“I’m mad at you.”
Wiley continued to stare at the basketball game playing on the television of the sitting room in his suite at the ranch, ignoring his sister’s arrival.
“Really mad,” Nicole said, walking into the room and picking up the remote from the side table. She pushed a button, and the TV went dark.
“Big brothers are supposed to make sisters mad,” Wiley said. “It’s part of the job description.”
“Do you want to know why?” She sat on the chair next to the sofa.
“Not really.” He took a long pull on the beer he’d been nursing for the past hour. “You know I was watching that game?”
“What was the score?” she demanded.
He shrugged. “One of the teams was winning.”
Nicole’s mouth curved into a smile. “Yeah, you were real invested in the game, Wi. Seriously, we need to talk.”
“Not in the mood,” he told her. Since Grace had basically broken off their temporary relationship in the middle of the street two days ago, Wiley hadn’t been in the mood for anything. He’d kept himself busy and tried not to think about Grace, which was virtually impossible, especially when she seemed to be involved in almost every last-minute detail of the hotel’s grand opening.
He’d found himself following her scent through an upstairs hallway yesterday until he’d heard her voice in one of the guest rooms, discussing something with Jillian and Jay. Wiley had ducked into a housekeeping closet when they came out to avoid being spotted. As he stared at shelves filled with crisp white linens and tiny bottles of toiletries, he’d realized how bad off he was with missing her.
Unlike him, Grace didn’t seem the least bit affected by their breakup, if that’s what he could call it. She appeared completely focused on making sure the grand opening went off without a hitch. Despite his heartache, he was so proud of her for the leadership role she’d taken on and the way her confidence had bloomed. He only wished he could share in the success with her.
“What did you do to Grace?”
Wiley sucked in a breath as he straightened. “Nothing. Not one damn thing, Nicole.”
“It’s obvious she’s hurting.”
“Not to me,” he countered.
“Then you’re a bigger fool than I suspected. Even Jillian is being nice, so you know Grace must be really upset. I thought you liked her.”
“I did. I do.”
“Then why dump her, Wiley? Especially right before the opening. I understand that commitment isn’t your thing and being back in Chicago probably had you missing the city, but—”
“You have it wrong.” He pointed the tip of his bottle toward his sister. “I was the dumpee in this situation. Grace broke up with me.”
“Impossible,” Nicole said immediately. “Women don’t break up with you.”
“I guess there’s a first time for everything.”
“What did you do?”
He placed the beer bottle on the coffee table with distinct thud. “Nothing.”
His sister’s blue eyes narrowed. “Are you sure?”
“How could I have done anything?” He lifted his hands, palms up, and didn’t bother to hide his frustration. “I was working around-the-clock in Chicago to salvage the deal. There was no time for anything, not that I would have wanted it, anyway. I missed her.”
“Did you tell her that?”
He nodded. “Right in front of the hotel when I got back. Just before she cut me off at the knees.”
“And she gave no indication of being unhappy while you were away?”
“I don’t know, Nicole. I was away. Maybe her brother convinced her not to trust me. Maybe she realized she doesn’t want to deal with the complications of our family.”
“Grace isn’t the type to shy away from things that are hard,” Nicole reminded him. “In fact, we all keep forgetting she’s wearing the boot, because she doesn’t let it slow her down one bit.”
“She’s amazing,” he murmured. “Probably too smart to want something long-term with me.”
“I don’t believe that.” Nicole tapped a finger against her chin. “You two were the worst-kept secret in town. Everyone could see she was crazy about you. Did she say anything when you talked to her during your trip that would give you a clue—”
“We didn’t talk while I was gone.”
Nicole’s mouth dropped open. “You were in Chicago for nearly a week.”
“I’m aware.”
“How could you not talk to her?”
He shrugged. “It wasn’t purposeful. I was busy.”
“Not an excuse.”
Agitation rolled through Wiley like a tidal wave. He didn’t want to think that he was at fault. How could that be? No, he hadn’t told Grace how he felt before he left. But she had to know, or at least have an idea. He’d never devoted so much of himself to a woman before. In fact, it had scared the hell out of him, especially when he returned to Chicago and saw the mess his firm had almost ended up in because he’d been distracted by his family and Grace while in Texas. Guilt had eaten at him, which was part of the reason he hadn’t done the best job of communicating while he was away. But still...
He stood from the sofa and paced to the edge of the room. No way would he believe that he was the reason she’d broken things off. That simply couldn’t be the case.
“I did call, Nicole. Or I tried.” He heard the edge in his voice but regaining control was the last thing on his mind. He had to understand why she’d ended things between them. He had to know if there was a chance at winning her back. “We had trouble connecting because of how much I was at the office. It wasn’t like I slept with her and then took off without a backward glance.” He cringed when Nicole sucked in a harsh gasp, realizing exactly what he’d just blurted. Wiley would give anything if he could take the last ten seconds back.
“You slept with her?” Nicole moved to the edge of the seat, looking like their mother used to when she wanted to throttle one of the boys for making a stupid mistake.
“Forget I said anything.” He shook his head. “I’m not thinking clearly, obviously. I shouldn’t have—”
“She’s our employee,” Nicole reminded him through clenched teeth.
“Yours,” Wiley countered. “Not mine. My relationship with her has nothing to do with the hotel.”
“Does she know that?”
He opened his mouth to answer then shut it again.
Nicole’s eyes widened. “Did she tell you about her ex-boyfriend?”
“The one who cheated on her?” Wiley nodded. “That has nothing to do with me, either.”
“How much did she share about their breakup?”
“She didn’t need to explain much. He cheated. End of story.”
“Wiley.”
“Stop sounding like Mom,” he told her. “Your tone is freaking me out.”
“I did Grace’s reference check at Cowboy Country,” Nicole said quietly. “The story she gave me about how things ended there was a little convoluted. I spoke with her boss in Horseback Hollow. Grace was an exemplary employee, just like she is for us. But when she discovered that her boyfriend was cheating on her with another coworker, there was a bit of a scene.”
“What kind of a scene?” Wiley asked, even though he wasn’t sure he wanted to know the answer.
“I only heard the details because the amusement park manager felt bad for Grace and wanted her to get the position in the training program. Apparently, the whole thing blew up at an employee picnic. The ex very loudly blamed Grace. He made it known that he was cheating because Grace lacked—” she made a face “—spark in the bedroom.”
Wiley breathed out a string of curses that would have horrified his mother. “She doesn’t lack spark. Grace is the sparkliest damn woman I’ve ever known.”
“Too much information.” Nicole stood, making a show of covering her ears. “I don’t want to talk about you and Grace and sparks. But think of the timing, Wi. The two of you...” She shrugged. “Took things to the next level and then you left town and didn’t call her.”
“I called. We just didn’t get to talk.” He cursed again because he hated knowing that he’d made Grace doubt anything about herself. Making love to her had been the most wonderful time of his life. Not that he had any intention of discussing details with his sister.
“Maybe you should try talking to her again,” Nicole suggested gently. “If you really care about her.”
“I care.” He ran a hand through his hair. “I more than care about her.”
“You can say the word.” Nicole crossed to him and patted his arm. “It won’t burn your tongue to speak it out loud.”
“It might,” he muttered, then sighed. “I love her, Nicole. I’m in love with her. I didn’t expect it, and I’m not sure I want it.”
His sister squealed with delight. “I knew it. We all knew it. Ashley, Megan and I knew it before you did. We’re so much smarter than you.”
He pulled away, although he couldn’t help the way his mouth curved. “Why do you all have to keep pointing it out? I should mention it’s annoying. If you’re finished gloating, can we talk about how I’m going to fix this?”
“Do you want to fix it?”
He thought about it for a long moment. Although he expected panic to rise up inside him, instead he felt a sense of peace settle in his chest. “Yes.”
She inclined her head. “Why do I think there’s a ‘but’ coming?”
“More like an ‘and,’” he admitted. “I need to figure some things out. I haven’t done a great job of making her feel like she’s a priority for me, and Grace deserves that. I want to give her that, Nic. I don’t want to mess it up.”
“What if Grace says no? Will you go back to Chicago?”
He shook his head. “My time in the city is finished. No matter what happens with Grace, I’m moving to Texas. Our big, crazy family used to feel like something I needed to escape. It didn’t feel like I could have my own life when I was just one of the Fortune brothers.”
“You’ve always been more than that,” his sister said quietly.
“Took me a bit of time to realize it.” He grinned at her. “It really grates on my nerves that my baby sisters are so smart, but you’re right. I’ve had a great life in Chicago, but it’s never been home. Home is where family is, and I want to put down roots in Texas. I want this place to be my home.”
Grace climbed the stairs leading to Roja’s banquet room on Tuesday morning, trying hard to control the nerves fluttering through her chest.
Callum had texted her last night, asking her to arrive at the hotel early the following morning for a private meeting. With less than a week until the grand opening, she couldn’t imagine why the head of Fortune Brothers Construction would want to take time out of his busy schedule to meet with her, unless he’d found out about her relationship with Wiley.
After their breakup, Grace had done her best to go back to business as usual at work. It wasn’t easy, because her body and her heart seemed tuned in to his presence like a radio dial. If he was anywhere nearby, awareness shivered across her skin, and it was difficult to draw a steady breath.
Yesterday she’d overheard Nicole tell Mariana that Wiley had gone to Austin for business. Of course, it was silly for Grace to be disappointed that he hadn’t said goodbye to her. She’d told him she just wanted to be friends, but they both knew they couldn’t go back to simple friendship after what they’d shared.
She’d walked away before she was tempted to ask Nicole how long he’d be gone and what his plans for the future were. Anything Grace heard was bound to hurt, since she understood his future wouldn’t involve her.
The timing of this meeting seemed a bit of a coincidence, and part of her feared that the Fortunes would blame her for Wiley leaving again. She knew he would never try to put her in a bad position or do anything that might jeopardize her job, but after the way things ended in Horseback Hollow, it was difficult for her to trust that. She’d thought her future at Cowboy Country was secure until Craig had publicly humiliated her.
Her anxiety went into overdrive when she turned to find Callum seated at a banquet table along with Nicole and Kane. It felt like Grace was facing the Fortune tribunal.
“Good morning,” she said, clearing her throat when the words came out sounding like a croak.
“Hey, Grace.” Callum and his cousin stood as she approached. “How are you doing?” Callum glanced at her leg. “Damn, I’m sorry. I figured there’d be more privacy up here, but we probably should have met downstairs. I keep forgetting about your injury.”
“It’s fine,” Grace assured him. “The walking boot makes it relatively easy to get around, and I’m slow on steps, but I can manage.”
“Of course you can,” Kane agreed with a chuckle. “These past few weeks have proven that you can manage just about anything.”
Except holding on to Wiley, she thought to herself. “Thanks,” she answered Kane. “What can I do for all of you today?”
Nicole offered a kind smile and gestured to the seat across from them. “Let’s talk for a few minutes.”
Grace’s heart sank, and she wanted to run in the other direction. That’s exactly how the conversation with her bosses at the amusement park had begun, during which it had become painfully obvious that the best course of action for everyone would be her resignation.
She did not want to give up her future at the hotel. An image of Wiley flashed in her mind. Would she walk away from the Fortunes if it meant another chance with him? Probably, although that might make her a fool. She’d never felt anything like she did when she was with Wiley. Regret made her chest pinch, and she wondered for the millionth time if she’d given up on him too easily.
Slipping into the chair, she kept her hands clasped tightly in front of her. “Is there a problem with last-minute details for the opening?”
Nicole shook her head. “Everything is right on schedule. You, Jillian and Jay have done an incredible job.”
“Far surpassed our expectations,” Callum added.
“I’m glad.” Grace forced a smile. “So what I am doing here?”
“The plan had been to choose the employee who would be promoted to the general manager position after the grand opening,” Nicole explained. “It made sense to get through this last push and then focus on the future.”
Grace nodded.
“But recent events have made us rethink the timing of our announcement.” Callum inclined his head. “We want to show stability, to make sure that people understand we have things well under control at the Hotel Fortune.”
“We’re moving forward and expecting nothing but good things.” Kane glanced behind him at the doors that led to the balcony.
The balcony that had collapsed with Grace on it.
“Okay.” Grace’s cheeks started to throb as she tried to keep her smile in place. Recent events? They had to be talking about her accident, and it felt as though her fall from the second floor was a metaphor for her life. Just when she thought she had time to pause and enjoy the view, she went tumbling off the edge. She should have known this would happen. Of course they wouldn’t choose her for the general manager position. She was the physical representation of a public relations nightmare. The Fortunes would be smart to promote someone who was untarnished by any scandal. Jillian fit that bill without—
“What do you think, Grace?”
She blinked as Callum leaned forward, giving her an odd look, and she tried to catch up with the thread of the conversation.
“I think it’s a wise decision.”
His mouth twitched. “Then you’re accepting the position?”
She blinked. “I think I missed something.”
Nicole laughed. “He just offered you the general manager job.”
“Oh.” Grace sucked in a shallow breath. “I thought you were telling me I wasn’t a fit because of the accident. I’m bad PR.”
“On the contrary,” Callum told her. “You’ve done more to bolster the hotel’s image in town than we could have imagined. The partnership with the local businesses is going to be integral to our reputation as we open.”
“Thank you,” she whispered. “I’d be honored to accept the promotion. But...” She bit down on the inside of her cheek as she tried to determine the best way to share this next bit.
Kane sighed. “I hate a ‘but.’”
“What is it?” Nicole asked gently, placing her hand on her cousin’s beefy arm.
“I’m in love with your brother,” she said, and Kane choked on the sip of water he’d just taken.
“Which one?”
“She’s talking about our brother,” Nicole clarified. “Wiley. You love Wiley.”
“Yes.” Grace nodded. “But we broke up.”
Callum’s mouth dropped open. “You were dating Wiley?”
“Get with the program,” Nicole said, swatting his arm.
“What did he do?” Kane demanded. “Do I need to kill him?”
Grace almost laughed at the absurdity of that statement. “No, of course not. He didn’t do anything. I just chose... My priority is the hotel. I want you to know that. I don’t want there to be any doubts.”
“You can have both,” Callum said, as if it were the simplest thing in the world.
Grace squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, then opened them again. She could be the biggest idiot in the world for revealing all of this in a meeting where she was being offered her dream job. “That hasn’t worked so well for me in the past.”
“Wiley isn’t him,” Nicole told her with so much understanding that it felt like Grace’s heart might break all over again.
“Who?” Kane and Callum asked in unison.
“I know.” Grace kept her gaze focused on Wiley’s sister. “I just wanted you to know where things stood. It’s meant a lot to Wiley to reconnect with all of you. As much as I’m looking forward to a long career at the hotel, it won’t be at the expense of his relationship with his family.”
Nicole leaned forward. “Are you saying you’d give up the promotion if he wasn’t comfortable with you working here?”
Was that what Grace was telling them? How was that possible? The general manager job was everything she’d wanted for her life and a vindication of what she’d been through in Horseback Hollow. Wiley hadn’t given her the impression that he wanted her to forgo her dream for him. Not once. He’d only been supportive and proud as she dedicated herself to her job.
But she knew how important his family was and understood the toll that feeling distanced from them had taken on him. She wouldn’t be a part of that.
“Yes.” The pain she expected at saying the word didn’t materialize. Instead, she felt as if her world had stopped spinning and righted itself in a way that put her exactly where she wanted to be.
“That’s ridiculous.” Callum shook his head. “Wiley is a grown damn man. You’re important to the hotel. To our family. He’ll deal.”
“But if not—”
“Thank you, Grace,” Nicole said. “You’ve proven even more why you’re the right person for this job. We appreciate your loyalty and look forward to many years of you being part of Team Fortune.”
“Really?” Grace swallowed. “I mean, that’s what I want, as well.” She pushed back from the table. “Just know that I have the best interests of the hotel at the forefront of my mind. Always.”
“We know.” Nicole stood and then came around the table to hug her. “And we appreciate it. We’ll talk to Jillian and Jay as well and then plan to make the big announcement to the staff. Congratulations.”