Page 15 of Made for You
My fingers hovered over the screen, my stomach curling tight. I read the quote again, willing the words to change, but they didn’t.
Of course they didn’t.
Gage’s feelings on the topic were unambiguous, and they struck a chord deep in the pit of my belly. His criticisms of that housing developer? Not far off from what I’d pitched to my father last spring: nostalgic Western elegance. Authentic ranch appeal. Experience-driven luxury.
If he ever found out who I really was, he’d hate me.
That shouldn’t matter. But it did.
I closed the cover of my iPad, my fingers trembling slightly—from the cold or from my discovery, I couldn’t say—and slid deeper beneath the covers.
I stared at the ceiling, the unease in my gut spreading.
Bringing him home with me that night had been a mistake.
And falling for him—if that’s what this even was—would be catastrophic.
I’d worked too hard, given up too much, to throw it all away over a man who saw my entire life’s work as a threat to the place he called home.
Still, I couldn’t stop hearing his voice when he told me to come.
The feel of his thumb stroking my hip, the way he’d murmured something flirty and dirty against my neck that made me laugh even as I burned for him. He’d made me feel beautiful. Not polished, not perfect, just … me.
It had been years since anyone had made me feel that safe. Years since I’d let my guard down enough to even try. And now I was supposed to pretend none of it had mattered?
Not for the first time since that night, I wished things were different. That I was someone different. But they weren’t, and I wasn’t, and that had to be the end of my wanting a cowboy with a crooked, sexy smile.
CHAPTER FIVE
The dining room at Riva,Bridger Falls’s most upscale restaurant, glowed with candlelight, while the clinking of wine glasses and the scraping of heavy silverware on bone china mixed with the sound of diners’ murmured conversations.
“The contractor can have the foundation poured by October if we decide to go that route,” Jake explained, cutting into his ribeye. “Eden’s got her heart set on soapstone countertops, and frankly, I’m inclined to give that woman anything she wants for putting up with all of us.”
“Happy wife, happy life, as they say.” Eli Rafferty chuckled and swirled the deep ruby wine in his glass. The state senator—rumored to be eyeing the governor’s mansion—had married hishigh school sweetheart right out of college, and by all accounts, they were happy all these years later. “Sadie’s eyeing Carrara for our place in Glacier, but with our brood, I’m not so sure.”
I tuned out as my brother and our dining companion debated the merits of various stone surfaces. I didn’t give two fucks about whether soapstone or marble was better—the countertops in the cabin I’d built with my own two hands were made from a slab of walnut, and they worked just fine. Though lately I’d started wondering if it might be time for an upgrade.
Not just of my kitchen, but my whole damn house.
“Gage?” Jake’s voice cut through my wandering thoughts.
I blinked, refocusing on the conversation. “Sorry, long day. What was that?”
Eli leaned forward slightly, his real smile giving way to the one I thought of as his politician’s mask. “I was just saying how impressed I’ve been with the way your family has navigated the changes in the valley over the past decade, ever since your daddy passed. Land development pressures, environmental concerns, and maintaining your operation’s integrity … all while maintaining good relationships with your closest neighbors. It takes a special kind of leadership to pull that off.”
When Jake didn’t acknowledge Eli’s comment, I realized my brother meant formeto answer. Why, I had no clue. My older brother was the head of our family, the one who’d stepped into Dad’s boots when we lost him and Mom. I was his right hand in many regards, sure, but I’d never seen myself as a leader in my own right. I was more like the guy who made sure Jake’s decisions got carried out. So, why was Jake suddenly deferring to me?
I didn’t have the foggiest notion why, only that he was, and I needed to respond.
I took a sip of my beer, buying time to formulate a response that didn’t embarrass our family. “We’re fortunate to have goodrelationships with most folks in the community. When problems do come up, together we try to find solutions that work for everyone. Usually, there’s middle ground if people are willing to look for it.”
“That’s exactly the kind of thinking we need more of,” Eli said, as Jake glanced between us. “Too many people in positions of influence seem to think compromise is a dirty word.”
“Positions of influence?” I asked as I pushed a pile of potatoes around my plate.
“Well, from what I hear, people respect your opinion, Gage. Look to you for guidance on issues that matter to the community.”
“My brother will never admit it, but half the town council calls him before anyone else when there’s a problem.” Jake set down his fork and leaned back in his seat, linking his hands over his abdomen. “He’s always been good at bringing people together. Even as kids, he could talk anyone into anything.”
