Page 77 of Trouble Me
He pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and found the contact he needed. “I need the jet fueled up and ready to go to Madison Ridge tomorrow morning. Nine o’clock. Perfect. Thank you.”
Shane ended the call and began to formulate a plan, which included opening the dreaded emails he avoided the last twenty-four hours. They were essential to his plan. He was about to fight for the happiness he denied himself for too long.
Shane Kavanaugh always played to win. That wasn’t going to change now.
Chapter 26
Trouble Me
Emma wiped down thecounter, her back protesting and feet aching from being on them nonstop for the last couple of hours. Why the hell had she agreed to take this shift tonight at Maggie’s? Oh yeah, the same reason she’d worked at Maggie’s before. She needed money.
It was a reminder that Emma needed to get back to walking every day. She’d become accustomed to sitting behind a desk again, which with her injuries, wasn’t such a good idea anymore. But it didn’t matter now, did it? She’d resigned from KVN, had emailed Shane her resignation, along with a sales contract for KVN to buy her property.
He hadn’t responded in any way, shape, or form. Emma imagined that he was buried in work now that he was the CEO of KVN Incorporated, but a part of her thought he’d at least respond to one of her emails, the sales contract especially. Now that she’d made up her mind, Emma was ready to get the property sold and move on with her life. Find a new dream for her future.
Still, her heart twisted with the knowledge that it was well and truly over between them. That beating organ inside her chest didn’t really much care about land deals and secrets. It was in pain anyway.
The bell on the door rang. Shit! Why hadn’t she locked the door? Not smart since she was here by herself. She bit back a sigh before turning around. She just wanted to go home and—
Her stomach dropped to her knees.
“Hello, Emmaline.”
Shane stood at the door. His deep voice shot tingles down her spine like it always did. His ocean-blue eyes were dark, almost navy as he stared at her, a small smile on his full lips.
It was déjà vu, but this time she knew what those lips, hands, and what the man himself was capable of doing to her. God, he was sexy as sin. His dark jeans rode low on his waist and hugged his slim hips. The white button-down shirt pulled across his broad chest when he slid his hands in the front pockets. Strong forearms bulged where he rolled back the sleeves. As it always seemed to be with this man, she had zero self-control. It was taking everything she had not to wrap herself around him.
She cleared the shock from her throat. “Hello, Shane. What are you doing here?”
The deadbolt on the front door clicked when he locked it, sounding like a shotgun in the quiet diner and caused her heart to pick up speed. With his stare on her, he strolled over and settled onto one of the swiveling seats along the counter. “I once heard you won’t leave this diner hungry.” He paused, his gaze hot on hers. “I hope that’s still the case.”
Emma twisted the dish towel in her hands. “I’m afraid you’ll be disappointed tonight. Bud’s already left for the night.”
“I wasn’t talking about food.”
Emma exhaled quietly, trying to slow down her racing heart and her raging hormones. “Then why are you here? I emailed and you never responded.” She shrugged, hoping the nonchalant, I-don’t-give-a-shit attitude came through loud and clear in spite of her quivering insides. “I figured that meant we would speak through our agents on the purchase agreement.”
