“Isn’t that a bit harsh? She brought the kids to visit just like you asked.”

Margaret gave him a dirty look for siding with Sarah. “Harsh! No. The boys told me she’ll be working from here, rubbing it in my face that she owns Sean’s company.”

“Take that time to get to know the boys while she’s out of your way,” he suggested, trying to get her to focus on what was important.

Margaret’s eyes went bright. “That’s what I like about you, Luke. You always find the silver lining. Maybe the boys will open up about what it’s really like at home and we can use that in court to make sure she lets me see them whenever I want.”

“That’s not what I meant.” He wanted Margaret to accept her victory. The boys were here and she should focus on them, not her battle with Sarah, who seemed all too willing to put their arguments on hold. “I really don’t think she wants to keep the kids from you.” Sarah seemed more than reasonable.

“Just wait. In no time, you’ll see what I see. Her true colors will come out. She can’t hide who she really is.”

He’d found that out the hard way with a few of the women he’d dated. “Regardless, I think you should give her a chance.” He planned to do just that. “It’s been a long time and people change.” As a defense attorney, he often saw the worst people could do to each other. Surprisingly, he wanted Sarah to be more than he initially expected.

“She’s self-centered and selfish.” Margaret’s bitterness and resentment held her hostage in her anger and grief.

“I invited her and the boys over to the ranch tomorrow to see the horses. Come with them.”

She dismissed that with a frustrated frown and a telling rub of her knee. “You know I don’t have the energy for walking all over that huge spread of yours. I’m sure the boys will have fun. Just make sure she doesn’t burn the place down while she’s there.”

That spiked his interest. “Why would I have to worry about that?”

“I told you yesterday she was a troubled teen. She burned her uncle’s property to the ground. Luckily, no one got hurt.”

There had to be a story there.

His gut tightened at the vindictiveness of it. But his heart softened at the thought there had to be a reason, because she didn’t come off as callous or cruel.

He’d met his fair share of ruthless criminals.

Tired of hearing all these terrible things about Sarah that didn’t ring wholly true anymore, he tried not to put too much stock in Margaret’s accusations. He may have just met Sarah, but something wasn’t right. He didn’t think she was a bad person. After all, the boys seemed very attached to their mom, and she to them.

“Don’t let that sweet and innocent act fool you. Behind those doe eyes is a mean and hurtful person. Sean learned it too late. Don’t get taken in by her, too.”