Her Texas New Year's Wish

by Michelle Major

  She waved to Mariana and Jay, who were standing with Callum on the far side of the pool, then blew out a breath and turned to face Collin. “I’m upset that he had to leave, okay? Does that make you happy?”

  “You know it doesn’t.”

  “I’m sure it really was an emergency,” she said, as much to convince herself as Collin. “He seemed worried about whatever was going on with his firm.”

  “But he didn’t share details with you?”

  “No,” she admitted. “He called as he was getting on the airplane, but I missed it. His message didn’t tell me much.” She glanced up at the blue sky overhead, then checked her watch. “He’s probably in the air right now.”

  “I hope he gets it worked out quickly. If not and he hurts you, I’ll kick his butt.”

  “You’ll have to get in line behind Jake,” she said. “Please don’t mention this to him. He still doesn’t trust Wiley or the Fortunes, and I don’t want to give him any more reason to be a jerk.”

  “Your brother isn’t a jerk,” Collin reminded her. “He cares about you. Just like I do.”

  “I know.” Grace gave Collin a hug before he walked away.

  She turned back to the crowd to see Nicole, Ashley and Megan watching her. Ashley and Megan waved, but Nicole’s attention seemed to be focused on Collin’s retreating back. Strange, Grace thought. She didn’t think her friend knew the Fortune sisters, but she figured there were plenty of things going on that she wasn’t aware of thanks to her own busy schedule.

  Just as she was about to turn away, Megan called her name.

  “Hey, Grace,” the slender blonde said as she approached. “You’ve done such an amazing job today. Everyone’s talking about the hotel but also about the spa and Provisions. It’s like the other business owners finally see we want to work with them and they’re willing to give us more of chance to prove it.”

  “That’s great.” Grace smiled again but this time noticed how the muscles in her face were beginning to feel sore. Her leg ached, and her lower back was stiff from standing for so long today. She wondered if she’d feel so tired if she had Wiley at her side, then chided herself for even feeling a hint of depending on him. She’d learned that lesson with Craig. Grace knew she could only depend on herself. She had to be her own number one priority, not expect any man to make her his.

  Even if Wiley had given every impression that he was doing exactly that.

  “Are you okay?” Megan asked, concern obvious in her tone.

  “Of course. I’m happy today has gone so well. I know the grand opening is going to be a huge success. Every business we invited today has agreed to be part of the downtown partnership so that should garner even more positive word of mouth for the hotel. You and your siblings have done so much for Rambling Rose. I’m honored to be a part of it.”

  “I know we’re all glad to have you on the team.” Megan pulled a thin envelope out of her purse. “I’m sorry but with all the excitement today, I forgot to give this to you.” She handed the envelope to Grace, who was surprised to see her name scrawled across the front.

  “It’s from Wiley,” Megan explained. “He felt bad about having to take off this morning. I know he wanted to be here for you today.”

  “Oh.” Grace took the envelope and held it between two fingers. The urge to tear it open was strong, but she didn’t want to read the note in front of Wiley’s sister. Her emotions were jumbled at the moment, and she might reveal too much about her feelings for the missing Fortune.

  “Don’t worry.” Megan patted Grace’s arm. “I told him he has to come back to help with the last-minute grand opening preparations. He’s not getting off easy with us. He can go back to his fancy big-city life when the work here is done.”

  Grace smiled, because that’s what the other woman obviously expected, but inside her heart cracked. Megan had given her exactly the reminder she needed that even if Wiley returned, his time in Rambling Rose—and with Grace—was coming to an end.

  And so were Grace’s secret dreams for any possible future between them.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Two days later, Wiley popped the last bite of a stale turkey sandwich into his mouth and washed it down with a swig of cold coffee.

  He glanced at the clock on his phone, not surprised to find that it was nearing midnight. He’d been working around-the-clock since he’d landed in Chicago on Saturday afternoon.

  In almost a decade of practicing law, there had never been a deal that had gone so far south so quickly. The associate who was supposed to be managing the client while Wiley handled the bigger contract stipulations had wound up getting himself and their potential client’s twenty-one-year-old son arrested in a gentleman’s club Friday night. It had been a stupid, thoughtless rookie mistake, especially considering Ron Burnett, the company’s CEO, had built his business on a motto of “family values.” Now the entire deal was in jeopardy.

  To make matters worse for Wiley, his boss had fired the associate, Jon Kirchman, after threatening to have him disbarred, and the young associate had taken every paper file he had regarding the contract with him and deleted all of the electronic correspondence and documents.

  Wiley had spent the past twenty-four hours in constant contact with the firm’s technology specialist in an attempt to recover the data. He’d reached out to Jon, hoping to convince him to turn over his files, but there had been no response yet.

  Although no one specifically blamed Wiley for the crisis, he couldn’t help but think that things wouldn’t have gone so far off the rails if he hadn’t been trying to manage the project remotely.

  He’d never given less than 110 percent to his career but had to admit now that he’d returned to the office that the past few weeks in Rambling Rose had put that dedication to the test.

  “Burning the late-night oil, I see.”

  Wiley stifled a yawn as Derek Curtis entered his office. Derek was a year older than Wiley, and they’d been hired with the firm at approximately the same time. Wiley respected the other man’s instincts for negotiating contract transactions, although Derek had a tendency to start each week a bit slow on the uptake, often coming off a weekend of partying.

  “We have a meeting with Ron Burnett and his board tomorrow. They’re going to make the final vote on new corporate counsel.” Wiley tapped a finger on one of the stacks of files that he and the paralegal staff had compiled. “I’m trying to make up a lot of ground from the hole Jon left us in.”

  “I still can’t believe the guy just took off when he got fired. Who does that?”

  Wiley shook his head. “Someone who isn’t planning to have a law career in Chicago anytime soon.”

  “You need any help?” Derek lowered himself into the chair on the other side of Wiley’s desk.

  “I think I’ve done everything I can. I hope it’s enough.”

  “This isn’t your fault,” Derek reminded him.

  “Why does it feel that way? If I’d been here to head up the deal instead of trying to manage it from Texas...”

  “Tell me about Texas.” Derek sat forward. “You never explained exactly why you extended your stay. When we talked before you headed down there, you were planning on doing the family duty stuff, then heading back as soon as possible.”

  “It ended up being important for me to help with a few things at my family’s hotel.”

  “A few things? Legal issues?”

  Wiley shrugged. He didn’t really want to share details of his life in Texas. It felt so separate from his life in the city, and he had no doubt his coworker and sometime-friend wouldn’t understand the appeal. “A construction accident.”

  “Was anyone hurt?”

  “One of the employees broke her ankle.”

  “Ouch.” Derek whistled under his breath. “Sounds like a workers’ comp lawsuit waiting to happen. You’re making sure to cover yo
ur a—”

  “Grace isn’t going to sue the hotel,” he said through clenched teeth.

  “How do you know?” Derek shook his head. “I once saw a guy trip over his own two feet on a building site and then sue for six figures.”

  “I know her,” Wiley said, then immediately regretted the words based on the smile Derek gave him.

  “Is that so? Smart move, Counselor.”

  “It’s not like that. We’re friends.”

  Derek chuckled. “I get it.”

  “No, you don’t.” Wiley couldn’t decide whether the exhaustion of working so many hours or the stress of the deal or simply missing Grace so badly was making him want to stand up and punch his colleague in the face. Maybe a combination of all those things.

  “Come on, don’t get bent out of shape,” Derek said. “I’ve heard how you talk about your family, even if you don’t see them a lot. We both know you’re going to protect blood over some piece of—”

  “Stop talking.” Wiley pushed back from his desk. “Grace isn’t going to come after the hotel, and I’m not friends with her for any other reason than I like spending time with her.”

  “But it’s not serious, right?” Derek leaned back in his chair, and Wiley had the secret wish that he’d topple backward. “I know you, Wiley. You don’t do serious. We’re the same. Relationships are a distraction and never worth the trouble. You know that.”

  Wiley stared at the other attorney.

  Derek gestured to the papers piled all over the desk. “If nothing else, the situation you’re in now proves it. The reason you stayed in Texas was a chick, and look at what it’s led to. You could lose everything you’ve worked for over one deal that wasn’t managed right.”

  “I’m not going to lose anything,” Wiley said, although he knew Derek was right. Wiley had taken his eye off the ball, and now he was struggling to make sure he kept it in the air.

  “Let me know if you need help,” Derek offered again as he rose from the chair. “My focus is right where it needs to be. Always.”

  “Thanks,” Wiley muttered, then sank back down in his chair as the other man disappeared into the hall. He shut down his computer and began to pack up his briefcase. The rest of what needed to be reviewed before tomorrow could be handled in the morning. Right now, he needed a few hours of rest to get his head on straight again.

  He didn’t want to admit that Grace had been the reason he’d prolonged his stay in Rambling Rose or that his preoccupation with her had affected his work. He’d continued to manage his clients and his job from the tiny Texas town. More importantly, he’d been able to reconnect with his brothers and sisters. That was worth more than anything else.

  Although perhaps not more than the career he’d dedicated the last ten years of his life to.

  He had to keep focused now. Get through tomorrow and land the client, then he could think about what came next. He was supposed to meet with the senior partners at his cousin’s firm in Austin in a couple of days, but Wiley wasn’t even sure what he wanted now. Could he really close the biggest deal of his life and then walk away to start over halfway across the country?

  His brother and sisters had made it work, but he’d always been different. The odd Fortune out, so to speak. What would happen if he tried to start over?

  What would happen if he told Grace the truth about his feelings for her?

  As he flipped off the light to his office, his phone buzzed with an incoming text. A message from Grace. Simple, to the point, and the words utterly gutted him.

  I miss you.

  How could one simple sentence possibly convey so much?

  His heart seemed to skip a beat as he ran a thumb over the smooth screen, as if he could somehow reach out and touch her across the miles.

  He gave his head a hard shake and pocketed the phone. As much as he wanted to respond or to call her, he’d promised himself that his focus would remain on work until he salvaged the deal with Ron and his company. The firm was counting on him, and he already felt as if he’d let them down.

  Grace knew how he felt about her. She would wait. He had to take care of his current life if he was going to truly choose a future with her.

  * * *

  “I think we’re nearly there,” Nicole announced as she placed plates filled with roasted chicken and Brie over pasta on the table in front of Grace, Jillian and Jay.

  “Everything we make is delicious,” Mariana said with a genuine smile as she poured sparkling lemonade into their glasses.

  “Some of the best food I’ve ever eaten.” Jay scooped another huge bite of chicken into his mouth. “Seriously the best.”

  “Not that you probably have much to compare it to,” Jillian said with a delicate sniff. “I’ve actually traveled to both London and Paris.”

  Jay gave a haughty sniff. “Well, la-di-da then,” he said, his Southern accent especially thick.

  Grace pressed a napkin to her mouth to hide her giggle. “I’m certain Jay has a very discriminating palate,” she said, wanting to be loyal to her friend in the face of Jillian’s snobbery.

  “Very,” he agreed with mock severity, then winked at Grace.

  She grinned and took a bite of the pasta, which truly was delicious. Mariana and Nicole discussed the dish as a potential winter season special while the three trainees enjoyed their lunch.

  Nicole was continuing to refine the Roja menu with the grand opening around the corner. Her attention to detail and understanding of how to meld flavors together to showcase a variety of refined but still comforting foods amazed Grace. She had no doubt that the restaurant was going to be a huge success and bolster the hotel’s reputation.

  Jillian and Jay continued to banter back and forth. It amused Grace to no end how much Jay seemed to enjoy irritating their uptight coworker. He might joke about his country roots while Jillian took great pleasure in giving him grief over his lack of worldliness, but there was something more to Jay Cross. Beyond his easygoing manner, Grace sensed a depth of experience he didn’t want to share, so she never pushed him to reveal what had led him to Rambling Rose in the first place.

  She understood the desire to make a fresh start without the past coloring every step.

  Something caught her attention, and she turned in her seat to see Wiley entering the restaurant. He’d been gone almost a week. In that short time her emotions had run the gamut from disappointment to anger to heartbreak to resignation. Grace wanted to believe she’d settled on acceptance, especially when they’d barely spoken on the phone and he’d only sent a few short texts that told her no details of the emergency that forced him to leave so suddenly and when he would return.

  Her brain might have taken the hint about him walking—or literally running—away the morning after making love to her, but her body hadn’t gotten the message. Not when he looked as handsome as ever in a dark sweater and jeans with cowboy boots that finally appeared to be broken in. Like he belonged in Texas and in her world, although his absence this week had told her that wasn’t true.

  Grace had been thrown back into the same emotional turmoil she’d felt after her breakup with Craig. Of course it was different with Wiley, because he hadn’t cheated on her or made her any promises about the future. Somehow that only made her heart hurt more.

  She’d told herself after returning to town that she was going to focus on herself and not let anything distract her from her goals. Instead, she’d spent the past few days making excuses to go to the bathroom at the hotel and fight back tears. Everything about her daily life reminded her of Wiley. The way she’d looked forward to seeing him in the hall, to stealing kisses in the office and to spending her evenings in his arms.

  The Hotel Fortune had been her chance at a brand-new life, but she couldn’t even walk into the lobby without thinking of Wiley. It had gotten so bad that she’d actually considered quitting her job and leavin
g Rambling Rose to reinvent herself again in a place that held no emotional pull for her.

  It had been Collin who’d talked her off that ledge, reminding her that this was her home and she belonged here as much as any member of the Fortune family. Everything had made sense when Wiley wasn’t nearby, but watching him walk toward the table, his gaze intense on her, her thoughts and feelings scattered like dandelion fluff in a strong wind.

  “You’re back,” Nicole called to her brother as she turned.

  Grace hated the jealousy that stabbed at her heart when Nicole gave him a huge hug. Grace yearned to touch him, but she had no right. They’d agreed to date secretly—her plan—but it hadn’t been nearly enough. She wanted more. More than she should and likely more than Wiley was capable of giving her. It was time to remember that.

  “Something smells amazing,” he said.

  “Your sister has outdone herself with this dish.” Mariana came to stand next to Jay’s chair. “We have three discerning customers right here.” She patted Jay’s shoulder. “If an empty plate is any indication, Roja is ready for business.”

  “I have no doubt,” Wiley said, offering his sister a proud smile. “Any chance you have leftovers? I haven’t had a decent meal in what feels like days. I’ve been living off takeout the entire trip.”

  Grace tamped down her sympathy. Now that she looked at him more closely, she could see the lines of exhaustion fanning out from his dark eyes and bracketing his mouth. It only made her want to pull him to her and offer whatever comfort she could.

  Stupid, she reminded herself. She wasn’t a lovesick schoolgirl anymore. The man had made it clear where his priorities were, and she needed to do the same.

  As if reading her thoughts, Nicole pushed away and wagged a finger in front of Wiley. “I shouldn’t give you even a bite. I forgot that I’m mad at you. You practically ghosted us this week. We didn’t even know if you were coming back before the opening.”