Ben studied the screen in front of him. He’d forgotten how much he enjoyed writing software. The project Maggie had given him had been easy to work on once he developed the overall concept. Integrating several systems seemed easy enough, just lots of coding. But he loved it.

Working as the CEO of Sumner Integrated Software Solutions didn’t afford him much time to actually code software anymore. Instead he spent his days in meetings and planning sessions that bored him to tears.

“What the hell are you smiling about over there?”

Ben glanced back at Emmett. He sat at one of the desks in the spacious area his mom called the lodge office. At first, he’d wondered how anyone got work done with the open concept. But he soon learned the area lent itself to a certain camaraderie he didn’t experience in his own company. Maybe he would make changes when he returned to Seattle.

If you return to Seattle.

Where had that come from? Of course, he was returning to Seattle. The sooner, the better, right?

“Earth to Benji.”

Ben felt something hit his head. “What the fuck, Emmett?” He turned and rubbed his skull.

“Man, when you’re writing software, you’re like a million miles away.” Emmett laughed.

“I could say the same for you and writing. Speaking of writing, are you?”

Emmett shrugged and went back to work.

Ben didn’t force the issue. He knew his brother was having a hard time coming up with a new book concept. But he seemed to love the marketing section of the lodge. He’d developed a new website for the lodge and the cabins, and a separate linked one for the wedding barn. Emmet had also created new pamphlets and updated all their social media.

Emmett looked up. “Want to grab a beer later?”

Ben shrugged. “I really want to finish up this program. Does that make me weird?”

Emmett shook his head. “Nah, it just means you love what you do.”

“I do.” Ben turned and faced the computer. “I really do.”

“The fact that you still double-knot your tennis shoes like you’re an eight-year-old makes you weird as shit though.”

“Screw you.”

Emmett laughed. “When are you going back to Seattle?”

Ben shrugged.

Thankfully Emmett didn’t say more.

The door to the outer office opened and his mother strode in, her face downcast. Oh shit. He knew she’d gone with Maggie to see her father but that was about as much as he’d been able to pull out of her at breakfast this morning. From the look on her face, it didn’t go well.

“How’d it go?” Emmett asked.

“Not good.” His mother fell into her chair.

“What happened?” Ben asked.

“Not my story to tell, sweetheart.”

“Ma, you’ve got to give me something.”

“Was he a dick?” Emmett asked.

“He’s a recovering alcoholic,” his mother answered quietly. “There’s a lot to make amends for.”

Ben knew his mother’s own father had been a raging alcoholic for most of her childhood. He’d sobered shortly after Ben and his brothers were born and had been a decent grandfather up until his death a few years earlier. He would guess his mom understood more of what Maggie was going through than any of them.

Ben walked around his desk and pulled up a chair next to his mother. “You okay?”

“Yeah,” she sighed. “Just worried about Maggie. It’s a lot of bitterness to hold on to. And if she doesn’t let it go, it’s just going to eat her alive.” Ben’s heart ached for his mom. Not only was his mother reliving her own father’s abuse, but he knew she was missing his father’s support through all of this.

“Hey,” Ben touched her shoulder, “you should see what Em’s doing with the barn website. It looks amazing.”

She smiled, his usually cheery, optimistic mother slowly returning. “Really?”

“Yeah, come take a look,” Emmett said, pointing to the screen. “And we’re getting a lot more hits on both websites. Our social media stats are really jumping.”

“Oh, Emmett, that’s wonderful.” She leaned on the back of his chair and stared at his computer. “I don’t know what I would do without you.” She kissed his brother’s head, then turned to Ben. “Or you,” she added.

Ben smiled and returned to his desk, not wanting to think about when he might have to leave. If one of his brothers didn’t get here soon to help them, Ben would have to sit down and have a serious talk with Patrick and the rest of his company’s board of directors.

His cell phone rang. Digging it from his pocket he laughed. As if on cue. “Hey, Patrick, what’s up?”

“Hey, guy, how’s it going down there in Colorado? Freezing your nut sack off yet?”

Ben chuckled, thinking of how cold he’d been in the rain with Maggie. Then other things happened to his nut sack as images of Maggie underneath him played through his mind. Not exactly what he needed to be thinking about right now.

“Uh, no not yet. What’s up?” Ben didn’t have to ask. He knew Patrick was calling about the board wanting to move forward with going public.

“Well, we’ve got some bankers interested in our plans. Are you still iffy about doing the IPO?”

Ben studied the screen in front of him. The random numbers seemed like gibberish to most, but for Ben they were a symbol of his dreams. Building software, working with clients to solve their business needs, this had been at the heart of his dream when he started.

Ben thought about his mother’s confession that his father had funded the start-up for his fledgling company. He also remembered her lecture on becoming a workaholic. If his company went public, Ben had no doubt that two things would happen. He’d put in even longer hours than he already did. And he’d probably never write software again.

“I’m still thinking,” he finally answered.

“Well, I don’t mean to rush you, but we need to decide something soon.”

“I know, Patrick, I’m just…”

“I’m sorry, Ben, I don’t mean to pressure you. It’s your company, I know that. Take your time. You’ve got your hands full there.”

Ben nodded. He did. And the truth was, he wasn’t sure if he didn’t love having his hands full with his family’s business. He was discovering that he had a knack for handy work and he enjoyed the day-to-day tasks involved in running a hotel.

Ben thought for a fleeting second what it might be like to sell his company, to walk away altogether and stay in Canyon Creek permanently. He could code when and what he wanted to and help his mom and Maggie build their dream.

“If it makes you feel any better, Daphne loved the place. She thinks your family is sitting on a gold mine.”

“That’s good. And hey, thank her for spreading the word about the wedding venue. Apparently, our social media accounts are blowing up.”

“No problem. She loves talking about herself.”

Both men chuckled.

“All right, well, don’t work too hard and call me when you can,” Patrick said. “If you need anything, you know I’m here for you, day or night.”

Ben did know. And it meant a lot. “Thanks, man,” Ben said. “I appreciate that.”

“Okay, I’ll talk to you soon.”

“Later.” Ben pressed the phone to end the call.

“Who was that?” Emmett asked.

Ben turned. His mother and Emmett’s eyes were trained on him. “Patrick.”

“Daphne’s fiancé, your CFO, right?” his mother asked.

“Yes.”

“What did he want?”

Me to come back. To do an IPO that would make us both rich but would also seal our fate in a lot of other ways.

“Just checking in to make sure everything is okay here.”

“You know Ben,” his mother said, walking toward him, “you can go back to Seattle anytime you need to. Please don’t feel obligated to stay.”

Ben’s eyes caught the glimmer of movement from the back of the room.

Maggie stepped into the office.

He turned and their eyes met. She looked…defeated. And it slayed him.

His mother walked toward Maggie and took her in her arms. “Hey, sweetie. How you feeling?”

Maggie nodded. “I’m good, thanks.”

“Hey, listen,” his mother said, leading Maggie toward the desk. “Ben was just talking about how he didn’t have any plans for this evening.”

Ben’s brows knitted together as she studied his mother.

His mom narrowed her eyes.

“Yep, I was going to ask if you wanted to have dinner with me tonight.” Ben could read his mother’s mind and he wasn’t about to argue with her. Not to mention, he did want to have dinner with Maggie. He wanted to take her mind off her dad. To help her forget all that had been weighing her down so much lately.

Maggie’s gaze went from his to Valerie and back as she scrutinized them both. She let out a long sigh. “Thanks, but I promised Denise I’d help with inventory tonight.”

“Oh, nonsense.” His mother waved a hand in the air. “Emmett and I can help her.”

“We can?” Emmet squeaked.

His mother gifted Emmett with the same narrowed eyes.

“Oh, uh, yeah, we can,” Emmett said, smiling politely.

“Okay, it’s settled then.” His mother clapped her hands.

Maggie stared at the three of them, her expression guarded.

Ben stood and walked toward her. “Maggie,” he said, placing his hand on her shoulder and giving it a gentle squeeze. “You look exhausted. Let me cook dinner for you.”

Her eyes met his and it wasn’t hard to see they were puffy and red rimmed. She’d been crying. A lot. Shit.

“I don’t have anything to cook.” Her voice was broken, barely above a whisper.

“I’ll stop at the store on my way over. Do you like lasagna?”

“You cook? You make lasagna?” She asked.

“Of course, he does,” his mother answered for him. “I taught all my boys to cook before they left the house. Didn’t want to burden their future girlfriends and wives.”

Ben stared at his mother.

“What?” she shrugged.

Ben turned to face Maggie. “Yes, I cook. And I’d like it very much if you would let me cook for you. Tonight.”

Maggie swallowed hard and Ben knew it was taking everything inside her to agree. If his time here at the lodge had shown him anything, it was that Maggie Lawrence rarely admitted defeat. No doubt, she hated the idea of him taking care of her.

“Okay,” she finally answered. “What time?”

“What time works for you?”

Maggie glanced at the clock on the wall.

Ben followed her gaze. It was just after two in the afternoon.

“I’ve still got some paperwork to catch up on and I have to touch base with a few people here before I can leave.”

“I can help if you need me to,” Ben offered.

“No.” She smiled.

Finally, a smile, Ben thought.

“Let’s say seven?”

“Seven sounds perfect.” Without thinking, Ben reached down and softly brushed a kiss on Maggie’s forehead.

She didn’t flinch or make a fuss. Obviously, Maggie was wiped. And all Ben wanted to do was take care of her. He wasn’t quite sure where the urge came from, but he knew one thing. He was starting to tire of fighting this pull Maggie had on him. It seemed to be a fight he was bound to lose.