by Julie Benson
“You can’t do this to me, Ty.”
Oh, yes, he could. “I expect you to make the next loan payment on time.”
“Please—”
“On time, Lauren. Now I’m hanging up.” He tapped the end button on his cell phone in the middle of her pitiful appeal and smiled.
*
When Aubrey walked into Ty’s office ten minutes later her brother glanced at his desk clock and frowned. “You’re late. That’s not the best way to start a business meeting.”
Aubrey cringed. She should’ve kept a better eye on the time, but as her dad used to say, she’d been born two weeks late and had been running late ever since.
She settled into the chair on the opposite side of Ty’s desk. “Mom and I were talking about houses. She’s found one she really likes, and I lost track of time.” She hated throwing her mom under the bus, but Ty wouldn’t be ticked with their mom. “Since you’ve had a busy day, and I’ve only got five minutes, I’ll get right to the point.”
“Long doesn’t begin to describe my day.”
The weariness in his eyes made her pause, and she considered telling him they’d reschedule, but she needed to move on this opportunity. Not only that, but after what it took to get him to meet in the first place, he’d be pissed if she bailed now. “Then I definitely don’t want to keep you.” She took a deep breath and plunged ahead. Here goes everything. “A college friend started his own company. He needs investors to finish the Unattended Ground Sensors prototype because he’s in talks with a Fortune 500 company to buy him out.”
“What’s the company name? I’ll research it and give you my opinion.”
“It’s not so much that I need your advice. I’ve checked out the market. Trevor’s product will have major security ramifications. Most UGS use Ultra-Wideband Radar for short range detection of people and for communication between the radars.”
“I’m not familiar with technology or the industry.”
“I am from my research. My friend’s figured out a way to reduce the size and power usage. That will make the USG more practical. It’s a solid investment. The issue is I don’t have enough savings to buy into the company. I was hoping for an advance—”
“No. Right now the business can’t afford to take any financial risks or make unnecessary expenditures.” Aubrey read dismissal in his eyes. “What you need to be doing right now is deciding what to do with your life.”
“I know what I want to do. I’ve got a knack for business and investing.”
“Then you need a college degree,” he said before she even laid out her case.
Recognizing the hard glint in his eyes and the determined set of his chin, she braced herself for another big brother lecture.
“In today’s market, it’s hard to make it in the business world without a college degree. Employers use education and GPA to weed people out right when they look at a resumes, and companies don’t hire people with high school diplomas to handle their finances.”
She loved her brother dearly, but when would he realize she was an adult capable of managing her own life? Like whether or not she wanted to go to college. He’d been furious when she dropped out of Texas Women’s University, but college was eating away her brain. So much of what the professors asked of them was busy work, and what was the point when she was taking her allowance, investing it, and making some serious cash? Then quitting her job two months ago hadn’t helped his opinion.
“I don’t want to work for someone else. I want to run my own business. My plan is to work with people regarding their investments. Not people who have large amounts of money, but the average person who needs to start small.”
Ty’s right eye twitched. “Leave it to you to think you can start at the top. That’s not how the world works. Banks don’t loan money to people without any experience to start a business.”
“If this investment pays off like I expect, I won’t need a bank’s help to start my business.” She wanted to shake Ty until he admitted she was an adult. “I should be able to pay the business back in a month or two at most, but it would probably only be a couple weeks. If I had any other way to get the money I wouldn’t ask. This is a once in the lifetime opportunity. The risk is minimal, while the potential return is huge.”
“Would I agree with your risk assessment?”
“That’s not a fair question because you’re ultra conservative. Because of that I think you’ve missed out on opportunities for larger gains.”
“It’s also saved me from big time losses. That’s why we’re still here running our ranch while more than one of our neighbors have sold to corporate ranches.”
“I’m a part-owner, too, you know. Granted, it’s only twenty-five percent, but that entitles me to a say in what we do with the money from the business.”
“It does, but my say overrides yours.”
“Come on, Ty. Can’t you find the money for me? You always make it work somehow. Give me a chance to prove myself with this investment.”
“If you want me to trust your business judgment, go back to school. Get your degree, and we’ll talk about you taking on a more active role in the ranch management.”
No thanks, she wanted to say, but thought better of it. He loved the land, the fact that it had been in the family for generations, and had a blind spot where the Bar 7 was concerned. He thought helping run the ranch was her family duty. “Buy me out. I’ll take that money and invest it in my friend’s company.”
“I wish I could, but I can’t right now. If you want to invest in this venture, you’ll have to find the money on your own.”
Then her brother stood and walked out of the room.
*
That night after Cassie put Ella to bed she tried to sketch the lake scenery, but her conversation with Ty replayed in her head. Now that she’d cooled off she wondered if she’d overreacted. If they both had. Too distracted to focus, she picked up her cell and sank onto her sister’s delicate desk chair. When Grace answered, Cassie said, “I need a reality check.”
“Uh-oh, that doesn’t sound good.”
She told Grace about her meeting with Ty. “Even if he agrees to let me sell the inn, he thinks it could take months to get an offer, and even then it might not be what he considers acceptable.”
“I don’t know a lot about the real estate market or economy there, but he’s right about how hard it is to sell a B&B. It’s never easy, even in prime tourist destinations.”
And despite what the locals thought, Wishing wasn’t exactly a national tourist hot spot, not like San Antonio. The town drew more regional vacationers looking for a getaway weekend or short weekday trip. She suspected potential buyers would be regional as well. Nervous energy pulsing through her, Cassie stood and started pacing. “When he and I were talking about my finances, or rather lack thereof, he offered me a salary for running the inn.”
Before she could provide details and her concerns, Grace said, “That’s a great solution. It’ll give you a predictable income. Is it enough to stay in the house?”
“You’re not getting this.”
“Obviously not, because I don’t see a down side to taking the job he offered you.”
“Hello? For starters having Ty for a boss. Talk about a down side. With the way things have gone between us so far, working with him would be a nightmare. He’s one of those too perfect types. You should hear everyone around town.” She was on a roll now, her irritation revving her up, like a snowball going down hill, picking up speed as it went. She tossed out her best imitation of a Texas drawl. “Ty is amazing. He runs a ranch and the Chamber of Commerce. He’s a pillar of the community. He’s good with kids. Why I don’t know what we’d do around here without him.”
The image of Ella in his arms, gazing up at him, a look of awe and wonder on her face at the wishing well popped into her head. Too bad that compassionate and funny guy didn’t show up more often. Dealing with that man wouldn’t be so bad.
“Oh, yeah, he sounds terri
ble,” Grace said. “Something must be wrong with the women in town if he’s still single.”
Cassie scoffed at her friend’s comment. “You wouldn’t say that if you had to work with him. He always has the answer, and keeps giving me advice, whether I want it or not. Even with my business. As if he knows anything about being an artist. Sure he’s got an MBA, but he knows nothing about the art world. He’s arrogant, demanding, stubborn, and those are his good qualities.”
“You’ve really gotten your panties in a bunch. I’ve never seen you get this worked up over a man. You know, they say love and hate are opposite sides of the same coin.”
Grace’s words sucked all the air out of the room, leaving Cassie weak in the knees. She collapsed into her sister’s desk chair. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“When there’s this much emotion between two people it’s usually because there’s smoking hot chemistry. Is he good looking?”
An image of the tall cowboy, his biceps bulging as he’d lifted Crunchie’s saddle that afternoon in the barn flitted through her mind. Her body shivered remembering the feel of Ty’s hand on her leg, warm and firm, making her aware of him in a way she never wanted to be.
“I guess he’s attractive if you like that tall, dark, rugged outdoors, works with cows and horses all day type, which I don’t by the way.”
You are such a liar.
Grace had the nerve to laugh. “If you say so.”
“I am not attracted to Ty Barnett.”
“So what if you are? Would that be so bad?”
Bad? No. Disastrous? Monumentally.
“You could use a good old-fashioned roll in the hay,” Grace said, pulling Cassie back to their conversation.
No, she wouldn’t think about her and Ty together. Unfortunately, her imagination didn’t listen. A vision of her wrapped in Ty’s arms the night she’d emotionally fallen apart at the Horseshoe flashed in her mind. If he were like that more often she might be tempted.
“I can’t believe you just said that. Have you smelled hay?” Cassie tried to focus on that part of the picture rather than what Ty would look like naked. Before Grace could answer, Cassie continued. “Well, I have, and it makes me sneeze. Worse yet, it itches. No way am I having a roll in the hay with Ty Barnett or any other man.”
“Fine. Forget the hay. Find a soft bed. Lord knows you’ve got enough of those where you’re living. Work off some stress. Have some fun. In other words, get laid.”
Cassie broke out in a cold sweat as an image of her and Ty together, naked amid a tangle of satin sheets in one of the massive antique beds in the inn, flashed in her mind. Questions tumbled over each other. Would he be all intense and quick or would he take his time? Maybe he’d be unrushed like his walk. Perspiration beaded between her breasts and her body ached. Oh, this was bad. How was she going to get this picture out of her mind?
If she wanted to.
“You wanted a reality check,” Grace said breaking into Cassie’s exhilarating fantasy. “Well, here it is. You need money now, especially while you’re building a new clientele and getting online sales going. Ty’s offered you a job. I say take it. If nothing else, it’ll keep you afloat financially until you sell the B&B. Lastly, I say if you’re attracted to the guy, go for it. Have fun. Even if it only lasts a couple of weeks.”
Cassie refused to acknowledge what Grace said about Ty, but the rest made sense. On the surface anyway. “You’re overlooking the obvious problem. The job was to run a bed and breakfast. Remember I’m the woman who asked you for a recipe to make tea.”
Soon after they’d graduated and moved into their first New York apartment, Grace came down with a bad case of the flu. She asked Cassie to make her tea. Cassie responded by asking where Grace kept the recipe.
Her friend’s laughter floated over the phone lines. “Who doesn’t know how to make tea and thinks there’s a recipe?”
“Exactly my point. I’m worried enough about running the inn, but making guests breakfast? The thought makes the lyrics of the song ‘Impossible Dream’ run through my head.”
Grace chuckled. “You’re a smart woman, and you always say you love adventure.”
“I enjoy the traveling and exploring kind. This is different.” Talk about out of her comfort zone. This was so far out she’d need GPS to find her comfort zone. “I think he offered me the job out of pity. That hurts. But Grace, I’m scared. What if I’m a major failure?” Like I am with the parenting stuff so far.
“You won’t be.” Calm assurance rang in her friend’s voice. “Talk to people who run who run similar places in town. Research bed and breakfasts on the Internet. Take cooking classes. Do whatever you have to, but I know you can do this.”
Time to come completely clean. “There’s one more problem. I turned the job down. I’d have to do major groveling to get him to listen long enough to ask about the job, and after what I said it might not be an option any more. Plus, I don’t have much right now, but I hoped to hold onto a sliver of my pride.”
“Isn’t keeping a roof over Ella’s head worth some of your pride?”
Security for Ella. Making her feel safe. Providing for her. That was what this all came down to.
“Damn it, Grace, I hate it when you’re right.”
*
Monday morning, when Cassie’s alarm sounded, she rolled out of bed, telling herself this week would be better. After hitting rock bottom yesterday confessing the financial problem to Ty and realizing she had no option but to accept his generous job offer—she now admitted that—there was nowhere to go but up.
Anxious to get the day started and full of hope and optimism for the future, humming the song, “Defy Gravity”, from her favorite musical Wicked, she walked into Ella’s pink cowgirl room.
“Ella, sweetie. Time to get up.” Cassie peered down at the child. Her features relaxed in sleep, the sadness and stress had drained from her face. Life shouldn’t be this hard and painful for someone so young. Cassie shook her niece’s shoulder. “Come on. We don’t want to be late.”
Sleepy blue eyes glared at her before Ella pulled the covers over her head and rolled over. Poor kid wasn’t a morning person, but they had to get moving. After being late three times last week, Cassie received a letter from the principal extolling school’s importance and emphasizing the state law regarding attendance.
Feeling like an ogre, she tugged the covers off Ella and tickled the bottom of her feet, but Ella tucked her knees to her chest and growled.
Cassie sighed. The thrill of Ella’s sounds had definitely worn off.
“I’ll make a deal with you. If you get right up, we’ll stop at Starbucks for hot chocolate and pumpkin bread,” she said in a voice so sweet she had to be channeling Glinda the good witch.
Lord, she hated using bribery, but that seemed to be the only method to work with Ella, and even it wasn’t surefire. Cassie crossed her fingers for success today.
Ella slowly sat, her long, golden hair falling over her face, and Cassie smiled in relief. “While you get dressed, I’ll take shower. Then we’re out of here. We’ve got to hurry though, so we have time to sit and eat.”
Five minutes later after she’d showered, run a comb through her hair, and dressed, Cassie checked on Ella, discovering the child back in bed sound asleep. Her heart sank. Feeling as if she’d stepped into to the movie Groundhog Day, she woke Ella again. Then she pulled two shirts out of the dresser and held them up for her niece’s inspection. “Which one? Are you in a purple or pink mood this morning?”
No response. Now Ella wasn’t the only one who wanted to crawl back into bed. Cassie bit her lip in frustration. Kiddo, cut me a break and give me something to work with.
Suspecting Ella hovered on the verge of a tantrum, Cassie wasn’t sure what to do. Irritable and cranky she could handle. A full blow tantrum might do her in. “That’s all right. Some days I can’t figure out what to wear either.” Cassie worked to keep her voice light, a smile plastered on her face.
I can do this. Unless my face cracks into tiny pieces from smiling too much. Or, what if freezes this way? Then I’ll go stark raving mad.
Purple sparkly princess top in hand, Cassie grabbed jeans from the bottom drawer and joined Ella on the bed. Fifteen minutes later, after more wrestling moves than a WWE title holder, she and Ella stood in the kitchen. Unfortunately getting Ella up and dressed had taken so long they no longer had time to stop for breakfast, not even the drive through.
“You know how I said we had to hurry?” No response, but Cassie hadn’t expected one. “We don’t have time to stop for breakfast. I’m so sorry, but we’ll have to eat here. We’ll go out tomorrow. I promise. How about cereal?”
Ella shook her head.
At least she’d answered, Cassie thought, holding onto the positive in hopes of salvaging the morning. “Granola bar?”
Another head shake.
Cassie resisted the urge to stomp her feet in her own tantrum and glanced at the microwave clock. Seven-thirty. The school bell rang at seven forty-five, and it took at least ten minutes to drive there.
“Oatmeal?”
When Ella sank into a chair at the table, Cassie considered that a yes. A minute later she placed breakfast in front of Ella, but the child shoved the bowl away. It skidded off the smooth oak table. The splintering crash of dishware on ceramic tile and the spray of oatmeal shattered something inside Cassie. Tears pooled in her eyes as she melted into the chair beside her niece. When she placed her hands over Ella’s tiny ones, the child’s anger radiated through her.
I’m angry, too, sweetheart. At God for letting your parents die. At the wind shear that supposedly caused the crash. At the pilot for lacking the skills to pull off a miraculous save. At your dad for staying behind to help other passengers, rather than getting off the plane with you. At myself for not knowing how to do right by you.
Knowing voicing her anger wouldn’t help either of them, Cassie said, “I miss them, too. Every day. I know not having your mom and dad makes you sad and angry. That’s okay. No matter how mad you get, I’ll still love you. I’m not going anywhere.”
