had unraveled after he’d dumped her. She refused to let him get under her skin again. Besides, she had enough on her plate already.
After working her way up through the ranks, to now be dismissed from her hard-earned position would be utterly demoralizing. She’d like to think she was needlessly worrying, but the rumors said the new owners wanted their own people running the show—people with more education and experience.
She went to step around Jason, but he snagged hold of her arm. “Wait. I need to apologize.”
Even through her coat she could feel his warmth radiating into her body. She yanked at her arm, to no avail.
“Let go,” she said with a hard edge. He couldn’t just worm his way past her defenses with an empty apology. She refused to let him off the hook that easily. “If you were truly sorry, you’d have said something before now. You wouldn’t have ignored me all these years or returned your father’s letters unopened.”
His hand slipped from her arm. “You know about that?”
She tightened her hold on the strap of the tote bag slung over her shoulder, which held the red scarf she was knitting for Jason’s father for Christmas. “Yes. He told me. After you left, he was never quite the same. Not knowing if you were dead or alive seemed to age him overnight.”
Jason’s body visibly stiffened. “I think you’ve mixed my father up with someone who cares.”
“He’s sick, Jason. Real sick. I’ve done what I can to help him, but he needs you.”
“I don’t want to discuss him.”
She should turn away and walk out the door before the snow grew any deeper, but her feet wouldn’t cooperate. There was one thing she needed to know—one nagging question that demanded an answer.
She licked her dry lips. “If it isn’t because of your father, then why have you suddenly returned home?”
“Do you really care?” His gaze never left hers.
“No. Never mind. I shouldn’t have asked.”
Her pulse quickened. Heat scorched her cheeks. Even though it was a lie, she refused to let him think that she cared anything about what he said or did. He was part of her past...nothing more.
“I have to go.” She needed space to make sense of things.
“Kara, I know we can’t go back to the way things used to be, but it doesn’t have to be this awkward. We were friends for years before we dated.”
They had been the best of friends. She’d told him everything about her life, but apparently that openness had been one-sided. She wouldn’t make the mistake of trusting him again.
“Does this plea of friendship mean you’re planning to stay in Pleasant Valley?”
“Yes.”
The blunt response lacked any telling details of what had prompted his unexpected return. Her errant gaze strayed to his bare ring finger. Still single. Still available. Been there, done that. She glanced away.
“Welcome home.” She buttoned her black peacoat. “I really do need to go.”
“Be careful. The snow’s picking up.” His gaze moved to the glass doors. “It looks bad out. You should spend the night at the hotel.”
She shook her head. “The resort’s closed for renovations. You shouldn’t even be here. Who’s been showing you around?”
They weren’t the only ones there late. With the new owner, GSR Inc., arriving on Monday, a number of people were working late even though it was a Friday evening. Everyone had gone above and beyond their duties, hoping to make a good impression on the new owner. Though Jason had been away for years, a number of employees knew him and would have volunteered to give him a last look around the place.
She glanced up at him, waiting for a response. His lips were pursed as though he was about to say something, but had refrained.
“I don’t have all night,” she stated.
“I don’t need an escort.”
Kara squared her shoulders. “Since I’m in charge around here, I’m telling you that either you have an escort or you must leave. Now.”
This close to the new owner’s arrival, she wasn’t taking any chances. The last thing she needed was for anyone to get hurt on her watch.
Jason’s brows arched. “You like being the boss, don’t you?”
“I do whatever needs to be done to keep this place going.”
“Good. I hope all my employees are so devoted.”
“Your employees...?” Alarm tightened her throat, smothering her next words. Surely she hadn’t heard him correctly. Or she’d misunderstood.
“Yes, my employees.”
This nightmare couldn’t be unfolding right before her eyes. “You...you’re GSR?”
“I’ve gone in with a couple of investors. This place needs to be reorganized. A lot of cutting needs to be done, but I think it’s possible to turn the business around with the right management.”
A lot of cutting? Right management? The implication of his words shattered her dream of keeping her job. Fragments of her hopes scattered over the freshly laid carpet. Finding an equivalent job would not be easy without a college degree. She inwardly groaned.
She might even have to move. Her thoughts turned to her parents, who had been involved in their only grandchild’s life since the day she was born. To tear her daughter away from them now would devastate not only them but her little girl, as well. But Kara wouldn’t have a choice. She would have to move wherever she could find reasonable employment.
“Time to start job hunting,” she muttered under her breath.
“What?”
“Nothing. I have to go before the snow gets too deep to drive in.” She yanked on her gloves. “Good night.”
Kara forced herself to take measured steps, training her gaze on the glass door. She hadn’t run away when the locals had clucked their tongues and shaken their heads at her youthful mistake. Now she wouldn’t give Jason the satisfaction of witnessing how he could still shake her to the core.
* * *
Jason Greene clenched his hands. He’d heard enough of her mumbled comment to know she had no intention of working for him. He couldn’t leave things like this. Her assistance and knowledge over these next several weeks were essential to the resort’s success. He’d risked everything he owned on restoring the Greene Summit. And he couldn’t afford to lose it all now.
He started for the door. Large snowflakes fell, adding to the several inches of accumulation on the ground. He’d forgotten how fast the weather could deteriorate in the Laurel Highlands. An overwhelming urge settled in his chest to stop her and convince her to stay over in one of the hotel rooms, where she’d be safe and warm
