Hearts Don't Lie

by Shirleen Davies

  “No reason, except the lip lock you gave him before he left.”

  “Were you watching us?” Her indignant tone was mixed with stunned disbelief that anyone had witnessed something she was trying hard to forget.

  “We weren’t until Eric spotted you next to Mitch’s truck when we walked out of the house. He, uh, pushed a button on his watch and started timing it.”

  “He didn’t,” Dana groaned, placing her face in her hands and shaking her head. “Why haven’t you said anything before?”

  “I figured you’d say something when you were ready. You were so quiet the last time we spoke, and you’re the same today. Do you want to talk about it?”

  “No. It wasn’t what it seemed. Just a goodbye kiss, nothing more. Besides, I’m going out with Kell, remember?” Dana’s expression didn’t quite match the hard tone of her words.

  “And how is that going?” Amber didn’t believe for a minute the intense kiss she’d witnessed meant nothing.

  “Fine. We’ve gotten together quite a bit, and no, we are not sleeping together.”

  Amber laughed, shaking her head. “No kissing, anything?”

  “I didn’t say that. It’s just we haven’t gone to bed, although Kell would like it to move in that direction.”

  “And you? What do you want?” Amber knew how hard Dana worked to keep her emotions in check, never allowing another man to get under her skin.

  Out of nowhere, the fight faded from Dana’s eyes as she slumped back in the chair. “I don’t know. Kell didn’t kiss me until after I’d kissed Mitch. As much as I wanted to be blown away, it didn’t happen. I never thought much about Mitch, except how to stay as far away from him as possible. But that kiss...I’ve never experienced anything like it.”

  “Didn’t you say it was just a kiss?” Amber asked, her voice full of empathy.

  “Yeah…about that.” Dana glanced across the table at Amber. “I lied. It felt pretty amazing.” She laughed, although there didn’t seem to be much humor behind it.

  “Wow.”

  “Yeah.” Dana shook her head and edged closer to the front of the chair, taking a deep breath. “You and I both know he’s not the man for me and I am absolutely not the woman he needs. Besides, he’s gone.”

  “And Kell is here,” Amber reminded her.

  “Right…and there’s nothing wrong with him at all. So, what do you think of the logo?” Dana asked, changing the subject.

  “I like it. You may want to tone down the background, shadow the RTC image a little.” Amber snapped her head up at Dana’s laugh. “What?”

  “Nothing, except that’s exactly what your husband said.”

  “Ah.” She grinned. “Great minds and all that. Anything else you want me to see?”

  “Nothing else. I’ll make the changes for the meeting with Heath and Jace tomorrow. Will you be there?”

  “Of course.” As the head of marketing, Amber sat in on any subject touching on the presentation of their properties or products.

  Dana picked up her purse and turned toward the door.

  “Dana?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Forget about the kiss.”

  “I will.” Someday, she thought as she headed toward the parking lot.

  ******

  Crooked Tree

  “I can’t believe you’re considering putting the house up for sale.” Mitch’s tone left no doubt how he felt about Rafe selling the seven bedroom home with eight baths, along with the guesthouse in back. Rafe and Mitch’s mother had built the house while she was pregnant with Skye. The three youngest had never known another home, and to Mitch and Sean, it stood as a symbol of their heritage.

  “Samantha’s at the University of Montana and Rhett graduates from high school next year. He plans to follow Sam to Missoula. This place is too big for just me.” Rafe handed Mitch a glass of water. He had hoped to keep the possible sale a secret, but his real estate agent left a few minutes after Mitch arrived. “Besides, I’d sell the ranch and guest house, then build another, smaller home on the other end of the property. We’d lose a few acres, but retain about four hundred.” He and his ex-wife, Deirdre, planned the location of the house on one corner of the property, figuring one day they’d want a smaller place.

  “Does Mom know you’re thinking of selling?”

  “I gave her cash when the divorce went through, so no, she doesn’t. And it’s none of her business.”

  She’d relocated to southern California to join her longtime lover who had a home on the water, as well as a large log home near Big Sky, Montana, where’d they’d met. The four youngest had been rocked by the news their mother had been involved in an affair. Mitch hadn’t been surprised. He’d learned of the deceit years before, keeping it quiet until he felt honor-bound to make sure Rafe knew about it.

  “Have you signed the papers for a listing?”

  “Not yet, why?” Rafe settled into one of the large leather chairs in the great room.

  “Maybe I could figure a way to buy it.” Mitch didn’t know what triggered the offer except nostalgia, and he had no idea how he’d ever pay for it.

  Rafe studied him, knowing Mitch also hated change. However, Rafe hadn’t thought selling the house would have such an impact on him.

  “I’m just considering a sale at this point. It’s paid off, so there’s no rush.”

  “All right. But you’ll let me know if you decide to sell, right? You’d better not try to sell it out from under me.” Mitch drained the glass of water, setting it on the counter.

  “I’ll let you know,” Rafe replied. “Are you going to tell me what’s had you so tied up in your office over the last few days?”

  “It’s not much. I’m penciling out some ideas I’ve been nurturing for a while. Unless I think there’s promise, you might not hear about any of them.”

  “Heath and Jace want me to work down at headquarters with them.”

  “Yeah, I know. It’s not for a while though, right?” Mitch asked.

  “Sooner than I first thought. You think you’re ready to take over the reins of the company if I leave in a month?”

  “A month? That’s a lot sooner than I thought.”

  “I spoke with Heath yesterday,” Rafe said. “We’re in the discussion stage at this point, nothing definite. What do you think?”

  Mitch had dreamed of this chance since making the decision to follow his father in the business while in high school. Rafe had insisted he finish college, working summers in the company. He’d done some bull riding while in school, despite knowing his dreams of following his father at RTC would preclude a professional rodeo career. The lessons he’d learned competing stuck with him, as well as the contacts, and he’d put it all to good use.

  Rafe’s partners, Chris and Ty, had finished their obligation of continuing with the business a few months after the sale. Everyone knew Mitch, Sean, and Skye were being groomed to take over their responsibilities, allowing Chris and Ty to pursue other ventures. The three men had been friends since high school, but Rafe had always been the driving force behind RTC.

  “What do you think?” Mitch’s question held a hint of uncertainty.

  “Hell, son, you know I think you’re ready. This one’s on you. If you don’t have the confidence—”

  “I’m ready.”

  Rafe barked out a laugh. “Of course you are. The question is, am I?”

  “What are you saying?”

  “This may not be a short-term position. I may take over a whole new division in the company, meaning I may not be back for quite a spell.”

  Mitch expected it would be a few months, maybe a year, then the position would revert back to his father.

  “Is that the real reason you’re thinking about selling the house?”

  “I’ve been thinking on it for some time. You kids have your own lives. Maybe it’s my turn to take on new responsibilities, travel a bit—”

  “Get to know Kade?” Mitch’s relationship with his half-brother
had improved during his stint in Fire Mountain, to the point he enjoyed spending time with him, even if they might never became tight friends.

  Rafe’s gaze focused on Mitch, who’d been the oldest until Kade reappeared in their lives. Mitch had been angry, Kade had been indifferent, wanting nothing from his father or siblings, people he never knew existed until a year before.

  “That’s part of it, too. It’s my fault he grew up without a father or the opportunities you and the others were given. He’s done well, seems to have no regrets. I’m the one with the guilt.”

  Mitch stood, pacing to the bar and picking up a bottle of Crown. He poured two shots, handing one to Rafe.

  “I know this isn’t a popular opinion, but it seems to me it’s his mother who’s the guilty party.”

  Rafe studied the dark amber liquid, swishing it in the glass before taking a sip. “I suppose there’s lots of blame to go around and no answers. Reyna should’ve told me, yes, but I understand her reasons for keeping Kade from me. Regardless, it’s my chance to get to know him.” He finished his drink then checked the time. “It’s Friday night. Shouldn’t you be out with friends or on a date?”

  “I’m meeting some buddies in a while. Guess I’d better get ready.”

  “Glad you’re back.” Rafe tipped his empty glass toward Mitch.

  “Same here.”

  Chapter Three

  Fire Mountain

  “Buying this has to be the best decision I’ve ever made.” Dana pulled off her helmet, swinging her right leg off the seat as she scanned her new motorcycle. The black and chrome finish with red trim seemed a little tame, yet in her mind, the Harley had it all. She couldn’t wait to take it on a long ride, maybe even a few days if she could get the time off.

  Amber had called earlier, asking if she wanted to go for ride with her, Eric, Brooke, and Kade. She’d jumped at the chance to try out her new bike with the others along. Amber broke down and purchased a new bike shortly after the wedding, but also liked to ride on the back seat of Eric’s bagger.

  “You sure handle it well.” Brooke climbed off the back seat of Kade’s bike, admiring Dana’s new purchase.

  “Why don’t you get one?” Dana asked between large swallows of water.

  “Oh, no. I’m quite happy holding on to Kade as he maneuvers this beast. Besides, Jace selected a new horse for me so Cassie can teach me barrel racing.” Brooke’s smile lit her face. She’d talked about learning the sport ever since she and Kade married.

  “Cassie and I’ve spoken about her teaching me also. I’d love to join you.” Dana slid the empty bottle into a saddlebag and secured the strap.

  “That’s going to be a little hard with her moving to Cold Creek, Colorado to work with Cam,” Eric said, surprised neither his sister nor Dana had heard about Cassie’s promotion.

  “What, she’s moving? Cassie never mentioned it.” Dana’s smile vanished at the news. They’d become close friends, hanging out in the evenings and riding their horses on the weekends.

  “Heath told her yesterday. She’ll start by working with the rodeo committees, working on proposals to supply saddle and bareback stock, plus whatever else is required. Cassie is smart and a quick learner, but it will demand almost all her time. It includes traveling more than she’s been doing here.” Eric handed Amber a sandwich as everyone found seats around a picnic table in the state campground. It had become a favorite stop on their weekend rides.

  “I’m glad you asked me along. This is beautiful.” Dana bit into her sandwich, washing it down with a diet soda as she watched ducks swim in circles around the lake.

  “You’re welcome to come anytime. Mitch used to join us before he took off north.” Kade turned on the bench so his legs stretched out in front of him and crossed his ankles. “I’ll bet he’s going to miss these rides when he’s shoveling out of a couple feet of snow next winter.”

  “Maybe, but I’m guessing not enough to get him back down here.” Eric tossed his empty wrapper into a trash bin and stood, stretching his arms above his head.

  “I don’t believe Mitch hates it here as much as he wanted us to believe. It’s just his way, that’s all.” Kade held out a hand to Brooke. “You ready to roll?” He nodded toward the bike.

  Dana listened to the banter about Mitch, trying to suppress her curiosity. For once she didn’t ask questions, hoping to learn something about the man she couldn’t stop thinking about. The kiss stayed with her for days after he’d left, and even now, she could almost feel his mouth touching hers, taste the mixture of coffee and peppermint on his lips. An involuntary shudder coursed through her at the memory. She wished they’d either had more time to explore the earth-shattering contact or that it had never happened.

  “I’ll bet you’re glad he’s gone and not ragging on you all the time.” Amber slid on her helmet, watching Dana do the same.

  Dana shrugged, tightening the chin strap. “His barbs never bothered me. Mitch is a brooding ’ole cuss who isn’t happy unless he finds fault with something. I made an easy target.”

  “You think?”

  Dana laughed at Amber’s unexpected sarcasm. “Yeah, guess I walked into a lot of his gibes. He’s so different from most of you—except Rafe, of course. It’s easy to see they’re related.”

  Eric walked up, catching Dana’s last comment. “Heath mentioned Rafe may be moving down here, working with him and Jace on a new business venture. It’s expected Mitch will take over for him as president of RTC if that happens.”

  “What new venture? I haven’t heard anything about it.” Brooke asked as she and Kade stopped next to the others. As part of the senior staff, they would normally bring her in early when discussing a new venture.

  “I’m not privy to the information either. I happened to walk into Heath’s office when he, Jace, and Rafe were finishing a call. Caught bits and pieces, but it sounded like a done deal.” Eric grabbed his keys and swung a leg over his bike. “You all ready to ride?”

  ******

  Dana sat outside Heath’s office, waiting for him to finish another meeting before seeing her. He’d called her early, wanting to meet before he took off with Annie for a few days at the family cabin a few hours away. The place had a lake view, running water, electricity, no phone, and no Internet—everything Heath needed to relax.

  “Sorry about the wait. Come on in.” Heath stepped aside, letting Dana walk past him. “Do you want some coffee, water?”

  “Nothing for me, thanks.” She glanced around, then took a seat, surprised neither Amber nor Eric were included. As an outside contractor, she always attended meetings with one of the two when she presented her work to Heath or Jace, and more recently, Rafe.

  “You know, of course, with Rafe arriving in Fire Mountain, Mitch has been promoted to president of RTC.” Heath paced toward the window, looking out on the expansive view—all of it MacLaren land.

  “Yes, I heard about it from Amber and Eric.”

  “Rafe will be taking the lead on a new business venture, which we’ll be announcing in a few weeks, along with some other changes. The changes are why I asked to meet with you.”

  Dana’s stomach churned. The work from MacLaren Enterprises kept her afloat, allowing her to have a measure of freedom instead of living from hand to mouth. Losing this job would mean a long search for other work to replace the lost income. She took a deep breath.

  “I see.”

  “We’re rolling out a few changes early, before announcing the remaining actions to the entire company.” He took a seat across from her, leaning forward. “We’re growing, which means we need expanded services and prefer to utilize our own employees.”

  Dana caught her lower lip between her teeth, waiting. She did not want to hear the rest, assuming they’d already found someone with more experience who could add more value to the company.

  “Amber tells me you have a degree in marketing with an additional major in graphic design. Is that right?”

  “It is. I didn’t realize h
ow much I enjoyed the design part until I took an elective course. The professor thought I had talent, so he encouraged me to continue.”

  “Have you had any experience in general marketing?” Heath’s expression showed no hint of his thoughts.

  “For the first two years I worked as a marketing rep, then as a marketing manager. When a position came up in the design department, I jumped on it. The truth is I enjoy all of it. I did try to move back into a marketing manager role, but never made it before my position was cut in the last set of layoffs.” Dana’s eyes sharpened on Heath, trying to assess his question.

  “We—Jace, Rafe, and I—have a proposition for you. Amber needs help in marketing and has requested we hire a marketing manager to work with the stock contracting companies. The job would include graphic design and reports to Amber. Are you interested?”

  Dana couldn’t contain the smile which spread across her face. “Yes, of course. I’m very interested.”

  “Good.” He slid a folder across the desk to her. “Here’s the offer, benefit package, and all the details of the job. Read through it. I’d appreciate your answer by the first of next week.”

  She gripped the edge of the folder, dying to tear into it, but deciding the professional approach would be to thank Heath and graciously leave. Then scream with excitement in the parking lot.

  “Thank you, Heath. I’ll get back to you right away.”

  “Get in touch with Jace if you have any questions while I’m gone.”

  “I will. And again, thank you.”

  ******

  Crooked Tree

  “Moonshine and two other bulls are down, Mitch. The same symptoms as Ghost Rider. Emilio’s already called the doc, and he has Fritz and the men going through the same process they did before—moving the stock, changing the feed, sanitizing everything.” Sean sat down, pinching the bridge of his nose. “What do you think is going on?”

  “Hell if I know. The investigation showed tainted feed from a supplier we’ve used for over ten years. The company checked all their customers plus delivered and stored feed. No other sick animals, and all their feed tested clean. Ghost Rider is finally able to compete, and now Moonshine and the others are down. I’d better get back in touch with the supplier.”