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She flushes under the direct scrutiny. “I have a degree in interior design, and I’ve taken all the safety courses. I redesigned my entire condo and?—”
I laugh rudely, stopping her in mid-sentence.
“This isn’t the same as redesigning a condo or drawing pictures.” I clench my jaw instinctively. “This is a terrible idea!”
Rose stops talking, her enthusiasm faltering under my harsh words. I see a flicker of sadness cross Rose’s face, a shadow dimming her bright eyes. Internally, I wince at the hurt I’ve caused, but I press my lips together, keeping my regret locked away.
Katherine pats Rose’s hand to comfort her from my reaction. Another wave of regret passes over me for speaking so harshly, but I still can’t bring myself to apologize.
“Why’s that, darling?” The disappointment is naked on Katherine’s face and in her question.
I look at the woman in disbelief. “For one, she’ll get hurt. She has never even worked on a ranch.” I don’t know whether that’s true, but I’d be willing to bet on it. I gesture at her slight figure as if it speaks for itself, unable to resist lingering on her cleavage again before I look around the table. “She doesn’t know what she’s doing!”
All eyes are on me now, and I feel heat creeping up my neck again.
“Why? Because I’m a woman?” Rose’s voice is icy.
I fold my arms over my chest. “Because you have no experience and literally don’t know what you’re doing. What do you know about ranches? Have you ever run one? No. You can’t?—”
“I can, and I will,” Rose cuts me off evenly. “This meeting isn’t to ask for your permission, Hudson. I’ve already started making the plans for Katherine’s approval. I’ll begin this week.”
She holds my stare evenly now, the smile she’d flashed earlier long gone. An electric charge pulses through the table, and I wait for one of the others to back me up.
“The only question is, are you willing to help her?” Katherine adds, looking from me to Eli and back again. “And before you answer too quickly, just think about what a money pit that property is becoming as it is. If it were operating as it was intended?—”
“No!” I snap.
“Yes!” Connor chimes in. “Let’s do it.”
What the fuck, Connor?I fume internally. He doesn’t even have a stake in the ranch! But I guess he also doesn’t know that Eli and I do.
Relief washes over Rose’s beautiful cheeks, and she gives Connor a brilliant, white smile. I realize that she’s been holding her shoulders up until that moment, fully expecting rejection from everyone. This makes me feel even worse.
I give him a scathing look.
“Thank you, Connor.” Her relief is tangible.
“Don’t you wish you’d have invited me to dinner now?” His tone drips with sarcasm.
Rose glances at her grandmother with wariness, then shifts her gaze back to Connor. “I’m sorry, Connor.”
“Eli?” Katherine presses. “Are you going to help?”
She stares meaningfully at him. “Having a functioning ranch means generating income—a steady stream of it.”
“I know that, Miss Katherine,” Eli sighs.
“So, what’s the problem?” Rose demands impatiently. “You really don’t think I can do this?”
“Of course he doesn’t. He and Connor are going to end up doing all the work, while still taking care of their own ranches, too. What you’re asking is unfair. And to put us on the spot like this…” I stand up and throw my napkin onto the empty plate. “I expect better of you, Miss Katherine. We’ve always done our best for you. But this… this is taking advantage of our good nature. I’m leaving. Eli, are you coming?”
He looks at me and then lowers his eyes, to my utter disbelief. “No. I think I’ll stay. Connor can drive me back.”
For half a second, I consider yelling at him, asking him where his sense is. He doesn’t have the time or money to waste on a lost cause—and that’s precisely what the Bonnie Belle is, and has been, for the past forty years.
But it’s clear already that no amount of talk is going to convince them. I simply don’t need to be a part of this conversation any longer.
“Suit yourself.”
