“Okay, is there somewhere you can take the guys? You could rent some UTVs or even go shooting somewhere on the outskirts of Las Vegas. The girls would love a spa day, manicures, pedicures, etc.”
Evan smiled, his bright white teeth shining against his lightly tanned skin. “That actually sounds like a great idea. I’m impressed.”
Raising an eyebrow, Sadie said, “You didn’t think I could do this? It’s my job to read people and what they want most.”
His smile turned mischievous, and he leaned on the table, only a foot away from her now. “Really? So what do you see in me?”
Waving her hand in the air, Sadie shook her head. Pulling the papers back into order, she tapped them onto the tabletop, making them all straight. “No, I don’t share my observations.”
“Why not? I’m really curious as to what you think of me and what I could possibly want.”
Looking into his eyes, Sadie debated whether or not to divulge her inner thoughts. “It’s been a long time since we’ve seen each other, and I’m still building a profile for you.”
“You can’t give me one little tidbit of information? Just your first impression.” He paused but continued when he saw she wasn’t going to budge. “What were your thoughts after I said the bit about getting a restaurant with ease because I’m the owner?”
Sadie laughed, not really wanting to go into it, but she knew he wasn’t going to let it go.
“Honestly, I thought you were the same arrogant jerk you were in college. Of course, you throw your weight and money around so people flock to you and you get whatever you want.”
His jaw went slack for several seconds before his mask appeared and he sat back. She saw the muscles tense around his jaw, knowing she’d hit a nerve.
“Thank you for your assessment. I’ll need to prove that I’ve changed at least a bit in the past seven years.” His smile looked forced, and he stood up, pushing his chair back in.
Sadie reached out, aiming for his forearm but grabbing his hand instead. “Evan,” she began, trying to push the little sparks flowing through her fingers out of her mind. “I’m sure you’ve changed since then. You were pushing me to tell you something.”
One corner of his mouth turned up, and his eyes locked onto hers for what felt like minutes, the green showing through more than normal. “You’re good, Sadie. I guess it’s just been a while since someone has called me out on that. As hard as it is to accept that I’m not perfect, it will be better in the long run.”
He looked down at their hands, and Sadie wondered if he felt the same tingles now running up her arm. She dropped her hand to her lap, throwing back the length of her ponytail with the other.
With a sigh, she said, “Just know, I have plenty of faults myself. I just hope you don’t think I don’t see that as well.”
Evan’s smile deepened, looking a bit sad. “I think we’ve both been through quite a lot. Maybe it’s time to rebuild and move forward.” He turned and waved as he left the room.
Sadie’s cheeks were on fire, and she dropped her head into her hands. Leave it to her to drive people away, even those who were like family and were just trying to help. She’d have to find a way to apologize to him later. Even if there was no future for them, she wanted a better relationship with Evan.
Chapter 9
Thursday afternoon, Evan knocked on Sadie’s door. She’d texted him earlier with a message that she needed to talk, but he’d searched the hotel in all her usual haunts, and this was the last place he could think of to look. Now that he stood before the door, he should have texted back to see where she was. But looking for her had allowed him to put off calling back one of his future clients about booking fifty people for one of the hotel’s excursions. He wasn’t in the mood to type so many names into the system.
The door swung open, and Sadie walked away, saying, “Hi,” over her shoulder before she moved into the bedroom. Evan hesitated a few seconds before he stepped inside and closed the door. He opened his mouth to say something, when she walked back out, wheeling a small suitcase.
“Are you going somewhere?” he asked, looking back at her face. Her lips were pulled taut in a thin line.
She let go of the handle and crossed her arms over her chest. “Apparently, I’m going to Aspen Hollow with you.”
He frowned, trying to decide if this was all some big joke. “I don’t understand. I thought you said you weren’t going and would never go back to Aspen Hollow.”
“It turns out Taryn can be very persuasive. She only has time to shop for a wedding dress while she’s there.” She let out a sigh, and Evan did everything he could to keep a smile from crossing his face.
“Can’t she just go with our mom?”
Sadie pointed to him like he’d won the jackpot. “That’s exactly what I said. But she wants me to be able to help your mom envision what we’ve got planned. When are you leaving?”
“In about an hour.” He reached forward and took her bag. “I can take this downstairs now if you want. I just have a few more things to tie up before we head out.”
“Just a minute. Let me make sure I packed everything I need in there.”
She disappeared into the bedroom, and Evan took a seat on the couch, glad he’d splurged for the more comfortable couches in these suites rather than the board-like ones that weren’t comfortable for anyone. But then again, that was Isabelle Rousseau’s idea, and her input had been worth every penny it had taken to fly her here from London for the consultation.
Rolling out another suitcase, Sadie said, “Okay, I think we’ll need that box over there,” she pointed to the box next to him on the floor, “and the one over here by the door.”
“You need all that? I thought we were just going for the weekend.” What could she need with all this stuff? As his mind puzzled over that, his eyes caught on her figure wearing a pair of jeans that fit just right around her curves and a green t-shirt. She’d changed quite a bit over the years, and Evan felt a tug toward her, like she was someone he needed to get to know on a deeper level than just his sister’s friend.
“Yeah, I’m planning to have your mom and Aubrey help me put together a gift I’m planning. It will be a surprise for Taryn, so we’ll have to think of some kind of diversion to get her out of the house for a while.”
Grinning, Evan said, “I think I can handle it. A trail ride would be great for that.”
Sadie laughed. “It’s hard to believe you still enjoy horseback riding.”
“It helps clear my head better than running on the treadmill, but I’ve had to use the treadmill for the last few years.” He rolled his eyes, and she laughed, the sound sweet and light, making him want to do something else so it would continue. “I can’t wait to have some time to relax this weekend.”
“Good luck with that,” she said, a smirk on her face. “You do remember how into the Fall Festival your mother gets, right? I bet you’ll be moving things all weekend.”
Evan thought about the festival from the year before, but he’d only been able to make it for a day because of everything he’d been putting together for one of his other hotels. He nodded, remembering how she was for every holiday and knowing it would probably be just the same.
“Is everything set with the painters? They’ll finish next week, right?” Sadie glanced up at him while she packed a jacket into the suitcase next to him.
Shaking his head, Evan said, “No, probably the next. I’ll make sure they work on the event room first, though. It’s just a big space, and I don’t want to rush them. It’s no use having to pay for it to get fixed again later.”
Picking up the boxes, he waited as she opened the door, and then he walked out, barely able to see over his cargo. Sadie pressed the button to the elevator, and it opened fairly quickly, for which he was grateful. The boxes weren’t super heavy, but even his reserved parking space was a bit of a walk.
“A Tahoe, huh?” Sadie said as he dropped the boxes at the rear of his SUV. “I’m surprised you didn�
��t get a forest-green color. That was always your favorite.”
Evan was surprised she remembered that. Had he ever known what her favorite color was? As he realized the answer was no, it sank in just how much he’d been into himself all those years ago.
“I like it. It has enough room for everything I need, whether it’s for my business or for fun. Parking can get tricky here in the city, but then I just use George. The man is a master at parallel parking, even in the limo.”
He unlocked the car and loaded the boxes and her suitcase as Sadie slid into the passenger seat. After shutting the rear door, Evan walked up and jumped into the driver’s seat. Pulling out of the parking space, he put on his sunglasses in preparation for leaving the darkness.
“I think this is the most casual I’ve seen you in a long time: jeans and a t-shirt. Even your old Hawthorne football hat. I like it,” Sadie said, smiling.
He watched her face, noting the slight change of her features as she beamed. She had a simple beauty that drew him even more than he’d thought possible. Not that he knew all that much about makeup, but it seemed she didn’t wear much. Her lips looked naturally rosy, and he caught himself staring as he thought about what it would be like to kiss them. He was grateful he’d already put on the sunglasses so she couldn’t see him blush.
“I like being comfortable when I drive.” He glanced over his shoulder and located the bag of goodies on the floor of the back seat. “Will you grab one of those drinks out of the bag back there?”
She reached back and pulled out a red sports drink. Their fingers brushed as she handed it to him, and the ripple from her touch was like the sparks of a firework sparkler as it traveled up his skin. Had it just been a while since he’d dated anyone, and now he was falling for the first girl who stirred feelings inside him?
“Thank you,” he said.
He took a sip as he waited for traffic to clear so they could head down the road to the freeway. Glancing at the clock, he knew they’d have to add an extra thirty to forty-five minutes onto their trip since they were leaving during rush hour.
“Do you want to get something for dinner? Or just get on the road?” he asked, peeking over at her and then turning his focus back to the road.
“Looks like we have a bunch of snacks already in here, so I should be fine.” She pulled the rest of the bag into view and asked, “Did you get all of this?”
Giving her a joking grin, he said, “I requested it be brought over. My assistant is really good at getting things like that put together.”
“She must already know about me, then, because she included beef jerky and sunflower seeds.” Sadie grinned.
Evan chuckled, surprised that the information wasn’t foreign to him. “I think anyone who’s ever come into contact with you would know how much you love beef jerky.”
“True, but most people don’t remember that I like—”
“Peppered,” Evan broke in to finish for her.
Looking surprised, Sadie nodded. “Maybe you aren’t as bad as I always thought.”
Evan grinned and tried to keep his eyes on the road, even though he could feel her eyes on him as they drove down the road, and for once, he would have given the bulk of his wealth to know what she was thinking.
“Well, I don’t know your favorite color like you do mine, but there are a few things I’ll always remember about you.” He glanced over at her, trying to read her expression.
She turned in his direction as much as the seat belt would allow and said, “Really? I’m curious.”
“When we were juniors in high school, you had a sleepover with Aubrey at our house. Aiden and I snuck in and put grasshoppers in your beds. Aubrey was screaming her head off and woke up the house. You just went and found a jar to collect them and release them out the window.” He smiled wide and turned to her. “I was impressed that you didn’t freak out, or crush the little guys.”
Her eyes went unfocused, and it was a few seconds before she spoke. “My dad used to take us girls camping a lot to give my mom a break since he worked so much during the week. He’d make the insects seem fascinating, like they were just like us only on a smaller scale. I’ve never really been scared of them.” The wistfulness in her voice disappeared with the faraway look, and she narrowed her eyes. “I knew that was the two of you. It was your mission to make us squeal when we had sleepovers.”
“I think I only remember one time when Aubrey slept over at your house. In fact, you spent a lot of dinners with us in those later years. Is that when things got bad with your parents?” He took in a breath, hoping he wasn’t overstepping his bounds. As close as they’d been while growing up, there were a lot of things—more serious, personal things—they’d never shared. It made him curious if Sadie had shared them with Aubrey at the time.
She nodded, her expression somber. “There were days when I just didn’t want to go home because all it turned into was fighting. Sometimes I wondered why they stayed together so long after that. My mom waited for me to graduate from high school before she moved out of Aspen Hollow.”
“She didn’t wait for your sister to graduate?” Evan turned the wheel, getting onto the highway that would take them from Nevada to Utah.
“No,” Sadie said, shaking her head. “She was four years younger and hadn’t started high school yet. She did a lot better in Colorado, making some friends that were a good fit for her.”
“When’s the last time you’ve been back? To Aspen Hollow, I mean.”
“Honestly, Christmas of freshman year of college. My mom was living over in Cherry Creek, and we came over for the Christmas program. I got an internship in St. George for the following summer and then just made sure I was occupied for all the other vacations and breaks. Things were just never the same after the fire.”
Evan mulled that over. He remembered it being a big deal in their small town. From what he could remember, her parents had been fighting over who would get the home. Her father had come back from the bar and spread gasoline around the perimeter, sending the home into flames within minutes. By the time the volunteer firefighters made it out there, seventy-five percent of the house had been burned.
From the pain on Sadie’s face, Evan knew she was reliving it. On impulse, he reached over and held her hand, squeezing it to help reassure her. The same sparks from a few minutes before flooded through him, and for once, he felt settled, like there was a possibility for a happy ending in his life. Whether that meant he needed Sadie in it or not, he wasn’t sure, but right now, he was just a friend trying to comfort her.
She gave him a small smile and stared out the windshield as the city traffic finally broke and he turned on cruise control as they sailed down the interstate.
“I know I haven’t always been the best listener, but I’m open whenever you need me. Especially this weekend. We should have some sort of code that signals you need a break.”
She laughed again, her face lighting up. He loved it when she smiled, and he felt a part of himself wanting to open up to her more.
“What should we say for the symbol? Goose?” he asked.
“That wouldn’t work because that’s what I call you.”
He smiled. “And for some reason, it doesn’t bug me when you say it.” The air seemed to thicken, and he knew he had to pull back, make things a little lighter. He wasn’t ready to be dating, and it sounded like she was still hurting from wounds long in her past. But they could be friends and help each other through the next few weeks.
“How about corn dogs?”
“What? Why would I say that?” Evan scrunched his nose in disgust.
“Exactly. It will be a sign you’ll recognize because I know how much you dislike them.” She raised her eyebrows, a smile on her face as she waited for his response.
Nodding as he tried to decide, he finally said, “Sounds good. Anytime you say corn dogs, I’ll know you need to get out of whatever situation we’re in. Got it?”
“Got it.”
“Now I’
m curious as to what we’ll have to say so people won’t be surprised by it.”
Sadie chuckled, her shoulders shaking in the process. “I can only imagine what that will be like.”
Evan grinned. “Knowing my family, any number of things.”
They continued to drive, talking idly about this and that. Evan was grateful to have someone along for the ride. He felt comfortable with Sadie, and it didn’t seem odd that he was starting to like the girl next to him. She had spunk and wouldn’t let him get away with anything just because he was Evan Pearson, the billionaire. It was refreshing, like a cool wind on a hot Vegas day.
Chapter 10
Knots formed in Sadie’s stomach and kept tightening as they drove closer to their small hometown. As they took the long two-lane road from the freeway back to Aspen Hollow, her throat seemed to narrow, and getting air in and out seemed like an impossible task.
At one point, Evan reached over again, holding her hand as she took in deep breaths. “Are you all right?” he asked.
She looked down at his strong hand, curved over hers, his tan skin a stark difference next to her lily-white. “I’ll be fine. I just need to get there. Face things. I’ve had the nightmares for the past decade, and maybe just seeing things back to normal will help me get over whatever this anxiety is at the thought of home.”
She squeezed his hand, hoping he would know how much it meant to her. Her teenage self would be squealing at the thought that Evan had held her hand without prompting, but the anxiety filling her trumped those thoughts, making it so she just had to breath and relax so she wouldn’t pass out.
She could see the point of the mountain, the familiar sign that they would be at Silver Ridge Ranch within minutes. And then from the ranch, it would lead on into the town and, eventually, to the spot where her home once sat.
“Almost there. I think Aiden and Taryn were flying in this morning, so they might already be there.” Evan turned down the road that led to the family ranch, past the pond where they’d spent many summer mornings fishing. Then there were the stables for the numerous horses needed for tours as family reunions came to stay. The lodge loomed over them next, looking just like she remembered it, the large logs connecting at the corners and the three floors of guest rooms that stayed filled almost year round.
The Vegas Billionaire: An International Billionaire Club Series Page 5