Page 23 of For Always
“Then we have a deal,” Gabriella said. “I’m meeting with Jagger and Tyler tomorrow, so let me get your number and I’ll call you afterward to let you know which way we’re going with the project.”
Gabriella had a good feeling about Naomi. Not just because she desperately needed to feel good about somebody on this ranch tonight, but because the woman had been referred to her by Dessie. Of everyone she’d met in Hobbs Creek so far, Dessie seemed to be the most genuine and Gabriella was determined to steer clear of the foolishness while she was here.
Including Brooke Radison and Hannah Palmer. Those two women definitely had plans for drama in their midst and Gabriella had already endured her share of that.
Chapter 7
Tyler touched Gabriella’s shoulder and when she turned, said, “Walk with me for a minute.”
She hesitated and he held back a frown. “No touching or kissing or anything this time. I just want to talk to you.”
“We talked before dinner,” she said, folding her arms over her chest. “And tomorrow at three we’ll be meeting to talk again.”
“We won’t be alone tomorrow at three.”
“Anything you have to say to me, can be said in front of Jagger. This is a professional relationship, remember?”
“This is…something,” Tyler agreed. “Look, we both survived a pretty tense dinner party and now the guests are gone. The night is clear and nearly as sweltering as it was earlier in the day. I just want to take a few minutes to walk with you. Is that so wrong?”
She didn’t immediately reply, but Tyler knew she was mentally ticking down a list of everything that was wrong about going for a walk with him. He’d gone through that same list in his mind throughout dinner. And still, he’d decided to approach her.
“For just a few minutes,” she replied finally. “I don’t want to return to the room too late.”
They’d been standing on the front porch and Tyler had already started down the steps before asking, “Why? Is somebody there waiting for you?”
“No,” she answered quickly.
Too quickly.
“Not that it matters,” she continued as they started walking toward the side of the house.
“It matters if there’s a security issue or something else going on at the resort. If there’s a problem, let me know and I can take care of it. Or you can just stay here.”
The suggestion had come easily and Tyler found that he actually liked the idea of her being on the ranch with him. It was odd, but he’d already said it and couldn’t take it back.
“My room at the resort is just fine. Thank you.”
She was still irritated. He’d known that throughout the entire dinner. Dessie had put place cards on the long cherry wood table in the main dining room. Gabriella was seated beside Tyler on one side and Ted Palmer on his other. Ted had pretty much talked to Tyler the entire time, trying to get some confirmation on whether Westwind would remain the primary supplier for his steakhouse. Tyler had been as non-committal as possible, but still kept the conversation flowing in the direction of continuing their long-standing business relationship.
So he hadn’t been able to assure Gabriella that there was nothing between him and Hannah. Somewhere between dessert and after-dinner drinks Tyler wondered why it even mattered. Gabriella had been stern in her position that they were only professionally involved. She wasn’t interested in any type of entanglements with a man. And Tyler had agreed, about three seconds before he’d kissed her again. After that second kiss, Tyler had been pretty certain that he wanted Gabriella Bennett in his bed. But he wasn’t going to force her there. He wanted her to come to him willingly.
“You and Naomi Garret seemed to hit it off,” he continued as they moved further down the stretch of the house.”
“She’s really nice and she’s interested in design. So if I end up working here, I’m going to hire her as a part-time assistant.”
“Really? Just part-time?”
“Yes. She told me that Dessie had talked to her about possibly taking the position as house manager if the decision is to keep the ranch.”
“Really?” Tyler asked again.
“Oh. Maybe I wasn’t supposed to say that much. I just assumed that you knew,” she said.
Her feet moved steadily over the grassy path. Tyler continued to look down as they walked because her heels were really high, maybe five inches. He’d seen many women who couldn’t manage that well. Gabriella not only walked steadily in the heels, she seemed oblivious to how sexy those shoes made her legs look. For as lovely as Gabriella was, she never appeared to know it. Unlike many woman whom Tyler had crossed paths with. He liked that about her.
“No. It’s fine. Dessie did mention something about hiring a house manager now that my mother is no longer here to run this place.”
“So your father took care of all the ranch stuff and your mother managed the house? Then when they decided to open the resort, she hired her best friend to manage that. There seems to be a lot of love and loyalty surrounding Westwind.”
