Chapter Twenty-Three
Autumn willed herself to get out of the truck. It was a simple dinner. Nothing more. It didn’t matter that Markus had sent a text earlier, saying he was having food brought in and she didn’t have to cook. He was just being nice. So why was her stomach braided into a rope? Because she still hadn’t told Jett the truth. His day had fallen apart. She didn’t have the heart to drop more stress on his shoulders.
Jett had called her at the end of the competition. From the moment he said her name, his troubled voice concerned her. Her man was overwrought. The team had lost. Quinn had come in last and burst into tears, which Jett didn’t know how to deal with. He had tried to make her laugh and then tell her it was no big deal, but Quinn hadn’t let it go. If it wasn’t for one of the other mothers consoling Quinn, he might have had a stroke trying to make Quinn feel better. She appreciated his attempt to help Quinn. Even Autumn struggled to do that at times. He had wanted Autumn to know Quinn was okay. She loved him for that.
Jett revealed that Logan had never shown. Markus had never called Jett back. Jett was more worried than Markus seemed to be.
Her phone buzzed with a call. Jett again. She let it go to voicemail. She needed to get this night over with. Then she could make love to her man and tell him about her day.
Markus opened the front door and waved her in. He rubbed his arms and shivered, then went back inside, leaving the door open.
Now or never.
She closed the front door and leaned against it. The warmth of the house wrapped around her. A fire burned in the hearth. Bach played softly through the house speakers. The table was set for three.
“Why were you sitting outside?” Markus took her coat. “You look nice.”
“Thank you.” She had opted for a green sleeveless dress even though it was cold out. The dress showed off her shoulders and shimmered when she walked. The skirt flared out, offering her middle section a little forgiveness. It was also the nicest thing she owned and often her only choice for special occasions.
“Why is the table only set for three? I thought your client was a couple.” She kept her voice low in case the other person was in earshot.
“He came alone. He’s in the bathroom. Do you want a drink?” Markus put a hand on the small of her back and led her to the bar set up in the living space.
“Just a seltzer, please.” She needed to keep her wits about her and slipped away from his touch. A hand on the shoulder was one thing. The low back was something else. “How’s Logan feeling?”
Markus gazed at her with confusion painted across his face, as if she had arranged her words in the wrong order. “He’s not sick. He’s been at his girlfriend’s all day.”
“Didn’t you get Jett’s text or call?” She feared Jett might have been correct about Logan’s intentions.
“I forgot my phone at the office. I didn’t realize it until about an hour ago. I hate being without it, but I didn’t have time to run and get it.”
“You weren’t home when Sheriff Ryker stopped by?”
“Sheriff Ryker? Why would he come here?”
“Well, hello. This must be your lovely lady. I’m Brian Anderson. It’s nice to finally meet you. Markus has gone on and on about you.” A short man with a shiny head and a goatee stuck his hand out.
She slid hers in for a firm shake. His gap-toothed smile seemed genuine. He was casual in a tweed sports coat and white button-down shirt tucked into a pair of navy-blue stiff-looking jeans. His loafers gleamed from the overhead lighting.
“Hello. It’s nice to meet you.” She turned to Markus. “You really shouldn’t go on about me like that, dear.” She plastered a smile on her face but hoped her eyes shot the daggers at Markus she wanted him to see. Talking about her as if they were a couple was not part of the deal.
“Dinner will be ready soon,” Markus said. “Yvette will be ready to serve at seven. Why don’t we have a seat near the fire?”
She took the single straight-backed chair, leaving the sofa and another chair for the men. Markus handed her the seltzer. At least she had something to do with her hands. She had to assume Yvette was the caterer or someone Markus had hired to serve. The job she would have performed—and preferred—if he hadn’t begged her to pretend to be his date.
“So, Autumn, Markus here tells me you own a ski area.” Brian took a sip of his whiskey. The light from the lamp beside him caught the etchings of the glass and spun color on the coffee table.
“A failing ski area.” That wasn’t hers at all. The foreclosure papers were still in her purse. She would have to deal with those first thing in the morning. And dealing with them meant handing them over to her deceitful mother.
“I’m sure with a few tweaks things could turn around.” Brian winked at her.
Her chest tightened. She leaned against the back of the chair, trying to put space between her and creepy Brian.
“Sweetheart.” Markus grabbed her hand. “What Brian is trying to say is he has ideas for your property.”
She eased her hand away and wrapped it around her drink. “Really? Are you a ski expert? Or maybe you own a resort?”
“I have skied a black diamond. Once and badly.” Brian chuckled. “My expertise is in the rehabilitation of an area. More than…let’s say sports. I leave the gold-medal winning to my friends like Markus.”
Markus had never won a gold medal, but he had been quite the athlete in his younger days. He had gunned for Jett all through high school. In skiing he couldn’t touch Jett’s abilities. She assumed Markus’s push to make Logan a stellar athlete was Markus’s way of reliving his glory days. Poor Logan. No wonder he was in a mess.
“I’ve tried to teach you.” Markus clinked his glass against Brian’s. The men shared in the humor.
She wanted to go home. Home. She had no home. She lived in a house built on lies and fragile enough to collapse in a good wind. Jett had offered her a home and a place to stay. Refusing him because of her pride might have been a mistake. She would ask him tonight if his offer still stood.
“I brought you two together because Brian would be a good fit to buy your property,” Markus said, yanking her from her thoughts.
“I’m sorry. What did you say?”
“I’m a developer.” Brian handed her a card. Her trembling fingers dropped it. Brian retrieved it and handed it back. The card read Anderson Development Corp. “Markus mentioned to me that your land was for sale. I did a little research, just a quick analysis, and knew right away I could really turn your place into a full ski resort with a hotel, more lifts, and shops. I’d like to make an offer tonight. We can take care of the paperwork on Monday. If you say yes, of course. But I don’t see how you’d turn it down. I will top any offer on the table by fifteen percent.”
She stared at Markus. His smile didn’t reach his cold eyes. Why hadn’t she noticed that before? Everything about him was for show. His home, his car, his life. Even his son. His sweet son who hadn’t been home all day. Markus wasn’t concerned because he stood to make a fortune on this.
“You benefit from this too,” she said to Markus.
“Well, sure. I will put up a strip of stores at the base of the property near the road. Not far from the entrance to the Ryker Ranch. This way, I can get the people coming from the south who are just driving by, and I can benefit from any of the guests that continue to stay there. But with what Brian has in mind, that ranch won’t stand a chance. In five years, they’ll go under.”
“How could you?”
“It’s a win-win. You will walk away with a little money in your pocket so you can start over. The town will get some much-needed industry. And the Rykers will finally get what’s coming to them.”
“Why do you hate them so much?”
“You know why.”
“Because Jett is a better man than you are?”
Brian choked out a cough.
“In fact, all of the Rykers are better men than you are. You didn’t ask me here to help you out with a client who preferred a man involved in a relationship. You asked me here so I would sell my land to your friend and you could make a killing. The win-win is you don’t have to buy my property outright. You don’t care at all about the fact that land has been in my family for generations. That my daughter lives there. All you care about is money.”
She pushed herself to stand and faced Brian. “I’m sorry that Markus lied to you. I’m not his girlfriend. I’m his ex-fiancé who felt sorry for him and was in a desperate situation this past month. If I had the power to turn your offer down, I would. You don’t deserve that beautiful piece of Montana so you can build something large and ugly on it. It breaks my heart to say this, but I don’t have the power to stop you. The bank will sell to anyone.” And she had the papers to prove it.
She turned back to Markus. “And shame on you. Shame on you for thinking money was more important than people. And shame on me for once again feeling sorry for you. I truly need to learn my lesson. If you two will excuse me.”
She hurried for her coat and tore open the front door and stopped in her tracks. Jett stood on the porch with his hand hovering near the bell. He wore his black cowboy hat and barn coat. His navy-blue flannel shirt hung out over his jeans. His chin was dusted in a day-old beard. His sexy look halted the breath in her lungs.
“What are you doing here?” He gave her the once-over before resting his gaze on her dress and bare legs.
“Why are you here?” Her heart climbed into her throat. The situation must look awful, and she would have a lot of explaining to do. Whatever had brought him here, and she could guess it had to do with Logan, had him fired up. He wouldn’t show up unless he had a good reason. Seeing her here dressed this way was bound to rile him more. She had been dishonest with him.
“I need to talk to Markus. Why are you here and dressed like that?” He stared at her with hurt in his eyes.
She could have handled anger. But not hurt. “Jett, let me explain.”
“Well, look who’s here,” Markus said, rounding the corner. “What brings the great and powerful Coach Ryker to my door on a Saturday night?”
“Where is Logan?” Jett brushed past her.
Both men stood inches apart, their gazes held as if a force beyond this room controlled them.
“My son is none of your business when he’s not on the ski slope.”
“You don’t seem to know his business. I’m here only because I think he’s put himself in trouble. It’s my duty as his coach to inform his parent. I believe your son and his girlfriend crossed the state line to get married today.”
Markus flinched. “That’s crazy.”
“Logan came to me with a problem. A big one. His answer to it was to get married. I tried to talk him out of it. I don’t think he listened. You need to find your son and help him.”
“He came to you?” Markus said. “My son is a fool to listen to anything you told him. If he’s in trouble, it’s because of you.”
Jett fisted his hands.
She stepped in front of him before he did something he might regret. “Markus, Jett told Logan to come talk to you. It was the right thing to do.”
“I don’t need the coach telling me how to take care of my son. Logan has his whole future in front of him. He wouldn’t throw it all away on some girl and get married… Wait a second. Is she pregnant? Did Logan get some tramp pregnant?”
Jett took a step forward.
She slapped her hand against Jett’s chest, hoping to keep him from pummeling Markus. “Jett, he’s not worth it.”
Jett stepped back and ran his gaze over her again. His lips curled in a snarl. “You seem to think he is.” Jett pointed at Markus. “Find your son.” He marched out.
“Jett, wait.”
“Don’t run after him, Autumn,” Markus said. “He doesn’t deserve you.”
“I can’t believe you. You will stop at nothing to get what you want. For once, do the right thing and take care of Logan. He needs you. And forget about me. My life is with someone else.” She hurried after Jett.
He hitched his leg into his truck and slammed the door. She waved with both arms, trying to get his attention. His gaze fell on her. His face was as stoic as ever. He would not give her an inch because she had broken his one rule.
He looked back over his shoulder. The truck bucked as he shifted gears, but then he gazed at her again. His face was still impassive. He tossed his hat on the seat and wiped a hand through his hair.
“Roll down the window.” She mimed the gesture and then shoved her arms into her coat. She would freeze to death out here dressed the way she was. Even the nylon inside the jacket was cold.
“Not now,” he said more as a bark than a statement. A proclamation. A demand.
“I need to talk to you. Can we go for a ride?”
“I’m not in the mood to talk about why you’re at Markus Everett’s dressed like you’re off to a wedding. You kept this from me. You laid in my bed and lied to me.”
“Jett, I’m sorry. I can explain.”
“Your reason doesn’t matter.” He shook his head. “I’m not up for any emotional showdown right now. Give me my space. I have a lot of thinking to do.”
“I need you to understand. I came here as a friend.” A friend who had been fooled again and again. That was her legacy. Not a ski area to hand down, but a line of men behind her with the ability to persuade her to do their bidding.
“I don’t care who your friends are. I care about the truth you wouldn’t share. You never told me why you brought him dinner. Now tonight I find you here with him instead of with me.”
“Are you going to end this thing between us?” She needed to brace herself for the inevitable. Without any warning, she might not survive the impact of losing him again.
“You may have already done that. I need to go.”
“Say you’ll call me tomorrow.” She gripped the door, as if her small hand could hold him in place. As if anyone could hold Jett Ryker anywhere he didn’t want to be.
He looked at her. She held her breath.
“I’ll call you tomorrow. Do you have a way home?”
“I drove myself.” She wrapped her coat tighter around her.
“Well, get to it, then. Or go back inside.”
“I’m not going back in there. I was a fool to think Markus was anything other than he is.”
He nodded and pulled away, leaving her standing in the frigid air wearing her pretty dress and uncomfortable shoes. Cold settled in her bones.
She might never be warm again.