He let out a sigh, his words coated with sadness. ‘Sometimes I wonder if it’s all worth it—trying to keep this town alive.’
She cocked her head, unsure what had brought on his melancholy. Sure, Masons Flat couldn’t be compared to San Francisco or Melbourne, but it had its own charms, even if it didn’t have a pizza parlour.
‘Sam assures me this is normal for this time of year. That when the school year finishes and the weather gets warmer, tourists will start coming through again. And of course with the saloon back open, things are sure to improve, right?’
‘Theoretically, but the hardware store is barely in the black, and the jeweller isn’t exactly being run off his feet with customers. Sam’s lucky—people like to eat out so both the hotel and the steak house do okay.’ He then let out a loud sigh and changed the subject. ‘What time would it be there now? In Australia, I mean.’
She looked up, thinking. ‘A bit past mid-day. I generally ring my sisters in the evenings—or even late at night. Any time before mid-afternoon is dicey—they do like their beauty sleep.’
‘I’ll keep it in mind—if I ever have to ring anyone there, that is.’ When he followed up his words with a smile, she relaxed a bit.
She toyed with the idea of reaching out to him. A gentle touch of his forearm. But it would be a disaster, no matter how he reacted. If he pulled away, she’d die of embarrassment. If he didn’t, she’d be even more confused than ever. ‘I suppose I really should be going. I have a lot to do over the next couple of days, you know, packing and paying accounts and … packing.’
He turned, moving his arm behind her but stopping just short of touching her. ‘I’ll walk you out.’
She stepped off the deck onto the grass, and they walked around the side of the house toward her car. When she stopped, she didn’t need to turn to know he was right behind her—his breath teased the back of her neck. She hesitated for a moment, desperately wanting to turn around and throw her arms around him, but torn with indecision. She closed her eyes, remembering Casey’s words—she was thinking too much. Always. Maybe now was a good time to stop.
When she turned, her face was only inches from his chest. She looked up at him, giving him a half-smile as she swallowed hard, forcing herself to speak. ‘I’ve missed you these past few days. I’m … sorry I dashed off every time I was here.’
‘And I’ve missed you. I just … I don’t know, I guess it seemed easier to stay away from you.’
He reached out and stroked her cheek—his touch almost featherlike.
And that’s all it took. She sighed, and melted into him.
~~*~~
He’d never wanted any woman as much as he wanted Alex at this moment. He’d been lying to himself, telling himself he neither needed nor wanted a woman in his life—especially not a Mason woman. And he’d used every other excuse he could think of to avoid spending time around her.
But he couldn’t lie to himself any longer.
He wanted her, even if it was only for the night, or the summer. Even if she was a Mason. And even if she would never sell him the saloon.
He stroked her cheek, staring into her eyes, hoping his feelings came across without the need for words. He leant down, and kissed her; gently at first, almost teasingly, hoping for a response.
Relief washed through him as his hopes were answered. Her lips met his with naked desire—her tongue teasing his mouth.
A rush of blood pulsed through his veins. He could bury his feelings no longer.
He wrapped his arms around her and lifted her off her feet, then took one step sideways and set her down on the hood of her car. His hands went to the sides of her face, her legs wrapped around him. She pulled him closer, and then her hands slid up the front of his shirt.
Every molecule inside him wanted her, and her response told him she wanted him too.
His kisses grew urgent, hard, probing. She responded, gasping for breath as her hands slipped around behind him and pulled him even closer.
He was at the point of no return.
She was encouraging him.
But he couldn’t carry her inside with Annie there.
Or could he?
Annie loved Alex. Sure, she’d be hurt if everything fell in a heap—if Alex turned out to be more like Karen after all—but was fear of what might happen in the future worth foregoing the present?
He pulled back, drawing in loud breaths as he stared into her eyes. The flecks of gold flashed, and she smiled. ‘Will you stay? We’ll need to be quiet—because of Annie—but I want you to stay.’
On the exhale of a breath came the words he longed for. ‘I’ll be as quiet as a mouse.’
Chapter 29
Alex woke in her own bed to the sound of her phone vibrating on the bedside table. A smile turned up the corners of her mouth, and her heart thumped. It would be Travis ringing to ask why she’d snuck out during the night—or perhaps even to apologise for having fallen asleep. They hadn’t really talked much, after all. They’d barely had time to draw breath, let alone form words.
Thinking about him being on the other end of the phone made her tingle from head to toe, yearning for the kisses and touches she’d enjoyed only hours earlier, wanting to hear his voice, to hear him say again that he’d miss her while she was away.
As she held the phone up close, she blew out a breath of disappointment. It wasn’t Travis’ name that appeared. She slid the answer button across, staring blankly at the screen.
‘Alex? Good morning, it’s Ben Thompson. Hope it’s not too early to call?’
‘Good morning, Ben. No, it’s not too early. Have you got good news for me?’
‘Yes, but perhaps not what you might be expecting. There’s a developer who wants to have a look at a number of your properties.’
‘Sorry?’ She sat up now, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.
‘I know, it’s early and I apologise, but I did try reaching you yesterday, but you never answered. Anyway, I hope you’re free this morning? He said he wants to meet us at nine fifteen … hence my early call.’
Alex jumped up and ran a hand through her hair, not entirely certain what Ben meant. ‘And he wants me to be there?’
‘Yes, he specifically said he wanted to meet with the owner. Said he preferred dealing directly with owners. It’s somewhat unusual, but not entirely unheard-of.’
‘Well, okay then, if you think I should be there.’
‘Might be worth it, if you’ve got the time.’
It was the last thing she wanted to do, but it could be worth hearing what the man had to say. ‘Yeah, that’s fine. I’ll see you shortly.’
~~*~~
Alex pulled up in front of the saloon and immediately spotted Ben’s car. She parked and started walking down the street toward the vacant shops, and sure enough found Ben inside with a stocky grey-haired man.
‘Ah, there you are Alex, thanks for coming in.’
The grey-haired man stepped up and extended his hand. ‘Paul Kelly, Ms Mason. Nice to meet you.’
She reached for his extended hand, and then instantly regretted her politeness when he grasped her hand and clasped his other hand over the top in a most patronising gesture.
She bit back a snarky remark as she wriggled free from his grasp.
‘Yes, nice to meet you, I’m sure. Ben says you wanted to see me personally?’
Paul gave her a smarmy smile. ‘Yes, I find it’s much easier to deal directly with property owners—eliminates the chance of misunderstandings and miscommunications.’
She was surprised by the implication that Ben was inept. She glanced at Ben, but he seemed unperturbed.
‘How can I help you?’
‘You can do me the honour of listening to my proposal, that’s what you can do. Now, Mr Thompson, would you mind terribly if I spoke to Ms Mason alone?’
She turned to face Ben in time to see him wipe a wry smile off his face. ‘By all means. Alex, I’ll give you a call a bit later today.’
She turned back to Paul and shrugged as mistrust bubbled up in her. ‘Sure—I’m happy to listen to whatever you have to say, but I’ll probably want to speak to my agent before making any final decisions.’
‘Yes, yes of course you will. Now, let’s walk, shall we?’
He stepped back, allowing her to walk out onto the sidewalk ahead of him. Ben followed, locking the door behind them before crossing the road and heading back to his car.
Alex fell in beside Paul, keeping a reasonable distance between them as they meandered down the street toward the saloon. Eventually Paul cleared his throat.
‘I understand you’re not from here … that you live in Australia. Is that right?’
‘Yes. I’ve only recently arrived but I’m finding it very comfortable here. I like the town.’
He turned, looking back in the direction they’d just come. ‘It is a pleasant sort of town, but it’s got nothing on Melbourne. You’re from Melbourne, right?’
‘Yes. Have you been there?’
‘A few years ago—it’s a lovely city.’
‘It is, but Masons Flat is lovely too—it’s got character.’
‘Oh, I agree, I agree. Or at least, it could have … if it weren’t for having so many vacant shops. It’s heading toward being a ghost town, like so many other little towns that don’t have any significant industry or job opportunities.’
She squinted as protective instincts kicked in. ‘Things will pick up over the summer months.’
‘I understand. Was it busy here in town while the county fair was on?’
‘The hotel was full. Sam did well with both lodging and meals.’
‘That’s good. And what about these vacant shops? Have you had any interest in yours from having the extra traffic here in town?’
‘Not as such, although I’m planning to set up a business in one of them.’
He nodded, but his frown suggested something more like disbelief. ‘Yes, well, as I said it’s too bad there are so many vacant shops. Really does feel like the town is dying. And that’s a real shame.’
Alex took a deep breath. ‘Well, I have no intention of letting the town die, if that’s what you’re getting at. Actually, what are you getting at? What’s this proposal you wanted me to listen to?’
‘Look, I’ll get right to the point. I have a client who also thinks the town has a nice feel to it. In fact, this client is interested in buying all your holdings here in Main Street.’
Alex’s frown deepened. ‘I beg your pardon?’
He smiled, seeming pleased at her surprise. ‘My client has big plans for this town. He’d like to purchase all your properties.’ A glint appeared in his eyes as he waited for her reaction.
Disbelief softened her voice, making it almost a whisper. ‘What sort of plans?’
He took a few steps, then stopped and turned toward her. ‘Tourism … which will be good for everyone. The whole town will benefit … you included, if you intend keeping any other properties you have in the area.’
‘What do you mean by tourism?’
He huffed out a breath, and then tried to cover his impatience with a forced smile. Did he seriously think she wouldn’t ask questions?
‘They want to turn the town into a tourist destination, of sorts.’
‘A tourist destination? Here?’
He raised his arms, swinging them to engulf the whole street. ‘Yes. Have you ever been to Tombstone, Arizona? They want to do something like that … perhaps not quite as elaborate, but along those lines.’
She shook her head in disbelief. ‘I don’t know Tombstone.’
‘The O.K. Corral? Wyatt Earp? Doc Holliday?’
‘Oh, right. But here? I mean, I don’t get it?’
He dropped his head. ‘There’s plenty of history in these hills—even if not all of it took place right here in Masons Flat. They’ll draw on history from the whole area. Re-enactments, panning for gold, that sort of thing. A bit like your Sovereign Hill, in Ballarat.’
It seemed absurd, on the one hand, and exciting on the other. She’d enjoyed going to Sovereign Hill on school trips, but something about this whole thing didn’t feel right. ‘And they want my hotel and saloon?’
‘Yes, and the rest of the shops as well. And given you’ve only recently inherited the properties I thought you’d probably have little attachment to the town.’
Her forehead tightened. ‘Have you spoken to the other owners in the street?’
‘Oh, well, I’m not at liberty to discuss any other negotiations which may or may not be taking place, but let me just say the saloon and hotel are the linchpins in the deal. Without them, it’s unlikely the project will go ahead.’
Alex swallowed hard. Did Travis and Denver know about this? Were they in favour of it?
She took a few steps back, running her hands through her still damp hair as a niggling memory finally surfaced. Was this what Travis meant when he’d said things were complicated? She’d assumed he was referring to Annie—but maybe it was more to do with money than people. Anger bore down on her, replacing incredulity.
His eyes narrowed. ‘Look, I can see I’ve—’
She cut him off. ‘Who else have you spoken to? Have you begun negotiations with other owners in the street or not?’
‘As I said, every negotiation entered into is confidential—.’
‘If you want me to listen to you then you’re going to have to tell me, are you in negotiations with the Golds or not?’
A crooked smile appeared on his face, but he quickly replaced it with seriousness. ‘Look, I shouldn’t tell you this but yes, of course, I’ve been speaking to the Golds. And between you and me, they were very excited at the prospect—probably would’ve signed up on the spot if I’d had the contract ready at the time.’
Her jaws clenched as she used every bit of self-control not to scream. She’d been played for a fool. She’d slept with Travis—twice—thinking she meant something to him. And she’d been wracking her brain, trying to find a way forward for them. How could she have been so stupid?
It had to be Travis—Denver was far too transparent to keep something like this to himself. She looked back up the street at the saloon, and then over toward the hotel as she fought back tears of anger.
This changed everything. Phil Marshall had promised he’d have the written appraisals done by tonight. She’d read them carefully and assess whatever offer this man might make at the same time.
‘Put it in writing.’ She fairly spat the words, certain of only one thing; she needed time to think everything through, and she’d need all the facts in front of her to do that.
‘By it I assume you mean you’d like a written offer?’
‘Yes, of course I mean a written offer. I don’t own the properties outright—I’ll need to discuss this with my co-owners. As it happens I’ll be seeing them in the next few days, and if you want me to take any of this seriously, I’ll need an offer in writing—preferably tonight. I’m leaving first thing in the morning, so put your best offer down—and then add something to it. If it’s laughable, I’ll toss it in the bin.’
His smug smile made her stomach turn, and she hated the idea of doing business with him, but perhaps it would be for the best.
~~*~~
Alex sat at her uncle’s mahogany desk with her head resting on her crossed arms, battling the emptiness that threatened to drain every ounce of energy from her. Travis’ betrayal was as complete as Liam’s had been.
How could she have been such a fool?
She’d opened her heart to Travis, allowing herself to fall in love with him. And with Annie. She’d come away from their night together convinced that they would find a way to make things w
ork. And more the fool her, she’d been certain that his asking her to stay this time meant he felt the same way.
But that’s where she’d been wrong.
He clearly didn’t feel the same way. Love hadn’t played a part in what they’d shared. He couldn’t love her—he couldn’t even care about her—or he wouldn’t be doing deals behind her back.
She grabbed her phone, started to press his number, but then stopped. What would she say to him? Would she scream, and accuse him of being a traitor? And to what end? She’d only make a fool of herself, wouldn’t she?
Tossing her phone down, she ran her hands through her hair and screamed at the top of her lungs, savouring the strength that came with anger. Enough with the self-pity. Okay, so she’d been a fool to think that last night meant more to him than it obviously had. He’d slept with her because there had been desire, on both their parts, in the most primal sense of the word. It had been convenient, and it had been something they’d both wanted.
Only for her, the moment had been driven by a lot more than convenience and desire—she’d allowed herself to think they were in love.
He hadn’t said he loved her—he’d never even hinted at it. She’d allowed herself to believe he loved her because she wanted it to be true, and because, as she’d finally come to admit, she was falling in love with him. But wanting something to be true doesn’t make it so. Was any of this his fault? Had he broken some sort of promise? Had he lied by even suggesting he loved her?
No.
She gritted her teeth. Who was she really mad at? Him, for taking what she’d given him, freely? Or at herself, for projecting her feelings onto his actions?
Logic required she not be mad at him.
Self-preservation insisted she not play the victim card.
Resolve brought her around. She was a grown woman, who accepted responsibility for her actions. And that included having sex with a man who clearly wasn’t in love with her.
She could accept that. She could deal with it and move on. She definitely could. But there was still this niggling little issue—one that she couldn’t live with so easily.
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