by Holly May
“Who spilled the beans on Tania?” he had to ask.
“Warren. He didn’t say much, just that she hurt you.”
He smiled. Yep, no surprise. “So, I expected you to be out taking photos tonight.”
“I’m taking a break.”
He chuckled. “Both of us need one. Stay as long as you want.”
She smiled, leaning in for a kiss. “I will. I’m liking you a lot, Jared Weston.”
His throat tightened, the sensation of her warm lips lingering. It was unavoidable, yet inevitable and he didn’t know how to make it work, but he’d figure out something. “It’s mutual.”
Without a doubt, he loved her. But where to go from here, only God knew.
Chapter Eleven
Hearing the door creak, Rachel opened her eyes, blinking against the glare of sunlight filtering in through the windows. Jared entered, holding a tray adorned with delicious looking food, and her stomach rumbled in response.
“A creaking door? Thought it was all renovated,” she teased.
He smiled. “Adds to the charm. I assumed you don’t like coffee, haven’t seen you drink any here. So I grabbed some apple juice for you.”
His thoughtfulness evoked a smile. “Thank you. I’m more of a hot cocoa lover, but I appreciate it.”
He set the tray on the bed and seated himself beside her. Grasping a cup of steaming espresso, he raised it. “And I’m addicted to this stuff. Habit during New York rush hour.”
“You’re actually having breakfast at a reasonable time.”
“What can I say? Someone’s made me change my ways. For the better.”
She melted - and mentally shook away the last fragments of sleep, remembering that after enjoying the hot tub, they’d parted ways for the night, as hard as it was. For him to give her a wakeup call complete with breakfast was more than a surprise.
Returning her attention to what he’d brought in, she popped a few berries drizzled in cream in her mouth. “This is good.”
“Part of the new menu we can go through today.”
Her eyes widened. He didn’t seem bothered about work or socializing with the other ranchers, especially during opening day. “You aren’t concerned what the others think?”
“They read between the lines a while ago.”
That flooded her with relief. She didn’t want to elicit tension between the ranchers or to disrupt the day’s routine while they spent time together. Thinking over her minor criminal blunder that led her to this point, she asked, “You’re not going to tell them I was the trespasser, are you?”
He paused, his gaze lingering. “Would you want me to?”
“It used to bother me. I worry they won’t look at me the same way, that I’m no better than my sister.”
“If they knew the truth, they’d think no different of you. They accept you, as you accepted me. There’s no judgment and they’ll see you’ve repented.”
He seemed confident about his statement. Warmth flooded her chest to be surrounded by humble, dedicated people, and to have Jared looking out for her.
“Okay.” She preoccupied herself with a mouthful of pancake draped with syrup. “When do the guests arrive?”
“My father didn’t fill you in?”
“Not until I meet with him later. I guess there’s no harm in you telling me?”
Jared shrugged. “The opening’s around 2pm. The ranch is fully booked tonight and for the next two weeks.”
“That’s great! You’ll all be kept on your toes.”
He smiled. “I heard several guests learned of us through your blog. Don’t know how we could’ve made it this far without your help.”
She’d gotten several notifications this morning from guests, and thinking of how well it’d gone, she grinned. “Hey, I owed you for trespassing, didn’t I?”
His hand met her waist and he held her close. “I’m happy for the success you’ve found. Sure has been a unique turn of events.”
She stared at him, not wanting to divulge her thoughts. She’d been holding back on accepting the job in Spokane...for him. It was foolish, but she couldn’t leave Mountainbrook until Jared was certain of his future, until she was comforted in knowing he would be okay. At the very least, that’s the way she wanted it to be once they parted ways.
“My, uh, father’s interested in buying some landscapes off you,” he said. “He thought it’d add to the ranch’s decor.”
She studied him. “Ah, was this his decision or did it have input from you?”
“His.” At her prolonged look, he shook his head. “Okay, I admit, I had most of the say in it. This place needs more personal touches.”
She brushed her hair back. “Good to know.”
“I grew up with him drilling me about the family ranch and how it needed to endure. It was a lot of pressure to deal with. That fate loomed over me constantly. I spent hours in that hay loft, looking down at the horses, knowing this was my inescapable responsibility.”
After taking a long drink of coffee, he continued. “I rebelled, probably a lot more than I should’ve. But when the divorce happened, I didn’t want to deal with the ranch. The memories. It felt tainted to me.”
“So you left?”
“I graduated with an MBA in New York. The big city, as far from here as possible. It was a new start to my life, going in the direction I wished it to.”
“I can imagine your father was disappointed.”
He shook his head, setting his coffee aside. “I thought so too, but he supported me. He paid for all my college fees, everything from his savings that was meant for the ranch. When I became CEO, I earned enough to pay him back and more. I couldn’t back down, not after everything he’d sacrificed for me. Soon as the accident happened, I wasn’t just abandoning what I’d worked for, but the opportunity he’d allowed for me.”
Rachel squeezed his hand, understanding the turmoil he would’ve faced. “I’m sorry. I understand why you’re conflicted.”
“I threw everything I had into the ranch. Couldn’t stand the horses, the musty hay, the physical work. Not when my life in New York was a culmination of my intentions.”
She noticed his tone of his voice was softer. “You don’t seem to feel that way now.”
His eyes held hers, a gentle blue. “Well, things are different. I have my faith. I believe in myself more than I ever did.” He turned away. “Still, I can’t waste all those years in New York. I just…gotta figure a few things out.”
“But what if you’re denying your true passion? It hurts to see others ignoring what they love for the sake of money or the expectations of others. Whatever brings out your happiness shouldn’t be disregarded.”
Jared stiffened. “Didn’t you feel like abandoning your photography due to uncertainty?”
“Plenty of times.”
Jared nodded curtly. “You know what you want. You had your family there unconditionally without judgment. My father did his best to support me, but he wants me here. My mom doesn’t care either way. It’s hard to overlook that. Seeing your achievement gives me hope he’ll eventually accept my position in New York.”
Ambiguity clouded his eyes – for his father, or himself?
Rachel searched his face. He wouldn’t budge. And she knew that not even the concept of settling down in Mountainbrook with her would make him reconsider. His intention to leave was unpalatable to her optimism, but she swallowed it down. “Sorry, I don’t mean to insist. I have no right telling you what I think is best.”
“No, it’s who you are. It’s nothing to be ashamed of. I like your compassion.”
He saw her in a way no other man had. She clung to that escalating warmth for him, not wanting to forget how she felt with him and how he perceived her despite her initial trespassing.
Jared cleared his throat. “Once the right circumstances are in place, I’m leaving. I’ve been waiting for a position to reopen at Brandon and Green Investments and have arranged for someone to contact me.”
&
nbsp; That astounded her. “But it’s been years, right?”
“My resignation’s temporary. I arranged for someone to hold my position until my return.”
He was serious. She stared helplessly at him, aware he was equally as stubborn as her - and thinking back to his father’s plea, she wondered if they’d both mistaken Jared’s commitment for passion. She wanted to believe he loved the ranch, the lifestyle, but perhaps she’d been blinded by her own intentions.
“Then I’m happy for you,” she managed to say.
“Thanks.” He briefly averted his gaze. “Tell me about your sister. You mentioned her wedding’s coming up?”
A drastic change of topic, but judging from the look in his eyes, he needed her to concede. “Yeah. She’s only two years younger than me. She got a boyfriend soon as she graduated, the job in retail she always wanted. The total opposite of me.”
Jared laughed. “Do you two even get along?”
“We did, until she got involved in financial crimes. When Megan got engaged to Matt, they moved to Spokane. She encouraged me to follow her there and eventually that’s what I decided to do.” She hesitated, her eyes burning with unshed tears. “But coming here led to all of this and I’m so grateful to you. More than I can say.”
Her burgeoning tears weren’t for the culmination of her dream, but the realization she had all she wanted – but not Jared. He’d shown her to embrace life, live in the moment. He’d shown her how to feel, irretrievably. With her heart wide open, it was bound to be broken again. And she no longer feared that. Only the loss of Jared from her life.
He touched the side of her face, bringing her lips close for a soft kiss. “Then it’s a good thing I was so insistent.”
“I’m glad you were.”
“I have to admit, your mannerisms reminded me of Tania. She flouted her obligations while working here, flirted with all the ranchers. I still fell for her. She was an old friend, a bracing change compared to the women who threw themselves at me in New York. I thought I’d struck it lucky. Until I caught her cheating on me.”
She flinched, her heart wrenching for him. The worst kind of betrayal and especially painful for him, considering his parents’ unhappy marriage.
“I went to her room with her favorite flowers and a diamond ring. She was in bed with one of my stable hands. I’d been stupid. She’d been seeing him for weeks, the two of them working and sleeping together right under my nose.”
Her jaw slackened. She leaned into his chest, wishing she could comfort him from the pain.
“We agreed not to tell the others for the sake of disrupting the work environment. For days I had to tolerate how happy she was with another man. Without me.” He heaved a sigh. “Working with you, well, the situation brought up emotions I thought I’d resolved.”
“I’m sorry, Jared.”
“Don’t be. I was just some fool on the side while she played around with the man she’s now married to. I couldn’t believe she was that type of person. There were no warning signs. Nothing.”
Rachel knew how blind love could be. She’d ignored any red flags with Aaron, pushing through with a litany of excuses until they both had to face the truth.
“I had my heart broken, once. While I worked for my mom at Passionflower, Aaron used to visit every week to buy flowers for his sick grandfather. It was sweet. I got the wrong impression of him. I eventually asked him out, we had some good dates. I was willing to give him everything and he barely returned it.”
She ran a hand over her face, her stomach churning. “He dumped me after a year on his birthday. Right after I told him I loved him.”
There was a tender silence.
Jared shook his head. “If we’d stayed with them, we wouldn’t have found each other here and now. That’s what matters. Not the past. I know I’ve let it dominate me for too long. You’re the one I’ve been looking for.”
Talking of the past and sharing their innermost experiences had been painful, but here he was, showing how much he cared.
That meant more than she could ever admit.
Jared was never far from her mind as she wandered the ranch and snapped photos. Her gaze lingered on the framed portraits proudly displayed on the lone wall in the living room, a personal interlude within a ranch that would soon be open to the public. She grinned at the proud smiles of a younger Jared and his father, taken all over Mountainbrook atop horses. One had his mother, smiling faintly, her blonde hair harshly pinned back.
There was happiness there, and a proud love Derek showed for his son. Jared couldn’t see it, but after all he’d been through, the disappointment from those he’d loved, she understood him. She loved him for who he was.
A woman with long black hair appeared beside her, distastefully glaring at the photos before facing her.
“Hello, Ms. Mills. I recognize you from your blog. I can see reception’s not open right now, but do you know where I can find Jared Weston? It’s important. I’m Karen Wilkins.”
Rachel grasped her camera, drawing conclusions. “From New York.”
Karen smiled warmly. “I’ve taken a red eye flight to see Jared. I know he’s here. May I see him?”
She swallowed. It had to be imperative for her to come so quickly. She couldn’t help but wonder if something had happened between them, and the thought caused a painful stab to her gut. Jared’s meeting with Karen would instigate him to return to New York. Away from his father, the ranch. And her.
But why did it matter? They weren’t in a relationship. Yet last night, their conversations, every moment with him felt like they’d been getting closer in every way. When he looked at her, she felt a glowing warmth, an abundance of happiness and a consummate passion that had been missing from her life. It was undoubtedly love.
She met Karen’s gaze. Either way, Karen would ensure a confrontation, with or without her help. Jared must’ve arranged a return to New York and despite her misgivings, she needed him to realize what he’d lose. The ball was in his court.
“He’s in the stables.”
Jared patted Ember’s flank, glancing up as soon as he heard someone enter. He expected it to be Rachel and smiled, eager to see her.
“I’m busy. Wait outside, I’ll be right there,” he stated, raising his Stetson to see the figure clearly. Recognition jolted through him. Blinking away his shock, he stepped out of the stall and brushed himself down.
Karen looked no different than he remembered, slim with perfectly styled dark hair and flattering makeup, but he was surprised she’d turned up this suddenly. He hadn’t made arrangements until after New Year’s.
He felt himself go taut at her approach. “You’re here.”
Karen smiled widely. “I heard about Mountainbrook’s renovations. Figured I’d come by and remind you what you’re missing out on.”
She tilted her hips in a blatant attempt to draw his attention. The reminder silenced the hint of cordial response he had. He no longer felt anything toward her, if he ever did.
He swallowed, remembering how they’d parted ways with a bitter argument over his departure. “I remember. I need time to reconsider.”
She scoffed. “Because of that photographer, right?”
“Don’t bring Rachel into this.”
“Fine. I’m sure you’re aware the position of CEO is open. Jack’s retiring to be with his wife. They notified you last week.”
“I got the message.”
And he didn’t respond due to his responsibilities with Mountainbrook’s renovations. He couldn’t understand his complacency toward the position he’d harbored and could reclaim again, but the drive he once felt had dissipated. He didn’t know his former boss had married, relinquishing the position he’d happily taken up for Jared, since it was obvious Jack preferred ownership and regretted promoting Jared due to his subsequent success. At the time, Jared felt relieved to leave it all behind, if only briefly.
Karen pursed her lips. “Actually, it’s been available for several weeks. I a
pplied for the position. When I heard about Mountainbrook, I decided to give you a chance. It’s the least I could do. But you don’t seem enthused.”
Now he saw through her forced smiles. He understood Karen in a way he hadn’t before – she looked out for herself, first and foremost. He was an afterthought, a convenience, as he’d been for Tania. Throughout his life, he’d been drawn to the wrong women, perhaps because subconsciously, he believed it’s what he deserved. To be cast aside.
Rachel had changed all that, made him see his family’s actions from a new perspective. And made him feel. He owed her. Returning to New York would draw him back into the cutthroat business lifestyle where money trumped people, and everyone looked out for themselves. It was a selfishness he’d acquired. Mountainbrook had done more than mend his relationship with his father. It had torn him away from a life that sounded imperative and notable, but felt soulless now.
He’d clung to his CEO position, wielding it as a trophy, a glimmering distraction from the pain that overshadowed his life as if it was the only good thing to come of it. But now, he had something better.
It felt like a fog was lifting, and he was hesitant to emerge completely. He met Karen’s cool green eyes, confronting the past with the knowledge he could turn away and no longer feel regret. “Things change.”
“Not you. This ranch isn’t what you want to do with your life.”
Was it? Looking back over the years, traversing the pastures had been more fulfilling than analyzing investment predictions. Both involved hard work, but only one made his heart soar. For the first time, he felt free. And he’d been stupid not to realize it.
“My work here has more value.”
Karen blinked, her smooth features creasing in shock before hardening. “I still live at that condo you like, where we had drinks overlooking the balcony. And that to-die-for view of the Hudson.”
