“You need someone like that Hadley woman.”
He’d heard Kendall had returned to Roaring Springs a couple of years ago. He hadn’t seen her yet, hadn’t seen her since high school. Kendall had been one of those kids who’d had her circle of friends and steered clear of the popular crowd. She hadn’t participated in sports. He remembered her as the bookish type, which he’d admired since he had liked and excelled in academia. What had always fascinated him was how a girl as pretty as Kendall could have escaped being popular. Now that he was older he knew it had been a choice.
“What’s she doing back in Roaring Springs?” he asked curiously.
“Working for her father at Hadley Forestry. From what I hear she’s a great asset. She’s their conservation consultant.”
What did a conservation consultant do? Decker didn’t know much about logging and milling or forest management.
“She’s working on preserving species of animals in the forested areas they own,” Russ supplied. “Got her masters in wildlife biology from Colorado State University. Four-point-o.”
“How do you know all that?”
“I ran into her father a few weeks ago. He did some bragging.”
Ahh. And, apparently, that’s what got his father thinking.
“Now that you’re single again,” his father went on, “I’d like to talk to you about something I’ve had rolling around in my head the last few weeks.”
Decker followed Russ from the entry to the great room, where the ceiling rose to exposed beams and a gabled window offered a stunning view of the forest and mountain peaks. The kitchen was open to this room, with a long, six-seater island and plenty of white cabinets. The dining area was in a turreted space off the kitchen, something he never used.
His father crossed behind a sofa with a console table running along the back. The sofa faced a stone block fireplace, flanked by two chairs. A big square coffee table had books about exotic places to travel and a decorative ceramic bowl with stone balls inside that matched the earthy color theme of the room.
Russ stopped before the windows and after a few seconds, turned. “Bernard and Marion Hadley have lived on a neighboring ranch for nearly as long as we’ve been here running this resort.”
“Yeah, they have.” Decker couldn’t begin to guess where his father was headed with this. Surely he wouldn’t suggest he and Decker take on forest management.
“Bernard’s been successful. He’s made millions running that company.”
Russ did respect people who made successes of their lives. He’d raised Decker to do the same. But why single out the Hadleys?
“How did you meet the woman who just left, Decker?” his dad asked.
“Online.”
“That doesn’t seem to be working for you.”
“Not with her,” Decker said.
“What would you think about reconnecting with Kendall?”
He hadn’t even thought about reconnecting with her, least of all as a love interest. “I think I need a break from women. Cynthia took up too much of my time, and I need to concentrate on The Lodge.”
“You do well multitasking, son. What I have in mind is actually related to business. If two families as affluent as the Hadleys and the Coltons joined forces, The Colton Empire would become even greater than it is.” Clearing his throat, he pinned Decker with a hard stare. “We have to think of our future and the future of family yet to come. We’re doing well now, but I want to plan for the next century or two, maybe more. As long as I’m breathing I won’t stop working to increase Colton wealth. It’s security.”
Decker couldn’t disagree there. His father had noble intentions. He wasn’t fooled, however. His father’s main interest was money.
“You want to arrange for Kendall and me to become romantically involved?”
Russ stepped closer, his serious face warning Decker to brace for impact. “I’d like to suggest more than that. I’d like you to consider marrying her.”
“Marrying...” Flummoxed, Decker had to assemble his thoughts. “You want me to marry her?”
“You said it yourself, Cynthia took too much time away from you. And you’ve had to resort to online dating because you don’t have time to find a woman who will be able to put up with your work schedule. You’re getting older. Don’t you want children?”
“Yes.” He did want that. He also wanted a family. Wife. Kids. A full house to come home to after a long day at work. His dad was right but what he suggested seemed radical.
An arranged marriage?
“Kendall has her own career. She’s an only child. When her parents go, she’ll be the sole beneficiary.”
There his dad went again on his drive for wealth and prosperity. “She’ll never agree to it.” What smart woman would? Kendall could have anyone. Why would she agree to an arranged marriage...with him?
“Have you spoken with her?”
“No. But when I ran into her father, we talked a while. He mentioned you and Kendall knew each other from high school and made a comment that the two of you would make a fine couple. He said he always wondered why you never hooked up in high school.”
Kendall had been a year behind him in school. Her standoffish nature had deterred him from considering asking her to prom or even out on a date. She hadn’t been standoffish in a snobby way. She had been more untouchable, as though she had not wanted anything to do with certain crowds of people. She had seemed more interested in learning and her own circle of friends. He didn’t even know if she ever dated anyone in high school.
“You’re thirty-four, son. You should start a family soon. Don’t wait too long.”
Was he crazy for actually considering what his father proposed? He turned and walked toward the kitchen, rubbing his chin in agitation. Was he about to do as his father asked as he always had? Or had Russ Colton just come up with the perfect solution?
* * *
Kendall arrived back home well after dark. She’d spent the day observing a small pack of gray wolves. The sighting had been a rare treat. These wolves were endangered and most sightings had been unconfirmed. She had learned of one kill north of Kremmling where a man thought he killed a coyote but it was a gray. She’d be busy working on protecting them. If they wandered too far, there would be no telling what ranchers fearing for their livestock would do.
Wearily she removed her coat and boots and then went to get ready for a shower. Removing the tie from her long blond hair, she heard the doorbell rang.
Who would stop by at this hour? Her parents were usually in for the night by seven, and it was nearly eight. She was hungry and longing for a bath.
Peeking out the window, she saw her dad. She opened the door with a questioning look.
“Sorry.
