Chapter 15

Chapter

Fifteen

Rhett watched Sloan’s face light up. She was enchanted with his house. She’d said it was her ‘dream house’ and she’d gone on and on about every detail. He’d built the house last year and been particular about every detail. It had annoyed the architect and interior designer, but his men had been willing to do everything he asked. Great guys.

Dinner was delicious. They talked about some of the projects she’d worked on commercially and then she started asking more questions about each of his family members. She seemed hungry for details about his family and him. When he tried to turn the conversation around to her, she would deflect and go back to drawing him out about all things Coleville. His family was great, but what about hers? She’d said her mom died, and it didn’t sound like things were great with her dad. No siblings and her only cousins were the jerks who’d claimed they would kill her.

Who did Sloan have in her life? It concerned him deeply that she didn’t seem to have any lasting connections. What held her back from developing them? What had her dad done to her? She finally told him some stories about her best friend Kathy who’d been there for her since they were assigned to dorm together freshmen year at ASU.

Sighing, she leaned back in her chair, her plate almost empty. “Without Kathy, I don’t know that I could’ve stayed strong enough to escape my dad.”

“Escape your dad?” He pushed back slightly from the table and angled more fully toward her.

She looked out at the deepening dusk and the river flowing by.

“Sloan …” How did he delve into her relationship with her dad, and was it any of his business? He was falling for her, but he wasn’t certain if she reciprocated the feeling. Would he risk her pushing him away if he pushed too hard?

“Let’s clean this mess up,” she said brightly, standing and grabbing her plate, silverware, and cup and heading for the sink.

Rhett stood and they worked together in silence to put the leftovers away, load the dishwasher, and wipe off the counter and table.

When they finished, they each washed their hands and then Sloan turned from the sink and stared at him. “Thank you for dinner.”

Ah, shoot. She was done. She was leaving.

“Thank you for coming.” He searched his brain. “Would you like to stay and play Monopoly Deal?”

Monopoly Deal? That was really his best idea? He almost rolled his eyes at himself. Rhett didn’t date as often as his mama would like, but he wasn’t a tween newbie around women.

“What is Monopoly Deal?”

“It’s the card game version of the board game. You can play it with only two people; that’s why I thought of it.”

“I’ve never played the card game or the board game.”

Rhett didn’t know what to say to that. He and his family had played games all the time growing up.

“It’s kind of fun.” He lifted his shoulders and knew he was not ‘selling himself’ very well, as his brother Easton would say. “Or we could go for ice cream.”

Would that fall flat after last night?

She smiled. “I’d like to try your card game.”

“Okay.”

He retrieved the cards from the game closet, and they sat at the table. She was at least close to him as she sat at one end and he sat right next to her. He dealt the cards and they started playing. Sloan was bright and caught on quick, especially for never having played the regular Monopoly.

She was a trash talker, reminding him of his brothers. They laughed and teased based on who was winning at any given moment. The game could swing in favor of one participant quick, so they both got jabs in and laughed a lot. Maybe his card game inspiration wasn’t too bad.

Sloan was relaxed and happy. She was more enthralling to him by the moment.

After five games, she gave a sigh and said, “I love picturing you playing card games with all your brothers. You must’ve had the best childhood.”

“We did,” he admitted, wondering if that was a hot button for her.

“Did your parents”—she drew two cards and looked at her hand—“spend time with you as well?”

“Yes. We all helped Mama as best we could, probably drove her crazy doing a ‘half-butt’ job, but she was patient with us and she made work, playtime, reading, and gospel learning fun.”

She looked wistful. He wondered if she’d talk about her mom. “What about your father?”

“Papa’s great. Quiet, solid, protective, patient. He tried to take us with him to do chores as much as possible, give Mama a break.”

“That was very thoughtful of him.” She paused and then asked, “Did your parents come to all your football games?”

“Yeah.” He smiled thinking about it. “Sometimes they’d have to drive hours for a game, but they never missed. Mama was the team mama. Everybody loved her.”

“Baking cookies for all the boys?”

“Oh, for sure. And she had this huge bag of medicine, athletic tape, extra mouth guards, electrolytes—you name it, that bag had it. She took better care of the team than the athletic trainer did.”

“I’d like to meet her.” Her gaze looked almost apprehensive.

“She’d love to meet you.” His heart took flight. If she wanted to meet his mama, she must be serious about dating him.

She didn’t respond to that. She played three cards and gestured to him.

He drew two cards and quickly laid a couple down to build up his sets, then set his cards down. “What were your parents like?”

She drew two cards, not looking at him. “My dad is in charge of everything and everyone and my mom … she was his beautiful arm candy and his puppet.” Her eyes flashed as she looked up at him and set her cards on the table face down. “That’s why I’ve vowed to never be in a man’s control.”

Rhett’s eyes widened. Was that how she thought marriage went? One partner controlling the other?

Her gaze was challenging. Rhett chose his words carefully. “I’m sorry your dad controlled your mom. I don’t know how it works for other people, but with my parents and my brothers and their wives, they are equal partners. They support each other and unselfishly do a lot for each other because of how much they love and appreciate their spouse.” He stopped, wondering if he’d just made the situation worse and wondering if Sloan would even want to try a relationship. Was he falling for a woman who wasn’t willing to try and work together? Who instinctively believed every man was some control freak because that was how she’d grown up?

“Sounds like a Disneyland answer,” she murmured. “Picture perfect.”

His eyes widened. His family wasn’t picture perfect, but they put the Savior and family first. Love, patience, humor, faith, and unselfishness got them through the hard and good days.

Before he could riddle out how to respond, she stood and said, “I’d better go. I don’t want to overstay my welcome.”

He stood as well. “Sloan … I don’t think you could possibly overstay your welcome.” He wanted her here, wanted to grow closer to her, even as a small part of him wondered at the wisdom of falling even harder for her.

She glanced up at him, shook her head, and hurried through the living area and to the front entrance.

Rhett strode behind her, watching her dark curly hair flow behind her and the stubborn set to her shoulders and head. He’d somehow marred this night. By sharing that his family life was good? It seemed a very odd thing for her to get offended about, especially as she’d drawn him out. He guessed if he didn’t have a supportive and loving family, it might be a difficult subject.

Reaching the front entry, she spun to face him. “You don’t have to walk me home. It’s two houses away and a safe neighborhood.”

His brows rose. “I’m going to walk you home, Sloan.”

“Because you’re a gentleman?” she shot at him.

“Yes. And because I care about you, want to make sure you’re safe, and want to spend as much time as possible with you.” He wasn’t going to change who he was or risk her safety. He prayed she wouldn’t take exception to that but could bet she would.

“Rhett,” she began, and he waited for the sparks. Instead, she leaned back against the stair railing as if she couldn’t handle the weight anymore. She shook her head, staring up at him with her deep-brown eyes suspiciously bright. “I don’t think you should care about me.”

“Excuse me?” Was this the moment where she wrote him off?

“Look at you. You’re the ultra-desirable cowboy contractor who every single woman is after. Why are you trying to break through my walls? Why waste your time on me?” She blinked quickly and shot the words out there before he could rebuttal that it wasn’t a waste. “My dad was a controlling jerk, Rhett, and yours is protective and kind. My mom never stood up for herself or for her only daughter. Your mom is some angel raising six boys with love and taking care of the entire football team in her spare time.” She shook her head. “You and I aren’t going to mesh. Our backgrounds are too different. I’ll push you away sooner or later.” She looked worn down and sad. “It might as well be sooner.” She moved to step around him.

“Sloan.” Rhett wrapped his hands around her upper arms and very gently turned her back to face him. “Please don’t push me away like this. Give me a chance. Give us a chance.”

“Rhett, there is no us.” She stared at him with her deep-brown eyes bright, begging him to prove her wrong.

“There could be,” he insisted. “Look at how brave you’ve been. Fighting through the problems with the development, taking on the county and all the contractors, making friends everywhere you go. Not being afraid of your cousins even though they’ve tried to hurt you and threatened to kill you.”

“I was terrified of my cousins. I only acted brave because you were there.”

“You may have been scared inside, but you were brave on the outside. I’m grateful I could protect you, and I want to be there to support and help you any way I can, but you are a singularly courageous and confident woman, Sloan. You have taken on difficult tasks and people and not only survived but thrived. I want to be around you. I want to stand by your side. Please. Be brave about a relationship and give us a chance.”

Sloan studied him for so long he feared she’d slip out that door and he’d be back to footings with no floor joists in sight, let alone walls framed. No, it’d be worse. If Sloan turned him away when he’d laid out there that he wanted to be with her, there would be awkwardness between them. It would keep them apart. At least right now, before she turned him away, he had a chance to build a structure with her.

“Has anyone ever told you that you are the most determined man on the planet?” she asked.

He cocked his head and then shook it. “Just wait until you meet my brothers.”

“Ah, Rhett. I want to meet your brothers and their wives and Mama and Papa and little Presley …” She let out a garbled cry that wrenched at his heart. It was disconcerting and tender at the same time to see such a confident lady break down.

She grabbed his shirt and hauled herself up closer to him.

Rhett was stunned, but he quickly framed her hips and waist with his hands and pulled her in closer.

“Why do I want you so badly, want to be part of your life and your world, when I know I’d never fit there?” she demanded of him, her hands sliding around his shoulders and his neck.

“Sloan. You don’t just fit in my world; you’re the missing piece that makes everything work.”

Her eyes registered shock at his words. “You don’t mean that.”

“I do. I want you in my life, Sloan. In my arms, my heart, my family, my world.”

She drew in a breath and then admitted, “I’m scared.”

His heart missed a beat at this brave and independent woman admitting that. She was being vulnerable, for him.

“I would never take away your independence, but if you want me by your side, I would be there for you, every step of the way.”

He held his breath, waiting for her to refuse him or at least give a rebuttal.

Sloan studied him with those dark eyes and then she arched up and kissed him.

Rhett’s surprise lasted less than a fraction of a second before he gladly returned her kiss. He savored her in his arms. This felt just like their interrupted first kiss. They were magnetized together, and the fit was just right.

The joy of Sloan in his arms, her mouth dancing with his, hopeful that she might give him a chance, felt like a billion stars bursting to life in the night sky.

This was right.

No way could she deny that or push him away again.