Page 24 of A Montana Childhood Promise (Sagebrush Ranch Sweethearts #3)

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

“Don’t say it,” Noah growled into the telephone.

“I’m sorry, sir, but not talking about it isn’t going to change anything.

You’ve seen the recent reports. It’s not just the guests who usually attend these functions who are speaking out about the secrecy of the organization.

It’s the media. People are running away with the narrative that you either don’t exist or you’re some sort of crime lord. ”

Noah dragged his hand down his face. The event was tomorrow. And every day for the last week, Jonathan had continued to insist that he change his mind and attend the event as the CEO of the company.

Jonathan wouldn’t dream of committing to anything for Noah without his explicit approval, which was why Jane was still upset.

For the last two days, she’d refused to see him.

It wasn’t that she had broken things off.

She was understandably busy. But the fact that Noah wasn’t on her side when it came to this particular issue had rubbed her the wrong way.

She had a point. He should be supporting her even if he didn’t agree with her sentiments. She needed someone she felt she could talk to who wouldn’t argue with her.

Noah paced in the barn. It was quiet, and most of the guys were still eating their breakfast. Jonathan had likely just gotten into the office, as he arrived there before dawn most days to make calls and update Noah on everything that was taking place.

He was planning on attending Jane’s event, and Noah was tempted to just have him tell everyone that he was the face behind everything just so Noah didn’t have to deal with the aftermath.

But that would be wrong. And it would more than likely come back to bite him in the backside if the truth came out about it.

“You know why I don’t want people knowing who I am. Do you think the country would approve of a guy my age without a background in business running something like this? And what about my life? My family doesn’t even know how much money I have.”

“Perhaps it’s time to trust them. The country, too.

I don’t think you realize just how acceptable it is for young people to be running large companies like this one.

” Jonathan had made that argument a hundred times before.

He’d been around the block a time or two, and he had zero reservations about letting people know who Noah really was.

The problem wasn’t the country. If Noah was honest with himself, he would admit that right off the bat.

He didn’t care what the country thought of him.

He was doing well with this charity. He knew how to stretch his dollar and appeal to the masses when it came time to ask for donations.

He had a passion for helping out the men and women who served this country, and it showed.

But for his family and friends to find out what he’d been hiding all this time?

That terrified him more than anything. People looked at others differently when they had money.

And this wasn’t just ‘some guy who won the lottery’ situation, either.

He’d earned the money by investing at the right time.

Then his fortune grew as he continued to invest more and more.

“Noah? Are you still with me?”

“Yeah,” Noah ground out. “I’m still with you.”

“Maybe you should test the waters. Is there someone you can talk about this at home? You said you have brothers.”

Noah grimaced. He couldn’t tell his brothers.

They’d let it slip and tell his parents.

But maybe he could talk to one of his cousins.

Reese seemed level-headed enough. He didn’t seem to be the judgmental type, either.

As long as he didn’t go running his mouth to everyone about who Noah was, that could be a possibility.

Maybe Jonathan was right. He needed to test the waters.

He grunted into the phone. “I’ll keep you updated. ”

“The event is tomorrow.”

“I’m aware.”

“I’m getting on a flight this evening. If you can’t reach me, leave a message.”

“Have a safe flight.”

“Thanks.”

Noah hung up the phone, and when he turned, he nearly had a heart attack. “Speak of the devil,” he muttered under his breath.

His cousin gave him an amused look. “You okay? It’s not every day you’re the first one out here. And who could you possibly be talking to on the phone at this ungodly hour?”

Noah shoved his phone into his pocket, hating the fear that pulsed through him at the idea of telling his secret to anyone.

Reese continued to give him a strange look.

They were friendly enough, though not close.

He’d lived on the other side of the state, and they’d only interacted during the summers before they’d all moved out here.

His mother had named Reese after her maiden name, insisting that she’d wanted to pass it on in whatever way she could, which made it easy for people to tease him as a kid.

Maybe confiding in him was a bad idea.

His cousin arched a brow. “You okay, man?”

“Not really.” The words came out of him without Noah’s permission.

“What’s going on?” Reese yanked a rope from the wall and draped it over his shoulder. “I mean, you don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want…”

Noah rubbed the back of his neck. The temptation to lay it all out to someone who knew him better than Jonathan was so strong he wasn’t able to fight it. “Can I ask you something?”

Reese shrugged. “Shoot.”

“If you had a secret—something big enough that people finding out could destroy you—would you tell anyone?”

He smirked. “Probably not.”

Noah shook his head. “What I mean is that if you keep the secret, it could ruin your career, but if you let it out, it would change your personal life as you know it.”

This time, Reese cocked his head, and his hazel eyes flashed with curiosity. “I take it this has something to do with you.”

Noah didn’t answer.

“What I don’t get is how can you separate your career from your personal life? Here, they’re the same thing, right?”

When Noah didn’t answer, Reese’s eyes narrowed.

“Right?” he asked again.

“Just answer the question.”

Reese shook his head. “I can’t unless I have the full story. I need to know more.”

Another cowboy entered the area, and Noah stiffened.

He watched the man head toward the tool bench at the far side of the barn, rustle through the tools there, then gather a few of them before he walked out.

Once he was gone, Noah moved toward his cousin.

“If I tell you what’s going on, you have to swear you won’t breathe a word of it to anyone.

Not your brother. Not your mother. Not my parents. No one,” he muttered.

Reese drew an ‘x’ over his chest. “Do you want me to pinky swear, too?”

Noah might have barked out a laugh if he wasn’t so stressed out. He jerked his chin toward the door. “Take a walk with me.”

By the time they’d made it to the nearest pasture, Noah had spilled everything, from the way he’d made his money to what he’d done with it.

He’d confessed how he’d helped Jane with her job, making sure to tell Reese she’d earned her promotion, and it wasn’t just because he liked her.

He got a flat look from that statement, but Reese didn’t argue with him.

Once it was all out in the open, he waited for Reese to respond.

When he didn’t, Noah groaned. “Well? What would you do?”

Reese chuckled—a response that Noah hadn’t been expecting. “I’m sorry, man, but this one is totally a personal preference.”

That wasn’t the answer he’d been hoping for. He needed direction.

“The truth is, you have to decide what’s more important.

Is your company more important, or is the girl?

And don’t tell me this has anything to do with your family because deep down you know as well as I do that your brothers and your parents wouldn’t care that you kept this secret.

Finances are personal. It’s Jane’s opinion that should matter.

And if she finds out from someone else, then she’s gonna be hurt. ”

He was right. Jane would likely never forgive him if he wasn’t the one to come clean.

“So the question is, what do you want to do? This isn’t just your life on the line anymore. It’s hers, too, right?”

Noah nodded. She’d said her reputation could be at risk. He hadn’t wanted to believe it, but he could see where she was coming from.

Reese clapped him on the back. “Seems to me you already have an answer to your question.”

Noah straightened the bow tie on his tux.

He looked in the mirror in the visor before him.

Jonathan had offered to have him picked up in a limo, but he hadn’t wanted to draw attention until after he told Jane who he really was.

He’d have to be careful. The whole board was here, and Jonathan had told them that he’d changed his mind and would be making a speech.

Even Jane had been informed that he’d stand before the whole group and talk about what had inspired him to start up The Wounded Heroes Project.

Noah just had to find her before someone recognized him and blew his cover before he did.

His palms were clammy, and he fought the instinct to rub them on his pants. He could do this. Jane would understand. She had to.

He pushed out of his truck and headed for the open space that had been set up on the Twisted Rivers property.

There were lights strung up on every tree and pole possible.

Live music played, and the hum of chatter floated to him from where he’d parked near the vendors’ vehicles.

Jane was in there somewhere, bossing people around.

He’d seen the setup this morning, hoping to speak to Jane then, but she’d gone MIA in search of additional table cloths when they realized they were three short.

Clearing his throat to rid himself of the lump growing there, he moved through the crowded area in search of the one person who he needed to see.

Jane wasn’t with the vendors, caterers, or the people in charge of the live entertainment.

He didn’t see her mingling with the people near the tables or the dance floor.

Where on earth could she be? She had to be here somewhere.

Jane wasn’t the type of person who just took off when everything was coming together.

She’d be here with her clipboard until she was required to interact with the guests.

“I heard that the woman planning the event finally convinced him to make an appearance. Only the board members know who he is,” a woman to his right said.

Noah turned to glance in her direction with surprise.

The man she was speaking to shoved his hands in his pockets and rocked back with a smirk. “Who says he’s a he? Maybe the person in charge is a woman.”

Noah didn’t stick around to listen to their musings.

Most of the people here would be discussing their theories on his identity.

He’d already assumed as much. None of that mattered.

What did matter was trying to circumvent Jane from getting upset over him keeping the truth from her.

The worst of it would be when she realized that he was technically her boss.

She might be willing to overlook the money, but the fact that he was paying her to do this job might be the one thing she’d be upset about.

He straightened so he could see over the heads of the people milling around. Everyone around them was dressed to the nines. The outfits they wore were more than Jane’s monthly salary, if not several months’ worth if she was honest.

Noah finally caught sight of Jane near the main entrance of the event.

She was speaking to someone, and the smile on her face was…

everything. She’d successfully planned this whole thing, and it had come together famously.

Not only that, but the excitement in her eyes over knowing that she’d turned the tides and the CEO of the charity was going to attend made her glow.

Without thinking, he moved toward her. He’d pull her away from whomever she was speaking to and tell her the truth before everything came out. Adrenaline pumped through his veins with each step he took toward her.

She was speaking to someone, but when she caught his eye, her smile lengthened. He stopped at her side, but before he could open his mouth to speak, the man at his side beat him to it.

“Mr. Reese. I was wondering when you’d arrive. Have you heard the chatter? Everyone is so excited for you to give your speech.”

Confusion flitted in Jane’s eyes. Noah’s stomach dipped. He glanced to the man, finding Thomas Dalton. Jonathan hadn’t given explicit instructions on how to maneuver throughout the evening except to not mention his name until he’d given his speech.

Cold dread wrapped around him as he sensed the tension coming off Jane in waves. He turned his attention to her, reaching for her hand as he mumbled her name. “Jane?—”

The confusion had left, replaced with betrayal. She yanked her hand from his grasp and shook her head.

When he took a step toward her, she shook her head again and held up her hand. “Don’t, Noah. Please… don’t.” Tears had sprung to her eyes, but she’d spun away from him too quickly for Thomas to notice the change in her emotions.

He attempted to go after her, but a different board member stood in his path.

“Oh, good! You’re here. When Mr. Daniels told us you’d be coming, we could hardly believe it.

But now that you’re here, we don’t have to worry about keeping this secret.

I believe anything related to your identity is fair game to discuss now? ”

Noah ignored the woman as he sought out the direction that Jane had escaped.

Jonathan should have been more explicit in the things he told his board were okay to discuss, because now he was being swarmed by not only the other board members, but reporters, too.

Lights flashed, and people started shouting questions.

He had planned on taking questions after his speech, which wasn’t on the schedule until after everyone got their meals.

He’d wanted to have enough time to talk to Jane and explain himself.

She was too smart for her own good. She’d made the connection with a single statement from Thomas.

Now, she’d disappeared into the fray, and he didn’t have a chance to go after her.

More lights flashed, and a reporter moved into his line of vision. “Mr. Reese, was it? There’s hardly any information on you. Can you tell us about yourself? How you started up this empire to help those in need?”

“Mr. Reese, why have you kept your identity a secret? Are you hiding something?”

More questions were flung in his direction, and it wasn’t until a firm hand wrapped around his upper arm and yanked him out of the crowd that Noah realized he’d been drowning. He glanced up and found Jonathan’s concerned eyes on him.

“Thank you,” he muttered.

“Don’t mention it.”