by Joanne Rock
Marcus’s shoulders tensed. He was wary of responding, even though she would have been able to find out the answer easily enough. From Devon, even. But he couldn’t shake the sense that she might be gathering information. Or insights on their father’s mystery past that he might not have been inclined to share with Devon.
“No.” He raked a hand through his hair, wishing they could dive back under the covers and forget the phone call he’d received. He’d far prefer to have Lily warm and naked beside him right now. “Nothing out of the ordinary. And I think it was on everyone’s minds the day the will was read. One of Dad’s old friends cracked a joke about Alonzo not being a secret agent after all.”
In the silence that followed this comment, his cell phone vibrated again.
Even before he grabbed it, Lily was on her feet. “I should go.”
“You don’t need to—” he began, until he saw on caller ID that Weston Rivera was on the line.
Again.
“We’ll talk in the morning,” she assured him, picking up discarded clothing as she breezed out of the room.
“Lily, wait.” He stood up as the phone buzzed again. He cursed himself for handling things poorly. With Lily. With his father. And even with Weston Rivera.
But as Lily closed the bathroom door behind her, Marcus realized he could only repair one of those things right now. So he swiped up to answer the call.
“I haven’t reached Devon yet—” he began, needing to explain why he hadn’t gotten in touch with his brother to find out Devon’s endgame for hiring an investigator.
“I did.” Weston’s voice cut him off. “I informed him in no uncertain terms that I’m opening that safe with your father’s papers tomorrow at noon and he can either be here or I give everything to you.”
Shocked into silence, Marcus stepped out onto the back deck of the private lodge, needing a breath of fresh air to pull his thoughts together. It was late now, and the temperature had dropped at least ten degrees since his dinner with Lily.
“Excellent,” he said after a moment, scratching a hand over his bare chest and wondering how his brother had taken the news that Rivera wasn’t going to wait any longer for Devon to show up. “Where should I meet you tomorrow?”
“We’ll convene in the ranch’s business office.” Weston sounded like he was someplace windy. His voice rose as a rush of air distorted the sound on his end. “Coop can escort you if you haven’t been there before.”
“I’ll be at the business office tomorrow at noon,” Marcus confirmed. “Thank you, Weston.”
“I owe your dad,” he said simply. “It’s a debt I’ll consider paid after tomorrow. The owners wanted to have a welcome reception this week to meet with you both, but if Devon isn’t interested in showing up, we’ll have to wonder how serious you are about working with us.”
The call disconnected. Inside the lodge, Marcus could see Lily emerge from the bathroom, her hair neatly coiled and pinned back in place. He could still feel the texture of the silky locks on his fingers.
It was yet another thing he resented Devon for—interrupting this time with her. Time he could have been learning the nuances of what she liked. Touching her until she came apart in his arms.
Now, he’d have to bring her back to her suite. Find a way to salvage a professional relationship until he figured out her angle in all this. But one thing was certain. He wasn’t sharing this latest piece of information with Lily no matter how much he wanted to trust her.
Just in case.
Nine
Pumped full of caffeine and adrenaline the next morning, Regina sat in the ranch manager’s office, silently willing Cooper Adler to give her a job as a trail guide.
She’d been awake all night. At first, she’d been researching what job to apply for since Mesa Falls Ranch had several new openings and she wanted to tailor her résumé and interview to be an ideal fit. Once she’d settled on the trail guide position, she had devoted the rest of the night to researching the terrain around the Bitterroot River. She’d brushed up on her local history and quizzed herself on the flora and fauna of the region, ensuring she had enough patter to intrigue even a seasoned ranch visitor.
“You don’t say much about your riding experience,” her interviewer noted between sips of his coffee from a dinged-up silver travel cup. He eyed her résumé critically, as if he could see right through her fake degree in hospitality. “You really need superior horsemanship in case anything goes wrong with the guests.”
“I was on a competitive women’s polo team in college.” It was true, but she’d been going by her real name then, so she hoped he didn’t ask more about that. “Riding is second nature to me.”
The ranch manager lifted a bushy gray eyebrow, regarding her silently for a long moment.
“You’ll find the horses here don’t respond like polo ponies,” he warned.
With an effort, she remembered not to bristle at the superior way he spoke to her. After how her father had treated her and her mother, Regina had some major issues with male authority figures. Therapy had helped her recognize that, but there weren’t enough hours in a day to have those issues counseled out of her.
“Since the best polo ponies are trained to have some competitive aggression on the field, that’s probably just as well.” She did her best to give the older man a charming smile. “But if it would help my chances for the job, I’d be happy to put in a few trial days in the stables. You’re welcome to see how I handle myself with the animals.”
Back in her old, privileged life—before her world had blown apart thanks to the book that exposed her family’s scandalous secrets—Regina had had a horse of her own. And even though her family kept multiple animals in the stable, she’d been given her own Arabian on the condition that she would be the one to care for her.
That gorgeous mare, Darla, had been the center of her world for years, and the chores that came with her had kept Regina grounded. She’d always thought it was smart parenting of her father. At least until he’d taken Darla away from her, along with everything else, when he’d discovered that she wasn’t really his biological daughter. Back then, she hadn’t known the truth, either, and the revelation of her parentage had been a shock. These days, she wore her fake name as easily as any other, since the only identity she had anymore was whatever she created for herself.
“You’d really take on stable work to get this job?” The ranch manager eased his bulky frame back in the leather rolling chair.
His weathered face didn’t give much away, but she was sure she heard a hint of begrudging admiration in his voice. He’d set aside her résumé, giving her his full attention.
“Gladly.” She would have beaten rugs or washed laundry to get closer to the Salazar heirs. Anything to do with horses was a bonus.
“I’m going to take you up on that offer, Ms. Flores.” He leaned his forearms on the desk again. “Although you’ve already made me a believer, I happen to know that your presence in the stable would give you whole lot of credibility with the ranch hands. And quite frankly, I need my trail guide on excellent terms with them.”
She didn’t know if she was more relieved that she got the job or that he hadn’t asked for references, but she was mighty grateful to Cooper Adler.
“Thank you for giving me a chance.” She knew from her two days of observation that Marcus Salazar was in and out of the stables daily. “I can head over there now.”
She got to her feet, not sure how she’d get through the day of physical labor on no sleep, but she’d find a way.
“I’ll walk with you.” The ranch manager rose from his chair, drained his coffee and left the mug on the desk. “I’ve got a meeting with a guest at noon in the business office, and the stables are on my way. I’ll introduce you around.”
Instantly alert, Regina gave an automatic response as they headed out of the main lodge. She wa
s fairly certain there were only two guests on the property this week—Lily Carrington and Marcus Salazar. Unless, of course, Devon Salazar had finally put in an appearance.
No matter whom Coop had an appointment with today, Regina wanted to be there.
Because she’d bet it involved the Salazar family. So as soon as Coop left Regina at the stables, she was already plotting her way out of the building to follow him.
* * *
When her phone rang shortly before noon, Lily wished she didn’t have to answer.
She’d worked from the desk in her suite all morning, pulling together notes for the event she and Marcus had discussed, trying not to think about how awkwardly things had ended between them the night before.
Trying to tell herself that she hadn’t torched her career with a single impulsive decision.
But as her phone rang for a third time, she acknowledged she couldn’t ignore what had happened last night forever. But flipping it over, she saw it wasn’t Marcus calling. It was his Salazar Media copresident, the only other man outranking her in the company.
“Hello, Devon,” she answered as smoothly as possible, wondering if the brothers had spoken since Marcus discovered Devon had hired a private investigator.
Marcus had said nothing more on the subject when he’d driven her back to the lodge the night before, remaining silent about Weston Rivera’s second phone call. Because he didn’t trust her?
The idea troubled her more than it should, considering her attraction to him couldn’t go anywhere and shouldn’t have ever gone this far in the first place.
“Lily, I’m on my way to Mesa Falls now, but I won’t arrive by noon. Is there any way you can stall Marcus?” Devon sounded tense. Terse. Harried.
She’d spent enough time as his second in command to recognize his panic. As his friend and colleague, her first instinct was to help. To say yes and figure out how to accomplish the task later.
But after getting to know Marcus better, she was reluctant to jump into a role that would put them at odds.
“Stall him from what?” she asked instead, setting aside her pen and rising from her seat at the small desk. She walked over to the window looking out onto the pool and courtyard area behind the lodge.
“From the meeting with Rivera. From letting him see Dad’s papers before I get there. Didn’t he tell you?”
She felt a pang of warning at the back of her neck as she watched a young woman—it looked like Regina Flores from the spa—hurrying along the tree line behind the courtyard.
“He didn’t mention a meeting.” She couldn’t help the trace of impatience in her words. With Devon? With Marcus?
Or with the whole cursed position of being stuck as a go-between?
“Lily, it’s almost noon now. Can you please attend the meeting on my behalf? They’ll be in the ranch’s business office. Rivera said it’s in the building near the arena.”
Outside the window, Lily could see Regina dart from the trees toward a structure in that precise location. The three-story building had oversize barn doors on two sides, but there were windows at regular intervals on the second floor. Like all the rest of the ranch buildings, the heavy log-frame construction provided a rustic appearance, while the sleek steel accents were contemporary.
“That meeting isn’t about Salazar Media, Devon. I can’t just waltz in there and take your place to hear information that your father intended solely for you and Marcus.” Still, she couldn’t deny she was curious about what Marcus would find out. And she couldn’t tamp down the frustration with Devon. “Did you really hire a private investigator to look into your father’s past while Marcus and I are here?”
“He told you that but he didn’t tell you about the meeting?” Devon made a dismissive sound. “For that matter, don’t you think it’s hypocritical to ask about the investigator even though you say the meeting doesn’t concern you?”
Frustration churned inside her. “You’re right, it’s none of my business. Occasionally our friendship blurs the line of our working relationship, or else you wouldn’t ask me to attend a family meeting or to run interference with your brother.”
“I just wanted you to stall him,” Devon reminded her, a new coolness in his tone. “And what is this new defensiveness about my brother? Does Marcus have anything to do with you breaking up with Eliot?”
Lily gasped in surprise, wrenching her gaze from the window. “How did you know about that?”
“Eliot phoned me. He’s obviously upset.” Devon and her former fiancé were friends through mutual acquaintances besides her. They’d played tennis many times over the years. “And, of course, he’s worried about the merger with Carrington Financial.”
Betrayal fisted in her gut.
“I thought Eliot understood I wanted to wait to break the news to our families,” she explained, measuring her words while her thoughts raced. A tension headache gripped her temples. “But maybe he’s simply telling people who aren’t family and expecting the news not to spread?”
She’d been foolish, hiding her head in the sand this week when she needed to figure out an approach with her grandparents. If they found out about her affair with Marcus, it would hurt them all the more.
“I won’t say anything, Lily. Hell, you know that.” Devon’s words reassured her for the space of a moment, before he continued. “It was just so damned sudden, I worried about the timing of me sending you up there with Marcus.”
Her reply dried right up. She’d barely wrapped her brain around how to share the broken engagement with the world, let alone what to say about her impulsive—incredible—night with her boss. She hadn’t imagined it was the kind of thing anyone else would ever find out about.
On the other end of the call, Devon cursed softly. “Lily, don’t tell me—”
“Devon.” She cut him off, unwilling to tread down a path of personal confidences. “I haven’t told you anything,” she reminded him, keeping her voice impassive. Neutral. It wasn’t easy, since her heart was racing at thoughts of her professional world imploding. “And since you’ll be in Mesa Falls soon, I’m going to let you handle whatever is going on with your brother and the papers your father left for you. I’ve got a solid plan in place for the kickoff event at the ranch, so if you’d like me to head back to New York—”
“Absolutely not.” Devon recovered his professional tone, following her example. If he still suspected something between Lily and Marcus, he’d chosen to drop it for now. “I did hire a private investigator to look into Dad’s past, and I’d like you there when I speak to Marcus about that, because we may need a cooler head to mediate.”
Lily closed her eyes, her stomach dropping like she’d stepped onto a free-falling ride at the amusement park. And it wasn’t one bit amusing.
Her one night with Marcus was going to destroy her career. How would either of the Salazar brothers ever trust her to be the cooler head when she’d leaped into Marcus’s bed at the first opportunity? But she couldn’t go into that now—not when she didn’t have much time to implement some damage control.
“Call me when you’re on the ground.” She closed her laptop and wondered if there was any chance she could speak to Marcus privately before Devon arrived. “We’ll find a time to meet.”
She disconnected the call and checked her watch. It was almost noon. If Devon was correct about Marcus’s meeting with Weston Rivera today—a meeting Marcus had purposely kept secret from her—Marcus would soon have the answers about his father’s mystery paperwork.
Whatever happened, she hoped the meeting ended quickly. She needed to tell Marcus she’d made a horrible mistake the night before. One that she would never, ever repeat.
After that, she’d ask him if there was a way they could put the incident behind them so they could move forward with a professional relationship. She only prayed he said yes, because she had no other options for work r
ight now when she’d just ripped apart her family’s expectations of her and probably foiled Carrington Financial’s merger.
Then again, if he said yes and she got her wish of burying that scandalous night in the past, she still had zero hope of ever forgetting it.
* * *
Checking his watch one final time, Marcus conceded that his brother wasn’t going to show for the noon meeting. Would Salazar Media lose the Mesa Falls Ranch account, too, if Devon didn’t show up at all this week? He’d been standing in a pine grove with a view of the driveway to the lodge, hoping all morning that Devon would find a way to be here, but it wasn’t meant to be.
Maybe it shouldn’t surprise him, since Devon had never been like family to him and had never sought Marcus’s approval or support for a damned thing outside of business. But he’d believed Devon’s affection for their old man was real, and he would have guessed that support for Alonzo—or curiosity about Alonzo’s life—would have drawn Devon to Mesa Falls this week. Marcus was done making phone calls about it, refusing to get drawn any deeper into drama with his half sibling when he had a more pressing matter to discuss with Devon—buying him out of Salazar Media. Devon’s latest stunt was one more reason Marcus needed to be free of him professionally.
He couldn’t help but wonder how Lily would fit into that discussion. With a last glance toward the building where he’d dropped her off the night before, Marcus stalked toward the business office for his meeting. He hadn’t mentioned the appointment to her, but he guessed she’d probably learned about it from Devon anyhow. Marcus had never confided his business to a lover in the past, so he wasn’t sure why he’d been so tempted to with Lily. Maybe because he recognized her for the professional asset she was. Perhaps he even envied his brother’s relationship with her, a bond based on something deeper than what she’d shared with him.
But he couldn’t derail himself before this meeting by thinking about that. He tried his best to put her from his mind as he stepped inside the building that housed the ranch’s business office. There were stables on the main floor, but they appeared too pristine to be in regular use, with cobblestone floors and wood stall doors painted with images of horses on the front. The place looked more suited to hold champion thoroughbreds than working animals. Huge doors led from the stable area to a paddock and small track surrounded by wooden seating.
