Chapter 36

thirty-six

DANIEL

I turned over the steak on the barbecue. After we'd finished dancing, Ben had invited me for dinner. We could have been any other couple, anywhere in the world, enjoying each other's company. Except we weren't a couple. We weren't friends. We were something in between that didn't make a whole lot of sense.

"Would you like Dijon, ranch, or honey mustard dressing on the salad?" Ben's voice floated from the kitchen.

For a moment, I forgot what he'd asked and soaked in his beauty. While I was on the veranda, he'd changed into a white T-shirt and a pair of denim shorts. He looked like the guy next door, the man anyone would be mad not to marry.

"Daniel?"

I cleared my throat and tried to remember the options he'd given me. "Sorry. Ranch would be great."

Ben smiled and turned toward the living room.

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure." His smile dimmed but didn't completely disappear.

"Have you and your dad decided whether you'll work for Wilson Enterprises?"

"I…" He took a deep breath and focused on the table between us. "I was going to talk to you about that after dinner."

"Is there a reason we can't talk about it now?"

His chin lifted to meet my gaze. "Dad doesn't want to work with you. He's happy where he is."

I rubbed my temple. "Would it help if I talked to him? I could explain?—"

"He knows what could happen if we created jewelry for your company. But he wants to keep working with his friend. Stan was one of the few people who believed him when he said he didn't steal the designs."

"Loyalty won't make him rich or famous."

Ben winced. "None of that matters."

I'd said the wrong thing. Disappointment blazed from Ben's face and left me feeling less than the man I knew I was. "You're right. I'm sorry."

Ben sent me a sad smile. "When I was younger, Dad told me you can't expect loyalty from people if you don't give it. If you haven't learned that by now, Daniel, you never will."

There was a wariness in his gaze, an inevitability that made my heart clench tight. If I stood any chance of rebuilding my relationship with him, I had to let him see who I really was.

Letting someone close had only happened once. Tom had spent time with my family, been privy to information no one else knew. He'd used that information against me, almost destroying my relationship with my grandparents and bringing me to breaking point. But I had more faith in Ben. He wouldn't use what I told him against me, wouldn't pretend to be anything other than himself.

I sat on the edge of a wooden seat. "Six years ago, I was engaged to a man I thought I loved. But he told a competitor about a major acquisition my grandfather was about to make. Our competitor made an offer for the same company and bought it for a ridiculous price. They immediately stopped supplying our core product and nearly bankrupted Granddad's business."

I looked across the lake, drawing on its stillness to keep me centered. "What my fiancé did was wrong, but what it did to my grandparents was worse. The stable family we'd built was almost destroyed. Granddad was scrambling to raise money to keep his business operating. Grandma was so stressed she had a heart attack. After my parents died, I swore I'd keep my grandparents and brother safe. By letting Tom into my life, I didn't do that."

"You weren't responsible for what happened."

"I shared information with Tom that no one else knew."

Ben studied my face. "He must have known what he was doing was wrong."

"He knew the person who bought the company. He said it was an honest mistake."

"But you didn't believe him?"

"No. Tom didn't make mistakes like that."

"Did you start your own company to help your grandparents?"

I nodded. "By the time everything was settled, they were exhausted. Granddad sold his business and invested in mine. What happened made me wary of trusting anyone."

"I can understand that. Is your Grandma okay now?"

I gripped the tongs so tightly that my knuckles turned white. "She died two years ago. The damage from the heart attack permanently weakened the muscles in her heart. She passed away peacefully in her sleep."

"I'm sorry." Ben reached out and touched my arm.

The warmth of his hand centered me, gave me the courage to continue. "Working for Wilson Enterprises could take your career to a different level. At least promise me you'll think about it."

He started to say something, then frowned at the barbecue. "Do you want me to check the steak? It smells as though it's burning."

I spun around, flipped the meat, and switched off the grill. When I turned back, Ben was gone.

I just hoped he didn't feel the same way as his father. Because, regardless of what his dad thought, money made a big difference in your life.