“No wonder.” A ghost of a smile, fleeting and faint, chased over her features. “So you and your partners have decided to withhold judgment until you know more. But what happens when Devon Salazar’s financial forensics investigator reveals where Alonzo was funneling profits from the story? No matter what his original intentions, you have to admit it doesn’t look good for him to pocket the royalties and essentially profit off someone else’s heartache.”

Gage hadn’t realized how thoroughly Elena had done her homework, but clearly she knew about April Stephens and her visit to Mesa Falls Ranch.

“My guess is that he didn’t personally profit, which is why I’m not jumping on the bandwagon to condemn the guy.” He shrugged his shoulders, ready to move on. “And you shouldn’t either until you know more.”

“You’re really going to try to pretend you’re as in the dark as I am about this?” she pushed.

“I know more than you only because I considered Alonzo a friend, and I know his character. He wasn’t a good dad to his sons, but I like to think he tried to make up for that by being a father figure to my friends and me.” Rolling his shoulders, Gage reached for the key in the ignition to start the vehicle. “And on that note, let’s move on.”

“Wait.” She laid her hand on his, halting him before he could turn the engine over. “Why not tell me the good things about him, then? How did you and the other owners end up as lifelong friends with a teacher from your boarding school?”

Her touch short-circuited his brain, preventing him from answering even if he’d wanted to. Which he most definitely did not. Instead, he captured her hand in his, holding it.

“Can we have a conversation, not an interrogation?” he asked, running his thumb over the backs of her knuckles for a moment, savoring the feel of her skin. “Maybe save some of your questions for dinner tonight?”

She shook her head as she withdrew her fingers. “I don’t have the luxury of pursuing answers at my leisure, Gage. This is my job, and I don’t get paid until I have a story.”

He noticed she didn’t address the dinner invitation. Because she didn’t want to spend more time with him? Or because she suspected it would lead them to act on the heat sparking between them?

“That seems like a mercenary approach.” He would be meeting with the other ranch owners later. Even if he couldn’t reach Devon Salazar before then, he’d at least be able to talk to Wes to see if he’d gleaned anything from April about her investigation. The two of them had obviously hit it off. “You’ll notice I’m not talking to anyone else from the tabloids, so it’s not like anyone will beat you to the story.”