by Jeannie Watt
“Is that all?”
Shae shrugged, once again looking out across the fields, but she felt the tension in his thigh muscles. He was waiting for an answer. An answer she wasn’t ready to articulate. Somewhere over the past several days, she’d come to depend on his companionship. He was edgy and unpredictable at times, angry as hell at Miranda and defensive of his space, but there was also a steadiness about him where she was concerned. He was there for her, regardless of his mood, and that filled her with a type of tenderness she’d never experienced before.
She wanted to make Miranda back off, leave him in peace, but knew there was no way that was going to happen—just as there was no way Jordan was going to surrender his place to Miranda. The stalemate ate at her, because while neither of them would come out a winner as things stood now, Jordan would lose more.
His fingers smoothed over the sensitive skin at the side of her neck and Shae’s mouth quirked up on one side. “No,” she said softly. “That’s not all.”
“And we’re going to leave it at that?” he asked several silent minutes later.
“For now.”
“I’m good with that...for now.”
That night Shae was jolted awake by Jordan thrashing around in the bed, and since she was sleeping against the wall, she was trapped unless she shimmied out at the foot of the bed. Instead, she hugged the wall until he suddenly jerked, then stilled. A moment later he exhaled as if he’d just come up from underwater, wiping a hand over his face.
She didn’t touch him. Didn’t make a noise, didn’t move. She didn’t know how long they lay there as Jordan gained control of his ragged breathing. Even though they weren’t touching, she knew he was damp with sweat, could feel it on the sheets, smell it in the air. Finally he let out a long, long breath, then turned and snaked an arm over her, curling up against her. Shae lay still, letting him find his comfort with her on his terms.
* * *
AS DAYS PASSED, Shae came to the conclusion that Miranda was simply going to let her finish her contract and then cut her loose rather than confront her about consorting with Jordan. She sent out a slew of résumés on her last trip to Missoula and drove to the cattle guard each evening to check for email responses. Nothing favorable, but she told herself it was early. She was not going to dwell on the effect Miranda could have on her career in a small industry.
And then there was the matter of how she and Jordan were going to deal with living apart. What happened there was a wait-and-see kind of thing, mainly because she’d made a conscious choice to not think about it. To not try to force any issues, but to let things develop organically for perhaps the first time in her life.
Even Ashley seemed to accept that all she had to do was wait to get rid of Shae and take over the High Camp. She stopped arriving early, pulling in each morning at seven-thirty and then waiting for Shae down at the bunkhouse. Shae wondered as she walked to the bunkhouse with her cup of coffee if the girl still checked for the nail. When she let herself into the building, Ashley looked up from the samples of buffalo-plaid flannel she was comparing to say, “Miranda would like to meet with you this afternoon at three o’clock.”
Maybe Miranda wasn’t going to wait until the contract was done. Maybe she’d simply been busy messing up someone else’s life and was now turning her attention to Shae.
Shae drove to the Cedar Creek Ranch from the High Camp, wearing jeans and a clean yet well-worn plaid work shirt—an outfit she wouldn’t have been seen in public in a few months ago and never would have worn to a meeting. But she wasn’t going to dress up to get fired again.
When she knocked on the frosted glass of the open office door, Miranda looked up from the papers she was reading, and Shae went inside, her heart beating fast with anticipation.
“Thank you for coming. Have a seat.” Miranda waved at the padded office chairs that faced her desk and Shae took the closest one. This hadn’t been a sure thing from the beginning. The only bad part was that it would be more difficult to see Jordan now that she wouldn’t be living at the High Camp. But she didn’t need to sneak around anymore.
She also wouldn’t be able to afford to drive out all that often, either.
Miranda took her glasses off and tapped the bow on the desk. “Shae...”
Shae’s spine automatically straightened. She knew that tone. Had heard it from Wallace not that long ago. “Yes?” she said.
“Looking over this—” she shook her head “—I think you’ve done all you can do on this property.”
“What are you proposing?”
“That you go back to work at your old job.”
Shae barely kept her mouth from dropping open. “What about the High Camp?”
“Ashley will take over. She’s agreed to take a semester off from her studies. In the meantime, Wallace needs you. That bald man...Gerald...is giving him grief and may not be long for the company.”
“This...is unexpected,” Shae said.
“Why?”
“When you made Ashley my assistant, I assumed you were easing me out.”
Miranda couldn’t have looked more surprised. “You’ve done an excellent job there, Shae. Just coming up with the idea was brilliant. I admit I didn’t like the tent-camp idea, but once we nailed down the difference between repair and capital investment and started to work on the cabins...well, I’m pleased.”
Shae shifted in her seat. This was not playing out the way she’d anticipated and she wasn’t quite certain how to take it. “Will I get the contract for my employment?”
“I spoke to Noel about that,” Miranda said seriously. “He’s of the opinion that we shouldn’t set precedents...unless you’d settle for a six-month renewable contract. That he had no problem with.”
“I’ll, uh, think about it.”
“Fine. In the meantime, you’ll go back on salary as before. Starting Monday,” Miranda said brightly. She stood and offered Shae her hand. “Congratulations on a job well done. You have more than proved yourself.”
Shae walked down the stairs feeling numb. By the time she reached her car, she realized that she was shaking. She got behind the wheel, tried to jam the key into the ignition, missed and had to try again. If she hadn’t been certain that Miranda was watching, she would have beaten her head on the steering wheel.
Well played, Miranda. She’d just effectively removed her as Jordan’s ally—and she’d done it by giving Shae exactly what she’d asked for.
* * *
“WHAT HAPPENED?” Jordan asked as soon as he opened the truck door for Shae. He’d been waiting for her to get back to the ranch since putting the palomino away after her last official ride before he returned her to Claiborne.
“I’m going back to my old job on Monday.”
“Monday?” Jordan’s hand stilled on the door, then he pushed it shut. “Why would she give you your job back before the contract is finished?” he asked suspiciously.
“I had the same the question.”
“Are you taking her up on it?”
“At the moment I don’t have a lot of choice. I need a paycheck. Also, I might be able to keep apprised of what’s happening here, which might be helpful in the future.”
“Yeah. Maybe.” But he doubted Shae would have access to information that would help him in any way.
He’d hoped that, despite her pessimistic feelings on the matter, she’d get another job offer before she left the High Camp—anything to keep her from continuing to work for Miranda. But she had to eat, and there were apparently tons of bills from her almost wedding that she was paying off in installments. Plus, she fully intended to reimburse her parents the money they’d lost.
Weddings done on a grand scale were apparently freaking expensive. Jordan was sorry that Shae was in the hole, in a position where she had to take work where she found it...but he was
not unhappy that the marriage hadn’t taken place. And neither, it seemed, was Shae.
The thought never failed to make him feel just a bit better about life in general. He didn’t know where this was going, but he was glad to have the opportunity to make the journey.
Now all he had to do was to make certain that bitch Miranda didn’t screw with Shae in any way.
* * *
IT RAINED THE day Shae left the High Camp. She kissed Jordan goodbye on the porch, then ran for her truck. She hated the thought of Jordan dealing with Miranda’s crew without her, but knew in her gut this was a battle he needed to fight—or come to terms with—himself. She was almost home after a very long drive on rain-slicked roads when her phone rang. Even though she knew it wasn’t Jordan, her heart skipped at the sound. She couldn’t remember doing that when she’d first been dating Reed.
She reached for the phone on the seat beside her as she pulled off into the parking lot of a small convenience store.
“Mel?” she asked instead of saying hello. My long-lost friend who hasn’t contacted me in over three weeks?
“Hi,” Mel said. “Sorry about not calling sooner. I’ve been drowning in the studies.”
“Ah.”
“Working full-time, plus classes and studying...where are you?”
“Almost home.”
“Can I come over? It doesn’t have to be tonight, but—”
“Tonight’s fine,” Shae said. In fact, tonight would be a blessing. She didn’t feel like being alone. “The sooner the better.”
Mel arrived within minutes of Shae walking in her front door.
“Were you circling the block?” Shae asked, stepping back to let her friend into the apartment.
“Close. I was on my way home from a class when I called.”
“I’m glad you did,” Shae said casting a critical eye over Mel. Untidy wisps of black hair had escaped her ponytail and the hollows of her cheeks were more pronounced than usual, as if she’d lost weight. “Studies going all right?”
“I think I signed up for one too many classes,” Mel said, dropping her coat on a chair and heading for the kitchen. “May I?”
“Pour one for me,” Shae said, carrying her bag into the bedroom. “So how long are you going to carry on this overloaded schedule?” she asked as she came back out after dumping her laundry in the hamper.
Mel handed her a glass of white wine. “Today was my last day of the overloaded schedule.”
“You quit school?” Shae asked over the top of her glass.
Mel shook her head and then took a drink. “Uh-uh. I quit work.”
“No!” Shae set her wine on the bookcase.
“Okay, I didn’t quit completely. I’m taking an unpaid leave of absence to focus on my studies. In this job climate, it seems wise to keep my toe in the door.”
“But I’m starting work on Monday.”
“I know,” Mel said. “I heard today.”
“Well, crap. You were going to keep me sane.”
“Guess you’ll have to depend on Wallace for that.”
Shae snorted. “Somehow I don’t think it’ll be the same.” She picked her glass back up and took a healthy sip before gesturing toward the sofa and the meaning of Mel’s announcement sank in. “I’m basically taking your position, aren’t I?”
“That’s my guess.”
“And when you return from your temporary leave of absence...” Shae made a slicing motion across her throat, which in turn made Mel’s eyes widen.
“I don’t think she’d bring you back just to—”
“I do.” In fact, she was certain. Miranda had neatly filled Mel’s position with an experienced employee while at the same time prying Shae away from Jordan. The woman was good.
Shae sighed. “I didn’t plan on staying long, but I hate being played.”
“I thought you respected Miranda. Why do you think she’s playing you?”
“My eyes have been opened,” Shae said bluntly. “She’s not a nice woman.”
“Really?” Shae nodded and Mel frowned as she said, “Because she fired you?”
“No. Because I got to know Jordan Bryan.”
It took Mel a moment to say, “In what sense?”
“Biblical.”
“No.” Once again Mel’s eyes went wide. “I mean...no.”
“Yes.” Shae understood her friend’s astonishment. Mel certainly remembered the ass dumping as vividly as Shae did, having been privy to Shae’s frequently verbalized views on what a jerk Jordan Bryan was for days after the event. And then there were the scars. Shae had always been about perfection and in that sense, Jordan was not perfect.
“He’s the rebound guy?”
Shae leaned her head back against the sofa cushions. “No. He’s not.”
“So, you mean a serious hookup?”
“I think so,” Shae said. “Not what I expected, but...the feelings are there. Now I just have to figure out what to do with them.”
“Huh.” Mel stared straight ahead, hugging a sofa pillow to her middle. “Crazy.”
“What’s so crazy?” Mel cocked an eyebrow at her and Shae quirked up one corner of her mouth. It was crazy, her and Jordan. But it didn’t feel crazy. It felt right.
“Are you sure this isn’t a rebound thing?” she asked suspiciously.
“If it is, then I’m a fan of rebound.”
They sat in silence for a moment, Shae sipping her wine as Mel continued to hug the pillow as she stared into space and processed. “Other than drowning in studies,” Shae said, needing to shift the subject away from herself, “and taking a leave of absence, how’s life?”
“Good. Good.” Mel still didn’t look at her, and Shae knew from her tone that she wasn’t being totally up front. Mel did prefer to hide her difficulties and deal with them herself—not that Shae had been all that helpful in the past. Oh, yeah. It’d all been about her. Time to change that if she could.
“Honestly?”
Mel looked at her then with a frown. “Good enough,” she said matter-of-factly.
“Anything you want to talk about?”
Mel gave her head a shake. “Just...life. Small things adding up, but nothing major.” She reached out with her glass to tap Shae’s. “I’m confident that once I start getting some sleep, things will look rosy again.”
“Wouldn’t it be great if it was that easy,” Shae said. If so, she’d start sleeping right now. “And if sleeping doesn’t work...any chance you’d share?”
Mel gave her a slow sideways glance. “If I had something to share, yes.”
“For real?”
“Yes. For real,” Mel said as if it was a given. It wasn’t, but Shae hoped she was telling the truth, because she owed her friend some payback.
* * *
SHAE ASSUMED THAT Wallace was expecting her at the office, but the stunned look on Risa’s face when she walked in made her wonder. Surely Miranda had included Wallace in her plans.
“Would you please tell Wallace I’m here?” she asked Risa, who kept her heavily made-up eye on Shae while she picked up the phone and dialed Wallace, as if Shae was going to start riffling through desk drawers if Risa looked away.
“Go in,” she said abruptly, dropping her gaze back to her computer screen. Wallace looked up from papers he had scattered across his desk when Shae walked in.
“You’re back,” he said and Shae could tell from his tone that he had indeed expected her.
“It wasn’t easy,” Shae replied, shutting the door. And I know it won’t last...
“Your job will now have your full attention?” Wallace asked with mock sternness, leaning back in his chair, tapping his pencil on his palm.
“And then some,” Shae said with a practiced smile, playing th
e game. She needed this paycheck and at least for now, until she found another position, this job was her life’s blood.
“I’m sure your new manager will be happy to hear that. In the meantime, your old desk is waiting for you and Gerald has a project that he needs your help on. I’ll send him by within the hour to discuss matters.”
“New manager?” Shae asked, stunned.
Wallace laid his pencil on the desk. “I haven’t announced yet, but I’m leaving. Just a handful of people know. Since you’ll be directly affected, you’re one of them.”
Shae felt as if she’d just been sucker punched. “Where are you going?”
“I’m starting my own agency in Butte.”
“Oh,” Shae said hollowly. “Congratulations.”
“Thank you.”
“Does Miranda know?”
“Not yet. That’s not a conversation I’m looking forward to, so I’d appreciate it if you didn’t say anything.”
“There’s no winning with her, is there?” Shae said wearily, no longer seeing the sense in being politically correct.
“She’s actually quite lovely,” Wallace said, “as long as you do as she says and things go her way. I fought many battles on behalf of my staff that they know nothing about.” Shae could believe that now.
“Why didn’t you tell us?”
“Because it’s my job to handle things like that. It wouldn’t have helped productivity to tell you guys about every run-in I had with the big boss. I wanted you to focus on your projects.”
“I don’t know how you’ve put up with working for the woman for so long.”
“She paid me well to kiss her ass,” he said matter-of-factly.
“Money talks,” Shae said, still working to fully process Wallace’s announcement. No Mel, no Wallace... Wow.
“You seem different,” Wallace said.
“It’s been one hell of a ride the last seven weeks.” Were seven weeks enough to change a life? In Shae’s experience, yes. Plenty of time. “My eyes have been opened to a lot of stuff.”
“Such as...?”
What could she say? That she’d finally come to terms with just how self-absorbed she’d been and was working to change? That she’d met a man she could well be in love with who was too stubborn to stop poking the tigress? “What it’s like to take on Miranda one-on-one.” She hesitated for all of a second before asking, “She’s using me to fill in for Mel and then she’ll fire me when Mel comes back, won’t she?”
