Now, Gage sat outside in the dark by the pool, staring up at his own house. The lights were still on in Elena’s rooms. They were still on in his parents’ suite on the other side of the house, too. The studio his contractors were working on remained dark. It had been foolish of him to ask her to look at it since the space hadn’t fully taken shape yet. Without him there to explain what he was doing, she would just think he was putting in a tasting room, like he’d told her several days ago.

Defeat weighed heavy in his chest as he settled deeper into the cushion of the wooden pool lounger.

She was right here in his house, a sexy, beautiful and giving woman he wanted to be with, but he couldn’t think of a damned thing to do to make her stay.

When his phone chimed again, he had the urge to chuck it into the pool to stop the buzzing. But seeing the notification from Miles—the host of tonight’s shindig and the most levelheaded of the bunch—made him read the message.

How well do you know Chiara Campagna? Found her in my study, and I would swear she was rifling through my notes. Looking for something.

Seriously?

Gage wondered if Miles had been drinking, because it made zero sense that one of the most famous women in the world would want to find out secrets Miles Rivera was keeping. Of all the Mesa Falls partners, Miles would win the award for most apt to do the right thing.

Astrid and Jonah have known her forever. She’s cool.

Unconcerned, Gage shot back the text and pocketed his phone. By the time he looked up again, he saw his mother heading his way. No longer wearing her travel suit, she was dressed in a long knit skirt and sweater with a cardigan over the top. He stood out of habit, even though he wasn’t sure he wanted to talk to her. His frustration might be with his father, but then again, she hadn’t done anything to help defuse the tension earlier.

“Mom, I’m not in the best frame of mind for a conversation. I’m going to have to confront Dad tomorrow, and I want to warn you, I feel certain it won’t go well.” He figured he might as well give her fair warning.

She settled onto the chaise beside him, her skirt billowing around her, the watery reflection of landscape lights illuminating her face. There was concern in her expression as she looped her arm through his.

“You mean about Elena Rollins refusing his bribe all those years ago?” she asked, picking lint from the arm of her sweater.

“He told you?” It shouldn’t surprise him that his mother was party to his dad’s deception. And yet it still stung.