Pam had colored her hair a pale blonde and wore it in a simple chin-length bob. She loved to cook, which showed in her dimpled cheeks and curvy body. Her warm smile transformed her from pleasant-looking to beautiful.
But she wasn’t smiling now. She talked to Emmett in low, intimate tones, which made Dominique feel like an intruder. But if she walked away from them her boot heels would click on the hardwood floor and announce her as surely as if she’d spoken.
So she stayed where she was and pretended to study the back jacket of the book in her hand. She didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but pieces of the conversation floated in her direction. She gathered that the discussion was once again about Jack and his overzealous work program.
“I can’t take much more of it, Pam,” Emmett said. “Life’s too short.”
“Promise me you won’t do anything until I’ve talked with him,” Pam said. “Please.”
Dominique recognized that note of desperation in her voice; she was in love with Emmett. And Dominique had only to sneak a glance at the woman’s face to confirm the fact.
She’d spent part of her childhood and a good chunk of her adult years behind the lens of a camera studying people’s expressions. Catching that moment when someone revealed a deep emotion had fascinated her and propelled her into photography. As Pam gazed up at Emmett with wide eyes and slightly parted lips, she was telegraphing a total crush.
But she hadn’t touched him. Dominique thought if they were having an affair, Pam would have at least laid a hand on the foreman’s arm. He knew Dominique was standing there, but she had no idea.
“Okay, Pam,” Emmett said softly. “I promise.”
Dominique couldn’t see his face very well, but she heard something special in his voice also. So what was keeping these two lovebirds apart? Although it was none of her business, she was dying to know.
After Emmett left, Pam glanced at Dominique in obvious surprise. “Oh, my goodness! I didn’t realize you were standing there. How rude of me not to say hello when I first came in.”
“You seemed preoccupied.”
Pam sighed. “Emmett is threatening to leave the Last Chance, and that would be such a tragedy. He means a lot to this operation, and I think it means a lot to him.”
And you mean a lot to each other. But Dominique held her tongue.
Pam seemed to give herself a mental shake before walking over with a smile. “Anyway, that’s not your problem. How’s your stay been so far?”
Dominique’s cheeks warmed. That was a loaded question, although the woman had no reason to know that.
Pam looked alarmed. “If Jack’s behavior is affecting guests, then you don’t have to stay. It’s been a nice arrangement in the past, sending my overflow to the ranch, but I—”
“I’m having a great time.” Dominique had never been very good at controlling her tendency to blush. She was pretty sure it was getting worse by the second.
“Then what’s wrong? Something’s turning your cheeks the color of a ripe tomato. Listen, if push comes to shove, you can have my room and I’ll sleep in the parlor.”
“Pam, I don’t want to leave. Trust me, it’s good here.” She made a quick decision. She needed woman-to-woman advice, and Pam seemed like a sympathetic soul. “Maybe a little too good.”
Pam’s gray eyes lit up. “Oh? And how’s that?”
“I’ve developed a bit of a crush on Nick.”
Pam’s dimples flashed. “Can’t say I’m surprised. Does he have any idea?”
“In a way.” Dominique didn’t know Pam well enough to talk about what had happened in the clearing. “But here’s the thing. I’ll admit I came to Wyoming to get over somebody else. But I didn’t come here to find another boyfriend. I’ve worked hard for two years to establish my photography studio in Indianapolis, and my roots are there. Crush or no crush, I plan to stay in Indiana.”
“Oh.” Pam hesitated. “Well, then I guess Nick isn’t the right guy. That boy may not realize it, but he’s primed and ready for Ms. Right. Worse yet, you’re totally his type.”
“In what way?”
“For one thing, you fit his physical profile.” She laughed. “He confessed to me one night after a couple of beers that he’s a leg man. You’ve noticed him, apparently, but I can guaran-damn-tee he’s noticed you.”
“I think so, yes.”
“But you’re his type in other ways, too. Nick has a sensitive, emotional side that would find happiness with someone who’s artistic, who appreciates natural beauty the way he does. I was sort of hoping you two might hit it off, but if you’re dead set on going back home…”
“I am.” The conversation wasn’t quite what Dominique had hoped for. She’d secretly wished Pam would encourage her to have a brief affair with Nick. Instead she was describing a man who would get attached, which wouldn’t be good at all.
“Then I don’t think it’d be a smart idea to get involved with him,” Pam said.
“Right.” Not sure where to go from here, Dominique took a calming breath. “So you know Nick pretty well, then?”
“Considering I’ve lived down the road for only five years, I guess I do. The Last Chance Ranch is my closest neighbor, and I’ve spent a fair amount of time here. All the Chance boys have their strong points, but I’ll admit Nick’s my favorite.”
“I can understand why. He’s great.” And clearly Pam wanted to protect Nick from someone who had no intention of staying around. If Dominique had been wavering on whether to have a fling with Nick after all, she could kiss that idea goodbye.
NICK HADN’T PUNCHED JACK in years, but he might do it today. If so, he’d invite Jack to step outside the barn first. He didn’t want to have a fistfight next to Calamity Jane’s stall and risk upsetting the pregnant mare.
Butch and Sundance had followed him into the barn, and now they sat on the wooden floor glancing from one angry man to the other, their foreheads creased in doggy concern. Nick didn’t want to fight in front of the dogs, either. But he had to say his piece and if that led to something physical, so be it.
“You’re undermining my authority. The hands expect me to be in charge of any foaling that goes on around here. When you announce that you’re going down to check on Calamity Jane, and I’m nowhere in the vicinity, they assume you’re taking over my job.”
Jack settled his dusty black hat lower over his eyes, which were the color of storm clouds. “Maybe I need to take over your job if you’re going to be out in the woods screwing around with a guest when you’re supposed to be working on postholes.”
Nick jabbed a finger at him. “That’s none of your business.”
Butch whined nervously.
“The hell it isn’t! She’s a paying guest. Can you imagine the kind of trouble she could make for us if she chooses to? We could end up paying her to keep our reputation intact.”
There was a certain amount of truth to that, which kept Nick from firing back a response. But he wasn’t worried in Dominique’s case. He hadn’t known her long, but he’d known her intimately. She’d already made it clear that she wasn’t a kiss-and-tell kind of woman.
“I’ll take responsibility for any fallout,” Nick said. He reached down and put a soothing hand on Butch’s head. Butch was the more excitable of the two dogs.
“Easy for you to say, but ultimately I’m the one responsible for what happens to this ranch now that Dad’s gone. And I intend to—”
“Work everyone to death?” Nick held Jack’s gaze.
“That’s what I pay ’em for, dammit! To work!” A muscle twitched in his jaw as he spun away.
“You’re turning into a damned slave driver!”
Butch whined again.
“Yeah, well, here’s a news flash. It’s summer. This is when we have the best weather to train the horses. We always put in more hours in the summer.”
“Not like this. Dad never—”
“I’m not Dad.” Jack’s eyes took on a dangerous gleam. “Are you challenging me, bro?”
>
Adrenaline rushed through Nick’s system. Sex in the morning and a fistfight in the afternoon. It was turning into quite a day. “I do believe I am.”
Jack braced his legs apart and flexed both hands. “Bring it on. Just know you’re sticking up for a bunch of losers and whiners.”
“Guess you can count me as one of them,” Emmett said from the doorway of the barn. “I haven’t had a day off in three months.”
Beneath Nick’s hand, Butch relaxed. Emmett had that effect on the dog.
Jack glanced in the foreman’s direction. “Did you ask for one?”
“Yep. Couple of times. You said you couldn’t spare me.”
“You must have asked when things were crazy. That’s how it is with ranch work. You take off when it’s slow and stick with it when stuff piles up.”
Emmett walked into the barn, his gait easy but his eyes like flint. “You know, Jack, I’ve been a part of this operation almost as long as you’ve been alive. I don’t need a lecture on how a ranch works.”
Jack faced him. “I take it you’re not happy with the way I’m running things, either.”
“I didn’t say that. Matter of fact, I’m proud of the way you took hold of the reins, considering this situation was thrust on you sudden-like. We were all in shock and you stepped in and made sure the bills were paid and the routine was followed. That’s admirable.”
“But it’s time to ease up,” Nick said. “You’re driving everyone too hard, including yourself.”
Jack still wore that stubborn expression of his, the one that meant nothing was getting through to him. “You’d all be singing a different tune if revenues went down and the hands had to take pay cuts or get laid off.”
Nick blew out a breath. “That’s ridiculous. I’ve checked the books and we’re nowhere close to that point. In fact, we’re ahead of where we were last year.”
He knew that didn’t mean they were rolling in profits. The irony of the Last Chance was that their most valuable asset was the ground they were standing on. It had never been mortgaged, and nobody wanted to see that happen, but sometimes the ranch operations threatened to make that a real possibility.
“I’d think folks would be happy about our bottom line,” Jack said, “not chewing my ass about the amount of work they have to do. But Emmett, if you need a day off so much, take one tomorrow.”
“I do believe I will. You should take a day off once in a while yourself. It might sweeten your disposition some.”
Jack made an impatient noise low in his throat. “Don’t need one.”
“Everybody needs time off, son.”
“Not me. So are we done here? Because I have some things to take care of this afternoon.”
Nick threw up his hands. “We don’t seem to be getting anywhere, so I guess we’re done. I have some postholes to finish up.” He’d thought about refusing to dig the rest of them, but he’d promised, and he prided himself on keeping his word.
“What, you don’t want the afternoon off?” Jack’s taunting gaze dared him to wiggle out of the obligation.
“Nope. See you two later.” He headed out of the barn, followed closely by Butch and Sundance. Good thing Emmett had shown up when he did, or Nick and his brother would have been trading punches by now. They might still end up that way eventually, but Emmett had defused the situation for a while.
“Hey, Nick,” Jack called after him.
“Yeah?” He paused and turned back toward the barn.
“If you’re going to poke around in the office, you might as well make yourself useful. Sarah’s been talking about going through that old trunk where Dad kept his sentimental junk, but she told me she can’t bring herself to do it.”
That Jack had insisted on using a first name for the woman who’d raised him from the age of four was another perfect example of the guy’s stubborn nature. Nick’s mother had asked Jack many times to call her Mom, but she might as well have made the request of a fence post.
“While she’s in Shoshone taking care of her mom,” Jack continued, “one of us needs to clean it out for her.”
“I’ll do it.” Despite his irritation over being assigned another time-consuming chore, Nick hated to think what would happen if Jack went through that stuff. In his current mood, he’d probably toss most of it.
At least Nick had some time to do this task. His mother wouldn’t be back for at least a couple of weeks, maybe longer. Grandma Judy’s hip operation was a legitimate reason for her to stay in town, but privately Nick thought she’d been glad for an excuse to get away from the tension Jack was creating with his workaholic behavior.
The ranch truck Nick had used this morning was still parked in the circular gravel drive in front of the house. Now Pam’s red Jeep was parked behind it. That made Nick remember Emmett’s comment that Pam seemed to send only good-looking, single women over to the ranch.
Was Pam playing matchmaker? Was she here checking on Dominique to see if she was attracted to any of the men around here? If that was Pam’s game, she’d struck out this time.
Dominique wanted sex with no strings attached, and he was more than willing to accommodate her. Too bad she didn’t seem to think it would work, now that she knew who he was. Figured. That’s how his day had been going.
He should just get in his truck and drive back out to that rock-strewn pasture. Maybe he’d take Butch and Sundance with him. Digging holes might even be good for him right now, considering his frustration level.
Then he remembered that Emmett had said Dominique had spent her time during lunch sneaking glances at Nick when he wasn’t looking. Maybe she’d changed her mind about having a five-day affair with him. If so, her nights here were limited and he didn’t want to miss one.
He decided to make a detour into the house and see if he might run into her. He turned to the dogs. “You guys wait here. I’ll be right back, and then we’ll go for a ride, okay?”
Butch and Sundance sat beside the truck, looking expectant.
“Stay.” Nick took the steps two at a time. If it turned out he and Dominique would be getting together tonight, after all, digging those postholes would be a lot more fun. Hell, he’d tackle that rocky pasture with his hands if it meant more great sex with Dominique when he was done.
6
DOMINIQUE WAS STANDING by the fireplace finishing up her conversation with Pam when Nick came through the door. Pam turned to greet him with a smile that told Dominique that for this childless woman, Nick was the son she’d never had.
The two women had exchanged a lot of information in a short time once they’d discovered a common bond—they’d each had the bad luck to hook up with a slimeball. Dominique told Pam all about Herman and Pam described finding her cheating husband with his secretary. That was six years ago, and Pam had taken him for every dime she could get.
Soon after that her parents had passed away, leaving her a large inheritance. Her only sibling had died in her twenties, so everything had gone to Pam, to her surprise. She hadn’t spoken to her parents in years, ever since they’d disowned her sister for having a baby out of wedlock. Pam had assumed they’d donate their money to charity.
She’d sunk most of her newfound riches into the Bunk and Grub and turned it into a successful B and B that was booked year-round. But guests came and went. The people at the Last Chance had become Pam’s family, and everybody seemed happy with the arrangement.
Pam gazed at Nick with obvious affection. “Emmett was heading down to the barn. Did he locate you?”
“He did.” Nick took off his hat as he came toward them. “I’m happy to say he’s talked Jack into giving him a day off tomorrow. If Jack had refused, I hate to think how the conversation might have gone.”
“But he didn’t refuse, thank God,” Pam said. “I made Emmett promise he wouldn’t quit before I had a talk with Jack, but I don’t know if that promise would have held in the heat of the moment.”
“So we dodged a bullet today,” Nick said.
“It seems we did. I wonder what Emmett will do with a whole day off?”
“Good question.” Nick smiled. “Let’s hope it’s something he wouldn’t ordinarily let himself do.”
“Like a picnic.” Pam’s eyes grew dreamy. “I wonder if Emmett ever went on a real picnic.”
“You should ask him.” Dominique thought it would be fun to see those two get together while she was here.
Nick gave her a surprised glance, as if he hadn’t expected her to come up with that. He probably didn’t realize how quickly women could figure out the romantic lay of the land.
“I think you should, too,” he said quickly, almost as if he wished he’d made the comment first. “Emmett might still be down at the barn with Jack. Drive over there, say I mentioned that he’d have tomorrow off, and invite him for a picnic. If you promise him your fried chicken and potato salad, he won’t be able to resist.”
Pam looked flustered. “He hasn’t had a day off in ages. I’m sure he has a bunch of things he plans to do.”
“Yeah, and none of them would give him the break he needs.” Nick put his arm around Pam’s shoulders and gave her a hug. “A picnic would be excellent, Pam. Do it.”
“Okay, I’ll see if I can catch him down at the barn.” She hurried toward the front door, but then turned back. “I didn’t get around to telling you, Dominique, but our Nick is a skilled veterinarian specializing in large animals. With the ranch’s breeding program going full tilt, they couldn’t do without him.”
“I’ll bet not.” Add one more nail in the coffin of their potential fling, Dominique thought. The guy was an established professional firmly rooted in this place. He wasn’t at all the devil-may-care cowboy she’d thought he was when he’d flexed his muscles for her out in the pasture.
“See you two later.” Pam closed the door behind her.
Nick frowned. “That was weird. Why did she make that public service announcement about my job all of a sudden?”
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