“You have the office to yourself this morning?” He gestured toward the other workstations situated around the perimeter of the room. All of the employees involved with the trainee program shared this space, which would be the official management office once the hotel opened.
“Jillian and Jay are in a meeting upstairs to finalize the choice for bed linens for the guest rooms.” She shrugged. “I had a call with Hailey at the spa about the giveaways for the preopening event. I figured they could handle it without me.”
“Look at you delegating like you’ve already earned the promotion.” He bent down and gave her a swift kiss. “I like watching you take control.”
As much as she wanted to draw him in, Grace gave him a playful nudge instead. “You can’t kiss me at work,” she admonished. “People will talk.”
“There’s no one here.”
“Still.” She held up a hand. “And I’m not delegating. We’re dividing and conquering.”
He lifted a brow. “Own it, Grace. You want that promotion, and you’re going after it.”
“Yeah,” she whispered, delighted that she didn’t have to hide her ambition from Wiley. Her ex hadn’t liked it when she tried to better herself, at least if it made her seem like she was trying to surpass him in any way. Maybe it was because Wiley was already so successful and sure of himself, but he seemed to be attracted to her even more when she stood up for herself or went after what she wanted.
It was a heady vote of confidence.
“Saturday’s event is going to be great.” She grinned and pushed away from her computer. “Do you know what’s going to make it even better?”
Wiley tapped a finger against his chin. “The fact that every time we make eye contact you’ll know that I’m thinking about kissing you senseless?”
She laughed. “No, but I’ll keep that in mind. I get the cast off Friday afternoon.”
His mouth dropped open and something flashed in his eyes that she didn’t understand—it looked almost like dismay. “I thought you had a full month in the cast?”
“Me, too. But I saw Dr. Matthews early this morning. My mom took me in before work. He did more scans and said the fracture is healing faster than expected. The plan was to make an appointment for next week to get it off, but when I explained about the event on Saturday, he agreed to see me Friday afternoon. I’ll still have to be in a walking boot for another few weeks, but...” She threw up her hands. “Walking, Wiley. Without crutches or the scooter. I’m going to almost be a normal person again.”
“That’s fantastic news.” He continued to look shocked and definitely not thrilled the way she expected. “Are you sure you aren’t pushing the recovery? What does the PT say?”
“Wow, that’s not exactly the reaction I’d hoped for,” Grace told him with a frown. “The doctor is okay with it, so I don’t think I’m pushing anything. We already have physical therapy sessions set up for next week to start working on strengthening my ankle.” She didn’t bother to keep the frustration out of her voice. “This is a huge step forward—literally and figuratively—and comes at the best possible time. Not just because of work.” She swallowed. “I mean you and I can...well, we’ll be free to take the next step in our relationship.”
He sucked in a sharp breath. “Yes. That’s amazing.” He waved a hand in the air, looking so discombobulated she almost felt sorry for him. “Every part of it is amazing, Grace. I’m really so happy for you. It’s just a shock, you know? Because the plan changed and all.”
“For the better,” she reminded him.
“Of course.”
Jillian entered the office in her usual flourish, then stopped when she realized Wiley was standing next to Grace’s chair. “Thank God I was at that meeting.”
He took a step back and ran a hand through his hair.
“Nice work with arranging the spa gift certificate,” he told Grace with a perfunctory nod.
She gave him a wan smile, hoping that Jillian was fooled by his somewhat lame attempt to offer a reason for being in here with her. She wished they didn’t have to keep their relationship secret, but until the promotion was announced, she wouldn’t take any chances on her coworkers thinking she would be given preferential treatment during the assessment process.
Even being with him in secret felt risky, but she also couldn’t imagine not taking advantage of their time together.
“Nice to see you, Jillian,” Wiley said, and for a moment Grace hoped Wiley wasn’t a poker player, because the man’s inability to display a convincing game face was comical.
He exited the office as Jillian took a seat at her desk.
“The linen meeting went well?” Grace asked, knowing that the other woman loved to talk about herself and hoping she’d be easily distracted from Wiley’s presence in the office.
“If it weren’t for me, our guests would have been sleeping on discount sheets and scratchy comforters.” Jillian opened her laptop. “The bedding company sales guy was definitely trying to pull something over on us.”
“What did Jay think?” Grace valued his practical opinion to balance out Jillian’s tendency toward drama.
“He actually agreed with me.” Jillian sounded as shocked as Grace felt. “I would not have expected Jay to be the type of man who understood the value of Egyptian cotton or a high thread count. He seems like a guy who’d change his sheets once a month and only because he got sick of crumbs in the bed.”
“Yuck.” Grace shook her head. “You’re selling him a little short.”
“He’s just so regular,” Jillian said with a sniff. “Nice enough but definitely not someone with my level of ambition.”
Grace inclined her head. “I hate to ask where I rate on your ambition scale, but I’m curious.”
Jillian steepled her hands together as she turned her chair fully to face Grace. “Well, you take it to a whole new level.”
That didn’t sound like a compliment, so Grace offered her best placating smile. As much as she wanted to earn the promotion, there was no doubt that Jillian would be an asset to the hotel staff in some capacity, so Grace didn’t want to be the woman’s sworn enemy. “You do a great job as well,” she said.
“But I don’t do the boss’s brother,” Jillian said with a smirk. “I earn my accolades with hard work and talent.”
Anger and alarm rose in Grace like two waves crashing in on each other. This was exactly why she’d been leery of dating Wiley before the grand opening. The fact that Jillian could even hint—let alone nearly accuse—Grace of being given some kind of preferential treatment pained her to the core.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said, making sure not one bit of emotion seeped into her voice. “Wiley and I are friends. He was kind after the accident.”
“I assume you repaid that kindness on your back?” Jillian asked, almost conversationally.
Grace gasped. “That’s a horrible thing to say.”
“But is it true?”
“No, it’s not. I don’t appreciate the insinuation about my character. I’ve earned my place at the Hotel Fortune.”
“He’s only friendly to you because they’re afraid you’re going to sue for damages or try to get some kind of settlement from the hotel.”
“That’s not true,” Grace whispered even as her brother’s words played over in her head like an annoying refrain. She reminded herself that Jillian wanted to get under her skin, and Grace had to keep it together. She knew Wiley truly cared about her. He told her as much—maybe not in so many words, but the way he held her communicated everything she needed to know.
“I overheard him talking to Callum and Nicole right after the accident.” Jillian stood and moved closer to Grace’s workstation. “He told them that he’d ‘handle you.’ We all know what that means when an attorney says those words.”
“You’re lying.”<
br />
“I’m not. Ask him if you want. But men like Wiley Fortune don’t fall for small-town girls like you, Grace. He’s not even staying in Rambling Rose, so if you can’t see that you’re just an easy distraction with the added benefit that he protects his family, then you’re even stupider than I suspected.” She pressed her glossy lips together. “I feel sorry for you, actually. I have a friend who works at Cowboy Country and she told me how you were publicly humiliated by your boyfriend up there. Some people can’t ever learn the lesson.”
Without waiting for a response, Jillian turned and left the room.
Grace stared blankly at her computer screen as her body began to tremble. Was it possible Jillian had told her the truth? The woman was conniving and egotistical, but Grace had never once heard her lie in the months they’d worked together.
She hadn’t understood Wiley’s reaction to her news about the cast coming off early. Maybe he liked having an excuse not to be intimate with her. He’d given her too many reasons to believe he was a gentleman for her to doubt him on that front. It would then make sense if he was really stringing her along or getting close to her to make sure she didn’t go after his family for the accident that he wouldn’t want things to go too far.
As many times as Grace had warned herself not to let her feelings for him get out of control, that’s exactly what had happened. She was falling for Wiley Fortune—falling in love with him. And now she feared she might end up with a broken heart and a betrayal that would hurt far worse than Craig’s. If Wiley was the man Jillian claimed him to be, Grace wasn’t sure if she’d ever recover.
* * *
The following morning Wiley walked toward a popular barbecue joint in downtown Austin where he was meeting his cousin Gavin for lunch. Gavin was the youngest son of Kenneth, the half brother of Wiley’s dad. Similar to Wiley’s branch of the clan, Gavin’s was a big family who hadn’t known about their connection to the famous Texas Fortunes until the past few years. Gavin and his siblings had grown up in Texas. Like Wiley, Gavin was an attorney and specialized in corporate law.
They hadn’t met, but Wiley knew his cousin worked for a prominent firm out of Austin. It was Wiley’s understanding that Gavin had transferred there from Denver when he decided to return permanently to Texas.
After the conversation with Grace yesterday, Wiley had reached out and asked to meet Gavin to discuss possible opportunities within his firm.
The news that Grace was getting her cast off early had been a shock, and he knew he hadn’t handled it well. But that wasn’t due to the reasons Grace might suspect. In truth, the thought of making love to her appealed to him more than he could say. He wanted to learn every inch of her body and how she liked to be touched, what he could do to bring her pleasure. He’d forced himself to put fantasies about the two of them to the side out of respect for her recovery. It had been an exquisite torture to kiss her and hold her in his arms each night when he stayed at her apartment and know that they couldn’t go any further.
But a part of him, a tiny rational sliver of his brain, appreciated having the cast as an excuse not to take things further. Grace was different from any other woman he’d dated. He suspected that being with her intimately, instead of quenching his thirst, would only make him want her more.
The thought of taking that step and then walking away after the hotel’s grand opening made a sharp ache slice across his chest. The alternative—a long-distance relationship—held no appeal, either. Because of that, Wiley had decided to think about his future in a new way.
He immediately spotted Gavin as he entered the restaurant since he’d read his cousin’s bio on the firm’s website. Gavin was tall and good-looking, with dark blond hair and air of confidence about him. He waved and then gave Wiley’s hand a firm shake when he got to the table.
“I’m glad you called,” his cousin said, and Wiley appreciated the open expression on the other man’s face.
“Thanks for being willing to meet me so quickly.” He took a seat, and a waitress put a glass of water and a menu in front of him. “It’s strange to think our fathers are brothers but we’re virtual strangers.”
Gavin nodded. “My dad had a bit of struggle getting used to being part of the Fortune clan.”
“I know how that goes,” Wiley said with a laugh. His father had actively discouraged Callum and the rest of the siblings from getting close to their newfound relatives. “But it’s a hard family to resist.”
“How do you like Rambling Rose?” Gavin asked. “From everything I hear, your siblings are making quite the mark on that little town.”
“It’s growing on me,” Wiley admitted, glancing at the menu. “Which I didn’t expect.”
The waitress returned to take their orders. After she’d gone, Gavin sat back in his seat with a contented sigh. “I’m familiar with that, as well. I certainly hadn’t planned to end up in Texas when I came for my sister’s wedding. Denver had been my home since I graduated from law school.”
“So what changed?” Wiley leaned in, curious to get the insight of a man who on the surface appeared so like him. “Did the wide-open spaces of Texas call you home again?”
“Not exactly. There’s plenty of space in Colorado, although it’s certainly not the same. The truth is, I met a woman. It’s as simple as that.”
Wiley chuckled. “In my experience, women are never simple.”
“The way I felt about Christine is.” Gavin inclined his head. “Although it took me a bit of time to figure it out. I might be great with contract law, but I wasn’t exactly a quick study when it came to love. Luckily, my firm had a Austin office, so it was easy to transfer without missing a beat. Best decision I ever made.”
“I don’t have your luck,” Wiley told the other man, still reeling at the fact that Gavin seemed to be acting like it had been no big deal to make that kind of a move for a relationship. “How long have you and Christine been together?”
“Two years this month,” Gavin told him with a smile. “Smartest thing I ever did was make her my wife. We’ll be adding to our family this spring.”
“Congratulations.” Wiley rubbed two fingers against his chest, wondering if the emotion there that felt like jealousy could actually be that base. It wasn’t as if he’d completely rejected the idea of someday getting married and having a family of his own. But having his own space and independence had always been more of a priority. As much as he appreciated the sacrifices his mom and stepdad had made, he didn’t know if he was capable of being that selfless.
“It’s incredible. Christine is incredible. I really am the luckiest damn man alive.”
The waitress brought their food at that moment—brisket for Wiley and a pulled pork sandwich for Gavin. As they ate, Gavin asked Wiley about his work in Chicago and how he was able to balance everything remotely from Rambling Rose. They discussed Gavin’s transition to Texas and what that had meant for his career and his standing in the firm.
Before this month, Wiley had never considered that he might want a change from the firm where he was on the fast track to partner. He’d made a life in Chicago that suited him, although he was quickly coming to realize his desire to stay in Rambling Rose was more than just a need for a break from the pace of city life.
He wanted a change.
As if reading his thoughts, Gavin gave him a knowing look across the table. “You’ve told me everything I need to know about your focus as an attorney,” his distant cousin said. “Obviously you’ve had a lot of success in your career and from the sound of it, you have a great life in Chicago. Yet you called to discuss opportunities with my firm in Austin?”
As ridiculous as it seemed, Wiley’s first instinct was to deny it. No point, since that’s exactly why he had called Gavin, but saying the words out loud felt monumental, like he’d be making a huge shift from the path that had always seemed solid in front of him.
“I th
ink it might be time to consider other opportunities,” he answered slowly. “I’ve enjoyed reconnecting with my brothers and sisters. Somehow being part of a big family doesn’t quite feel as stifling as it once did. Now it’s more of a comfort, and I like the idea of being able to help out legally with what they’re doing in Rambling Rose. But I’m not ready to give up corporate law. I’d like to find a way to do both.”
Gavin studied him for several long beats. “You want to move to Texas permanently to be closer to your family?”
“Yes.”
“That’s the only reason?” Gavin prompted.
“I’m ready for a new challenge.” Wiley kept his features neutral. He could tell the other man wanted something more, a revelation about love or a woman. But Wiley wasn’t ready for that. The idea of taking his relationship with Grace to the next level had certainly contributed to his desire to explore new opportunities in Texas. She wasn’t the type of woman he would expect to have a casual relationship.
Yes, they’d agreed to date temporarily while he was in town, but that arrangement had been made while she was at the beginning of her recovery. He hadn’t expected his feelings for her to grow so deep in such a short time. The idea of making love to her and then walking away after the grand opening held no appeal. Even if he wasn’t ready to talk to her yet about his emotions, he needed to be moving forward. The thought of living permanently in Texas helped him to retain some level of control.
“I’d like to set up a meeting with you and one of the senior partners,” Gavin told him. “Our Austin office is continuing to expand, and it would be a huge win to attract an associate with your level of experience.” He leaned forward. “Are you thinking of living in Austin, or do you want to stay close to your family in Rambling Rose?”
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