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 I told you how much I like you? I’ll try not to keep her long.” And he whisked Holly away to the parlor and closed the doors.
“Something wrong, Dad?” she asked when he had turned back to her. “You were telling the truth, weren’t you? You do like Chris, don’t you?”
“I do. The question is, what do you think of his friend?”
Holly blinked. “In what way?”
He rubbed his jaw. “In an Emmaline kind of way.”
“Excuse me. Dad, are you feeling okay?”
He smiled at her. “You know, you look so much like your mother. I wish she could be here to see you get married, and I’m so happy for you. I’m sorry I wasn’t always there for you.”
“Dad…” she drawled. “You were a busy man, and you were a good father. I knew you loved me even when you had to travel.”
He nodded a little, hoping he wasn’t going to mist up. “Do you think that Emmaline knew that I loved her, too?”
Holly held out her hands. “I think she’s been reasonably content. She’s not unhappy. Why?”
Gilbert quickly filled Holly in on his matchmaking scheme. “That’s why I’m asking Emmaline to assist Ryan when normally I would handle that task. I want Emmaline to know the kind of bliss that your mother and I had, that you and Chris have.”
“Dad…you can’t mean what I think you mean, can you?”
He glanced down, and she looked toward the table he was staring at. “Yes,” he said.
“No. Not Much Ado About Nothing. I know you love that story, but that’s matchmaking. Emma would hate that.”
“Not if she doesn’t know.”
“She would know.”
“She wouldn’t, and if she’s happy in the end…”
“She might not be. Don’t ask me—”
“I’m not. At least not yet. I’m just telling you and asking you to at least let me try. She’s going to miss you so much, you know.”
“Dad, that’s playing dirty,” Holly said.
“I know.”
