Secretly Hers (Sterling Canyon)(81)

 

Trip grabbed the top of her menu and pushed it down on the table. “Jealousy can be cute to a point, but don’t go overboard. I didn’t do anything today except buy you some gifts.”

 

“I’m not jealous, but for the record, buying gifts doesn’t excuse you from being insensitive.” She sat back, betrayal written all over her face. On closer inspection, she looked more defeated than jealous. He didn’t know why until she spoke again with a quivering voice. “I got a call from Nick Copeland on my way out of the office. Surely you have an idea of how that conversation went, don’t you?”

 

“Based on your mood, I’d guess it didn’t go as you and Wade had hoped.” He swallowed the rest of his beer along with a tiny dose of guilt. Apparently Bob Russell hadn’t wasted a single moment after their afternoon meeting. Who knew he’d be so efficient?

 

“Based on my mood? Please don’t play dumb with me or I’ll reach across this table, grab that Stetson, and stomp all over it.” She sat forward, her voice tight. “I don’t know how you and your posse got a copy of that study so easily, but I do know you’re screwing with a deal that will benefit the Copeland heirs and this whole town.”

 

“And you,” he added, irked by the pretense her anger had any altruistic basis. “If we’re putting all our cards on the table, the least you could do is be honest about what’s really got you upset. This is about what you could gain.”

 

“Darn straight, that’s a big part of it!” Defiance flickered in her eyes. Her cheeks glowed as red as summer strawberries. If she could have shot lasers from her eyes, he’d be dead, no doubt.

 

Better he face her anger than her tears. But rather than match her high emotion, he beat back his irritation and calmly nodded. “And you blame me.”

 

She rolled her eyes. “You’ve already admitted to being the ‘Concerned Citizen,’ and I know you’ve been stirring up all the local retailers.”

 

“You’ve got that wrong. Wade and his big project stirred up the local retailers. All I did was make sure everyone was fully informed of the impact of Wade’s plans before things went too far. Apparently my concerns were on the mark.”

 

“That study barely skims all the benefits of the project on tourism, on tax revenue, and a bunch of other stuff.” She sat back, shaking her head, eyes brimming with fresh tears. “You know that commission money will come in handy now more than ever. I really thought, once we officially got together, you’d stop working against me. Honestly, I thought you cared about me. That we were a team now.”

 

“I do care, dammit. But I never promised to back down from my plans to stop this development.” He reached across the table for her hand, but she withdrew it. “I haven’t asked you to back off as some kind of proof of your feelings for me, have I? Besides, if this deal falls apart, it’s just a delay for you, not a loss. You’ll get a commission whenever the Copelands sell that land to someone who has a better project in mind.”

 

“You have no idea how rare it is to be the sole broker in a deal. Plus, Wade is willing to pay top dollar for that land. Neither of those things are likely to happen again if this deal dies.” She pinched the bridge of her nose to stave off her tears. In an embittered voice, she said, “I’m sure every other offer on that property is going to meet with the same attack from your group, so don’t pacify me with this false hope of some better use. There is none.”

 

“Not true. Someone could come up with an idea that benefits the town. In fact, that spot would be a great place for a sports park, with unpaved parking, a football field, baseball diamond, a playground, and maybe even a skateboard park. None of that would destroy existing businesses or the environment. And those would be great resources for kids, teens, and families.”

 

Kelsey’s mouth opened and then closed while she considered his suggestion. “That’s a beautiful idea, but since there’s little to no return on that investment for a developer, it’s unlikely.” She sunk her chin into her palm and stared at the candle between them. Despite believing he was doing the right thing for the community, her frustrated dreams nipped at his conscience. “The bottom line is that you know how much this deal means to me. You know I’m counting on it so I can afford to buy that apartment building for our future. The fact our future means so little to you tells me maybe this—” she gestured between them, “isn’t what I’d thought.”