Page 6 of Porter's Angel

She could surprise Emily with the good news later.

“How about I wait for you to get back to come?” Cadence said. She wanted to experience Harvest Ranch with her friend. “I don’t want to waste good vacation time without you.”

Emily let out that cute giggle of hers. She nodded. “Good! I mean, I can’t wait to introduce you to all those sweet people over there.”

“It sounds nice.” Just thinking about it made Cadence wistful. She could see herself raising her baby in a small town like that. Could Lacy ever get away from his thriving business to live a slower paced lifestyle? Cadence wished that he would, but it didn’t seem likely.

Emily touched Cadence’s arm. “The offer always stands.”

How sweet!“You’re wonderful, you know that?” Cadence glanced over at Lacy. He was caught up in yet another conversation. She could hardly wait to introduce him toherfriends. They were much more down to earth, so sincere!

Emily’s hand went to her again. How embarrassing. She’d caught Cadence spacing off again.

“Well, I’d better go set up,” Emily said with a smile.

“Of course.” Cadence hoped that Emily would forgive her for her inattention. At the very least, Emily seemed recovered from her initial stage fright. Just in case she wasn’t, Cadence caught Emily in another hug.

She melted into her friend’s arms.

These hormones from being pregnant must make her more sentimental than she normally was, because for some reason, Emily reminded Cadence of good times, the days when the world felt carefree and all their dreams would come true.

Some were coming true now. Why couldn’t Cadence trust in that? Were all those times she’d faced rejection in foster care coming back to haunt her so that she’d never feel comfortable when she was finally settled?

She’d never felt this anxiety when she was with her friends in college.

“Do you have my number?” Emily asked into her arm.

Oh goodness! Cadence was still clinging to Emily like a leech. She sprang back, hoping her friend hadn’t noticed. “I’ve got it.” She groaned inwardly. Her chaotic thoughts had made her so distracted. She needed to calm down. “We’ll get together soon!”

Emily smiled that sweet smile of hers. “You bet.”

Cadence grimaced back and left her to find Lacy. He was in deep conversation with three men in tuxedos. She stood near the circle of men, noticing how seriously they talked, how urgently. She could hardly catch a word with their lowered voices, something about flyover states.

“It’s dirt cheap and beautiful land,” Lacy said. His voice turned louder as he launched into his sales pitch. “Think what we could do with it.”

“If we buy, won’t that drive up prices for the locals?” one of the men asked.

A grumbled laugh erupted from the assembled group.

“Yeah, sure, but who would actually want to live there?” another man pointed out.

Lacy turned to that naysayer and smirked. “Oh, I see what you’re saying—too many cowboys and Christians, right? Why don’t you come out and say it. Churches on every corner, the smell of cow manure scuffed off boots in every establishment. Ha, you said it first… What better way to push them out of town? Just drive up the prices and get them out. Let them pray elsewhere.”

Wow. Sometimes Lacy sounded like a real jerk when he was trying to make a deal. Of course, he didn’t really mean it—he’d say any shocking thing to get the sale. His head lifted when he saw her, and he grinned. “Angel!”

Immediately she forgot the rough talk as butterflies decided to take residence in her stomach—butterflies with razor blades for wings. The anticipation of talking to him actually hurt.

Lacy’s eyes brightened on her, then he glanced back to the men and grimaced. He cleared his throat. “Cadence, will you be a gem and get these men drinks?”

She wasn’t against playing hostess, but it stung to be pushed away so quickly. She licked her lips, seeing that they already held glasses. “Moredrinks?”

“Yeah, yeah,” Lacy said pointedly. He wanted her gone. “And do me a favor and find me those papers on our land inquisitions. They’re on my desk.” She backed away, officially dismissed.

Swinging on her heel, she charged blindly through the crowd, not watching where she was going, only trying to find some place private to vent out her frustrations—unfortunately that would be in the form of tears.

Stupid hormones!

She should just play along and stop being dramatic. After all, wasn’t pouring drinks the reason behind getting a business degree?