Fire Mountain
“Hey, Gage. I was just going to call you to see how things are going.” Nesto placed a stack of files aside. Gage Templeton and Skye MacLaren, Kade’s oldest sister, were engaged, planning to marry in a few weeks. An ex-saddle bronc and bareback champion, he was now an executive with Double Ace, a supplier of bucking stock, partnering with the MacLarens on larger rodeos.
“I’ve been in and out, keeping up with business while trying to work with Skye on the wedding plans long distance. I keep pushing for Vegas, but she’s not biting.” He chuckled. Gage had been through a rough divorce, vowing to never marry again. After some ups and downs, Skye had succeeded in piercing his defenses.
“At least it’s at the ranch. You know Annie and the other ladies will do all they can to help.”
“That’s what I’m counting on. If it were me, we’d marry at city hall, go on a honeymoon, then have a blowout celebration everyone would remember.”
“I hear you, man. Get it done.” Nesto knew he’d want the same if he were in Gage’s place. If he’d still been with Paige, she’d have agreed, eager to get on with the party. Clearing his throat, he directed the conversation to a safer topic. “How’s it going at Double Ace?”
“Good. Glad we signed the agreement to have you provide our security. Between you and Thad Montgomery’s contacts, we’re doing a lot better than a few months ago.”
Double Ace and MacLaren Enterprises agreed to a contract allowing Nesto and his team to provide security and risk management services for a year. Afterward, the two companies would assess the situation and go from there. The main advantage had been to give the brothers peace of mind. Once Skye and Gage married, she’d move from Crooked Tree to his home in Houston, using an empty office at Double Ace for her work at MacLaren Bucking Stock, the division run by her oldest brother, Kade.
“How’s Thad doing? Haven’t heard a word from him, although I think he keeps in touch with Kade.” Nesto had worked with Thad during some troubles at Double Ace. The same as Kade, Thad was an ex-DEA agent, working freelance now. Nesto had a pretty good idea what that meant.
“Moving to the Hill Country, near Austin. He’s picked up a couple new clients in the area. Fell in love with the place and bought a house with land. It’s what you can do when you’re a bachelor.” Gage didn’t sound the least bit remorseful.
“Hey, it’s not too late to change your mind, break it off with Skye.”
“Hell no. I know what I’ve got and there’s no way I’m letting her go.”
Nesto chuckled into the phone. “Good answer. If you’d said anything else, I would’ve had to fly out and rough you up until you regained your senses.”
“And you’re just the man to do it.”
“Damn straight.” Nesto checked the time. “I need to get to a meeting. Call if you need anything.” Pocketing his phone, he headed down the hall to one of the smaller conference rooms. Feeling the cell vibrate, he pulled it out, smiling when he saw Kade’s name. “Hey, bro. You having a slow day and decided to harass me?”
“When have you ever known me to have a slow day? Harassing you doesn’t sound too bad, though.”
“I’m headed for a meeting. Can I call you later?” Nesto waited, wondering about Kade’s hesitation. “You there?”
“Yeah. I just wanted to let you know Paige arrived.” Kade didn’t sound pleased, making Nesto wonder if his friend had opposed the idea more vigorously than he’d let on.
“Okay. So you’ve warned me. That it?” He wanted to sound casual, disinterested—everything he wasn’t at the moment. The mention of her triggered an ache he’d never been able to erase. Nesto didn’t know what he’d do when she reported to her office at headquarters, but he had to get himself under control.
“Plans have changed. She was supposed to work with Brooke here in Crooked Tree for two weeks. Heath called and wants both of them in Fire Mountain the first of the week. The company is looking at an acquisition and needs their input.”
Nesto leaned against the wall, taking a deep breath. This wasn’t welcome news, but he couldn’t afford to let anyone, not even Kade, know how much her being hired affected him.
“Doesn’t matter to me when she shows up.”
“So no worries on your end?” The concern in Kade’s voice didn’t surprise him. They’d been through more than a few tough times together, relying on each other when they’d had no one else. Confiding in Kade about the breakup had been natural, a way to vent the pain he hadn’t been able to shove aside on his own.
“No worries, man.” He owed Kade for the job at MacLaren, which had been a true lifesaver. No way would he let his friend down. “The work I do doesn’t overlap with Paige’s, so it’s doubtful I’ll run into her for weeks.” At least a man can hope, he thought, straightening to continue toward the conference room. “Gotta go. And, Kade, thanks for the heads-up.”
Opening the door, he saw everyone already seated, involved in their own conversations. All except Heath, who stood, motioning Nesto to follow him into the hall. Something about the set of his boss’s jaw warned him to keep his emotions in check. Heath pinned him with his legendary stare, his face devoid of expression.
“You’ve heard about Paige Wallace joining the company?”
He didn’t flinch under the unyielding gaze. “Yes, sir. Kade informed me a week ago.”
Heath seemed to study Nesto’s face before continuing. “I assume you don’t have an issue with her being here.”
“No issues at all, sir. If Brooke says she’s the best for the job, I’ll go with that.”
Heath clasped him on the shoulder. “If there are any problems, you come to me and we’ll work something out. I have no intention of losing you, Salgado. Do we understand each other?”
Nesto let out a breath, his shoulders relaxing. “Yes, sir. There’s no need to worry. I’ve got it handled.”
“Good. Now, let’s finish this meeting so everyone can get on with their weekend.”
Crooked Tree, Montana
“I really hoped we’d have some time to catch up before being thrown into the craziness at headquarters. But once the brothers set their sights on a new acquisition, all energy is focused in that direction until a final decision is made.” Brooke sat at the table in the house she and Kade rented near the Crooked Tree office. She and Paige had worked from here today while Kade took care of business at the bucking bull stock location.
“Craziness in a good or bad way?” Paige drank her second diet soda, picking up a chip every now and then, taking notes when needed.
“Definitely good. There’s a lot of energy, people working together to dig into the company the brothers want to purchase. This time, it will be a little different. Heath’s son, Trey, has joined the company and will be getting indoctrinated into how things work.”
“He was in the navy, right?”
Brooke nodded. “Trey and his wife, Jesse, graduated from Annapolis and were fighter pilots, or as Trey corrected me, Naval Aviators.” She chuckled, remembering his good-natured teasing. “They got out a few months ago and moved to Fire Mountain with their son, Trevor. And they’re expecting their second child. The general buzz is Trey will someday take Heath’s place, but who knows. He may hate it.”
Paige’s brows furrowed as she made a design on her pad of paper. The family dynamics she’d lived through were nothing compared to the huge MacLaren clan with almost everyone having some role in the business. The closeness of working together intrigued her. The politics of a family business…not so much.
“Do you expect trouble with him coming home?”
“None. Everyone knew there’d be changes when Trey returned. The interesting part will be if he likes being cooped up in an office after flying jets for years.” Brooke rolled the glass between her palms, thinking of her oldest stepbrother. “He’s incredibly bright and energetic. I think it will be great to get some fresh perspective on the plans the brothers have put in place.”
“Do you know m
uch about the company they’re thinking of buying?”
“I wish I did. Heath, Rafe, and Jace have been unusually quiet about this one. They haven’t even let on what industry it’s in.”
Paige glanced up. “Kade doesn’t even know?”
“Nothing. We’ll all be at the meeting and hear about it at the same time. Then it will be eighteen-hour days until a decision is made.”
Paige smiled. “Right. As if Kade or Heath will let you put in those kinds of hours.”
“Which is why Heath wants you in the meeting and on the acquisition team from the beginning.”
Biting her bottom lip, Paige studied the scrawls on her paper, the design showing no meaning.
“Do you think Nesto will be involved?”
Brooke reached over, covering Paige’s hand with hers. “You can plan on him being in most meetings. If it weren’t for the pending acquisition, you might not see him for weeks. I know you hoped for more time…”
Paige shook her head. “No. It’s fine. I just want to know what I’ll be walking into. The fact Nesto will be there isn’t a problem. It’s better to get any awkward moments out of the way up front rather than having it fester. We’re both professionals, Brooke. We’ll be fine.”
A memory flashed through her mind of the night she walked away from Nesto, the stricken look on his face that almost had her changing her mind. Ignoring her father’s request hadn’t been an option—at least that was what she’d thought at the time.
She thought of her father’s pleading voice and all the unknowns with her brother, Paul. They’d been so close when they were younger, her being his protector until his size and weight surpassed hers. Within a year of her leaving for college, his life started to fall apart. She’d helped as best as she could, but it hadn’t been enough.
Her life had changed because of his choices and the inability of her and their parents to get through to him. She’d left an excellent job and the man she loved to help Paul. Now it seemed it had all been in vain. After months, she and her parents thought he’d reversed his negative slide, then Paul disappeared, leaving them angry and confused. Two private investigators hadn’t been able to trace him, all their leads turning into dead ends.
Even though her parents would’ve been glad to have her stay with them in Philadelphia, the time had come for Paige to return to her own life. She continued to work with one of the investigators, hoping for some sign of her brother. Each day without news had become harder to bear. The job at MacLaren Enterprises would provide the stimulus she needed to keep her mind off the dread of not knowing, keep her focused on what she could control. The job, however, didn’t come without risks. The biggest one being to her heart.
Chapter Three
Fire Mountain, Arizona
Eric Sinclair, Heath’s stepson, and Mitch MacLaren, another of Rafe’s sons, sat at a corner table of the Tavern. Paying little attention to the noise around them, they waited for several other members of the family to arrive, along with a few friends.
The men didn’t often meet for drinks on weekends, unless they and some of the other MacLarens went on a trail ride or rode their motorcycles. Unless congregating for a wedding or other occasion, the changes in the company made it a rare occurrence for them to all be together at one time.
“There’s Cam now.” Eric nodded toward the entrance, seeing his older brother walking in with Trey. Nesto and Matt Garner followed a couple minutes later. “I heard Kade won’t be in town until tomorrow.”
Mitch nodded as the other men took seats around the table. “I spoke with him this morning. He, Brooke, and Paige Wallace arrive in the morning. From what he says, your sister will be staying at the ranch until the baby comes.”
“No kidding?” Cameron Sinclair, Brooke and Eric’s older brother, sat next to Mitch, signaling the bartender for a round of beers for the table. “Brooke didn’t tell me she had to stop her activities.”
Mitch shook his head, his signature taciturn expression evident. “Hey, I’m just the messenger. You’ll be able to grill Kade as much as you want tomorrow.”
Cam took his beer, nodding his thanks to the waitress. “Paige Wallace? Is that the woman Heath hired to work with Brooke?”
Matt and Eric glanced at Nesto, seeing his body tense, even as his face held no trace of discomfort.
Trey took a sip of his beer, then set the glass down. “That’s her. She and Brooke met while both attended the university in San Diego. A good buddy of mine has been going out with Paige’s cousin, Shelley, for years.” He shook his head. “Well, off and on anyway.”
“One of your flying buddies?” Eric asked.
“Yeah. You met him when Jesse and I married. Ryan Cantrell. He’s a helluva pilot. Wouldn’t surprise me if he stayed in the navy until he retired.”
Nesto listened as the conversation moved from one topic to another, his mind unable to let go of the fact Paige would be working a few offices away within two days. If it weren’t for the mandatory meeting the brothers called about the acquisition, he’d have already flown out to one of the other MacLaren locations. One week a month, he stayed at the headquarters in Fire Mountain, leaving the other three weeks to travel between the different subsidiaries.
“Your Harley fixed yet, Nesto?”
His head shifted toward Mitch at the mention of his name. “Fixed and ready to roll. You have a place to ride?”
“Kade mentioned putting together a ride tomorrow afternoon.”
Eric leaned back in his chair, crossing his right ankle over his left leg. “Mom will want all of us there for lunch.” His mother, Annie Sinclair, had married Heath MacLaren a few years before, becoming the matriarch to the ever-growing family. “She’s already got it all planned out.” He looked at Mitch and Cam. “She’s got Dana, Lainey, and Amber helping her.”
“My wife loves that stuff,” Cam said, thinking of Lainey.
“So does, Dana. Although we eat out more often than she cooks.” Mitch accepted another beer.
Eric chuckled, an image of his wife crossing his mind. “Amber and I are the same.”
“Yeah, but you two love to cook,” Cam said. “Like the rest of us, you just don’t have time.”
Trey’s expression sobered as he glanced around the table. “Does anyone know anything about the acquisition? Pop, Rafe, and Jace are unusually silent about it.”
Matt sat forward, resting his arms on his legs. “They haven’t said a word to me. From what Kade says, he’s in the dark, too. Cassie asked Heath straight out. He told her she’d have to wait, the same as the rest of us.”
“Well, if he won’t tell your wife—his own daughter—he sure isn’t going to say anything to anyone else until Monday.” Mitch rubbed the back of his neck, then smiled when his younger brother, Sean, walked in. “Hey, buddy. Didn’t expect to see you today.” They shook hands, then hugged, slapping each other’s back before Sean dropped into the last empty chair, taking the beer Trey handed him.
Taking a long drink, Sean shook his head. “I’m telling you boys, that dude ranch is making me crazy.” He grimaced as they all laughed, Trey and Matt patting his back. “I’m not kidding. Do you have any idea what it’s like to work around families who’ve never been close to a horse before?”
“Or the groups of single women looking for an experience with a real cowboy?” Matt smirked.
Sean grimaced. “You’d know all about them after all those years avoiding the buckle bunnies on the rodeo circuit.”
“Who says I avoided them?”
Trey sent him a warning glare. “Don’t let Cassie hear you say that. I think she’s in denial about what your life was like before you two got back together. You don’t want to go spoiling her image of you.”
Matt nodded, lifting a brow. “Yeah. There is that.” He sipped his beer, glancing over the rim of his glass at Nesto. “You’re quiet tonight.”
Blowing out a breath, he smiled, although nothing about his current situation seemed amusing. “Just listening. What can
I possibly add to tales about a dude ranch, flying jets, or the rodeo circuit?”
Matt shook his head. “Don’t give me that. I’ve heard you and Kade talk. There’s nothing boring about your stint in Special Forces, your work as a U.S. Marshal, or Kade’s time with the DEA.”
“Old stories from another life, man. I’ve left it all behind to work with you jokers.”
“Meet any new girls since coming to Fire Mountain?” Sean asked. Before Mitch met and married Dana, the two of them used to go out seeking female companionship on Friday nights.
Nesto grinned. “Not that I’d tell you about.”
Eric snapped his fingers, looking at him. “That’s right. Didn’t you and the new employee, Paige, used to go out?”
Blowing out a breath, Nesto shifted in the chair, his face clouding over. “Like the rest of my life, she’s old news.”
The table quieted, the strained silence ending when Cam stood up. “We’d better get going if we’re going to meet the ladies for dinner.”
Mitch glanced at his watch, finished the rest of his beer, then stood. “I’m with you. Come on, girls. You too, Nesto. No lame excuses about how you have to be somewhere else.”
As much as he didn’t feel like it, Nesto followed them outside. He’d spent enough nights alone since learning about Paige being hired. Tonight might be one of the last times he’d be able to join the MacLarens without worrying about her being present, and he planned to enjoy it.
They filled the largest table available at the local steakhouse, taking up a third of the space. Heath, Rafe, Jace, and their wives begged off, but everyone else expected at the meeting on Monday had made it, except for Kade and Brooke…and Paige.
Nesto took a seat between Mitch and Trey, placed an order for a ribeye, then settled back to enjoy the Malbec he’d ordered. He’d gotten hooked on the Argentine wine a few years before when he and another U.S. Marshal had been tasked with escorting a well-known international arms dealer back to the United States. Although he had loved the job, he was thankful those days were in his past.
Foolish Heart (MacLarens 0f Fire Mountain Contemporary Book 9) Page 3