Staring off into space, he couldn’t stop thinking about Lissa and the shattered look on her pretty face when he hadn’t been able to answer her questions. He had a good idea he knew exactly why he had agreed to the senator’s request to help with the investigation and it wasn’t something he was proud of. Accepting the job had been his way of running, of trying to escape what he knew now to be inevitable.
He took a deep breath. A man never liked admitting, even to himself, that he was a coward. But the truth of the matter was, he was just plain scared. Lissa made him feel too much. She made him want to reach out for the things that he had told himself he would never have.
Propping his elbows on the drafting table, Shane buried his head in his hands. Somehow when he wasn’t looking, Lissa had gotten past his defenses and he’d done the unthinkable. He’d fallen in love with her.
His heart pounding in his chest like a jackhammer, he rose from the drafting table to walk over and stare out the window at Rainbow Valley. He hadn’t wanted history to repeat itself, hadn’t wanted to go through the same hell his father had by loving a woman.
But with the exception of trying to drink her memory away, Shane found himself in the same position. He loved Lissa and was finding it damned near impossible to live without her.
As he watched an eagle make a soaring sweep of the valley, he thought about something Lissa had said when she broke off their engagement. She felt she’d taken a backseat to a man’s work all of her life. Now he was doing the same thing her father had done. From what he could remember, Donald Jarrod spent every waking minute overseeing every aspect of the thriving enterprise. And instead of the preferential treatment some men would have shown their own kids, Jarrod had seemed to expect his children to work harder and do more than anyone else.
It was no wonder when Lissa heard his conversation with Senator Kurk that she had assumed he was as driven and ambitious as her father. She had no way of knowing that he’d been running from himself and not striving to build his career.
He shook his head. Although he wanted to excel in his field, Shane had no intention of ever letting it take over his life. But he hadn’t told her that the other night. Now, he wasn’t sure she’d give him the chance.
But he had to try and he knew exactly where to start to make things right between them. Turning to walk over to his desk, Shane picked up the phone.
“Senator Kurk? This is Shane McDermott.”
Ten
“Blake, is this a good time?” Melissa asked from the door of her brother’s private office.
“What’s up?” he asked, looking up from the papers on his desk that he and his assistant had been going over.
“There’s something I need to tell you,” she said, walking into the room.
“I’ll leave the two of you alone,” Samantha said as if sensing that Melissa’s business with Blake was of a personal nature.
Of all of her brothers, Blake had turned out to be the most like their father. He was the consummate business man and had been the best choice to step in as CEO of Jarrod Ridge. He was also a bit intimidating.
Settling herself into the chair in front of his desk, she took a deep breath. “I wanted to let you know that I’ve ended my engagement to Shane.”
His concerned expression when he got up and walked around the desk encouraged her. “I’m sorry to hear that, Melissa,” he said, sitting down in the chair beside her. “Are you all right?”
The genuine concern she heard in his voice had her fighting back tears. “It’s been a rough few days,” she admitted. “But I’m doing okay.”
“Is there anything I can do?” he asked.
“Not really.” She shrugged one shoulder. “Although I’m sure once the word gets out around the resort there will be a lot of talk and speculation. I just thought you needed to know before that happens.”
Blake nodded. “I appreciate that, but I’m more concerned about your welfare than I am the rumor mill.”
“I hope you mean that, because I’ve made a decision I’m not entirely certain you’ll be happy with.” She met his puzzled gaze. “I’m staying here in As pen.”
His complete confusion was written all over his face. “Where else would you go?”
“At first I thought it might be best if I went back to California to have the baby.” She stared down at her hands clasped tightly in her lap. Making the decision to place herself ahead of the resort was new to her and she only hoped her brother understood. “I know some of the investors aren’t going to look favorably on my being a single mother, but—”
“I couldn’t care less if those people contribute another penny to Jarrod Ridge,” he interrupted.
Shocked at her brother’s statement, she stared at him. “Really?”
He nodded. “They knew Dad would sell his own soul for this resort and its reputation. For years they’ve used that to hold us all hostage with the threat of withdrawing from the investors group. That ends now.”
His decisive tone left no doubt in her mind that Blake meant what he said. “It won’t make a difference if they do stop investing in special events, will it?” She didn’t think it would, but she wanted to be sure.
Blake laughed. “Not hardly. Our great great-great-grandfather started the investors group when he needed capital to build Jarrod Ridge. We’ve grown way beyond needing anyone else’s money to do whatever we want with the place.”
“Then why hasn’t the group been dissolved?” she asked, unable to understand why her father hadn’t done so years ago.
“The same reason you were willing to give up your share of Jarrod Ridge and go back to California,” Blake said. “Dad was afraid of what disgruntled investors like Clara and Elmer might say against the resort.”
For the first time since walking into her brother’s office, Melissa felt some of her tension ease. “I take it you don’t care what they say?”
“The locals aren’t the ones keeping Jarrod Ridge going, nor do they make or break our reputation,” he said, grinning as he shook his head. “The tourists do that. We keep the townspeople afloat with the clientele we bring in. I seriously doubt they’re so vindictive they would bite the hand that feeds them.”
“I hadn’t thought of it like that.” Rising, Melissa hugged her brother. “Thank you, Blake. Our talk has helped me more than you can imagine.”
“That’s what family is for, Melissa,” he said, returning to sit at his desk. “And I’m sorry things didn’t work out with you and McDermott.”
“Me, too,” she said sadly as she left his office.
As she walked back to the spa, Melissa wondered why her father hadn’t seen what Blake pointed out about the resort’s importance to the town. Or maybe he had and used the fear of ruining the resort’s reputation to manipulate and control his children. Either way, the next generation of Jarrods weren’t going to have to live under the threat of other people’s opinions.
But the resolution to that problem brought little relief. In fact, it only gave her more time to think about Shane and the incredible loneliness and heartache she’d felt since breaking off their engagement.
Lost in thought, she was halfway across the reception area when she realized her assistant manager had called her name. “Is something wrong, Rita?” she asked, turning to face the woman.
“Ms. Jarrod, I’m afraid I’ve made another mistake with this afternoon’s schedule,” Rita said, looking as if she might burst into tears. “I don’t know how it happened, but we have a guest in the Green Room, waiting for a massage and there isn’t a masseuse available. Could you take the appointment?”
Sighing, Melissa nodded as she headed for the Green Room at the back of the spa. “Not a problem, Rita. Just double-check before you book next time.”
In truth, she was glad to have something to take her mind off of how much she missed Shane. Anything was better than sitting in her office, thinking about all the things that could never be.
As soon as she opened the door to the dimly lit therapy room, the piped-in sound of a waterfall seemed to wash over her and caused her to catch her breath. She’d probably never be able to hear the sound again without thinking of Shane and the afternoon they’d spent together at Rainbow Falls.
Glancing at the massage table, she did a double take. There wasn’t anyone there. The sound of the door being closed and the lock being secured had her spinning around to face whoever was in the room with her.
“Hello, Lissa.” The male voice was so low, so warm and intimate, it felt as if he caressed her, and it caused her heart to skitter to a complete halt.
“Shane, what on earth do you think you’re doing here?”
The sight of him was both heaven and hell rolled into one. She’d missed him so much, but the thought that they’d never be together caused such emotional pain, it was all she could do to keep from crying out from its intensity.
“I told you the other night that our discussion wasn’t over,” he said, advancing on her.
She quickly skirted the massage table to put it between them. “And I told you there wasn’t anything left to say.”
Wearing nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist, he folded his arms across his wide chest and shook his head. “Maybe you don’t have anything more to add, but I have plenty.”
Melissa closed her eyes and tried not to think about how wonderful it felt to be wrapped in those arms, to lay her head on that bare chest and have him hold her throughout the night. Opening her eyes, she shook her head. “Please, don’t do this, Shane.”
“Don’t do what, Lissa?” he asked calmly. “Explain why I agreed to help Senator Kurk with the investigation? Or don’t tell you about the war I’ve been waging with myself about why I hesitated to answer your questions?”
Why was he doing this to her? Couldn’t he see it was tearing her apart just being in the same room with him and knowing they could never have a future together?
“None of it matters, Shane,” she said, trying desperately to keep her voice from cracking. “You can’t change, and I won’t settle.”
“Yes, it does matter, angel,” he said, his deep baritone wrapping around her like a warm cloak.
Knowing that he wasn’t going to leave her alone until she heard what he had to say, she pointed to his towel. “Do you really think this is the kind of conversation we should be having with you wearing nothing but that?”
“I don’t have a problem with it.” He moved his hand to release the terry cloth where it was tucked at his waist, causing her to go weak in the knees. “But I can take it off if you want me to.”
“N-no,” she said hastily, holding her hand up to stop him. “The towel will be fine. Just tell me what you came here to say, then leave.”
He motioned toward the lounge chair in the corner. “This might take a while. Why don’t you sit down?”