CHAPTER 3
Victoria
It takes about five seconds to walk in one door of the building and out the other side. I tell the pilots that I’m good, that my car is picking me up from here, and that they can head back.
“Enjoy your stay, Miss Backlund,” one of them says.
Just then, my phone rings.
“You’ve landed right on time, I see.” If anyone loves a schedule as much as me, it’s my assistant, Millicent. Now, this woman sweats. All the time. Over every little thing. Metaphorically speaking, anyway.
“I’m here. Just waiting for the car. Standing out on the front sidewalk of the airport.”
“Let me check on the car service. Call you right back.”
I picture her now at her desk outside my office. Her wild curly hair standing on end, a speck of lip gloss on her teeth, wearing the running shoes that help her speed through the hallways. She always tells me she loves being an assistant, loves working for me, and doesn’t mind the long hours.
That’s why I hired her. She’s single. Has no social life. Her phone is always powered on, and she’s ready to go to work any time, day or night.
Just like me.
I cross my arms over my chest and tap the toe of my shoe on the sidewalk. The car should be here by now. But if I have to wait, I may as well review my notes again, so I pull up the document on my phone.
I need to meet with the father, James MacLaine, not one of the sons. The offer will be more readily accepted by the less-worldly father, who’s responsible for their mess in the first place.
The target is part of the MacLaine holdings.
Yosemite Ranch is one of the biggest cattle operations in the entire state of Nevada.
The family has owned it since the Civil War, and over time it’s grown to a thousand square miles, the size of a small country.
And even though there’s been a recent influx of cash, my guess is it’s the result of a high-interest loan that the MacLaines have no ability to repay.
The piece of land I’m here to acquire is called Sulfur Springs, a barren spot about a half-hour drive from Jamie MacLaine’s ranch house. He can’t possibly need it for much. Once we acquire it, he’ll be far enough away that he won’t even know we’re there.
It makes good sense for him to sell. Why would a man rounding the corner to Social Security keep working his fingers to the bone if he doesn’t have to?
I’ve been preparing for this moment for months, so none of this information is new to me. But a little extra preparation never hurts. Besides, the situation with my lipstick and heel has me feeling a bit off balance. Not to mention that man.
That. Man.
No time for fantasy cowpokes. There’s nothing to do now but summon all the patience I can and continue to wait.
I glance around the dump of an unpaved parking lot. I see a couple of ramshackle trucks nearby, but there’s nothing that looks like a car for hire. No black SUVs, limos, or even a Toyota Camry.
I’m about to lose it. Nothing is going right when everything should be going perfectly. I am on the cusp of making partner at Renaissance Empowered. Nothing is supposed to get in the way of that.
I take a deep breath. I don’t normally let mishaps, setbacks, and complications get me upset or leave me discombobulated.
But I’m so freakin’ discombobulated!
I blame it on the rough and dangerous hunk who stared at me from the hangar. I might have been too far away to have seen clearly, but I swear he had beautiful violet eyes. Not blue. Not brown or green or gold. Violet, as in the Elizabeth Taylor kind of violet.
Yes, all three of the men in the hangar were quite tall and muscular, but my attention didn’t go to the other men.
I was drawn to that man in particular. He was exceptionally handsome, dark, and brooding, with a serious jawline, thick black hair, and a wide mouth.
His expression was too intense to be considered friendly.
He threw me off guard.
And here I am, ten minutes later, still thrown off guard. As I wait and wait and wait for a nonexistent driver.
Ridiculous.
It’s all totally ridiculous.
I’ve never let a man get me in this state before. I’ve had my share of men in my twenty-eight years, but one quick glance never sent me reeling like this. And plenty of them had beautiful eyes. In fact, most of them did.
But not gorgeous violet eyes.
Since I’m of no use to anyone at the moment and appear to be stranded at this airport, I allow my mind to wander.
I imagine my fingers running through that black hair, tugging on it as he makes love to me.
Who am I kidding? There’s no making love with a man like that.
He’s all animal instinct. Being with him would put my cardio fitness to the test.
But that’s okay. I wouldn’t mind the challenge. I’ve been a runner since boarding school. My lung capacity is off the charts.
I wonder who he is. Obviously a cowhand, by the way he was dressed. He was wearing a pair of jeans, cowboy boots, and a tattered plaid shirt with rolled-up cuffs and a frayed collar.
I gnaw on my lower lip. I’m not beyond slumming, but I’ve never been even remotely attracted to the cowboy type. A lot of women love that look, but I’m more of a suit-and-tie girl myself. But I bet he’d make a very good ride.
Ride ‘em, cowboy.
Enough of the fantasy cowpoke. I take a deep breath and think about the reason I’m here. For my job. But how am I supposed to do my job if no one ever comes to pick me up? I hate waiting. Waiting is not one of my strengths.
Millicent calls me back. She’s trying her best to track down the car company she hired but is only getting their voicemail.
This is not acceptable. She apologizes profusely, asking if she has my permission to leave my mobile number with the company so they can contact me directly. I say yes, but really, I’m about ready to scream. And it feels like all the moisture is being sucked from my skin.
I should be on my way to my meeting by now. I should be in the car. A driver should be taking me to Yosemite Ranch. And yet none of those things are happening.
I dig out my phone and call Millicent, even though we hung up barely a minute ago. I don’t know how she puts up with me. But she answers at the first ring, just like she always does.
“I’m so sorry, Victoria! I still can’t reach anyone!”
“Well then, what are my options? Oh, and by the way, please book me a facial as soon as I get back. It’s dry as day-old toast out here.”
“On it! And as far as options go, I’m working on getting a rental car delivered to you in Sweetbriar. I’m on hold right now.”
“All right. Call me back.”
Three minutes later, an unknown Nevada telephone number calls me. I answer, and it’s an elderly woman who sounds out of breath. She tells me that her name is Elsie and that her great-grandson Clem can’t pick me up because his wife is in the hospital.
“Sorry to hear that. Please send another driver right away.”
“He’s my only driver.”
My left eyelid twitches. “You’re a car service with one driver?”
“And one car.”
I can’t help but laugh. What kind of hell have I found myself in?
“It’s because his wife is in labor. She’s a little bit early. They think it’s a girl. It’s their first, so everyone is very excited.”
Except for me. I’m not excited.
“Someone giving birth is not my problem,” I say. “What is my problem, however, is the fact that I’ve paid in advance—I’ve paid a lot in advance for this service.”
The older woman laughs. “That’s a funny one. I’ve never heard of someone paying us in advance. We have enough trouble getting any payment at all. I’ll let Clem know you’re waiting. As soon as that baby gets here, I’m sure he’ll be on his way.”
The line goes dead.
I stare at my phone. I can’t believe this.
I’ve been sent out on countless acquisition trips, but this one has been the biggest dumpster fire by far, and I haven’t even started with the acquisition part yet!
What’s wrong with people these days? What’s wrong with the people here?
Isn’t anyone a professional anymore? Does anyone know how to act in a business world?
My phone rings. It’s Millicent.
“I’m sorry, Victoria. The rental company refuses to drive anyone out there. They say it’s too far.”
I lose it. I feel horrible for yelling at Millicent. It’s not her fault all this has happened, but holy shit! How am I going to get where I need to be when I’m surrounded by nothingness? It’s not like I can walk!
What else will go wrong?