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exchange with Sage, short of sharing the fact that he’d floated the L-word, and ended it by saying, “I thought I knew what was going on with her. Now I’m wondering if I didn’t have it all wrong.”
“Our girl Sage is in many ways a mystery.”
“Yes, one I need to solve. I’m not asking you to betray any confidences, but what’s the deal with her sister?”
Sarah lifted her shoulders. “I don’t know. I didn’t even know she had a sister until today.”
Okay, then. A secret sister was one big fat clue. Colt had thought that the trouble in Africa was the source of Sage’s grief. Had he been wrong? Had he missed the mark entirely?
Family, he thought with an inward sigh. A good family was such a gift, but a bad family could do infinite harm.
“Did Sage tell you anything about her?”
Sarah went around behind the checkout counter and pulled out a manila file folder stuffed with papers. “Not really. She said they’d had a falling out, and then the two of them had that little snarky exchange that you saw. Then Sage drove around the block until she made sure that Rose—that’s her name—had gone. I tried to get her to spill the beans about the estrangement, but no go. She’s always been tight-lipped, Colt, and that didn’t change today.”
“That’s frustrating.”
“Ya think?” Sarah wrinkled her nose. “I love Sage. I truly do. But the woman has issues with a capital I. That’s something I’ve learned to accept.”
If all he wanted from Sage was friendship, he’d probably take the same route. But he wanted more than friendship. He wanted more from Sage.
“She’s going to try to shut me out and keep me out.”
“Maybe. If she feels like you are a threat in some way. Are you?”
“No. Maybe. I guess that depends upon the context.” When Sarah gave him a sharp look, he explained. “I’m not out to hurt her. She means something to me, Sarah. She’s important. But I won’t let her push me away.”
“Good luck with that. She’s a stubborn woman.”
“Yeah, but I’m persistent. I’ll wear her down.”
“With more gifts?”
“No,” he replied, thinking it through.
Colt was a minor student of military history, and as such, he knew something about campaigns and sieges. It had taken the allied Greek forces ten years to conquer Troy. The British held Gibraltar against Spanish and French forces for more than three and a half years. It had taken General Grant seven months to conquer Vicksburg.
Colt hoped that winning Sage wouldn’t take nearly that long.
“She’s going to have to deal with me in some way every day. I’m not going away.”
“Won’t you be traveling with your new job?”
“I don’t have to be in Eternity Springs for her to deal with me.”
“Wow. You are determined, aren’t you? You know, that is pretty romantic.” She chewed on her lower lip a second before adding, “I want to ask one thing of you, though, Colt. Make sure you are doing this because it’s real, not because you want to win the contest. You could hurt her.”
“She could hurt me, too. That’s a risk of being in a relationship. It’s not a contest, Sarah, but there is a prize. I do want the happily ever after. I think I could find it with Sage. Time will tell.”
“Dang it.” Sarah picked up the folder and tucked it under her arm. “I’m beginning to think that I’m the one who missed the chance. Maybe I should have gone parking with you in your minivan after all.”
She walked out from behind the counter, went up on her tiptoes, and kissed his cheek. “Good luck, Dr. Rafferty. I’ll be rooting for you.”
“Thanks.”
“But fair warning—if you hurt her, I’ll make you pay.”
“I’ve known you for half my life, Sarah Reese. That goes without saying.”
FIFTEEN
Sage arrived at Vistas the following day ready to paint. Despite a restless night, she awoke with the itchy energy that signaled an idea perking in her mind. She grasped hold of it like a lifeline and hurried through her morning routine before rushing off to work. She had two solid hours to work before opening Vistas, and the butterflies were flying, so to speak.
She adored working in her remodeled studio, though sometimes she didn’t believe it herself. No one who had known her in her medical days would believe she worked in these conditions. Even in the African bush, Dr. Anderson’s work area had been organized and uncluttered, her supplies pristine.
Here in the Vistas studio, she worked amidst a