He had and he’d been confident in his ability to convince her it was a good idea. Not anymore, he thought grimly. He liked her and respected her enough not to play games.
“You were right to say our work relationship had to come first,” he told her. “That we shouldn’t get personally involved. I was wrong to push. This project is important to me and you’re a key member of my team. I won’t forget that again.”
An emotion chased across her face. He couldn’t read it, nor could he guess. Relief made the most sense. Assuming his disappointment was more about his own ego than it was about her.
“Okay, then,” she murmured, then glanced at her watch. “I’m supposed to meet my sisters to strategize about our meeting with Mom. I’ll pass on the coffee.”
“Sure.”
She collected her keys and purse, then left.
He watched her go, wondering if she really had to be somewhere or if she was trying to get away from him. In the end, he knew it didn’t matter. From time to time he might be a bastard, just like every other guy on the planet, but he was determined to do the right thing when it came to Nevada.
BY THE NEXT MORNING Nevada had nearly convinced herself that Tucker was smart to insist they return to a “business only” relationship. The decision was sensible and easier in the long run. If she was a tiny bit annoyed that he didn’t find her irresistible, well, that was something she would have to get over. If she was sad that there wouldn’t be any more amazing kisses, that was a fact she would deal with over time. It wasn’t as if she’d fallen for him or anything.
She walked up to the front porch of her mom’s house. The door opened before she reached it. Dakota and Montana were waiting for her.
“How is she?” Nevada asked.
“Still hysterical and insisting she’s moving.” Dakota sighed. “And we’ve only been here for about three minutes. This isn’t going to be a fun conversation.”
“None of us thought it would be.”
Nevada followed her sisters into the kitchen, where they found their mother frantically scrubbing an already clean sink.
“I don’t want to talk about it,” Denise announced when she turned toward them, her sponge dripping on the floor. “You can’t change my mind. I’m not marrying Max.”
The sisters looked at each other, then back at her.
Dakota spoke first. “It’s okay, Mom. None of us were telling you to marry Max.”
Denise returned her attention to the sink. After rinsing it, she attacked the counters. “Good, because I’m not going to. I was married to your father. He was my husband, and that’s not going to change.”
“I don’t understand,” Nevada admitted. “Why are you acting as if we’re all insisting you accept Max’s proposal? Why does anything have to change?”
“He won’t understand,” Denise said, moving to the cooktop and removing burners. “He’ll be upset.”
“Max?” Montana asked.
“Yes. I don’t want that.”
“You think he’ll be happier with you moving out of town?” Dakota asked softly.
Denise dropped the sponge and seemed to crumple in on herself. She returned to the sink, peeled off her purple gloves, then started to cry.
“I can’t do this,” she sobbed. “I’m too old to fall in love again. Or re-in love.”
Her daughters moved in and surrounded her. Nevada wasn’t sure if she was being especially stupid today, because she didn’t understand the crisis.
“I know what you’re thinking,” Denise said between wiping her face and blowing her nose on a tissue she’d pulled out of her jeans pocket. “That I’m not being a very good role model. That I always said to be strong and stand up to your problems. You think I don’t want to be like that? Sometimes it’s hard, but I had to say those things because that’s what mothers do.”
“Okay, you’ve moved from upset to talking crazy,” Nevada told her, taking her hand and leading her into the family room. She set her mother on the sofa, then settled next to her. Dakota took the other side, while Montana sat on the coffee table, facing her.
“Mom, you’re wrong,” Nevada told her. “You don’t have to move away from where you live because a man proposed.”
Denise’s eyes filled with more tears. “What am I supposed to say?”
“I’d start with the truth,” Dakota told her. “That you care about him but you don’t want to get married. You want to keep seeing him, right?”
Denise nodded.
“Say that. If he doesn’t appreciate your honesty, then let him move.”
“Hey,” Montana snapped. “My boss, my job.”
“Sorry.”
Nevada rubbed her mother’s arm. “Dakota’s right. Just because he proposes doesn’t mean you have to say yes. And refusing doesn’t mean everything is over. Maybe he thinks you’re the one who wants to be married. You do seem like the type.”
Denise sniffed. “Traditional? I always have been. But this is different. I do love Max, but I don’t want to get married again. I promised myself that when Ralph died. I love Ralph and I love Max. Max will always be my first love. I want Ralph to always be my husband.”
“So, tell him,” Montana said. “I know Max cares about you, Mom. He doesn’t want to upset you. What you’re describing is wonderful. You want each of the men you loved to have a special place. That’s great. I think Nevada’s right. He was proposing as much for you as for himself. Do you really think he would risk losing you over an engagement?”
“Maybe not,” Denise said slowly. “I just panicked.”
“Makes sense,” Dakota told her. “Talk to Max. Explain how you feel. I suspect what he wants is your love.”
“All right. You have a point. He’s never been especially interested in following the rules. Maybe that’s what surprised me so much.” She sniffed again, then smiled. “You are wonderful daughters. I don’t say that enough.”
“You could stitch something on a pillow,” Montana offered.
Denise laughed, then hugged each of them. “Thank you for rescuing me,” she said.
“You’ve rescued us each bunches of times,” Nevada reminded her. “We’re happy to help.”
“Thank you. All right. Enough of my crisis. I’ll talk to Max later and if he reacts badly, I’ll have another breakdown. But for now I’m fine.” She smiled. “I don’t suppose any of you wants to share something that will distract me from worrying.”
Dakota and Montana glanced at each other.
“We could talk about the wedding,” Dakota offered. “We’ve picked the date.”
Denise’s breath caught. “You have? When?”
“New Year’s Eve,” Montana said with a grin. “It’s a Saturday, which is perfect. I don’t know why, but the Gold Rush Ski Lodge and Resort had a recent cancellation on their main ballroom, so it’s available.”
Denise bounced on the sofa. “It is? Did you reserve it?”
Dakota and Montana both laughed.
“We did,” Dakota admitted. “Right away. It’s so perfect. We went to see it a couple of days ago and it’s beautiful. We’re thinking night with lots of twinkle lights.”
Nevada forced herself to smile and nod, as if she were thrilled with the news. Not that she wasn’t happy for her sisters. Of course she wanted them both to have the perfect wedding. But somehow knowing they were getting married on the same day made her feel kind of funny inside. As if somehow she’d missed out on something big.
Montana turned to her. “Are you okay with this?”
“Sure,” Nevada said. “It sounds perfect. You’re really lucky to have a cancellation only a few months out. You’ll be able to have a big dinner and dancing. It’s going to be so much fun.”
Dakota studied her for a second, as if making sure she was telling the truth. Nevada held her gaze, willing herself to look as normal and happy as possible.