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Of course, he’d steered clear of the office for the past two days, giving himself the time and space to do some serious thinking. But so far, all he’d come up with was...he still wanted her.
Two years he’d denied himself what he most wanted—Lacy. Now she was within reach again and he wasn’t about to deny himself any longer. She might think that what was between them had died...but if he had killed it, then he could resurrect it. He had to believe that, because the alternative was unacceptable.
He tossed a glance at the office window and considered going in to—what? Talk? No, he wasn’t interested in more conversation that simply ended up being a circular argument. And what he was interested in couldn’t be done in the office when anyone could walk in on them. So he determinedly pushed aside those thoughts and focused instead on work. On his plans.
Sam walked into the lodge and headed straight through the lobby for the elevator. He paid no attention to the people gathered in front of a blazing fire or the hum of conversations rising and falling. There were a few things he needed to go over with his father. One idea in particular had caught his imagination and he wanted to run it past his dad.
He found the older man in his favorite chair in the family great room. But for the murmuring of the TV, the house was quiet and Sam was grateful for the reprieve. He wasn’t in the mood to face Kristi’s antagonism or his mother’s quiet reproach.
“Hey, Sam,” his father said, giving a quick look around as if checking to make sure his wife wasn’t around. “How about a beer?”
Sam grinned. His father had the look of a desperate man. “Mom okay with that?”
“No, she’s not,” he admitted with a grimace. “But since you got home, she’s stocked the fridge. So while she’s in town, we could take advantage.”
He looked so damn hopeful, Sam didn’t have the heart to shoot him down. “Sure, Dad. I’ll risk it with you.”
His father slapped his hands together, then gave them a quick rub in anticipation. Pushing out of his chair, he led the way to the kitchen, his steps long and sure. It was good to see his father more himself. Bob Wyatt wasn’t the kind of man to take to sitting in a recliner for long. The inactivity alone would kill him.
In the kitchen, Sam took a seat at the round oak table and waited while his dad pulled two bottles of beer out of the fridge. He handed one to Sam, kept the other for himself and sat down. Twisting off the top, Bob took a long drink, sighed in pleasure and gave his son a wide smile. “Your mother’s so determined to have me eating tree bark and drinking healthy sludge, this beer’s like a vacation.”
“Yeah,” Sam said, taking a sip of his own, “but if she comes in suddenly, you’re on your own.”
“Coward.”
Sam grinned. “Absolutely.”
With a good-natured shrug, Bob said, “Can’t blame you. So, want to tell me why you’re stopping by in the middle of the day?”
He couldn’t very well admit to avoiding Lacy, so Sam went right to the point. “You know we’ve got a lot of plans in motion for the resort.”
“Yeah.” Bob took another sip and nodded. “I’ve got to say you’ve got some good ideas, Sam. I like your plan so far, though I’m a little concerned about just how much of your own money you’re pumping into this place.”
“Don’t worry about that.” Sam had enough money to last several lifetimes, and if he couldn’t enjoy spending it, what was the point of accruing it?
“Well,” his father said, “I’ll keep worrying over it and you’ll keep spending, so we all do what we can.”
Sam grinned again. God, he hadn’t even realized how much he’d missed being able to sit down and talk to his dad. Just the simplicity of being in this kitchen again, sharing a beer with the man who had raised him, eased a lot of the still-jagged edges inside him.
“If you like the plans so far, you’ll like this one, too.” Sam cupped the beer bottle between his palms and took a second to get his thoughts in order. While he did, he glanced around the familiar kitchen.
Pale green walls, white cabinets and black granite countertops, this room had been the heart of the Wyatt family for years. Hell, he, Jack and Kristi had all sat around this table doing homework before the requisite family dinner. This room had witnessed arguments, laughter and tears. It was the gathering place where everyone came when they needed to be heard. To be loved.
“Sam?”
