And maybe that meant that Noah wasn’t the villain.
Jane moved to her window and stared down at the street below. She’d grown to love the people in Rocky Ridge more than she had ever expected to. She didn’t know all of them well, but she knew most of their names—it came naturally to her. Due to her involvement in the community, she had lots of opportunities to interact with many of them. She couldn’t see herself leaving this place any more than she could see herself holding a grudge against Noah for his actions.
He might have gone about it all wrong, but his heart had been in the right place when he’d meddled in her life. He’d wantedto make sure she was recognized for her efforts. She frowned at her own train of thinking. There was still a small part of her that didn’t like the idea of making excuses for him.
Noah was an adult. He knew what he was doing when he’d deceived her, and he was only upset because he got caught. At what point would he have told her the truth? Their wedding night?
A blush crept along the back of her neck as she swiveled her chair from side to side. She definitely shouldn’t go there. They were close, and sure, she cared for him deeply. But marriage? That wasn’t something she’d ever thought she’d want in her life—not in the traditional sense.
She’d wanted to make her parents take notice of her accomplishments, and getting married didn’t seem like much of one.
But now?
She resumed chewing on her pen, the nervous habit coming back in full force as she considered her options. She could forgive Noah, and they could live happily ever after. She could push him away and insist they could only be friends.
Jane grimaced at that. There was too much chemistry between them for that option to be successful.
Or she could push him out of her life indefinitely. Her stomach knotted painfully, and emotion prickled at the backs of her eyes. She wasn’t sure she could do something like that—especially since he was a local, and she had no intention of leaving this place.
Groaning, she tossed her pen on the desk and got to her feet again to resume her pacing. She wasn’t getting much done right about now. She might as well head home and come back tomorrow with a clear head.
Maybe it would be a good time to stop by the ranch and work out some of her pent-up energy. It wasn’t like she’d be going to see Noah, right? Bo had said she could come back anytime she wanted.
Jane started to gather her things then shook her head with a sigh. Who was she kidding? If she showed up at the ranch, she knew exactly what would happen. She’d track him down, confront him, and ask him what the heck he was thinking when he’d inserted himself into her life. He’d probably tell her he did it because he was in love with her, and as good as that sounded in her head, it still hurt that he couldn’t see the damage his actions had caused her heart.
Before she could get to the door, her cellphone rang. Jane paused, her heart ratcheting in her chest as she pulled her phone from her purse. Then it stalled when she read the caller ID.
Great. What was her mother doing calling her while she was at work? Had she heard about Noah? Of course she had. The whole country knew who the secret head of the charity was, now. There was no hiding it, and since that news revolved around Jane’s job, her mother more than likely wanted to ask about it.
Jane just couldn’t figure out what had taken her so long to call. Had she not found out until now? Or had she been biding her time?
The incessant buzzing pulled Jane to the present, and she tossed her purse on the desk as she brought the phone to her ear.
“Hey, Mom. What’s up?”
“Oh, good, I caught you.”
Jane frowned. That didn’t sound like the response of a woman who wanted to discuss her daughter’s boyfriend. “What’s going on? Everything okay?”
“Of course, dear. I was calling to invite you over for Sunday dinner. Noah can come, too, if he’d like.”
Jane’s heart lurched. She couldn’t invite Noah while everything was up in the air. And she definitely wouldn’t be asking him to lie about their relationship anymore. Stomach twisting in knots, Jane slumped into the chair behind her desk. “I have to tell you something, Mom.”
“Oh? Please tell me that you and Noah are okay. Still going strong?”
Jane winced. “Not exactly. And that’s not what I was going to tell you.” She bit down on her lower lip as she tried to come up with the best way to confess what she’d done. “I wasn’t being honest with you.”
The silence on the other end of the line was deafening. Jane’s palms went clammy, and all she could think about was how grateful she was to not have this conversation in person. She didn’t think she could handle the look of disappointment on her mother’s face right about now.
“That first dinner when you met Noah… we lied.”
“You… lied?”
Jane swallowed the bulge in her throat that didn’t want to be released. “Yeah,” she murmured hoarsely. “Noah wasn’t my boyfriend. We were just friends, and he came to help me out.”
“Help you out? I don’t understand.”
Shutting her eyes tight, she forced herself to explain. “I was so tired of feeling inadequate when sitting beside Ruth and Serenity. All you talk about is how happy you are that they found husbands, and they’re giving you grandchildren and I’m not?—”
