All he did was smile again, appreciating her feistiness.
“What’s so funny?” she asked.
“A man doesn’t have to be told to back off of a conversation much more clearly than that, Mina.”
Okay. Being defensive with him wasn’t going to get them back on track, or to where she could measure how he was going to take the pregnancy news.
“It’s just that it’s—” she was still holding that spinach-topped fork “—been a while. For a relationship, I mean.”
“Me, too.”
“I know. You dated back in Montana but never got serious. And you’ve had a dry spell here because of all the drama. I have access to your social calendar, remember?”
“You have the advantage over me then. I don’t know a thing about yours.”
There was something in his tone that hinted he was truly interested, and Mina’s heart bumped her chest.
“I haven’t booked many dates for a while,” she said, giving in, testing him further. “And it’s probably for the best.”
She ate the spinach.
“What was he like?” Chet asked. “Your last relationship?”
This was good, Mina thought. Chet showing a burst of curiosity about her personal life.
Did it mean he cared beyond just friendship?
She watched him carefully. “Michael was one of those free spirits. Reluctant to settle down, even though I kept thinking he was going to change his mind one day. Eventually, I realized that I wanted more from a man, and he didn’t want more from a woman, so I did what was best for the both of us and broke it off.” She put down her fork and wrapped her fingers around her cool glass of water. “Months of my life wasted. But I had time to recover, seeing as it ended about a year ago.”
And then Chet had come along. From that moment on, she’d known that he was the one, and every other man she’d ever known had only been a lead-up to the real thing.
Her boss toasted her with his wine. “Good thing, then, that your family was there for you, for comfort and some shoulders to lean on.”
As he drank, she realized that he was referring to their earlier discussion outside on the deck. And that there was a longing in his voice that he couldn’t cover up.
Mina reached across the table, resting her hand on his. When the contact sizzled, making both her and Chet start, she removed her touch.
Patience, she thought. Don’t rush things.
“I’m glad to hear you say that about family.” She fiddled with the napkin on her lap. If she kept her hands busy, maybe she wouldn’t reach for him again.
“I’m sorting through my situation more and more.” There was something in his voice—a break? Was it because she’d touched him? “There’re just plenty of questions to deal with, like who my mom really was. And if I even want to be Eli Barron’s son.”
“I guess you do have a choice in that.”
“Sure. I could still act like I’m Abe’s and I could let Eli know that there’s no chance that I’ll ever be like a son to him. But that would be destructive when Eli’s already in a black hole.” He rested his hand on his wineglass. “That phone call earlier today, when I talked to Tyler? He told me that he and Jeremiah helped Eli into rehab.”
Her heart almost broke at how much sadness cut into his apparent relief. “That’s a good thing.”
“Yeah. It is.”
Just listen to him. He was worrying about Eli, even though the man should pay for the destruction he’d done to his own family.
Yes, Chet had a heart. He was a good man who would no doubt be a good father and, maybe someday, a good husband. But as they fell into more silence, Mina wondered just when he was going to realize that about himself, if ever.
Chef Arnett returned to bring a few more samples, which gave them the opportunity to heap praise on her. By the time they were ready for dessert, Chet was leaning back in his chair, looking more relaxed than he had in a long time.
Mina leaned back, too, her optimism revving up full force.
The time would come, she thought. She just needed to wait a bit longer.
They’d called it an early night, knowing that the next day would hold some major work, with contractors on-site to get the ranch going before its opening date as well as a few final candidates who would meet with Mina about the managerial position. Chet knew that she’d screened them beforehand, whittling them down to this elite group.
His day would consist of appointments with a few local ranches, where he intended to check out horse stock. But before he left the resort, he would have to check in with Mina about a locals preview night that they would be staging tomorrow: giving tours of the property, handing out samples of the cuisine and entertaining the crowd with music.