her? Leaving River Run and moving in with Nate wasn’t an option. She’d considered it briefly the first night Stone arrived, but the thought of bringing trouble to a man who’d survived a grueling life seemed unfair.
She’d protect Nate. He’d sheltered her from loneliness and pain at great personal cost. The man didn’t need any more problems, and the arrival of his son already caused him agony.
“I understand your feelings...” she began, but the dangerous shadow that crossed Stone’s face interrupted her.
“How could you? I don’t know what lies he’s told you, but I can certainly assure you that you don’t understand. Look at your surroundings, look at where you were raised.”
She stood and tossed her napkin on the table. Bending down, her nose practically touching his, she could feel his breath on her face. “Look at where I was raised?” She battled to control her anger and despair. “You know nothing. You could’ve had this...all of this and then some, but instead you ran. But don’t you worry, Mr. Connor, I’ll respect your wishes. However, I won’t be able to stay the year, that’s asking too much.”
Emma turned around and collided with Tilly. “It looks like Mr. Connor will be dining alone tonight,” she said.
“What do you mean you won’t be able to stay the year?” Stone called to her back. She stopped, turned and faced him.
“Your father needs me,” she said. Her anger at his self-centered demand barely remained in check. “He won’t survive.”
“But…”
She raised her hand, denying any retort. “I’ll be leaving as soon as I find an apartment.” Her heart stuttered. How was she going to find a place to rent? Money wasn’t the problem, it was the application. Her name would be made public. Damn, Stone Connor. Damn him.
“Stop,” Stone yelled, rising to his feet and crossing the space in three long strides. He grabbed her arm and stared into her eyes. His steely gaze laced with a hint of desperation confirmed to Emma that his capability to manage River Run was nil. “I don’t want you to leave.”
What a snake pit of contradiction. His actions defied his words at every corner of their conversation. He didn’t want her to leave, but he demanded unreasonable restrictions. Unfortunately, her position remained equally as perilous. They needed one another, whether they liked it or not.
“I need to see your father.”
“Why? What’s he to you?”
“Do you really want to know?” Emma pushed his hand off her arm, stepping forward and jabbing a finger to his chest. “You don’t care. You won’t forgive.”
“Damn right, I won’t forgive. That man’s nothing but pig slop to me.”
“It’s a shame, you know? The two of you have so many wonderful qualities in common it’d be a real show stopper to see who’d out spit the other.”
Stone glared at her. “I’m nothing like that man.”
“You’d be surprised.” Emma turned once more, heading into the house.
“Does he have to come here?” Stone called.
She paused and thought a moment. Attempting to lay her emotions aside and think clearly, Emma contemplated her best interests. She faced Stone.
“No, I’ll go to him.”
“See?” He grinned lopsidedly. “We can do this. You don’t have to run away every time I’m being difficult.”
Emma didn’t find any of this humorous. Actually, her stomach felt as if it’d sunk to the bottom of Jenny Lake. She’d go to Nate. She’d stay with Stone. Why then, did it all feel wrong?
“I’m no longer hungry.”
“What a shame,” Tilly interrupted, scooting in from the kitchen. “Maybe he’ll appreciate a little company of the more friendly kind.” Emma watched in astonishment as the chef gracefully slid into the chair beside Stone. “It’s a shame for all the food to go to waste,” she practically cooed.
Turning to see Stone’s reaction, her gut twisted painfully at his obvious interest in Tilly.
“Fine, Tilly. It appears Mr. Connor
She’d protect Nate. He’d sheltered her from loneliness and pain at great personal cost. The man didn’t need any more problems, and the arrival of his son already caused him agony.
“I understand your feelings...” she began, but the dangerous shadow that crossed Stone’s face interrupted her.
“How could you? I don’t know what lies he’s told you, but I can certainly assure you that you don’t understand. Look at your surroundings, look at where you were raised.”
She stood and tossed her napkin on the table. Bending down, her nose practically touching his, she could feel his breath on her face. “Look at where I was raised?” She battled to control her anger and despair. “You know nothing. You could’ve had this...all of this and then some, but instead you ran. But don’t you worry, Mr. Connor, I’ll respect your wishes. However, I won’t be able to stay the year, that’s asking too much.”
Emma turned around and collided with Tilly. “It looks like Mr. Connor will be dining alone tonight,” she said.
“What do you mean you won’t be able to stay the year?” Stone called to her back. She stopped, turned and faced him.
“Your father needs me,” she said. Her anger at his self-centered demand barely remained in check. “He won’t survive.”
“But…”
She raised her hand, denying any retort. “I’ll be leaving as soon as I find an apartment.” Her heart stuttered. How was she going to find a place to rent? Money wasn’t the problem, it was the application. Her name would be made public. Damn, Stone Connor. Damn him.
“Stop,” Stone yelled, rising to his feet and crossing the space in three long strides. He grabbed her arm and stared into her eyes. His steely gaze laced with a hint of desperation confirmed to Emma that his capability to manage River Run was nil. “I don’t want you to leave.”
What a snake pit of contradiction. His actions defied his words at every corner of their conversation. He didn’t want her to leave, but he demanded unreasonable restrictions. Unfortunately, her position remained equally as perilous. They needed one another, whether they liked it or not.
“I need to see your father.”
“Why? What’s he to you?”
“Do you really want to know?” Emma pushed his hand off her arm, stepping forward and jabbing a finger to his chest. “You don’t care. You won’t forgive.”
“Damn right, I won’t forgive. That man’s nothing but pig slop to me.”
“It’s a shame, you know? The two of you have so many wonderful qualities in common it’d be a real show stopper to see who’d out spit the other.”
Stone glared at her. “I’m nothing like that man.”
“You’d be surprised.” Emma turned once more, heading into the house.
“Does he have to come here?” Stone called.
She paused and thought a moment. Attempting to lay her emotions aside and think clearly, Emma contemplated her best interests. She faced Stone.
“No, I’ll go to him.”
“See?” He grinned lopsidedly. “We can do this. You don’t have to run away every time I’m being difficult.”
Emma didn’t find any of this humorous. Actually, her stomach felt as if it’d sunk to the bottom of Jenny Lake. She’d go to Nate. She’d stay with Stone. Why then, did it all feel wrong?
“I’m no longer hungry.”
“What a shame,” Tilly interrupted, scooting in from the kitchen. “Maybe he’ll appreciate a little company of the more friendly kind.” Emma watched in astonishment as the chef gracefully slid into the chair beside Stone. “It’s a shame for all the food to go to waste,” she practically cooed.
Turning to see Stone’s reaction, her gut twisted painfully at his obvious interest in Tilly.
“Fine, Tilly. It appears Mr. Connor
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