“Sure, but—”
“And isn’t it true that you’re not completely happy with living in Chicago and were thinking of moving the office somewhere else?”
He sprang to his feet. “Wait a minute. I haven’t talked with anyone about that. I haven’t even made up my mind.”
She stared at him pointedly until he settled back in his chair.
“Fool’s Gold would be an excellent place for you to settle your company. We’re very supportive of business. Housing is reasonable, the schools are some of the best in the country. You should think about it.”
He couldn’t get past her knowing things he’d barely articulated to himself. He hadn’t told Will or Nevada. He’d discussed moving the company with his father. Once. Three years ago. In Argentina.
“Who are you?” he demanded.
“I’m someone who pays attention. Please, don’t go reading any more into what I said than that. It’s obvious you’re looking for something more than the vagabond lifestyle you’ve known since you were a child. You find the town charming. You came here because of Nevada. Now that the two of you are together, thinking you want to stay is the next logical step.”
If he hadn’t already used up the drama of jumping to his feet, he would have done it again. While he couldn’t disagree with anything she’d said, even he hadn’t put all that together in a reasonable way.
But he wasn’t staying. He’d never planned on staying. Staying meant taking things to the next level with Nevada. He wasn’t interested in that. He didn’t believe in happy endings or forever. Love was…
“I can see by your expression you’re not ready to commit to being in town longer than the job requires,” the older woman said. “I hope you’ll change your mind. You need us, Tucker, even more than we need you.”
With that, she collected her purse and left.
He continued to sit at the small table, trying to figure out what had just happened. Talk about unexpected and just plain weird, he thought. Sure, he liked Nevada and he liked the town, but staying? Moving the company here? That wasn’t going to happen.
He wasn’t looking for permanent. Not personally or professionally. Sure, he would be taking over the company, but he still planned to go around the world for the big jobs. Maybe not to be in charge, but he wasn’t going to become some guy, stuck in an office. He needed more.
As for Nevada, he knew he’d screwed up there. Let things get too far. He’d been trying to back off before, but then Cat had happened. As always, having her around was like dealing with a natural disaster. He’d reacted to the situation and now Mayor Marsha thought things between him and Nevada were more than they were.
That made him wonder if Nevada thought the same thing.
He stood and returned to his desk. But once he was there, he found himself restless. He swore.
He didn’t want to hurt her. She was great and he really liked being with her. She got him and he got her. They were a good team, both in and out of bed. He liked watching her move, he liked making her laugh. He wanted to be around her.
Sure, he trusted her more than he’d ever trusted another woman and maybe, if things had been different, she would have been the one. But they weren’t different. He knew what would happen if he gave in to love. He knew the price and he wasn’t going to pay it. Not again. Not for anyone.
TUCKER’S LONG MORNING turned into an even longer afternoon. Nevada showed up after lunch, flushed and chilled from working with the guys. She talked about how the digging was going and which pipes had been delivered. Rather than pay attention, he watched her, trying to figure out how badly he would miss her when he was gone.
“Are you even listening?” she demanded.
“Sure. To every word.”
“I don’t think I believe you. You have the strangest look on your face.”
Will’s arrival was the perfect interruption. His second in command bounced into the trailer, grinning like a fool.
Nevada glanced at her watch. “Nearly two. Guess you’re not an early riser anymore.”
“I called.”
“You left a cryptic message on the voice mail saying you’d be late. Not exactly the same thing.”
“Good enough for the likes of you two.” Will crossed the small trailer, grabbed Nevada by the waist and spun her in a tight circle. “Congratulate me. I’m engaged.”
“Woohoo!” Nevada flung her arms around him. “Finally. I was tired of being mad at you.”
Will laughed and released her, then walked over to Tucker and held out his hand.
“I’m the luckiest guy ever,” Will told him.
Tucker did his best to conceal his shock. Will engaged? They’d always been nomads together.
“Congratulations,” Tucker said automatically.
“When did this happen?” Nevada asked, hugging him again.