The setback, p.34
The Setback, page 34
Actually, it felt like the only thing I could do to drive home the importance of forgiving Eddy instead of holding her grudge. I understand that I’m still paying for it, and that I should have handled it better, but at the time. . .
I still don’t think I was too extreme. She was messing things up.
“Wait, you stayed with someone?” Emery doesn’t look upset. She looks even more curious. “Someone I’ve never even heard of?”
“He moved to Montana,” I say. “He’s got a business there.”
“What kind of business?”
I roll my eyes. “Why do you care?”
“Can we open it?” She jogs toward the kitchen and starts rummaging in drawers. “Here. I’ll grab the scissors.”
“Of all the ridiculous—”
But she’s already slicing it open.
“It’s letters and photos,” she says. “Cool.” Then she squints. “Wait, these are letters from you.”
I feel heat rising in my cheeks. I have no idea what stupid things I said in those letters. “Give me those.”
But Emery’s too busy staring at one photo, and she’s stopped asking questions, too.
“What is that?” I crane my neck to look over her shoulder.
“This is Jed, right?” Emery’s eyes are intent.
“Well, the guy on the right is Jed,” I say.
“And who’s this guy?” She points at the man to my left.
“That’s Tommy.”
“Tommy?” Emery bites her lip. “They’re both looking at you. Like, you’re smiling at the camera, but they’re both focused on you.”
“Don’t read anything into that,” I say. “That photo’s more than sixty-five years old.”
“But the guy in this photo’s still sending you packages. You’re living with him when you need someone you trust.”
“You’re blowing this out of proportion,” I say.
“Is he married?” Emery looks genuinely interested, as if Tommy’s marital status matters.
“He was,” I say.
She beams. “Okay, I need to know more.”
“More about what?” I ask.
Emery waves the photo in front of me. “This photo tells me there’s a story, but you know what else does?”
I roll my eyes.
“Your reaction. Because ever since I picked up this box from T. Collins, you’ve been acting all weird and bubbly.”
“Bubbly?” I huff. “I’m not a soda.”
“I want to know how you met Tommy.”
“You’re supposed to be interviewing me about a war.”
She waves her hand through the air dismissively. “Who cares about that? It’s boring. I want to know about this.” She’s back to staring at the photo. “Jed was okay looking, I guess, but this Tommy guy, he’s pretty cute too.”
“Did you miss what I said? We’re friends. He’s my oldest friend in the world.”
“Now we’re getting somewhere.” Emery bites her lip. “Tell me more about your dreamy friend Thomas.”
“No one’s dreamy,” I say. “Like I said. We’re just friends.”
My phone rings where it’s sitting on the table then, and we both look at it immediately.
The caller ID says Tommy.
I lunge for it, but Emery gets there faster. “Hello?”
I’m really going to tan her cute little interfering hide now. I wonder what I could make with an Emery-skin pelt.
“Why, no, this isn’t Mandy,” Emery says. “In fact, I thought we were the only ones who called her that.”
She’s quiet.
“Yes, this is Emery, Mr. Collins. You’re so smart.”
Another pause.
“I do know who you are, but I’m beginning to think I don’t know nearly enough about you.”
Her eyes widen and she nods. “Yes, that’s a remarkable coincidence. I’d also love to meet you! When can you come visit? We used to be living with Mandy, but now we’ve moved out and she has loads of space.”
“Emery, give me the phone. Now.”
“Next week would be perfect. I’m in a school play, and I can definitely get you tickets.” She pauses again. “Alright. I better hand you to Mandy so you can work out the details. Can’t wait to meet you, Mr. Collins.”
I hang up. I’ll call him back later. Right now, I’ve got a little girl to murder.
“I hope you don’t mind that I invited him to visit, Grandma, but I have a lot of questions for him, since you won’t answer them,” Emery says. “I figured it was about time I started calling you Grandma. Hope that’s alright.”
My heart lurches.
“And don’t you think a granddaughter should know everything about her grandma?”
“I don’t think—”
Emery plops down on the sofa and whips out a notebook. “Let’s start with how you met your oldest friend.” She’s smiling, her pen poised over the notepad.
A vibrant memory surfaces.
I was twelve. I’d just been thrown off a horse I was trying to help break. The horse was running toward the open gate in the corner of the arena.
A tall, lanky kid stepped out in front of the horse like a maniac, lifted his hand, and the horse just stopped dead. Then he grabbed the reins, righted them, and swung on in a simple movement, bringing the horse forward at a smooth, easy trot. He stopped right in front of me. His dark brown eyes were intense. His hair fell forward across his face.
“You were shutting the front door,” he said. “If you tell a new horse to go, but you keep your hands too tight, he’ll get upset. You need really soft hands with green horses.”
As if I didn’t know that. I hated him immediately.
He slid off and offered me the reins. “I’m Tom. What’s your name?”
Half of me wanted to slap him, and the other half of me was in awe of him. If I’m being honest, I’ve felt that same way about Tommy Collins ever since.
If you’re keen on hearing more about Amanda Saddler and Tom Collins, don’t worry. You can read their story, as well as a little bit more about your favorite Birch Creek characters in the final Birch Creek Ranch book, The Lookback. (I’ve said this before, but this time, I really mean it!)
* * *
Here’s the blurb:
* * *
Amanda Saddler has lived a long and happy life. She’s not ready to die or anything melodramatic, but she’s long since given up on finding her fairytale ending.
* * *
But when her adoptive granddaughter Emery picks up a box that was delivered to her doorstep, some new stories from the past come to light. Amanda Saddler may have spent her life pining for her neighbor, Jed Brooks, but he’s not the only man she ever knew.
* * *
Emery doggedly asks after a man from an old photo, who turns out to be the man Amanda Saddler stayed with when she left town for a few months. When that same man calls Amanda’s phone, of course Emery answers and invites him to come for a visit.
* * *
Can Amanda Saddler reconcile the wrongs in her past to set her story right in the present, or is it too late for her to find her happy ending alongside a man who has always wanted a place in her heart?
* * *
And if you haven’t tried my Finding Home Series yet, you totally SHOULD. It starts with Finding Grace, and you might love that series as well. As a bonus, it’s complete. And if you’ve already read those nine books, you might love my new Scarsdale Fosters series. Seed Money is out now, and Nouveau Riche is coming soon.
Acknowledgments
Thanks to my kids for their patience, to my hubby for his unfailing support, and to my parents for cheerleading.
Thank you to my readers. I adore you all.
Thanks to Elana for listening to me whinge and complain.
And thanks to my editor Carrie. You are always throwing down miracles for me, and I appreciate you.
About the Author
I have animals coming out of my ears. Seven horses. Three dogs, three cats, thirty-ish chickens. I’m always doctoring or playing with an animal… and I wouldn’t want it any other way. But Leo (my palomino) is still my very favorite.
When I’m not with animals, or even if I am, I’m likely to have at least one of my five kids in tow, two of which I’m currently homeschooling.
My hubby is the reason all this glorious madness is possible. He’s the best parts of all the amazing men I write (although he’s bald and his six pack sometimes goes into hiding because of cookies.)
I also love to bake, like to cook, and feel amazing when I find time to kickbox, lift weights, or rollerblade. Oh yeah, and I’m a lawyer, but I try to forget that whenever I can.
I adore my husband, and I love my God.
The rest is just details.
PS— I’m active on social media and have a facebook group I comment in often. (My husband even gets on there sometimes, but his sense of humor is strange. You’ve been warned.) Please feel free to join me here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/750807222376182
Also by B. E./Bridget E. Baker
The Scarsdale Fosters Series:
Seed Money
Nouveau Riche
The Finding Home Series:
Finding Grace (1)
Finding Faith (2)
Finding Cupid (3)
Finding Spring (4)
Finding Liberty (5)
Finding Holly (6)
Finding Home (7)
Finding Balance (8)
Finding Peace (9)
The Finding Home Series Boxset Books 1-3
The Finding Home Series Boxset Books 4-6
The Birch Creek Ranch Series:
The Bequest
The Vow
The Ranch
The Retreat
The Reboot
The Surprise
The Setback
The Lookback
Children’s Picture Book
Yuck! What’s for Dinner?
I also write contemporary fantasy and end of the world books under Bridget E. Baker.
The Russian Witch’s Curse:
My Queendom for a Horse
My Dark Horse Prince
My High Horse Czar
The Magical Misfits Series:
Mates: Minerva (1)
Mates: Xander (2)
The Birthright Series:
Displaced (1)
unForgiven (2)
Disillusioned (3)
misUnderstood (4)
Disavowed (5)
unRepentant (6)
Destroyed (7)
The Birthright Series Collection, Books 1-3
The Anchored Series:
Anchored (1)
Adrift (2)
Awoken (3)
Capsized (4)
The Sins of Our Ancestors Series:
Marked (1)
Suppressed (2)
Redeemed (3)
Renounced (4)
Reclaimed (5) a novella!
A stand alone YA romantic suspense:
Already Gone
B. E. Baker, The Setback
