Chapter 16

CHAPTER 16

T he week sped by as Sophie finished the design for Willa’s Garden to the council’s satisfaction. Jake won a local trial and was asked to consult on a trial in D.C. He’d called on his way to the airport to let her know.

Pleasure had filled her that he’d checked in with her before leaving. Just like they were a couple. During that week, it had seemed as if they were. Quick lunches, a few dinners around his hectic schedule, with a hot, hungry cowboy taking her to new heights in his bed afterward. Man, she was lost.

Without Jake around, Sophie used the time to think instead of sleep. She was sketching the porch from the swing one morning when her phone rang.

“How’s my favorite girl?” Her uncle’s gruff voice charmed through the line.

“Uncle Nathan! How are you?” she asked.

“I’m fine. Just got word—your commissioners denied the development and golf course,” he said.

Defeat slumped her shoulders. “I’m so sorry.” Would they go bankrupt now? Tears filled her eyes. She wanted to be furious with Jake, but if what he said was true, she couldn’t blame him for exposing the group. Though he certainly hadn’t needed to use her to do it.

“Not your problem, sweetheart. Had an interesting phone call from a Jake Lodge, however,” Nathan said.

“Really?” Suspicion laced her tone.

“Offered to buy your design for a fifty-acre parcel next to some casino,” Nathan affirmed

Sophie kicked the wooden floor so the swing started to move. “You’re joking.”

“Nope. Of course it’ll have to be reconfigured for a different space. He also said that you staying on was a condition of the sale, however.” Curiosity filled her uncle’s tone now.

“Son of a bitch.” Her temper ignited until her throat closed. Sure, she had feelings for the lawyer, but nobody manipulated her.

Her uncle chuckled. “I thought you’d be pleased.”

“What? Pleased that he’s trying to run my life? Trying to keep me here? It isn’t bad enough that his mother has given me an art showing, now he’s going to buy my services? I don’t think so.” She kicked the floor harder. It was only because she might be pregnant. He had been more than happy with a short fling before the stupid condom broke.

“What art showing?”

Sophie told her uncle in great detail about the showing, pausing once and again to kick the floor. The swing complained with a soft squeal.

“Wow, Soph. Isn’t that what you’ve always wanted?” he asked.

“What are you talking about? I want to design golf courses.” Her protest sounded weak, even to her own ears.

“You like rendering the designs for golf courses. Your favorite part begins when you pull out the colored pencils,” he said.

She bit her lip. “So?”

“So, why not give the art a shot?”

Dread filled her. “Are you firing me?”

“Of course not, but I want you to be happy. I’ll adore you no matter what you do for a living,” Nathan said.

Adoration for her uncle filled her chest. He’d always been there for her. He knew how much she wanted to paint—to be a real artist. But she wouldn’t be bullied into it by Jake Lodge, who only wanted to keep his possible kid close. “It’s my decision what I do for a living, and nobody is going to railroad me into a career. Any career.” The term so there echoed in the silence.

“Like your mother?” Nathan asked.

She jolted. “Uncle Nathan?—”

“Say the word and you’ll have a plane ticket waiting for you at the airline counter. I’ll bring you home immediately if you want.”

Sophie stopped swinging. If staying in town would save her uncle’s company, she’d suck it up and do it. “Are we going bankrupt?”

He coughed. “No. Well, I don’t think so. That’s not something for you to worry about, sweetheart. I’ll take care of it.”

“I love you,” she whispered.

“I love you, too. Want me to send you a ticket home?”

His unconditional love always gave her a much needed security. “Thanks, but I have some business to take care of here first.” Then she would make her own decisions—without any interference.

“Call me if you need me.” He ended the call.

Sophie pushed back from the porch swing just as a blue Toyota Sequoia rumbled to a stop behind her Jeep.

Leila waved from the backseat’s open window. “We came to take you to lunch. And to see your surprise.”

“Hop in.” Loni reached across the front seat and pushed open the passenger door.

Sophie wavered at the top of the porch stairs.

“Come on. You get a surprise ,” Leila called out impatiently.

Sophie bounded down the wide steps and hopped into the large SUV.

“We should’ve called,” Loni said as she drove away. “Sorry about the commissioners.”

“It wasn’t much of a surprise after the hearing, anyway,” Sophie admitted.

“Now you can design the tribe’s course, right?” Loni asked.

Sophie stiffened. “I don’t think so.”

“I guess that’ll be between you and Jake. “ Loni focused intently on her driving. “Should we do lunch first or go see the surprise?”

“The surprise!” Leila chirped from the backseat. “You are going to love it, Sophie.”

Sophie turned and smiled at the little girl. “I do love surprises.”

“Are you and Daddy getting married?” Wise charcoal eyes twinkled.

Loni gasped out a cough. “Uh, Leila, that’s private.” She shot a curious sideways glance at Sophie.

“No, it isn’t. If Sophie marries Daddy, then I get a mama.” Wistfulness filled the girl’s tone.

Sophie’s heart splintered. “You and I are friends, no matter what.”

“Oh. So you won’t be my mama.” The girl sniffed.

“I’ll be your friend,” Sophie said softly.

Leila shrugged, crossing her arms. “That’d be good, too. Though Daddy’s a catch. Somebody else will marry him and be my mama if you don’t.”

Loni smothered a laugh with her hand. “How do you know your daddy’s a catch?”

Leila clapped her hands together. “Grets’s mom said so last week.”

“Grets’s mom shouldn’t say things like that,” Loni said.

“Well, Grandma? Is Daddy a catch or not?” Leila asked.

Loni rolled her eyes. “Of course he’s a catch.”

“Told you, Sophie.” Leila giggled.

Sophie turned a surprised glance toward Loni when they entered the drive leading to Jake’s house. Loni smiled.

“You could live here. It’s pretty great.” Leila continued her campaign.

The vehicle rolled to a stop before Jake’s expansive home, and Sophie was saved from answering as the little girl released her booster seat and leapt out of the car.

“This way.” Loni’s eyes sparkled as she exited the car and turned toward the stand-alone garage with triple brown doors.

“My surprise is in the garage?” Sophie asked. Leila placed a small hand in hers, and Sophie’s heart swelled.

“No, upstairs.” The little girl tugged her toward the stairway to the left of the garage doors then released her to run up and push open the door. Sophie followed at a slower pace with Loni on her heels and gasped as she entered the empty room.

A high-pitched roof and exposed beams gave the shadows angles to play while light filtered in wide windows scattered across all four walls and illuminated the oak floor. Sophie focused on the lone easel set on a drop cloth in the middle of the room.

“Jake always planned to make this into an exercise room, but he uses the gym in town instead. It looks perfect for a studio.” Loni’s voice echoed around them.

“It is perfect,” Sophie breathed, the possibilities entrancing her. “But I don’t understand.”

Leila’s eyes gleamed. “Don’t you like it?”

“I love it.” Rolling pastures dotted with horses spread out the back window, mountains rose high and proud out the side, and Mineral Lake stretched out to the left. “But Loni?—”

Loni opened her arms. “Looks like a nice place to work on the exhibit for Juliet. The girl really could use a successful launch.”

“She could?” Sophie asked.

“She just moved here a few months ago. An exhibit would surely put her in good form. But we hadn’t found the right artist. Until now,” Loni said.

Sophie’s gaze softened on the easel and empty canvas. “I don’t know. I’m shocked Jake would create this for me at his house. I mean, we’re not really dating or anything.” She hadn’t decided to do the gallery showing and hadn’t agreed to the tribe’s golf course—as far as he knew, she was returning to San Francisco soon.

“It’s just a great place where you can capture the surrounding area easily, and it wasn’t being used. We help each other here, and you needed a place to paint. Although, whether you’re dating or not, take that up with Jake. I believe my boy can be extremely persuasive.” Loni turned toward the door and beckoned Leila forward. “Where should we take Sophie for lunch?”

Sophie wasn’t surprised when her cell phone rang. Jake’s deep voice came over the line like warm honey. “How are things?”

“I’m not sure what to say.” She leaned against the wall, back in her bedroom at the B&B.

Silence pounded across the line for a minute. “Say about what?”

“The art studio,” she said quietly.

“What art studio?” he asked.

She jerked. “Um, the art studio in the top of your garage?”

He cleared his throat. “There’s an art studio in my garage?”

“Oh, no.” She sank on the bed and yanked a pillow over her face. Jake had no clue. “Your mother and Leila?—”

Jake swore. “Aw, shit, Sunshine. I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”

“I figured that out,” she mumbled. For a brief time, she’d thought maybe he was considering something permanent. Heat filled her face until her cheeks ached. What in the world had she been thinking? She hadn’t wanted that anyway—the man was too controlling.

“The town, my mother, they love you.” Jake sighed. “They interfere, but they mean well.”

Could the world just open up and swallow her? Please? “I like them, too,” she said.

“Maybe it’s a good thing. The studio at my place… In case you’re pregnant,” he said slowly.

Oh, for goodness sakes. There was no way she was pregnant. “I’m not, and even so, I could be pregnant in San Francisco,” she ground out. She threw the pillow across the room.

“A baby needs a father,” he said.

“We’re way ahead of the issue, here. I am not pregnant. Seriously, Jake. It was one. Well, two, times.” Her embarrassment turned to irritation. “Besides, I won’t let you manipulate me—trying to buy my design and everything.”

There was a shuffling and then, “Damn it. I have to go. But I’m not trying to manipulate you.”

“Are, too,” she retorted.

“You’re impossible. We’ll discuss it as soon as I can call back.” With that, he disengaged the call.

“Jerk,” Sophie muttered into the empty room.

Sophie finished the designs for Willa’s Garden but neglected to redesign the golf course for the tribe. Jake didn’t call, and she told herself she was happy about that. The last thing she wanted was to fight with him. Loni and Leila found an excuse each day to drop by and take her to lunch, and one day the three of them even rode horseback to a picnic spot overlooking Loni and Tom’s ranch.

Loni patiently related tribal history, probably to nudge her into doing the paintings, while Leila blatantly brought Jake into every conversation along with not so subtle reminders that if Sophie didn’t snatch him up, somebody would.

Sophie found herself wishing the little girl were hers. To love and protect.

Finally, she just couldn’t deal with her thoughts alone any longer. The voices in her head were starting to argue with one another. She called the one person in town who might understand. “Juliet? How about we meet for lunch?”