“Anna.”
“Hmm?”
“Stop a minute.”
“What? Why? We’ve got to get organized.”
I reached for her hands and plucked the pen and paper from her fingers and set them on the table. “Just breathe for a minute.”
I pulled her hands to my lips and let my kiss linger there while I looked through my lashes at her. “We’ll get everything done. We’ve got Marcus. It’s his job to keep those fields ready. All the other guys will help. We’re not hosting a Presidential ball.”
She softened a little, but worry still cast shadows in her eyes. “I just want them to see what an incredible place this is.”
“Baby, if they can’t already see that, they never will. I’m not going to put on a show just for them. This farm speaks for itself. Sure, there are a few things we can do. We’ll prioritize. But I don’t want you stressing over it. You already have your hands full.”
My words seemed to fall on deaf ears.
“Oh, my God, Chase,” she went on as if I hadn’t spoken. “The barn! It needs to be cleaned out to get ready for thedance. But we can’t have it looking like a construction zone when the committee comes.”
“We’ll figure it out. We’ve got time. And I’ve got a crew to help.”
She leaned into me and exhaled slowly. “You make it sound so easy.”
“That’s because I’ve got you by my side.”
She lifted her head, and I caught the light in her eyes—soft, steady, and full of something that both made my heart beat faster and settle at the same time. “That you do.”
I captured her lips in a lingering kiss. She melted into me with a quiet moan, and for a second, I gave serious thought to picking her up and carrying her back to bed. But then the sound of an engine roaring up the drive met my ears.
I lifted my head. “Rain check. Someone is coming.”
She looked at me a little dazed, then suddenly glanced down at herself. “Shoot. I need to go change and then get breakfast for Jordan.”
As she scurried out of the room, a silver truck with theSterling Constructionlogo rolled to a stop near the porch.
Cameron.
My jaw tensed, and my lips pressed into a thin line.
She climbed out slowly, like she wasn’t sure she should be here at all. I hated that. My family had always been the kind to show up unannounced and be welcomed without hesitation. But today, Cam waited at the bottom of the steps, her shoulders tight. She looked up at me, her eyes a little guarded.
“Morning,” she said, giving me a tentative smile. “Hope I’m not interrupting anything.”
“Nope.” I didn’t like the feeling of astandoff, but she knew my boundaries when it came to Anna. “I’m surprised you aren’t at the resort.”
Cameron had gotten an incredible opportunity to be part of the renovations at The Laurel Ridge Hotel after the work she and Mac did onRenovation Station. The new owner greatly admired their work and loved that she was a local designer and contractor. He’d brought her on to lead the restoration of the old hotel further up the mountain. I was so proud of her, but it meant she spent a lot of her time up there, so we saw less of her.
I didn’t move to greet her, just crossed my arms and waited. I hated the hurt I saw in her eyes, but I was going to stand by the line I’d drawn in the sand. It was up to her to cross it and meet me.
“Things are moving along well there. They don’t need me to be on site as much now. It’s just a lot of copying the layout and design of what we’ve already done.”
I gave a quick nod. “That’s good.”
She sighed. “Look. I know I probably shouldn’t have just shown up here, but I wanted to do this before I lost my nerve.”
I snickered. “Since when have you had a shortage of nerves?”
She cracked a smile. “Fair.” She paused, then said more quietly, “I owe you—and Anna—an apology. I’ll start with you. I’m sorry I was rude to someone in your home who did nothing other than be here. I won’t lie. I worry about you. But you were right. It’s not my place to mother you. I’ll do my best just to be your sister and support you.”
