The Last Cowboy Standing

by Barbara Dunlop

  It was a quirky, little office with a sloped ceiling and a small window overlooking the hay barn, the fields and mountains beyond. Danielle couldn’t help but smile at the thought that she was likely the only lawyer at Milburn and Associates who had a view of cattle from her office window.

  Crossing to the window, she experienced a bit of nostalgia, realizing she’d never see this particular view again. Though she and Caleb had formed a quasi-personal relationship over the years, she was under no illusion that they’d see each other socially.

  She’d certainly never see Travis again. The thought brought a familiar ache to her chest. She knew it was crazy to feel this way, and she’d spent most of last night fighting it. She wasn’t going to miss him, at least not long term. Theirs wasn’t that kind of a relationship. Theirs wasn’t a relationship at all.

  Still, she was sorry they’d fought yesterday. In fact, when she woke up this morning, she’d been half tempted to go to him and apologize. He might have been belligerent and meddlesome, but she hadn’t needed to lash out at him. He didn’t know Randal the way she did. Randal wasn’t going to be a problem.

  In fact, after the few nights with Travis, she wouldn’t be looking twice at Randal ever again. She knew the difference now between mediocre physical intimacy and true lovemaking. Travis had made love to her, and she’d never again settle for less.

  “Danielle?” came Caleb’s voice.

  She turned to face him, banishing her melancholy thoughts and squaring her shoulders. Her decision was made, and it was time to move forward.

  “Everything’s filed,” she told him. “It should be easy for someone else to take over.” She moved toward him, determined to make this a professional, succinct goodbye. “But call me if you need anything, anything at all.”

  “Do you have a minute to talk?” he asked, his expression quite serious.

  She paused. “Yes. Is something wrong?”

  He gestured to the desk chair. “Nothing’s wrong.”

  “Good.” She hesitantly sat down, perching on the edge.

  He braced his butt against a side table. “I’d like to make you an offer.”

  She waited a moment, trying to figure out where he was going. “An offer for what?”

  “A job.”

  “You mean keep you as a client?” She had to be honest with him. “That’ll depend on Nester and Hedley. But I’m not sure Active Equipment will fit in with my new portfolio. Of course, the firm overall would be thrilled to have you come over. But you might not be assigned to me.”

  “I wasn’t talking about Nester and Hedley.”

  “Oh.” Then she was stumped.

  “I want you to work for Active Equipment. Full-time. As a corporate attorney. Your title will be Vice President of International Affairs.”

  Danielle slumped back in the chair, blinking at Caleb in confusion. “Uh, could you repeat that?”

  “Vice President of International Affairs.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  He cocked his head sideways and smiled. “I don’t want to lose you. You know as well as I do how far we’ve come, how much potential we have going forward. I need smart people around me that I can trust. You’re an incredibly smart person, and I know I can trust you. Money won’t be a problem, you can name your price. And we have dental.”

  Danielle gave a helpless laugh. “Dental?”

  “Does that sweeten the pot for you?”

  “I still don’t understand.” She’d never thought of any career path other than a law firm. She didn’t understand what Caleb meant by Vice President of International Affairs.

  “You’d be doing all the things you do for Active Equipment already, plus, well plus whatever else you want to do. I know you, Danielle. I can point you in a general direction, and you’ll figure out how to help me.” He braced his hands on either side of the table. “You said yourself you weren’t looking to leave Chicago, that the Nester and Hedley offer had come out of the blue. Well, here’s another out of the blue offer for you. I hope it’s something you’ll consider.”

  She didn’t have the first idea of how to respond. She loved working with Caleb, with Active Equipment. She was certain they had a huge future ahead of them. But to abandon her entire career plan, to take a complete left turn like that? How could a person make that decision?

  “I’m already packed,” she told him, realizing how silly it sounded even as the words came out. Who cared about an overnight bag down in his foyer?

  “Do you have any questions?”

  “I don’t know. My brain seems to have shut down.”

  Caleb laughed. “I’m torn between telling you to go away and think about it and giving you a thorough sales pitch right here and now.”

  “I have a flight booked to Chicago,” she pointed out, glancing at her watch.

  “I have an airplane,” he countered.

  Her mind ticked through the possibilities. She could stay in Chicago, take on a whole, new exciting venture, and she wouldn’t have Randal to worry about. She wouldn’t be the new person on the totem pole. She’d have flexibility, autonomy. The sky was the limit for Active Equipment. And, and, if she did want to move to a law firm at some point in the future, a vice president position at an international conglomerate would look very good on her resume.

  And then there was Travis. She’d be in Chicago, but she’d still have her connection to Lyndon Valley. She was certain she’d be back, possibly often. Intellectually, she knew that was probably a bad thing. But emotionally, she wasn’t ready to let him go. If she said yes to Caleb, she’d get to see Travis again.

  For a second, she heard her mother’s voice inside her head, warning her to never, never, ever make a career decision based on a man. But she shoved it away. It was a good job offer. It was a great job offer. Travis was incidental. She’d make certain he stayed incidental.

  “I feel like I should negotiate something,” she told Caleb.

  A grin stretched across his face. “There’s nothing to negotiate. Just tell me what it’ll take.”

  “You’re just going to hand me a vice presidency, on a silver platter?”

  “You’ve earned it.”

  “I’m not sure about that.”

  “Well, I’m sure about that. And I’m the one who counts.”

  Danielle grinned.

  Caleb came to his feet. “What do you say?”

  She rose. “I think you’ve just made me an offer I can’t refuse.”

  Caleb stuck out his square, callused hand. “That was my plan.”

  She reached out to shake it.

  His expression was warm, his tone deep and sincere. “Welcome aboard, Danielle.”

  * * *

  It took Danielle a week to clear things up at Milburn and Associates. She would have stayed longer, but they were clearly annoyed with her for leaving, doubly annoyed at losing Active Equipment as a client, and things in the office were tense. By midmorning Friday, she was walking out the door. By noon, she was on the corporate jet winging her way back to Lyndon City to meet Caleb.

  She struggled not to think about Travis, but the closer they got to Lyndon Valley, the more he was on her mind. She hadn’t spoken to him since their fight, and she couldn’t help but wonder how he’d reacted to the news that she’d be working for his brother instead of going to D.C. He hadn’t wanted her to take the job in D.C., but that didn’t mean he wanted her underfoot, either.

  Part of her wanted to avoid him. The other part wanted to get the first meeting over with as soon as possible. At least once she saw him she’d know where things stood. Whatever it was, she promised herself she could handle it. She’d have to handle it. She’d closed all the other career doors in her life, and her professional future was with Active Equipment. She was absolutely determined to succee
d.

  Caleb met her at the small airport, stowing her suitcase into the canopy of the pickup truck.

  “Glad to have you with us,” he offered, opening the passenger door.

  She smiled, genuinely happy. Now that she was here, everything felt right. She grasped the door handle and hauled herself into the cab, smoothing her short skirt beneath her on the plaid-covered bench seat.

  “Nester and Hedley would have sent a limo,” she couldn’t help but tease.

  “We’d break an axle in the potholes,” he retorted, clearly not the least bit offended or apologetic.

  “I can see I’m going to have to adjust my standards.”

  “I don’t think you’ll have any trouble.” He closed the door to round the hood.

  She glanced down at her straight, black skirt, the white blouse and the blazer that she’d worn out of habit. If Caleb was going to need her in Lyndon Valley very often, she’d have to rethink the wardrobe.

  “I may have to invest in a pair of plain ol’ blue jeans,” she told him as he opened the driver’s door.

  “Co-op’s open ’till nine.”

  Danielle laughed. “That would be a first.”

  “Twenty bucks a pair. You can buy two.”

  She could buy five. Her blazer alone had cost four hundred dollars.

  “But not today,” said Caleb, slamming the door and hitting the key to start the engine.

  “What’s today?”

  “Rehearsal dinner tonight.”

  “Rehearsal dinner?” Then it dawned on her. “Lisa and Alex’s wedding?”

  “Is tomorrow.” Caleb confirmed as he pulled the shifter into reverse and backed out of the gravel parking spot.

  She glanced at her watch. It was after two. “Do you have time to take me all the way to the ranch?” She didn’t understand how he was going to make it back for the dinner.

  “We’re not going to the ranch.”

  “A hotel?”

  That wasn’t a problem. She could set up shop in a hotel room for the weekend. Maybe she would shop around for some more casual clothes.

  “We’re staying at the mayor’s mansion.”

  “What do you mean ‘we’?” Danielle wasn’t involved in the wedding.

  “Everyone’s there for the weekend.”

  Everyone would most certainly include Travis. Danielle’s mouth went dry. “You can drop me off at a hotel.”

  “What?”

  “Caleb, I don’t want to be in the way.” And she didn’t want to see Travis.

  She’d thought she did. She’d thought the best thing was to get it over with. But she’d changed her mind. She wanted to put it off as long as possible. She very much feared he was holding a grudge. While she couldn’t stop thinking about how much she liked him.

  “You’re not going to be in the way,” said Caleb. “The place is huge.”

  “Square footage isn’t my worry. This is a very special occasion for your family.”

  “They’re pretty excited,” Caleb agreed as he slowed down, entering the city limits.

  “They’ll be too busy to worry about me.”

  He sent her an arched look. “What makes you think they’re going to worry about you? They’ll park you in a bedroom, and you’ll blend with the crowd. Katrina can’t wait to see you.”

  Danielle gave an involuntary smile at the thought of hanging out with Katrina again.

  “Fine,” she agreed. She’d simply make sure she stayed out of everyone’s path, especially Travis’s.

  “You say that as if you had a choice.”

  Danielle twisted her body to give him a mock scowl. “Are you going to be some kind of autocratic boss?”

  He glanced at her. “You have a problem with that?”

  She huffed a little. “You might find yourself with a rebellious employee.”

  His lips stretched into a grin. “I can live with that.”

  He flipped on his signal and pulled into the palatial driveway of the mayor’s mansion.

  The lawns were fine trimmed, as were the hedges. The building itself was three stories high. A huge front porch greeted them, with white pillars and an ornate rail.

  Danielle took a deep breath, steeling her nerves.

  Her next meeting with Travis was likely only moments away.

  * * *

  Travis watched from an archway leading to the great room while Katrina squealed and gave Danielle a tight hug. Then it was Lisa’s turn, then Mandy and finally Abigail. His arms felt ridiculously empty and she hadn’t even looked his way.

  “You’re coming to the dinner, right?” Lisa asked her. “And to the wedding.”

  Danielle glanced momentarily to Caleb then back to Lisa. “I’m... Uh... No. I have work to do. But it’s very kind of you to ask.”

  “Don’t be silly.” Lisa grabbed her hands. “You have to come.”

  “Absolutely, she’ll come,” Katrina put in. “It’s a wedding. And there’s no way we’re leaving you here all by yourself while we go out and party tonight.”

  Danielle shook her head. “I really can’t intrude. It’s your family.”

  “You’re family now.”

  “I’m an employee,” Danielle corrected. “Just because I happen to be here working—”

  “Don’t insult us,” said Mandy.

  Danielle turned to her in obvious astonishment.

  “Caleb thinks of you as much more than an employee. We all do.”

  “But—”

  “Please come,” said Lisa in a cajoling voice. “It would make me happy to have you there. And I’m the bride. You can’t say no to the bride.”

  Danielle glanced to Caleb again, clearly uncertain about what to do.

  “I don’t need you to work on anything tonight,” he told her with conviction.

  “I don’t have anything suitable to wear to a wedding,” she protested, gesturing to her rather severe suit. “It’s all like this.”

  “We’ll go shopping,” Katrina piped up.

  “You’ve got work to do, young lady,” Abigail reminded her. “Decorating committee. All of us.”

  Katrina gave a pretty pout.

  Travis stepped forward. “I’ll take her shopping.”

  The five women, along with Caleb, swung their gazes toward him.

  “You?” asked Katrina in obvious astonishment. “Going dress shopping?”

  “I’m not decorating,” he pointed out. He didn’t give a damn what errand got him alone with Danielle, so long as he got there.

  He looked at her, struggling to keep his tone and expression neutral. “What do you say? Make the bride happy?”

  “I’m—”

  “I suppose you could drive her to the mall,” Katrina put in. “But you have to send me a picture of each dress so I can help choose.”

  “You don’t trust my taste?” Travis asked her.

  “Why on earth would I trust your taste?”

  “I’ll send photos,” Travis promised, making a show of looking at his watch. “But we’d better get going.”

  Before Danielle had a chance to protest, he paced across the room and took her arm, gently turning her and urging her toward the front door.

  Caleb shot him a knowing smirk as he passed by, but Travis ignored him.

  “Rehearsal at six. Dinner’s at seven,” Lisa called from behind.

  Travis gave them all a wave over his head. “We’ll be back in plenty of time.”

  Then he pushed open the front door, and suddenly he and Danielle were alone. He had no idea what to say.

  “What just happened?” she asked, glancing over her shoulder in confusion as they walked toward the wide staircase.

  “You’ve been bamboozled by th
e Jacobs family.”

  “But why?”

  He shrugged, pulling his truck keys out of his pocket. “Lisa wants you at the wedding. Really, Danielle, there was no chance they’d leave you home alone tonight.”

  “I offered to stay at a hotel.”

  Her words gave him a little jolt. He didn’t want her at a hotel. He wanted her here, with him, where he could talk to her, look at her, listen to her breathe. He realized he had it bad for her, but he couldn’t fight it. All he’d done for the past week was miss her. If he hadn’t known she was coming back to work for Caleb, he might have gone stark raving mad.

  He opened the pickup door for her, offering his hand to help her up to the seat. “Nobody wants you to stay at a hotel.”

  She ignored his hand and hoisted herself up to the seat. “I feel like an interloper.”

  “You’re not an interloper. So stop worrying.”

  With her settled, he moved to the driver’s seat. It was only a couple of miles to the Springroad Mall. He knew Abigail’s favorite store was Blooms.

  Once on the road, the silence settled between them, and he could feel the tension ramping up. Danielle tugged her skirt an inch down her thigh. Then she smoothed back her hair then tapped her fingertips against her knee.

  Travis turned on the radio, filling the cab with a country ballad about lost love. He immediately wished he hadn’t done it.

  “It ought to be sunny for the wedding tomorrow,” he noted out of desperation.

  She didn’t respond.

  “They’re having the wedding in the garden.” He paused. “Reception in the mansion.”

  “I’m sorry,” she blurted out.

  He was confused. “About the wedding?”

  “No. About the last time we spoke. I shouldn’t have stormed out on you. You were out of line, and I was angry, but I could have handled it better.”

  He was so surprised by her unexpected words, that he didn’t know what to say.

  She was silent, then she adjusted her seat belt. Then she moved her sun visor.

  He finally came up with, “I didn’t expect you to apologize.”