“It seemed like a straightforward deal so I wasn’t too worried about family strife. I figured it would be the usual red tape for GoldStar. Then I made this discovery.” He held up the photo to Kendall, pointing to something small near the bottom of the picture.
She leaned forward to take a closer look. “You found an eagle?” Her expression was doubtful. “I’d expect to see birds like this in a woodland area.”
Ty smiled. “Not this eagle. In cataloging the wildlife in the area, my team discovered a nest of golden eagles. An endangered species, to be precise.”
“I guess that complicated things.”
“To say the least. The review team’s findings were public record. I knew that when the die-hard environmental groups got ahold of the information, it would be a cold day in hell before they’d let the land be developed. The family who owned it was uncertain about how it was going to be developed even before my discovery. They would have been easily swayed to shut it down.”
Kendall sipped her coffee and studied him. “That couldn’t have made your dad any happier about your involvement.”
Ty plucked another picture from the table. “This is those twenty-five acres today.”
He handed her a photo of rows of tract houses. There wasn’t a tree more than four years old in sight. “I don’t understand,” she said.
He shrugged. “I had a moment of misplaced familial loyalty. Thought I’d save my father the trouble of fighting a battle he couldn’t win. I took the information about the eagles to him before the findings were released. Figured I could save him some bad publicity if he backed out early.”
“He didn’t back out.”
“I underestimated him. By the time the findings were made public a week later, you would have been hard pressed to find a robin on that land, let alone a golden eagle.”
Kendall’s eyes widened. “He got rid of them? How?”
“I don’t know. My boss and most of the team members assumed I’d been working for GoldStar all along. My father did nothing to discourage that assumption.”
“You got fired?”
“More than fired. I was publicly ridiculed, blacklisted in the environmental community, and pretty much run out of Boulder by a gang of angry ornithologists. I deserved it. I knew my dad was a bastard. It was my fault those birds were gone. I was holed up in my apartment a week later, licking my wounds, when he came and offered to bail me out with a job at GoldStar.”
Ty didn’t realize he gripped the coffee mug so hard it was liable to burst until Kendall pried his fingers loose. “What did you do?”
“Told him to shove his crooked business up his ass, packed my bags, and moved down to Denver. Started the landscaping business. You know the rest.” She ran her thumbs along the back of his hands. Her touch eased his tension. “It took two years before I could stand to be in the same room as him.”
“Thank you for sharing this,” Kendall said gently, her words as soothing as her touch. “It helps me understand more about GoldStar.” She dropped one of her hands to touch the edge of a photograph. “No one ever proved that your dad’s company was behind the disappearance of those birds, right?”
A muscle in Ty’s jaw ticked. He knew where she was going. “You’ll have a difficult time finding proof,” he said tightly. “He covered his tracks well.”
“Then I’m sorry to say that this doesn’t help me much with the Silver Creek story. I can’t take a family squabble that happened six years ago to my producer.”
Ty slammed his palm down on the table. It felt like a vise was clamped around his chest. “This is more than a family squabble. I’d bet my entire business that GoldStar has run a scam on every deal they’ve ever made. My father is just too powerful and too slimy to be caught.”
Kendall shrugged. “Hearsay.”
He shot up from the table, pacing from one end of the kitchen to the other. “The lady who owns the land near Silver Creek. You’ve talked to her about the offer that’s been made for her property?”
“Mrs. Bradley? Of course. She wants to make sure she takes care of her family and the community. I don’t have specific numbers, but she’s happy with how the land is going to be developed.”
“How happy is she going to be when her pristine forest looks like this?” he asked, stabbing his finger against the photo of the tract houses.
Kendall blinked several times, as if processing his message. “Ty, you don’t know that.”
How could he make her understand what his father was capable of doing?
“I know exactly what GoldStar will do. It’s their business—bait and switch. My father has perfected the move. Believe me, you’ll be lucky to find a lone stick on that sweet old lady’s land when he’s done.”
“I’ll talk to her. She’s got a good lawyer. She’ll have him go over the contract again.”
“Who’s her lawyer?” Ty asked, eyes narrowing.
“His name is Lester Benson. I checked him out. He’s a senior partner at one of the big Denver firms.”
“And my father’s tennis partner,” Ty finished, sinking back into the chair. He rubbed his hands over his eyes. His dad was going to get away with it again. Why had Ty believed he could stop him?
Kendall picked up several of the pictures and studied them. “If what you’re saying is true, we can’t let him do that, not to Mrs. Bradley’s land or any of the other properties. You’ve been up there. It’s too precious to be ruined that way. I need to make sure Helen’s all right when this is over.”
Ty sighed. “Since you’ve just told me all my information is garbage, I’m open to suggestions.”
She took a pen and paper out of one of the cabinet drawers. “I’ll dig deeper into GoldStar’s previous deals,” she said as she scribbled notes. “There must be someone in Colorado who will talk to me about your father.”
“Don’t waste your time.”
She didn’t take her eyes off the paper. “I’ve got to try. This is the most important story of my life.”
He moved to the other side of the table and plucked the pen out of her hand. “We’re in this together. You work on your end, I’ll see what else I can pull up on mine.”
She nodded. “We can stop GoldStar, right?”
“Right.” He flashed what he hoped was a reassuring smile. He wanted her to believe him, to believe in him. “First things first. Let’s get this disaster of a kitchen cleaned up.”
He didn’t wait for an answer, just dove into the mess. Kendall watched as he rinsed dishes and placed them in the dishwasher. He did housework, too. How was she supposed to resist this man?
She knew he didn’t want to get involved with the Silver Creek story any more than he already was. But he was going to help her despite the connection to his father. He wanted her to succeed. She’d spent so long fighting her way up the career ladder alone, she’d forgotten what it was like to have someone at her side.
It felt uncomfortably good. The kind of good she could get used to, come to depend on if she let down her guard. That wasn’t going to happen.
“I can finish up in here,” she said, walking toward the sink. “The mess is mine.”
He picked up a kitchen towel to dry his hands. “It’ll be quicker with two of us.” He turned to the garbage can, lifting the bag and twisting it closed. “Is your trash out back? The fancy French fiasco is starting to stink.”
She wanted to argue, to order him out of her kitchen. Hell, she wanted to order him out of her life before he complicated things even more, but she couldn’t bear the thought of being without him.
Bad sign.
“It’s in the garage.” She pointed to a door on the far side of the kitchen.
She wiped down the counter, surprised to see how easy it was to regain control over the mess in her kitchen. If only she could avert the potential disaster with the Silver Creek land develo
pment deal so easily. She wanted to expose GoldStar for more than just the ratings the story would bring.
“Thanks again for dinner,” Ty said, wrapping his arms around her as she stood facing the sink.
Kendall turned, placing her hands against the solid muscle of his arms. “I want to use what you told me, but I need more proof.” Sighing, she rested her forehead against his chest. “I didn’t think I would care so much about what happens to that community.”
His kiss was soft against the top of her head. “Unfortunately, everything involving my father is complicated. Of course you care. Even though you try to hide behind your all-business mask, you’ve got a big heart underneath those designer duds.”
“You don’t like my clothes?” she asked, digging her nails, ever so slightly, into his shirtsleeves.
“I like everything about you.” He grinned, pulling her arms away. “It scares the hell out of me.” His voice was light, but his brilliant blue eyes were dark and serious.
“Me, too,” she admitted.
Their gazes held for several moments before he spoke. “I should go. You have a big day tomorrow and long flight ahead of you.”
He was right, but she didn’t care about right at the moment. She wanted one more night in his arms before she stepped into the future that would take her away. “Stay.” The word came out a whisper.
He eyed her suspiciously. “Are you sure? I don’t want to distract you on the eve of your big interview.”
“Too late,” she smiled then leaned up to kiss him. “Stay, please.” His mouth molded perfectly against hers. A hint of stubble scratched her cheek. Again her head was filled with the smell of the outdoors mixed with his soap. It made her knees weak.
“You don’t have to ask twice,” he murmured against her lips, pressing her hard against his body. They stayed that way for several minutes, feasting on each other until she couldn’t see straight, couldn’t think of anything beyond this absolute bliss.
She led him to her bedroom, trying not to be embarrassed by the utilitarian décor. She’d never thought much about how boring it was, with her streamlined wood furniture, white bedspread, and lack of homey touches. Especially compared to the warmth and charm of Ty’s house. He didn’t seem to notice.
They made love on her white sheets, each taking time to discover what the other one liked, creating a rhythm all their own. When they were both too tired to move, Ty scooped her into his arms. Instead of falling asleep, they spent the next several hours talking.
Not about the future, that was too uncertain.
They laughed over childhood escapades, delved deeper into the mixed-up feelings each had about their families, and quizzed the other on the insignificant details of life—favorite color, first pet, preferred pizza toppings. Kendall tucked away every kernel of information, knowing that these were the memories she would take with her when she began her next journey. She wouldn’t admit how depressed it made her to think of embarking on that journey without Ty in her life.
He left in the middle of the night, insistent that she get a few hours of sleep before flying to New York. She thought she’d be too nervous to sleep, but she crashed as soon as her head hit the pillow and was shocked when her alarm went off at five a.m.
It was good that he was gone, she reasoned, as she applied makeup in her bathroom mirror. The morning light helped bring her focus back onto her real goals. She was ready to secure the place she’d earned in the big city. This was her chance.
Nothing was going to throw her off track.
Kendall met Sam and Chloe for happy hour the following night, after she returned from New York. She’d had a text waiting from Ty when she landed at DIA, but she ignored it, summoning her two friends to a popular downtown bar instead. Since the It’s Raining Men broadcast, she’d been recognized even more often, so she tried not to make eye contact as she scanned the crowded room, afraid she’d be given another dose of unsolicited advice.
Two arms waved in her direction and she made a beeline for the back.
“This place is a meat market,” she muttered as she slipped into the booth. “You should see the way some of the men in here were looking at me.”
“You start dating on television and it’s open season for losers,” Sam said, lifting her glass of mineral water in a mock toast.
Kendall rolled her eyes. “Tell me about it. Three different guys hit on me at the airport yesterday. Didn’t they watch the last show? I picked Owen.”
“They don’t buy you and the geek,” Sam said.
“Are men with as much money as Owen Dalton still considered geeks?” Chloe asked, licking salt off the rim of her margarita glass.
“Oh, yeah.” Sam nodded. “They’re just geeks who can land hot chicks.”
“You have a way with words.” Kendall tapped the rim of the white wine glass in front of her. “Is this for me?”
“Yes,” the other two women chorused. Chloe leaned forward across the table. “Enough with the small talk. We’re dying here. What happened in New York?”
Kendall sipped at the wine, trying hard to make her smile seem real. “I got it. They offered me the position before I left.” She was thrilled with the offer, which didn’t explain the queasiness in her stomach that had started the minute the plane touched down in Denver. “Believe it or not, It’s Raining Men helped. Gave them more insight into my glowing personality and ability to think on my feet.”
Chloe scrambled out of the booth and crushed Kendall in a big hug. “I knew they’d love you.”
“I can’t believe it’s finally happening. You should have seen the studio. In the middle of Manhattan. Everything state of the art. One of the execs gave me a tour.” She bit her lip, a genuine smile finally tugging the corner of her mouth. “We passed Savannah Guthrie’s office.”
“Yeah, baby,” Sam said. “Our girl is going to be rubbing elbows with the big-time players.”
“The thing is,” Kendall said, “the position is open earlier than they expected. They want someone to start June first.”
Chloe’s gray eyes widened. “That’s less than a month from now.”
Kendall nodded. “I’d have just enough time to wrap up the Silver Creek story before moving. The network will help me find housing in the city.”
Chloe rested her dark curls against Kendall’s shoulder. “You’re really leaving. It won’t be the same without you.”
“What am I, chopped liver?” Sam asked. She held up her hand when Chloe started to protest. “I’m kidding. You’re right, it won’t be the same. I think this calls for some major celebrating, spa style. Let’s head up to the mountains for a girls’ retreat.”
“That sounds perfect.”
“I can’t.” Kendall took a big drink of wine. “I’ve got the station’s gala tomorrow night.”
“Skip it,” the other women said in unison.
She shook her head. “There are other things I need to take care of sooner rather than later.”
“Is McDirt, PhD, one of them?” Sam leaned forward. “Have you been holding out on us?”
Kendall saw several people turn and stare. “Keep your voice down,” she whispered. “I haven’t been holding out. Things with Ty are complicated. It didn’t seem smart to discuss them until I had it straightened out in my mind.”
“And now you do?” Chloe asked.
“Not exactly.” Kendall picked at the corner of a napkin. “But I like him. A lot.”
“Are you sure like is the L-word you’re looking for?” Sam asked.
“Well, leaving is an L-word,” Kendall said, tearing more fiercely at the napkin. “That’s what I’ll be doing in a few weeks. Does it really matter how I feel?”
“Of course it does,” Chloe said. “You can Skype, text, visit, e-mail. Long distance relationships can be good.”
“No. This is my big break. I promised my
self I wouldn’t be distracted by anything or anyone, especially not a man. I’m going to meet someone in New York once I’m settled.”
Chloe’s brow wrinkled. “I don’t think that’s how love works. You can’t decide when or where or with whom it’s going to happen. It sort of finds you.”
“Not if I don’t want to be found,” Kendall muttered.
Sam reached across the table and pulled the shredded napkin out of her hands. “It may be too late for that. You should think twice before throwing away a real shot at happiness.”
Chloe placed her hand on top of Sam’s. “Following your heart doesn’t mean you have to give up your dream.”
Kendall shook her head. “But what if it does?”
“Whatever you choose, we’ll support you.” Sam told her. “But it’s your decision to make.”
She detoured to Ty’s house on her way home. It was like the Jeep’s GPS was programmed with his address. Her feelings for him raced through her mind as she idled at the curb.
As much as she wanted it, the two of them together weren’t meant to be. Better to devote herself to the future. She walked to his front door and pressed the bell twice for good measure.
When he opened the door, need and desire rushed through her. Desire she could handle, need not so much. She wanted to launch herself into his arms. But if she did that, there was no way she’d ever leave.
“I’m moving to New York City and I can’t see you anymore,” she blurted, before her brain could process how good he looked in his faded jeans and worn Broncos T-shirt.
He cocked his head to one side and studied her. “Congratulations on the job. I was worried when you didn’t text me back. Have you been drinking?”
“Of course not. One glass of wine. That has nothing to do with this.”
“Who’s there?” a voice called. Ty stepped back to reveal a young boy standing in the hallway.
“This is Kendall,” Ty told the boy. “A friend of mine.”
The kid’s brown eyes widened as big as saucers. He pointed a finger at Kendall. “You’re that lady who goes out with all the guys on TV. Mom says you wear too much makeup and have a stick up your butt.”
Kissing Mr. Right Page 19