“Is that what this is about? We can promote you into a different role,” he said.
She shook her head. “No. Thank you for the offer but I’m ready to try something new.”
Kate was tempted to say yes to anything that Lance suggested, but she refused to let go of the fact that he was getting married, and to stay here…well, it would be the dumbest thing she could ever do.
“Will you stay until I can hire a replacement?”
She nodded. That sounded fair to her. “Of course I will.”
“Thanks for that.”
“I guess…here is my resignation. I’ll be at my desk if you need anything else from me.”
She turned to leave and felt as if she was running away. A part of her wondered if she shouldn’t try to stay here and make things different between her and Lance. But how?
She’d Googled Lexi Cavanaugh as soon as Lance had told her about the engagement, and there was no way that she could compete with a woman like that.
“Kate?”
“Yes, Lance.”
“I would like to have a cake at the barbecue to celebrate my engagement to Lexi. Can you order one from the bakery for me?”
“Of course,” she said.
It was definitely time for her to leave Brody Oil and Gas.
She realized that she and Lance hadn’t hammered out the details of her leaving the company. “I’ll stay for two weeks.”
“It might take longer than that to hire your replacement.”
“I’d like to try to fit it into that time schedule,” she said.
“Have I done something to upset you, Kate? You know I’m more of a roughneck than an executive,” he said.
She steeled herself against responding to that rough aw-shucks-ma’am charm that he was able to pull off so easily. She liked that he wasn’t as sophisticated and polished as Mitch was. That was why she’d fallen for him. At heart, Lance was a good old boy, a Texas man like her daddy and her brothers. The kind of guy that knew how to charm the pants off any lady.
And he hadn’t had to work hard to win her affections. But she realized now that the charm was just part of his practiced act. It was as much a part of the savvy millionaire as his thousand-dollar cowboy boots and million-dollar mansion. He pulled out the charm when he needed it.
“No, Lance. You didn’t do anything other than treat me like your secretary.”
“Is that a problem?” he asked, his shrewd gaze on her.
“Not at all. But that’s all I am to you and I decided I want more.”
She walked out of his office and closed the door behind her. She knew she should stay and work the rest of the day but she needed to get away. And she didn’t care if it made her seem cowardly. She went downstairs and put the top down on her Miata convertible and drove out of Houston, leaving Brody Oil and Gas behind. She only wished it were as easy to convince her heart to leave Lance Brody in the dust.
Two
Lance was speechless as Kate not only walked out of his office, but left early. He knew he’d missed something important as far as she was concerned. She said she wanted to be more than his secretary—did she mean professionally, or personally?
He started to go after her but realized he had no idea where she went when she left the offices. To be honest, she was always here when he arrived and she stayed until after he left. How was he going to operate without her? Kate was more than just his secretary. She was the most important piece of the office, the person who kept everything running smoothly and kept him in line.
“Damn it,” he said to no one in particular. He hadn’t gotten to where he was by letting things like this go. He speed-dialed her cell phone.
“I can’t talk now, Lance,” she said.
“Then pull over or use the headset I gave you, because you can’t just walk away like that and expect me to let this go.”
“Hold on,” she said. He heard her fumbling around and then cursing, and a minute later she was back. “What do you want to talk about?”
“The fact that you left like you did.”
“I’m sorry,” she said. “That was so unprofessional, but I just didn’t think I could be productive anymore today.”
“I can understand that. Want to tell me why?”
“No. It’ll just make you uncomfortable and make me feel like a big dummy.”
Lance didn’t like the sound of that. “Kate, if I’ve done something, just flat out tell me. I’ll apologize and we can move on.”
“I don’t think we can,” she said. Her words were sad and he wished she were still in the office so he could see her expressions. Kate had the most expressive eyes of any woman he’d ever met.
“You won’t know until we talk,” Lance said. He would fix this problem with Kate—he couldn’t afford to lose her. “Where are you?”
“On the interstate headed toward Somerset.”
“Going to your parents house?” he asked, knowing that Kate had grown up in Somerset, a wealthy suburb of Houston. He had a house there now.
“I guess so. I just got in the car and kind of drove on autopilot. I didn’t realize where I was headed.”
“Katie-girl—”
“Don’t call me that, Lance. It makes me feel like we have a relationship beyond boss-secretary and I know that’s not true.”
He cursed under his breath. “We do have one. We’re friends, Kate. And we have been all these long years.”
“Are we really friends?”
“Of course we are. We are more than friends…you’re like part of the family to Mitch and me, and to be honest, Kate, I don’t think either of us will know what to do without you.”
She was quiet for a few seconds.
“Kate?”
“I just can’t talk about this anymore, Lance. I know to you it probably seems…how does it seem?”
“Like I’ve done something to upset you. Listen, whatever it is, I can fix it. You know that, right?”
“You can’t.”
“Kate, when have we ever encountered a problem or obstacle that I couldn’t figure a way out of?”
“Lance…”
She was weakening as he’d known she would. His other line was ringing and he ignored it.
“Tell me, Kate.”
“I’m not sure I can. I feel silly that you are making such a big deal out of it now,” she said.
One of the first things he’d liked about Kate was her voice. It was soft and sweet and even when she got mad, which wasn’t often, she kept it pleasant.
“Why don’t you come back to the office and we can talk,” Lance said.
“We can talk tomorrow when I come in. I think I need the night to get my mind together.”
Lance knew it was important to get Kate back and convince her to stay on before too much time had passed. He knew that she could find other jobs that would pay her as much as he did. But he needed her.
The other line started ringing again and his cell phone beeped with a text message from Frank Japlin, the head of operations at their main refinery.
“Kate, can you hold on a minute?”
“What?”
“I’ve got to take a call from the refinery,” he said.
“Sure,” she said.
He put her on hold and answered the call. “It’s Brody.”
“Frank here. We have a fire at the refinery. I think you need to get down here right away.”
“Have you called the fire department?”
“First thing. But this blaze is burning to beat the band.”
“I’m in the middle of another emergency.”
“There is a lot of damage. And I heard one of the investigators say they thought the cause of the fire wasn’t accidental.”
Great. Just what he needed today. “See what else you can find out. I’ll give you a call in fifteen minutes or so.”
“Okay, boss,” Frank said, hanging up.
Lance rubbed the back of his neck, thinking that damage was the last thing they needed at t
he refineries. The hurricane they’d had last fall had already done enough damage to them.
He needed Kate back in her chair, taking care of this mess. He’d have to call the press, the families and the insurance company. He glanced down at his phone and noticed that the line where she’d been holding was now off. She’d hung up.
Just what he needed, he thought.
Kate realized, as she was hanging on the phone waiting for Lance, that she’d spent too much of her time in that static role. Lance had gotten engaged. There was nothing he could say or do that was going to make staying on at Brody Oil and Gas okay.
She hung up the call and kept on driving. Going home to her folks’ place wasn’t the smartest idea. Her mom would just tell her that if she wore makeup and dressed nicer, she wouldn’t still be single. And honestly, who could deal with that?
But she didn’t want to go to her town house and spend the night alone. She needed some good advice. She needed to be with her best friend, Becca Huntington. Becca would commiserate with her and tell her not to go back, not to listen to Lance…wouldn’t she?
She called Becca at Sweet Nothings, the lingerie shop she owned in Somerset.
“Sweet Nothings.”
“Becca, it’s Kate.”
“Hey, there. How’s things in the big city?” Becca asked.
“Horrible.”
“What? Why?”
“Lance is engaged.”
Becca didn’t say anything for a moment and Kate realized she probably seemed like a loser to her friend. “Oh, honey, I’m sorry. I didn’t realize he was dating anyone.”
“He wasn’t.”
“Are you sure he’s engaged? Lance doesn’t strike me as the kind of guy who’d do something that spontaneous.”
He wasn’t spontaneous and he was careful not to be tied down by any of the women he got involved with. “Yes, he told me the news himself.”
“Who is she?”
“Lexi Cavanaugh.”
“Senator Cavanaugh’s daughter?”
“Yes.”
“Is it politically motivated?” Becca asked.
“I don’t know. And I don’t care. I quit my job.”
“You did what?”
“Was that crazy? I’m so confused, I don’t know what to do,” Kate admitted. She’d hoped that Lance would realize she was waiting there and fall for her.
“It may have been a little crazy. I know you’ve had a bit of a crush on him,” Becca said.
Kate took a deep breath. “It’s more than a crush. I’m in love with him.”
It was the first time she’d said the words out loud, and she had to admit they felt good. Or they would have if Lance wasn’t engaged to another woman.”
“Oh, Kate.”
“He doesn’t even know I’m a woman.
“Let’s fix that,” Becca said.
“How?”
“Come to the shop and we’ll give you a makeover.”
“A makeover? I don’t think so. Remember the last time we tried.”
Kate had felt so uncomfortable in the makeup and clothing that Becca had suggested, she’d ended up going straight home and taking it all off. She needed the comfort of her old clothing…or did she?
“I just don’t know what to do,” she repeated.
“Only you can figure that out. But if it were me, I’d change my hair and my clothes. Just start over and find a new love.”
“I have to work for Lance for two more weeks.”
“Why?”
“I couldn’t just quit and walk out on him.”
“All the better,” Becca said. “You can go back to work looking like a million bucks and then leave. It will be a chance to get back a little of your pride.”
Would her pride feel any better if she came back to Brody Oil and Gas and Lance looked at her like a woman instead of his assistant?
“I’m coming to your shop,” Kate said.
“Good, we can talk once you get here. I’ll have the white wine chilled.”
“Thanks, Becca.”
“For what?”
“Being here. Listening to me and not thinking I’m being silly.”
“Why would I think you’re silly? I’ve been in love before and I know what it can do to you.”
Kate swallowed, glad she had a friend like Becca to turn to. “I’ve never loved anyone before Lance.”
“Not even in high school?”
“I had a crush or two,” Kate admitted.
They’d been friends for what seemed like forever and Becca had always been the sister she’d never had—the one person who accepted her the way she was. At home, her brothers teased her if she did anything girly and her mother was never satisfied with any of the choices that Kate made.
“That was different. And don’t ask me why. I can’t explain it, but Lance Brody has always been different.”
“I know he has. I’ve never heard you talk about one person as much as you do him.”
“Am I annoying?”
Becca laughed, and the familiar sound of it made Kate smile.
“No, you aren’t annoying. Just in love. I’m sorry that he didn’t turn out to be the guy you hoped he would be.”
Kate was, too. “Maybe he is that guy, but just not the one for me.”
“Probably,” Becca said. “When will you be here?”
“In about twenty minutes. I just left work without asking or anything.”
“I think you’re ready for a change,” Becca said.
“Why?”
“Because you’re already acting like a rebel.”
Kate thought about that. “I guess I am. Maybe Lance’s engagement will turn out to be good for me.”
“I bet it will. If not you’ll be stronger for having loved and lost him.”
Kate hung up the phone and continued driving toward Somerset. She didn’t think about Lance or Brody Oil and Gas. She just concentrated on herself and the new woman she was becoming. It was way past time for her to change.
It was hot and smoky at the refinery. The fire burned for almost three hours before the firefighters got it under control. Frank was busy talking to local media and Lance was calling his brother. Mitch was in a meeting and Lance had to leave a voice mail.
“Catch me up on what’s going on,” Lance said to Frank.
“We have four injured.”
“Have you talked to their families?”
“As soon as we identified the men who’d been injured. They’re in the emergency room now. I sent JP down there to talk to the families and make certain that there were no questions as to insurance coverage, et cetera. And I asked him to keep me posted on any pressing health issues,” Frank said.
“Good. Do you think we’re going to have to shut down?”
Frank rubbed the top of his balding head. “I won’t know more until we have a chance to talk to the fire chief.”
“When will that be?”
“Soon, I hope.”
“Have you stopped the flow of oil into the refinery?”
“First thing we did. We enacted our emergency protocols. And everything went exactly as it should have. I’m going to send you some suggestions for commendation for some of our guys who went beyond the call of duty.”
“I’ll look for that,” Lance said. His cell phone rang and he glanced at it. “It’s Mitch.”
“I’ll go see if I can talk to the fire chief,” Frank said.
“We’ve had a fire at the main refinery,” Lance told Mitch.
“Is everyone okay? How bad is the damage?” Mitch asked.
Lance caught him up. “Do you think this will impact the senator’s plan to allow us more drilling?”
“Not if I have anything to say about it. I’m going to go to his office right now.”
“I’ll get this under control. I’m going to have a press conference later on to let everyone know we’re okay and still in business.”
“Sounds good. I’ll get back with you after I’ve spoken to the senat
or.”
Lance hung up with his brother and surveyed the mess at the refinery. Employees were clustered to one side, all of them waiting to see what the verdict would be. They were a 67,000-barrel-a-day refinery, and if they had to shut down, all of those people would be without work. And they wouldn’t make their quarterly revenues.
He dialed Kate’s number. She usually served as a hub during these kinds of emergencies, when he couldn’t be in the office.
Her phone went to voice mail and he realized that she was serious about leaving the company. “It’s Lance. I need your help. We’ve had a fire at our main refinery. Call me when you get this message.”
The receptionist at the Brody Oil and Gas office wasn’t experienced enough to handle all the calls that were coming in. But the secretaries who worked for his duty managers could. Lance usually relied on Kate to take care of liaising with them. Guess it was time to figure out how to work without Kate. He called the finance manager and asked him to send every secretary they had down to help out. He then composed a short memo on his BlackBerry and sent it to the entire company apprising them of the situation and telling them that no one was authorized to speak to the media.
Frank waved Lance over to where he was with the fire chief.
“Lance Brody, this is Chief Ingle,” Frank said.
“Thanks for getting the fire under control so quickly,” Lance said, shaking the fire chief’s hand.
“You’re welcome. It is our job.”
“I know that. But I’m grateful all the same. What are we looking at here?” Lance asked him.
“We thought it was started by an explosion, but we’ve been talking to the men closest to the location where the fire started and none of them reported hearing one,” Chief Ingle said.
“That’s odd. How do you think the fire started?” Lance asked.
“I’ve called for our fire-scene investigators to do a thorough examination of the area. But one of my men thought he saw cans of fire accelerant.”
“What kind?”
“We don’t have any details but I wanted you to know what we suspected. I’ve called the arson investigator and he’s sending his team out, as well.”
“Crap. I have to notify our insurance company. They will want to work with your arson team.”
Taming the Texas Tycoon Page 2