The Love That Saved Him
by Sophie Barnes Publication Date: October 2, 2018 Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Women’s Fiction
Sarah has a lot more on her mind than starting a relationship with her handsome new neighbor. But as she gets to know Pierce, she begins to wonder, what if? Encouraged by her matchmaking grandfather whose biggest wish is to see her settled, Sarah finds herself swept up in the most unexpected romance. But with shocking family history unfolding and a gold-mining expedition that could go wrong in so many ways, there’s a lot for Sarah and Pierce to take care of before they can find their happily ever after.
Pulling
up next to a black Jeep at a little past one o’clock, Sarah registered the
large log home the new owner had built. It looked as though it belonged in the
pages of a home and garden magazine, not out here in the wilderness. It had
clearly cost a fortune and was much more grandiose than the smaller log cabin
where Murphy had once lived. She fleetingly wondered if that place still
existed somewhere further back behind the trees while allowing her gaze to roam
over the newer structure. A wide gable spanned the front entrance and tall
glass windows and doors opened out onto a deck turned toward the view of the
mountains.
Sarah glanced across at her grandfather, who sat
stiffly in the seat beside her. “Well, we’re here. Ready to check out the
ridge?”
“It’s
just a formality,” her grandfather reminded her. “I already know I want it.”
She
didn’t comment. Instead, she turned off the engine, repositioned her scarf so
it covered the lower part of her face, and pulled her hood up over her head
before stepping out into the cold. She’d just closed the truck door when the
front door of the cabin swung open, and a man stepped out. He descended the
front steps quickly and came toward them at a brisk pace. “Hello.” He extended
his hand. “I’m Pierce Jackson.”
Somehow,
Sarah managed to untangle the knot her tongue had formed the moment she’d laid
eyes on him. If his voice had seemed rather enticing, then the man himself was…
Straightening
her spine, she accepted the hand he offered and gave it a firm shake. “Sarah
Palmer.” She gestured toward her grandfather, who stood a little off to one
side. “This is Thomas Palmer, my grandfather. He and I work together. It was
his idea to come up and look at the land you’ve got to offer.”
“Pleasure
to meet you, sir,” Pierce said as he shook Thomas’s hand.
“Likewise,”
Thomas said. “We’re just behind those trees – about two hundred yards away, I
should think – but with all the snow we’ve been having this winter and last
season keeping us occupied, I’m afraid we never managed to come and welcome you
to the area.”
Pierce
crossed his arms. “It’s alright. I’ve been pretty busy myself since I moved
here.”
For
reasons she could not explain, Sarah wanted to know more. “What—”
“Sarah
and I are mostly interested in the ridge,” Thomas said, cutting Sarah off and
getting straight to the point. “We’re familiar with it of course, but it
wouldn’t hurt to take another look, if that’s all right with you.”
“It’s
the reason why you’re here, isn’t it?” Pierce asked as he looked from one to
the other. “Why don’t we grab the Argo and head on over there? If you like what
you see, I’ll invite you for coffee while we go over the contract.”
“And
if we don’t like what we see?” Thomas asked with a mischievous glint to his
eyes.
“Then
I’ll still invite you for coffee,” Pierce said. “Just give me a second. I’ll be
right back.”
Sarah
watched him go, unable to stop herself from comparing him to Billy as he walked
to the garage. Their height and hair color were similar, but Pierce was
broader, his stride more solid. “Why did you cut me off before?” she asked her
grandfather as she turned to face him.
“Because
you were about to pry, and if there’s one thing that man doesn’t want or need,
it’s prying.”
Sarah
frowned. “I was just curious to know how he ended up here.” Her grandfather
raised an eyebrow. “How do you know he wouldn’t want to tell us?”
“Trust
me. The haunted look in his eyes is more than enough. I’ve seen it before.” The
corners of his eyes crinkled as he stared straight back at her, unflinching.
“Leave it alone, Sarah, and let’s just focus on what we came for.”
For a
second, she felt as if the ground was falling away beneath her feet. She didn’t
need to ask what he was referring to, because she already knew. Which was why
she just stood there, saying nothing, while snowflakes drifted lazily around
her shoulders and until Pierce returned with his all-terrain vehicle. “Climb
aboard,” he yelled over the sound of the engine.
Leaving
the front passenger seat of the Argo to her grandfather, Sarah took a seat on
the back bench. Holding on tight, she anticipated the occasional bumps and a
few sharp turns, enjoying the speed and the illusion that all the memories her
grandfather had just stirred to life were being left far behind.
Focus.
That’s
what she’d been doing for the past three years, and that was what she would
continue to do now. So she pushed her thoughts of Billy from her mind and
considered her grandfather. He needed her, depended on her, and she would not let him down.
The
Argo slowed, producing a spray of snow before coming to a stop. “It’s
beautiful, don’t you think?” Pierce asked as he looked out over the ridge at
the far end of his property. It was a steep drop to the river below and equally
steep on the other side too, where a grey wall of rock rose toward another peak.
“I
think it’s beautiful everywhere in the Klondike,” Sarah whispered, her voice
muffled by her scarf. She spoke up, this time wanting to be heard. “Life up
here can be harsh. The city folk don’t understand why anyone would choose to
live in such a remote location. Personally, I can’t imagine living anywhere
else. It’s just a cleaner, less complicated way of life.”
Turning
in his seat, Pierce looked at her as if she’d somehow managed to put into words
an idea he’d been trying to hold onto. And she saw then, in that fraction of a
second, the devastation her grandfather had spoken of earlier, only this time
she felt a piece of her heart break for this man. Nobody deserved to suffer the
kind of pain that left such a mark.
Breaking
eye contact, Pierce climbed out of the Argo and turned to offer her his hand.
It was firm beneath her own, his arm strong and steady, supporting her weight
until she reached solid ground. She barely managed to get her balance before
he’d released her again and started toward the other side of the vehicle, his
boots squeaking against the snow.
“Would
you like a hand as well?” he asked her grandfather, who readily accepted the
offer, much to Sarah’s surprise. In her experience, Thomas liked to handle
everything on his own. The fact that he was giving up some of his control to a
perfect stranger reminded her that he was getting on in years.
Disliking
the thought, she chose not to dwell on it, walking out toward the edge of the
ridge instead. “There’s at least twenty feet to the river below,” she called
out, her voice pulled away on a gust of wind that swept in behind her. Hugging
herself, she turned back to face the others. “How wide do you suppose the area
is?”
“A
quarter mile, last I measured,” Pierce said. “I’ll add another quarter mile in
width and sell you the claim for forty grand. How does that sound?”
“Well,”
Thomas began, “I’d say it’s probably reasonable enough if there’s gold here.
But if there isn’t…” He allowed the point to remain unspoken.
“Look,
the way I see it,” Pierce said, crossing his arms, “you called as soon as my ad
appeared in the paper. Furthermore, you seemed pretty eager to come take a look
at it, even though I’m sure that doing so was just a formality. Your insistence
on the ridge tells me you’re pretty certain of what you’ll find once you start
digging. So the offer stands. Take it or leave it.”
Watching
her grandfather hesitate, Sarah decided to take charge. “You’re right, but
contrary to my grandfather’s opinion, I happen to think you’re asking too much
– almost twice of what we paid last year.”
“Except
last year, you were mining somewhere else,” Pierce said. “If you want the
ridge, then this is the price you’ll have to pay.”
Glancing
over at her grandfather, Sarah prepared to tell Pierce Jackson they weren’t
interested, only to find her grandfather telling the man, “We accept.”
She
could only stand there gaping at them both as they shook hands, completely
dumbfounded by what had just happened. Finding her tongue, she walked over to
her grandfather, determined to talk some sense into him. “I know you were
hoping to claim the ridge, but—”
“No
buts about it, Sarah. I’ve already agreed.”
She
wanted to scream or hit something. Pierce Jackson would do nicely right now.
God, she was angry with both of them, except to his credit, Pierce had no idea
how much money they had at their disposal. Sure, they could dish out forty
grand on the claim, but there would be other expenses on top of that, the most
costly being the new equipment they needed.
“Shall
we go back to my cabin so I can print out the paperwork for you?” Pierce asked,
already helping her grandfather back into the Argo.
“Will
it be served with fresh coffee?” Sarah asked, sounding more irritable than
she’d intended. Too late for that now.
“Of
course,” Pierce said with a somewhat puzzled expression. Coming toward her, he
held out his hand. “Would you like me to help you get in as well?”
“Thank
you, but I think I can manage.”
Shrugging,
he turned away and climbed into the front, leaving her to get in on her own.
Cursing beneath her breath, Sarah scrambled on board, her butt landing on the
bench with a thud. Somehow she would have to fix this before her grandfather
gave up all of his hard-earned money for a dream Pierce Jackson seemed all too
happy to indulge.
About Sophie Barnes
Born in Denmark, Sophie has spent her youth traveling with her parents to wonderful places all around the world. She has studied design in Paris and New York and has a bachelor’s degree from Parson’s School of design, but most impressive of all – she’s been married to the same man three times, in three different countries and in three different dresses. While living in Africa, Sophie turned to her lifelong passion – writing. When she’s not busy, dreaming up her next romance novel, Sophie enjoys spending time with her family. She currently lives on the East Coast.
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Thank you so much for being part of the tour!
Thank you so much for being part of the tour!
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