Page 16 of Wild Promises

Tori frowned. "No one else will care about the business like you and your brothers."

"That's what I tried to say, but they didn't believe me. They think I'm not committed to anything. I don't know how to prove myself to them."

"Haven't you been committed to the resort? You've worked there since you were a kid."

"Apparently that's not enough. They mentioned how I've never been in a serious relationship with a woman."

"You haven't?" Tori asked.

"Not with anyone who I'd take home to meet the family. It always fizzles out within a few months. I think it's possible women are disappointed in the real me."

Tori tipped her head back and laughed.

"What's so funny?" I'd poured my heart out to her, and all she could do was laugh at me?

"Why would anyone ever be disappointed in you? You're sweet, caring, protective. Unless you've changed over the years?"

"Women have said I'm emotionally stunted or something."

Tori grinned. "Most men are."

"Are you bashing men because you're just coming off a breakup?" I asked lightly, but she quickly sobered and I regretted my words.

"Not at all. But I think it's difficult for men. Hugh was different. He?—"

"You don't have to tell me what happened." Even though I was dying to know.

Tori shook her head. "I walked in on him fucking a nurse in the hospital. I was going to surprise him with dinner."

"That fucker."

"When I confronted him, he smirked and said this is expected when you date a surgeon. Isn't that what I wanted? The thing is, I'm a doctor. I don't care about status or what it meant that he was a surgeon. I liked that we had a similar schedule, we understood each other, and we could talk about similar things. I wasn't in it to marry a doctor."

"He expected you to be okay with him cheating?"

She nodded slowly. "He didn't see why things had to change. I worked at that hospital. How many people knew he was fucking nurses in the break rooms? I wouldn't have stayed with anyone who was cheating on me, but that created a toxic culture that I didn't want to deal with."

My gut was churning for her. What a jerk. "Good for you."

"Anyone would have walked away."

I shook my head. "Not everyone. I bet there are people in it for the doctor's paycheck."

"We kept things separate. My name wasn't even on the lease, so it was easy to break ties. The thing is, I've been paying down my student loans, not saving to buy Dad's practice."

"I'm sorry, Tori. I know how much you wanted to come home and work there."

"It's all my fault. If I hadn't left?—"

I pulled her to me, and even though I couldn't feel her body through the layers of thick clothes, I enjoyed having her in my arms. "We don't have to figure out our lives now."

Tori lifted her head. "There's still time to salvage what's left of my dream?"

"I'd like to think so. I'm not going to back off because my brothers don't believe in me. I'm going to prove them wrong."

"I wonder if that's what it would take for my dad to believe in me again. I need to prove that I'm here to stay."

We were quiet for a few seconds, admiring the lights of the lodge and downtown.

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