Ladd Fortune

by Dianne Venetta

  “You don’t have to tell me—I grew up with her!”

  “Point taken,” he said. Sliding a hand behind her back, he unwound her arms and entwined his fingers through hers. Holding her hand was nice. Simple, easy. His heart skipped a beat. Really nice. “This way.”

  Malcolm led her to a large tree trunk, a tight passageway cutting through rocks and roots as it forged a path to the forest floor. Twenty yards and they would be face-to-face with the gold.

  “Where is it?” she asked, scanning their vicinity.

  “It’s over there,” he said, pointing to the cluster of boulders, then looked down. “Are those your good boots? It’s a bit muddy down there and I’d hate to see them ruined.”

  Lacy laughed. “These are cowboy boots. They’re made for getting dirty!”

  Malcolm felt a quick rise to his cheeks. “Of course. Why didn’t I think of that?”

  “Because you’re a beach boy, not a country boy.”

  “You got me there,” he said, and gestured a hand. “Ladies first.”

  Without hesitation, Lacy scooted between bushes and rocks, hardly touching a single branch for balance or support. Like a rabbit, she scampered down in seconds and waited at the bottom while he made his descent.

  Steady as she goes, Malcolm mused, hoping he didn’t slip and slide his way down. He wasn’t sure his ego could stand the hit or his clothing the stain But to his pleasant surprise, he made it without issue, leaping from rock to trunk, then jumping down to within feet of her. His thigh muscles felt the burn—probably still recovering from his mad meadow dash—feats for which he’d pay dearly tomorrow. Definitely time to renew that gym membership, he mused.

  Guiding Lacy toward the gold, Malcolm was careful not to trip over large stones jutting from the ground beneath him. Small underbrush and ferns were matted in places, trampled from the recent slew of foot traffic, he presumed—something they’d have to put a stop to and soon. Delaney was right. There was nothing preventing Jeremiah from waltzing in here and taking the gold for himself. Other than a shotgun.

  Malcolm walked around the far side of the boulder, motioning for Lacy to join him. “It’s there,” he touched a finger to the cold gray stone before them. There was a distinct segment of discoloration, a scraggly mark across the surface. “You see this line? That’s the gold.”

  Doubt wrenched her features. “That’s it?”

  “It is,” he replied, lowering near her, the scent of her hair distracting as he hovered inches from her.

  “Wow,” she murmured, mesmerized by the exposed precious stone. She ran a finger along the jagged section, tracing the gouges. “It looks so...so...”

  “Anti-climactic?”

  She popped up and frowned. “Smarty pants.”

  Malcolm chuckled. “Looks a lot better in jewelry form, if you ask me.”

  A shadow fell across her face. “Me, too.”

  At her disappointment, he asked, “Not what you expected?”

  “Not really. I thought there would be huge chunks of it, like the whole rock would be gold-filled.”

  He lifted shoulders and hands and said, “Sorry to dash your hopes.”

  She turned to him. “Is there a lot here? I mean, is it worth a lot of money?”

  Lacy was back to twenty questions—questions he didn’t have answers to or the authority to give. “Don’t know. Nick is the one looking into it. They want to make arrangements to have it mined.”

  “Mined?” She gaped at the stone. “Why do they have to mine it, can’t they just chip it out?”

  He grinned. “Manner of expression. Yes, I’m sure they could chip it out, but they believe there’s a heck of a lot more underground.”

  “Huh.”

  “Huh?” Intrigued by her response, he asked, “Why does it look as if your mind is working on warp speed right now?”

  Lacy snapped the lens to her thoughts closed. “It’s curiosity, is all. I’ve never seen real gold. It’s... interesting.”

  “Interesting.” Amused by her choice of words, he suppressed a chuckle. “Well, have you seen enough?”

  “I have,” she quipped. “Now let’s get back to that picnic you promised me.”

  “I’m all yours.” Lacy trotted off, easily climbing up to the main trail. As usual, she was yards ahead of him, standing at the top waiting, tugging the ends of her skirt back in place. She brushed the back of her skirt, shaking back and forth, and suddenly Malcolm wanted a taste of her, a feel of her body next to his. With a punch of energy, he made it up the steep path in no time.

  “Do you want to go back and get the food?” she asked, heading back the way they came.

  He shook his head and moved toward her. “I’m not hungry.”

  “You’re not? But you hardly touched your chicken. It’s already three o’clock.”

  He smiled. “How about dinner? I’ll be hungry then.”

  Blue eyes blinked in confusion as Lacy walked sideways along the trail with him. “Dinner?”

  “Dinner. You know, restaurant, ambiance, food.”

  It dawned on her what he meant and a slow smile crept onto her lips. “Mr. Ward, are you asking me out on a date?”

  “I am.”

  With a new skip to her step, Lacy moved a few feet ahead of him, though her gaze remained steadily fastened on his. “Where are you going to take me?”

  “Where do you want to go?” he asked, playing along.

  “Well, we’ve been to Whiskey Joe’s,” she said, toying with him, keeping two steps ahead.

  “They serve food?” He shook his head as though surprised by the revelation, subtly lengthening his strides to close the space between them. “Huh. Didn’t notice.”

  She smiled and continued, “We’ve been to Aunt Frannie’s...”

  Malcolm grinned. “Seems we’re getting around, you and I.”

  “How about Lily Swan’s?”

  “Sounds perfect,” he said and lunged for her.

  Lacy shrieked, hurrying to dodge him, but Malcolm wrapped her up in his arms and she cried, “Let me go!”

  “No way. You might run off and leave me in these woods. I’d never catch you then.”

  Snuggling up within his embrace, she asked innocently, “Is that what you’re trying to do? Catch me?”

  Malcolm peered down at her. Short tendrils of shiny black hair framed her cheekbones, but it was her flirtatious twinkle that captured his full attention. “I absolutely am.”

  Lacy giggled and wriggled within his arms. Desire fired through him as she tilted her mouth upward. No more hard to get? When she closed her eyes, his loins pulsed. Malcolm brushed his nose against the side of her face, inhaling the scent of her, a mix of floral fragrance and light perspiration, then slid his lips over hers. The supple quality of her mouth was almost too much to stand. He kissed her. She was soft and pliant, hunger and desire drove him harder, deeper.

  Lacy gasped and pulled away from him, her mouth soft and swollen from his. “Whoa.”

  Searching for disapproval, Malcolm found none.

  “That was some kind of wow.”

  Pleased, Malcolm smiled. Moving her back against the flat expanse of a large rock, he interlaced his fingers with hers and swept her arms above her head, pinning her in place.

  Lacy gazed at him, her gaze fluid, attentive. “But what about dinner?”

  “Dinner can wait. You can’t.” Malcolm pecked her forehead, her nose, then stared into the depths of her eyes. Lacy stared right back. He savored the sight of her, the feel of her curvy body beneath him. “I’ve never met anyone like you before.”

  She smiled, as though this were old news.

  “I can’t get you out of my mind.”

  “That’s good, right?” she asked.

  “It’s better than good. It’s phenomenal.” Malcolm gently pressed into her. He kissed her again, only this time it was more caress than kiss. He wanted to immerse himself in the sensation of her, his building desire, and thoughts of bringing the two together as
one. He wanted to think about Lacy and the way she made him feel. Her exuberance, her spirit. He wanted Lacy so bad right now he could take her right here. Touching his forehead to hers, he drew her arms down her sides and held her close. He nuzzled his nose against hers. Dinner. Must hold back until dinner.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Lacy waved goodbye to Malcolm as he walked out of Aunt Frannie’s diner. “Toodles!” she called out, her heart singing. Malcolm had kissed her today, kissed her right out in the open and here at Frannie’s, too. Trailing him through the front windows as he walked back to his truck, Lacy sighed. Malcolm was so wonderful. Handsome, smart, and he shared the gold with her. Gold. On Ladd Springs. How thrilling!

  “Hey, sugar!”

  “Hey, Aunt Frannie!” Lacy hurried over to meet her aunt and was instantly enveloped in a hug, Shalimar perfume permeating her senses with a dose of nostalgia. The fragrance reminded Lacy of her momma. She used to wear the same perfume, and breathing in the scent of Frannie’s made Lacy long for her mother. After she reconciled with Annie, Lacy decided she should call her momma. It’d been too long. Much too long, and it was high time the family had a reunion. Maybe her momma would come back home for a visit!

  “Did you have fun at your picnic?” Aunt Frannie asked.

  “I did.”

  “Oh, good. That man is as handsome as they come. I might of taken a shine to him myself, if I hadn’t met Deacon first. Course, he’s dead and gone and plumb plugged my heart closed, but you know my eye wanders on occasion.” She winked. “It’s a natural affliction I was born with.”

  Lacy clasped her hands together. “Oh, Aunt Frannie, this one is divine.”

  “Divine, is he? I like the sound of that!”

  “Oh yes. He kissed me today—out on the trail.”

  Aunt Frannie scowled. “Now don’t you go giving away your milk ‘til he buys the carton.”

  Lacy stuck out her lower lip and served up her best pout. “Aunt Frannie, my clock is ticking. Besides, he asked me to dinner and I made him wait. Wouldn’t be right if I gave in so easily.” That, and she wanted to tell Annie about the gold right away.

  “What do you call a kiss?”

  “If I don’t encourage him, he might move on and leave me an old spinster.”

  Frannie fanned herself, exclaiming, “Lord a’mercy! I expect you to wait long enough to give your child a right proper daddy. If you haven’t learned a thing from watching that sister of yours, I don’t know what I’m going to do.”

  Annie. Yes. That was exactly who she wanted to talk to, this minute. “Do you know where Annie is?”

  “Child, I’m not her keeper! Only recently became yours.” Frannie eyed her like a nuisance bunny in her flower bed. “Now tell me, do I have to instill a curfew for you and this young man of yours?”

  Young man? Lacy almost laughed, but thought better of it. No sense getting Aunt Frannie all worked up over her interested in an older man. She might go so far as to forbid it! Lacy forced a serious expression onto her face. “No, Aunt Frannie. I’ll behave.”

  “Promise?”

  Lacy slipped a hand behind her waist and crossed her fingers, same as she did with Malcolm in the forest. “Promise.” Everyone knew it wasn’t a sin to break a promise when your fingers were crossed. Lacy checked her watch, a slim silver band at her wrist. Three-thirty. “Now, do you think Annie will still be at work? She must work until five, right?” Aunt Frannie simply stared at her. “What?”

  “What mischief do you have up your pretty little sleeve, young lady?”

  “Nothing.”

  “Nothing?” Frannie shook her head and stuffed strands of red hair back into the base of her hair net. “You and your ‘nothing’ are becoming a pattern around here.”

  Lacy enclosed her palm over Frannie’s forearm and assured her, “I promise, Aunt Frannie.” And this time she meant it. Lacy wasn’t out to cause any mischief. She was out to help Annie by letting her know there was gold on Ladd Springs. Gold on Ladd Springs! But she had to hurry. What if Jeremiah tried to go back there and steal it all? “Toodles!”

  With a kiss to her aunt’s cheek, Lacy breezed out the front door, chimes singing her exit. Annie would have to forgive her now—once she understood Lacy was willing to help her get Ladd Springs. And when she told her about the gold, she’d be begging for help. Spinning in place, Lacy caught sight of Annie’s daughter farther down the sidewalk, accompanied by a brown-haired boy. Lacy waved. “Oh, hey there!”

  As the girl walked toward her, she glared at Lacy with sharp blue eyes underscored by heavy black pencil. Add her long black hair and ivory skin and Lacy thought it gave her a vampiress look. The resemblance to Annie was striking—though where Annie was mature and attractive, the child was plagued by a case of acne, spots that stood out against her pale skin. There was a time Lacy had faced the same battle, and knew Casey’s would pass, too. The boy with her was pure country—jeans, boots, good-looking and well-built. As they neared, Lacy realized it was the same boy she had seen with Loretta at Whiskey Joe’s.

  Startled by the realization, it was nothing compared to their reaction to her. Neither teen was friendly, both cold as river snakes. Oh—they must not know who she was! Lacy put forth her best smile and said, “Hi. I’m your Aunt Lacy.”

  The girl hardened her stare but said nothing.

  Sullen, moody, Annie had been no different at that age. She’d get annoyed with Lacy for breathing back then, as if she could do a thing to stop it! The teenagers passed. Well go on and be grumpy, see if I care. Lacy was too busy for drama—she had a relationship to mend! She called after them, “Have a nice day, kids!”

  Casey Owens watched Lacy as she hurried down the sidewalk, dubbing her short skirt and black boots a bit young for her age. That was her aunt? How embarrassing.

  “Who’s that?” Troy asked, opening the door to Fran’s.

  “My mom’s sister.”

  Troy gaped. “For real?”

  Casey nodded. Entering the diner, she was hit by the same old aroma. Fried chicken, fried fish, fried potatoes—everything was fried. Other than biscuits and pies, the menu was fried to a crispy brown. Casey didn’t like any of it. She only came here because she received free food.

  “How come I’ve never seen her before?” Troy asked, choosing a booth in the corner, away from prying eyes and nosy neighbors.

  Casey slid in across from him and replied, “She’s back in town.”

  “Where from?”

  “Atlanta, I think. My mom doesn’t talk about her much.”

  “How come?”

  Casey shrugged. “Never said.” All she knew was that the two of them had some kind of feud going on. She glanced around the restaurant, recalling her run-in with Delaney Wilkins a month or so back when Casey told her straight to her face that she knew Delaney hated her and that’s why she working to get Ladd Springs for Felicity. But then again, who didn’t have a feud going on? “My mom says she’s staying with Fran.”

  Fran pulled up to the table and glanced between her and Troy. “Hey, sugar. Did I hear someone callin’ my name?”

  Casey nodded. “I was telling Troy about Lacy.”

  Fran smiled. “It’s great to have her back, isn’t it?” When neither Casey nor Troy responded, she let it drop. “Two cokes for you kids?” Both nodded. “Are you hungry?” They looked at each other and shook their heads in unison. Smiling all bright and happy, Fran tried, “How about a biscuit? Just made a fresh batch.”

  “No, thanks,” Casey replied and checked with Troy.

  “No, ma’am. I’ve already eaten lunch.”

  “All-righty. Two cokes, coming right up.”

  Once Fran had moved out of earshot, Troy hunkered over the table and said, “I hear your mom is trying to get you a share of Ladd Springs, on account of your inheritance and all.”

  Casey grimaced and sank back into her seat. “She says it’s for me, but I think it’s more for her.”

  “Why would you think that?�
��

  “Because she hates Delaney, she wants money, I don’t know.”

  “That doesn’t sound right.”

  “Tell her that. I bet if she does get her hands on it that land I’m never gonna see any of it.”

  Emotion stormed Troy’s expression. “But you’re the rightful heir, not her. You’re the one who deserves it, especially since she made you live without a daddy.”

  Casey looked away. She didn’t want to hear about her miserable life, especially not from Troy, the kid with tons of money, the one with awesome parents. The Parkers spent time with their kids, took them on vacations, went to their school functions. Her mom didn’t hardly do any of that stuff, let alone care about whether or not she had a father in the house. No matter. Her mom would probably embarrass her if she did show up. Spotting Fran on her way with the cokes, Casey dumped her gaze to the table.

  “Sorry,” Troy mumbled.

  “Two cokes,” Fran announced and slid them on the table. Setting straws alongside, she prodded, “Those biscuits back there are warm and moist. You let me know if you change your mind about food, you hear?”

  “Yes, ma’am,” Troy replied. “We will, thank you.”

  Casey’s gaze tracked Fran’s black-soled comfort-wear as she walked across the black and white checkered floor. Normally a fan of the biscuits, Casey didn’t feel like being a fan of anything at the moment.

  “Listen, I wanted to tell you that I’m leaving this summer.”

  Jerking her head up, Casey shot forward. “What?”

  “I’m going to work with a horse trainer outside Murfreesboro.”

  “Murfreesboro? Who? How?”

  “Some guy my dad knows. He runs a ranch up there and I called him about a job.”

  “You told your dad?”

  Troy stilled. “Naw, not yet.” He tore open the straw and stuck it into his coke. “I wanted to be sure I had someplace to go first.” Chucking the balled white paper toward the ketchup container, he picked up his drink and dragged a long sip.

  Casey slumped. “Wow.”

  “I want us to keep in touch, though.”