Chapter Ten
Ten
Echoes of Houston traffic pierced the walls of the historic site of the new Texas Cattleman’s Club. One of the many reasons Jesse avoided Houston. Too much traffic. Too many people. Too many buildings.
Not enough sounds of crickets and birdsong. Not enough roaming horses and cattle. Not enough intentional living. He wouldn’t even know it was Christmastime here, the only nod to the season the massive tree in the lobby.
He couldn’t wait to get Esme back to Royal where they could celebrate the holiday together, under the spruce he’d cut down himself. The one they’d decorated together in front of the fireplace, sharing memories from their childhoods as they did so.
The sooner he finished this meeting, the sooner he could hit the road with her.
Jesse hung back in the meeting room, the rest of the board from the Royal chapter seated around the conference table listening to pitches for leadership positions.
Leaning against the wall, he studied the players.
There were more contenders than just Sterling Perry and Ryder Currin to consider for the role.
Venture capitalist Camden McNeal. Or Lucas Ford, an investigator and security mogul.
Plus there was a wild card in the mix with Cord Galicia moving from Royal to Houston.
He could well be a strong candidate to see the club through the start-up, since he had firsthand experience with the inner workings of the Royal chapter.
Jesse couldn’t quite comprehend how his neighbor was going to make big-city life work. Even living on the outskirts of Houston. The hum, bustle and lights of the urban area radiated outward in palpable bands.
Jesse was already feeling claustrophobic, ready to get back home. To take Esme to that Christmas play and continue his campaign to persuade her to move.
Settling his weight onto the heels of his best pair of boots—a thoughtful gift from his sister three Christmases ago—Jesse scanned the crowd.
He attempted to read the reactions of his fellow members.
It seemed he was not the only one keeping a tight rein on his emotions during the candidates’ speeches.
Members listened attentively, doing their part to hear the unique plans each potential president would do his best to execute.
As Ryder Currin finished his pitch to run the new club and returned to his seat beside Angela, Esme took the floor.
Apparently, Sterling intended to let his daughter put her PR skills to work and do the talking for him.
Jesse worked to keep his face neutral, which was tough to do with Esme using all of her job savvy to lobby for her father. She was poised. Articulate. Convincing.
Damn. This woman enchanted him. Seeing her here today was more proof of her sexy-smart charm. He couldn’t even detect a trace of nerves as she adjusted the microphone at the lectern to make herself better heard. Of all the places he’d seen her, she looked like she was born to be in the spotlight.
Crossing his arms over his chest as he leaned against the back wall, he focused on Esme in action.
She looked stunning in her sleek black power suit.
Her sky-high heels reminded him of meeting her for the first time, her broken shoes sinking into the mud, her beautiful blond hair soaked.
She’d been a drowned rat, but somehow managed to keep her composure.
That charisma was in full wattage today, and not just her poise, but her keen mind. Her father watched her with unmistakable pride. Jesse took the measure of the man from a different perspective now, as Esme’s dad, rather than just an infamous figure in the news.
Sterling had aged well, his brown hair graying at the temples.
His blue eyes were the same shade as Esme’s, and he also seemed to share her appreciation of style.
His suit had a custom cut, his cowboy boots expensive without even a scuff.
He may have worked as foreman of the ranch to prove himself to his father-in-law decades ago, but Jesse doubted Sterling was much of a hands-on ranch owner these days.
He looked 100 percent a powerhouse Texas businessman.
And that’s how Esme was pitching her dad to the Royal chapter board.
As a successful, ambitious entrepreneur who’d expanded beyond just the ranch.
Always striving for perfection, her father didn’t know the meaning of the word “enough.” Perry Holdings included real estate as well as banking, property management and construction.
In fact, Perry Holdings was responsible for the stunning renovations of this very building, with the help of Ethan Barringer, CEO of Perry Construction. Originally from Royal, Ethan made for a nice connection between the two worlds in tackling this project.
Esme painted her father as a visionary who knew how to put together a winning team, this historic building a symbol of his plan to grow the Houston branch of the Texas Cattleman’s Club into the future.
In total Perry Holdings PR mode, Esme had them eating out of the palm of her hand.
Jesse realized this was the essence of who Esme really was.
A city woman. A businesswoman. And no matter how sweet it had been to have her in his bed, in his house—in his life—he couldn’t escape the deep-seated sense that eventually she would be miserable out on his ranch, far from the work she obviously did so well.
She completed her presentation and returned to sit beside her father. His smile of appreciation and pride brought a light to Esme’s eyes. Even her sister nodded approval during the applause from across the room.
Esme blinked fast, a sheen of tears in her eyes. She was clearly choked up. Emotional.
She’d warned him about that, about her romantic side.
She had a heart that was easily touched, and he’d grown to appreciate that about her.
But how could he justify taking Esme from these people she loved?
He recognized how selfish it would be. From a job she was born to perform.
His freshly formed dreams of building a life with her at his side faded.
He cared for her too much. His heart ached already at the thought of saying goodbye.
But he wanted her to have the life that would make her happy.
Unable to take another moment of this meeting, Jesse ducked out into the hall, his focus homed in on the exit, on getting away from there as quickly as possible. Just as he reached the door, he heard the sound of fast-clicking high heels on the floor, growing closer.
“Jesse,” Esme called. “Jesse, where are you going?”
He turned in the lobby—empty save for a towering Christmas tree—and the sight of her glowing smile poleaxed him. He swallowed down a lump in his throat, unable to push past the emotion.
She reached him and rested her palm on his chest. “What did you think of my presentation? I really think it went well, but I don’t want to be overly optimistic. Still, I think a celebration is in order. Dinner out at my favorite Houston hot spot. My treat.”
She looked so happy. So hopeful. The knowledge ate away at him.
“Esme.” He clasped her hand and removed it from his chest. “I have something to tell you.”
Her smile faded as she glanced down at the way their hands were suspended in air. “You look serious. Is something wrong?”
Everything. He’d made a huge mistake thinking he could change her, that he could transplant her to his world and mold her into the kind of woman he’d always imagined at his side. To do that would be a disservice to the bright, beautiful, smart woman she was.
So even though it hurt like hell, he forced himself to say the words that would send her out of his life for good.
The quicker the better. Rip that bandage right off.
He did his best to take a page out of her book.
Keep his tone neutral. Final. Definitive.
Sure. “I’ve made my decision about a wife candidate. And I’m sorry, but it’s not you.”
Her gasp of surprise cut through the silence between them. Shock froze her features, followed by a wash of pain in her eyes at his rejection of all they’d shared over the past couple of weeks. That glimpse into her heart damn near broke his, but he told himself she would be happier this way.
Living her own dreams instead of his.
Then her shoulders went back, her chin tipped with pride. A feral smile brushed over her lips though pain shone in her pretty blue eyes. “Congratulations,” she said bitterly. “I’m glad you got exactly what you wanted.”
She adjusted her jacket, sweeping her blond locks over her shoulders. Without another word, she brushed past him, striding past the towering Christmas tree and out the door.
And out of his life.
Weary, physically and emotionally, Angela punched in the code to her condominium.
Latches releasing, she pushed inside, ready to put the events of the last twenty-four hours behind her.
Far, far behind her. She needed space and a moment to breathe and process.
Once inside, she dropped her purse on the floor and reached to turn on the lights.
She startled in surprise, the shock followed by a twinge of fear. Someone was huddled on her sofa. Fear slammed into her chest and constricted her breathing. She’d seen enough crime shows to know victims usually had a small, narrow window of escape. She reached for the doorknob behind her, quietly…
Then recognized the female curled up on her couch among the holiday throw pillows and sighed in relief. Her jagged heartbeat returning to normal, she laid a hand on her chest, her linen dress rough against her fingertips. “Esme, you scared me for a moment.”
Her youngest sister looked up, her eyes red from crying as she hugged a red velvet throw pillow with a silver embroidered reindeer. “I hope you don’t mind that I used your spare key. I couldn’t bear to be alone.”