Chapter Twenty-Six
NOAH STARED, EYES unseeing, at Rachel’s computer tablet, the renderings of a state-of-the-art fire station in brilliant color detail.
Her creation. His vision. The spacious bays, equipment storage, the on-site training facilities they desperately wanted—all on the page.
His chest should have been puffed up with pride in their shared accomplishment.
Instead, Captain Novak’s gravelly voice echoed in his head.
“Your priority is ensuring this department is allocated the funding it needs, first. Getting romantically involved with a woman working with your committee is the opposite of propriety. End it, Calvary. End it now or kiss your recommendation for promotion goodbye.”
“Noah, this is what you envisioned, yes?” Rachel’s voice sparkled with excitement as she pointed to the clinic’s entrance.
Through sheer genius, she’d created a buildable plan within guidelines that could work for him, for Bethany, for the town.
“See how the urgent care wing leads directly to an ambulance bay? And there’s room for a permanent helicopter landing pad one day.
For now, it’s a nice and flat landing zone for winter storms and water emergencies. ”
He nodded mechanically, his throat tight.
The pine trees lining the path released their resinous scent into the warming air, a smell that usually grounded him, connected him to this place he never wanted to leave.
But now it felt cloying, overwhelming, like everything else in his world that had suddenly become too much to bear.
Rachel was so proud, so radiant, as she traced the lines of her vision made real.
How could he tell her that every beautiful detail she’d crafted might cost him everything he’d worked for?
The captain’s primary focus rested on the firehouse resources.
Pete wanted new administrative spaces. With Rachel, the town would receive more than ever envisioned, more than the powers-that-be wanted.
“It’s perfect,” Noah managed, his voice sounding hollow even to himself.
Rachel’s enthusiasm faltered. She straightened, studying his face with those perceptive eyes that had first caught his attention. “Tell me what the captain said to you.”
Noah’s jaw clenched. “I told you, it was just committee stuff. I got this.”
“Don’t you dare BS me, Noah Calvary.” Rachel’s tone sharpened. “You’ve been dodging the subject. What aren’t you telling me?”
His attempts to avoid sharing the details of his conversation with Captain Novak had escalated to their first real fight. Rachel sensed he’d had a more in-depth meeting with his superior than he let on.
Their walk back to the cabin had been a quiet one.
Not for him trying to change the subject from the gaslight burning his career to ashes.
First, the captain’s warning about assuming the chairman position, and now this complaint that wasn’t going away.
Noah struggled to see his way clear of impending failure.
Rachel would witness him not only being removed as chairman, but also the indignity of losing his job. As much as he loved his small town, jobs that paid a living wage were few. Most of the plants—chemical, automotive, paper—operated on huge acreages hundreds of miles away from Calvary land.
His cabin felt too small for the giant threat looming, the walls closing in on him, so he’d settled Rachel in his arms outside by the plunge pool.
He knew this land. For generations, the Calvary family honored every tree and shrub by preserving the tranquil beauty of land meeting water.
But today, Noah struggled to find peace.
Instead, his ears tuned to the pounding of the waters against rock, the crashing weight, the break and splinter of limbs, the loosening of soil, and leaves surrendering to the current.
Today, he heard the roar of his carefully laid plans snatched up in the undercurrent, drowning in uncertainty.
“Hey.” Rachel rested her head in his lap, her long legs stretched out in the grass. “You know you can tell me anything, right?”
“Spoken like a true member of Service.”
She poked him in the belly. “I wouldn’t gossip. I want to help.”
“I got us, Six.” The words rang hollow, even as the heat spread up from his collar.
A wood thrush’s call pierced the air, sharp and insistent.
The sound used to remind him of lazy Sunday mornings and the simple pleasure of being alive on this mountain he loved.
Now it felt like an alarm, urgent and unsettling, matching the racing of his heart.
“Not that I’d ever doubt the great Noah Calvary, but—”
When she didn’t say any more, Noah looked down. Her eyes held his. “But, what?”
“I’m worried. And I don’t like feeling this way… not when everything between us is so new. We should handle stuff together, not—”
Together. The word should have been a comfort.
Instead, it felt like a knife twisting in his chest. How could he explain that “together” might be what would destroy them both?
That loving her—really, truly loving her the way he did—might mean sacrificing the career he’d built, the committee position that could change their entire community?
“Com’ere,” he said, easing himself flat on the cool grass. Rachel, as if by instinct, climbed his body like he was her favorite tree. They stayed like that for minutes. His body a haven for hers.
“If you tell me everything is okay, I won’t believe you.”
With one hand, he brushed a few flying ringlets, dancing in the breeze, behind her ear. “I won’t lie to you, Six.”
“Will you tell me what’s going on, then?”
“And if I said no?”
She looked away then, her gaze somewhere beyond the horizon. “I’d question my place in your life.”
“I’ve told you that I love you.”
“That’s just it. Telling someone you love them is the easiest part. Showing them, showing me, that this time we’ll tackle everything, good and bad, together. That’s the foundation I want for us, Noah.”
He frowned, then, confident that’s what he’d given, but unsure if she’d received it the way he intended.
Noah reared up on his elbows. “This land. This house. I built this for you, for us. Year after year, waiting, hoping, wishing you’d come back. How can you question the foundation?”
“How can I not, when you have this neat little package you want to present me with?”
“A package?” He came to his feet, bringing her with him.
“Come on.” She rolled her eyes. “The house, the location. It’s the trophy you think I want.”
“You said you did,” he defended, heat in his voice.
“Yeah, when I was six years old. We’re adults, and I want more than a house by the water and a ring.”
“Don’t forget the hair,” he groused.
She grabbed his face. “That was your idea.”
“It worked,” he muttered, thinking back to their high school days. “Until it didn’t.”
“I love your hair and the house, but I love you more. That’s what I want, your whole heart. Fears, secrets, hopes, and dreams. I want you to be honest with me about what’s really going on in your life. Don’t keep things from me.”
Noah lowered his head and claimed her mouth.
The kiss, gentle as a breeze, powerful as a summer storm, tore through him.
Rachel raised up on her tiptoes. When she swayed, Noah looped a strong forearm around her back, steadying them against the onslaught of emotions.
When he broke away, both their breathing came in a rush.
“If you love me”—he looked up till their eyes met—“then trust me.”
“I see I came just in the nick of time.”
Rachel jerked at the sound of Pete’s voice. Not releasing her, Noah turned to see his best friend standing on his rear deck. ClamClam had abandoned her perch to stand sentry on the steps leading down the lawn, her back arched like a Halloween cat who’d spotted a particularly offensive ghost.
“Evening, Clam,” Pete said with forced cheer. “Still holding that grudge, I see.”
ClamClam’s tail twitched once, the feline equivalent of flipping him off.
“She’s got excellent taste in people,” Rachel muttered under her breath.
“Thanks for coming, Pete.”
“Of course. I’m always here to help with your problems. How you doing, Rachel? You look a little peaked.”
“Gee, thanks for mentioning my looks yet again. Save your Petey-isms for an unsuspecting victim. ’Cause, to be frank, it’s getting old, and I’ve been better,” she said, sarcasm dripping venom onto a contentious conversation.
“Though I have to say, your timing is impeccable. Do you have a relationship disruption radar, or is this just natural talent?”
Pete laughed off the dig, the full-bodied smile genuine. But Rachel didn’t soften one bit. And what the heck was a Petey-ism? “Just lucky, I guess.”
“Oh, we’re all feeling lucky tonight—not,” Rachel said sweetly.
ClamClam chose that moment to emit a high, disapproving “MRAAAAAAAAAAAAOWWWWWW!” that sounded suspiciously like agreement.
Noah heard the barely contained hiss when Rachel next spoke. “You called him?”
Noah cut a sideways glance at his woman. He winced at the lightning burning in her eyes. “Just want to talk a few big-picture redevelopment issues with the mayor. He’s got eyes and ears on local politics,” he defended. “This complaint. Pete’s got intel. You understand, right?”
ClamClam made a sound that was half-purr, half-snicker.
Rachel moved to leave. “I have the revised renderings in my office. All three of us can go over them together.”
Noah tightened his hold. “Not this second, okay.”
Rachel rounded on him, her voice a whisper yell, which he found impressive and intimidating coming from such a petite package. “Are you going to show him our design idea that will support everyone? Or are you going to just advocate for yourself?”
He pulled back. The move created space, neither one of them closing the divide.
“Six, really?” Taking a long exhale, Noah reached for a calm he didn’t feel in the moment.
The heat had climbed several degrees since Pete’s arrival, and Rachel, well, her glare held hot coals.
“This meeting is just me and Pete. Not chairman and mayor.”
“Oh, I understand,” she hissed. “Pete’s your go-to guy for everything except, apparently, sex after a hard night of firefighting.”
“Come on, Six. Tell me you get this is for us.”
“Yeah, I do. You trust his opinion,” Rachel said, her voice honey-sweet with acid undertones. Before he could say anything else, she started to walk away. “I have some stuff to finish up at my dad’s place. I’ll leave you boys to your very important, very secret tag team meeting.”
Not looking back at him, she threw up one hand, offering a casual farewell. Noah knew better. He’d hurt her.
“Come on, ClamClam. Let’s head home.”
ClamClam trotted after Rachel, but not before turning to give Pete one final, withering stare that would have made a wiser man reconsider his life choices.
“Dumb cat,” Pete muttered.
“She’s just protective,” Noah said, though he was beginning to wonder if ClamClam might be onto something.
Now, why did the sight of Rachel walking away from his home drive a spike through his heart? And that comment about trust? Of course he trusted her.
“Lady problems, Noah?”
Spinning to face his friend, Noah chuckled. “No such thing, partner.”
“You got that, right. She’ll be lucky to snag Service’s number one son.” Pete walked over and clapped him on the shoulder. “Though I gotta say, she’s got some mouth on her since leaving town. Reminds me why I stick to quieter women.”
“Rachel’s never been quiet,” Noah said, a note of pride creeping into his voice despite everything. “You just have to pay attention… when women speak with more than words.”
“Yeah, well, a woman who knows how to stay quiet is underrated.” Pete laughed, but there was nothing funny about Rachel’s absence.
Noah looked over his shoulder in the direction Rachel had gone.
She’d vanished. His heart lurched in his chest. Tonight, he’d make her understand Pete had the best resources to help Noah win.
Deep down, he knew trust was based on actions, not words.
Ultimately, what he did now would secure his career and their future.
Rachel would sulk about the secrecy until they celebrated his win in the end.
At least, that’s what he kept telling himself.