look, and she was ashamed to admit that she couldn’t help noticing how sexy those blue eyes looked in his tanned face.
“I’m sure you know how to handle your cutlery. I just…I’m a little concerned about this project.” There. Let him think her concern was for the hotel.
He studied her, and she fought to keep from squirming. “Let me be frank, Emmaline,” he said in a voice so low that it couldn’t have carried to anyone’s ears but her own. “I think you’re bothered about more than the hotel. Excuse me, but is it…it’s not because of what happened that day, is it?”
Emmaline sucked in a breath. “I…that couldn’t be, because nothing out of the ordinary happened.”
He raised a brow as if he wanted to disagree, but then he nodded. “All right. So why are you worried about the project?”
Emma was grateful that Ryan had let her off the hook so easily. “You’re bringing technology to the hotel,” she said softly. “It’s necessary and yet there’s a risk. I’m afraid we won’t agree on anything. You’re technology. I’m antiques. We’re too different.”
“Not completely,” he said, his voice rough. “Holly tells me your career will always be your life, so we do have something in common. Neither of us wants marriage and a family.”
His seductive voice invited her to drop her defenses. Was this how he convinced clients to make troublesome decisions?
“I want a family,” she suddenly said, her voice low. “Just not a husband. I definitely want children.” Why had she said that? It wasn’t the kind of thing she shared with strangers.
But Emma knew. She had told him because of what he had just confided. He didn’t want children. It was a barrier. Letting him know that they were as different as two people could be would keep him at a distance, would keep her from wanting him to touch her. It would make working together almost bearable.
He studied her, then gave a curt nod. “All right then. We agree on one thing. And if we work together, we’ll turn The Texas Lights into Avon Lake’s dream hotel. We’ll find common ground, Emmaline.”
His quiet voice was deep. It made her skin hum the same way his technology was supposed to make the hotel hum. She tried not to think about that.
“All right,” she managed to say. “I’m committed to making sure that The Texas Lights survives.”
“Then we’ll be fine, Emmaline.” Her name rolled off his tongue in a way that made her understand what a woman might see in him besides his rugged build, that silky hair and seductive eyes. “Since you’re the expert on the hotel, tell me what it is that draws you to The Texas Lights.”
He raised his voice on the last line, catching the attention of the rest of the group as, Emmaline suspected, he had intended. And even though he was putting her on the spot, she was grateful for this attempt to make the conversation more general and inclusive. Restricting her comments to Ryan seemed too intimate. He probably felt the same.
“Yes, Emmaline, you’re the one who knows The Texas Lights best,” Gilbert said. “Even more than I do. And I’ve never really asked what it is that makes it so special for you.”
Emmaline looked at Holly and Chris, who were sitting close to each other. Their hands were linked on the white tablecloth as if they were already one person. There was almost a glow traveling from the two of them across the table to her.
And Uncle Gilbert was smiling pleasantly, waiting for her to speak. She wanted to say something nice, give them all what they wanted to hear, something hopeful. She did love The Texas Lights. It had been a place to throw herself into when she was a child and feeling lonely when it became clear that Holly would always be the pretty, popular one. The hotel had given her a place to work out her worries about life. It was a place she belonged, because in spite of the fact that Uncle Gilbert had been beyond good to her, a fact for which she was grateful, Holly would always be first in his heart and she would always be his orphaned niece. But those weren’t the kinds of thoughts she could share without hurting those she loved most.
“I didn’t mean to put you on the spot,” Ryan said quietly, and she realized that she was taking too much time to speak.
“I like the fact that the hotel is old and quaint and not perfect,” she said, her voice fierce and proud with a passion she couldn’t hide. “I like the creaky floors that speak of how many years it’s been around, how many life stories it’s witnessed. The Texas Lights has flaws, and they’re right there for the whole world to see. I like that. It’s a bit out of sync with the modern age. It’s…different.”
For a moment her words were met with silence.
“You never told me that, Emma,” Holly finally said.
Emmaline shrugged. She hoped she hadn’t embarrassed anyone with her sentiment. But things were changing so fast with Holly getting married and The Lights being modernized. She was afraid that when things were done she might not have a place where she fit. The Texas Lights would be more productive, but it might no longer be hers.
“You always keep so many things buried inside you,” Uncle Gilbert said softly. “I wish I’d asked before.”
“I’m sure the hotel is special,” Chris offered. “That is, it would have to be. The two of you were raised there, and look how wonderful you turned out.” He gazed at Holly as he said it.
And then everyone went back to their dinner. Emma realized that while Ryan was the one who had asked her about the hotel, he was the only one yet to react to her comments.
“Go ahead and say it,” she said, turning to him.
He gazed at her. “What was it exactly that you thought I was going to say?” It was a casual question, but there was nothing casual about the look in his eyes. He studied her as if he was an artist and she was an intensely interesting subject.
“That I’m an idiot. That if we don’t drastically change the things I love about The Lights, then it will die.”
“I wouldn’t say any of those things.”
“Why not?”
He tilted his head, and she became aware of that square, masculine jaw, pictured a woman placing her lips there…
Emmaline jerked herself out of such thoughts. “Why not?” she asked again.
“Because you told me that you did see the need for change even if you didn’t like it, Emma,” he said, using the more familiar form of her name. “Also, I was the one who asked for your opinion, and you do apparently know the hotel better than anyone. I may not agree with you, but your impressions are important. Now that I know you like things that are different, that’s a starting place. We’ll just jump in there.”
“Jump in where?” She swallowed hard and hoped that she didn’t look too nervous. The thought of jumping into anything with this dangerously attractive man was alarming.
He dared to give her one of those sexy smiles of his. “Don’t worry, Emmaline. I won’t do anything you don’t want me to do.”
She stared at him and nodded stiffly. “All right.” But the problem was that she was very afraid that if she stayed near him long enough, she would want him to do things. She might even want him to kiss her again.
After dinner, when Emmaline had gone upstairs, and Ryan had gone to his room as well, Gilbert went in search of Holly. She was in the library, with Chris, of course. Though Gilbert already liked this young man who was so clearly besotted with his daughter, he wasn’t sure it was a good idea to involve him in the conversation that was about to take place.
“Mind if I borrow my daughter for a few minutes if I promise to bring her back to you?” he asked.
“You’re her father, sir,” Chris said. “You have first claim to her time.”
Gilbert chuckled. “Have