Taken by Storm
Page 20
Cam had no idea where Zoey was coming up with this stuff, but she’d given him a way out that also prevented Richard from getting vindictive. Of course, turning him down meant no money for office help and no time for her. Did she realize that? Did she care?
“Poor Cam.” Richard’s eyes glittered with malicious amusement. “Money or beauty. What a choice.” He turned to Zoey. “Sorry to play the money card. I do wish you luck, and if you change your mind, call me and we’ll see what we can work out.” His eyes roamed over her in a way that roused those caveman instincts Cam had so recently discovered he had. “I’m always seeking investment opportunities.”
Casper growled. What a smart dog.
“Thank you, Richard,” Zoey said with a slight bow of her head.
He lapped it up. “Cam, do we have an agreement?”
Before Cam could answer, Zoey stepped in front of him. Winding her arms around Cam’s neck, she said, “Cam, before you choose, I want you to know that I love you and that’s not going to change.”
His heart thudded and all he could hear was the blood pulsing in his ears. She wasn’t kidding, was she? Not about that.
She read the doubt in his eyes and made an exasperated face Richard couldn’t see before giving Cam a slight confirming nod.
His mouth stretched into a huge smile he was helpless to control.
“I want you to choose what’s best for your business.” And then she tugged his head down to hers and kissed him—a full on, no-holding-back, wet whopper of a kiss that made him forget where he was.
She pulled away. “Whatever you decide, I’ll understand.” She accompanied this with a tremulous little smile, glanced at Richard so he’d be sure to notice it and took Casper’s leash from Cam’s unresisting hand.
That little quiver on her lips killed it. Killed. It.
Of course, now she’d never be able to use it on him. Fortunately.
“Come on, Casper,” she said. “We’re going to walk.”
Going to walk. That was a message to him, not that he needed it.
Facing Richard, he drew a deep breath, but Richard held up his hand.
“We both know when a woman says you have a choice, you really don’t.” He stared after Zoey. “Damn. She played the love card. Did not see that coming.” But he smiled as he said it. “Good luck with that one, Cam. No hard feelings, I hope. It was just business.” He shook Cam’s hand before jogging to the waiting car and speeding away.
Cam stood staring after him and tried to process everything that had just happened.
Zoey and Casper came running up. She’d put on her coat. “What happened?”
“You. You happened.” Cam hugged her to him.
“I was awesome, wasn’t I?”
“You were scary awesome. Did you just make that stuff up on the fly?”
“Yes!” She was so excited she was bouncing on her toes. “I heard what he said to you, and then he made those threats and I knew he had you backed into a corner. I just got so mad that I—”
“Came to my rescue?”
“Yep. And you played along.”
He’d stayed out of her way. “It was very instructive. And, again, scary to watch you manipulate him.”
“He’s obviously desperate for people to recognize and admire his innate superiority. So that’s what I did.”
“It didn’t hurt that you looked really hot while doing it.”
She grinned and looped her arms around his neck the way she had a few minutes ago. “The part about loving you? I meant that.”
“I know.” Cam touched his forehead to hers. “So did Richard. That’s what really sold it. That and the little—” He indicated her mouth. “Lip thing.”
She made her lip quiver before laughing. “Did you turn him down?”
“I didn’t have to. He assumed I would and left. Thanks to you, he seemed okay with it, so I don’t think he’ll bother running us out of business. Of course, that also means no cash unless Gus pulls off a miracle with the family. But, Zoey, the important thing is that you turned my mistake into a success. You realize that, don’t you?”
She nodded. “I’m two-for-two today. I talked with Kate and they’d both heard of the incident with Cleo. When I told Kate what happened today, she started sobbing and at first I thought she was mad, but she thanked me about a gazillion times. She also said she was glad I’d stood up to Martha because she probably would have caved to avoid offending her. So, yay me.”
She seemed so pleased with herself Cam couldn’t help kissing her.
After kissing him back for a few seconds, Zoey said, “You realize that you have to insist on getting more help at the brewery, right? You’re entitled to a life outside work. And in the interests of full disclosure, I’m hoping you’ll spend part of that life with me.”
He smiled. “I do realize. Even though Richard was being a jerk, most of what he said was true.”
“Joyce said a lot of the same things,” Zoey pointed out.
“Okay, okay. I’ll hire someone. The financing will be tricky, but we’ll make it work.”
“I’ll help.” Zoey stood on her toes to kiss him and swayed. “I think the adrenaline is wearing off. I’m about to fall asleep standing up.”
“Ordinarily, I’d be offended if a woman fell asleep while I was kissing her, but a bed sounds really good right now.”
Casper barked as if in agreement, which made them laugh. Arms linked, they were about to head to the car when Don, the farm manager, called to them. “So are you folks ready for the tour?”
Cam had completely forgotten. “Ah...”
“Sure,” Zoey answered Don. “I’m especially interested in the cosmetic properties of hops.” Looking up at Cam she whispered, “We’ve got the rest of our lives to sleep.”
Fifteen Months Later
“YER BOTH DAFT. First you have a dog stand up for you at your wedding, and then you postpone your honeymoon to go watch him prance around a ring.” Gus shook his head. “It’s not normal.”
Zoey grinned at her husband over Gus’s bowed head.
“I wouldn’t have met Zoey if it hadn’t been for Casper,” Cam reminded him. “And if I recall, he behaved better at the wedding than you did.”
“Aye, that’s a fact,” Gus admitted.
“This could be his big moment, Gus,” Zoey said. “He’s only three points away from becoming a Grand Champion, and he should pick them up this weekend.”
It would be exciting, but no win would ever be as sweet as the one where he’d been named breed champion over Alexandra of Thebes the week after his awful visit to Merriweather.
Martha Merriweather had agreed to “retire” rather than have what she’d done made public, and Sheryl and her husband were now in charge of the kennel and breeding program. Alexandra had also retired and had a litter of puppies, one of which was owned by Ryka Kennels, and was growing up alongside Zoey’s baby niece.
Joyce came up to them, an envelope in her hands. “I have the volunteer schedule set up and have Shanna filling the online orders for the Highland Beer Garden products. Cam’s brothers will be taking on brewer’s duties while you’re on your honeymoon, and I will handle payroll.” Joyce handed Zoey the envelope. “I printed out your tickets and a limousine will drive you to the airport, compliments of MacNeil’s Highland Beer.”
“Thank you, Joyce,” Zoey said and impulsively hugged her. “I don’t know what we’d do without you.”
“I do, and it still gives me nightmares.” Joyce gave a mock shudder.
Zoey laughed. After Gus had convinced the family to invest enough money to hire an office manager, it had been Zoey’s idea to hire Joyce, and it had been the best idea she’d ever had. Joyce had been so excited when they’d asked her to be the office manager, she’d moved to Texas from Florid
a within a week. On Thursday nights at the brewery, she taught a free course for small-business owners. The rest of the time, she kept them all organized. Profits had increased enough to hire more employees. Gus professed to be frightened of her, which Zoey didn’t think was a bad thing.
Best of all—well, second best of all—was that Zoey had quit her job in the customer-service call center to concentrate on her skin-care products.
And the very best was that Zoey’s string of failures had not only ended when she met Cam, her current string of successes had begun.
She walked over to him and slipped her arm around his waist.
He smiled, flashing those dimples she loved. “Ready?”
She nodded. “For anything.”
* * * * *
Keep reading for an excerpt from RIDING HARD by Vicki Lewis Thompson.
Ten years ago one devastating night changed everything for Austin, Hunter and Alex. Now they must each play their part in the revenge against the one man who ruined it all.
Austin Treffen has the plan… Hunter has the money… Alex has the power!
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only from Harlequin Presents:
Avenge Me by Maisey Yates
Scandalize Me by Caitlin Crews
Expose Me by Kate Hewitt
And don’t miss the Fifth Avenue prequel that started it all, Take Me, by Maisey Yates!
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Prologue
July 20, 1990
ARCHIE CHANCE WISHED he could be anywhere but here, sitting on a barstool at the Spirits and Spurs. Or, if he had to be here, he wished he hadn’t invited his son Jonathan to have a beer with him while the women went shopping at the Shoshone General Store.
The bar was mostly empty, which allowed Archie to hear two strangers at a table about ten feet behind them. Jonathan’s tight expression indicated that he could hear it, too. One of the men was reminiscing about a one-night stand he’d enjoyed in Shoshone many years ago with a woman named Diana, a woman who sounded a hell of a lot like Jonathan’s ex-wife.
Archie pushed away his half-empty beer glass. “Let’s shove off.”
Jonathan shook his head. “Not yet.”
“Look, does it really matter what—”
“Yes.”
Archie understood. In Jonathan’s shoes, he would have wanted to know, too. Diana had abandoned Jonathan and their young son, Jack, ten years ago and had severed all ties with the family. Archie wouldn’t be surprised if she’d also had affairs during their unhappy marriage.
Archie had heard enough. Way too much, in fact. The woman named Diana had mentioned being married to a surly cowboy whose family owned a big spread outside of town.
Archie sipped his beer and stared straight ahead, because he didn’t know what else to do. After what seemed like years, the two men left.
When Jonathan finally spoke, his voice was husky. “I was, you know.”
Archie turned, not sure what his son was admitting to. “You were what?”
“Surly.”
“Well, you had good reason to be, damn it. She was a difficult woman. Probably still is.” Archie wasn’t supposed to overreact to things and get his blood pressure up, but he couldn’t help it.
“She was unhappy. I had no patience with her.”
“Because you didn’t love her.” None of us did.
“I...” Jonathan picked up his glass, then put it back down. “No, I didn’t love her. I realize that now, because of Sarah. I’m still not very patient, but when she reminds me of that, I don’t get mad. I try harder. I’m lucky to have her, and I don’t want to mess up a good thing.”
Archie’s eyes grew moist. He’d developed an embarrassing tendency to get choked up over his family lately. Nelsie assured him that grandpas were allowed, but he thought it was unmanly. He cleared his throat. “You’re lucky to have each other.”
Jonathan glanced at him. “Just like you and Mom. I always wanted what you two have, and now, I have it.”
“Yep.” Aw, hell, now he was tearing up again thinking about Nelsie, the love of his life. He took a long swallow of his beer and hoped his son didn’t think he was turning into a sentimental old fool. Once he had himself under control, he looked over at Jonathan. “Hey, how about another beer? We can toast the ladies.”
That boy’s smile always could light up a room. “Great idea, Dad.”
In nothing flat, Archie went from wanting to get the hell out of the bar to wanting to stay forever. Funny how a situation that started out as a disaster could end up turning into something pretty damned wonderful, after all.
1
Present Day
DRAKE BREWSTER WAS used to women liking him, but Tracy Gibbons, the beautiful bartender at Spirits and Spurs, clearly didn’t. Oh, she was polite enough when she served him a beer, but her smile was mostly fake, as if she was forcing herself because he was a customer. He even knew why she didn’t like him, but that didn’t help much. When he thought about her reasons, he had to agree they were legitimate.
In point of fact, he wasn’t particularly popular with anyone in Shoshone, Wyoming. He was the guy who’d had sex with his best friend’s fiancée six months ago. On Christmas Eve. Apparently word had gotten out, and now everyone avoided him like a skunk at a Fourth of July picnic.
That very same best friend, Regan O’Connelli, happened to be quite popular in this neighborhood. Well connected, too. After severing his business relationship with Drake back in Virginia, as well he should have, he’d gone into partnership with Shoshone veterinarian Nick Chance. It had been a logical move since one of Regan’s sisters had married Nick’s brother Gabe, and another had married Nick’s brother-in-law Alex. Getting hooked into the Chance family opened all kinds of doors around here, apparently.
Getting crossways with the Chances, though, slammed those doors shut in a man’s face. Regan, who swore he’d forgiven Drake for the fiasco with Jeannette on that fateful Christmas Eve, said Drake should give people time. They’d come around.
Three weeks into his stay, Drake wasn’t so sure. The deep freeze was still on, except for Regan and his new fiancée, Lily King. Drake gave Lily much of the credit for Regan’s willingness to forgive and forget. She was a softhearted woman.
In fact, her soft heart had nearly been her downfall when she’d bought Peaceful Kingdom, a horse-rescue operation outside of town, and had accepted every unwanted animal dumped at her feet. Besides the horses, she’d taken in two potbellied pigs and several chickens. Regan had saved her from
herself, and in the process, they’d fallen in love. She encouraged Drake to visit as often as he could, but he didn’t want to wear out his welcome. Couples in love needed alone time.
That should have fit right in with his plans. Before leaving Virginia, he’d put his vet practice in the hands of a colleague and hadn’t specified when he’d be back. Then he’d rented an isolated cabin just outside the boundary of the Last Chance Ranch so that he could make amends with Regan and take a few weeks to reevaluate his life.
He’d imagined long solo hikes and intense periods of soul-searching would help him figure out how he’d veered so off track that he’d gone to bed with his best friend’s girl. His life couldn’t be working if he could do something that disloyal, and he’d hoped for some insights.
Surprisingly, his jealousy of Regan’s self-confidence had been one of his issues. Realizing he’d set out to sabotage his friend’s sense of self-worth was an ugly truth he’d had trouble facing. But he had faced it, and consequently he and Regan were okay.
His period of self-examination had yielded another nugget of wisdom. He wasn’t into long solo hikes and intense periods of soul-searching. He was a sociable type, a Southerner who loved to talk, and he craved the company of others. But except for Regan and Lily, nobody within a thirty-mile radius craved his company, and that sucked.
Yet here he was, anyway, sitting on a barstool at the Spirits and Spurs during happy hour trying not to look as lonely as he felt. A few people had said hello, but then they’d gone back to talking to whomever they’d come with. Nobody seemed interested in a prolonged encounter with the guy who’d wronged Regan O’Connelli.
Tracy made a circuit of the bar area, her dark hair shining, her red lipstick glossy and inviting. She glanced at his nearly empty glass. “Another round?”