Page 106 of Hard Knock Hero

Aiden glanced around the clearing full of wildflowers and then at the valley lying below. “I’ve been thinking about it too. A lot. What would you say to going into business with me? I put out some feelers about buying the land. A friend of mine in California who’s a lawyer put me in touch with a real estate guy. It turns out, the owner of this side of the mountain is willing to sell. They’re asking a fair price.”

I was beyond shocked. I didn’t know what to say. “Are you kidding?” I pushed my hair off my forehead. “I would want that. Absolutely. But I don’t have any money.” Especially after buying the diner and taking out loans to make it happen. And the amount of land we were talking about, even at a fair price, would cost alotof money. More than I might ever see in my lifetime.

A mischievous smirk curved Aiden’s lips. “I do. I had a stake in my family’s catering company, and they agreed to buy me out. But they also want to invest. I told them about your ideas for this place, and they love it. They want in on the ground floor. But keep in mind, that’s also the downside to this proposal. The whole Shelborne clan would have a stake in whatever we build here. Trust me, my mom drives a hard bargain. So does Madison. She’s a hostage negotiator, remember? She can be brutal.”

“But,” I sputtered. I was still trying to get my head around all of this. “You’re saying we would have enough? Your family… They actually want to invest in building a hotel and a restaurant? At the site of the ranch here on Refuge Mountain?”

“If you’re the one running it with me. Then yeah.”

I gawked at him. How was this even real?

“I told them that your vision had to trump everything else,” Aiden said, “and they agreed to be passive investors. I’m sure they’ll still find ways to be annoying. But they believe in you.”

“Why?”

“Because I do.”

I hugged him. I was shaking and overwhelmed. I wanted this so badly. I’d figured I would need investors to ever have the possibility of making this dream happen, but I hadn’t known where I would find them. “You’re sure? They really want to do this?”

“I wouldn’t have brought it to you otherwise. You’ll need to hire your own lawyer to look over the contracts. It’s that kind of thing.” He rolled his eyes. “But once we get that part done, they’re ready to do it. We’ll need to get banks involved too, for financing and all of that. But we’ll make it happen. If you want to do this with me.”

I looked into the dark brown eyes of my personal hero. My very own cowboy-prince. The man who’d swept me so thoroughly off my feet that I still hadn’t touched the ground.

“This is my dream,” I said. Part of it, at least. “But what aboutyou? You’ve given up so much for me. Remade your entire life.”

His thumb moved along my cheekbone. Followed the curve of my lower lip. “Before, I never had big dreams like yours. Not until I met you. Baby,youare my dream, and I’ve got everything I could ever want right here.”

Aiden dipped his head for a soft, slow kiss. I tried to memorize this moment. The smell of the wildflowers and the gentle movement of the breeze across my skin. And my Aiden, making every other sensation fade to the background. His warm, comforting presence. My rock. Who knew he could spin such pretty words, too?

“I didn’t know you were such a romantic,” I murmured against his lips.

“I know. I can barely stand myself. I’m so fucking sweet.” He said this like a lament, and I burst out in giggles.

“I love you. I love you so much.”

Aiden picked me up and spun me around, both of us laughing. We sat on a rock and started brainstorming ideas. Logistics. Possible designs and concepts.

But then I had to stop him. This was it. I couldn’t keep it in anymore.

“There’s something else I need to say. A requirement, actually. If we’re really going to do this.”

“Tell me.”

I took in our surroundings again, thinking of all the times I’d come to Refuge Mountain when I needed peace. The stories people told about this place. The idea of arefuge, and the inherent promise of that word.

“I want to set aside space here for people who have nowhere else to go. Some rooms that we reserve for people who’ve been abused, especially women, who need to get back on their feet. Like I did after Jeremy hurt me.”

“A shelter?”

“Yes, like a shelter. But bigger than that, even. A place that feels safe and beautiful. Healing and liberating.” I gestured at the view around us. The gentle rush of the nearby creek and waterfall. The birds singing, aspen leaves rustling in the wind.

Aiden nodded encouragingly.

“And we could offer them jobs,” I said in a rush. “Find them other opportunities in Hartley and nearby towns. A new beginning. I think we could run the business and give back, too. But for me, creating a safe space for people who need it would be the real purpose.”

“You’ve really considered this.”

“I have. It means a lot to me.” I reached for his hand. “What do you think?”

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