“Fine,” I said. “I’ll go. But I’ll leave you with this. If you do get your way and you do lay that pipeline through the mountains, two things will happen. You’ll destroy this town and your business will never be what you want it to be. Reputation is everything in the business world. And right now? Yours is shit.”
I turned on my heels and walked away before my parents could say anything else. I saw my brothers’ jaws drop in shock as their eyes followed me out of the room. I grabbed my purse and my keys, then made my way for my car. I closed the front door behind me as I sighed, allowing my nerves to subside. It was the first time I had to work through that kind of fear and my body was exhausted. My legs trembled and my knees felt weak, my body leaning against the door so I could regain my strength.
Then I walked to my car, slid into the driver's seat, and sat.
I dug through my purse until I found the envelope full of money my brothers had given me a couple of days ago. In California, it was enough to get my own place and afford it for three months. But in Kettle, it was enough to get my own place and afford it for almost seven. I could do this. I had to go by the library and apply for that position, but I was already halfway there.
But there was someone I wanted to see first.
Someone who deserved an explanation from the company who was harassing his.
Nineteen
Travis
A knock came at my cabin door just as I stepped out of the shower. Raking my hands through my hair, I wrapped a towel around my waist and headed for the door. I wasn’t expecting anyone and my parents were still in Florida, so I braced for the worst. I started running all sorts of scenarios through my head, like the fact that Breathline Energies had sent someone to intimidate me face to face. I wiped the water off my face one last time before I opened the door, prepared to intimidate them with my body that was still red from the hot water.
But instead, I found Ava.
Her eyes scanned my body, taking in the water droplets dripping down my form. I stood there in shock, watching her as she studied me. She was in a pair of tightly-woven jeans and a black top that fell off her shoulders. There were silver earrings dangling from her ears, accentuating her slender neck. It took awhile for her eyes to meet mine. She took her time devouring me. Undressing me in her mind’s eye as a flush crept into her cheeks.
Then, a small giggle fell from her lips.
“What?” I asked.
“Don’t suppose you’re up for dinner?” she asked.
“Dinner?”
“Mhm. I came to invite you out to dinner, but I see you were a bit… preoccupied.”
“Just a shower. Nothing else,” I said.
“Care to put on some clothes?” she asked.
“Do you want me to?”
Her eyes hardened onto mine. I could tell she was debating what I had said. Taking it to heart and making her decision carefully. She swallowed thickly, her body tensing underneath my gaze. I stepped away from the door, giving her space to come in if she wanted.
But all she did was shake her head.
“I’m hungry. I figured we could talk over food,” Ava said.
“Give me fifteen minutes and I’ll be ready,” I said.
“Good. That’s the first time I’ve ever made the first move. I was concerned it would backfire,” she said.
“The first move? I’m pretty sure I was the one that asked you to dinner first.”
“At your cabin, sure. But this is us going out somewhere. And I made that move because you don’t have a cell phone.”
“I have a landline,” I said.
“No one has a landline,” she said with a grin. “Do you want me to drive, too? I could pay. You could put on a pretty little skirt and show off those toned legs of yours.”
“You done?” I asked.
“Maybe. Do you want me to be done?”