Chapter 5 #3
I nod, unable to keep the huge smile from my face. No one was shocked by Carver and Kaelyn’s announcement over dessert, but we are all thrilled.
I had already been thinking that Graham’s offer to work in Sapphire Falls was coming at the perfect time.
Being home has been nice after I got over the idea that it somehow meant I had failed.
Being with all my friends again, seeing how happy Harlow, Jefferson, Carver, and Kaelyn are.
Being able to hang out with Sloan, Sasha, and others has been wonderful.
I had friends in Chicago, but I will never find friends like the people I’ve grown up with in Sapphire Falls. And I love being around my mom and dad.
“Yeah, I really want to be here for nieces and nephews. No matter what Harlow says, I think she and Jefferson are not going to be far behind.”
“That’s awesome,” Everett says. “I don’t have siblings, but I can understand how much you’ll love your siblings’ children. I know I’ll love Graham’s kids.”
My heart squeezes at that. Everett hasn’t said the word ‘brother’, but he and Graham do have a brotherly bond.
“And now that my family knows that Graham is the CEO of IES, the idea of working with him and also with Carver and Dad on the IAS side seems exciting.”
Graham had finally spilled those beans as well. He’d let everybody chatter happily about the pregnancy, but after pie and coffee had been cleaned up and we were clearing the tables for our first rowdy game of cards, Margot had elbowed him, and he’d finally told everyone the truth.
My family was, as expected, excited and proud. And again, not shocked. Surprised, yes. And my mom had been a little hurt that he hadn’t told them before this. But she’d understood when he explained that he wanted to make a name for himself first.
Now it’s all out in the open, and Carver is going to be working closely with Graham to bring their combined ideas to life.
I was so proud of them, sitting and watching them talk about their plans. And not just because my brothers are amazing men making smart business and professional choices, but because what they’re planning to do will make a true positive impact on the world.
“You all want to make Sapphire Falls a fully green city,” I say.
Everett nods. “It’s the perfect place to start. Graham knows the town, the town knows Graham, and your family. IAS has all of the right resources and reputation to help us bring the farming community fully green as well.”
There are other fully green towns and cities in the world, even in the US. But having the entire town of Sapphire Falls run on wind, water, and solar energy for all of its power, including the surrounding farms, would be huge.
“We want to incorporate IES advancements with indoor farming as well,” Everett says. “That would make year-round farming possible and would make it easier to make farm operations green.”
That all makes sense to me. “Sapphire Falls is small,” I say.
“But even here, even with my family’s reputation, you’re going to need someone who can explain how it’s going to work.
And you’ll need someone who can be a true liaison.
Someone who’s here to do outreach, who can be on site when things go wrong, who can handle PR wrinkles. ”
Everett nods. “Graham says that’s you.”
“It is me. I’m perfect for it. I would be perfect for it, even if we were talking about another town somewhere. But here? I’ll do an amazing job.”
“I’m not hearing any questions so far,” Everett says.
“I think you all should start by recruiting ten to twenty percent of the town to convert their homes and farms completely to green energy. That way you can show everyone else how it works. You’ll have actual numbers for how much it will cost, how much it will save, how long it will take, and so on.
And you’ll have people who can talk to their neighbors and friends about their experience. ”
“That makes sense. What are you proposing?”
“That you let me choose the families and let me recruit them. We want people who can understand what we’re doing and also be good ambassadors. With the rest of the town, but even with the media and anyone else who has questions or wants to learn more.”
“Sounds good,” he says. “Were you afraid I would say no?”
“Well, I think it needs to start now,” I say. “Not in the spring. I know you need to get the building built and all the resources here so you can actually do the work. But we need to do the human work ahead of time.”
He studies me for a moment. “You realize you’re applying for a job in your pajamas after letting me kiss you.”
I pull in a little breath, but nod. “Yeah. I’m going with my gut here.”
“That’s disappointing,” he says.
“What is?”
“That your gut is telling you to talk business with me rather than kissing.”
I smile at him. “But the business is saving the planet. Shouldn’t that be more important than kissing?”
His gaze drops to my lips. “You would think so, wouldn’t you?”
Dammit. I do want to stay in Sapphire Falls, and I do want this job. Why did my new boss have to be such a great kisser?
He narrows his gaze thoughtfully and takes another bite of pie. Again, I watch him chew, astounded that can turn me on.
“I want to start with IES on January first,” I say.
“Okay.”
I wet my lips. His gaze focuses on my mouth.
Okay, no more wetting lips. I press them together, then say, “I thought I was going to marry my last boyfriend. We were very serious. I turned down a huge promotion because of him. Because we worked together and dating him as his superior would have been against policy.”
Everett doesn’t say anything. He just waits for me to go on.
“Then he took the promotion.”
His brows arch.
“He put the job before our relationship,” I say.
“You said your parents always did that. I kind of get how that feels. Someone I loved and trusted made his job more important than me. And before that, I had a personal relationship with a boss, and while nothing inappropriate ever happened, people still assumed there was favoritism.”
I sigh. “I just don’t want anything to be problematic for IES.
The work you’re going to do—that we’re going to do—is important and will likely outlast any fling you and I would have.
I just don’t want anything to negatively impact the company, the work, or your relationship with Graham and my family and all of these people who mean so much to you.
” I pause and take a breath. “I think you need this team of people, this company, this family more than you need to kiss me.”
I stop and let that all just hang there between us.
I mean all of it, but I’m also weak where he’s concerned.
This whole project is really good for my town. Being a fully green town would be very good for Sapphire Falls and for my brothers’ and dad’s company. Not to mention just good for the planet and the environment.
The Riley family is the right family to lead the way here.
We certainly aren’t the only people doing good work in green energy, ecology, and environmental conservation, but we are prominent in these spaces, and the fact that my brothers want to do this and make it their life's work together is filling me with pride and happiness. I want to help them. I want to be part of it. I’ve always been proud of my father, and I know having all of us following in his footsteps and making a real impact like this means a lot to him.
And Everett needs this. My gut is telling me that he needs to be a part of a group, a common goal, a passionate group of people who can meet him on his level and help him do incredible things. Things that are very different from what his parents do.
He says Graham is his first true friend. That makes me really proud of my brother. And makes a strange protectiveness toward Everett surge through me.
Being around that Thanksgiving table reminded me how tight our group is and how important it is to everyone in it.
We love each other and enjoy each other and give each other a hard time, but at the end of the day, we take care of each other.
We protect each other, encourage each other, and support each other.
I think Everett needs that.
Oh, he thinks he needs sex with me, and again, it’s good for my ego, but I think he needs something bigger than that. Something the Rileys can give him. A purpose, a way of using his incredible brain and all of his resources for something truly good. And a family.
Everett Clark has never really had that before, but he fell into it today.
And it comes with pie.
Finally, he says, “Your boyfriend was a fucking idiot and doesn’t deserve you thinking about him for another ten seconds. Ever.”
I swallow hard. “Same for your parents.”
There’s a tug at the corner of his mouth. He gives me a small nod. “Agreed.”
“So you understand where I’m coming from?” I ask.
“I do. It doesn’t make me not want you,” he says.
My heart flips over.
“But I hear you, and I appreciate how much you care about IES.” He pauses. “And me.”
Fuck, I want to hug him so badly. But hugging would turn into naked hugging. I just know it.
“I think I know the first person we should talk to about converting his farm to an indoor farm powered by green energy. I can approach him in the next couple of weeks and then you could meet him when you come for Christmas,” I say.
“Am I invited for Christmas?” he asks.
He has to come for Christmas. This is where his new family is. “If you think my mom’s spread is impressive at Thanksgiving, just wait.”
“More pie?” he asks.
“So much pie. And Christmas cookies.”
He grins and scoops the last bite of pie into his mouth.
“Do you wear contact lenses?” I ask him.
I will probably want him no matter what he’s wearing, but the suit I first fell in lust with and now these gray sweatpants have to go. If I can get him into some boring, everyday-around-here blue jeans and flannel, that will help. But those glasses are killing me.
“I don’t like contacts.”
Well, I’m going to need something to make Everett Clark just another boring, regular Sapphire Falls guy like all the guys I grew up with and easily ignored for years.
I watch him get up and carry his plate and glass to the sink, studying his ass in those sweatpants.
Yeah, blue jeans and flannel.
That’s what we’ll do. Surely that will work.
And maybe he’ll have terrible taste in music. He already doesn’t watch movies.
Yes, this is good. As I introduce him around Sapphire Falls, I’ll get to really know him and realize he’s just my brother’s best friend. He’s not the guy for me.
He turns from loading his plate into the dishwasher. “Did they say there’s a football game tomorrow?”
I nod. “The game. Nebraska against Iowa.”
“Huh.”
“What’s wrong? Don’t tell me you’re a Colorado fan.”
“No. I’m just going to need to brush up on a few things first.”
I grin. “Like all the rules of football?”
“Yeah. Something like that.”
“I guess it’s a good thing you’re a genius then.”
He grins, and I feel my stomach do the stupid flipping thing that it does when he does that.
“Yeah, good thing.” He heads for the door. “Goodnight, Ginger.”
“Goodnight, Clark.”
And I don’t even correct myself.
Dammit. So he doesn’t know football. That just further reinforces the fact that he’s a big, hot, bookish science nerd who loves suits. And, as it turns out, pie.
He is so my type.