Gold Fire

by Starr Ambrose

  Tears filled her eyes so fast everything went blurry. She blinked hard. “Don’t say that!”

  The smile disappeared. He took a long, careful look at her. “Why?”

  She waved a hand at the bandages. “Because you’re hurt. Because you just went through something traumatic.” She winced, knowing what she was doing was just as traumatic. To both of them. “I can’t talk about this right now.”

  He studied her even as he became more withdrawn. “I can. Getting shot hasn’t changed how I feel about you.” He frowned as she chewed her lip. “But maybe it’s changed how you feel. Unless I was wrong and you never cared as much as I hoped you did.”

  Oh, God, she cared. She didn’t want to, but she did. Too much. So much she could hardly breathe. She started to lift her hand to her chest and realized she still held the newspaper. She thrust it at him, letting it fall onto his lap when he didn’t take it. “Here. Before you tell me how you feel about me, maybe you’d better review what you told everyone else.”

  He glanced down at the front-page picture of the Rusty Wire and the headline “Was Restaurant Closing Intentional?” “What are you talking about? I kept you out of it.”

  “Yes, you did.” He didn’t even see what was wrong in leaving her to deal with the fallout of more rumors. Just like Matt. The comparison put her in touch with the anger bubbling beneath the surface. “You completely disassociated yourself from anything I may have done to hurt my employer. And why wouldn’t you? I’m not even your type.”

  He frowned. “I never said that.”

  Denial, that was his defense? “Oh, you said it. Either that, or the Echo is making up its own quotes, and I’ve never known Gloria to do that. I suggest you refresh your memory.” The tears she’d held back were burning her eyes. She had to get out of there. “Whatever you have to say you can tell me later,” she said as she turned.

  “Zoe, wait, damn it!”

  She didn’t. The door closed behind her as the first tear slipped down her cheek.

  • • •

  They kept him at the hospital for two days. She knew because Cal told Maggie, who told Zoe when she picked her up to drive to the commune four days after the shooting.

  “I don’t want to know,” she said. “Today was supposed to be an escape from stress. I don’t want to think about him.”

  Maggie gave her a worried look as she drove. “Are you sure that’s the right thing to do? Shouldn’t you two talk it out?”

  “So I can hear his excuses?”

  “So you can hear his reasons. I can’t believe Jase would throw you to the wolves.”

  “But he did. He wants nothing to do with the rumors flying around about me. Don’t tell me no one in town has mentioned that the Justice Department is including me in their investigation of the Alpine Sky. That they haven’t whispered about how you never could trust Zoe Larkin to do the right thing.”

  Maggie pressed her lips into a grim line. “Not to me, they haven’t.”

  Zoe couldn’t help a fleeting smile at the ferocious loyalty of both her sisters. “I know I’m being stubborn about this, Maggie, but it’s the one thing I expect in a man when it comes to my past. Support. Plenty of people in this town will always believe the worst of me, and I need a partner who will stand by me, and take my side. If he won’t, why would anyone else?”

  “I thought what people said didn’t matter. Wasn’t that your new philosophy?”

  “It still is. But not talking about me would be even better. Then I might be able to find a job.”

  “No job openings for someone with negative press, huh?”

  “Or for someone who will leave as soon as a better offer comes along. I didn’t realize underemployment would be so hard to achieve.”

  Maggie pondered it for a few seconds. “I could put you on for a couple of days a week at my store.”

  And divert all her net income to another employee she didn’t need. Zoe shook her head, even though the gesture touched her deeply. “No, you couldn’t, Mags. You don’t need another employee. But thanks.” She’d find something, somewhere. She had to.

  Maggie didn’t comment and they each sank into silence as she negotiated the twisting roads up the mountain to the People’s Free Earth Commune.

  They pulled up to the house, escorted by the usual pack of barking dogs. Maggie looked off to the side as she put the car in park. “Did they buy a new truck?”

  “Not that I heard.” Zoe followed her sister’s gaze, and her stomach hit her toes. “That’s Jase’s truck.”

  “Huh. What a coincidence.”

  She shot Maggie an evil look. “I don’t believe that. Mom called you.”

  “Be a big girl and go in the house, Zoe.”

  Zoe got out and slammed the door, scowling at Maggie across the roof. “You’ll pay for this.”

  “I’ll apologize later.” She stooped to dog level, ruffling furry heads and thumping shoulders, completely ignoring Zoe.

  Zoe turned a dark look on the house. “Aw, hell,” she mumbled, and started toward it.

  • • •

  Her entrance through the front door interrupted gales of laughter from the group in the living room. Smiling faces turned her way, and her heart gave a painful jerk to see Jase at the center of the group. Fitting in, charming her family. It felt like another betrayal.

  His smile faded into a surprised look as the others invited her over. Well, that was something. At least he hadn’t been in on the setup.

  “Zoe! What a nice surprise!” her mother said. Zoe narrowed her eyes at her.

  “Come on over here,” Pete called with expansive arm gestures. “Look what Feather and I figured out for Jase.”

  Curiosity overcame resentment when she saw an unfamiliar face in the group, an obvious townie in a suit and tie, with a leather briefcase that screamed lawyer. “What are you all up to?” she asked. Her eyes flicked to Jase’s neck. A patch that seemed much too small to cover a wound that had nearly taken his life was there. The memory brought cold shivers, and she looked away.

  Pete jumped up and pulled her over to the sofa, nudging her into his seat. Next to Jase.

  Jase’s mouth twitched at the obvious ploy. It was the same look he would get from Zoe just before pulling her into his lap and sliding his hands under her shirt. Her stomach did little flips. She tried to ignore him, looking instead at the documents on the coffee table.

  “What’s this?”

  “I just gave away my fifty acres,” Jase told her.

  “Gave away?”

  “Donated,” Feather corrected him. “To the Julius and Miriam Wallace Land Trust.”

  “What’s that?”

  “It’s a conservation group,” Jase told her. “Their goal is to keep large areas of the Rockies in their natural state, which is exactly what I wanted for that parcel. And the town can’t rezone it or legislate it into development.”

  “The trust owns it outright? What if they decide to sell it?”

  “They can’t. They can’t do anything with it.” He smiled happily.

  “I assure you, Mr. Garrett, they don’t want to,” the lawyer said.

  She ignored him, caught by Jase’s smile. “It sounds wonderful. And generous.” And suspiciously like something Feather would lobby for. “Are you sure you want to do that? That land might not be worth three million, but you could get one million, easy. If you wait you might find someone who won’t want to cut down most of the trees for fairways.”

  “I might. And then maybe they’ll change their mind and decide that what Barringer’s Pass needs is a mega shopping center, and I won’t have any say in the matter. No, this is the best solution. The money’s not important, and this way I know my great-great-grandchildren will still be able to enjoy the natural beauty of the mountains.”

  Her extended family beamed and nodded at this wisdom—giving away assets had never fazed them if the cause was right. It seemed Jase was equally lacking in material concerns. “I’m happy for you, Jase. And I�
�m glad you turned down my offer to buy.”

  “It wasn’t your offer, it was the Alpine Sky’s.”

  Making the distinction was oddly touching, and she blinked at his serious gaze.

  Kate jumped up. “This calls for a celebration! Vegetable smoothies for everyone!”

  The group chorused agreement. Jase gave her a doubtful look and leaned closer. “Do I want a vegetable smoothie?” he asked in a low voice.

  It was an acquired taste, at best. “Definitely not.”

  He stood, smiling at Kate. “I’ll pass, but you all go ahead. Zoe and I have something to talk about.” Without warning, he took her hand, pulling her to her feet.

  She hung back. “Jase . . .”

  He leaned close. “We’re going to do this sooner or later. You really want a vegetable smoothie first?”

  She knew when she was beat. She followed him out the back door to a large rock that had served as a meditation bench for decades.

  “Sit,” he ordered. “I get to talk first.”

  She crossed her arms, tired of being manipulated by everyone. “Why?”

  “Because I want to apologize.”

  “Oh. Good reason.” She sat.

  He looked down at her as if contemplating where to start. “I didn’t know you’d be here today,” he said.

  “I know you didn’t.”

  “I was going to wait another day or two in the hope that you’d realize you were wrong.”

  She narrowed her eyes. “That’s your apology?”

  “No. Hang on, I’m getting there.” He paused to look her over thoughtfully. “You care about me, don’t you?”

  She drew her eyebrows together in a what-the-hell expression. “How is that relevant?”

  “Just answer the question.”

  She sighed. “Of course I care. Why do you think I was sleeping with you?”

  “To get me out of your system so you could move on to the right guy.”

  She had said that. Faulting him for believing her probably wasn’t fair. She shifted uncomfortably. “Things changed,” she muttered.

  “They did. I wasn’t expecting it, either. I didn’t even realize it until Jennifer tried to kill you, and then I realized what was on the line. Things changed.” He nodded. “I fell in love with you.”

  He simply watched her. She squirmed under his gaze, hating him for making this even harder than it had to be. It could have been a neat, clean break, but no, he wanted her to spill her guts all over the place.

  She jumped to her feet and stalked the three steps to reach him, hands fisted, arms stiff at her sides. “You want me to say I fell in love with you, too? Okay, fine, I did.” She rushed on as a smile played at the corner of his mouth. “But it doesn’t change anything. It doesn’t change what happened, or the fact that you treated me like shit. I’m still waiting for my apology so we can part on halfway civilized terms.”

  His face softened as he took her by the shoulders, drawing her close. “One thing at a time.” His hands moved up to frame her face.

  Her stomach fluttered nervously. “Are you even listening?”

  He closed the distance between them and she went perfectly still, blinking at the intensity in his blue eyes.

  “Damn it, Jase, don’t you dare—”

  His lips met hers, confident and sure of her response. She resisted for one second, then gave in because her heart wouldn’t let her do anything else, melting into his kiss as she always did. Holding nothing back. It didn’t matter that loving him would make leaving harder. Once his hands slid into her hair and his tongue licked into her, she was gone. She kissed him fully, matching his passion, until he finally set her back, each of them breathing hard.

  He stroked her hair, letting his hand trail down her arm. “I want to do a whole lot of that later.”

  Her throat closed around the sudden sense of loss, and she shook her head.

  “I know,” he told her. “I hurt you, and I’m sorry.”

  If he thought it was that simple, he didn’t really know her after all. She took a couple of deep breaths, blinking back the threatening tears, letting her anger flow back in. “Sorry’s not enough,” she told him.

  He winced. “No, it’s not. But it’s all I have. I tried to protect you, and you probably thought I was hanging you out to dry.”

  “Because you were. Why else would you publicly disavow any connection with me?”

  “Because I was too dense to realize you didn’t mean what you said. You told me you wanted to repair your image in this town, and I knew being associated with me wouldn’t help, so I said we weren’t together.”

  A cold hand gripped her heart, knowing he had every reason to believe that. She’d believed it herself in the beginning. That seemed like a long time ago now. “I’m not embarrassed to be with you.”

  “If you think it would help, I’ll call that reporter back and tell her we’re having a torrid affair and that I’ve totally compromised your high standards when it comes to men.”

  “No, of course I don’t want you to . . .” She frowned. “You don’t believe that, do you? About compromising my standards?”

  “You did point out my lack of ambition and achievements.”

  “I didn’t know you then.”

  “But you were right.”

  “I was narrow-minded. God, Jase, did you really believe I didn’t think you were good enough for me?” She put a hand to her forehead. “Okay, maybe I did think that at first, but not when . . . not later. Oh, shit.” She rubbed her temples, realizing how much they’d underestimated each other. “I’m sorry.”

  He didn’t look upset. In fact, his lips twitched at the corner. “You’re apologizing?”

  She narrowed one eye in warning. “Don’t ruin it. Jase, I don’t care if you’re a saloon owner with no other means of support. That was my own prejudice, and I was wrong. You’re a good man, and that’s far more important.”

  “Thanks, but I’m not just a saloon owner.”

  “No, you aren’t, and that’s my point. You’re the one who said it—your job shouldn’t define you. There were a lot of things I got wrong about image and reputation, but . . .” She drew in a deep breath. “I think I’ve got it right now. And I like you just the way you are.”

  “Even if I don’t care about making a lot of money.”

  “Right.”

  “But if I found a way to make money, a lot of it, say by using my experience in sports to start a business, it wouldn’t change how you feel about me?”

  “Of course not. Why, were you thinking of trying it?”

  He smiled. “Maybe. I’ll tell you later.” He ran his fingers through her hair, and she decided she was never again wearing it pinned up in a prissy bun. “Zoe, are we good about that article? I really am sorry.”

  She sighed. “Yes. I should have trusted you more, Jase.”

  “I’ll let you make it up to me. Come back to my house.”

  The hunger in his voice stirred something low in her stomach, causing heat to settle between her thighs. “Now?”

  He dipped his head, kissing her neck and sending shivers over her whole body. “There’s something I want to show you in my garage. It’s about that business idea.”

  She was sure it wasn’t as important as what she’d show him in his bedroom, but it did remind her of another uncomfortable fact. She put her arms around his neck. “Jase, I have to ask a favor first.”

  He raised his head. “Anything.”

  “Remember when you said I could take a part-time job at the Rusty Wire until I find another job?”

  “Yes.”

  “Well, I’ve been asking around the past couple of days, and it seems no one is interested in talking to me at the moment. I think that’ll change once the facts get out about Matt, and his side of the story is discredited. Or I might decide to do something else—I’ve been thinking about those sheep here at the commune. There’s a business just begging to be started if I have the time to do it. Anyway . . . can I s
till have a job at the Rusty Wire?”

  His good humor slowly faded. “I’ve been doing some thinking, too. I’m sorry, Zoe, but I have to withdraw my offer.”

  “I can’t have a job?” She dropped her arms. “Why not?”

  “Because you’ll just stay until you find something better, then leave.”

  “So? That was always the idea. You were fine with it.”

  “Well, I’m not anymore. I have to look out for my own best interests, you know.”

  She squinted, looking closely to see if he was kidding. He wasn’t. She imagined she was going to be furious as soon as she stopped being numb.

  He nodded to himself, as if approving his own decision. “You’ve already said you won’t stay long. That’s not an attractive proposition for an employer.”

  She ground her teeth. “I thought you wanted to help.”

  “I think it should benefit both of us. If you want a job, you’ll have to marry me.”

  “I . . .” Her mind stumbled and went blank. “What?”

  “Then I’ll know you won’t leave. And if you still want to work at the Rusty Wire, you can, since you’ll be a part owner.”

  She fought against the spreading numbness in her mind. “You’re asking me to marry you?” she said. But no, that wasn’t exactly right. “You’re blackmailing me into marrying you?”

  “Ugly word. Nevertheless, I’m not willing to take a chance on you leaving me.”

  The numbness slowly faded. He was serious. Ten years of sensible planning, waiting to meet the right man vanished in a flash. She’d broken her own rules, and fallen in love with the wrong man. And this was the result.

  She waited for the crazy fluttering in her chest to stop, marveling at her own reaction. Pure excitement, without a drop of fear. That list was history.

  She chewed her lip, pretending to consider it. “I suppose I’d have to sleep with the boss.”

  “I’m afraid that’s mandatory.”

  “Figures. Would I have to take up fishing?”

  “That’s negotiable,” he allowed.

  She crossed her arms, stalling for time. Every impulsive decision she’d made about Jase had been right, and her impulse here was the strongest one she’d ever had. Still, she knew that years from now she’d want to say she’d given it at least a half minute’s thought. “Any benefits?”