Page 37 of Sweet Madness

With a gentle sigh, I reach for the fork, ready to dig into the food she so sweetly prepared. I’ve never had one of these before. As I take a bite, the flavors wrap around my senses in a sweet and rich dance. Surprisingly, it isn’t as overwhelming as I expected with so much sugar in it. The blend of chocolate and syrup creates a harmonious symphony of flavors on my tongue. Huh. It’s fucking good.

I glance up and meet her eyes, finding vulnerability. It’s then that I realize it isn’t just about the crepes; it’s about doing something nice for me. I’ve never cared about hurting anyone’s feelings before, but now I find myself thinking carefully before I open my mouth and say something that might hurt her. Fuck, I even went out of my comfort zone for this girl.

With another bite of the crepes, I nod, acknowledging the effort she put into the breakfast. “They’re good. Really good.”

Ella claps happily, her eyes brightening and her lips stretching into a huge smile. “Yes! I’m so happy you like them. I was so nervous,” she finishes, her cheeks turning a pretty shade of pink.

She’s blushing. Thud. Thud. Thud. My chest starts to ache. There’s that weird sensation again.

As she smiles and I eat the food she prepares for me, I think about how small moments and sweet gestures can brighten someone’s day. She makes today—a day that has always been a dark cloud over me—sunny. And that fucks with my head. Her way of seeing life and her capacity to forgive are refreshing but also disturbing. This girl might be small, but she’s dangerous.

Silence falls upon us once again as we dig into our breakfast. While I eat, I notice her subtle way of staring and her smile never faltering. She looks at me when she thinks I’m not looking. Even when I fix my eyes on the plate of food, I still feel her curious gaze on me.

I wonder what she thinks when she looks at me. Can she see my broken parts?

I scrub a hand over my face, suddenly annoyed by her silence. I used to prefer it that way, but now I don’t know what I want or how to feel. I clear my throat and hold her gaze. “When you’re done, go get dressed and let’s start the day, yeah?”

“Will you show me what you do here?” she asks, finally breaking her stare, excitement and happiness written all over her expression. She then looks down at something on the counter—her brand new iPad and a small, pink, girly camera next to it. That’s when I realized she’s excited about working.

That’s rare. Most heiresses would complain endlessly about doing manual labor, especially on a ranch, yet this girl looks like she’s about to jump from her seat at the idea of it.

“Yeah…” That’s all I manage to say.

“I can’t wait,” she admits, pinning me with her gaze. “It’s so beautiful here. I know there’s much to learn!”

Learn…

I look at her in silence, drawn to her presence like a moth to a flame. Get a grip, man. “I doubt what you could learn here is something you could apply to your life back in D.C.,” I told her sincerely.

Nothing I do here is interesting. It’s just… work. Honest and hardworking work.

She chuckles lightly, a musical sound that fills the room and warms my chest. “Nonsense, Shaw Bear. I can feel it already. This place will change me.” Then she picks up both plates, drops them in the dishwasher, and turns back to me with her iPad and camera in hand, and of course, the brightest smile on her face.

Fuck me, how beautiful. I’ve never met anyone who smiles as much as this girl, and I don’t think I ever will.

With a not-so-subtle wink, Ella says, “I’ll be quick,” before she skips out of the room, humming a catchy tune.

The pang in my chest grows stronger as I think about what lies ahead while this sweet creature is under my care. Nothing good for my dead and cold heart, I’m sure.

With a deep sigh, I grab one last crepe from the griddle, bite into it, and make my way outside, ready to start the day. But it doesn’t feel like any other day at the ranch. Today feels… different. Today feels… sweet.

Space Note

“Stars have different colors depending on their temperature. The hottest stars are blue, followed by white, yellow, orange, red, and the coolest stars are brown. You’re all those colors, all those stars to me.” - E

Chapter

Ten

WORKING HEIRESS

Ella

“I never saw her coming and now she’s all I see.” – S

The hot afternoon sun blazes over the ranch as I make my way towards the stables to start my day. The crunch of gravel under my boots echoes softly in the crisp air. I haven’t had time to truly appreciate the beauty of this place. It’s a beauty that forces you to stop and admire just how wonderful Mother Nature is. I pause, breath catching at the breathtaking sight before me.

In the distance, rugged mountains stretch their mighty peaks towards the sky, almost kissing the blue above us. The mountains are covered with patches of evergreen forests.