He took a deep breath. A man never liked admitting, even to himself, that he was a coward. But the truth of the matter was, he was just plain scared. Lissa made him feel too much. She made him want to reach out for the things that he had told himself he would never have.
Propping his elbows on the drafting table, Shane buried his head in his hands. Somehow when he wasn’t looking, Lissa had gotten past his defenses and he’d done the unthinkable. He’d fallen in love with her.
His heart pounding in his chest like a jackhammer, he rose from the drafting table to walk over and stare out the window at Rainbow Valley. He hadn’t wanted history to repeat itself, hadn’t wanted to go through the same hell his father had by loving a woman.
But with the exception of trying to drink her memory away, Shane found himself in the same position. He loved Lissa and was finding it damned near impossible to live without her.
As he watched an eagle make a soaring sweep of the valley, he thought about something Lissa had said when she broke off their engagement. She felt she’d taken a backseat to a man’s work all of her life. Now he was doing the same thing her father had done. From what he could remember, Donald Jarrod spent every waking minute overseeing every aspect of the thriving enterprise. And instead of the preferential treatment some men would have shown their own kids, Jarrod had seemed to expect his children to work harder and do more than anyone else.
It was no wonder when Lissa heard his conversation with Senator Kurk that she had assumed he was as driven and ambitious as her father. She had no way of knowing that he’d been running from himself and not striving to build his career.
He shook his head. Although he wanted to excel in his field, Shane had no intention of ever letting it take over his life. But he hadn’t told her that the other night. Now, he wasn’t sure she’d give him the chance.
But he had to try and he knew exactly where to start to make things right between them. Turning to walk over to his desk, Shane picked up the phone.
“Senator Kurk? This is Shane McDermott.”
Ten
“Blake, is this a good time?” Melissa asked from the door of her brother’s private office.
“What’s up?” he asked, looking up from the papers on his desk that he and his assistant had been going over.
“There’s something I need to tell you,” she said, walking into the room.
“I’ll leave the two of you alone,” Samantha said as if sensing that Melissa’s business with Blake was of a personal nature.
Of all of her brothers, Blake had turned out to be the most like their father. He was the consummate business man and had been the best choice to step in as CEO of Jarrod Ridge. He was also a bit intimidating.
Settling herself into the chair in front of his desk, she took a deep breath. “I wanted to let you know that I’ve ended my engagement to Shane.”
His concerned expression when he got up and walked around the desk encouraged her. “I’m sorry to hear that, Melissa,” he said, sitting down in the chair beside her. “Are you all right?”
The genuine concern she heard in his voice had her fighting back tears. “It’s been a rough few days,” she admitted. “But I’m doing okay.”
“Is there anything I can do?” he asked.
“Not really.” She shrugged one shoulder. “Although I’m sure once the word gets out around the resort there will be a lot of talk and speculation. I just thought you needed to know before that happens.”
Blake nodded. “I appreciate that, but I’m more concerned about your welfare than I am the rumor mill.”
“I hope you mean that, because I’ve made a decision I’m not entirely certain you’ll be happy with.” She met his puzzled gaze. “I’m staying here in As pen.”
His complete confusion was written all over his face. “Where else would you go?”
“At first I thought it might be best if I went back to California to have the baby.” She stared down at her hands clasped tightly in her lap. Making the decision to place herself ahead of the resort was new to her and she only hoped her brother understood. “I know some of the investors aren’t going to look favorably on my being a single mother, but—”
“I couldn’t care less if those people contribute another penny to Jarrod Ridge,” he interrupted.
Shocked at her brother’s statement, she stared at him. “Really?”
He nodded. “They knew Dad would sell his own soul for this resort and its reputation. For years they’ve used that to hold us all hostage with the threat of withdrawing from the investors group. That ends now.”