Cassidy Harte and the Comeback Kid

Her mouth hardened again. “I used to be a lot of things. Ten years is a long time. I’m not the same person I was then. I’ve become much more choosy about the things I’m willing to fight for.”

“And your job isn’t one of them?”

“I won’t lie to you. I like working for the Lost Creek. Jean is a sweetheart and gives me all the freedom I could ever want to create my own menus. But I would rather take a job cleaning truck-stop toilets than stay here and work for you.”

He deserved everything she dished out and more. He knew it, but her words still stung.

“Is there anything I can say to change your mind?”

She shook her head firmly and he chewed the inside of his cheek. He hadn’t wanted to play this card but she was the one folding way too early in the game. “Fine,” he said, his voice cool and detached. “I’ll let Jean know in the morning that Maverick will have to pass on the ranch.”

Her eyes widened, and that stubborn little jaw threatened to sag again. “You can’t! You’ve already signed papers. Jean already has a check.”

“Earnest money, that’s all.” He refused to let the shocked outrage in her voice deter him. “We had thirty days to reach a final decision on the sale. I’ll just tell Jean I’ve changed my mind.”

“You’re willing to walk away from the whole deal just because I refuse to work for you?”

“I’m a businessman, Cassie, as unbelievable as you seem to find that. The food you provide is an important component of the ranch’s appeal to its guests. Who knows what kind of an impact your resignation will have? I don’t want to take that risk.”

“You can’t be serious.”

“Do I look serious?” He brushed an imaginary piece of lint off the sleeve of his shirt while she continued to gape at him.

“This is blackmail,” she hissed.

“Call it what you want.” He smiled as if his whole world wasn’t riding on this moment.

“You bastard.” Her voice quivered with fury.

Her reaction cut deep, but he only smirked. “You think I’ve never been called that before?”

“I’ll just bet you have.”

“I never would have made it this far without a thick skin.”

“Just like every other snake in the world, right?”

Her eyes were bright with anger, and hot color flared high on her cheekbones. He wanted to reach across the distance between them and kiss away her anger, wanted it so badly his bones ached with it. He clamped down hard on the need for some kind of contact—any kind—between them.

“Think what you want about me—”

“Oh, I do. You can bet I do.”

He went on as if she hadn’t interrupted him. “But as far as I’m concerned, you’re part of the package deal.” He paused. “However, I can understand your reluctance, given our unfortunate history.”

She snorted. “Unfortunate, my eye. The day you ran out on me was the luckiest day of my life.”

A muscle in his jaw twitched. “I’m trying to be reasonable here, Cassie, but you’re not making it very easy.”

She remained stubbornly silent.

“As I was saying,” he said, “I understand why you might want to find a new position. So I’m willing to make a deal with you.”

“What kind of deal?” Suspicion coated her voice like a thin sheet of ice on a puddle.

“You stay the thirty days until the sale is finalized, and Maverick won’t back out. In the meantime you can hire someone as your replacement, someone who can learn your menus and build on your success.”

“And what do I get in return, besides the oh-so-appealing pleasure of your company?”

The Boy Scouts probably would have laughed themselves silly if he’d ever tried to join up, but he certainly believed heartily in their motto about being prepared.

Through a little casual conversation with Jean during the negotiations for the guest ranch, his lawyer had learned Cassie’s job at the ranch was always considered temporary between the two women, that she was saving for a down payment on the diner in town.

Why she didn’t use some of the vast Diamond Harte resources was beyond him, but in this case her typical dogged determination worked to his advantage.

“Stick it out for thirty days, and I’ll give you a bonus of five thousand dollars.”

Only the slightest flicker in her gaze betrayed that she had even heard him. “I don’t want your money.”

He shrugged. “Then stay for Jean’s sake. I’m sure I don’t have to tell you it will probably be a long time before she’ll see another offer as good as the one we’ve made.”

Not just a long time. Never. Cassie drew in a breath, trying to gather the thoughts he seemed to scatter so easily. Maverick had offered far more than the appraised value for the ranch. And who knew when Jean would even get another offer? The ranch had been on the market for a year already with little to show for it but a few nibbles.

He had her backed against the wall, and he damn well knew it. Would he be ruthless enough to make good on his threat to renege on the deal, even knowing he would hurt a sweet, feisty woman like Jean Martineau in the process?

Yes. She didn’t doubt it for a second.

She wasn’t stupid enough to buy his argument that the ranch’s reputation would suffer without her. She was a good cook but there were plenty of others who could pick up right where she left off. No, he wanted her here for his own sinister reasons. She couldn’t begin to guess what they might be. Just thinking about his motives made her stomach flip around like a trout on the end of a line.

On the other hand, Jean was her friend. She had been kind to her and given Cassie a chance to prove herself, when all she had for experience was ten years spent cooking for her family’s cattle ranch.

How would she be able to live with herself if the deal fell through because of her?

Anyway, what did it matter who signed her paycheck? She probably wouldn’t even see him during that thirty days. The president and CEO of Maverick Enterprises most likely didn’t have a spare second to spend hanging around supervising a dude ranch in western Wyoming. He would probably be here for a few days and then crawl back under whatever rock he’d been hiding under.

The realization cheered her immensely. She could handle a few days. She was a strong and capable woman. Besides, he didn’t mean anything to her anymore. Any feelings she might have had for him so long ago had shriveled up and blown away in the endless Wyoming wind.

“Ten thousand dollars,” she said promptly. With that much, she’d have all she needed to make the down payment Murphy wanted.

“You really think you’re worth that much?”

She refused to let him see her flinch at his words. “At least.”

“Okay. Fine. Ten it is.”

She had never expected him to agree. The very fact that he did left her as wary as a kitten in the middle of a dogfight. “One month, then. For Jean’s sake.”

At least he didn’t spin her platitudes about how she wouldn’t regret it. Instead his dazzling smile sent a chill of premonition scuttling down her spine. She ignored it and held the door open for him to leave in a blatant message even Zack Slater couldn’t disregard.