“Hey, Aunt Nealy, you got room for one more?” He stood in the sunlight, his bags at his feet.
“Absolutely.” Nealy smiled.
“Is there room for me, too?” Lee Liu asked.
“There will always be room for you, Lee.”
“Do ya suppose there’s room for this cranky, old curmudgeon?” Cordell Lancer bellowed as he trotted up the breezeway.
“For sure there’s room for you, Cordell.”
Nealy felt like the Pied Piper as she led the way out into the early-morning sunshine, where her husband waited for her. The old blue truck was parked behind Hatch’s Range Rover. She itched to sit in it and then drive it. All the way back to Virginia.
Hatch led the way as far as the gate. He stopped, and Nealy stopped behind him to watch the driver of the eighteen-wheeler dismantle the two bronze statues standing guard over Blue Diamond Farms. They belonged with her because she loved them.
The minute the eighteen-wheeler pulled onto the highway, Nealy scooted back to the blue truck. She turned on the ignition and followed Hatch.
She didn’t look back.
Sitting next to her, Jake started to sing, “Off we go into the wild blue yonder . . .”
“Riding high into the sky . . .” Nealy sang along with him.
Epilogue
Blue Diamond Farms
Five years later
Emmie Coleman sat on the steps of the front porch and looked out across what had once been the beautiful, luscious landscape of Blue Diamond Farms.
Five years of neglect had reduced it to nothing more than a bunch of empty barns, scorched grass, and a house badly in need of repair.
All the horses were gone, sold off to the highest bidder. Only Hifly and a barn buddy named Omar remained. No dogs or cats roamed the breezeway the way they had when she was growing up there.
It was a sad testimony to her reign as sole owner of the famous Blue Diamond Farms.
She wondered where her father was these days. He called from time to time, but he was another sad testimony to family life. He had simply expected too much from her, and when she didn’t do what was expected, he’d chastise her until ugly words passed between them. Like her mother, he’d finally given up on her. He didn’t understand, or maybe he refused to understand, that she wasn’t perfect like her famous mother. Even her daughter Gabby refused to understand the way things were. In a weak moment she’d allowed her to visit her father after she’d started to ask questions, something she never thought would happen. After her first visit to Ohio, she wanted to spend every holiday and all her summer vacations with him, or her grandfather, but mostly with her father. Just as recently as last month, she’d said she hated coming home to such a dreary place and would rather live with her father and Debra, whom she adored, along with her two little stepbrothers. It had been simpler to let her go than to cry and plead to have her stay.
Even Nick was a scarce visitor these days—or was it years? He said the farm depressed him and chided her for the way she’d run it into the ground in such a short time. He was busy with his new wife and twin daughters. The last time she’d seen him was two years ago. He did call every few months, but rarely said anything of interest to her.
Her mother called regularly, at least twice a week. They discussed the weather, Gabby’s grades in school, or her visits to her father’s house, always mundane things. Nealy constantly invited her to SunStar Farms, but she always had an excuse as to why she couldn’t go. She never invited her mother back to Blue Diamond Farms.
None of them understood.
She wondered what would happen if she sat there on the steps and never, ever, got up again.
When she saw the cloud of dust on the long driveway, she brought her hands to her eyes to shield them from the bright sun. A visitor. She didn’t have visitors these days. She hadn’t had a visitor in over a year.
It was a battered pickup full of dust and mud, but she could see it was maroon in color. The truck was probably half as old as the man driving it. Emmie stood up the moment the truck clunked to a stop to watch a man as weathered as his truck get out, shake down his denim jeans, adjust his hat, and walk forward.
“Afternoon, ma’am. I was wondering if you might have some work for me. My name is Denver Caldwell. This is Blue Diamond Farms, isn’t it?”
“Yes. What’s left of it. What did you have in mind?”
“Well from the looks of things, maybe sprucing it up a bit. I’m real handy with a hammer. I know how to paint without making a mess. I’m good with horses, too. I’ll work for my keep and a decent wage. If I might be so bold, ma’am, you look pretty as a picture standing there like that. This porch could use some flowers and maybe some of those hanging baskets. Real nice and shady in the summertime. It looks like just the place to drink a cold, frosty glass of lemonade. I just betcha in six months, I could have this place looking real nice.”
“Could you now? Would you like to stay for supper, Denver? I’m not much of a cook, but I get by. We could talk about it over supper.”
“I’d like that, ma’am. I think I should freshen up a bit. You got running water down at the barns, don’t you? Been driving the better part of three days. I can’t be coming to supper looking like this. You didn’t tell me your name.”
“Emmie. Emmie Coleman. Yes, there’s water down at the barn. There’s warm water if you want to shower. Just go into the little cottage across from the third barn. The door’s open.”
“Thank you, ma’am. What time is supper? I don’t want to be late.”
“An hour from now. Is that satisfactory?”
“Yes, ma’am, it is.”
Emmie walked over to the screen door. She frowned when she noticed the screen was half off the door. Then she smiled. This was what had happened to Maud Diamond. Jess had ridden in and taken over just when Blue Diamond was about to fall around Maud’s ears and she was about to lose everything. Jess had pulled it all together for Maud. A fairy tale.
She smiled all the way to the kitchen.
Maybe Denver Caldwell would be her Jess Wooley. Maybe Denver Caldwell would take care of her the way Jess had taken care of Maud Diamond.
Maybe.
Own the whole series . . . and put them on your keeper shelf!
“The Colemans of Texas and the Thorntons of Vegas just wouldn’t stay out of my head,” Fern Michaels said. “There’s more to their story. . . . and it has to be told.” Thus, the Kentucky Trilogy was begun. . . .
KENTUCKY RICH:
Josh Coleman left unfinished buisness at SunStar, the Thoroughbred horse farm he’d built from nothing. Now, thirty years later, his long-lost daughter, Nealy—now Nealy Coleman Diamond—comes back to settle an old score. No longer the teenaged waif who fled with her two-year-old daughter, Emmie, so long ago, Nealy is rich, sophisticated, and renowned in the Thoroughbred racing world. As owner of Blue Diamond Farms, she becomes the first woman jockey to win the Kentucky Derby. And that’s only the first of many challenges. . . .
KENTUCKY HEAT
Nealy’s two grown children are disappointments to her—they just don’t take the horse business seriously enough—so she sends them away and, once again, takes over at Blue Diamond Farms. Her first priority is Shufly, the colt destined to win the Triple Crown. But her world becomes complicated as her ex-husband’s law partner, Native-American Hatch Littletree, comes into her life. As Nealy experiences turmoil, comfort, pain, triumph—and one night of bloodcurdling terror—the reader is swept away, enthralled as the power of one woman’s indomitable spirit leaps off the page . . . and rushes like a Thoroughbred toward the finish line.
For a sneak preview of Nikki’s story
from another Sisterhood Series book,
read the tantalizing excerpt of
THE JURY
(Zebra, 2006)
Prologue
Nikki Quinn opened her eyes and groaned at the bright sunlight shining through her bedroom window. Normally she closed the blinds before getting into
bed, but last night she’d consumed way too much wine. Couple that with her frenzied state of mind and she was down for the count. If you added Jack Emery to the mix, she was nothing short of a basket case.
She rolled over and squeezed her eyes shut. Her cheek touched the damp pillow. Damn, she’d cried in her sleep again. What was wrong with her? She was tougher than this. She shouldn’t be falling apart emotionally like she was.
Temples throbbing, Nikki swung her legs over the side of the bed. She gripped the edge of the mattress before she got up to make her way to the shower. A nice hot shower, then a laser-like cold one and she should be up and running. Coffee and juice would add the final touch so she could get on with the day.
Get on with the day? Just what the hell did that mean lately? She’d lost her teaching job at Georgetown University. Her twelve-member all-female law firm, which she’d started up years ago with Myra Rutledge’s help, was thriving but these days, with things going as they were, she didn’t spend much time at the firm. Madeline Barrows did a wonderful job of managing everything in her absence. Still, she missed the routine, missed court, missed her colleagues.
As the hot, steamy spray pelted her body, Nikki’s thoughts took her back in time to when Myra Rutledge, her adoptive mother and heiress to a Fortune 500 candy company, had come up with the brilliant idea of forming the Sisterhood so that she could avenge her daughter’s death . . .
Water cascaded over Nikki’s head like a waterfall. Once, a long time ago, she and Jack had picnicked at a wonderful spot in Pennsylvania where there was a waterfall. They’d frolicked like little kids and then made love behind the sheer curtain of water . . .
All she had now were those memories, because Jack Emery was determined to put her and the other members of the Sisterhood in prison. So far, though, she and the sisters had remained one step ahead of the former assistant district attorney. Lost love was so very painful.
Nikki stepped out of the shower, toweled herself dry and then brushed her teeth.
It was June. A month for weddings. She and Jack were supposed to get married a year ago in June. But that never happened and probably never would happen now. She thought about the wedding gown hanging in her closet and how beautiful it was. Tears gathered in her eyes.
Memory Lane was not a good road for her to travel these days. She needed to move on. In fact, she thought she had until recently, when the Sisterhood had convened and her name had been chosen for their next revenge mission. She’d been so startled that she hadn’t said a word. When they formed the Sisterhood it had been her understanding that she was there for legal counsel. While she belonged, she wasn’t a true sister—she hadn’t been wronged by the judicial system. And now she had to come up with a wrong that needed to be made right. The only problem was, the only wrong thing in her life was Jack Emery. There was no way she could turn Jack over to the Sisterhood. Because . . . because . . . she still loved him.
Nikki felt lower than a snake’s belly as she dressed in a lime-green sundress with appliquéd sunflowers on the oversized patch pockets. Matching sandals completed her outfit. Her mind raced as she struggled to come up with a solution to her immediate problem.
Was she a member of the Sisterhood or not? Yes and no. She’d taken part in Kathryn’s, Julia’s and Myra’s missions. She’d been an active participant each time. That alone proved she was a true sister. And now it was her turn to exact a revenge on her own behalf. If she didn’t go with Jack as her mission, she would betray the others. She knew they would show her no mercy if she balked.
Nikki locked the door of her town house and walked to the parking lot and her BMW. She needed to talk to Myra and Charles and she needed to do it now before she drove herself insane. She had her cell phone in her hand even before she drove out of the parking lot.
“Madeline, it’s Nikki. I’m on my way to Pinewood. Is everything OK? How’s our new lawyer working out?”
“It’s only been ten days, Nikki. She’s had a few walk-ins but no cases that need to be litigated.”
“I hear a ‘but’ coming. Spit it out, Maddie. Do you think I made a mistake hiring her?”
“No. But she’s very aggressive, Nikki. Exceptionally so. She’s stepped on a few toes, but has apologized. I explained the pecking order to her. She didn’t take it well. I think she’ll do fine but she needs to be watched. When are you coming in?”
“I don’t know, Maddie. I have some things to take care of. I turned two of my cases over to Janice. I’ve got a clean plate for the time being. I’m thinking about taking a vacation. I need to get away.”
“Nikki, why don’t you just patch it up with Jack?” Maddie asked in a motherly tone.
“Easier said than done. Keep your eye on Allison. If it starts to look sticky, call me and I’ll fire her. I don’t want anything to upset the harmony we have in the office.”
“Will do, kiddo. Have a nice day.”
Nikki clicked off her cell phone. Had she made a mistake hiring Allison Banks? With so much on her mind it was entirely possible. She gave a mental shrug as she steered the BMW by rote.
Fifty minutes later, after filling her gas tank and getting a cup of coffee, Nikki barreled through the gates of Pinewood. By the time she parked the car and got out, she could see Myra leaning over the terrace railing.
“Darling, how wonderful to see you! Charles and I are having a late breakfast here on the terrace. Join us.”
Nikki entered the house, walked down two hallways to a set of French doors and then out to the terrace. It felt good to be hugged, to be kissed by someone who cared about her. She bit down on her lip as she fought to keep her tears in check.
“Sit down, dear. Orange juice?”
Nikki nodded as Charles poured coffee from an elaborate silver coffee pot. A plate of croissants and melon sat in the middle of the table. If she had to eat either one, Nikki knew she’d choke.
Charles sat down, his eyes full of concern. “Tell us what’s bothering you, Nikki. You look like you’re carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders.”
Nikki looked from one to the other. How dear they were to her. She blinked. “I feel like . . . like I’m in the Sisterhood under false pretenses. When we started the organization I thought I was just to be legal counsel and help in whatever way I could. I didn’t have a wrong that needed to be made right, other than losing Barbara, and we already avenged her death. Now it’s my turn and I really don’t have a mission. I know the others are expecting me to choose Jack and I simply can’t do that. I can’t, Myra. That doesn’t mean I want to leave the Sisterhood. I don’t. I just want a pass.”
Myra frowned. How she loved this young woman who was sitting across from her. She was so tortured, so driven. “That’s doable, dear. Why don’t you go away for a while? Take a nice, really long vacation. Go to the islands, soak in the sun, splash in the water, eat and sleep when you feel like it. The main reason I’m suggesting this is that we will not be reconvening at the end of June, when we were expecting Julia to return. Her doctor called last night and said her last blood test wasn’t as good as they would have liked. It seems he wants to keep her a little longer. It’s all still very positive, though. Her departure has been moved back till the end of August. Julia is disappointed but her health is the main concern. We called the others early this morning and all the girls are OK with moving our next mission back to September or even October. I called you, too, dear, but you had already left. So, you see, you’re free to take a nice long vacation. Charles can arrange everything.”
Nikki digested the information. She felt a sense of relief, but it was short-lived. Taking a vacation was fine but she would have to return eventually and deal with the problem of Jack Emery. You couldn’t put a Band-Aid on a severed artery. But as a short-term reprieve, the idea appealed to her.
“Jack?” Nikki said flatly.
Myra looked out across the newly mowed lawn and all the colorful flowerbeds. “Your revenge is yours, dear. If you want to, as you say, take a pas
s, then that has to be your decision. I think you need some private time to get things clear in your head. What do you think?”
“The firm? I don’t know, Myra. Maybe a few days, but there’s so much going on I’m not sure I can take an extended vacation.”
“Darling girl, you told me yourself Maddie runs the firm with a strong hand. You also told me you turned your pending cases over to Janice. There’s nothing standing in your way to prevent you taking an extended vacation—unless it’s Jack.”
Charles fiddled with the collar of his shirt. “Might I take this moment to tell you how tired and drawn you look, Nikki? You’ve been burning the candle at both ends and dealing with Mr. Emery at the same time. That alone would take a toll on anyone. I agree with Myra; a vacation is a good idea, my dear.”
Nikki clenched her teeth. “Is that an order?”
Myra leaned across the table to take Nikki’s hands in hers. “Actually dear, it is.”
A blue jay swooped down on the terrace before he settled on the iron railing to squawk his displeasure over something. Charles shredded a croissant and dropped it over the railing. The blue jay flew off, still squawking.
They were right and Nikki knew it. “All right, make the arrangements.”
Myra and Charles smiled. In spite of herself, Nikki laughed.
“What shall it be, the islands or the mountains?”
“The islands. I’ll leave the day after tomorrow. I need to go shopping. I think I’ll leave now and get a head start.”
“What about Mr. Emery, dear?” Myra asked.
“I doubt he’ll be joining me, Myra. He’s allergic to sun and sand. Will you call and keep me updated on the others, especially Julia?”
“Yes, of course. Myra and I decided a little while ago to take a road trip. We also have the Truckers’ Ball to look forward to. I think taking the summer off is a good thing for all of us. Alexis is getting settled back into her little house and enjoying the company of her dog. Isabelle has a few new clients to take care of and this is Yoko’s busy time at the nursery. Kathryn said she has several west-coast deliveries to make. We’ll reconvene on the first of September,” Charles said.
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