Chapter 8

Chapter

Eight

Rhett was stuck between a rock and a hard place as he tried to swallow bites of his medium-rare ribeye and figure out how to show Sloan he planned to be there for her and help her. At the same time, he had to be loyal to the other builders, especially Josh, his own crews, and the sub-contractors he routinely used. Josh was his mentor and one of his closest friends. Without Josh working with him on the needed years of apprenticeship, Rhett might still be swinging a hammer on a framing crew, praying for his chance. Josh was intense at times, but he’d come around, as would the other contractors. They’d realize that working with Sloan would help everyone in the long run.

Sloan said nothing as she ate with proper manners. She was a classy lady through and through. He was impressed with how she held herself and dealt with the hits that just kept coming. He could see in her deep-brown eyes that she’d wanted to stick up for herself and tell Josh off, but she’d stayed silent. That showed strength and control that few had.

He was drawn to her. Except for when she got prickly and pushed him away. His parents and his brothers and their wives all had different but fabulous relationships. They supported each other. Though they could each be strong alone, they were stronger with their spouse. Sloan seemed to think if she let down her guard with him, he’d try to control her or overrun her. Unless he was reading it wrong, it was a deep-seated trust issue.

Rhett was generally good with people, but the insight he felt he had into Sloan’s emotions and triggers was unique for him. Did she see that they had a special connection or was she going to shove him the other direction? Would she really insist on a hotel?

Her idiot cousins probably had no clue where she was, and those two seemed like half-cocked drunks, but they were obviously lifelong brawlers and had decent fighting skills. The entire situation made him uneasy. Who was in Sloan’s corner? Up here, only him. Unless he was reading her wrong, she was going to dump her trust of him and the relationship they’d been building. It had only been a matter of hours since he’d met her, but it felt significant. To him at least.

Could there be any truth to Josh’s accusations that he was dumping his loyalties for a pretty face? Maybe he simply wasn’t around exceptionally beautiful women enough. It felt much deeper than that. He was protective of Sloan, drawn to Sloan, had a connection with Sloan. None of it mattered if she was going to close off and push him away.

The waitress came to check on them and Sloan said, “The food is excellent.” She shoved a credit card in the woman’s hand. “Thank you.”

“Ah, no.” Rhett stood and hurried to the waitress, pulling Sloan’s credit card out of her hand and yanking his wallet out.

“What are you doing?” Sloan demanded, standing as well. She looked impertinent and enthralling from her deep-brown eyes to her sky-high heels.

He handed over his American Express. “Paying for dinner. I asked you out on a date, not the other way around.” He’d been raised to be a gentleman. Sloan probably took exception to that, but it wouldn’t change that he was paying.

Sloan snatched her credit card out of his hand. He waited for her to slip it back into her purse. He hadn’t noticed her slipping it out, so caught up in the dilemma of how to keep everyone happy, keep Sloan safe, help her with the development, and if the good Lord willed, develop a relationship with her.

She shoved her credit card back at the waitress and stole his card from the waitress’s grip, hiding it in her clasped hands. “I am paying. It’s a business dinner.” She gave the waitress and then him a very insincere smile.

“Not on my watch,” Rhett growled. He was well-respected with his crews and didn’t put up with crap, but he wasn’t growly or angry. He felt both right now.

“I won,” Sloan said. “Deal with it, Mr. Macho Man.”

The words weren’t a compliment. He didn’t care who won, but he wanted to take care of her, be here for her, and she’d said she wasn’t even in the black with this development. She couldn’t afford many meals like this one.

He wasn’t going to rip his credit card out of Sloan’s hands. He pulled a different card out of his wallet.

“Don’t you dare take that,” Sloan demanded of the waitress.

“I’ll be right back,” the waitress mumbled, rushing away with Sloan’s credit card.

Sloan put his credit card in her pants pocket, sat primly on the hard chair, back straight, and cut another piece of steak. Rhett stared down at her, thunder rolling through his chest. He had never met such an aggravating, confusing, and enticing woman.

Drawing in a breath and then pushing it out, he said a prayer for insight and patience. He settled into his seat, but he couldn’t eat. He studied her. She avoided his gaze, taking delicate bites. He swallowed a drink of water and set it down too hard on the table. It sloshed around, looking as agitated as he felt inside. All he was trying to do was help her and stick his neck out there for her, with Josh of all people. And what did she do? Treated him like a pain in her backside and bought his seventy-dollar ribeye, not to mention the side dishes.

The waitress brought the bill, avoiding Rhett’s gaze. Sloan warmly thanked her, wrote in a tip, and signed the receipt. Handing the card holder back, she asked, “Is there a hotel close by?”

“You are not going to a hotel,” Rhett bit out at her.

“You all have a nice night,” the waitress said, clinging to the card holder and scampering away.

Sloan tilted her chin, pulled Rhett’s credit card out of her pocket, and tossed it across the table at him.

He put both cards in his wallet and shoved it into his pocket.

“You are not going to a hotel,” he repeated, holding her gaze.

“Rhett, no way am I staying with you,” she flung back at him. She took a deep breath and continued. “I appreciate all you’ve done for me, but your ‘friend’ reminded me that I always stand on my own. I will take care of my own issues and fix this mess. I am not going to disparage your name by associating it with mine.”

“You aren’t going to disparage my name,” he said, his jaw tight. “Sloan, I can handle Josh and everybody else. You’re in over your head and you need me.”

It was the wrong thing to say. Her eyes narrowed, the deep brown turning almost black. She sprang to her feet. “That’s where you’re wrong, Rhett Coleville. I don’t need anybody.”

She gave him a sassy glare and strode from the table and out of the restaurant. Rhett grabbed his hat and stormed after her, ignoring the looks of nearby patrons who’d overheard their fight.

He shadowed her to his truck. She stood by the back door of his Ram, clinging to the purse over her shoulder, and said, “Please unlock the truck. I’ll retrieve my things and be on my way.”

“Sloan.” He said her name like a moan. It was probably the completely wrong move, but he edged in and circled her firm back with his hands.

He was prepared for her to slug him or slap him.

Instead, she leaned into him and let out a whimper that about undid him. She didn’t wrap her arms around him, but she did lean.

She straightened just as quickly as she’d leaned and grew stiff as a board. “Please, Rhett.”

Rhett studied her, seeing vulnerability and pain in her eyes and a need that spoke to him. There was also bravery and pride that he understood too. He was the fifth of six boys. His brothers were great guys, but he’d had to fight to prove himself in the pecking order, prove he could stand on his own and they didn’t need to watch out for him every other minute. He’d also had to fight in the construction industry to scrap a name for himself. He wouldn’t have that without Josh though. How to make things right with everybody?

“If you want to stay in a hotel, I will drive you to whatever hotel is most convenient for you,” he conceded, his hands still on her lower back. “I’m not unloading your bags and letting you drag them to the Travelodge five blocks away in the dark.”

He studied her, and he prayed. He needed help and inspiration right now. He needed his heart softened, but he also needed Sloan, Josh, and a whole heap of other people to soften their hearts. Rhett was well-liked and he’d rarely been in the middle of such a muddle. He had no idea how to make it all work out. Faith was all he could rely on right now.

Sloan stepped back, out of his arms. Rhett’s arms fell to his sides. She was going to cuss him out and drag her suitcases to the Travelodge. What a woman. If he wasn’t so concerned for her, he’d be telling her how impressed he was by her.

Finally, she said quietly, “Can you please drive me to a hotel that’s close to the county offices? I can walk there in the morning and figure out who to call to get my car unstuck.” She tilted up her chin and gave him a half-smile. Her chin trembled ever so slightly. Rhett’s stomach tumbled. He knew she was feeling alone, and he knew deep down she needed him, but she wouldn’t accept his help. The more he got to know her, the more he realized he was lucky she hadn’t stepped into the battle with her cousins by herself. Fiercely independent didn’t begin to describe her. She’d have fought those idiots and injured herself.

“Sherman Lodge is a nice hotel and the closest to the county offices.” Thankfully they were far from tourist season and any hotel would have vacancy.

“Thank you.”

He clicked the unlock button and pulled open the door. He reached for her, but she scrambled into the truck before he could help her. They’d regressed horribly in the time it had taken to eat one steak dinner.

Shutting the door, he walked around and loaded up. They drove in silence to Sherman Lodge. She pushed open the door and jumped out before he could help her out. He had to rush around to help her yank her bags out of the truck. Thankfully she didn’t fight him on carrying them up into the hotel. She carried her treats, purse, and the ruined coat that had been on the floor. Her body was ramrod stiff and he could read that she was annoyed he was walking her in, but he wouldn’t leave her alone until he knew she was safe.

The front desk girl was friendly and had her checked in for a two-night stay before too long. Only two nights? Did she really think she could solve the mess with the development in two days, or would she look for a long-term rental? What if she was gone in two days, back to Vegas? The idea made a thick cloud of depression settle over him.

As soon as she had her keys, Sloan said to him, “I can get those.”

“Please. Let me walk to your room.”

“Ah,” the front desk girl sighed dreamily. “You two are the most gorgeous couple.”

“We’re not …” Sloan started.

“Thank you,” Rhett finished. He forced a smile and carried the suitcases to the stairs and up them. Sloan stayed in step with him.

He had a million questions for her. What was her plan to keep her cousins at bay? Would she let him help pull some strings with the county and the asphalt guys or would that tick her off even more? Could he convince her they should be on the same team? What was her relationship with her dad or some other man that had made her so prickly about a man helping her? Was she really leaving in two days?

Clearly now was not the time for his questions. The silence was thick between them, and he didn’t know how to penetrate it.

Reaching the door, she passed the keycard over it and pushed down the handle. Rhett pushed the door wide and held it as she walked in. He tugged her suitcases in, then stepped back.

“Thank you,” she said. “I would’ve been in deep trouble without you today.” It seemed to cost her to say the words. Her dark eyes had a shutter over them.

“Happy to help,” he managed to say in a level tone. He wanted to beg her to let him keep helping. That was lame as she only wanted to keep him at arm’s length. “I’ll get a tow truck to get your car out and have them park it here at the hotel as soon as the ground thaws a bit tomorrow.”

“I can call a tow.”

“Please. I know a guy.” He smiled, hoping it would disarm her.

She moistened her lips, and he thought she’d refuse him, but she finally just nodded and studied the door next to him. “Thank you. I don’t know a guy.”

He realized she was joking, but the way she’d said it was a sharp dig. She didn’t know him, not really, and she wouldn’t let herself get to know him.

“Goodnight.” She started to shut the door.

“Sloan …” He held his hand out. “Please, if I can help, let me know.”

She studied him from the crack in the half-open door. A slight smile played on her beautiful lips. “Rhett … Please, you know I will never ask for help.”

He gave a half-laugh at that and shook his head. “I’m afraid that’s true.”

“It is.” She tossed him a brave and sassy smile, though her dark eyes betrayed her. She was hurting. She was alone. But no matter what, she wouldn’t let down her guard with him again. He’d hurt her by commiserating with the other builders about how horrible the developer was. This rift between them seemed irreparable. That stunk as he was drawn to her like he’d never been drawn to a woman. He wanted to be there for her, and he feared she’d go stomping into job sites in those heels—they’d never gone to buy her the boots—and have construction guys hitting on her and possibly pushing things too far. Even worse, she might encounter her cousins or, in her fierce independence, she might go searching for a battle with them.

Before he could beg her again to let him at least stay close by if she needed protection, she shut the door.

Rhett took his hat off, slapped it against his leg, shoved his hand through his hair, and jammed the hat back on.

What a day.

What a woman.

Too bad he’d made her an enemy instead of an ally and ticked off Josh.

He felt like he’d met the right woman for him today, but she wouldn’t even let down her guard and let him help her with something he knew well—construction in Montana. There was no possibility of her letting him into her heart.

Sadly, he didn’t know women and their hearts well at all.