Chapter 80 The Party
The sun was starting its slow descent behind the rocky rim of the Sage Ranch when Sierra slipped the muted ivory silk blouse over her head. She ran a hand along the delicate pleats of the high‑waisted charcoal skirt, feeling the crisp, buttery wool hug her hips.
After descending the creaky stairs, her Christian Louboutin boots clicked against the weathered hardwood floors as she joined Sylvia, who was already directing the three women in the task of getting all of the food out to the long serving tables set up in the gazebo.
Sylvia, already a vision in her emerald bodycon dress, floated around the kitchen island, laughing with her younger cousins as they ladled fresh guacamole onto a platter of handmade tortilla chips. The dress clung to her curves, the emerald hue in perfect coordination with the sagebrush beyond the yard. Her hair fell in glossy waves, the silver pins catching the amber glow of the hanging lanterns. When she glanced up, her dark eyes met Sierra’s and flashed her most captivating smile.
The ranchers began to trickle in, shined boots and their best jeans, hats tipped low, faces weathered but warm. Cody greeted each guest, knowing the majority of them since childhood. As the meal was in full swing, he moved among them with a platter, refilling plates with thick slices of beef, and keeping the jovial mood flowing with his easy sense of humor.
Sierra stood at the back of the gazebo, a glass of chilled rosé in hand, watching. She felt a surge of pride as Sylvia moved among them, truly a vision. Her heart swelled as she watched the startled looks the guests exchanged when they realized who she was.
The conversations around her swirled, full of stories about breeding programs, the best way to prep a chuckwagon, and jokes that made the men laugh heartily. Sylvia, radiant in her dress, moved from group to group, sharing greetings and stories. Sierra watched the way people gravitated toward her, how they brightened when Sylvia was near, feeling a warmth that was part pride, part astonishment.
Sierra cast an occasional glance around the group of ranchers and ranchhands, expecting to see Ryder. Like her, he would have been near the edge of the gathering, watching from the periphery. A pang of disappointment cut through the gratitude she felt for the evening’s success.
“Did you hear anything about him?” Cody asked, slipping a plate of baked beans onto a nearby table, his tone half‑joking, half‑concerned.
Sierra forced a smile, taking a sip of the rosé. “Not a word.”
“It’s odd,” Cody said, wiping his hands on a napkin, “he’s never missed a chance to be around when we have a big thing. You going to do a speech or something?”
“I suppose I should,” she said. “Let’s fill some champagne glasses for a toast.”
Sierra watched as the champagne glasses were filled, feeling a little bit nervous, and wondering why she should be nervous when she spent so much time speaking to groups of people.
“Welcome to Sage Ranch,” she began when the glasses were all filled. “Mama and Daddy always enjoyed these get-togethers. We haven’t had one in a very long time, so Cody and I thought it was about time to reintroduce an old tradition.”
Several comments were called out in agreement.
“After a fire, when the rains come and wash away the ash, the grass springs up richer and stronger. Some months ago, we lost our father, but like the grass, Sage Ranch is springing up again, stronger and richer.”
As she raised her glass, Sierra saw Ryder slip in at the back table.
“To renewal!”
“Renewal!” the guests repeated.
After the toast, she moved to the end of the table where Cody had just brought Ryder a healthy serving of meat. Behind him was one of Sylvia’s cousins with another plate teeming with sides.
“Better late than never, Marsh,” Sierra said, smiling as she took a seat near him.
“Hey,” he said, voice low. “Sorry, I’m late. I had a heifer that was having trouble calving. Had to do a cesarean.”
She glanced at his hands, still calloused, still the same hands that had brushed against her cheek under a star‑filled sky. “I understand,” she replied, trying to sound steady. “It sounds… intense.”
He offered a brief, tight smile. “Mama and baby are doing fine, but I didn’t want to miss this.” His eyes flickered to Sylvia, then back to Sierra. “Who’s your friend from New York?”
Sierra let out a soft, breathy laugh that caught on the wind. “No, this isn’t a ‘friend from New York,’ Ryder.” She gestured toward Sylvia, who was laughing with a group of ranch hands. “That’s Sylvia Ramirez, Claudia’s granddaughter. Her grandmother couldn’t help out, so she sent Sylvia. I gave her a little… makeover.”
Ryder’s eyebrows rose, a flicker of recognition passing through them. “That’s little Sylvia?” He blinked, as though the name was conjuring an image. “The skinny girl I used to see running around here whenever Claudia came to cook when we were kids?”
Sierra’s smile widened, the edge of her laughter softening into something tender. “That’s the one. She’s grown into a beautiful young lady, inside and out.”
Ryder let out a low, incredulous chuckle. “Wow.” He seemed to pause, the brief silence hanging like a held breath. “And you couldn’t resist playing dress up.” His voice carried a note of something unspoken.
“That’s just the way I am,” Sierra replied, her tone mixing affection with a pinch of defensiveness.
“You’ve got a way of making everything larger than life, Sierra.”
Just as Sierra was about to respond, Cody came up to them, his eyes bright but his expression serious.
“Hey,” he said, voice low but urgent, “Marty McKinley just told me something about Julian Rossi.”
Sierra’s breath caught; his was the last name she wanted mentioned while talking to Ryder.
“Evidently, he’s been buying up land all around here. He’s got a new development plan, looking to create some kind of luxury resort. He’s been around the valley making offers.”
Sierra felt the tightness in her chest expand, her earlier worry about Ryder’s absence now swallowed by a deeper, grimmer realization.
She started to speak, but Cody cut her off, his eyes flicking between her and Ryder. “He’s a billionaire, Sierra. He’ll buy up this whole valley without batting an eye. ”
Ryder shifted, his posture slightly stiffening. “Yeah. That’s just what we need.”
The conversation hung in the air like an electric charge. Sierra’s thoughts spiraled: her recent fling with Julian, the unresolved feelings she held for Ryder, and now the looming threat to the very ground on which the ranch stood by a billionaire who seemed to be surrounding her on every side, hemming her in. A pang of guilt moved over her. She had brought Julian Rossi to Kingman. It was her fault that her friends and neighbors, people she had known since birth, were facing a threat to their way of life.
Ryder finished eating without saying another word, but his deep silence was a shouted accusation against her. When he finally got up from the table, he spoke in a cool tone. "Quite a fling. Thanks for the invite."
No words would take shape in Sierra's mouth as she watched him walk away.