More Than Cookies (The Maple Leaf Series) (29 page)

“Nope. Keep going.”

“I want to play an instrument and take dance classes and maybe an art class too. Some of my school friends do these things. I don’t know why Mommy won’t let me.”

Because she sucks, maybe?

Sage cleared her throat and kept that thought to herself.

“If I lived with Daddy, I could do all those things and more, I bet.”

“I think we can get started on that list right now.” Sage reached for her phone on the end table and tapped the screen.

Myah climbed over Poe, not that the coyote budged in the least, and tried to look at Sage’s phone.

Sage held the phone out of reach. “No peeking.”

“C’mon, Sage.” Myah pouted her lower lip out and Sage couldn’t understand how any mother could resist that face—a face so much like her equally beautiful father’s.

“Don’t you like surprises?” Sage asked.

“Not usually. No.”

What kid didn’t love a surprise?
 The kind who is continually disappointed by her mother.

“Well, you’ll like this one. I promise.” Sage looked at Ian. “How about you, old man? You up for a surprise?”

A slow smile bloomed on Ian’s face. “Absolutely.”

Thirty minutes later, they’d returned Poe to Rick and now stood in front of a rustic wooden sign that read
Six Feathers Farm.
A tall woman with her brown hair in a long braid and a friendly smile on her face approached. She wore a pink T-shirt with a cartoon horse drinking a margarita and lounging in a hammock on the front. Her faded blue jeans were stuffed into black and white, cow-patterned rubber boots.

She stopped in front of them, a box underneath her arm. “Hey, Sage.”

“Hey, Shellie.” Sage gestured to the box. “Are you still overdosing on Girl Scout cookies?” When Sage and Shellie had been school mates back in the day, Shellie used to set records for selling—and consuming—the peanut butter sandwich Girl Scout cookies. The addiction had not worn off over the years.

“You know me. I can eat a box… or two… a day. I need a program. I know you disapprove, you made-from-scratch baker, but sometimes a gal needs a quick fix without getting flour all over the kitchen.” She held the box out to Myah, who looked at Sage.

“Go ahead. Shellie doesn’t offer those to many people.”

“This is true. These cookies are precious to me. My horses come first. Girl Scout cookies are a close second.”

Myah took one. “Thank you.”

“These are my friends, Ian and Myah Finley, and their dog, Ranger,” Sage said. “Myah and Ian, this is Shellie Hopkins. She owns this farm and has some beautiful horses for us to ride.”

“She does?” Myah’s voice was up in the rock concert decibel range as she hopped from one foot to the other next to Sage.

“I do,” Shellie said. “Do you want to come meet them?”

“Yes, please!”

“Follow me then.” Shellie started for the huge barn, pausing to toss her empty cookie box in a trash bin.

Myah ran after her then stopped and turned back to Sage. “Thank you, Sage.” She laughed, a sound full of unbridled joy, and bolted to the barn to catch up with Shellie.

“I was so right,” Ian said as he pulled Sage into a hug.

“About what?” Sage asked.

Ian released her. “About you being good for my family. My son could have died this morning in that fire.” He shook his head. “But you saved him and look at how happy we are now. Myah’s having so much fun.”

Sage squeezed Ian’s arm. “She’s not the only one.” She tugged him toward the barn. “Have you ever ridden a horse?”        

Ian nodded. “I think I remember how to do it.” Still, he listened to every direction Shellie gave, a serious expression on his face as if he were putting all his concentration on the task.

Myah wore the same expression until Shellie put a helmet on her and boosted her onto a small, gentle pony named Chester. Then the girl’s face lit up as if all her dreams had come true. Sage would never forget that face. Never. She always enjoyed when her clients were pleased with her catering. When they offered to write testimonials for her website and brochures, she was proud of herself. When people commented on her baking in Rick’s store, it made her want to bake all day and night.

But this? Helping Myah achieve something on her list? Well, that topped her list now. Her mind was already searching for ways to let Myah do everything she wanted. Why did making this kid happy mean so much to her? She never noticed kids before, but Myah stood out.  

Shellie led Chester around a training ring in big circles, and Myah bounced on his back, clearly enjoying the experience.

“I think she’s in good hands,” Sage said. “You ready, Ian?”

“Sure am.” He walked over to the horse Shellie had saddled for him. Patting the horse’s nose, he said, “There’s my pretty girl.”

Sage gave him a hand mounting his horse then climbed aboard her own. “There’s a short trail off the southern part of this farm. Let’s hit that. We’ll be back before Shellie’s done with Myah.”

She guided her horse toward the trail with Ian following behind her and Ranger trotting a little ahead of them, his nose to the ground, sniffing everything in sight. With a few checks over her shoulder, she led Ian on a lovely ride through the summer-bloomed woods, nothing but the sound of hooves rustling through low brush, bridles and a dog collar jingling, and horses puffing out breaths every so often. Serene. Tranquil. It was hard to believe just this morning she’d rushed into a burning barn and saved a man.

My man.
Sage liked the sound of that. She hadn’t considered someone her man in a long time. Men had always been transient to her. She hadn’t had her father for long, and she hadn’t wanted the guys she’d dated to stick around. Rick had always been around, but he was Rick. He belonged in a category all his own and though they got on each other’s nerves, she loved him like a brother.

This emotion she felt for Orion, however, was unlike anything she’d ever felt before. She definitely wanted him to stick around. For a long time.

Forever.

Suddenly she had to see him.

“What do you say, Ian? Ready to turn around?” she asked as she brought her horse around to face the other direction.

“You’re the boss,” Ian said. “Can we do this again sometime though? I think Orion would like to ride horses too.”

“Sure thing.” She was for doing anything with Orion. She hoped to
do
something with him tonight as a matter of fact. Another thing pulling him out of a burning barn had taught her today—don’t waste a moment.

Grinning to herself, she let Ian lead the way back to the farm, which he did with little effort. Amazing what giving a guy his granddaughter back could do for his memory. Did Adriana realize how much she hurt Ian using Myah as a tool against Orion?

Probably.
That bitch knew exactly what she was doing. Her latest disappearing act had caused a fair amount of pain for the Finleys too. She’d upset her daughter by not coming home, she’d made the police suspicious of Orion, and she’d continue to do so until she was found.

As they dismounted and unsaddled the horses, Sage made up her mind to put some energy on finding Adriana herself. That way Jack could proceed with the custody modification and Orion, Myah, and Ian could get on with life.

Hopefully, that life would include her.

****

Orion had gotten a message that Sage had taken Ian and Myah horseback riding. Knowing that his father—who could have an episode at any moment—and his daughter—who he didn’t technically have custody of—were on a field trip with a woman he’d only known a short time should have scared the shit out of him.

It didn’t. Not even a little bit.

“Crazy.”

What did scare him was getting out of his truck by the entrance to their “spot” at Moosewood Falls to meet Adriana. What was happening? He’d called the St. Jamesbury police department and they’d told him to wait for them, but he couldn’t. Adriana had said to come quickly. Maybe he only had so much time to get to her. He wasn’t going to risk her life—or the chance to get the cops off his ass—waiting for police backup.

A car he didn’t recognize was parked to the side of the only path leading down to the falls. The police still had Adriana’s car as far as he knew. The police who weren’t here yet. That car could be what Adriana was driving or what her abductor drove. Hell, Orion didn’t like that thought at all. A voice that sounded like his father’s told him to wait, but he ignored it and walked down the path.

The noise of rushing water soon filled his ears, and he remembered how loud the falls could be especially in the summer. It was one of the things he loved about Moosewood Falls—its ability to drown out the real world. Here, surrounded by the lush, green forest, earthy smells filling his nose, and the falls roaring, Orion could escape. He’d come here a lot both as a boy and a man to be alone when life got too complicated. He’d taken Adriana to the falls when they were dating and the place soon became their “spot.”

He’d asked her to marry him a little farther down from the actual falls where the water pooled into a beautiful pond before spilling off into a second set of falls. He’d had a wooden canoe he’d carved himself ready and waiting for them on the shore, and after some convincing it was perfectly pond-worthy, he’d rowed them out to the center and popped the question.

Had he ignored that her answer hadn’t been immediate? Yes. Had he pushed aside that her eyes didn’t sparkle over the antique ring he’d presented to her? You betcha. Had he convinced himself that her eventual yes and kiss had been sincere? Definitely.

“You’re an idiot sometimes, Finley.” He hoped he wasn’t making the same mistake with Sage, but all the clues so far indicated she liked him. Didn’t they? God, he hated having doubts. A woman wouldn’t save him from a burning barn, then take his family horseback riding so he could rest if she didn’t feel something pretty big for him, right?

Grumbling to himself, he continued walking until he stood on the bank overlooking the point where the water crashed down onto some sizable boulders, splashing a fine mist of water over everything nearby. He scanned the area, but didn’t see any signs of Adriana or anyone else.

Is Adriana playing a game with me?
Where the fuck was she?

A twig snapping behind him made him whip around. “There you are. Adriana, what—” He stopped when her arms came in front of her, a hunting rifle in her hands. Pointed at him.

“No questions,” she said.

“But…” He clamped his mouth shut when her hands tightened on the gun and she took a step closer.

“Myah is mine,” she said.

“You don’t even want her,” he shot back.

“I don’t, but I need her.” Adriana’s eyes filled.

“Need her? For what?”

Adriana never appeared to need anyone. She certainly hadn’t needed him.

“Without her, I get cut off.”

“Cut off? From what?”

“Everything.”

“You’re not making any sense, Adriana. Can’t we talk about this somewhere else?”
Somewhere more public.
“Put the rifle down. You’re not going to shoot me.” He wished he felt more confident about that statement.

“I’ve already shot you.”

Say what?

She lowered the gun to point toward his right thigh. “I didn’t pull the trigger on that one, but I hired the guy who did. Unfortunately, his aim sucked.”

“You tried to have me killed?” He could barely get the question out. It hadn’t been hunters who shot his leg. It hadn’t been an accident.

Where is that police backup?

“More than once.” Adriana spread her legs a little farther apart and leveled the gun on his chest again. “But that Sage person keeps coming to your rescue. When you got shot in the leg in the woods, I figured you’d bleed out, but she found you. When your chainsaw malfunctioned, I figured you’d explode right along with your barn, but she found you. I’m not letting her swoop in with her cape this time.” She looked around, but never moved the gun off him. “Sage isn’t around now.”

Thank God.
Orion didn’t want Sage anywhere near this lunatic. Myah wasn’t coming near her again either.
That’s why I have to live.
If Adriana succeeded in ending him today, she’d cover it up and get Myah. He couldn’t let his daughter live in the clutches of a nutjob, but no one would know Adriana was a psycho if he didn’t survive. He had to fight to stay alive and gain custody.

“You said you needed Myah. What for?” Keeping her talking was the best plan he had right now.

“My father won’t make me a partner in his law firm if I don’t have Myah. He wants a guarantee of heirs after me, and he knows I can’t have any more children, nor do I want to. Myah is it. So you’re going to bring her to me. Where is she now?”

Orion had always known Adriana didn’t want more children, but the fact that she
couldn’t
have more was news to him. Wasn’t that something a husband should have known?

“Myah’s not here. And if you hurt me now, you’ll never know where she is.” Orion had only met Adriana’s parents twice. They lived in an enormous house on Lake Champlain
and her father owned a high-end law firm in upper New York. That firm had worked on famous cases, ones that received international recognition. He’d known it was Adriana’s goal to be a partner in that firm. He hadn’t known Myah was a condition for that.

“I’ll find Myah after you’re dead. She’ll mourn your passing briefly then she’ll finally shut up about living with you. It’s all she talks about. ‘Daddy this’ and ‘Daddy that’ and ‘when I live with Daddy.’ I can’t take it anymore. The only way to kill her dream of living with you and make my dream of being partner with my father’s firm come true is to get rid of you.” Adriana’s arms stiffened as she tightened her hands on the gun again.

“No, wait!” Orion held his hands up. “Think about this, Adriana. If you had killed me two weeks ago, you may have gotten away with it. Only my father and Adam would be looking for me. An old man with a failing memory and a recovering ex-military guy aren’t the most credible duo. You may have won then, but now Sage and her whole family know me. Plus the cops have been watching me, because they think I did something to you. In fact, the police know I’m meeting with you here.”