Angelina nodded. “I like that.” There was a tap on the door, and Angelina looked up. “Come in.”
The door opened and a tall man stepped inside. He was broad shouldered, lean and looked to be in his early forties with just a touch of gray at his temples. A pair of glasses set off his slate blue eyes. He wore a pair of gray dress pants and a crisp, white button-up shirt without a tie. His belt looked expensive. He hesitated when he saw her, and his gaze dropped down to her belly.
“This is our general manager, Noah Brooks,” Angelina said. “I asked him to come by and meet you. You’ll be working quite closely with him for the next couple of weeks, and he’s a fount of knowledge for everything from operations to food and beverage.”
“Of course,” Taryn said, and she rose to her feet and shook his hand. “I’m Taryn Cook with Cook Marketing.”
He didn’t answer at first, meeting her gaze questioningly. “Right. Taryn. Just call me Noah.”
Noah released her hand and gave her a nod. That seemed to be a common name these days. She’d met another Noah not too long ago...
“Let me show you your office, then,” Angelina said, also rising. “I hope you’ll be comfortable there. If you want any food or drinks delivered to your office while you’re working, just give Janelle a call down at the switchboard, and she’ll get you anything you need. It’s all complimentary, of course.”
“That’s very kind.” Taryn bent to pick up her leather tote, and scooped up the water bottle, too. She’d been advised to stay hydrated at this point of her pregnancy, and in the interest of allaying her obstetrician’s worries, she was following her instructions to the letter.
Angelina led the way out of her office, and Noah gestured for Taryn to go ahead of him. He gave her another strange look. It was very likely her pregnancy. She garnered all sorts of reactions from people. It was amazing the personal questions complete strangers would ask a woman once she was showing. Whatever his opinions, he could keep them to himself.
Angelina headed up the hallway and paused a few doors down, gesturing Taryn inside. The office was small, but furnished with a desk, a lamp, an extra armchair in one corner and another bank of those beautiful tall windows that gave a view of a walking path, some green shrubbery and the clear lake beyond.
“I hope you’ll be comfortable here,” Angelina said. “If there is anything that might help out, just let me or Noah know and we’ll make sure to get it for you. Noah’s office is right next door.”
“This looks perfect,” Taryn said with a smile. “Thank you so much.”
“Now, you mentioned wanting to see the lodge and what we have to offer,” Angelina said. “I have an appointment in about twenty minutes, so I have to head out. But Noah will give you the grand tour. You’ll be in good hands.”
“Absolutely,” Taryn said with a smile. “Thanks a lot.”
Angelina left the office, leaving Taryn alone with the man. He stood in the doorway while she deposited her bag on top of the desk, then pulled out a tablet that was less cumbersome to carry around so that she could take some notes.
Noah said, “This is the key card for your office door. The only one who has access to changing your key card is me or Angelina, so you won’t have to worry about security.”
Taryn crossed the office and accepted the card from him. No wedding ring. She shouldn’t be noticing these things. Less than a year postdivorce with a baby on the way, she wasn’t looking for romantic connections. She’d already bumbled in that respect seven months ago—an evening at a pub turning into a romantic encounter that left her pregnant. And that evening had started with her noticing a hand very much like Noah’s with no wedding ring, either. As if a man’s confirmed single status was all that mattered. And ironically enough, that man had been named Noah, too... Except he’d been slimmer and had a rather impressive auburn beard streaked with silver.
“Have you been to Mountain Springs before?” Noah asked. “This is quite a popular tourist spot with that iconic mountain lake. You’ve probably seen pictures of it all over the place—”
“My grandmother lives here,” she replied. “So I came up every couple of years growing up. I used to swim in Blue Lake with my cousins.”
“Really?” Noah nodded at that. “Small world.”
Was it? She eyed him for a moment. “Are you from Mountain Springs?”
“Yeah, I grew up here. I spent a few years in Denver and Montana, but I came back five years ago to take the job as general manager here at the resort.”
“You probably know the area better than I do, then,” she said.
“I might,” he agreed.
“But I’m needing to see more of the lodge, not the town,” she added.
“True.” He nodded toward the door. “Angelina said that you’d be staying with us in one of our suites...unless you’ve got other arrangements?”
“I’ll be staying here,” she confirmed.
Noah paused again, eyeing her for a moment. She fiddled with her stylus and glanced away. There was something about this Noah Brooks that left her feeling a little off balance. He seemed to be expecting something from her in the way he looked at her.
“Did you want to get settled first, or did you want to start with a tour?” he asked.
“I can find my suite later,” she said.
“Okay,” he replied. “If you pick up your office phone and dial zero, it’ll connect you with Janelle at switchboard. Let her know if you need a hand with your bags, and she’ll arrange for someone to help you.”
“Thanks. So, let’s get to work. That tour would be perfect,” she said.
“Great.” He smiled. “After you.”
As Taryn passed in front of him, she glanced up, and there was something about the look in his eye that made her breath catch. Noah. Tall and broad, with nice hands, no wedding ring. Noah Brooks didn’t have the beard, but there was something about his eyes.
No... There was no way this was the same man! Was there?
Copyright © 2021 by Patricia Johns
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ISBN-13: 9781488074615
Her Rodeo Rancher
Copyright © 2021 by S. M. Stelmack
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
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Her Rodeo Rancher Page 24
