King's Treasure (Oil Kings Book 3) by Marie Johnston (great novels .TXT) 📗

and Gentry were preparing to head home to Billings. I figured the guys had sent her out to make sure I was doing okay.

It wasn’t Kendall. Gentry smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. Xander was lankier than his dad, and he probably seemed more like his mother when it came to mannerisms, yet the resemblance was undeniable. When Xander grinned, it was unmuted and full of life. Gentry kept things close to the vest, but both men picked and chose who they shared that side of them with. I had a feeling Xander’s mom, Sarah, hadn’t been so picky.

Gentry settled on the porch swing next to me. Just like Chief, he oozed power, but unlike Chief, he was subdued about it. He didn’t feel the need to make sure everyone around him knew. “I threw a wrench in your weekend.”

After Xander had ridden off, barely able to look at me, Gentry had come out the back door of the house, his expression drawn, like he’d kicked his favorite puppy.

“It was bound to happen eventually.” I gave Gentry a sad smile. “I just think he wanted it to happen after he paid you back.”

He kicked his boots out, making the swing squeak and sway until his heels caught and stopped it. I couldn’t believe this guy who’d wrestled a cow three times his size the other day was the same tailored-suit-wearing man I’d met in Vegas. “I think I played it off well enough that Lex didn’t get any enjoyment out of informing me. I pretended I already knew. I could’ve gotten an Oscar for my performance.”

I chuffed out a laugh. “That’s actually comforting, yes. Chief wanted me to marry him, you know.”

“Chief? Oh, your father. He wanted you to marry Lex?”

“He looks better on paper.”

“I’m sure he looks good until he opens his mouth. Young and cocky. He’ll probably go far. But Xander won you over?”

“I was the one that brought up marrying. He didn’t even tell me about the trust until I threatened annulment, and then it was only to get me to stay.”

Gentry didn’t say anything but nodded thoughtfully.

“He’s talented,” I said to fill the silence. Chief was never quiet, and I didn’t know Gentry well, but his gaze was always sharp. His mind was never idle.

“The photography?”

So many things. “Yes. He helped his buddy out with some travel brochures.”

“It’d be nice to hear about it.” I didn’t miss the wistfulness in his voice. Gentry wanted to connect with his son, but the way he did it with the others wasn’t working on Xander.

“He’s not like his brothers.”

Gentry snorted. “Ain’t that the truth. He’s his mama’s boy.”

“And you got along with her.” My teasing was gentle, but pointed.

“I did. She was my best friend, but ranching was her passion and it was right here. Xander’s passion is out there.” He fell quiet for a moment. “Sarah didn’t leave an instruction manual for raising the boys when she died. I only wanted to set Xander up for success, not drive him away.”

“I drove him away once too.”

Gentry’s gaze landed on me but I didn’t take my eyes off the pastures spread out before us. “But he came back?”

I frowned. “No. I went running after him. It was my fault he left.”

The words fell empty between us. I got why talking to his dad unnerved Xander. The disappointment oozing off Gentry was palpable, and it wasn’t aimed at me. I think I could’ve been a total shit to Xander and Gentry would still expect his boy to stick around and deal with it. Not leave me.

He’d left me once and I blamed myself. But this relationship took two. Now, he’d left again. I was stuck behind, worrying.

And here I’d married him so I wouldn’t be alone in the big bad world when my parents disowned me for my big rebellion. That hadn’t turned out at all like I’d thought it would. Neither did swinging on the porch all by myself with all these questions about my future.

“Listen, I’ve heard about your work history.”

My gaze flashed to him. What had Chief said? He’d thought Saving Sunsets was a toddler bike in a Harley world. “There’s not much there.”

“Don’t discount it.” He gave me a pointed look. “Or let anyone else discount it.”

I’d loved my role at Saving Sunsets. There had been less-desirable aspects to that job, but my main responsibility had filled my inner well to the brim. Bernard had been onto something with Saving Sunsets, and the failure of the nonprofit was a loss to the environmental consulting world.

Gentry was right, I did downplay my work history. But after last summer, I had more of it. So maybe Saving Sunsets wasn’t my dream, but it’d been a good start. I wouldn’t discount my time there again.

“Anyway,” he continued, “our investors like to see what we’re doing to help lower our carbon footprint, and how other forms of energy compare to oil when it comes to environmental impact. In fact, it’s becoming more critical to investors, and King Oil needs to step up its game. You know all that, it was why we were supposed to meet that day in Las Vegas.”

The truth of everything was out. “You know about that?”

“I could use a consultant.”

“I have some contacts I could get you in touch with. The friend that I worked with is out of the country at the moment . . .”

Gentry stared at me with a bemused smile.

I blinked. “Are you offering me a job?”

He chuckled. “Sorry I didn’t make that clear enough.”

“It’s because I married Xander.” He was offering out of guilt.

“King Oil is a family company first. If I forget that, it’s harder on everyone and it doesn’t matter if we’re talking about the work climate or the earth’s climate. You’re smart, you’re passionate, you’re well informed, and honestly, family or not, I wouldn’t offer if you weren’t qualified.” His grin was knowing. “It just so happens my family is often the best at what they do.”

A job. In a