Nate blinked slowly. “I heard about your fire and wanted to check whether there was anything I could do to help.”
Ruth pushed her chair back, gaining Gunner’s attention. “Shit what time is it?” he asked.
“Three. I need to go pick Lucas up from his play date. Is that okay?”
“Absolutely. I didn’t expect you to be here today anyway, just because we were working.” Taking Ruth’s jacket from a hook by the door he passed it to her. “I’ll see you Monday after you’ve dropped Lucas at school.”
The conversation felt paused mid-sentence until Ruth said her goodbyes and left, but as soon as the door closed behind her all eyes were back on Nate Jenkins.
“So, you heard about the fire?” Wilder asked, his tone more than a little accusatory. “Even though you’ve been in Europe for weeks.”
Nate nodded. “I got back late last night and was told this morning.”
“And who told you?” Wilder’s arms folded over his chest as he leaned closer, like he was about to torture him for more information.
“My friend is a contractor, and he knows your contractor, Markus.”
Standing, putting his mug on Gunner’s desk, slowly and deliberately, he didn’t strike me as a man who was hiding something like arson. He had a quiet, confident presence and even in the chair he’d held himself ramrod straight. The fact that the man wore a suit and shirt on a weekend said a lot.
Wilder, though, he was not so calm. He had a bee in his bonnet about the idea that Nate Jenkins was to blame for the fire, and it was obvious from his fisted hands that he wasn’t going to let it go. When he opened his mouth to say something else, Nash beat him to it.
“So, you’ll know how devastating it’s been and that we decided to totally rebuild the stables.”
Nate nodded, a solemn expression falling over his features. “I was sorry to hear you lost a horse.”
My gaze immediately went to Gunner, with my pulse thudding loud in my ears. He’d been lost and grief stricken fordays about Ariel and was slowly coming through the pain. I didn’t want Nate’s comment to set him back, so I was relieved that he gave a small smile.
“She was my horse,” he said, his voice strong and level. “She was the best and if I find out who did it, I’ll kill them with my bare hands.”
“Definitely not an accident then?” Nate asked, a hint of question on his brow.
Wilder scoffed. “Like you didn’t know.”
“Wild,” Nash growled in warning.
“What is it that you’re trying to insinuate?” Nate asked.
The calm, professionalism dropped for a beat as he gritted his teeth and stared at each of the brothers in turn.
“I’m a businessman,” he said, brushing something off the sleeve of his jacket. “I’m not a thug who needs to resort to underhand tactics to get what I want.”
“Whatyouwant.” Wilder’s fingers gripped the edge of the desk as he leaned his upper body forward. “What about us? What about our land, the plans we have here for the kid’s camp? What about the wildlife that your development site, the one thatyouwant, is going to displace?”
I looked at Gunner, trying to gauge how he was going to react to what Wilder had said. Would he add his own opinion or take on board Nash’s desire to stay cool. His eyes met mine and he gave a small nod that felt like an affirmation that between us all we had it—we would be okay. We would see our way through everything to achieve our dreams. Just being in the room with them all, being part of the conversation made me feel wanted and part of a family again.
“Which we have an idea about.” I aimed my comment at Wilder, giving him a cue if he wanted it.
“Which is?” Nate asked.
“I think we’re here to listen to you,” Wilder added. “But we have some stipulations on whether the development goes ahead or not.”
“Is that so?” Nate looked amused. “And what are they?”
“We can get around to that,” Nash added. “
“There was another reason why I wanted to see you. Not just to offer my sincere apologies.”
Wilder pushed up from the desk and moved to stand next to his brothers, as he did Nate took a step closer to them.
