“No.” Slaid’s voice was firm.
“No?” Tess echoed. How could he not see how messy this would be?
“It’s not okay with me. Of course you can go, but be sure to mention to your boss that if he puts anyone else on this project, I won’t be cooperative.”
“But that makes no sense.” Tess was practically pleading. The last thing she wanted was to try to work with a man she’d slept with. A man who was making her feel so unsettled right now that she could barely think.
“It makes sense to me and I’m the mayor. Any PR consultant working for an energy firm will need a decent relationship with me to get their job done, and I don’t want a replacement. You’re the consultant I want to work with.”
Tess stared at him in horror and growing concern. “Why?”
His voice softened. “Don’t you ever think about that night?”
He wanted sex. How disappointingly predictable. Although somewhat tempting... She forced her voice to be steady and cool. “Just so you know, I don’t mix up my personal and professional lives. Ever.”
“Seems as though in this situation you already have.” His voice was soft but his jaw was set. He wasn’t backing down, that was clear.
“I’m not responsible for this bizarre coincidence, Mayor Jacobs.”
He didn’t answer, just raised an accusatory eyebrow. The jerk. It wasn’t as though she’d taken advantage of him. He’d been an extremely enthusiastic participant that night. “If you insist that I stay, it’s a hundred percent professional between us. Is that very clear?”
Mayor Slaid Jacobs laughed, but it was a bleak sound. “Clear as day. We’re adults. And if you’re here to discuss energy development, we’ll likely have a rocky road ahead. It won’t be a problem to keep things professional.”
“What do you mean, ‘a rocky road ahead’?” Tess was angry now. “This is exactly why we need to get someone else on this job, Mayor Jacobs. You don’t know anything about the project, yet you’re already making assumptions that we’ll be on opposite sides.”
“People constantly show up here trying to get their hands on our resources. In the eighteen hundreds the prospectors came for the gold. In the twentieth century Los Angeles took most of our water. Nowadays everyone’s after the minerals in our hills and the gas underneath. So what are you after?”
“You mean, what is Renewable Reliance interested in? They’re investigating wind-energy production in this area. And, as I’ve experienced since arriving in Benson, you definitely have enough wind.”
“Yes we do. And it’s not for sale.”
“You have no information. How can you say that?” This was ridiculous. Was he out for some kind of revenge?
“I don’t need information to imagine what a bunch of windmills will do to the economy of my town.”
She’d said she’d keep this professional and she would, no matter what. The key was to be patient. “I think if you keep an open mind, you’ll find that the wind project can benefit Benson in many ways.”
“Maybe.” But there was no maybe in his tone.
“I’m sorry, but it feels like you are making this personal,” she ventured.
“I’m the mayor and I’ve lived here all my life. Of course I take anyone trying to put a large energy project in our area a bit personally.” He paused, his voice more neutral when he spoke again. “Where is this company hoping to site these windmills?”
“East of town,” Tess replied. “But I don’t have the exact location yet. They promised to send me maps within the next couple days. As soon as I know, I’ll inform you, of course.”
“And I assume they’ll be providing environmental impact reports, a public comment period, et cetera?”
“Of course. My job is to present all the relevant information to the community.”
“And you’ll be in town for...”
“About a month, I think.”
“A month.” She watched his face for some clue as to how he felt about that. But his jaw was set, and it was hard to read more than stubbornness in his expression.
“Well, I look forward to hearing what you have to say, Tess.” There was a touch of sarcasm in his tone.
“I think you need to reconsider my offer to get a replacement.” Tess tried again. “Clearly you have a problem with me.”
“I don’t.” He didn’t elaborate, just glanced at the old clock hanging on the wall. Its ticking was suddenly loud in the silence between them. “Listen—” he looked frustrated, as if the confidence he’d been projecting was wavering a touch “—can I suggest we reschedule this meeting for tomorrow morning? Say nine-thirty? It will give us both a little time to regroup.”
Tess bit back the words that wanted to spill out—words containing all the arguments she’d been studying up on over the past few weeks. He was right about one thing. Now wasn’t the time to make them. She needed to step back, regain composure and strategize on how she would present the details of this project to him in the most positive light. “You’re right, Mayor Jacobs. I’m tired from the drive and I’m sure you have a lot to do.” She motioned vaguely to the stack of papers on his desk. “We’ll meet tomorrow morning. Perhaps by then you will have reconsidered your decision. I have some extremely competent colleagues who could take over for me.”
“Oh, no.” He sat back down in his chair and crossed his long legs with his boots up on the desk once more. “I choose you, Tess. So get used to it.”
She noticed how thick and muscular his thighs looked under his jeans, and instantly a searing memory of what they’d felt like in Phoenix surfaced. Muscles, ropey and taut, so big her hands had felt dwarfed as they moved along them.
Tess jerked her gaze from his legs and glared at his face instead. “I may have to stay here and work, but I don’t work for you. So please don’t tell me what to get used to.”
He raised his hands in mock defense. “Point taken.”
“Thank you.” There was nothing more to say. Tess turned and walked sharply out of his office. Her shoulders ached, muscles taut as if already gearing up for the fight ahead. Her stilettos hit heavily on the marble floor, the sound echoing in the empty hall. She wondered what Slaid was thinking as he listened to her walk away.
CHAPTER TWO
THE SUITCASE SLIPPED out of her hand and landed on her foot. Tess gasped, tears welling in her eyes. She was not going to cry. No matter what life threw at her—and it had thrown a lot worse than a resentful mayor and a painful suitcase—she never gave it the satisfaction of her tears. She waited for the pain to pass, pushing it away until it subsided into a minor, throbbing inconvenience. Slamming the hatchback of her rental Jeep, she studied the house Samantha had found for her to rent. It was three blocks off Benson’s main street, putting it right on the edge of town.
When she’d been a kid, growing up in the despair of public housing and the chaos of foster homes, Tess had dreamed of living in a house like this—a classic, clapboard, turn-of-the-century cottage with a white picket fence. She’d never have dared to hope, back then, that her dreams would come true. An odd lump formed in her throat as she stared at the evidence to the contrary. Though nowadays, a country cottage wasn’t really her style.
“Tess!” Her name was accompanied by the roar of an engine and Samantha pulled up to the curb, looking surprisingly at home at the wheel of a huge silver SUV. Her friend cut the engine and tumbled out to fling her arms around Tess. “I’m so glad you’re here!”
“Look at you in your mom-mobile! You are the cutest pregnant lady ever, Sam!” Tess tried to hug Samantha back but it was hard to get close enough with a baby bump between them. Her friend was in the third trimester, and on her tiny frame, her pregnancy was really showing. “This isn’t working!” Tess pulled back laughing and put one arm around Samantha’s shoulders instead. She’d missed this closeness. For the first time since she’d arrived in Benson she felt a glimmer of hope. At least she’d have a chance to reconnect with her friend. “How’d the meeting with the
mayor go?” Samantha asked.
Tess had no idea how to answer that. “Fine,” she lied. Samantha picked up one of her suitcases, but Tess grabbed it back. “You are pregnant! I’ve got the bags.”
Samantha sighed and opened the rickety gate. “It’s so weird to have everyone trying to look after me.”
“Get used to it. You’ve got a couple more months to go.” Tess yanked her unwieldy suitcase roughly over the flagstone path.
“You know what else is weird and kind of terrifying?” Samantha asked as she pulled out a key for the door. “Trying to choose a house for you. You live in a beautiful, modern apartment with a view of the entire city! There’s nothing like that out here.”
“I’m sure it’s great,” Tess reassured her.
She was lying again. Nothing was going to be great for her in Benson, especially with her and Slaid’s history getting in the way, but that wasn’t Samantha’s problem.
“I think you’ll like it, though I still wish you’d stay with us. We have our house, and we have my grandmother’s old farmhouse furnished and ready.”
Tess felt a pang of guilt. “That’s so kind of you, but I think if I stay in town it will be easier to make contacts in the community.” She didn’t want to hurt her friend’s feelings, but the last thing Tess wanted was to stay in Samantha’s house, or anywhere on Samantha’s ranch, where life revolved around her friend’s pregnancy. She wished her memories didn’t hurt so much, but they did. “Besides, aren’t you turning Grandma Ruth’s house into a bed-and-breakfast? You don’t need me getting in the way while you’re working on it.”
Samantha smiled sheepishly. “I don’t know... Maybe I’m too sentimental... I can’t seem to change anything about it. So for now it’s my office and a guesthouse. Perfect for friends...like you!”
Tess realized her excuses weren’t satisfying her friend, and there was no way she could tell Samantha the real reason. Because despite a decade of friendship, Tess had never explained that she’d had a baby—or that she’d placed it with an adoptive family. Or that she’d never been able to forget those few moments she’d held her son, and the complete devastation she’d felt saying goodbye to him. There were a lot of things she’d never told anyone, and it was way too late to start now. So she shrugged and plastered a smile on her face. “Unfortunately, my friend, I am here to work, and being near you would be too tempting. I’d want to hang around your gorgeous ranch and gossip all day.”
That seemed to appease Samantha. She pushed open the front door, revealing a small entryway, the whitewashed wood panels punctuated by a line of iron coat hooks. “Welcome home, then,” she said with a tentative smile.
Inside, Tess left her bags by the door and followed Samantha on a tour of the cottage. Her friend had been careful in her choice, and it showed. The old plank floors were polished and the walls were a clean white. The tall windows and high ceilings let sunlight flood the rooms. It was soothing. There was a front bedroom that had been turned into an office, and Tess appreciated the old scarred pine table that served as a desk—there was a lot of space to spread out and work.
The shabby-chic decor was the exact opposite of the sleek modern pieces Tess had chosen at home, but she had to admit that it perfectly suited this place. There was a cozy kitchen with a giant gas stove and a comfortable living room with overstuffed armchairs in front of a fireplace. The tiny bedroom was dominated by a scrolled iron bed frame. Tess noted with relief that two extra duvets were stacked on top. She would need them for the cold fall weather out here.
“Tea?” Samantha walked down the tiny hallway toward the kitchen.
After her meeting with the mayor, Tess would have preferred a brandy. “Sure,” she answered, and hauled her suitcases into the bedroom. She sat on the edge of the bed for a moment, pulling the pins from her hair, letting it fall around her face. She took a deep breath and exhaled. Her heart hadn’t slowed down since she left the mayor’s office and her mind was whirling, asking the same question over and over. How was it possible that she’d slept with the mayor of Benson?
She heaved herself up and walked into the kitchen on leaden legs, gratefully accepting the steaming tea Samantha handed her. Its warmth was somewhat comforting. There was a small table by the back window of the kitchen, and Samantha lowered herself carefully onto one of the chairs. Tess sat down opposite her because that was what was expected. And if she just did what was expected, then she wouldn’t do what she really wanted, which was to call Ed and threaten to quit if he didn’t let her go home.
She looked out the window. On this side of the house, they had a view of the rear garden with its small flagstone patio. There was a fire pit in the center of it surrounded by a few old, wooden Adirondack chairs painted in festive colors. It was a cheery scene until she looked beyond the picket fence, where there was only high desert. The dry ground was speckled with scrubby bushes until the hills got high enough to be speckled in granite. Then they sloped abruptly and turned into mountains.
“This is a great spot!” Samantha enthused.
“It’s beautiful.” Beautiful in a rugged, formidable way that made Tess want to jump in her car and race home. “I appreciate all of your help. The house is perfect.”
“You’ll be able to sit here and see all kinds of animals—jackrabbits, deer. And that fire pit will be a lovely place to sit at night and watch the stars.”
The enthusiasm in Samantha’s tone left Tess bewildered. Lonely contemplation had to be one of her least favorite activities. She looked at her friend instead of the window—there was way too much open space out there, too much quiet. “I’m not much of a stargazer.”
“Maybe you’ll become one now. Just wait until it gets dark. You’ll be amazed at how clear the sky is here in the fall.”
Tess made a mental note to stay inside and close the curtains at dusk. Time to change the subject. “How are you feeling anyway?” she asked Samantha, knowing she should.
“Hungry. And sleepy. I just want to nap, then sleep, then nap some more.”
“Of course.” Tess remembered her pregnancy, how her body had craved sleep so badly there were days she couldn’t keep her eyes open. Her uneasiness morphed into full-blown anxiety. The long drive today, with so much wilderness all around, had cracked open the closed doors of her mind, the ones that usually kept memories like this at bay.
“So what did you think of our mayor?” Samantha asked.
Her meeting with Slaid was another life event she’d like to shove behind a closed door. “He seems nice enough.” She tried her best to sound disinterested. “But I couldn’t really tell—we only met for a few minutes. What’s he like?”
“Well, handsome, for one thing. But you’re probably already aware of that.”
Oh, boy, was she ever. She could instantly picture what he’d looked like in that hotel room in Phoenix, skin bronzed over the toned muscles of his abs, his thick erection pressing against her thigh as he leaned on one elbow, trailing a hand across her breasts.
“Tess!” Samantha’s laugh brought her out of her reverie. “Where did you go? He must have made quite an impression!”
Her face got hot.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you blush! What’s going on?” Samantha’s extraordinary green eyes were wide and full of confusion.
Tess couldn’t look at her friend and confess at the same time, so she looked out at the intimidating view instead. “I slept with the mayor.” It was a relief to just say it.
“What?” Samantha gasped. “Today?”
“Not today! I’m not that crazy.” She looked back at her friend and had to laugh at the arched brows. “Okay, maybe I am that crazy sometimes. But it was about two years ago. On a business trip to Phoenix.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“Unfortunately not,” Tess said weakly.
“And let me guess. You did the Tess Cole tiptoe of shame.”
Tess laughed at her friend’s skewering look. “Yes, of course. But it’s
not shame—it’s practicality. I don’t want to get involved, and neither do they, so it’s best just to get out of there before anyone has to make any awkward, meaningless, morning-after conversation.”
Samantha sighed. “And how did it go, then, when the mayor discovered who you were?”
“Not well,” Tess admitted. “It didn’t help that it took me a while to recognize him. He seemed kind of upset.”
“Yes.” Samantha nodded, and Tess glanced over. Her friend was staring out the window now, with a slightly sad expression on her face. “I imagine he was.”
“What is it?”
Samantha looked at her, biting her lower lip as if considering how to answer.
“Please tell me, Sam. I’m in a mess here.”
“Slaid’s a great guy. A really good mayor and very well liked around here.” Samantha paused.
“But?” Tess prompted.
“He’s sort of a model citizen. His father was mayor, and his grandfather...and he was a big high school football star. He goes to church every Sunday. And even though he keeps really busy with his own ranch and running our town, he always seems to have time for whoever needs him...” Her voice trailed off.
“So you’re saying...”
“I don’t see him as the one-night-stand kind of guy.”
“Yeah, I kind of got that impression today.” Tess sighed.
“There’s more,” Samantha said. “Personally, he’s had a rough time of it. A couple years ago, his wife left him and their son. She moved away and hasn’t been back. It was hard on Slaid, and his son has had a tough time, too. Lately it seems as if they’ve both been doing a lot better. As if they’re healing.”
Tess looked back at the view over the desolate plains and the mountains beyond, putting the pieces of Slaid’s history together. She’d met him two years ago. Obviously, Mr. Perfect had had a bad moment after his wife left him and slept with a strange woman in Phoenix. That would be her. Tess. Who had then walked out on him and made him feel even worse. “I don’t know how I’m going to work with him,” she confessed.
Convincing the Rancher Page 2
