15. Josie
josie
. . .
Bringing Lincoln coffee had turned out to be a colossal mistake because now he had it in his head that he needed to bring me one every morning.
To be fair, it’d only been two days and two coffees since our encounter on Wednesday, so it very well could’ve been a coincidence. At least, that’s what I tried to tell myself. However, the panty-soaking smile and wink he gave me always obliterated that train of thought.
What got under my skin the most was how perfect it was.
A hazelnut roast with oat milk and brown sugar wasn’t exactly something they kept in the bunkhouses. I knew I only stocked the ranch hands with the run-of-the-mill roast. One time, I’d gotten something different by accident. Bishop had spit it across the barn on his first sip and told me off about trying to make his coffee fancy .
Had it been anyone else, I’d have told them to shut up and drink the free coffee, but an uncaffeinated Bishop was one angry bear I didn’t want to poke .
And he even brought it to me in a pink mug—my favorite color.
So, that begged the question… Where the hell was Lincoln getting his stash from? And was it horrible that I didn’t want him to stop?
Thankfully, today was Friday, which meant I had two days of being Lincoln-free to look forward to. There were no classes or trainings on the weekends, which meant I was officially off the clock and could busy myself by doing anything other than crossing his path.
“Josephine! Oh, I’m so glad I caught you.” I saw Ellis striding through the front door with two coffee cups.
I hated it when he called me Josephine.
Sometimes, I wondered if he realized where he lived. I understood the concept of dressing professionally, especially with his job. Still, more often than not, he looked like he had just stepped off Wall Street. He was wearing a tight button-down shirt tucked into his slacks, and his hair was perfectly combed to the side.
Even the most well-respected individuals I knew, including the mayor, considered starched jeans, boots, and a clean shirt their formal attire.
“I brought you a coffee. I’m sure that’s cold by now,” Ellis said, plucking the travel mug from my hand and trading it for the one he held.
I chuckled. “Well, the mug’s insulated, so…”
“At least this is fresh,” he said, tapping his cup against mine.
“Well, thank you,” I said. His eyes bore into mine, glancing between my mouth and the cup. I brought it to my lips, taking a generous sip.
Oh god. It was horrible.
“Is this plain?” I asked, trying to school my face.
Ellis smiled. “Sure is. I know how much you love those sugary energy drinks, but honestly, babe… This is so much better for you. It ’s a quality roast from Ecuador, you don’t even need sugar. Might as well save the calories, right?”
I raised my brows. “Why would I be worried about calories?”
“Your jeans always get a little tight after some time at the ranch,” he chuckled. “I’m sure Cleo’s cooking is more Paula Deen than Alton Brown. Don’t worry, when you get home maybe you can join me for a run in the morning?” He looked genuinely hopeful and I couldn’t tell if he even realized what he’d just said. Ellis was Ellis, I bet he thought a morning run would seem romantic.”
“Miss Hayes?”
I pulled my gaze toward the blonde receptionist standing before me with a forced smile. “Yes?”
“Mr. Martin will see you now,” she said, pointing a manicured finger at the mahogany door to her right. “His office is just through there.”
I gave her a small smile, grateful for the interruption. “Thank you,” I said, trading the cup Ellis had gotten me with the mug I’d brought. “Honestly, I’ve probably had too much coffee anyway.”
My meeting with Ellis’ dad was supposed to start at eight so that I could get back to the ranch, but I was stopped the moment I stepped into the ridiculously over-decorated reception area. A young woman told me I needed to wait, and mumbled something about international affairs and conference calls. I sipped my perfect coffee and passed the hour by trying to convince myself I wasn’t attracted to the hot cowboy back home.
One who barely knew me, and yet knew exactly what I liked.
“Miss Hayes?” she called, looking at me over the top of her computer. “Mr. Martin will see you now.”
I mumbled my thanks, awkwardly grabbing my bag and slinging it over my shoulder before walking inside.
I’d only gone by the Martins’ office once before to drop off some documents for Dad. Still, I didn’t remember it being so ostentatious. Honestly, this looked more like Ellis’ decor style than the homely rustic chic I remembered from before.
The walls had gone from soft beige to blood red, complete with wainscot molding that reminded me of an old English manor. Behind the receptionist’s desk was an oil painting of a fox hunt, flanked by strange landscape portraits that looked like they came from the mind of someone freshly off an acid trip.
Charles Martin sat behind a cluttered desk, peering at his computer screen with narrowed eyes. He didn’t move when I stepped inside and sat in a too-stiff leather chair in front of him.
“Just one moment, Miss Hayes,” he said, shuffling some papers around and gesturing for me to take a seat. His round glasses slid to the tip of his nose before he pushed them back up with one finger. “Perfect, thank you. How are you this morning? I’m sorry about that wait. This new system Ellis set up doesn’t always tell me when I have conflicting meetings.”
I waved him off. “It’s fine. Dad has things handled. I’m just grateful you were able to see me so soon. Did you have a chance to look at the files I sent you?”
When I made the appointment, I sent over all the files I’d compiled showing the discrepancies. I’d hoped he would have time to review them beforehand and speed up the process.
“I did, and you’re quite right. The figures don’t match,” Charles said, folding his hands on the desk. “There’s only one miscalculation.”
“Which would be what?”
“I want to start by ensuring I will get to the bottom of this.”
“That sounds serious,” I said, chuckling. It didn’t match the nauseous feeling taking hold. “Surely it can’t be that bad?”
“The missing total is quite a bit larger than you anticipated. I would estimate there is close to a quarter of a million dollars lost.”
I wanted to throw up on his plush, beige rug. “Pardon? ”
Charles sighed. “I took the totals you had and went further, trying to see if I could find the source, or maybe a trail that could explain what you’d found. Your father had wanted to diversify his portfolio a few years back. While I’d advised against any riskier investments at the time, it is ultimately his choice on how to spend his money.” He pulled a file from the stack and flipped it open. “I take extensive notes on each meeting, you see. My memory isn’t always what it used to be. I’d thought it possible we’d pushed an account through that I hadn’t notated, but Doug had elected not to move forward. I even went through each meeting since then to see if he’d changed his mind.”
“And had he?”
Charles shook his head. “I’m afraid not.”
I sucked in a deep breath. “So, what does that mean?”
“That’s the part I am trying to figure out. Most of the transactions lead to a few offshore shell companies. No beneficial owners are listed, and the chain to find anyone has been long. I’ve been putting everything I can into finding out what these might be used for.”
I pinched the bridge of my nose. “So, are you telling me that your firm has misplaced over two hundred and fifty thousand dollars?” Keeping the shake from my voice was impossible. I was furious and terrified at the same time. My family was fortunate enough for this not to be a major hurdle, especially since it’d been over time. However, that was money we could’ve used to put back into the land or our employees. There had been several instances in which we’d discussed constructing more staff cabins. Before he’d gotten sick, Dad had wanted to take these clinics on the road, but we’d decided against it since it would’ve eaten the profit margin.
Charles hung his head, and I almost felt sorry for him. “I swear to you… I will find out what happened and ensure every dime is accounted for?— ”
“I want a formal audit done. I want the call made, and I want that money found.” My hands were shaking in my lap. How was I supposed to drive home and tell Dad? And why did it feel like I was in the wrong when I’d been the one to find it?
“Of course,” Charles said quickly, sliding me a card. The words were barely legible, but I could make do. “I will help in any way I can. That’s a list of the top auditors in the state. I’ve worked with them on audits in the past.”
“I don’t know if I should take your recommendations,” I said quietly, slipping the note into my purse.
Charles dropped his gaze. “I would understand if you didn’t, but I swear, Josie, I don’t know how this happened.”
Somehow, I believed him.
Charles and my dad had been friends for so long. It’d been partially because of his firm that my dad had gained a stability my grandparents had never dreamed of. His firm was one of the top in the state, which was no small feat considering how small the area was. However, small towns were often ripe with ranchers who were sitting on more money than they knew how to use.
“I know you don’t,” My phone rang, and I saw Dad’s name flash across the screen. Shit . “I need to take this, but I appreciate your help, Mr. Martin.”
He gave me a slow nod, pushing to his feet and extending his hand. “Of course. I’ll be in touch, Josie.”
“Josie, baby!”
The door opened, and my head whipped to the side. Ellis strode in with a smile on his face. He put one hand on my lower back before kissing my cheek. “How’d the meeting with Dad go? Was it just a misunderstanding? We should celebrate tonight!”
“No, I didn’t misunderstand anything,” I gritted out, stepping out of his touch and tightening my hold on my purse strap. “Your father informed me it’s much larger than we anticipated.”
I didn’t even bother to remind him that I spent every Friday night with my family. It was a waste of breath if he couldn’t remember after three months of dating.
“What?” he asked. “How can that be possible?”
Charles leaned forward on his desk. “That’s what I’d like to know.”
“How can I help? Have we done an audit?” He seemed so concerned, so genuine. It’d been easy to forget how snippy he’d been with me only days ago when I’d told him about this meeting. It was easy to forget a lot of things, actually.
“That’s our next step. I’ll make the call when I get back to the ranch.”
I tried to step past him, but he intercepted me. “Let me take that off your plate,” he said, gentling his tone. “I know you have so much going on with the clinics. Honestly, it’s a miracle you could get into town for this meeting.”
I opened my mouth to tell him no, that I could handle it, but Charles spoke first. “It has to come from the client, Ellis. You know that.”
He turned to his father. “Of course, I know that, but sometimes these auditors try to give you the runaround. The investigations are so time-consuming, and a lot of work is involved. I wouldn’t want them to take advantage of you.”
“I think I’m capable of a phone call, Ellis. And isn’t that their job?” I asked, feeling the skin along my palms tighten. “I don’t care how long it takes. I want to know where my money is.”
“Of course you do, and we’ll find it.” He reached out and grasped my hand, stroking the top of it lightly. I hated the sensation, especially when my anxiety was rising. Everything felt wrong against my skin; it felt like I was growing while everything else was shrinking. “Do you have time for lunch?” He checked his watch, completely unfazed. “Or brunch, I suppose. We can go to that little cafe you like. The one with the bottomless mimosas.”
I stared at him with a hammering heart, wondering how someone could be so insensitive. He hated brunch, hated the bottomless mimosas. In fact, on the rare occasion he agreed to go, he’d make little comments about the kind of people who drink before noon. “Over a quarter of a million dollars is missing from my family’s accounts and you want to go to brunch ?”
“My treat,” he added, as though that was a selling point.
When my phone rang again, I took it as my out. “As tempting as that is, I better get back to the ranch. After all, I have to break the news to my father that you lost a shit ton of his money.”