He’d probably deserved it for the way he’d left her. At the time, his decision felt justified. Looking back, he could’ve stayed a few more days, explained his reasons, and dealt with her arguments. Either way, the outcome would’ve been the same. She wanted one path for their life and he wanted another. Continuing to beat himself up over it wouldn’t change the end result.
******
“How long did it take him to make a decision,” Matt asked, nursing his second beer.
“About what you’d expect.” Gage took a swallow from his glass, watching a redhead at the other end of the bar. He’d been through a nasty divorce a few years before and still dealt with the lingering fallout. He had no desire to get back into a committed relationship—now or ever. However, that didn’t stop him from testing the waters for a woman interested in loose and casual, without strings.
“Five minutes?”
“A little less. I sent him a report of our meeting. By the time we spoke, he already favored negotiating the big rodeos with MacLaren for the coming season. After that, who knows?”
Matt pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling a headache coming on. “Yeah. I thought that would be his reaction. It was worth a try, even though I realize any other decision would’ve been doubtful.”
“There’s the option of swapping the account with someone else. One of the reps could take on MacLaren, passing off one of their big accounts to you. It’s a little more traveling for both of you, but I’d be willing to give it a try if it will make the dealings easier.”
“By easier, you mean for me?”
Gage chuckled. “Hell no. I mean for Double Ace. I can’t afford to let your personal feelings for Cassie mess up what could be a lucrative deal for everyone.”
“You don’t think I can deal?” Matt swallowed the last of his beer, signaling for another as his jaw clenched.
“I didn’t say that. I’m making certain you can handle being around her without screwing up a good contract. You tell me. I can make it work either way.” Standing, Gage kept his gaze on the redhead, who’d been equally as intent on getting his attention. “Give me your answer first thing tomorrow morning.” Without another word, he walked toward the far side of the bar, leaving Matt to his tangled thoughts.
“Hey, cowboy. You interested in buying me a drink?”
Matt looked up from his half-finished beer. Another night, he might be tempted to stick around, buy the lady a drink, and see where it went. Tonight, he wanted nothing more than to head home and clear his mind of everything, especially one stubborn, spoiled female who continued to plague him after all this time.
“Another time, darlin’.” Standing, he tossed money onto the bar and stalked out.
******
MacLaren Enterprises
“There’s no reason Matt can’t work with Skye up in Crooked Tree. We’ll be partnering on all rodeo stock, not just bareback and saddle bronc.” Cam sat at his desk, Cassie on the other side, listening to the reasons the MacLaren executives gave for continuing negotiations with Double Ace.
She’d prepared herself for the decision, knowing the outcome could be nothing else. Although she wished otherwise, a partnership between Double Ace and MacLaren Rodeo would be hard for rodeo committees to ignore. Two strong players in the stock business would knock the competition to the walls. They’d be hard to beat in quality of stock or price, especially for the large rodeos. No matter how she wished otherwise, Double Ace had entered the business strong and hard a few years before and was now considered a major player, same as MacLaren Rodeo.
“There’s no need to bring Skye into this. I can work with Matt.” Lowering her gaze to her lap, she resolved to keep telling herself that. Perhaps it would be true by the time she saw him again.
“Without punching him in the nose?”
Her head shot up. “You heard about that?”
“Cassie, everyone’s heard about it.” He shook his head, his mouth quirking up at the corners.
She could feel her face heat, knowing her cheeks would already be turning a deep pink. Jutting her chin out, she leveled her gaze at Cam. “He deserved it, although the timing could’ve been better.”
“Yes, it could’ve been. It’s a good thing Gage didn’t judge you, and MacLaren Rodeo, by your action. This is a good opportunity for us and I don’t want old feelings or your temper to mess it up.” His voice had become stern, demanding an answer.
“You won’t have to worry about me. I can handle myself around Matt. We’ve been over for a long time. I just needed closure and I’ve gotten it. I’m good.”
Cam studied her, not quite believing Cassie had gotten closure. More like a small amount of revenge.
“All right. Let’s start with Double Ace’s latest proposal.”
Chapter Two
Houston, Texas
“Garner.” Matt picked up his phone on the fourth ring after checking caller ID. The last person he wanted to speak with tonight was the woman he’d been seeing the last couple months. He’d planned to call it off with her the last time they went out, but one thing led to another, then Gage had sent him out of town.
“Hi, Matt. It’s Chelsea.”
The slight waver in her voice tugged at his gut. Chels may not be the most exciting woman he’d been with over the years, but her sweet personality and willingness to please made their time together easy, undemanding. It made him wonder why he felt the need to call it off. She asked for nothing except a little of his time when he was in town. He’d never felt the need to string a woman along when he knew there’d be no future. She already had a hard time with self-esteem and he didn’t want to add to it. He had to find a gentle way to let her go.
“Hi, Chels. What’s going on?”
“Well…I just hadn’t heard from you in a while and wondered if you were still out of town.” She let out a nervous laugh. “Guess not.”
“I drove back a couple days ago. Work’s been hectic—like always.” He swallowed his doubt, knowing he had to tell her. Glancing at the time, he made a decision. “If you haven’t eaten, how about I bring over something?”
“Sure. Whatever you want.”
It’s the same response she always gave him. Chels never had an opinion and rarely made a decision, tending to go with what interested him. For some reason, it irked him more now that he’d seen Cassie again. Unlike Chelsea, he’d never had to wonder what was on Cass’s mind.
“All right. I’ll be there in a half-hour.”
Ordering Chinese food, he slipped on his boots and grabbed his hat, going over what he’d say and at what point. She lived alone, worked in an office, and from what he could tell, had few close friends. They’d met through her aunt, a woman who worked at Double Ace. He and Chels hadn’t been seeing each other long, but the break would still be a little tricky.
“Hi, Matt.” Chelsea opened the door, motioning him inside, glancing at the bag. “Chinese.”
“I remembered how much you like it.”
She smiled over her shoulder while grabbing plates. “Chopsticks?”
“Of course,” Matt grinned, again getting a sick feeling about what he needed to say.
Dinner passed with small talk of her work and his travels before she set down her chopsticks and picked up their plates.
“I’ll get those, Chels.” Matt started to stand, but sat back down when she returned to the table and took a seat.
“Matt, there’s something I’ve been meaning to talk to you about.”
“Sure, Chels.” He pushed his chair back, stretched out his long legs, and crossed his arms.
“I, well…I suppose there’s no right way to say this.” Her voice shook and he knew whatever it was made her nervous.
“I’ve always found the best way is to just say it.”
She took a breath, nodding. “Well, the truth is…I’ve met someone.”
Nothing could’ve surprised him more. Sitting up, he pulled the chair back to the table, resting his arms on it. “Someone you want t
o date?”
“Well, yes.”
He worked to keep his face impassive when all he felt was relief. “Tell me about him.”
“We work together. He’s, well…he’s nothing like you.”
That gave Matt pause. “How’s that?”
“He’s quiet, likes books and gardening.” When she saw his brows arch, she rushed on, stammering. “Not that you don’t like those, but you’re always so, well…intimidating. You know exactly what you want and where you’re going. You’re so confident—nothing stops you.” She hesitated long enough to take a breath. He’d never seen her so animated. “We’re so different. You’re complicated with many layers. I’m a pretty simple person, not that interesting, and happy to stay at home. You need someone more like you—full of life, always charging forward.” She glanced at him. “Does that make sense?” He could see her hands laced together in her lap, the knuckles almost white.
Reaching over, he laid a hand on hers and squeezed. “Yes, it does.”
“I don’t want to hurt you, Matt. You’ve been so good to me.”
Pulling her up, he wrapped his arms around her. “Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine. I’m just happy for you.” Dropping his arms and stepping back, he gave her a stern look. “But you call me if he isn’t good to you. I’ll set him straight right away.”
His comment got the response he hoped for. Chelsea laughed, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek. “I don’t believe I’ll need to worry about that, but it’s always good to have you in my corner.”
“Always, Chels.” Picking up his hat, he walked to the door. “I’d better get going. You take care of yourself.”
Sliding into the cab of his truck, Matt let out a relieved breath. Sometimes life did work in his favor.
******
MacLaren Rodeo Company, Cold Creek, Colorado
“What are you doing tonight, Cassie?” Cam stopped inside her office door.
“I thought I’d pick up takeout and head home. Unless you have something you need me to do.”
“Nothing like that. The local Search and Rescue team is meeting tonight. Lainey is meeting me there, and you’ve mentioned an interest in learning more about it.” Cam and his wife, Lainey, met as SAR volunteers, marrying before he took over the Cold Creek operation. They’d continued to stay active volunteers, joining the local team.
“Can I bring my dinner?”
“As long as you get enough for Lainey and me,” he smirked.
Not long afterwards, the three sat at the back of the room, sharing Cassie’s food, and ignoring jealous looks from the other volunteers. Picking up the empty containers, she stuffed them in a bag as the SAR leader talked through the training exercises starting the following weekend. Stepping to the back, she tossed the bag in a trash can, leaning against a nearby wall, watching out of the corner of her eye as a man walked up next to her.
“I’m Kurt Dobson. I don’t believe we’ve met.” He held out his hand.
“Cassie MacLaren.” Shaking his hand, she found herself staring at a scar on his neck, then looked back up to his eyes. “This is my first time at a meeting. My stepbrother, Cam Sinclair, and his wife are volunteers.”
“That right? I’ve known Cam and Lainey since they came to town. Do you work at the rodeo stock company?”
“I do.”
“Kurt, would you like to introduce us to our guest?” The SAR leader gave him a pointed look.
Ignoring the stare, Kurt smiled. “This is Cassie MacLaren. She’s related to Cam and Lainey, but we’ll try not to hold that against her.”
Applause and laughter followed, several members offering greetings.
“Cam, anything you want to add?”
Cam stood, looking behind him at Kurt. “This is Cassie’s first time at an SAR meeting. I’m hoping she’ll decide to join us.”
As the meeting broke up, Lainey joined Cassie and Kurt while Cam walked around, talking to several friends. “What do you think?” Lainey asked Cass.
“Kurt was just telling me about the fitness sessions. I didn’t realize how much training it took to become a volunteer. Sounds like quite a challenge.”
“Nothing you can’t handle. I’m certain Cam would be supportive of whatever you needed to get started.” Lainey watched her husband shaking hands with a few more people before making his way to them.
“Kurt’s going to be doing an introductory session this weekend. You might consider attending.” Cam slipped an arm around Lainey’s waist, pulling her close.
“It’d be great to have you join us, Cassie,” Kurt added.
Cassie sent him a quick glance. “Would it be all right to attend, then make up my mind?”
“Of course. It’s not for everyone. The class will give you a good sense of what’s expected.” Tossing an empty cup in the trash, he turned back to Cassie. “Nice to meet you. Hope you decide to come on Saturday.”
Watching him walk outside, she turned back to Lainey and Cam.
“He’s single, you know,” Lainey added. “A lieutenant with the fire department. According to Cam, he’s on the fast track to becoming a captain. And…he’s not bad on the eyes.”
Laughing, Cassie followed them to the truck. “When would I ever have time to go out, especially if I decide to join Search and Rescue? My life is good the way it is.”
Lainey sent Cam a look, telling him without words what she thought of Cassie’s comment. “You may be right. It’s just something to think about.”
A couple hours later, Cassie lay in bed, unable to sleep, staring at the ceiling, and thinking about what Lainey had said. Kurt was easy on the eyes. The problem was when she closed hers, the only image in her head was Matt’s.
******
Double Ace Offices, El Paso, Texas
“I’ll not have this discussion over the phone. We’ll meet where we can talk without fear of others listening.” Ivan Santiago winced at the sharp reply to his request. One of his uncles had called with instructions on how to move the next group of cattle into the United States from Mexico, knowing his nephew wouldn’t like the order from the senior members of the family.
“Fine. I’ll meet you in Juarez for dinner tonight at nine o’clock.”
Ivan ended the call as his office door opened, Gage and Matt entering for a meeting he’d requested. They’d flown in from Houston to the offices in El Paso. Double Ace had been started by American partners, as well as three Mexican families—the Santiagos, Castenadas, and Zamoras. The Santiagos held over fifty percent ownership, giving them the deciding vote for all operations. At this point, the other partners were happy to sit back and watch the money appear in their bank accounts.
Greeting Gage and Matt, Ivan sat back down. Their presence was a great diversion from the conversation he’d just completed, which he’d be required to continue in a few hours.
“Please, gentlemen, tell me what’s happening with the MacLaren negotiations.”
“We’re already preparing proposals for the next season. Right now, we see a minimum of ten rodeos where we have an excellent chance of winning the bid. We’d prefer to bring MacLaren in on each of them for additional stock.” Gage pulled out a list of rodeos, sliding it across the desk to Ivan. “The ones highlighted are those where we’d request their partnership.”
Ivan studied the list showing the dates, location, number of stock needed for each category, and history of participation by either Double Ace or MacLaren.
“It appears one of the companies has worked with just two of these rodeos,” Ivan commented, continuing to study the list.
“True. MacLaren was the contractor for one, and we were for the other. Each of us brought in two different stock subcontractors. We weren’t pleased with the results on our contract. I don’t know the MacLaren experience with their subcontractors.” Gage pulled out another sheet of paper and passed it to Ivan. “These are the mid-sized rodeos MacLaren has won contracts with over the last few years using one subcontractor. If they retain the contracts for
next season, we want them to use us.”
“Why don’t we go after these ourselves?” Ivan looked up, then leaned back in his chair. “Would that not be more lucrative for us?”
“Yes, but we’d be pitting ourselves against allies.”
“Ah, yes. We will get to know how MacLaren operates, then exploit their weaknesses, correct?”
Matt shot Gage an uneasy glance, who nodded for him to go ahead and speak his mind.
“I’ve known the MacLarens all my life. If you form a solid partnership with them, my guess is you’ll do well to keep it on good terms. You’ll find no better long-term ally.”
Leaning forward, Ivan rested his elbows on the desk, steepling his fingers. “I did hear about a slight altercation between you and one of the MacLarens at our Houston office. I trust the disagreement has been resolved.”
Matt stifled a groan. He’d hoped the incident between him and Cassie had been forgotten. “I—”
Ivan held up his hand, stopping him. “I trust you, Matt. If you believe the MacLarens to be potentially strong partners, I will reserve judgment until later. Excellent work on this, Gage. You will be the one to negotiate the contracts?”
“I’ll handle the initial agreements with the MacLarens. Matt or one of our other representatives will work directly with the rodeos and prepare the proposals. They will also be the main contacts at each of the MacLaren facilities.”
Ivan looked at Matt, the corners of his mouth tilting upward. “So you will continue to have dealings with Ms. MacLaren. This will be a true test of your humility and patience.”
“You’re right about that, Mr. Santiago,” Matt ground out, feeling the ghost from his past rearing up to haunt him.
Chapter Three
Cold Creek, Colorado
“Does anyone have questions?” Kurt Dobson stood at the front of the SAR training room, looking out at the fifteen attendees in his introductory class. “None? Well, if you come up with any, I’ll pass around my card. Feel free to email or call.”
No Getting Over You Page 2
