Page 5 of The Contractor & the Entrepreneur

When her grandfather passed over eighteen months ago, and she found out she’d inherited over a hundred acres overlooking the breathtaking White Pine River, she’d known it was time to truly go on her own, to become an independent entrepreneur. She was ready to shine, and if she ever faced her dad again, she’d do it with her head held high, her hands steady, and her deep voice level.

Sloan had refreshed her education on residential development, taken out a loan with the land as retainer, started working with engineers and county planners, drawn up plot maps, and subdivided the property. She would only retain the two acres and the cabin that she’d vacationed to three summers with her grandfather while trying to avoid her rough boy cousins. Five of the twenty half-a-million-dollar lots had sold. She set money aside to pay for the loan payments and more development and infrastructure costs than she’d planned on.

If she sold the last fifteen lots, she could pay off her loans and have a huge savings. She’d be able to buy twenty new Old Navy coats and Stuart Weitzmans that weren’t on clearance, but more importantly have a name as a residential developer of luxury lots and never have to return to Vegas. She could purchase more property in neighboring areas and prove to her dad she could succeed, her way and without his ‘help’.

Unfortunately, she’d had to manage everything from Vegas initially as she needed her paychecks to keep paying the loans she’d had to secure. There were also numerous projectswith her employer she’d committed to and felt duty-bound to see through. She had finally gotten county approval for the subdivision in December, a year and three months after she’d started applying and too late to start for the season.

The past two months as some of the construction got underway, the complaints from the contractors and homeowners alike had filled up her inbox. She’d been unable to make any progress on the roads or the power lines from afar and spending money on flights hadn’t been an option.

After finishing her last project two days ago, she’d packed up her apartment, loaded up her Sonata, and come to make everything go smoothly. The county offices had been closed for the day when she’d arrived just after five, so she’d headed for her land. This was her first stop, and it wasn’t going well.

“I appreciate your insight, Mr. Coleville,” she said diplomatically, her stomach aching from the stress. It looked much worse out here than she’d imagined. A true mud pit. Her car had gotten stuck on the unpaved road leading up to the stretch of forested property above the river. They didn’t even have road base down, let alone asphalt. The company kept telling her they had a skeleton staff until the weather broke in late spring. They hadn’t mentioned that when they’d signed the lucrative contract and taken her deposit last fall. Unfortunately, there wasn’t much competition for asphalt companies up here.

“Please keep on pace and I will work on the utilities and … road base.” She couldn’t promise asphalt as she had no idea when that would happen.

“Much obliged,” Rhett said, though his jaw was tight and his blue eyes flicked with annoyance. He didn’t like her coming in here and not having much of an answer to the obvious difficulties he and his crew were dealing with. She didn’t want Rhett Coleville as an enemy; he was the top builder throughoutthe nearby Kalispell area. His insight and connections could be a huge blessing for her.

Often in construction, it wasn’t what you knew but who you knew. Unfortunately, up here in the woods of Montana, she didn’t know anybody besides the uncle and cousins she wished she didn’t know. She’d had one county employee mention he knew her grandpa, but it hadn’t pulled any strings. Her grandpa had been old and irritated and lived off the grid. His name probably wouldn’t do her any favors.

“All right then.” She clasped her hands together and glanced around. This custom home would be breathtaking when it came together. The entryway she could see was three stories high. The huge openings for windows front and back would give glorious views of the river, the forest, and the mountains.

It was picturesque. The rain added a layer of mystic, as if she’d stepped into another world. Did the rain ever stop up here? There’d been dingy piles of snow lingering along the highway and amidst the trees. Rain was better than snow, at least.

“If there isn’t anything else you need to add to my to-do list, I’ll be on my way to the next site.” Her stomach twisted. How was she going to get her car unstuck from the mud and drive to the next site? She’d pushed away that worry as she dealt with the handsome cowboy in front of her. She could just imagine her dad telling her she was failing and needed his help. Just like her mom, she couldn’t do anything without her dad.

No. She tilted up her chin. She had this.

“Ms. Jensen,” he said, his blue eyes boring into her. “Do you think it’s wise to go traipsing around construction sites full of rough-neck men like… this?” He waved a hand at all of her.

Rainwater dripped past her lashes and trailed down her nose and cheeks. She blinked to clear her eyes, arched her brows, and tried to act unaffected. “I know my heels aren’t very practical.” How to explain to a tough guy like this cowboy contractor thatshe’d been trying to make a good impression and this was how she dressed on commercial sites? Usually her classy apparel helped her gain respect. Being as tall as most men also aided her in the nonstop quest for them to take her seriously.

“I’m not talking about your heels.” He folded his arms across his chest again.

“Then what are you talking about?” she demanded, folding her own arms and squaring off.

“Your gorgeous face and bare legs.”

“Oh!” It was an offhanded compliment, but offensive nonetheless. “How dare you?—”

“Notice your beautiful face?” he asked, quirking an eyebrow at her.

“You didn’t mean it as a compliment.”

“Hmm.” He lifted his shoulders and splayed his hands.

Somehow that one non-committal sound and movement became one of the hugest compliments she’d ever received. Especially with the way his alluring blue eyes zeroed in on her. She shook it off and focused.

Stay detached. Don’t let any man get close and try to control you.

“My face should have nothing to do with this. If I was a man, would you notice my beautiful face and my bare legs?”

He smirked at her. “If you were a man, I sure hope you wouldn’t be wearing high heels, a pencil skirt, and a fancy pink coat.”

“It is the twenty-first century.” She smirked right back at him. She’d seen more surprising things in Vegas.

“Apparently. Developers of a multi-million-dollar project are fresh out of college and haven’t researched the weather or unique demands of their project’s location.”

It was the harshest thing he’d said to her since he realized she was Sloan Jensen. He seemed drawn to her, but therewas obvious resentment lingering under the surface that she suspected had nothing to do with her coat, heels, or gender and everything to do with her inexperience in residential projects in the mountains of Montana. No electricity or road base wasn’t doing her any favors in his eyes. She’d have to hide her insecurities, as always, and prove him wrong.

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