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It took a few minutes to get her to open up. As soon as she realized she wouldn’t offend me by making suggestions, she took the lead. We were whipped into shape in ten minutes and served hundreds in less than half an hour.” KC shook her head. “She’s good.”
    Very good. But Zach didn’t want to think of that in front of his sister.
    â€œShe told me before that she made a living as domestic help, but never went into specifics,” he mused as he watched Sadie navigate the chaos with the calm demeanor of a woman who had many pots on the fire but wasn’t worried about losing one. He glanced at his sister, only to find her still studying him.
    He was in trouble now.
    â€œSo you knew her before, as in before this trip to Black Hills?”
    Why hadn’t he just kept his mouth shut? “Hmm...”
    But KC wasn’t buying the noncomment. “Did you meet her while you were in the military?”
    No, but those days right after he came home had been a blur of nightmares and worry over his mother, his family. He hadn’t known how to tell them he was falling in love. After she disappeared without a trace, he’d been glad he kept Sadie to himself and not made her a thing—that thing he had to explain to friends and family, pretend not to miss, or realize hadn’t been as real as he’d thought. He had happily done most of that without public scrutiny.
    Now, though, he could talk about Sadie without having to get into all the ugliness of regret and pain. He’d never been a liar, but he kept it brief, strictly answering the question that was asked. “No, she’s been to town before.”
    KC slapped her hands to her hips, making him wish he hadn’t been gentlemanly enough to take the box. “She was here before, long enough for you to talk to her about her job, and you never mentioned her. Was she a customer? Or—”
    â€œWhat’s for lunch, my lovely?” Jacob’s voice interrupted his fiancée’s, much to Zach’s eternal gratitude.
    â€œBarbecue and fixin’s,” KC said, giving Jacob a big smile.
    â€œWhat?” her fiancé’s voice boomed over the lot. “Barbecued meat, a pretty lady and a cold beer? All I need is our son and it’ll be heaven.”
    â€œChristina’s got him at the manor,” KC said, giving Jacob a quick kiss on the cheek. “Your mom started running a fever this morning, so she stayed home and offered to keep him, too.”
    Zach saw the flash of concern that crossed Jacob’s expression, and knew that even the slightest bug could be very harmful for the Blackstones’ mother, who had been in a coma for many years. But KC gave him a reassuring smile.
    Jacob pulled her into his arms. “Well, how long is that gonna last? Forget the barbecue. Let’s go home.”
    â€œNope, sorry,” she said, laughing as she swatted his chest.
    Jacob buried his face in KC’s neck. “Doomed” was all Zach heard before mumbling and giggling took over. He glanced away, grinning at the two lovebirds’ antics. In the sea of chaos under the tent, Sadie stood oddly still. The look on her face, even from this distance, had a hint of sadness and longing before she blinked and it was gone. Actually, all emotion was gone, as if she were afraid for Zach to see too closely inside.
    Funny, he felt the same way.
    Finally Jacob and KC separated, walking to the food tent hand in hand. Zach fell in step beside them. They talked about the next step in their plan as they joined the dwindling line for food. Sadie certainly had stepped up the efficiency of the process, and now the parking lot was filled with hungry workers eating their fill.
    â€œI’m so glad we could do this,” KC said, surveying the scene.
    Jacob kissed the top of her head. “Me, too. Whatever it takes to keep Black Hills alive, that’s what we’re gonna do.”
    They reached the