Second Chance Ranch: a Hope Springs novel (Entangled Bliss) Read Online Free Page A

she’d hated being inside during all the sunny hours of the day, and her boss was a jerk. She’d tried waitressing before, but she got distracted easily, started chatting and laughing with the customers instead of focusing on the food and her other tables, and ended up getting yelled at a lot, so it wasn’t a good fit, either. Sure, there were probably other jobs she could try, but she was too burned-out. A couple months to recoup and get back into fighting shape—repair the layer of thick skin one needed to have in the music industry and get her confidence back—and then she’d call up her agent and tell him she was ready to perform and try to get auditions again.
    “I’m sorry I didn’t get to cleaning out your room,” Mom said. “I simply ran out of time. I washed the bedding, though. It’s in the dryer now.”
    Sadie wrapped an arm around Mom’s shoulders. “Thanks. That’s perfect.”
    “Dinner’s in the oven,” Grandma said, and at the suggestion of food, Sadie smelled something buttery and creamy. “I made your favorite brownies for dessert, too. I wanted to celebrate you coming home.”
    Sadie almost told Grandma that she couldn’t eat the delicious brownies with the calorific fudge frosting. Or whatever meat she’d most likely breaded and fried, not to mention the vegetables she nearly always served creamed, which sort of defeated the healthy aspect. Sadie had been on a strict diet for years, and carbs were so not her friends. Her agent always pointed out that she needed to look marketable to keep up with the rest of the competition, and she was told whenever she gained a pound or two. If Nolan had his way, she’d have breast implants, too. She’d actually considered getting them, but in the end, she really thought it should be about her voice. Showed what she knew. Sure, there were hundreds of good singers out there, but she’d networked, taken lessons, spent years pursuing a career, and she could sing, damn it!
    Exhaustion seeped in and her shoulders sagged. With any luck, she’d figure out a way to get her mojo back. First things first, she was dying for a shower, and then bring on the food, because eating her feelings sounded like a great way to take care of them right now. She excused herself and dragged her suitcase upstairs.
    “Is she okay?” she heard Mom ask, even though she was clearly trying to whisper. But with Grandma and Grandpa being a little hard of hearing, it came out as more of a yell-whisper.
    Was she okay? It was the million-dollar question, wasn’t it?
    “Seems okay,” Grandpa said. “Ran into Royce at the grocery store, and I think that was hard.”
    Sadie groaned. They were already going to start speculating about her love life, and there was no doubt the entire town would be buzzing about it, too. Everyone had thought the rodeo star and the town’s singing sensation—if you counted state fairs, rodeos, and ball games—were going to make it. While most everyone in Hope Springs had speculated on what exactly had happened to break them up right before Sadie left, none of them knew the truth as far as she could tell. The only person who knew everything was Quinn, and she was so loyal she’d take it to her grave. There were definitely whispers about how Sadie thought she was too good for the town, though. Yet another reason she’d only been home twice since she’d moved away, both super-short visits where she’d honed her hermit skills.
    Sadie pushed into her bedroom. Or maybe she’d traveled through the wormhole again. It still looked like the bedroom from her high school memories. There were the red curtains she’d sewn in class, because yeah, that had been required in the high school curriculum in this town. When the curtains were closed, you could see how crooked they were at the bottom. Posters of famous country singers lined the wall. Faith Hill, Miranda Lambert, Carrie Underwood, and Keith Urban. That last one was up there because, yes, he was a good