Page 118 of Rough and Rugged

“How much would it cost to stay here?” I asked.

The developer didn’t attempt to hide the snobbery in his voice. “We’d want to discourage the rabble. Our center in Ojai charges ten thousand dollars for a five-day retreat, so this would be comparable.”

Holy shit. Even if I sounded like a rube, I couldn’t keep silent. “That’s so expensive.”

Brayden laughed. “No, duh. Rich celebrities will shell out a lot of dough for a place where they can be alone. No paparazzi. No social media. Just nature and a lot of good vibes.”

The developer nodded. “Ideally, we’d like to purchase all the private land in the area. The property next to yours includes forty acres of unspoiled wilderness. If we could strike a deal with the owner, we’d be able to add upscale cabins for people who want to stay here longer.”

“That’s Sam’s place,” I said. “He’ll never sell.”

“Everyone’s got their price,” Brayden replied.

“Not Sam. He’s different.” Besides, the cabin and the land actually belonged to his grandpa. I couldn’t imagine Sam betraying him like that.

Brayden gave a dismissive snort. “Whatever. With all the cash you’ll be getting, you can aim higher than that loser. But for God’s sake, put some effort into your appearance. Buy some decent clothes. Get a makeover. Then you could snag a rich husband and be set for life.”

When he said it that way, I felt so shallow. If I took the offer, would I turn out like the rest of my family? Placing wealth on a pedestal above everything else, even love?”

“Are we ready to draw up the paperwork?” the developer asked. “I’d like to get going.”

“Um… I might need a little more time,” I said.

Brayden glared at me. “You have until the end of the week. We can’t wait any longer.”

“I’ll have the answer by then, I promise.”

As much as I craved financial freedom, I couldn’t discount the sick, empty feeling I got when I imagined relinquishing the property forever.

Chapter Seven

Sixdayspassedwithouta word from Sam. No calls. No texts. Nothing.

Not that I blamed him. I probably reminded him of his ex who’d dumped him because she didn’t want to live in the mountains. Except I was worse because I’d considered selling out.

But Sam’s absence had given me the space to think clearly. Reaching a decision hadn’t been easy, but now that I’d made up my mind, I wanted to talk to him about it.

I whistled for Farley, who bounded over to me. “Hey, boy. Want to go for a walk?”

Together, we headed for the trail behind my cabin. I hadn’t been walking for more than five minutes when Farley galloped ahead of me. I stumbled after him, only to come face-to-face with Sam, who was striding down the trail. He waved at me, and it was all I could do not to rush into his arms. Even if we’d only been apart for six days, I’d missed him terribly.

“Hey, Maggie,” he said. “I’m glad I caught you.”

“Me, too. Listen, I know you were upset, but—”

He held up his hand. “Me first, okay? I came here to apologize.”

“What? I’m the one who was making a deal with the devil. You had every right to be angry.”

“No, I don’t. It’s your life, and I shouldn’t tell you how to live it. If you want to sell the property, that’s your decision, not mine.”

“But you didn’t want a bunch of rich assholes coming up here. And trust me, with the prices that retreat center was going to charge, it would have attracted rich assholes.”

He rubbed the back of his neck. “I wish my rationale was that noble, but it was kind of selfish. I really like you, and I hated the thought of you leaving.”

I really like you.

No hesitation. No games. No pretense.

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