Sweet Texas Fire

by Nicole Flockton

  Anger bubbled inside, ready to burst out and fry the rude man standing in front of her.

  Wait. Don’t fly off the handle. Even though he’s being a complete asshole, he’s a client.

  “I really have no idea what you’re talking about. How about you explain to me what it is you think I’ve done? If it’s work-related, I’ll have you know that I’ve never slept with anyone to get anything. Any promotion or job opportunity I’ve achieved has been through hard work.”

  Gage stood up to lean over the table, so she stood, as well. No way was she going to let him feel like he could threaten or intimidate her.

  “What I’m talking about is the piece of land you inherited.”

  Immediately, she sat down. She was still coming to terms with the fact that she owned a piece of Texas property. She had no idea what she planned to do about it and she had pushed it to the back of her mind to deal with at a later date. Looked like a later date was now.

  “How do you know about the land?”

  “I know because the land belonged to my father, Jack Cooper. And that land is rightfully mine.”

  But Jack Cooper was a true gentleman, nothing like this man in her office. Could she even trust this was the truth?

  Charlotte crossed her arms across her chest. “I think you’d better explain yourself.”

  “I thought I already did.”

  “No, you made a lot of insinuations without giving me any proof that what you say is true. Am I just to take your word that you’re Jack Cooper’s son?”

  She waited while Gage pulled out his wallet. He opened it up and laid it on her desk.

  “There’s all the proof you need.”

  Keeping her eye on Gage, she reached out and picked up the item. The leather was soft under her touch and warm from residing in his pants pocket. She glanced down—yep, the proof was right there in her hands. In the small plastic pocket sat a picture of four men. In the middle stood Jack Cooper surrounded by, Charlotte assumed, his sons, with Gage standing at the far left of the group. Looking at Gage now and the Gage in the picture, it wasn’t taken that long ago. One brother was dressed in a suit and tie; Gage and his other brother wore jeans and western shirts. Even though he smiled, it didn’t reach his eyes. He appeared detached, almost uncomfortable to be in the picture.

  Why?

  Never in a million years would she connect Jack Cooper with Gage Cooper, the owner of one of Houston’s most successful oil companies. She recalled from her conversations with Jack that he owned a company that made guacamole. As far removed from oil as Texas was from her home country of Australia.

  “Okay, so, yes, you’re Jack’s son. As to why he left me the land and not you, that’s a question I can’t answer.”

  “Oh come on, I know Dad. He must have had a reason for changing his mind. He told me that the land was mine. He told my brother Grayson two weeks before he died that his will was in order. Everyone would be happy, Dad assured him. Well, I’m not happy. I want to know what you did for him to change his will. The same will that named you as the new owner of a piece of land near the town of Sweet Ridge.”

  Charlotte didn’t know what to say. She had no idea why Jack Cooper decided to bequeath her the piece of land.

  “Look, I was as surprised as you were when I heard from the lawyer that I now own a piece of Texas real estate.”

  “Is that right?”

  “Yes, as a matter of fact, it is.”

  A frustrated sigh reached her ears. “How did you meet my dad?”

  “As you know, I’m not from around here.”

  “Yes, I believe we established that earlier. You know, the British versus Australian thing.”

  “There’s no need to be sarcastic. Anyway, while I’m here I’ve been taking weekend trips to see some of Texas. I came across Sweet Ridge as I was driving to the Gulf and decided to stop for some lunch. I was sitting by myself when your father came up and sat with me.” Her mouth stretched into a soft smile. Jack Cooper was an outrageous flirt who reminded her of her favorite uncle, who had died when she was a teenager. Jack made her laugh, and she found that she’d made another couple of trips down just to visit with him. She’d have gone to his funeral, too, if she’d known about his death.

  “I’m sorry for your loss, Gage. Until I got the letter from the lawyer, I didn’t even know your father had died. I liked Jack and will miss him. The time we shared together will always be a wonderful memory of my time in Texas.”

  “Well, ain’t that sweet,” Gage drawled.

  It was Charlotte’s turn to blow out a frustrated breath. “I really don’t like your tone. Your question about my friendship with your father has turned something wonderful, something that meant a lot to me, into something tawdry. You have no right to do that, and if that’s the only reason you came to see me, I suggest you leave.”

  “I’m not leaving yet, Red.”

  Charlotte rolled her eyes at the reference to her hair color. “Original nickname there, Cowboy. But I’m serious—if all you’ve come here to do is suggest that I have the morals of a whore and seduced Jack into leaving me the land, then I have nothing more to say to you.” She tilted her head to the left. “The door is there. I’d appreciate it if you don’t slam it on the way out.”

  “You still haven’t given me a definitive answer to my question about why Dad left that piece of land to you,” Gage responded as he crossed his arms over his chest, stretching his shirt across his tightly muscled torso.

  Damn, he was good-looking. Pity he was such an asshole.

  If she’d encountered Gage any other time in a bar or at a party, and the conversation between them didn’t suggest she was a whore, she might play with the idea of pursuing a fling with him. However, her tenure in Texas was ending soon, and it would be impractical to pursue anything resembling a relationship.

  “I don’t know what else to say. I told you I don’t know why Jack left me the land. I haven’t even gone to see it yet.”

  “Why not? From what you said earlier, you like Sweet Ridge.”

  It was true; she liked visiting the small town. But she couldn’t bring herself to see what Jack had left her. She knew she would fall in love with it, and it would be the worst thing she could do. When she’d taken on this role, she never thought she’d fall in love with living in Texas.

  “Yes, I like Sweet Ridge. I’ve just been busy so I haven’t been able to go.”

  Gage closed the distance between them, and Charlotte stood up again. “Somehow I think there’s more to this story than you’re letting on.”

  “And your suspicious mind is getting tiring, Gage. I don’t know how many times I have to say this, but your dad and I were friends. Nothing more. We shared a few lunches together. I told him all about this pain-in-the-ass oilman I had to deal with. And if you need clarification, that pain-in-the-ass oilman is you.”

  Gage laughed and it changed his whole persona. His eyes lit up, and fine laugh lines appeared around his eyes and mouth, making him even more attractive than when he scowled at her.

  “I’m sure Dad would’ve loved hearing me referred to that way.” His eyes dimmed and his mouth firmed. “It pretty much sums up what he thought of me.”

  “He mentioned to me he had three sons. But he didn’t elaborate on what you all did. And I never mentioned your name when we talked. He did tell me that first lunch about how proud he was of all that his sons had achieved in their lives. I’m guessing your other brothers work at the guacamole company?”

  If her comment about Jack surprised Gage, he gave nothing away. “No, only Grayson works for the company, and that is another story, too. Gavin is a vet in Sweet Ridge.”

  “Right.” An awkwardness that hadn’t been in the room before fell between them. For a first meeting between two business colleagues, the conversation had veered into personal territory.

  Gage was within touching distance. The look in his eyes suggested he was aware of the close proximity between them. Mesmerized, she watched
as his hand reached out and touched her cheek.

  “So tell me, Red, what did you and Dad talk about over lunch if it wasn’t his three sons?”

  Her cheek burned under the simple touch of his finger. Her ability to speak was lost. She should slap his hand away. She needed to slap his hand away.

  “Will you stop touching me?” she whispered. Any control of the situation she might have achieved was lost in the space of five words.

  “I don’t know if I want to,” Gage murmured as his hand spread to cup her cheek. “What is it about you that enamored my father so much?”

  Her breath caught when his fingers slipped into her hair, pulling at the strands. “Was it your beautiful red hair? Or maybe it was your mouth. Did you kiss him, Charlotte? Or did you do something else with your mouth that pleased him?”

  This time she gasped and pulled away from his hold, cringing as her hair caught between his fingers. “Get out of my office, Gage Cooper, and don’t come back.”

  He didn’t move. He just studied her.

  Redheads had a reputation for having a temper, but usually Charlotte never had a problem with controlling her anger. However, Gage’s suggestion blew her control out the window. If he didn’t move in the next five seconds, she was going to pick up her stapler and throw it at him. Damn the consequences of her actions. She wanted him out.

  As if he could see the intent in her eyes, Gage headed toward the door, turning to face her again. “This isn’t over, Charlotte. Make a note—I will be back.”

  CHAPTER 3

  Gage walked into the Silver Spurs, Sweet Ridge’s honky-tonk bar, and looked around for his brothers. A country ballad blared out from the jukebox in the corner. The main room was surprisingly crowded for a Thursday night. He’d told Grayson he’d be able to make it down late in the afternoon, so he had plans to spend Friday in town, as well. He needed to connect more with his brothers. Before he’d left for college and fucked up his potential football career, they’d all been close.

  He also wanted to take the time to look over the land that Charlotte now owned. Oh, he wouldn’t trespass on the property. He’d walk the perimeter. He knew from an old survey report there was oil on the land. He didn’t know the size of the pocket, but he was hopeful it was a decent one.

  If Charlotte knew about the oil pocket, she’d make sure she’d do everything in her power to put a caveat over the land so the oil could never be drilled.

  “Gage, over here!”

  He looked to the left and spotted the table where Grayson sat, still dressed for the office sans tie. Ties weren’t allowed in the Silver Spurs; if someone walked in with a tie on and a waitress spied him, she’d whip out her scissors and cut it off before they had time to say it was made from Italian silk. They didn’t care if it was silk or paper. Rules were rules. The array of cut-off ties hanging from the roof and around the walls showed how ruthless the waitresses in the bar could be. Gage rarely wore a tie, so he never had to worry about being made the center of attention.

  Gage weaved through the tables, smiling at people he knew as he passed.

  “Hey, man.” He sat down and picked up the bottle of beer the waitress just placed on the table. Grayson was nothing if not organized.

  “Hey, glad you could make it.” Grayson raised his gin and tonic in a salute.

  “It’s good to see you. How’s business?”

  “Don’t ask. It hasn’t changed much.”

  “And the new owner?”

  Grayson’s face tightened. Gage had a feeling his older brother wouldn’t have many nice things to say about the new fifty percent owner of Guac Olé. “She’s around somewhere. I haven’t tried to have too much to do with her.”

  “Isn’t that a bit difficult? Doesn’t she want to take up her place on the executive floor?”

  “Nah, she’s happy down on the floor working the conveyor lines. Why she does is beyond me. She could be sitting pretty in a corner office, painting her nails.”

  Gage busted out laughing. “Stop being an arrogant stuffed suit. No wonder she doesn’t want anything to do with you if you think she’s got nothing but avocado skin for brains.”

  Grayson rolled his eyes at the weak attempt at humor. “Stick to the oil fields and stop making lame avocado jokes.”

  “So, where’s Gavin?”

  “He said he would be here. He’s got news for you.”

  A glint entered Grayson’s eyes, and it immediately put Gage on high alert. “Has he found out what the glasses mean?”

  Grayson made a zip-closing motion across his lips.

  “Fine, I’ll wait.”

  He didn’t have to wait long. Seconds later Gage heard the gentle metallic clang of Merle’s collar. He turned in his chair to greet his other brother and his dog.

  “Hey, Gavin, how’s it going?”

  Gavin clapped Gage on the back. “I’m fantastic, man.”

  As Gavin took his seat, he, too, picked up his bottle of beer the waitress had placed on the table during their greeting.

  There was definitely something different about his oldest brother, but he couldn’t put his finger on what it was exactly. The hair was the same. He hadn’t grown a moustache. There were no lines of tension around his mouth or eyes that Gage knew showed on his own face and he could see on Grayson’s. In fact, Gavin looked happy. Very happy.

  “What’s got into you, Gavin?”

  Grayson spat out his drink on a laugh. “More like what he’s got into.”

  Gavin punched Grayson on the arm. There was no malice in the action, just a typical brother-versus-brother play fight. He watched the byplay and felt left out again. The way he’d been feeling the last few years.

  “Why do I get the feeling I’m missing something really big and important here?” he asked. “And why are you so damn happy, Gavin? When I left a month ago, you were as pissed off with Dad and the world as I was. What happened?”

  “Love happened,” Gavin responded, a goofy grin breaking out over his face.

  “What the fuck?” Gage shook his head, sure he’d misheard what Gavin had said. “Love?”

  “Yep, I’m in love, man, and it feels so good. You oughta try it.”

  “Wait. Are you telling me that in the month since we were last together, you’ve fallen in love?”

  “That’s a fact, Jack!” Gavin quoted an iconic line from the movie Stripes. Dad used to make all his sons quote it back to him when Dad was giving them what he called a Jack Cooper Life Rule.

  “So, who is this lucky lady? Do I know her?”

  For the first time since he’d walked into the bar, Gavin looked a little uncomfortable. “Yeah, you know her. In fact, you could say we all know her.”

  Gage ran through the names of the girls they all knew. None of them seemed the type to suit Gavin. But hell, after this last month, anything could happen.

  “I’m drawing a blank. How about you put me out of my misery and just tell me who this love of your life is.”

  “Macy Young.”

  Gage slammed his beer bottle on the table. “The same Macy Young who inherited the house from Dad? The Macy who freaked out when you kissed her not that long ago?”

  Gavin laughed. “One and the same.”

  “You’re shitting me, aren’t you? You took my advice, didn’t you? This is all a game to get your hands on the house.”

  It was the only thing that made sense. Macy and Gavin had always been rivals. But Gavin had apparently forgiven and forgotten everything Macy had done, and now everything was wonderful between them.

  “Nope, I’m not wired that way,” Gavin replied. “I’m one hundred percent in love with her and she’s in love with me. The house is an added bonus.”

  Gage raised his eyebrow in a silent question at Grayson, who nodded. So, it was the truth.

  For a moment he didn’t know what to say. He studied Gavin again. He really did look happy, and well, if his brother was happy, who was he to burst his love bubble?

  Gage leaned over the t
able and slapped Gavin on the back. “Congratulations, man.”

  “Thanks, Gage, and I am. We’ve all grown up and changed. Even you.”

  Instead of answering Gavin, he nodded and gulped down some more beer.

  “Now that we’ve got this out of the way, can we talk about why I wanted to meet with you both?” Grayson asked.

  “Absolutely. I’m guessing this has to do with Guac Olé and our shares in the company?” Gavin replied.

  “Yep, it does.”

  Gage sat back and took a long swallow of his beer. He didn’t want anything to do with the family business. He had his own business he needed to worry about. Not to mention Charlotte Wilkinson.

  Damn, but she wasn’t what he expected her to look like. She was no middle-aged divorcée. She was probably a couple of years younger than him, her hair a gorgeous shade of auburn, her eyes a clear green that misted over when she got angry. Her body filled her out her smart business suit nicely. He wouldn’t mind getting a look at what was underneath that suit. Was she a cotton or lace type of girl?

  Whoa. No way.

  He couldn’t believe the trail his thoughts had meandered onto. She might have cast a spell over Dad, but she wasn’t going to cast one over him.

  A slap to the back of the head brought his attention back to the Silver Spurs. The sound of the country music blaring from the jukebox, people laughing and talking permeated his consciousness.

  “What the f—”

  “Language, little brother,” Grayson mocked him.

  Gage flipped him the bird and took another swallow from his beer. As he set the bottle down he became aware of the silence from the two men sitting in front of him.

  “What?” he asked

  “Did you hear a word of what I was talking about?” Grayson asked.

  Gage scraped a hand down his face. “Sorry, man, I didn’t. My mind drifted to a meeting I had yesterday. What did you say?”

  Gage withstood the scrutiny from his brothers. Neither one had any idea of the pressure he was currently under with the way the market had dropped out of the oil industry. Over the last month he’d had to lay off people. He hated letting good, hardworking people go. He had also slowed production on some of his rigs. He didn’t want to close any down outright, but that could be the next step if the price didn’t pick up. He had a decent cash reserve to ride out the slow times, but he wasn’t going to throw that away just to keep production happening. The more he produced, the more glut in the market.