Page 93 of Sunrise & Serenity

“You wouldn’t let your family down that way.” Smiling, she turns and walks away.

Unfamiliar emotions tangle inside me as she wanders up her porch steps. I’m not sure how things changed so fast or how it’s possible that I’m struggling to drag myself away from her.

All I know is that I like the man she sees when she looks at me.

CHAPTER 24

HOLDEN

Istop by the construction site to see if Sterling’s there. Morning rain still drips from cabin roofs, the air saturated with the scents of wet pine, soaked dirt, and fresh lumber. Crews haven’t arrived yet, but there are construction materials scattered across the ground. One of the temporary fencing panels has blown over, and water streams in thick brown ribbons down the half-finished walking paths.

Sterling stands near the frame of what will be the main lodge with a clipboard tucked beneath one arm, boots sunk deep in mud while he surveys the damage.

As I climb out of the truck, Chance spots me first. “Well now, look who survived.”

I flip him off, then pluck my work gloves from the truck bed. “We had shelter.”

“So I heard.” The look he gives me says he knows who I spent the night with.

Fucking Quinn. I ignore him, mostly because he looks far too entertained already.

Sterling glances up as I approach. “Did you check the north fence line on your way in?”

“Still standing.”

“Good.” With that, he turns back to the building.

I frown after him. “Morning to you too.”

“Since when have you been one for niceties?”

I rock on my heels. Good question. When I don’t answer, he moves on. “We lost part of the drainage trench overnight. And the east retaining wall shifted.”

That gets my attention. “How bad?”

Chance points at the slope behind the cabins. A section of muddy earth has partially collapsed, leaving exposed pipe and washed-out gravel behind. “Bad enough.”

Sterling rubs a hand over his jaw. “If we don’t get the culvert cleared, we’ll end up with more runoff during the next storm.”

I look past them toward the nearly finished lodge. A month ago, I thought the project seemed excessive. Fancy guest cabins sitting on the land we used to ride through every day.

Didn’t scream Wild Ember to me.

But standing here now, watching Sterling stare at the damaged slope like he’s calculating every dollar disappearing into the mud, something shifts.

“When’s the contractor supposed to finish?” I ask.

“Six weeks.”

Chance snorts. “Not anymore.”

Sterling shoots him a look.

“What?” he says. “You think Lonny’s crew will stay on schedule after this mess?”

Sterling exhales. “We can’t afford delays right now.”

I survey the site again. The custom timber framing, the landscaping materials. The massive lodge windows still waiting to be installed. None of it would’ve come cheap.