Sweet Texas Fire

by Nicole Flockton

  “Sheesh, Gage, what is with you tonight? You just zoned out again.” Gavin commented.

  Something nudged his leg. Merle. He reached out and scratched the dog behind the ear. At least someone was trying to make him feel better. “I’ve been traveling for a month straight. I’m tired, okay? And if you hadn’t noticed, the price of oil is at an all-time fucking low.”

  “Shit, man, sorry. I appreciate you coming down here,” Grayson said. “I know how much you really don’t like Sweet Ridge.”

  Holy hell, why did everyone think he hated Sweet Ridge? He’d simply made a life for himself in Houston. And sure, he and Dad had fallen out when he’d lost his scholarship and his potential career as an NFL player. But he had good memories of Sweet Ridge. If he’d been given the land like he thought he was, he’d have even started spending weekends down at the house before he started drilling. There was a lot of preparation to be done to set up a drill site.

  “I don’t hate Sweet Ridge. But if you don’t start talking about something other than me, I will be leaving.”

  Grayson held up his hands in surrender. “Fine. I wanted to know if you had any idea what direction you want Guac Olé to go in, now that you and Gavin have a controlling interest between the two of you.”

  “We don’t have controlling interest. We have half, and quite frankly I’ve got my own business to worry about. I can’t really spend time worrying about what Guac Olé is doing,” Gage said. “I trust you, Gray, to keep the company going the way Dad would’ve wanted it. I don’t get why he didn’t give you the company.”

  “Well, I ended up getting what I wanted,” Gavin replied. “In a most unexpected way. But you know what I found out?”

  “What?” Gage and Grayson said in unison.

  “That at the end of the day what I thought I coveted wasn’t what I really wanted at all. Maybe the old man knew what he was doing after all.”

  Gage snorted. “Please, you’re in love. Everything looks rosy at the moment. I could do with that piece of land right now. Once the price of oil picks up, I could jump right in and employ back some of those people I’ve had to lay off over the last month.”

  Before his brothers could say anything more, Gage’s phone beeped with an incoming e-mail. He would’ve ignored it, but Charlotte’s name popped up with the subject heading “Inherited Land.” He unlocked his phone and opened the email.

  Hi Gage,

  I’ve been doing some thinking about our current dilemma with regards to the land I inherited from your father. I’ve made the decision that, with the fact my time here in Texas is running out, I don’t want to be stuck with a piece of land while I’m living on the other side of the world. I plan to contact Jack’s lawyer in the morning and set in motion the necessary steps to sell you the land. I don’t know how much it’s valued at, but I’m sure the lawyer can work out a fair price that will make us both happy.

  Once I know something, I will be in touch.

  Best regards,

  Charlotte

  He had to read the e-mail twice. Was she kidding him? He hoped not.

  “I take it from the smile on your face that price of oil has doubled today?” Grayson asked.

  Gage looked up. “I wish, but it’s something even better. Charlotte Wilkinson said she’d sell me the land. Looks like I don’t need to fall in love to get everything I want.”

  CHAPTER 4

  “I’m really sorry, Ms. Wilkinson, but Mr. Cooper’s will was very explicit. You cannot sell the land for twelve months.”

  This wasn’t the news she wanted to hear. “Is that even legal to put a stipulation like that in a will? I mean, Jack knew I wasn’t staying in Texas for much longer. I still don’t get why he did this.”

  “I can assure you, Ms. Wilkinson, everything within Jack Cooper’s will is legal.”

  Charlotte cringed when she heard the indignation in the lawyer’s voice. Way to go. Get the one person who could help you offside with a single sentence.

  “Look, Mr. Rodgers, I didn’t mean to imply you would do anything unethical. It’s just that I’m still in shock about receiving this bequest at all. As I said to you after you initially informed me of my inheritance, I’d only met Jack a few times. It really doesn’t make sense why he would leave me something so tangible and valuable. Especially when it seems his son Gage was expecting to receive the land.”

  “I understand how much of a shock this was for you, but I’ve known Jack Cooper for a very long time. He knew what he was doing with his will. His sons will soon come to see that. Now, I have a meeting I need to get to. Call if you need anything further, but I will repeat: You can’t sell the land.”

  “Like I need reminding,” she muttered as the lawyer disconnected the call.

  Charlotte threw her phone down on her desk. What she was going to do next? Perhaps she should take a trip out to Sweet Ridge and see just what she’d inherited. For all she knew, it could just be a small strip of land that held no consequence at all. Although it seemed unlikely Gage would be this possessive if it were only a meaningless piece of dirt.

  He’d been passionate about wanting the land when he’d been in her office. Even his e-mail response of purchasing it at any price she asked indicated it could be worth a pretty penny.

  Maybe she should get the land valued.

  A knock on the door sounded and she looked up to see her manager hovering in the doorway.

  “Hey, Allen, what’s up?”

  “Have you got a minute? There’s some news I need to discuss with you.”

  “Certainly.”

  She hoped it was good news after the disappointing tidbit she’d received from the lawyer. Maybe he was going to tell her they were extending her contract. When she’d first arrived there had been talk about a possible extension, but as the end of her contract drew closer and closer, the prospect of returning to Australia seemed the more likely outcome.

  She attempted to contain her thoughts as she followed Allen down the hall. She wanted to stay longer. She had so much more to give to the firm. But it could be something completely different that he wanted to talk about. Though the company was small, it seemed very busy. They could have another project for her to review.

  “Take a seat, Charlotte,” Allen directed as he took his own place at the head of the boardroom.

  Charlotte smiled at the other occupants of the room. This had to be serious if the other two partners were also in the room.

  Allen cleared his throat. “Charlotte, we’ve been very happy with the service you’ve provided the company over the last four months. As you know, we hired you on a six-month contract with the possibility of an extension. Your visa is a temporary work visa. We deliberately did this for a couple of reasons. One of them was, while you came highly recommended to us, we hadn’t worked with you before and we didn’t want to commit to a long-term contract if you didn’t fit in with our firm. We knew after a week that wouldn’t be an issue.”

  “Thank you, Allen. I really enjoy working here. It’s been a great challenge,” she interjected.

  “We’re glad you feel that way. Another reason for the temporary visa was because of our long-term plans. If we felt you were suitable and it became obvious to us that you enjoyed working and living in the United States, we would look at commencing a green card process if you were interested.”

  The excitement bubble took on a life of its own. She loved working in the States. She’d grown up an ex-pat kid, so she’d lived in Australia off and on during her life. Only it never felt like her real home. Maybe because she’d traveled around so much she had no idea what home really meant. One of the longest periods she had stayed in Australia had been while she completed her final two years of high school and the years it took to get her environmental science degree. But once she started working, she’d started to feel restless, like she needed something more, something bigger in her life than living and working in Sydney. She’d identified the feeling as itchy feet, so when the opportunity to work for Gol
d Star Eco had come up, she’d jumped at it.

  “I’m very interested in this opportunity, Allen. I’ve been hoping you would extend my contract, as I feel I have so much more to give.”

  “Excellent. We will look into what we have to do and the cost involved with this process. We’ve never done anything like this before. In fact, you are our first international employee, so it’s all unchartered waters for us, as well.”

  “You won’t be disappointed with your decision. I’ll make sure of it.”

  • • •

  Charlotte pulled into the Sweet Ridge Inn’s car park. It had taken her longer than she’d anticipated to head down to Sweet Ridge. It seemed everyone wanted to head out of town this particular weekend and the roads had been chaotic. If there was one thing she disliked about living in Houston, it was the traffic. People were crazy on the roads. Their love affair for talking or texting as they drove astounded her.

  She got out of the car, grabbed her overnight bag, and headed to reception. Within minutes she was getting into an elevator and making her way to her room. Once she’d dumped her bag, she was going to head to Betty Lou’s Diner and grab a bite to eat. Maybe bring back some donuts for breakfast.

  It felt good to be back in Sweet Ridge. The laid-back atmosphere reminded her of the small town where she and her family had vacationed at one time when they’d returned to Australia for a break between her father’s assignments.

  After a quick visit to the bathroom and a change of clothes, she headed out the door again. It would only take her a few minutes to walk to the diner. Outside, she took a couple of deep breaths. It was nice to breathe in fresh air, not the air tainted by car exhaust she sometimes breathed in in Houston.

  The early evening sun softened the outline of the buildings, giving them a romantic feel. She was excited about tomorrow, when she’d take a drive to see the land.

  Charlotte reached the cute-looking diner and pulled open the door. Immediately her senses came alive as the aroma of donuts and fried foods greeted her. The diner had an old-fashioned feel to it, with its counter where you could sit and peer through to the kitchen to see the line cooks making up the orders. The booths had turquoise leather seats and Formica countertops. It was like a step back in time to when the town’s diner was the place to be seen.

  “Charlotte, honey, is that you?”

  Charlotte turned and the diner’s namesake, Betty Lou, enveloped her in a big hug as a greeting. Even Betty Lou looked like a throwback from the 1950s with her beehive hairstyle and funky red glasses.

  She returned the hug, surprised Betty Lou remembered her from her previous visits. “It’s good to see you. And you’ve got a good memory.”

  Betty Lou laughed. “It’s hard to forget a girl with hair as lovely as you have, not to mention your pretty accent. But it’s been a while.” She sobered a little. “I’m sorry, I have some news about Jack.”

  Charlotte squeezed the diner owner’s hand. “I know he’s passed away.”

  While part of her wanted to let Betty Lou know about her inheritance, she kept that bit of information to herself. She was sure it would all come out in good time.

  Betty Lou wiped her eyes. “It was a sad day when Jack Cooper left this earth. His presence will be felt for years to come, though. He did an awful lot of good for this town. Now, let me show you to a table. How long are you in town for? If you knew about Jack’s death, what brings you back?”

  Charlotte’s mind whirled with the questions fired at her, but she answered them as Betty Lou showed to her a corner booth with a window looking at out the main street. “I like Sweet Ridge and realized it’s been a while since I’ve been here. I thought a weekend away might be nice. I also want to explore the place a little more.”

  “That’s good, sweetie. Here’s a menu. Today’s donut special is Lemon Sizzle. It’s sour with a bite.”

  While Charlotte appreciated Betty Lou’s ingenuity in coming up with different flavors, when it came to donuts, she liked hers plain and coated with sprinkled sugar.

  “Thanks. I think I’ll make my donut decision after I’ve had some of your fabulous fried chicken and mashed potatoes. Can I also have a glass of Coke, please?”

  “Coming right up. Anything el—” The bell above the diner door tinkled, signaling the arrival of another patron and distracting Betty Lou. “Macy! Over here, sweetie. I want you to meet someone.”

  A girl a few years older than her, dressed in a cute slip dress and wearing cowboy boots and a cowboy hat, approached the table.

  Betty Lou greeted her with the same sort of hug she’d given Charlotte. “Macy, this is Charlotte, from Australia. Charlotte, this is Macy. She’s a famous country-and-western music star.”

  “Hi, Macy, it’s nice to meet you.”

  “Hey, Charlotte, it’s good to meet you, too. Australia, huh? That’s one place I’d love to visit one day. Y’alls accent is so cool. Do you mind if I join you?”

  “No, please do. And thank you. Everyone always comments on my accent. I don’t see what’s so special about it.”

  Macy sat down and Charlotte tried to think if she’d heard any of Macy’s music. She wasn’t a big country-and-western listener, although she’d come across the odd station or fifty on her satellite radio.

  “It’s just so pretty. And sounds so proper.” Macy turned to Betty Lou. “Can I have an iced tea and your chicken fried steak special?”

  “Sure, Macy. You not eating with Gavin?”

  “Not tonight. He’s eating with his brothers, but I’m meeting him at the Silver Spurs later on.”

  “You should take Charlotte, introduce her to Gage and Grayson,” Betty Lou said with a wink before walking away. “Those boys could do with someone pretty in their lives.”

  Surely there couldn’t be two Gages living in Sweet Ridge. And surely, fate wouldn’t be so cruel as to throw Gage in her path again when she was visiting town to see the very land he wanted.

  “Please tell me she’s not talking about Gage Cooper.” She directed her question to Macy, who was humming and drumming her fingers on the table.

  “Yep, why? Do you know Gage?”

  For all Charlotte knew, Macy could be one of his ex-lovers or something. A high-profile star seemed the sort of girl Gage would chase after.

  “Umm, yes, I do. You could say our paths have crossed one or two times.”

  Macy leaned forward, a gleam in her eye. “Ohhh, now you’ve got me intrigued. Don’t tell me the two of you dated.”

  Charlotte laughed out loud. “No, definitely not. Our interactions have purely been professional.”

  Macy sat back. “Well, now, that’s disappointing. I thought you’d have something I could use to dangle over his head. Or at least tell Gavin about so he and Grayson could torment him with it.”

  Another waitress arrived with a tray loaded up with their food and drinks. Once she placed their meals in front of them, Charlotte asked Macy the question burning in the front of her mind.

  “How well do you know Gage?”

  “We all went to the same high school—me, Gavin, Grayson, and Gage—although I was just starting my senior year when he was a freshman. I did expect Gage to be a big- time football player taking my team, the Dallas Cowboys, to the Super Bowl. He was the star player on the high school team. Everyone was talking about what a great future he was going to have.”

  Charlotte filed away that piece of information. Never would she have thought Gage would’ve been a football player. He seemed way more at home in an office than on an expanse of green grass. “I don’t know that much about American football.”

  “We breathe football here in Texas. I’m dating Gage’s older brother now, and when I asked why Gage is in oil and not the NFL, Gavin clammed up. I’m guessing there’s a story there, but I’m more interested in my man than his brother.”

  A soft smile broke out over Macy’s face. She could tell that Macy cared a lot for Gage’s brother, but Charlotte was more intrigued by the story of why G
age hadn’t followed through on his potential to be a superstar football player.

  “Actually, dating is pretty tame to describe what is going on between us. Gavin is the love of my life. I inherited a beautiful house, and I’m so happy I could burst.”

  Bells started ringing in Charlotte’s head, and all thoughts of delving further into Gage’s non-football career disappeared. Not the “Danger, Will Robinson!” type bells. More of the “something is familiar here” type.

  “You inherited a house? I’m sorry for your loss. Was it a close family member who died?”

  To her astonishment, Macy laughed. Who laughed over someone’s death? Unless they didn’t like that person and were glad they’d passed on. Even though Charlotte hadn’t known Jack a long time, she had felt extremely sad when she’d heard the news.

  Macy touched her arm, obviously seeing her surprise. “Jack Cooper was a wily old bastard and I loved him, even though I hadn’t seen much of him since I left high school. Gavin and I used to compete with each other academically in high school. Jack saw it, and sometimes he would encourage me to challenge Gavin because he knew it would make his son work harder. He had a backward method, and maybe he saw something we didn’t see as kids. Anyway, it’s because of the house that Gavin and I reconnected again. Sorry if I shocked you with my laughter—it’s because I know Jack is looking down on us with a big smile on his face.”

  Jack had left Macy a house? And he’d left her a piece of land. Should she mention that to Macy or not? If she did, would Macy think the same as Gage, that she’d tricked Jack into making her a beneficiary of his will?

  She’d keep her inheritance to herself for a little while longer.