Against the Wall

Chapter Thirteen

Several people nodded to Jake, but nobody attempted to stop his forward movement. Sophie couldn’t blame them. The look in his eyes warned of determination, and she had the oddest urge to ask Preston to remove his arm from her chair.

“So that’s how it is,” Preston murmured. “I had a feeling…”

“Did you drive here in that storm, Sunshine?” Energy emanated around Jake when he reached her table.

“No, I drove her.” Preston stood and extended a hand. “Preston Jacoby.”

“Jake Lodge.” The men shook hands. There was no question they were sizing each other up. “I played the Mintwell Island course you designed outside of D.C. It was a great challenge,” Jake said.

“Thanks. You like a challenge, Lodge?” Preston smiled.

“Haven’t lost one yet.” Jake showed his teeth.

“There’s always a first time.” The men released each other.

Jake nodded. “Not now. Stakes are too high, sport.”

Sophie’s stomach dropped. They weren’t talking about the golf course anymore. If they ever had been.

Jake turned to the other men. “You must be Oliver Winston and Niles Jacoby.”

Surprise flashed across Niles’s face. “You do your research, Mr. Lodge.”

“Of course.” Jake dismissed the men with a quick grin at Sophie. “Good luck with your presentation, Sunshine.” He moved away after saying to Preston, “And I’ll make sure she gets home tonight.” He returned to his family and took his seat.

Loni waved at Sophie and mouthed, Good luck. Colton gave her a wide grin, Quinn nodded, and the chief winked. Several other people she had met at the branding picnic filed into the room. Ignoring the knotting in her stomach as people filled the room to capacity, Sophie waved back.

Three county commissioners entered through a side door. First came Madge Milston, a pretty white-haired ex-librarian, then Jem McNast, a silver-haired farmer from outside Maverick, and finally Jonny Phillips, the retired high school football coach.

Madge introduced the board and set forth the rules for the hearing. Then she called Niles to the podium.

“He’s good, isn’t he?” Preston whispered about halfway through the presentation. Sophie nodded. Niles’s lengthy PowerPoint presentation illustrated the Group’s other developments as well as the economic advantages it had brought to other areas. He showed beautiful homes, golf courses, and views. Finally, he turned the podium over to Sophie.

Her knees wobbled. Taking a deep breath, she stood and maneuvered around chairs to the front of the room. Squaring her shoulders, she placed exhibits that showed the layout of the golf course, the clubhouse, and some possible home sites on the easels behind the podium. She gave a quick speech, recapping what Niles had said.

She answered the board’s questions regarding setback requirements, golf course maintenance, and preservation of indigenous trees.

“Did you draw those, young lady?” Commissioner Phillips asked, pushing his spectacles up on his nose while pointing to the detailed drawings of the eighteenth hole and clubhouse.

“Yes, I did, Commissioner.”

“They’re just beautiful, dear.” Commissioner Milston smiled. “I heard you’re designing the garden for Willa.”

“Yes, Commissioner,” Sophie said slowly. Her spine prickled.

“You know, we should have a nice garden on the other side of Maverick, don’t you think?” Madge Milston asked the other two members of the board, both of whom nodded instantly.

“Well,” Sophie said, scrambling to stay on topic, “both the golf course development and a community garden would draw tourists to the area, not only for day trips but for longer periods of time.”

“That is so true,” Commissioner Phillips agreed. “We’ll have to get together and see what kind of funds we can obtain.” He coughed. “Do you plan on having those pretty fish ponds at Willa’s garden?”

“Um, yes.” She disliked losing control of the meeting, although being treated like one of the community tickled her. She cleared her throat. “Commissioners, if there are no more questions about this design, I’ll turn the podium over to the public.”

The board nodded, and Sophie escaped back to her seat. She didn’t need to look to know Jake’s amused eyes tracked her progress.

Several members of the public asked for a halt to all development. Some complained the golf course was too far from town, while others argued it was too close and would cause traffic problems. The Concerned Citizens Group sat toward the back, and only Billy Rockefeller testified about the perils of government control and why Montana needed a citizens’ militia. The board looked as if it had heard it all before.

Finally, Jake’s name was called.

He strolled like a lazy panther to the podium, all grace and confidence. An unwelcome hum whispered through Sophie’s blood. The hum pooled in a very private area as memories from her time in his bed flashed through her mind.

“Commissioners, I’m Jake Lodge, and I represent the Kooskia Tribe tonight.” He placed a stack of papers on the podium, but his earnest gaze stayed on the commissioners. “The tribe opposes the development. First, as you know, we own Mineral Lake just below the proposed site.” Several tribal members nodded their heads in the audience. “Now, the last thing we would ever want would be to sue the county for allowing a development to pollute the lake.”

Sophie tensed. Jake’s threats chilled her desire.

“Damn,” Preston breathed next to her. “He did not just threaten to sue the entire county if the development is approved.”

The commissioners straightened to focus on his testimony. “Jake, are you really saying you’d sue the county?” Commissioner Milston looked down her librarian nose at him, and Sophie fought a smile.

“You know we take preservation of Mineral Lake very seriously, Commissioner. You bet we’d sue the county, as well as the developer and every applicable land owner, should the lake be threatened.”

“Young man, I don’t appreciate being threatened,” Commissioner Phillips noted.

“I understand, Commissioner. But I had an excellent football coach who once taught me that hiding your game plan wasted time. It was better to lay it out there, show your strengths, and you’d know right off where you stood in battle. It’s a lesson I took straight to the Supreme Court.”

Commissioner Phillips’s eyes warmed, and he fought a grin.

Jake turned toward Commissioner Milston. “And a savvy librarian once chastised me for tricking a girl into the back stacks. She told me that if I wanted to kiss a girl, I should just say so and not create a story. That way the girl could make up her mind and I’d know the attraction was mutual. I’m just saying what’s what so the county isn’t surprised by future repercussions.”

He turned to Commissioner McNast while Milston smiled at him in exasperation. “And I spent more than one very hot, very tiring summer moving watering pipes to irrigate fields of hay and wheat while learning to listen to the land.” Jake grinned, all charm. “Those pipes didn’t have wheels like they do today. It was unhook, lift, move, and hook again.” A couple of knowing laughs came from the audience.

“But,” Jake said, turning serious, “I learned that if you listen, the land will tell you what she needs. She’ll show you where to place the pipe, where the water needs to spray. And in this case, the land is talking. I know Mineral Lake is as important to Maverick County as it is to the tribe.” Several heads nodded. “Besides the lake, the tribe has serious concerns with this developer.”

Sophie’s stomach dropped. Thank goodness she was sitting.

“What do you mean, Jake?” Commissioner Milston pulled papers closer to her face.

“I mean that the Charleton Group is known for pitching one design and then building another once a permit has been granted.” He punched in a couple of keys on the computer next to him and a golf course design came up on the big screen in the corner. “This design shows a golf course with homes set every acre apart and was approved in Michigan three years ago.” He hit a couple of buttons. “This is the actual development.” It was still a golf course, but four-story condominiums lined the sides. Jake showed three more examples, all with the same result. “All of these were developed by the Charleton Group.” A muted gasp arose from the crowd.

Then Jake turned to Sophie. “Miss Smith’s golf course is beautiful and is designed for homes to be scattered every two acres, right?”

Sophie nodded, fighting the urge to push back from the table. To put distance between herself and the man commanding the podium. Sharp hurt angled through her chest.

“Now, Miss Smith, would your design work if condominiums replaced the homes?” he asked.

All eyes turned to Sophie, but she only saw the black ones pinning her. He was hard and cold. Determined. A slow anger started to build between her shoulder blades and pushed the hurt aside. For now.

“Miss Smith?” he asked again.

How dare he put her on the spot like this? Every muscle tightened in her body, her eyes shooting sparks at his. They’d shared a bed. Hell, the things she’d let him do to her! “My design includes homes every two acres.”

“I understand that.” His voice gentled. “But that wasn’t my question. I asked you whether or not your design would work with condominiums.”

Sophie was silent for a moment as she struggled for the right answer. His look told her he’d wait all night. Her chin lifted. They were so fucking done. “No. My design would not work with condos.”

“Why not?”

The bastard. He was going to get her fired. But the truth was the truth, and she wouldn’t lie to the county. “The setbacks would be off. The golf course is designed to complement the lake, which would be blocked by condominiums.” Strength infused her voice as she met his challenge. No way would she let him see the pain he’d just caused. She’d trusted him.

“Did you know?” His voice lowered even more. They could’ve been the only two people in the entire room.

“Know what?” She didn’t like this Jake. The same mouth that had explored her the other night was set in a firm, uncompromising line. He looked big. And dangerous. Exuding a threatening undertone of anger if she answered wrong.

“Did you know that Charleton usually altered designs?” he asked.

“Of course not.” How could he think that? Hurt made her sway in her chair. She’d looked over many of their finished projects, but not all of them.

Niles jumped to his feet. “We’ve had enough of this slander. I can assure you, Mr. Lodge, you can expect a lawsuit from this.”

Jake’s eyes didn’t leave Sophie’s face as he replied, “Truth is an absolute defense to slander. In other words, bring it on.” Then he gathered his papers, nodded at the commissioners, and retook his seat.

Niles turned toward the commissioners. “The tribe opposes our development because it wants to build a golf course over by the casino.”

Commissioner Milston turned toward Jake. “Is that true, Jake?”

Jake stood. His voice easily reached around the room, even without the microphone at the podium. “I stated why the tribe opposes the project, Commissioner. It’s bad for the land, and a shady developer is bad for the county.”

Preston hissed out breath as Jake continued. “However, as you are well aware, the tribe has made no secret of its plans for the casino, hotel, and golf course. We do plan to put in a golf course.” He flicked a glance their way. “I’m sure you are also aware that two, even three, golf courses in close proximity actually benefit them all. We’d like to be a golf course haven. People could stay at the hotel for several days and play several different courses.”

“Bullshit,” Niles muttered under his breath as he sat.

Sophie clasped her hands together under the table to keep them from shaking. To keep anyone else from seeing them shake.

“Still think he’s a nice guy?” Preston whispered dryly.

“Is he right about the condominiums?” she asked under her breath.

“Not to my knowledge, but we’ll definitely have to follow up on this.”

Madge banged a gavel and said they would issue a decision within a week. They stood, and the crowd began to mill around Jake, everyone talking at once.

“You have to get me out of here,” Sophie whispered to Preston.

“Of course.”

Loni suddenly appeared across the table. “Oh, there you are, Sophie. I drove myself in today. Would you mind driving home with me? I came in earlier to do some shopping and didn’t know the storm was coming. I really can’t see very well at night and the boys all brought their own cars.” Guileless brown eyes beseeched her.

When Preston started to speak, Sophie held up a hand. “Of course I’ll drive with you, Loni. Let me grab my exhibits and we’ll go.” Loni was safe. Sophie needed time to think. Time away from Preston. And Jake.

“I’ll help.” Loni hurried over to the easels.

Sophie turned to Preston. “It’s okay. I’ll call you tomorrow.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.” She had to get out of there before Jake escaped from his admirers.

“If you’re certain. Don’t worry, Sophie. It’ll all work out.” Preston dropped a light kiss on her forehead.

The fury leaping into Jake’s dark eyes across the room snared Sophie’s gaze. She instinctively moved away from Preston and toward the exhibits. “Let’s go,” she whispered to the older woman. With a concerned look at her son, Loni let Sophie tug her out a side exit while Jake was stuck in the crowd.

Sophie breathed a sigh of relief when they were finally alone on the road home.

As Loni maneuvered the car onto the freeway, Sophie watched the flicker of lights across her friend’s face.

“I’m not sure what I should say,” Loni said softly, her eyes intent on the wet asphalt.

“There isn’t anything to say,” Sophie returned.

“He was just doing his job.”

“It was more than that.”

“It was more than that.” Loni sighed. “Jake, his heritage, it’s so important to him. Mineral Lake and the land, plus the future of the tribe. He’s a fighter, my Jake is.”

“The tribe is everything to him.” Sophie’s nerves jerked until she wanted to puke.

“Not everything. Family is right up there. Of course, the two usually combine.”

Sophie stared miserably out the window as drops of rain began to fall again. His heritage was everything to him. The baby she might be carrying would be part of that. What if she were pregnant? Would he fight to keep her on the reservation? Fight to keep the baby? Would he win?

She realized she didn’t know the real Jake Lodge at all. One day he was a gentle cowboy who cooked her dinner and made love to her. The next he became the cold, methodical lawyer, taking the Charleton Group apart piece by piece. Or was he the powerful cowboy controlling a wild stallion with his thighs? Whoever he was, the man would win. Would do anything to win.

She just couldn’t be pregnant. She couldn’t have a man like that in her life controlling her. Controlling her baby.

She didn’t notice as Loni stopped at the B&B.

“Will you be okay tonight?” Loni asked.

“I’ll be fine. Thanks for the ride,” Sophie said woodenly as she grabbed her exhibits from the backseat and ducked into the rain. She kept her head down against the deluge as she crossed the walk and climbed the steps to the front door. After she turned to wave, Loni flashed her lights and headed down the road. She put her boards on the porch, shifted to unlock the door, and jumped when a voice interrupted her thoughts.

“Running, are we, Sunshine?” Jake asked from the darkness.