held my breath; the implication was clear. She wasn’t deleting the recording. It would remain in her phone for safekeeping.
Dotty nodded in understanding.
‘Carrie raised a smart girl,’ she said, holding up her coffee in a small salute.
‘It was Lottie’s idea, actually,’ Lil said, giving me a sly look. ‘She reminded me who really calls the shots here. Took someone from outta state, outta the whole country to make me remember.’
Dotty’s clear blue eyes fixed on mine.
‘Well, your momma took quite a turn in moving all the way across the world, but it looks like the biggest piece of her came right back home, huh?’
As soon as we were halfway down the drive, a cloud of dust obscuring the back window, we turned to each other, grinning.
‘You did it,’ I said, relief overwhelming me in waves.
‘YOUdid it!’ Lil yelled, letting out a loud whoop of celebration as she smacked the steering wheel. ‘Holy shit, Lottie. Just like that, years of those assholes bullying us. Over. Thanks to you, honey. I was just so buried in trying to work through it, stay outta their sight . . . I forgot all about going to the source.’
‘It was Cole that actually reminded me, yesterday,’ I began, returning Lil’s suggestive smile and raised eyebrow. ‘He said behind every decent man in this state was a woman. I wouldn’t call Zach decent, but Cole was right about the rest of it.’
Lil paused as we rode over the cattle grid and out onto the main road, headed for the interstate.
‘So . . . am I going to lose my ranch manager anytime soon?’ she asked. ‘Or am I gaining my cousin full time?’
I stared at her, mouth half open with an answer, but knowing I couldn’t bullshit her or leave her with half-truths.
‘I . . . I want to fix this problem I’ve created, make this influencer idea work. The job I interviewed for in London a few days ago has offered me the role . . . but honestly, I don’t know yet. I’m . . .’ I shook my head, trying to find the right words. ‘I’m fucking crazy about him, Lil. But I’m also really scared of fucking up again, you know?’
Her face changed, and she reached over to rub my arm.
‘Honey, we all fuck up, every last one of us. But given what happened between you and your dad, I think you just need to listen to your gut on this one rather than anyone else, right?’ I nodded. ‘So I won’t try and persuade you of anything, but you need to know that Cole would never hurt you, not in the way that asshole did in London. And, Lottie, that man is head over heels into you, sugar. I’ve known him for what . . . more than ten years now, since he was fifteen or sixteen. I’ve never seen him like this over anyone, not even close. And I’m talking about evenbeforeyou went on up the mountain.’
At her sudden grin, I couldn’t help it. We both started laughing, relief and lightness mixing with schoolgirl humour as we reached the turning for the interstate.
‘Wait, wait,’ I said in between gasps. ‘We need to brainstorm this influencer plan. What do you say to going into town instead? We’ll get lunch and drinks to celebrate, I’ll make some calls and get things organized, then reclaim my title.’
Lil hiccupped back a laugh.
‘Okay, it might be good to have a few hours off anyways. But – title? What do you . . .’ Her eyes lit up, a fresh smile broadening across her face. ‘Oh, okay, guess I know which bar we’re going to then.’
‘Challenge accepted?’ I asked as she swung right onto the road, foot on the gas.
