Wrangling Wes

by Thomas, Jacquelin

  An hour later, Lydia sat on the sofa with her laptop, checking emails. She smiled when she saw one from her best friend, Jasmine. She quickly responded and then moved on to the next email. The updates to Samara’s website were due to the webmaster, and Lydia had completely forgotten. This was so not like her.

  Lydia opened up a file on her computer and sorted through it, gathering the information needed. Samara would throw a fit if her website wasn’t updated as she had requested. She stayed on top of anything that affected her publicity. The woman was an expert when it came to self-promotion, Lydia would give her that.

  Having completed the task, she released a long sigh of relief. I’ve got to maintain my focus, she reminded herself. Lydia could not afford to miss any deadlines because Samara would fire her in a heartbeat.

  She glanced over at the phone. It was time she checked in with the boss lady.

  * * *

  Wesley was in his office when Lydia arrived with lunch.

  When they spoke earlier, he had mentioned his craving for Mexican food, so she stopped and picked up some to surprise him.

  He was on the telephone and gestured for her to take a seat.

  “Hey, I’m glad you received my message,” Wesley said into the receiver. “I’ve made a decision. I’m accepting the offer for the land in Hastings.”

  He glanced at her and winked.

  “Yeah, it is a very generous offer. Well over what I was selling the place for,” he said. “Really? That’s good to hear.”

  “You’ve decided to sell some of your land?” she asked when Wesley ended the call.

  He nodded. “It’s actually a ranch. I thought about what you said, and this is what I want to do. The buyer is a rancher from Texas. I’m glad it will go to someone who will appreciate its history and everything it has to offer.”

  “Congratulations,” Lydia said. “We have to celebrate.”

  Wesley met her gaze. “What do you have in mind?”

  “For starters, I brought Mexican,” she responded, holding up the bag. “After that, we will just have to play it by ear.”

  He smiled. “I didn’t expect you to go out and get the food when I mentioned it earlier, but thank you, Lydia. It’s much appreciated.”

  “I wanted to do it for you, Wes.”

  They left the office and went into the dining room.

  Lydia placed a plate in front of Wesley. “The girl at the restaurant said that it was your favorite. I guess you must eat there a lot, or she knows you on a personal level.”

  He laughed. “It’s the only Mexican restaurant in Granger.”

  She shrugged. “Hey, I’m just saying...” she said. “I’m curious, Wes. Why did you want to sell that ranch?”

  “I bought it with the original idea to make it a BWB II, but then I started feeling restless and wasn’t sure what I wanted to do with it. I just figured it would be best to sell it to someone who had the time and dedication to develop it into a working ranch once more.”

  “So you don’t have any real ties to it?” she asked.

  “Not really,” Wesley answered. “I bought it after the owner died. His family was deep in debt and would’ve lost everything.”

  “I’m sure you purchased it for more than it was worth.”

  “Now I’ve made my money back and more,” he told her.

  Lydia and Wesley cleaned up after they ate.

  “Do you have to go back into town?” he asked.

  “No, not really. Why?”

  “I thought maybe we could spend the rest of the day together. We can take the horses and ride to the lake.”

  “Are you planning on getting into the water?” Lydia asked. “I didn’t bring a swimsuit with me.”

  “I bought you one,” Wesley announced. “I figured you’d be spending a lot more time here, and I love to swim. I hope you don’t mind my being so presumptuous.”

  She reached up and pulled his face down to hers.

  * * *

  The ringing of a phone chased Lydia out of a peaceful sleep.

  She groaned as she fumbled around the nightstand for her cell phone. Her fingers grasped it, inadvertently hitting the accept button. Lydia could hear Samara’s voice even before she put it to her ear.

  “I’ve been trying to reach you since last night. Why haven’t you answered your phone?”

  “Because I’ve been busy, Samara,” Lydia responded. She eased out of bed and checked the bathroom.

  Wesley was not there.

  Her eyes strayed to the clock. He had probably been gone for hours.

  “You wanted me to spend more time with Wes, and I’ve been doing just that.” Lydia did not mention that she was at his house. Samara had no idea that she and Wesley were involved, and she saw no need to tell her. She was entitled to a personal life, Lydia reasoned.

  “That’s good to hear.”

  “I didn’t answer the phone last night because I didn’t want to make him suspicious,” she stated. “When we spoke yesterday, I told you that I’d give you a call this evening.”

  “The reason I’ve been calling you is because I have some great news. I’ve cleared my schedule and I want to come to Granger. I need you to make the necessary arrangements.”

  “You’re doing what?” Lydia asked.

  “I’m coming to Granger. I’m really looking forward to meeting Wesley Broward and his family.”

  None of this was making any sense to Lydia. She still had no real idea why Samara was so interested in the Broward family. But why had she suddenly decided to come to Granger? Another question came to mind: Was she interested in Wes?

  “When do you plan to arrive?” she asked after finding her voice.

  “Book a private plane for me for the day after tomorrow. My publicist has already been in contact with the media.”

  “So you want everyone to know that you’re going to be in town, then.” It was a statement and not a question. Whom she worked for would no longer be a secret.

  “Of course,” Samara stated matter-of-factly.

  “I guess I need to get busy then,” Lydia stated. “I’ll give you a call later with all of the details, Samara.”

  “Make sure that you do.”

  Lydia ended the call just as Wesley walked into the bedroom. She pasted on a smile.

  “I just came by to see if you were up,” he told her.

  She stood up. “I’m up.”

  He eyed her for a moment. “Honey, are you okay?”

  She nodded. “I’m fine.”

  “From that expression on your face, I would have to believe otherwise.”

  Lydia decided to be honest. “Wes, the woman I work for is Samara Lionne.”

  His eyebrow raised a fraction. “Really?”

  She nodded. “The reason I’m telling you now is because she’s coming to Granger.”

  “You are Samara’s assistant?”

  “Yeah.”

  “I’m impressed.”

  “That’s good because she wants to meet you, Wes,” Lydia announced. The thought of Samara’s desire to meet him really bothered her. Mostly because she had no idea what her boss was really up to.

  “You seem distracted,” Wesley said, cutting into her thoughts. “Does it bother you that much that Samara is coming to town?”

  “She can be a bit irritating at times,” Lydia confessed.

  “I can believe that,” he responded. “She strikes me as a bit of a diva.”

  “With a capital D.” She chuckled. “I probably shouldn’t have said that about the woman who signs my paychecks.”

  “You won’t have to deal with her alone, sweetheart. We can introduce her to Jameson. Who knows? It might be a match made in heaven. He can relax because she won’t be after his
money.”

  “Wes, I like your brother.”

  He threw back his head and laughed.

  * * *

  “I can’t believe that you never mentioned that you worked with Samara Lionne. She is my favorite actress of all time,” Maggie stated. “I’m so excited that she’s coming to town.”

  She had come to visit with Lydia while her husband was attending a meeting in one of the conference rooms downstairs.

  “I’m sorry but I couldn’t tell anyone. Wes didn’t even know until now.” Lydia was anything but excited about Samara’s visit. She hoped that it would be only for a few days and that Samara wasn’t going to demand her return to Los Angeles. Lydia did not want to leave Wesley, although they had discussed his coming to L.A. with her. Still, she wasn’t ready to leave Granger. She had fallen in love with the small town.

  “I hope that you’ll introduce us.”

  “Sure.”

  “Hey, what’s wrong with you, sugar?”

  “Maggie, I’m not looking forward to Samara’s visit,” Lydia confessed. “I actually like things the way they are.”

  Her friend nodded. “You think she’ll try and come between you and Wes?”

  Lydia shrugged. “I really don’t know what to expect. Samara’s been very secretive about her plans. Maybe I’m overreacting.”

  “I’m pretty sure that you don’t have anything to worry about,” Maggie reassured her. “Wes is crazy about you, Lydia.”

  “It’s not that I’m worried about Samara and Wes. I would just feel a lot better if I knew the reason for her trip to Granger. If she had planned on coming here in the first place, then why send me?”

  “Well, from what I hear, some celebrities can be quite fickle at times,” Maggie responded.

  “Working with Samara will give me the experience I need for what I’d like to do in the future.”

  “You want to be an actress?” Maggie inquired.

  Lydia shook her head no. “I would rather manage talent,” she said.

  “Well, look at you...”

  “It’s what I’ve always dreamed of doing.”

  “I think you’d be good at something like that, for sure, but how does Wes fit into those plans?”

  She met Maggie’s gaze. “He is very supportive of my dreams.”

  “Well, there you have it, Lydia. Proof positive that Wes is the man for you.” Maggie leaned forward and said, “Now, I’m gonna tell you the truth. Wesley Broward has the makings of a wonderful husband. Don’t you go letting him slip through your fingers like water. Somebody will be there to catch him.” She rose to her expensively clad feet. “I’ve said my piece, so I’m going to find Dane and have a nice lunch.”

  The two women embraced.

  “Thanks for the visit and the girl talk,” Lydia told her.

  When Maggie left, she went back to her work—making arrangements for Samara’s visit.

  She tried to ignore the deep sense of foreboding, but it was to no avail. Lydia tried to reassure herself that nothing could go wrong. But she couldn’t help but wonder how Samara was going to react when she found out about her relationship with Wesley.

  Lydia told herself that it wouldn’t matter unless Samara had designs on the man for herself. She would just have to make it clear that Wesley was already taken.

  Chapter 14

  Lydia watched from the sidelines as Samara’s arrival was treated as a major town event. Media and townspeople alike flanked the small airport. There was even a camera crew from a Helena TV station filming.

  Samara’s publicist had called earlier with the date and time of the actress’s interview on a local morning show in Granger.

  She met Samara at the waiting limo. “How was your flight?”

  “It’s wasn’t bad at all. The food wasn’t that great though.” Samara admired her manicured nails. “Where did you put me? I hope it’s a five-star hotel.”

  “Granger doesn’t have a five-star hotel,” Lydia quickly interjected. “It only has one hotel—the same one I’m staying in and it’s nice enough I booked you the suite next to mine.”

  “Oh, well, I guess that will have to do.”

  Lydia rolled her eyes heavenward. Samara could be a little too much to take at times. She consoled herself with the fact that babysitting her boss for a few days wouldn’t be too bad. Samara would have to return to Los Angeles for work, including her role in the upcoming cowboy film.

  It was strange that she had not heard anything about this project. Lydia had not seen it mentioned in Variety or any other entertainment magazine. Apparently, they were keeping it very hush-hush. Lydia made a mental note to ask Samara about it.

  “Where are we having dinner?” Samara asked. “I’m in the mood for seafood.”

  “It’s almost noon and you’re already thinking about dinner.”

  Samara gave her a rare smile. “Dinner is my favorite meal of the day. I take it very seriously.”

  Lydia chuckled. She liked this side of Samara, although she rarely saw it.

  Wesley called her minutes after she arrived back at the hotel.

  “How are things going?” he asked.

  “Well,” she responded. “But I’m going to have to stay here this evening. Samara and I are having dinner together.”

  “I understand,” Wesley told her. “I’ll miss seeing you, but I will try to manage being away from you one night.”

  She laughed. “I’m sure you’ll be fine.”

  Samara managed to keep her busy until it was time for them to leave for the restaurant.

  “This is a pretty little town,” Samara said as she glanced over the menu. “I like the tranquility.”

  Lydia agreed.

  “What have you been doing in this town besides getting to know Wesley Broward?” Samara inquired. “Is there anything to do for recreation?”

  “There’s a lot to do,” Lydia explained. “There’s always a festival of some sort going on. There’s horseback riding, picnics on the lake... Helena’s only a hundred miles away if you’re looking for more of a city nightlife.”

  “You look well rested,” Samara stated as she surveyed Lydia.

  “I’ve enjoyed my time here in Granger.”

  “I’m glad to hear it.” Samara glanced around the restaurant. “I have a feeling I’m going to like it here, as well.”

  “I haven’t heard anything about your new movie yet,” Lydia stated.

  Samara waved her hand in dismissal. “It’s still pretty early on. I don’t want to talk about work. Tell me about Wesley. When do I get to meet him?”

  “There’s really nothing more to tell you about him,” Lydia responded. “As for meeting him, I’ll have to check his schedule. He’s a very busy man.”

  “He’s not too busy for you, I’m sure.”

  Lydia picked up her glass of tea and took a long sip to control her temper.

  “I normally don’t get excited about interviews, but I have to tell you, Lydia. I’m really jazzed about this one tomorrow.”

  “Why is that?”

  Samara shrugged. “I don’t know.”

  Lydia felt quite the opposite. She did not relish the idea of Samara being in Granger, but there was nothing she could do about it. She would probably feel a lot better if she knew what her boss was really up to, perhaps. Lydia had worked with Samara long enough to know that she did not just impulsively decide to come to Granger.

  “Hellooo...”

  “Oh, I’m sorry,” Lydia muttered. “Were you saying something?”

  “No, thank goodness. You wouldn’t have heard a word of it.” Samara leaned back in her chair. “Why are you so preoccupied?”

  “I’m not,” Lydia responded. “I was just thinking about tomorrow and everything that has
to be done.”

  “Everything is working according to plan. Just relax and enjoy the evening.”

  “What plan?”

  “My plan,” Samara responded. “That’s all that you need to know.”

  Her words made Lydia feel uneasy. Samara was definitely up to something, but she had no idea what it could be.

  * * *

  “I miss you,” Wesley said when she answered the phone. He and Jameson had taken an evening ride, but he still felt restless.

  She smiled. “I miss you, too.”

  “Where’s your boss?”

  “Samara just retired to her room for the evening.”

  “Why don’t you come out here?” Wesley suggested. “Or I could come to the hotel. I don’t think I can sleep without you next to me.”

  “I would, but we have to be at the TV station early tomorrow morning for an interview. I think it’s best that I just get some sleep. I have a feeling it’s going to be a long day tomorrow.”

  “Are you saying that we won’t get any sleep if we’re together?” Wesley inquired.

  Lydia laughed. “You know that we won’t.”

  He knew that she was right. Wesley couldn’t seem to get enough of her. The more they made love, the more he hungered for her. “Well, can I at least have a good-night kiss?”

  “How do you plan to accomplish this?”

  “Open your door.”

  She gasped. “You’re here at the hotel?”

  Lydia jumped up and rushed to the door, throwing it open.

  “You’ve spoiled me. I need you by my side.”

  Dropping the phone, she hugged him. “I’m so glad that you’re here.”

  “I thought you said...”

  Lydia cut him off by saying, “Shut up and kiss me.”

  * * *

  Wesley traced his fingertip across her lip, causing her skin to tingle when he touched her. He paused to kiss Lydia, sending currents of desire through her.