Page 71 of Where She Belongs

“While I appreciate what you’re trying to do, I will call the sheriff if I have to. As you can imagine, I have a lot to think about.” That seemed to settle Alexander a little more and his shoulders relaxed.

He nodded, reluctantly. “You have my number.”

“I do.”

“Call me if you need anything else.”

She offered him a tight smile but didn’t agree to do any such thing. The second the door was shut, she leaned against it and closed her eyes.

The photograph was still in her hand. She hadn’t set it down once since he’d pushed it at her, which she supposed said something all on its own.

Her phone was in her pocket. Four buttons and she’d have Tate on the line, and he would either explain it or he wouldn’t, and either way she would know.

That was the trouble. She would know.

Rylee had been four years old the last time she wanted an answer this badly, and she had never asked for that one either. A whole life of not asking anybody why her mother left, on the understanding that a thing isn’t all the way true until somebody says it out loud to your face.

It had worked, mostly. Which was the worst part of it.

She put the picture in the drawer of her father’s desk and went to bed.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

How much time was a reasonable amount when it came to giving a girl space?

Tate didn’t have a clue.

He hadn’t gone through an argument with a girlfriend that didn’t result in a breakup.

Wait a minute. Did Rylee think they were broken up?

No. He hadn’t said as much. They were just at odds with each other. And when he thought enough time had passed, he’d go over to her house and tell her he was sorry.

He had time.

Right?

Tate shrugged the feeling off as he settled down behind his computer in his office. The Williams research was still spread across the screen where he’d left it—the articles, the renderings, the towns that hadn’t survived the company’s attention. He’d read all of it twice. It hadn’t done him a lick of good.

Days now, and he still hadn’t told a soul about the lodge.

What was there to tell? That he’d driven out there before dawn like a man with a plan and come home with nothing to show for it but a polite brush-off from the developer’s own daughter? That the only thing he’d accomplished was proving Rylee’s point for her—not one day after fighting her over it? He could hear exactly how it would sound. Faith would stare at him. Jason would say something short and correct.

Rylee couldn’t find out. Not because the lodge had been a betrayal—it hadn’t, not the way she’d think. But explaining that morning meant confirming every word she’d thrown at him at the market, and he wasn’t ready to hand her that.

So he’d fix what he could fix. There were still people in town wavering on the resort question. If he couldn’t get to Williams, he could at least get to them.

The sound of boot steps tore Tate from his thoughts and he whirled around to find his twin standing in the doorway.

“Our afternoon session cancelled, not that you cared,” Jason muttered, and turned for the front door.

Tate shot out of his seat, his surprised focus landing on the clock on the wall. Shoot! He’d been so engrossed in his research he hadn’t been thinking about his job. Thankfully, he didn’t have anything else on before it. He charged after Jason. “Wait, you weren’t going to come get me?”

Jason either didn’t hear him or he didn’t care to answer as he continued toward the front door of their family home. He yanked open the door with more force than was necessary and hurried down the steps.

“Jason, wait!” Tate leaped over the last couple of steps and sprinted toward his brother. “What was that all about?” When Jason didn’t respond, Tate grabbed his arm to force him to stop. “What’s going on?”

Jason whirled to face his brother. “How about you tell me.”