Page 65 of The Hermit on the Hill

Jenna curled herself up around her belly in the chair in front of my desk in much the same way her cat did - in a ball that somehow took up twice the space it would have if they just stretched out. "So you and Sam are business partners. What exactly do you do?"

Her voice shook when she asked, and she wouldn't meet my eyes. She was worried about what we would say, worried about what she might learn about me. She must sense my unease.

I couldn't do it. I couldn't give her another reason not to trust me. Not yet. I needed more time to prove to her she could count on me, that I'd always be there for her.

I recognized the question in Marcus' eyes when he met my gaze. I shook my head and sat in the chair next to Jenna's.

I'd known Marcus long enough to read his expression. He didn't approve. "I'll let Sam do the explaining. This project is his baby. I'm just his partner."

I rubbed a hand over my face. "The restaurant isn't the only business in town in which we have a substantial interest, and it's not the only building we own."

Marcus sat up straighter, palms flat on the desk. "I'm the face of the business, obviously." Marcus' tone was strained. I'd owe him big time for this one. "Sam handles all the behind the scenes."

Beyond a slight widening of her eyes, Jenna gave no indication of how she felt about any of this. "You moved back here to invest in the local businesses? To improve them?"

"There's a lot of money to be made here," Marcus said, repeating almost verbatim from the speech I'd used to convince him to be my partner in this venture. "Revitalizing the town will bring in more tourists, which will lead to greater prosperity for Catalpa Creek, and for me and Sam."

"This area is ripe for it," I said, giving Jenna the same speech I'd given Marcus and now gave to developers interested in taking over this town and making us both very rich men. The only difference was that I wasn't going to tell Jenna about the developers. Not yet. "There are so many great possibilities to increase tourism for outdoorsy types: rock climbing, mountain biking, whitewater rafting, maybe even a small ski resort. And there are businesses looking for just this sort of opportunity, for a place they can mold top to bottom into the ultimate tourist trap. The university being right here just makes the area more desirable."

"That's why you were trying to talk Mom into selling to you." Finally, Jenna was showing some sign of reaction, her face going pale, making her freckles stand out in sharp relief.

"Yes." I leaned in and took her hands in mine. "But her inn's not part of the plan anymore. I want to live here with you and build a life, and alienating your mother won't help with that."

"That's the only reason?"

When neither Marcus nor I answered, she got to her feet and stared us both down. "Just how forceful are you two being? Are you forcing people out of their businesses so you can get rich?"

Crap. I'd thought if I left the end game out of what I told Jenna, it wouldn't sound so bad. I was wrong. "No, Jenna. We don't force anyone to do anything."

"To be fair," Marcus said. "That's exactly why Sam keeps his distance from everyone in town. I'm more persuasive and less growly."

"Uh-huh." Jenna's nod seemed way too decisive, like she'd reached a conclusion I wouldn't like. "Why do I feel like there's something you two aren't telling me?"

Marcus stood, his glare saying everything his words didn't. "I'm going to wait for Brit on the porch. You two look like you need a few minutes alone."

Jenna waited for him to walk out, gaze on the picture window behind the desk, arms still wrapped around her middle.

I should tell her the truth. I should just give in and tell her everything, but she'd reacted so badly to what little I'd already told her. If she walked away, she'd take our son with her.

"I think what you might be sensing is that I carry some anger toward the folks in this town because they weren't there for my grandmother when she needed them. Marcus has kept me in line, though, and I can promise you we haven't forced anyone into anything." That much was true, at least.

Jenna studied my face for a long moment, before her expression softened. "Your grandmother would be proud of you, Sam. It must have taken a lot of strength to look past your anger and help the town."

My chest ached and my mouth went dry. A cool breeze blew through the room, even though it was hot outside and no windows were open. The breeze smelled like peppermint.

I wished I was a better man. The man Jenna saw in me. "I've made a lot of money helping those people."

"Still." She leaned in and cupped my cheek. "You've done good."

"Brit's here," Marcus yelled into the house from the front porch. "She's going to give me a ride home. No need to come out and see me off."

I stood quickly, eager to get out of that room and away from that conversation. "He's going to leave without his phone." I grabbed it from the corner of the desk where he'd left it and hurried for the front door.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Sam

Jenna yawned in the passenger seat as I parked the truck in front of the library at the end of Main Street.

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