Free Blue Haven (Sunshine & Shadow Book 1) by Alie Williamson Page B

celebrity’s
coming today!” Hailey said. “To the ranch! Today!”
    “Who?” Kip said.
    Everyone turned to
April’s dad. No-one had thought to ask that question in all their excitement.
    “Alexander
Mitchell,” he answered after rifling through the papers again.
    “Lex Mitchell?”
Kip said. “He’s the hottest country singer around right now. What’s he coming
here for?”
    “I heard he’s
supposed to be on tour,” Adam said.
    “Never heard of
‘im,” Caleb mumbled, still shoving spoonful after spoonful of breakfast into
his mouth.
    “He’s coming for
riding experience. He got a part in a movie that starts shooting in a couple of
months and he needs to brush up on his western riding. His manager said he used
to ride a lot, but it’s been a few years. April, can you pick him a horse?”
    “What horse?”
    “Well, his manager
said he’s experienced. But needs a reminder.”
    April nodded. “Are
we still heading out tomorrow?”
    Her dad shook his
head. “Since we’re supposed to be helping him get back into riding, we’re going
to spend tomorrow here at the ranch and leave for the Trek the following day.”
    By 8:00 am, the
dining room was back to its clean self, and April was in the arena with Kip.
They were schooling the young horses. At least, that’s what they called chasing
each other around with lassos. Caleb and Hailey were in the barn somewhere and
April’s mom was sweeping the porch.
    A large, black SUV
rolled slowly up the driveway.
    “Hailey! Caleb!
Jack! He’s here!” Her mom practically threw the broom into the lodge.
    April and Kip
wandered their horses slowly over to the fence to wait for the guests to get
out of the vehicle.
    Kip smiled. “I
have a feeling this week is going to be interesting.”
    April laughed.
“Interesting? More like awful.”
    A man stepped out
of the driver’s side of the SUV and opened the backseat door. A woman got out
next. She wore a dark grey skirt suit and had a cell phone at her ear. She was
frowning. April smiled to herself; she wouldn’t find much cell reception in
these parts.
    The last guest to
emerge was the man everyone had been waiting for. Lex Mitchell was the epitome
of tall, dark and handsome. He carried himself with a grace that could only
have been perfected by being in the public eye.
    April could tell
he knew exactly how good looking he was. He wore dark sunglasses, and when he
removed them, April could see piercing green eyes. His skin was tanned from the
California sun, which made them appear even brighter.
    Striding onto the
deck, Lex shook hands with April’s dad. He then took her mom’s hand and kissed
it, locking eyes with her and obviously enjoying the fact that she didn’t seem
to be able to look away. This man knew how to charm, and it was immediately
unnerving to April.
    Kip and April
watched as Caleb helped the driver unload enough bags to last all of them a
month. The bags were pristine and Kip laughed out loud as Caleb lost his grip
on one. It fell into the dirt.
    “Careful with
that,” Lex said with raised eyebrows. “It’s Louis Vuitton.”
    As he turned
around, Caleb shot Kip and April a look that described what the week was going
to feel like for all of them. Hailey hurried after the celebrity, rambling on
about how much she loved his music and how talented he was.
    Kip said, “As if
he doesn’t know that already. Look at him. How the hell is he gonna survive out
here?”
    April shrugged.
“That’s not my problem.” She reached down and gave her horse a scratch on the
withers. “You’re my problem, right Charger?” Charger bobbed his large, black
head and April laughed.
    Lex’s entourage
didn’t seem to be able to part with him for a second. Every time he moved, they
moved, like magnets. Lex’s assistant, Gretchen, was constantly looking for
things to fuss over. She seemed like a younger, more animated version of
April’s mom without wine to calm her down.
    April had been
keeping her head down