Chapter Thirty

GABE DIDN’T TELL ANYONE ELSE what he was planning. Not his grandfather and certainly not his mom. His grandfather would no doubt be cautiously optimistic. Opa had always told him that he was only hurting himself by ignoring a relationship with his father. His mom? He couldn’t even imagine what she might say. After he’d found out about his true parentage and been shipped off to Jasper Lake, they’d never discussed it in depth again.

And that didn’t even begin to address what his father might do.

No, not his father. The man who was biologically responsible for his existence. Robert Miller.

Despite the fact that Gabe had barely been in the office since Kendall arrived, he called Linda to inform her that he would be out of town on business for a day or two. Then he arranged for Luke to come feed and walk Fitz while he was gone. It was only a little over an hour from Jasper Lake to his father’s office in Denver, but he had no idea if Robert would be in or willing to see him. It could take more than a day. He packed an overnight bag, shoved his laptop into a backpack, and hopped into his truck as the sun crested the horizon of the nearest peak.

As soon as he hit the boundaries of the town, Gabe exhaled. He felt like he hadn’t taken a full breath in months, and that was compounded by how twisted up in knots he’d been since the confrontation with Kendall. He still couldn’t think about the hurt, stricken look on her face when he’d told her there could be no future for them because of the differences in their spiritual beliefs. Every time, he wondered how he could have done things differently. How he could have spared her.

How he could have spared himself.

Because now, knowing that they were nearing the end of their time working together, that she intended to return to California in less than a week, the idea of her absence made it hard to breathe. In just a short period of time, she’d worked herself into his daily life in a way that he’d never thought possible. He couldn’t effectively explain it. They had a few things in common, yes, but there was no denying the connection that he’d felt since the very first time he’d laid eyes on her, and it wasn’t merely attraction. It was like . . .

. . . he’d found his missing piece.

It just seemed that God hadn’t gotten the memo.

Gabe squeezed the steering wheel, knowing that thought wasn’t fair. If there was anyone who’d misread the situation, it was him. He couldn’t reject the possibility that she’d been brought into his life for a reason other than his happiness. He’d helped her uncover some details about her mother and grandmother; he’d at least managed to talk to her about his faith, before his faith became the thing that drove a wedge between them. Maybe that had to be enough.

No matter how the idea made his heart ache.

“Your plan hasn’t changed, Gabe,” he told himself sternly as he rejoined the highway that would take him to I-70 and then down the mountain into Denver. It had always been to save the town. That’s why he had been brought to Jasper Lake, and that’s what he was going to do. Even if it meant breaking a promise that he’d made to himself and his mother so many years ago.

By the time the road flattened from the steep downhill through Genesee into the gentle slopes of Jefferson County, he had a game plan. He wasn’t going to approach Robert as his son. He was going to approach him as a civil servant making an appeal to a businessman, one that could be very profitable for him. After all, if there was one thing he knew about his birth father, it was that he looked out for his own interests. Gabe was suddenly glad that he’d decided to don a button-down shirt and his sport coat, even if the waterproof boots weren’t quite the business image he wanted to portray. But this was Colorado, after all. People took meetings in Wranglers and cowboy boots, went to four-star restaurants in fleece pullovers. He doubted that his father’s office was any different.

It had been so long since he’d been to the building, Gabe had to rely on his phone’s GPS to take him to the downtown block where Miller Property Group was located. It was a multistory brick Victorian building, two floors of which were taken up by the various divisions of Robert’s company: real estate, development, investment, and architecture. It was a testament to Colorado’s rapid growth that what had started off as a residential architectural firm had grown into something spanning all areas of property development.

The difference between Burton and Robert Miller was ethics. Robert’s firm specialized in restoration and preservation, converting buildings to new uses while still retaining their architectural and historical details. Ironic, considering it was his lack of personal ethics that brought Gabe into this world in the first place.

Gabe parked in the underground parking garage and took a moment to straighten himself before he yanked the door of his truck open. He took a deep breath. Now or never.

He had to check the directory in the old-fashioned Victorian lobby to see which floor his father was on and stepped onto the equally old-fashioned–looking elevator. He was relieved to see that the inside was all new stainless steel and chrome, despite the original brass doors that opened to admit him. He punched the 3 button and held his breath as the doors slid closed and the elevator glided soundlessly to the third floor.

The doors opened again and deposited him in an ornate hallway that opened into a large reception space. He walked directly to the mahogany desk and forced a smile for the young woman who sat there. “Gabriel Brandt here to see Robert Miller.”

Her eyes widened slightly—obviously she knew who he was—but she managed a friendly smile and gestured to the waiting area to the right. “I’ll see if he’s available. Please make yourself comfortable. There’s coffee and tea while you wait, if you’d like.”

“Thank you.” Gabe returned the smile even though he was shaking inside at what he was about to do. He hadn’t spoken to Robert in . . . what? Over ten years? And only then because he’d accidentally run into him at a Denver Christmas party. Apparently they had professional connections in common. Rather than taking a seat, he helped himself to a cup of coffee from the machine. The first sip hit his nervous stomach and turned it sour.

“Gabe! What a surprise!”

Gabe spun at the male voice and put down the Styrofoam cup quickly on the edge of the table. He blinked. His mental image hadn’t taken into account the passage of time: in the last decade, the lines around Robert’s eyes had gotten more pronounced, his dark hair tinged with silver, the athletic build a little softer. And despite all that, no one could look at the two of them and not know that they were father and son.

He found his voice and was pleased that it came out strong and steady. “I’m sorry to just drop in on you like this. Do you have a minute?”

“For you? Always.” He stepped aside and gestured for Gabe to precede him down the hall into the back of the office. Gabe was relieved he didn’t try to embrace him or touch him in any way. In fact, he was treating him like a friendly business associate. Which, in this case, was exactly what he was.

“First door on the right,” Robert said in a low voice, and Gabe turned in to a surprisingly small office that was decorated only with a mission-style desk, a matching credenza, and two conference chairs. Paperwork spilled from piles on the desk, and the walls were hung with dry-erase boards covered with various property addresses rather than the fine art he’d expected. Instead of taking a seat in the imposing leather chair behind the desk, Robert turned one of the guest chairs so he could face Gabe.

“What can I help you with today, Son?” The word seemed to be almost automatic, as directed toward a younger man, not to his own actual son, but it still grated on Gabe’s nerves.

“I have a business proposition for you.”

Robert studied him for a long moment, then gave a nod. “I’m listening.”

Gabe hesitated, but Robert seemed to be serious, so he started at the beginning. How he’d been elected mayor of Jasper Lake to preserve the town’s character, how Burton’s development threatened that, and how the nasty behind-the-scenes dealing was threatening to demolish Kendall’s houses. When Gabe finished, Robert just sat there, his head tipped toward the ceiling, thinking.

“That is a tricky situation.” Robert finally focused on his face. “I don’t see how I’d be able to help directly. The fact is, we’re exclusively focusing on Denver at the moment, and my firm is integrally involved in lobbying for zoning changes to prevent some of the irresponsible development that’s happening in the less affluent neighborhoods.”

Gabe’s hopes plummeted. He could understand where his father was coming from, but he wouldn’t make an exception, even for him? He didn’t know why he’d come here. He’d burned these bridges long ago, and it was only stupid hope that made him think some remnant of paternal responsibility would induce Robert to help. Worst of all, Gabe really couldn’t blame him.

But Robert wasn’t finished. He grabbed a notepad from his desk and scribbled several names and numbers on a sheet of paper, then tore it off and handed it to Gabe. “The first number is an attorney I work with, Pam Martinez. First thing you do is call her and ask her to file an injunction on the condemnation proceedings pending a historical places designation. She’s well familiar with the county court systems, and most of the judges won’t bother ruling against her because she has a reputation for tying them up with motions until they give in.” A small smile surfaced on Robert’s face—either he liked this woman or he admired her pit bull approach. Maybe both. “The second, Winnie Johnson, is a friend I know involved in Colorado historical preservation projects. She’s also part of the board that reviews grant applications for historical preservation. The deadline was a couple of weeks ago, but I happen to know that they haven’t awarded this year’s grants yet. They may be willing to fudge the deadline if you tell her what you’ve told me. That could at least buy you some time to get the houses up to code and lift the condemnation proceedings.

“In the meantime, you and this Kendall you mentioned need to put in your application for the National Register. As in yesterday. Pam is going to need that as part of her filing. And then, based on those things, you push—and push hard—to get the city council to change the zoning. Immediately. Bring a motion and make them vote on it. Show the dirty tricks this guy is willing to employ to destroy the most unique characteristics of your city. Ask them how much their autonomy is worth to them.” Robert’s eyes sparkled. “If there’s one thing I know about Coloradans, especially in the high country, it’s that they prize their way of life and their independence. Show them that they’re letting an outsider determine their future.” He held Gabe’s gaze. “This isn’t a matter of facts, Gabe; it’s a matter of emotion. Of personality. Like it or not, you chose to be the leader of this town. So lead. I have no doubt that you’re capable of swinging this your way.”

Gabe skimmed the paper in his hand, but he really didn’t see it. This was not what he’d expected when he’d shown up here today. He’d been hoping that Robert would swoop in with his checkbook and save the day. Maybe feel a little bit of guilt about how he and his mom had struggled when he was a child.

Instead, he was acting like . . . a father.

A father giving him advice, shoring up his confidence. Except unlike a real father, he hadn’t been there. These were all just empty platitudes. A way to get him out of his office quickly so he could get back to his real work. “How do you know I can lead?” Gabe shot back. “You know nearly nothing about me.”

The corner of Robert’s mouth tipped up, but it was almost a grimace, not a smile. “That was by your choice, Son, not mine. And I venture to say I know a lot more about you than you think.” He tilted his head toward the credenza behind them.

For the first time, Gabe noticed the photos sitting there. Several of them were of Robert’s daughters, as he might have expected. But there was one of him with his mom at his high school graduation, beaming off to the side in a way that made it obvious they’d been smiling for someone else’s camera. Another photo of him shaking the hand of the president of his university as he accepted his graduate school diploma, obviously taken from a distance and cropped.

“I stayed away out of respect for your wishes,” Robert said quietly, his voice a little hoarse. “But that doesn’t mean I didn’t care. Or that I’m not proud of you.” Now the grimace turned into something more like a smile. “I’ve followed from afar. I hope that doesn’t upset you.”

“I don’t know how I feel about that.” In some ways, it felt intrusive, almost creepy, that Robert had been present at his graduations and he didn’t know it. Of course, it wasn’t like he was following Gabe around town with a telephoto lens or something, but the idea that he’d been there and Gabe hadn’t known . . .

Robert gave a single nod. “Call Pam and Winnie. Today, even. They’ll take your calls and they can help guide you through the process. Save your town, Gabe.” He pushed himself to his feet. “And when you decide how you feel about the rest, even if you just want to talk, vent, tell me what a terrible absentee father I was—” a wry twist of a smile surfaced again—“you know where to find me.”

Gabe stood as well. He hesitated before gripping Robert’s outstretched hand. “Thank you for seeing me. Thank you for the advice.”

“Good luck. I trust you know your way out? I’m overdue for a meeting.”

Gabe nodded slowly and turned toward the door, aware of Robert following him out. But he didn’t turn back to see if he was looking, to see if he turned down the intersecting corridor toward some unseen conference room. He didn’t want to see whether he looked proud or disturbed or sad.

Robert Miller didn’t get to have that kind of effect on Gabe. Not now. Not yet. Maybe not ever.

Gabe smiled at the receptionist on the way out and made his way to the elevator, simultaneously unsettled and excited. He had a plan of attack now. A way to save both the houses and the town. It didn’t help Kendall with her house back in California, but it did prevent her from losing all the value in her property.

If only it could stop him from losing her completely.