“What do you think?” he asked, nodding toward the vast expanse of land.
“It’s a hundred acres, right?”
“Yes.” He pointed to the east. “We go about a third of the way up the tree line.” He indicated the rest of the track. “We’ll cut into the mountain.”
“Won’t that provoke the spirits?” she asked, her brown eyes bright with humor.
“You’re forgetting I’m one of them. They’re delighted to see me.”
“That’s right. You’re part of the Máa-zib tribe through both your parents?”
He nodded. “About an eighth, give or take a little.”
“So technically you or your dad had to be the ones to buy the land. A company couldn’t own it.”
“Right. We’ve leased it back to the corporation for the project.”
“You’re a land baron.”
“I’m part owner.”
“Still, it’s impressive.”
“Are you impressed?” he asked.
She grinned. “I could be.”
“Tell me what else it would take.”
“You could show me the plans for the place.”
They walked to his truck and he pulled a copy of the plans out from the backseat. After opening the tailgate, he spread them out.
“We’re using every inch of land,” he said. “There’ll be a road circling the entire development. The casino is here, along with the hotel.”
He watched her trace the different elements of the plan.
“You’re keeping the grove of the oldest trees,” she said, not looking up at him. “I like the walking trails.” She moved her finger to the mountain. “This is going to require some serious blasting to remove that much earth.”
“Ever done any blasting?”
She turned to him. “No, but I’d like to.”
“Stick with me, kid.”
“Tempting.”
He wasn’t surprised she could be wooed more by the promise of a big explosion than a corner office. Nevada had always been like that — eager, interested. Smart. He remembered her ability to call him on any bull. They had stayed up late a few times, arguing about everything from politics to sustainable construction. She was someone he’d enjoyed talking to, when he’d surfaced from the Cat-induced haze long enough to have a conversation.
He wanted to tell her he was sorry about what happened between them. Not the bad sex, although that was damned humiliating to think about, but the rest of it. He’d wanted to be her friend back then but hadn’t been able to think of anyone but Cat.
“I thought there was going to be an outlet mall,” she said.
He pulled out another large roll of paper. “We won’t be developing it. It’s too small a project.”
“Aren’t you the snob.”
“The last project I worked on was a thousand-meter suspension bridge in Africa. No, I don’t build malls.”
One corner of her mouth turned up. “Of course you don’t.”
He leaned against the truck. “You’re not mad anymore.”
“I wasn’t mad.” She straightened. “This is a great opportunity. You’re bringing a lot to the town.”
“We appreciate their cooperation.”
“Don’t you always get that?”
“Some towns aren’t interested in change or growth.”
“Fool’s Gold isn’t like that. This project will bring a lot of jobs and tourists. We already get a decent tourist trade, but nothing like the numbers this will bring in.”
“Why’d you come back? You could have found plenty of jobs in other places.”
“This is my home. I grew up here. My family founded this town.” She smiled. “In a settler kind of way. Obviously the Máa-zib tribe was here first.”
“Obviously.”
He understood the concept of roots, he just couldn’t relate to it. He’d never had anywhere particular to call home. His dad had always kept a condo in Chicago but they’d rarely been there. His home was wherever the next project was.
“Want to hear about your team?”
“Sure.”
He told her about the guys who would be working for her. She would be in charge of clearing the construction area. When that was done, her team would shift to working with several others on the hotel.
“I’m also interested in having you as a liaison with the town,” he said. “If we run into trouble.”
“I don’t think you will, but sure. I can talk to whomever you like.”
“You know the guys might give you a hard time at first.”
She shrugged. “I have three brothers. I’m not sure there’s much they can do to shock me. Plus, I’ve been in construction a long time.”
He wanted to say he would be there to protect her, but didn’t. Not only would she have to figure it out herself, protection implied a level of caring inappropriate for a work relationship. They were colleagues, nothing more. The fact that he could breathe in her soft, sweet scent was immaterial. As was the way the sun turned her short hair into a hundred different colors of blond.
It was being around her again after all this time, he told himself. He’d worked with lots of women over the years and had never noticed one of them as anything more than a coworker. In a few days, Nevada would just be one of the guys.
“We start the surveying on Monday,” he said. “Want to be here for that?”
“Are you offering me the job?”
“I already did. You turned me down. Are you going to make me beg?”
“I probably should.”
“I’m not very good at it.”
She gave him a slow smile. “Then you need to practice more.”
“Is that what this is? A coaching opportunity?”
“I like to help where I can.”
He pushed off the truck and moved in front of her. “Nevada, I would like to have you here as one of my construction managers. Yes or no?”
“That’s not exactly begging.”
“Maybe not, but it’s sincere.”
“We’re both going to pretend the past never happened,” she said, rather than asking a question. “We’ll start over.”
“Agreed.”
“Then I very much want the job.”
Pleased, he held out his hand. “Good. Let’s head into town and talk about the details.”
She placed her hand in his. He was unprepared for the brush of her skin, the feel of her fingers, the jolt of awareness that sizzled its way to his groin.
After squeezing once, he released her and did his best to act casual as he stepped back. Well, dammit all to hell, he thought grimly. He could have gone a lifetime without feeling that.
Nevada appeared unfazed by the contact, which made him doubly stupid.
“Are you going to be staying in a hotel while you’re here?” she was asking. “If you want a house to rent, I could ask around.”
“I prefer a hotel. It’s easier.”
“Because someone else does the cooking and cleaning?”
“Of course.”
“Typical guy.”
“Most days.” He walked her to her truck. “Meet me in the lobby of Ronan’s Lodge in twenty minutes. I’ll bring the employment agreement.”
She nodded and climbed into the cab, but didn’t close the door. “Do you ever talk to her? Cat?”
The question surprised him. “No. Not in years. Not since we broke up. You?”
Nevada shook her head. “Cat wasn’t my friend.”
“She liked you. As much as she could like anyone.”
“There’s a statement.”
“You know what she was like.”
Nevada looked at him then. He saw something flash through her eyes. Unable to read the emotion, he could only wonder. Hurt? Anger? No way he could guess. Feelings were a complication lost on most mortal men.