The Texan's Baby (Texas Rodeo Barons)

by Donna Alward

  “This afternoon?” Lizzie checked her watch. So little time. And then there was the fact that the company involved was the same company Chris worked for. Coincidence? Not likely. But thinking about the possibilities made her body feel numb and she couldn’t afford that right now. She had to deal with one emergency at a time. And she had to prepare. That was the most important thing.

  “Do you want me to reschedule?” Maria asked, her eyes worried.

  “No, I don’t think so,” Lizzie replied, starting down the hall again with Maria keeping pace beside her. She needed to find out more before she went home tonight. Hearing what this Ms. Bennett woman had to say would be a good place to start. “Can you reschedule my day though so I can get through this and do a little research? I don’t want to be on the back foot going into this meeting.”

  They stopped in front of Lizzie’s office and Maria fidgeted, standing by the door instead of going on her way. “What is it, Maria? You look like you want to say something.”

  “Maybe you should call your dad. Or have someone from the board sit in with you.”

  “And have Ms. Bennett think that I’m not capable of taking a meeting on my own?” Lizzie raised an eyebrow. She really wanted to approach this from a position of power, and how could she do that if she brought in a team of reinforcements as though she was afraid? “I want to take this first meeting solo. And then I’ll bring everyone in, I promise. All this will be is taking the temperature of the situation.” She frowned. “Can you find out a little bit about Nicole Bennett for me?”

  “I’ll see what I can dig up. But Lizzie...” Maria put her hand on Lizzie’s arm. “I’ve known your father for a long time. Don’t keep him in the dark, or it’ll blow up in your face. Let him help you.”

  “I will. I just want to go to him with a full picture,” she promised, but there was a dark feeling in the pit of her stomach. She should have mentioned something to Brock about the stock activity when Mark first came to her. Good heavens, was AB Windpower behind that, too? Were they coming at Baron from all sides? And what did Chris know about this?

  Once she was in her office she shut her door and went to her desk, reading the document as she sat down. She understood how merging the smaller company with the larger one might strengthen AB’s financial position, but it was odd that a company established to market alternative energy solutions wanted to be joined with oil and gas. It was counterintuitive, wasn’t it? It just seemed that in the current trend, AB was taking a step backward by seeking an alliance with Baron.

  She tapped her fingers on her desk. Then again, Lizzie had expressed an opinion about diversifying, hadn’t she? She loved Baron Energies but thought there was a huge opportunity to take a “whole energy solution” approach to the future rather than picking sides.

  She’d expressed an opinion and on more than one occasion, though not since taking over the presidency. Suddenly her body went cold as she thought back to the conversations she’d had in private with Chris. Had she said as much to him? Because having him so close to her and having this proposal cross her desk only weeks later seemed a little too convenient to be coincidental.

  She didn’t want to believe it. Not of him. But suddenly little things started adding up.

  He had been on his leave until she told him who she was, and then he’d immediately gone back to work. And he’d garnered himself a promotion in the process. More than once she’d mentioned wanting to move into alternative energy. She’d even mentioned the stock issue and her worries about it.

  The truth slapped her across the face. Oh, my God, had she done it again? Gotten herself tangled up with a man who was far more interested in her name than in her? And now she would be tied to him forever, wouldn’t she? Because there would always be their child between them.

  Her stomach turned sickeningly.

  She would get to the bottom of it later, and deal with one crisis at a time. The first one was preparing for her meeting with Nicole Bennett. For that she had to be at the top of her game.

  * * *

  NICOLE BENNETT WAS one of the most beautiful women Lizzie had ever seen. She was close to Lizzie’s age, give or take a year or two and petite, with a glorious mane of dark brown hair that was twisted up into a tidy chignon at the base of her neck. A few artfully arranged tendrils spiraled whimsically by her ears, and her skin was flawless. Her figure was packaged perfectly in an off-white skirt and blazer with trim a shade darker. The two tones were repeated in her heels, and she carried an expensive leather satchel in a perfectly manicured hand.

  Lizzie, on the other hand, had popped the button on her skirt during a bathroom break and was in constant fear of the zipper letting go. Her blouse felt a little too tight across her breasts, too, although she’d taken ten minutes to freshen up in the bathroom and had tidied her hair and touched up her makeup.

  “Ms. Bennett,” Lizzie greeted, holding out her hand and trying not to feel like the ugly, awkward stepsister. “Please come in.”

  Lizzie showed Nicole into a small boardroom. It was no less luxurious than the big room, but on a smaller scale. Rich wood furniture, comfortable chairs, photo prints of the ranch on the walls. A carafe of coffee and a pitcher of water were set in the middle of the table, along with a plate of pastries.

  Ms. Bennett had to know she was on Baron turf here.

  Once they were seated Lizzie folded her hands on the table. “What can I do for you today, Ms. Bennett?”

  Nicole smiled and took her time answering, instead reaching for the water pitcher. “Do you mind if I have a drink? It’s hot out there today.”

  “Oh, of course. Help yourself.”

  Lizzie forced herself to wait patiently as Nicole poured a glass of iced water and took a few sips. “Better,” Nicole smiled, relaxing a little. “It’s good to finally meet you, Ms. Baron.”

  Which meant that Nicole knew who Lizzie was, while Lizzie was pretty much in the dark about Nicole—other than the basic details from her AB Windpower bio, which stated her role at the company as well as her academic background.

  “Likewise,” she replied, reaching for the second glass and pouring some water. She was suddenly feeling very dry. There were questions she wanted to ask and it was hell trying to bide her time.

  “You’re probably wondering about the proposal we sent over.” Nicole smiled at her, then reached into her satchel and took out a file. When she opened it, Lizzie recognized the top sheet as the same document she’d received by courier only hours before.

  “You’re the one who requested the meeting,” Lizzie reminded her coolly. “Danish?”

  “No, thank you.” Nicole leaned forward a little. “Lizzie, I’m not here to confront or threaten you. You can relax.”

  Lizzie merely raised an eyebrow. “Then why are you here? I’ve been through your proposal. It’s interesting reading for sure, but I can’t understand why you’d want to merge with an oil company. It practically goes against your mission statement.”

  Something flickered across Nicole’s face, but she cleared it quickly. “Baron’s profile is strong. It would be financially beneficial for us to merge with your company. There would be significant benefits to us, as Baron is a publicly traded company.”

  “But why us, and why now?”

  Lizzie had read the report. She knew what was in it. But it was different seeing someone face-to-face. She’d worked in HR long enough to know the value of in-person meetings. There were nuances that simply couldn’t be gleaned from a black-and-white document. And right now Ms. Bennett appeared confident but a bit rehearsed.

  “You’ve said yourself that you’re interested in alternative forms of energy. Besides, Baron lost that contract in the Gulf not long ago. We’re in a unique position to help each other.”

  Except Baron’s position wasn’t that weakened.

  “One contract is hardly
a significant event,” Lizzie reminded her. Well, maybe it was somewhat significant, but it certainly hadn’t put the company in a precarious position.

  “One contract on top of a president and CEO who is recuperating away from the office and the picture for Baron Energies isn’t quite as rosy as it was even a few months ago.” Nicole took a sip of water. “Your stock position has weakened significantly.”

  Lizzie’s ears pricked up at that, but she forced herself to remain calm and detached. “The stock is rebounding.”

  “There’s been a lot of trade activity.”

  Lizzie frowned, her composure slipping. “And would AB know anything about that?”

  “What?” Nicole’s face changed, too. “What do you mean?”

  “What I’m asking is, has AB Windpower been buying up Baron stock? Are you planning a reverse takeover if the merger doesn’t go through?”

  Nicole’s face blanked. Lizzie had taken her by surprise, then. Good. She’d either try to cover her tracks or be at a loss, knowing nothing about it. Lizzie watched her carefully. She might not be CEO material, but she knew how to read people....

  Except Christopher, a small voice inside her head reminded her. If her suspicions were correct, she’d misread him utterly...

  “I don’t know anything about stock purchases or any sort of takeover attempt. Everything that AB Windpower proposes is right there in the document I sent you. If we’d been buying up stock, I’d know about it. Trust me.”

  Lizzie asked one more question, hoping to throw Nicole off guard. “Nicole, why are you here instead of your boss? Who is Adele Black and why did she send you?”

  And there it was. She covered it well, but for the breath of a second there was fear in Nicole Bennett’s eyes. Lizzie’s curiosity was piqued now. There was definitely more to this company than what she saw on the surface. And there was Christopher, right in the middle of it. Damn it.

  “Ms. Black is the head of our company, but unfortunately she’s been ill the past few days.” Nicole’s eyes shifted away to her papers and she tidied them up before looking at Lizzie again. “I’m here in her place. My words stand as her words.”

  “Interesting that my father’s illness was just mentioned as weakening our company’s position,” Lizzie pointed out, feeling in control once more. “Of course I’ll be taking this proposal to the board of directors, but I wouldn’t get my hopes up too high.”

  “Thanks for fitting me into your schedule.” Nicole closed her file and tucked it in her satchel. She held out her hand and smiled. “It was good to finally meet you, Lizzie.”

  Lizzie shook Nicole’s hand and smiled back. She wanted to keep it impersonal but the truth was she rather liked Ms. Bennett’s style. They were also the same age, both women in the same male-dominated industry and Lizzie suspected they had a lot in common.

  She dropped her hand. “It was good to meet you, too, Nicole. I’m sure we’ll meet again.”

  “You can count on it.” Nicole handed over a card. “I’ll be in town for a couple of days. You can contact me at that cell number if you want to talk further.”

  Lizzie knew she wouldn’t. “Can I show you the way out?”

  Nicole shook her head. “No, I can find my way just fine. I’m sure you have a busy schedule.”

  She left the boardroom and Lizzie followed a moment later after gathering up her file. She wanted to return to her own office to gather her thoughts before calling her dad—she’d need to see him and soon to keep him up-to-date with what was going on. She was just passing the reception desk when she spied Nicole by the elevators, talking on her cell phone.

  “Yes, I met her,” Nicole said, holding the phone against her ear as she searched for something in her purse. “And she’s just as lovely as you said she would be. Determined, too.”

  Lizzie’s cheeks flooded with heat. God, who was she talking to? Chris? He was the only one she could think of who would have a connection between the two of them.

  She went directly to her office. “Emory, I don’t want to be disturbed for a while, okay?” She said the words as she passed by her assistant’s desk.

  “Are you okay, Lizzie?” Emory’s head popped up from where she’d been staring at her monitor.

  “I just need a few minutes.”

  Emory popped up and followed Lizzie to her door. “Is it the baby?” she asked quietly. “Can I get you something? Do you need to lie down?”

  Lizzie was perilously close to crying now that the meeting was over and the truth was too close to ignore. “How did you know?” she asked, her voice catching.

  Emory’s eyes were sympathetic. “The morning trips to the bathroom were a major clue, along with no more morning coffee runs. And I’ve seen you touching your tummy sometimes when you don’t think anyone is watching.” She smiled gently. “I used to do that all the time when I was expecting Jeremiah.”

  Lizzie nodded, her emotions suddenly getting the best of her. “I’m okay. I just need to regroup.”

  “I’m going to bring you some tea,” Emory stated. “And something to eat. I’ll hold all your calls until you say otherwise.”

  “Thanks, Em.”

  “No problem. And congratulations.” Emory gave a small smile and backed out of Lizzie’s office, closing the door behind her.

  Lizzie turned away from her desk and went to the small sofa that sat along one wall. She often used it to read over reports and evaluations, but today she simply tucked in her feet and hugged a throw pillow, closing her eyes.

  When she had herself together, she’d have to call her dad. And she’d have to admit how much she’d screwed up.

  And then she’d go home and deal with Chris.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chris let himself into the condo, using his key with his right hand and holding his laptop bag and a bag of groceries in the other. He’d stopped at a deli and picked up the Thai salad that Lizzie had liked so much the last time they were there. They’d have a quick dinner and then chill for a while. Maybe take a walk around University Park and get some fresh air. Hold hands.

  The house was quiet when he walked in. He frowned. Lizzie must be working late. He wished she wouldn’t since she seemed to tire easier these days, but he understood the pressure she was under. He dropped his bag by the sofa and went into the kitchen to put the food in the fridge.

  He had his head half in the refrigerator when she spoke behind him. “You’re home,” she said quietly, scaring him to death. He jumped and shut the door to the fridge.

  “Gosh, you’re quiet. You must have stealthy cat feet.” He grinned at her, but his grin faded when he realized she wasn’t smiling back. Were her eyes a little bit red? Unease rippled through him as he looked closer. “Lizzie, what’s wrong? Is it the baby?”

  He saw her swallow. Then he saw past her to what sat on the floor in the living room.

  His duffel bag.

  What the...?

  “That’s my bag,” he said numbly.

  “Yes, it is. I’d like you to leave.”

  His eyes opened wider. “You what? Liz, what’s going on?”

  “Don’t call me that!” she snapped.

  She had been crying. Something was desperately wrong. Just this morning he’d texted her something sweet and she’d replied asking about dinner plans. Now she was staring at him like he was a cockroach crossing the dinner table. With disgust. Revulsion.

  “What has happened?” He took a step forward but she stepped back and he put up his hands. “Okay. You’re upset. I get it. Just tell me what’s going on. I’m really starting to worry here.”

  Her dark eyes accused him. “How well do you know Nicole Bennett?”

  Nicole? What did she have to do with all of this?

  “Quite well. She’s the VP of Operations at AB Windpower.”

&
nbsp; “You’re not denying it, then.”

  “Denying what?” The thought running through his mind was so ludicrous he couldn’t help but laugh a little. “You think there’s something between me and Nicole?”

  “She’s certainly pretty enough. All that gorgeous hair and her tiny waist and...and...”

  “Lizzie,” he said gently. “I’m with you.”

  He reached for her again but she recoiled. “No, no you’re not.” She pinned him with her angry stare again. “Did Nicole give you your promotion?”

  “Yes, we met for coffee and she offered it to me. But they’d offered it before I took my leave, too, and I turned it down....”

  “How convenient that the moment you decided you wanted to go back to work you not only got your job back but a transfer and a management position. What’d you have to do to score that, Miller?”

  God above, she was angry and he couldn’t figure out why. “You’re not making any sense. Are you asking if Nicole and I had an affair? How do you even know what she looks like?”

  “I got a good look when she was in my boardroom earlier today.”

  His blood chilled even though he still couldn’t figure out exactly what had happened here. “Why was Nicole in your boardroom?” he asked slowly.

  “Like you don’t know. Save the innocent act, Chris. I don’t have time for it.”

  She turned away and went to the window in the living room, looking out over the city and toward the downtown.

  Nicole had gone to Baron Energies and had a meeting with Lizzie. Chris had no idea why. But what was crystal clear was that Lizzie thought he did. She thought he was part of it.

  “What did she want?” he asked, following her. “What is it you think I did?”

  She swiveled around. “You know, I thought you were different. You were different—for one night only. But the moment you found out who I was...you’re just like all the rest.” Her eyes glistened with angry tears. “I should have listened to my instincts in the first place. Just take your stuff and get out. We’ll talk about custody and visitation when the time comes.”