Ladd Fortune (23 page)

The hair on Lacy’s neck
stood on end. Don’t blame
her
for Jeremiah’s presence, either. She
followed
him
,
remember? It wasn’t her idea to come back home. It was
Jeremiah’s!

“
The hell I won’t!” Delaney
waved an arm through the air and skewered Annie wither gaze.
“You’re the one who called him in the first place!”

“
I did not!”

“
Oh, no?” Delaney derided
angrily. “Did he appear out of thin air?”

Safely out of Delaney’s firing range,
Lacy wished she could help Annie. She looked sincere in her denial,
but unfortunately, Annie didn’t want anything to do with Lacy, help
or otherwise.

Nick stepped forward. “Delaney, stop.
This isn’t helping.”

She whirled on him, her long ponytail
whipping behind her. “How can you be so calm? You have a lot riding
on this, too, you know. I can’t believe you’re going to let her
stand there and tell you what she’s going to take.”

Nick ventured a glance toward Annie
then gazed down at Delaney. “This is not the time or the place to
work through the details. First, we need to devise a
plan.”

“
Plan? What kind of plan are
you talking about?” Annie demanded. “There should be no plans put
into place without my input.” She thumped her chest like a momma
gorilla.

“
The only input you’re going
to give is—”

Nick closed a hand over
Delaney’s mouth and practically dragged her away. “Let’s go,” he
said, and hustled her away. Dwarfed by his size, Delaney could
fight all she wanted, for the good it would do her. That man was
in
charge
.

Lacy giggled at the sight of Delaney’s
shrieks beneath Nick’s palm as he led her to his car. For so many
years, Delaney had been bossing the lot of them around like a steer
in a cow pasture that it was gratifying to see someone take charge
of that little vixen.

“
Jeremiah is Casey’s
father,” Annie declared.

“
If he is, your test will
prove it,” Malcolm replied with a measured tone.

“
It will, you’ll see.” Then
to Lacy, she said pointedly, “I hope you’re not here aiding and
abetting the enemy.”

“
What
? I’m doing no such thing,” Lacy snapped.

“
That woman at the diner
yesterday, she’s Jeremiah’s girlfriend, isn’t she? Your
friend
,” Annie said in
what felt like an accusation. “Frannie told me you two know each
other from Atlanta.”

“
So?”

Annie served up a melting glare, but
addressed Malcolm, “Watch yourself with her, Mr. Ward. She’s a
known back-stabber.”

Lacy bristled. “Annie
Grace—how
dare
you.”

Annie shifted her gaze to Lacy. “I’m
only speaking the truth.”

Her gallant Malcolm stood strong. “I
don’t have any concerns, Ms. Owens, I assure you. As far as I’ve
seen, Lacy has proven herself to be nothing but helpful and
courteous.”

“
See,” Lacy snipped, pleased
that Malcolm had rushed to her defense. She twirled the hair at her
ear and thought, if that didn’t quiet Annie, Lacy didn’t know what
would, though her pleasure was fleeting. Annie still hated
her.

“
You don’t know her as well
as I do. Now, if you’ll excuse me,” Annie said and stalked off to
her car.

Lacy sighed and wriggled her fingers.
“Toodles, Annie.” If only she wasn’t so hateful. If only she would
come around. Lacy could use some sisterly love and she only had the
one sister. The one who despised her.

Malcolm curled a finger beneath her
chin and tipped it upward. “How about you and I go finish our
picnic?”

Tickled by the suggestion, she replied,
“Delighted!”

“
Shall we?” Malcolm bent his
elbow and she slipped her hand through. He pulled her close. She
luxuriated in the smell of him, the feel of him. His cologne
reminded her of the department store, the men’s fragrance section
where she used to idle and sample and dream of the day when a
handsome, charming man would sweep her off her feet. She’d tested
each and every cologne, debating which she’d want her dream man to
use. Malcolm’s choice was divine. She inhaled deeply. It was
woodsy, spicy and smelled expensive. The fragrance of a man of the
world. It was nice having a man next to her, particularly one as
chivalrous as Malcolm.

Annie’s car peeled out of the driveway
and Lacy crinkled her nose. “My sister is so angry these
days.”

“
She’s fighting an uphill
battle,” he remarked, leading Lacy toward the main bridge and back
toward the forest trail. “Being a single mother isn’t easy, and she
just wants to do what’s right by her child.”

“
You sure are giving her a
lot of credit,” Lacy said, gently bumping her shoulder against his
arm as they strolled. His browned skin was shades darker than her
own, reminding her she needed to get out more, soak up the
sunshine, stretch out by the falls and sun herself. It’s what she
used to do and would do so today.

“
I’m only giving her proper
due.” Malcolm stopped by his truck and turned to her. “And I’m
surprised to hear negative remarks coming from you—you who sees the
best in everyone and can’t hold a grudge if it were handcuffed to
her wrist.”

Lacy smiled. She liked that Malcolm saw
the good side of her. “Well, she has been alone for a long time.
According to Aunt Frannie, Annie’s lucky to get an annual date, if
that.”

He chuckled. “Don’t hold it against
her. Not all the girls are as pretty as you, with men willing to
stand in line in a desert’s heat.”

“
You do go on,” she said,
enjoying every minute of it.

“
Hungry? We can break open
that food and eat it right here, if you’d like.”

The food and blanket sat in the
backseat of his truck. Lacy shook her head. Suddenly, she was in no
mood for food. Deep down, she wished she and Annie could be on the
same side. She wished the two of them could meet Delaney head on
and challenge her for Casey’s right to Ladd Springs. If the test
proved Casey belonged to Jeremiah, wouldn’t that make her claim
correct? Lacy looked up to Malcolm. A tuft of white hair fell over
his brow, his blue eyes intent upon her own. Gentle, quiet, he had
an air of wisdom about him. “What if Annie’s claim about Jeremiah
turns out to be true? What if he really is Casey’s
daddy?”

“
Then what Annie said is
true.”

She knew
it
. “Are you sure?”

He nodded. “Felicity and Casey are
cousins. Their parents are both Ladds.”

“
Yes, but Susannah married
Harry Wilkins. Wouldn’t that make Casey more entitled than
Felicity? I mean, she’d bear the Ladd name and all.”

Malcolm returned a knowing smile. Nice
try. “The two girls share equally in the Ladd bloodline. According
to Delaney, Ernie promised her mother that he would will the
property to Delaney and Felicity. There was no mention of
Jeremiah.”

“
Not Albert,
either?”

“
I don’t think Albert would
know what to do with the property if he had it,” Malcolm said, his
tone very diplomatic.

Lacy nodded, closing off the
possibility in an instant. The Albert she remembered was about as
sharp as a dumpling. “You’re probably right, there.”

“
But you’re correct in that
as sole owner, if Ernie had died without a will, the entire
property would have gone to his son, Jeremiah.”

“
The entire
thing?”

“
Yes. But Ernie signed a
life estate, giving Felicity the property upon his
death.”

“
What’s a life
estate?”

“
It’s a simple way to
transfer ownership for someone approaching the end of their life.
With the swipe of a pen, you give your entire rights of ownership
to one of your family members. Doing so while you’re still alive
eliminates a lot of hassle for the heirs. In the meantime, Ernie
retains his right to live on the property but ensures Felicity
receives ownership upon his death. She and Delaney will have to pay
the back taxes,” he said, “which are no small amount, but after
that, it’s theirs, free and clear.”

Lacy and Malcolm crossed the bridge,
the creek below a maze of rocks and moss and sand blurred beneath a
crystal clear flow of water. Lively and quick, Lacy thought it
pretty, even more when the sun’s rays tumbled over the surface,
setting life to the stream. “How come Jeremiah keeps talking like
he’s going to get it, then?”

“
Because he can challenge
the validity of the deed.”

“
Huh?”

He chuckled. “It’s complicated. Suffice
it to say, Delaney and Felicity are not out of the woods yet.” He
slid a glance toward the meadow, the mountains beyond, rounded
hills of green. “And speaking of woods, let’s say you and I go back
to Zack’s Falls.”

Lacy shook her head.
“Uh-uh.”

Surprised by her refusal he replied,
“Uh-uh?”

She nibbled her lower lip. “I have a
better idea.” Lacy tugged on his arm then pulled away, darting off
ahead of him. “C’mon. Follow me!”

Wondering at the mischievous look in
her eye, Malcolm chased Lacy through the meadow to the trailhead,
surprised by how much effort it required. She ran through the tall
grass like a deer, while he felt like a stampeding cow on a mad
dash for his life. But the sight of her short skirt and curvy
figure prancing ahead of him propelled him forward. She stopped
short of the trail’s opening, waiting for him to catch
up.

Within seconds, Malcolm reached her.
Dropping hands to knees, he leaned forward to catch his breath. He
couldn’t believe how winded he’d become from the quick sprint. She,
on the other hand, stood there with only the mildest of deep
inhalations. “You’re in good shape,” he commented.

Lacy beamed at the compliment. “Thank
you. I do yoga.”

“
Yoga keeps your heart and
lungs in shape?” He shook his head. “Never heard of such a
thing.”

She giggled. “I swim in the
summer.”

Malcolm nodded and pulled his body to
an upright position, still struggling to calm his breath. “Now
you’re talking. Swimming is the one sport that will prove a body
out of shape quicker than bathroom scale.”

“
You’re not out of
shape.”

He shook his head. “You’re kind, but I
am. The proof is panting in front of you.”

Lacy laughed. “Are you old?”

Such an odd question, he thought, but
replied, “Forty-five.”

“
That’s not old,” she said.
“I’m thirty-four.”

“
And in damn fine shape for
your age,” he said. Regaining control of his heart and lungs,
Malcolm admired her shapely legs up close, creamy white between her
denim skirt and black boots. Keep chasing this little pixie and he
might end up flat on his back from a heart attack! But taking
another gander at her legs, her narrow hips and full breasts in the
white tank, he decided it would darn well be worth it. “So you
don’t want to go back to the falls?” he asked.

She shook her head. “I’d like to see
the gold. Do you know where it is?”

Malcolm’s instincts swooped in. Lacy
wanted to see the gold? She wasn’t even supposed to know about its
existence, let alone see it up close and personal! “Why do you want
to see the gold?” he asked, rubbing his lower back.

“
I’ve never seen real gold
before.”

Malcolm raised a brow. “Somehow I find
that hard to believe. Men drape girls like you in the stuff. How is
it that the shiny metal passed you by?”

Lacy laughed gaily and waved him off.
“No, silly. I mean in the rock, in its natural form. I’ve only
panned for it as a child, but there were never anything but
glittery flakes.”

“
And that wasn’t enough for
you?” he teased.

“
I didn’t believe they
were
real
. Same as
the rubies we used to pan for over the summer.” She flicked the
thought away like a nuisance fly. “My folks used to tell me I was
panning for treasure, but it didn’t look like anything but dirt and
dust to me.”

It was Malcolm’s turn to laugh. “I
shudder to think of the trauma you endured. By all means, a girl
has got to experience the real thing as least once in her lifetime,
doesn’t she?”

“
She does,” Lacy agreed
heartily.

Malcolm motioned for her hand. “Mind if
we walk the trail instead of hike the rocks this time?”

She batted her eyelashes. “If you
prefer.”

“
I most certainly do,” he
replied and, closing his hand around hers, marveled at the softness
of her skin. Add her slender figure and fine features and she
seemed delicate, almost fragile—until you tried to keep up with
her. Malcolm was still in awe at her athletic ability.

Entering the trail, he kept the pace
easy and slow. He wanted to enjoy Lacy’s company for as long as he
could. He found her spontaneity fun, her guilelessness sweet. She
seemed genuinely hurt by her sister’s accusation, yet the next
words out of her mouth were directed to help Annie. It was a feud
different than any others he’d seen around town, where the enemies
were well-known, territories distinctly marked. Malcolm didn’t get
it. Lacy was clearly disliked by her sister, yet she continued to
press forward, as though she missed the signs. Danger. No
trespassing. Keep Out.