no longer describe yourself as domestic help?”
The people around her froze, unsure how to take Zach’s comment. Sadie had no problem with being seen as domestic help. After all, she’d fallen into that category all of her life.
She’d tried to stick as close to the truth as possible. She’d only ever held two things back from Zach the first time around: her employer’s true identity and her sister’s situation.
Sadie raised her chin and spoke confidently. “Actually, my longtime employer recently passed away. I’m taking a bit of a break before looking for a new position.”
“Good luck,” Aiden said.
“Thank you.” She took a deep breath for courage. “I have an idea I think might interest you.”
Suddenly the trio on this side of the bar with her adopted that slightly uncomfortable look that rich people got when they know they were about to be asked for money. She’d seen it often enough back home. But that wasn’t what she wanted...
“I wondered if I could have your permission to shoot a series of photographs about the rebuilding of the mill? I visited the town several years ago and became quite attached to it.” If they only knew... “From what the people here have been telling me about your family and what you are doing to keep the town alive, well, it’s incredible.”
She smiled brightly at Christina, since the woman’s calm features were easier to focus on. “If nothing else, I think it would make a wonderful memento for the people of the town.”
Christina glanced back up at her husband. “Aiden, that sounds wonderful.”
“I could talk to the publisher at Barnhill. I’ve worked with him on several projects...though this would be my first solo proposal,” she added, feeling the need to be honest.
On the other side of the bar, she could feel a sense of frustrated resistance coming from Zach. He stared at her, though she refused to meet his gaze. Luckily, she’d already gotten a positive response or she had a feeling he would have blasted her before his employer, simply to keep her from getting close.
Though he still didn’t know how close she planned to be...
KC must have sensed it, too, because she kept glancing sideways at her brother. But she didn’t speak. Finally Aiden said, “That does sound good. I am a bit worried about safety issues—”
Before he or Zach could go further, she cut him off. “Not a problem. I’ve already seen the destruction at the mill, and I would definitely need someone to steer me in the safest direction. Someone local, with a lot of experience with the area who could introduce me to people who know the history, the ins and outs of the area. The people and places that make Black Hills so special...”
“That’s a great idea,” Christina enthused.
Jake and Aiden were nodding along with her. “Definitely,” Aiden said. “Zach fits both those criteria and as head of security could keep us informed about your project, too. Would that be a problem?”
“Not for me,” she assured him.
Only after speaking did she glance at her former lover, whose hard-won mask barely covered the resentment pushing to get out. Sadie wondered if anyone else could see it. Probably not, because they went on talking as if this were a done deal.
Only Zach kept quiet. Good thing he didn’t know the whole story. Otherwise, she might have to worry about her safety.
But at least he would learn. She would get what she wanted...no matter what.
“Just what the hell did you think you were doing?”
Sadie quickly suppressed her smile before turning to face Zach’s rage. She and she alone knew the depths of despair she’d experienced since the last time she’d walked away from him. But she couldn’t have realized she’d be thrilled to see him under any circumstances...including when he looked like he would choke her if he could.
“Who, me?”
Her innocent question only served to incense him even more. The show was quite spectacular, in fact. Zach’s skin took on a ruddy color underneath, showcasing the extent of his anger. But a lifetime as help to people who only wanted things to go their way had taught Sadie to take her kicks where she could get them, even if she could only feel her amusement on the inside.
“You knew I didn’t want to spend time with you. So why would you set this whole thing up?” he growled.
Ouch. That hurt, but she had known the way he felt before he even said it. “Look,” she said, not afraid to push back. “You started this with your high and mighty attitude, not me.”
“So this is all a game to you?” He waved a hand at the damaged building behind him. “This is not a game to these people. This place was their life.”
“Yes, and I think it will mean a lot to them to have someone document its resurrection, don’t you?”
She wasn’t wrong in this. Knowing how much people got attached to places—like she had to Sheldon Hall, even though it would never be hers—gave her a glimpse of exactly how these townspeople felt. “Building positive memories will help shore up the community and keep people here. Isn’t that what you want?”
She could see on his face that there wasn’t a right answer. He did want that, but it meant spending time with her. Though the reality made her chest ache, she had a job to do just as much as he did. With just as much at stake.
Through clenched teeth Zach brushed her off. “I don’t have time to mess with you right now. The fire marshal is here. Just go back to the B and B.”
As he stalked across the parking lot, she couldn’t help needling him a little more. “I can get some exteriors, though, right?” she called.
He might as well have flipped her the bird, considering the glare on his face. But he held his temper in a gentlemanly way, at least in the midst of the crowd of people he now walked through.
Sadie chuckled, simply because crying in front of everyone wasn’t an option, either. She’d suspected that coming back here would be tough, but she could never have imagined the roller coaster of dealing with her own emotions while matching wits with Zach.
Ever comforted by her camera, Sadie set off around the perimeter, once more trying to capture the compound from angles that showcased both the tragedy but also the potential for rebuilding, because that was exactly what people needed to see.
Just a few minutes in, a bell sounded. Glancing around, Sadie saw numerous soot-covered men exit the site and make their way across the parking lot to a couple of huge tents that had been erected along the far edge near the fencing. Must be lunchtime.
After taking a few shots of the men, she edged away from the crowd. Her focus here was pictures, not food.
“Hey, there,” a voice said from behind her a few minutes later.
Sadie sighed but finished up her shot before easing her camera down from her face. Had Zach sent another security guard to escort her away today? If so, he was going to have a hell of a fight on his hands.
Turning without any rush, she eyed the man behind her. There was no badge attached to his clothing, and he didn’t look dirty like most of the men here. A buttoned-down shirt and Dockers weren’t really appropriate attire for a disaster site. But at least he looked friendly.
“Hi,” she said, her unease calming down a notch.
“Is that a Canon Mark III body?”
Warmth spread through her. A fellow photographer, maybe? “Yes, with a custom lens. You know it?”
“Ah, I admire from afar and spend my budget on paper and ink instead.” The man grinned, looking young despite his