Addison had woken up from her nap nearly an hour ago, and had since done little else than fidget and pace in her room. Reid still hadn’t come talk to her, which annoyed her, since she felt like she needed at least some sort of an explanation from the man, if not an apology.

But that wasn’t what really had her gut swirling with anxiety. It was almost seven, which meant dinnertime with the other Atherton. She didn’t even know why she was so flustered. It wasn’t like it was a date or anything.

Then why was she having so much trouble picking an outfit?

All right, get a grip, she told herself, puffing out a breath.

Gage had certainly left quite an impression on her, though, that she couldn’t deny. Not only was he attractive as hell, making her blood course whenever he so much as looked at her, he was also polite and kind. Well, if you ignored the whole part about him socking his brother in the face within minutes of a reunion.

But who knew what kind of past those two had. With her, he had been nothing but hospitable and friendly. And was she imagining the way he looked at her? She could have sworn there was that tell-tale glint of interest in those nearly black eyes of his.

Stuck on a ranch with two bears that hate each other.Addison had to shake her head as she sank down onto her bed. That’s not going to be complicated at all.

In the end, she put on her dark jeans and cashmere sweater, pulled her hair into a loose ponytail, and went downstairs. She followed the sound of dishes clinking, and someone moving around, until she found herself in a dining room, a large table set up in the middle of it.

Gage was pulling something out of the oven, craning his neck when he heard her enter.

“There you are,” he grinned.

Addison would have been lying if she said that smile of his didn’t make her just a little weak in the knees. There was water and wine on the table, and she couldn’t help but notice it was set for two.

“Whatever it is, it smells great,” she commented, taking a whiff.

“Pork chops,” Gage replied, setting the meat onto a large plate. “And mashed potatoes.”

As if on cue, Addison’s stomach grumbled.

“Sit down,” Gage said, gesturing to the table.

She did, watching him move around the kitchen. He set the food on the table, a huge heaping of mashed potatoes, pork chops, and a simple salad. Pouring her a glass of wine, he grinned.

“Hope you like red,” he said.

Addison smiled back, the delicious smells all around her only making her hungrier.

“I prefer it, actually,” she replied.

Gage sat down opposite her, a curious look in his eyes.

“Dig in,” he said. “And don’t worry – I appreciate constructive criticism.”

She took a bite, and then another, letting all the different textures and tastes swirl in her mouth, washing it down with a sip of dry, flavorful wine. It had been a while since she had eaten a real home-cooked meal, and there was something comforting about it.

“It’s great,” she nodded, already going in for more.

Slowly, she relaxed in her seat, the wine warming her limbs and the food filling her stomach. Her earlier anxiety was gone, but the thrill of getting to know Gage was still there, brimming beneath the surface.

“You getting settled in all right?” Gage asked. “The internet connection here is spotty at best, so I don’t know how much work you’re going to be able to get done.”

“It’s mostly just paperwork, nothing I need a steady connection for,” Addison shrugged. “I’m looking forward to seeing more of this ranch of yours. You have quite the property here.”

“I can give you a tour in the morning,” he replied. “But it’s nothing too exciting, really. I’ve already sold most of my cattle, so things are pretty calm for the moment. But I guess that’s why you’re here, isn’t it – the calm?” he asked, arching a brow at her.

“I’ve definitely had more than my share of excitement,” Addison admitted, taking another sip of her wine. “I take it you’ve been following the news?”

“Not that closely, but I got the basics,” he replied. “I wasn’t surprised to hear that Reid took the case. The fact that you won was unexpected, though. No offense,” he added with a smirk.

“Oh, none taken,” she laughed. “I didn’t think we would win either. But your brother is a great lawyer. Rourke wouldn’t have hired him if he weren’t.”

Gage’s brow knitted together for a moment, and Addison couldn’t help but wonder what he thought of Rourke going free. Was he aligned with public opinion? Did he also think her and Reid responsible for letting a murderer walk the streets?

The thought worried her more than it should. For whatever reason, Gage’s opinion was important to her.

“Do you think he did it? Killed his wife?” Gage suddenly asked, catching her a little off guard.

Of course she had thought about it, long and often. But she had never spoken of her true feelings on it out loud. Not even to the few friends she had back in Chicago. She had thought no good could ever come of it if she did.

What were her options, anyway? If she told people she thought Rourke was innocent, they would just think it was her job as his lawyer to say that. And if she were to say she thought he was guilty, well… That would make her a terrible person for defending him, wouldn’t it?

The public tended to think so, at least.

But there was no accusation or judgment in Gage’s eyes as he held her gaze, patiently waiting for her response. Addison was already thinking up several ways to avoid giving a straight answer, but in the end, what ended up leaving her mouth was the plain truth.

“I wouldn’t put it past him,” she said grimly. “But the evidence just wasn’t there. Juries these days want no less than the killer’s fingerprint in the victim’s blood with some DNA thrown in for good measure, and it wasn’t that kind of case.”

Addison hated how defensive she was sounding. In the end, a jury had found Rourke innocent, and she had been doing her job, nothing more and nothing less. It wasn’t like she was some rookie attorney, either, she knew how the system worked and her part in it.

It was high time she shake the feeling she had done something wrong, but that was easier said than done.

Gage must have picked up on her tone, or how her mood had changed.

“So maybe he’s just an innocent asshole,” he shrugged. “I hope you’re not letting what people are saying out there get to you. They don’t know what it’s like to be in your position. Some people just thrive on outrage, and would rather see an innocent man in prison than be wrong.”

Addison blinked at him, not really knowing what to say. He had summed it up pretty perfectly, hadn’t he? No one really knew what happened that night except for those involved, so everyone coming up with theories online or speculating on the news were mostly just in it for the scandal of it all. Who cared what they thought?

“Thanks for saying that,” she said. “It’s easy to lose track of the facts when you’re in the middle of it.”

“Well, you’re in the middle of nowhere now,” he replied with a grin. “No place like Black Oak to clear your mind.”

Smiling at him, Addison leaned back in her seat, feeling tension leave her body. Despite Gage being a practical stranger, he made her feel comfortable. And the way he made her heart beat faster was a pretty good at distracting her from Rourke.

She was just about to respond when Gage’s eyes suddenly snapped away from her face and toward the doorway. Addison heard footsteps a moment later, and twisted around in her chair to see Reid walk into the kitchen.

He was still wearing his suit, but without the jacket and tie. Eyes narrowing, he glanced over at the table before turning his attention to Gage. The change of mood in the room was palpable, and Addison’s gaze flicked from one brother to the other, looking for signs that things were going to come to blows again.

“I guess you forgot to tell me it was dinner time,” Reid said, walking over and pulling out a chair.

A low growl echoed out from Gage.

“I haven’t forgotten anything,” he said, his words loaded.

Uh-oh. This can’t end well.