“It looks like they’ve got a group in for the festival,” Evan said, pointing to the parking lot filled with cars.
They drove a little farther to the large two-story family home. It flooded Sadie with so many good memories that she struggled to fight back the tears. She didn’t need Evan seeing her this vulnerable. He might have changed in some ways, but he probably wouldn’t know what to do with a sobbing girl.
Evan parked the car and looked over at her. “Remember. Just say the word.”
“Words. Corn dogs are two words, Goose.” Her laugh relaxed her enough that she opened the door and stepped out of the Tahoe. The air was crisp and cool, causing her to rub her hands up and down her arms. She ran around the side of the vehicle and met up with Evan. “I forgot how cold it gets here. I’ve been in all the warm places this past year.”
They were only a few steps away from the front stairs when the door opened. A woman with thick gray streaks in honey-colored hair came out, her hands over her mouth.
“Sadie-bug! Oh, girl, isn’t this the best surprise ever! First, I get all of my kids to come around for the festival, and then I get the present of having you visit. Come here, girl, and give me a hug.” The woman moved down the steps and met Sadie, wrapping her in a tight hug.
Sadie hugged back, feeling a couple of tears sliding out. “It’s so good to see you, Dolores. The place looks as great as ever.”
Dolores took a step back and used her thumbs to wipe at the tears rolling down Sadie’s cheeks. “It’s even better now that you’re here.” She turned to Evan and gave him a hug. “It’s about time you made it back home. It’s been a few months, and I was beginning to worry that your hotel had swallowed you whole.”
Her comment caused Sadie to laugh out loud, and Evan turned, shaking his head. “I’m just trying to get this one all done, Mom. You know how much work I’ve put into it. Once I’ve got everyone trained, I’ll be able to escape and come home more often.”
Dolores turned and walked up the steps, waving them to follow her. “Right, and then you’ll ask Roman to find you another fixer-upper hotel, and we won’t see you again for another five years.”
“Why does Roman sound familiar?” Sadie asked as they walked into the house. The smell of freshly baked bread and something sweet made her stomach grumble.
“Come in here, and we’ll get you two some stew. Roman is one of Evan’s frat brothers, the British one, I think.” Dolores smiled as she scooped beef stew into two bowls.
Evan slid onto one of the stools at the bar and patted the one next to him for Sadie to sit down. For some reason, it felt intimate, like something he should be doing for a girlfriend. She sat, taking the bowl and turning her thoughts to her stomach and not how good he smelled next to her.
“Roman is an international real estate broker and developer. A lot of the guys from Delta Phi have tried to help each other out where we can with our businesses. He helps me find places that are more run down that I can renovate and then make a profit, like the hotel in Vegas. I’ve built a few hotels, but there’s something about revitalizing something that’s already built. As though it has a story but just needs a good shine.” He stirred his soup around. “His fiancée, Isabelle, is a designer, and she came out for a couple of weeks at the end of August to help give tips for the décor.”
“I’d been wondering who your designer was. I didn’t think it would be all your ideas that could move in such cohesion.” She giggled and elbowed him playfully.
He gave her a feigned look of hurt, and something about it—the whole day, really—seemed to settle her, like she could really have peace in her life. Sadie took a bite of the stew, savoring the flavors. It had been some time since she’d had a good home-cooked meal, the last one probably from this kitchen.
“Is Roman one of the members of the IBC, or whatever it is you call your little club?” Sadie asked, trying to hold back a grin.
Evan did the same and said, “Little club? How did you hear about our club?”
“Aubrey was laughing about it one day a while back. It sounds like you need to have a treehouse or something.” She was able to hold off her laugh only long enough for Dolores to join in, and the two of them laughed while Evan just shook his head. “What does IBC stand for anyway?” she asked.
Looking as though he had swallowed a large chunk of meat, Evan took a second, pounding his fist against his chest.
Dolores finally spoke up. “It’s International Billionaire Club. Aiden’s a part of it too. It’s still crazy to think that I have kids who’ve been able to turn a passion into a career, but I’m proud of all of them.” She beamed, and Sadie thought of all the times Aubrey had felt guilty for her love of medicine. With Dolores’s words, Sadie knew their mother was telling the truth.
“Where is Darren?” Evan asked, breaking off a piece of bread.
“He and the kids went into town to get some more rope. Some of the guests broke several cords of it, and we’re trying to stock up for the weekend. There are a lot of families in town this year, and I’m excited to have my whole family to show off.” She grabbed a rag from the sink and started wiping at the countertop. “Travis is flying in tomorrow morning, so we’ll have the whole gang with us.”
Sadie could see how excited Dolores was at the prospect of having her family together. With the oldest son, Darren, being the only one still on the ranch, it was probably hard to get the rest of her family together as they lived several hours or states away and were busy with their own businesses and dreams.
Carl Pearson, Evan’s father, strolled in, setting his cowboy hat on a hook on the hall where Sadie could see. Walking in a bit farther, he stopped short when Dolores turned and said, “Don’t be coming into my clean kitchen with boots that look like that.”
With a sheepish grin, Carl turned and moved the few steps back to slip off his cowboy boots. With a quick shuffle step toward his wife, he gave her a kiss and said, “Do you mind scooping me up some stew while I wash my hands?”
Dolores gave him a look that said she was unsure she should do it, before moving to pull another bowl out of the cupboard. “How did the rides go?”
Sadie remembered going on a few excursions with some of the guests that stayed at the lodge. They would take several horses out on a trail that led back into the mountain behind them, allowing the people to experience an easy ride, especially since most of them had little to no experience with horses.
“They went well. Aiden and Taryn took the last group out about an hour ago, so we’ll just have to keep an eye out for them.” Carl leaned against the counter and scooped a spoonful of stew into his mouth. He looked up and stopped, blinking as if he weren’t seeing clearly. “Hey, you two. I didn’t know you were coming in.”
“I’m surprised Taryn kept it a secret. She’s the one who convinced Sadie to come home.” Evan turned and gave her a smile, causing her insides to flip.
“Where’s Aubrey?” Sadie asked, hoping to deflect any questions about why she’d stayed away for so long.
Dolores looked at Carl, who smiled and said, “I think she was out cleaning the stalls, grumbling about coming home and having to do the worst job.”
Sadie and Evan both laughed. But it was Evan’s comment that sent her into fits. “She’s the youngest. She may as well get a taste of what the rest of us had to do.”
Sadie tried to sober as she said, “Younger than you by two whole minutes. I’m sure that has made her life easier.”
Dolores stuck out her hand, and Sadie gave her a high-five, the room alive with laughter. Sadie felt the happiness well up inside and thought about how different this home had been than her own. Things in her family had been mostly tense. She hadn’t felt able to be herself or speak her mind until she’d gone to college.
“Well, eat up, you three. We’ve got a few more things to get ready before the festival starts in the morning. I’d love to say you could sleep in, but we’ll be working from dawn ‘til we drop tomorrow, so I hope you’re prepa
red for it.”
Sadie nodded when the woman pointed at her. “I’m kind of excited now. It’s been so long since I made it to the Fall Festival.”
Evan turned, talking in a loud whisper. “You won’t be excited when you end up being the gopher tomorrow.”
Dolores picked up the paper from the counter, folding it in half, and tried to swat at Evan, who jumped out of his chair and moved back before she could make contact. Turning to Sadie, she said, “I always had the hardest time catching him to give him a whooping. But I guess those reflexes were good for a lot of things. I’m just glad you decided not to go pro.”
Evan resumed his seat, his mood more somber now than before. Sadie saw the muscles in his jaw tighten, much like they had after she’d said something to him about being arrogant back in college. That must be another soft spot.
She reached over and touched his hand on his knee, squeezing it a bit. He looked up at her, that same vulnerability in his eyes. She gave him a small smile, hoping he could understand that she’d be there for him too. Maybe the guy with the big ego wasn’t as arrogant as she’d imagined.
Chapter 11
After sleeping in his old room with Aiden in the other twin bed next to him just like old times, Evan could hear his parents getting up early that next morning. Clicking on his phone, he saw it was only four in the morning and groaned, knowing he should get up and help. Every part of him was tired, and he hadn’t even begun to do the regular work of the ranch.
“Aiden,” he whispered. “You up?”
A groan came from the other side of the bed. “Do I have to be?”
“I thought we’d have a couple more hours of sleep, but I guess I forgot to factor in that we lost an hour when we crossed state lines.”
Aiden rolled over as if trying to get comfortable again. A knock came at the door, and Evan held still, waiting to see who would break and get up to open it. They’d done that many times growing up, and Evan felt like he was in some weird time loop. After the knock came again, Evan threw back the covers and walked to the door, turning the handle.
“Huh?” he grunted as he tried to shield his eyes from the light in the hallway.
“We need to get going. Do you mind helping out with the cows this morning?” his father asked, his voice echoing down the halls. He’d never been able to whisper, and this early in the morning, it sounded like he had a speaker next to Evan’s ear.
“I’ll make Aiden do it.”
From behind him, Aiden said, “You will not!”
His father grinned and shook his head. “You’d think the two of you would be grown up now. This sounds like the same argument we’ve had to mediate for twenty-nine years. Go get to the cows, now. We don’t want your mother crying over wasted milk.” He took off down the hall, his heavy steps echoing the whole way down.
“Come with me,” he told Aiden. “Then maybe we can get a nap in before we have to go to the festival to help. I wonder why Mom and Dad are heading over there so early.”
Aiden sat up, swinging his legs around to rest on the floor. “They said they couldn’t get their booth to stand up on its own. Something about a board went missing. I bet Mom hasn’t slept a wink, worrying about it.”
“You’re probably right about that.” The booth the Pearson family put together every year was one of the most shopped, with options of fall and Christmas décor. From signs to hang on the front door to ornaments, his mother made them all and loved every minute of it. It helped that they also sold hot chocolate, an old family recipe that people had been trying to copy for years. Since the weather wasn’t always reliable at the end of October, the warm liquid usually sold fast.
Working together, the boys finished with the cows by five thirty, enough time to head in for a quick nap before they had to get up at seven to head to the festival grounds. Even though the festival began on a Friday, there were already a lot of people in town for it, and when it officially opened at eight in the morning, there would be a large crowd waiting.
After a short nap and a quick shower, Evan came down the stairs for breakfast, dressed in his jeans and a plaid button-up. It felt a little strange to go back to this style when he was so used to wearing a suit and tie, but this was life in Aspen Hollow, and it was like slipping on a glove, preparing himself for the business of the day.
When he made it to the kitchen, he found Sadie and Aubrey already there, looking only half-awake. With a grin, he said, “Rough night? Or did you two just stay up late talking like always?”
“That is none of your business.” Sadie’s response made him laugh at the exaggeration in her tone, the corners of her mouth hesitating to turn upward.
Raising his hands in the air, he stepped over to the toaster to set a bagel in to toast. “I’m surprised you’re already up, Aubs. I didn’t even have to drag you out of bed.”
“Please, I’ve been awake for the past half-hour. My legs are still hurting from cleaning out those stalls yesterday. I thought I was in shape with all of the working out and walking around the hospital all day.” She reached up and rubbed her shoulder, her lips jutted out in a pout.
Evan let out a short laugh. “Ranch life. I think that’s why it’s twice as hard to stay in shape in the city.”
“You and Aiden had to milk cows this morning, huh?” Sadie said, cutting a fried egg and placing a piece into her mouth.
Evan pulled out the cream cheese, grape jelly, and some milk from the fridge. “How’d you know about that?” he asked, turning to set everything on the island.
“I could hear you. You and Aiden aren’t the quietest people in the world at four in the morning.” One corner of her mouth turned up, causing Evan to laugh.
His bagel popped, and he pulled it out, setting it on a paper towel on the island. Spreading cream cheese and then a layer of grape jelly on top, he moved to pull a glass from the cabinet, filling it with milk.
“Ew. You still like that?” Sadie asked.
When Evan looked up, he saw Sadie’s nose scrunched in disgust.
“Are you kidding? He’s liked that since we were three. It just looks wrong.” Aubrey made the same face as Sadie, and Evan laughed.
“Wow! I didn’t know I could be insulted so much in five minutes. This happens to be delicious. You should try it.” He held one half of it up to Sadie, who looked at it with suspicion.
After several seconds of what looked like internal debate, she leaned forward and took a bite. As he held it up for her, the move felt more intimate than he was used to, but after seeing the panic in her face when they’d driven closer and closer to Aspen Hollow, it felt right.
She chewed for a few seconds, her face neutral.
“Well?” he finally asked.
“It’s actually kind of good. The flavors go together surprisingly well.”
“That’s what I thought. All you had to do was try it instead of knocking it all this time.” He smiled at her, staring into her bright green eyes. As his gaze flicked down to her lips, for the first time in his life, he wished his sister would just disappear. What would it be like to kiss Sadie?
Once the thought entered his mind, his brain started backpedaling, reminding him of everything Stacey had done to him and that he needed to stay focused on getting the festival over with and then the wedding. Sadie’s schedule didn’t sound like she stayed in one place for too long, and for the foreseeable future, he’d be in Vegas, working to train his people at the hotel.
Footsteps sounded on the stairs, and Aiden appeared several moments later. “Did you put a bagel in for me?” he asked Evan.
Shaking his head, Evan said, “No, sorry, bro. I was educating Sadie on the finer things of life.”
A light, airy laugh came from Sadie, and she put her hands up in a stopping motion. “I may have said that I liked the combination of toppings on the bagel, but I wouldn’t go so far as to call them the finer things of life.” All four of them laughed, and Evan dropped his mouth open, trying to make it look exaggerated. A moment later, h
e grinned, wiggling his eyebrows so she’d know he was kidding.
A few minutes later, the four of them headed out the door and piled into Evan’s Tahoe. The other two scrambled into the back seat, leaving Sadie looking confused. She slid into the passenger seat, looking a bit stiffer than the day before.
Trying to shake it off, Evan pulled the vehicle out and onto the main road leading to town. It took a few minutes, and they sang along to the radio.
“Let’s not start a band,” Aubrey joked as the song ended. Her comment set off fits of laughter, and Evan sat back, realizing how much he loved this. He missed being able to pal around with these three and wished he’d realized that back in the day. Back when he thought football and being popular were the most important parts of high school.
“Penny for your thoughts,” Sadie said.
He turned to see a serious expression on Sadie’s face. Grinning, he said, “I just thought how nice it is to do this. It feels like old times with all of us together.”
Her smile lit up her face. “It does, doesn’t it? You looked like you were regretting something, though. Anything I can help you with?” She turned, and Evan saw Aiden and Aubrey engrossed in something on one of their phones.
“I was just thinking about how much I missed out on, especially in college.”
“What do you mean? It sounds like most of your success comes from associating with your frat brothers.”
Evan nodded. “True. I made some lifelong friendships. But your comment the other day made me realize that there were a lot of times when I didn’t think about others or what they wanted. I just hope I haven’t missed out on too many opportunities because I was too self-involved.”
The Vegas Billionaire: An International Billionaire Club Series Page 6
