Hearts Don't Lie

by Shirleen Davies

  “Bringing in subs doesn’t bother me unless we do have the stock required to handle the contract on our own. I’d always prefer to keep the money than split it with others.” Cam searched her face, looking for any signs the news about Matt Garner bothered her. “We will need to bring in RTC for the bulls.”

  “I could always contact Matt to see if Double Ace wants a piece of this.” The bitter tone of the words confirmed her displeasure at the news Matt had joined their competition. She thought of the series of events which led to Heath discovering Matt’s involvement with Double Ace. Making her aware of the news bothered her father, but she couldn’t afford to be blindsided by running into him at one of the events.

  “I did some checking. Matt’s well thought of in the business.”

  “At least he’s in the bull stock part and not horses.” Cassie crossed her arms. “My research indicates Double Ace has a large herd of saddle, bareback bronc stock, bulls, and timed event stock, enough to rarely need the services of other contractors. I’d love to travel to Houston sometime to see their facilities. They must be huge.”

  “There’s no reason you can’t. At some point they will need to sub-contract part of the stock and there’s no reason we can’t be the company they select. You’ll need to connect with the person who fulfills the contracts, not the rodeo reps, like Matt. The odds are slim you’d encounter him.” Cam picked up a folder he’d recently updated on the company and opened it. “My notes say Gage Templeton is the one you want to meet. He’s in charge of contract fulfillment for the entire operation. Maybe it’s time to go meet the man.”

  Cassie sank a little into the chair. Meeting with Gage would be the smart move as MacLaren Rodeo had a stellar reputation in the horse stock business. She might even be able to plant a seed about RTC. The reason holding her back involved Matt Garner and the quite real potential of running into him at Double Ace. Cam didn’t need to know the possibility bothered her.

  “I wonder if Skye would want to come along. We could meet with Gage, make a pitch for both businesses, and get a good look at their stock and operations.” Pushing her concerns aside, she thought of the timing, knowing it would be possible to work a trip into her schedule.

  “Do you want to call her or should I?” Cam agreed with her idea. Might as well hit him with both companies at one time.

  “I’ll call today so she can talk it over with Mitch. We might be able to set it up for some time in the next two weeks.”

  “Review this to see if there’s anything you haven’t already learned about them.” He slid the folder across the desk.

  Cassie wasted no time contacting Skye and securing her interest. Both hoped they could set up a meeting and tour the Double Ace facility right away, before the company made any sub-contracting decisions for the recent contracts they’d secured. Skye had heard of Gage Templeton, and like Matt, he had a clean reputation as both an ex-rodeo competitor and businessman. They needed more, and by the time a meeting took place, both women vowed to learn everything they could about him and Double Ace.

  Chapter Eleven

  Crooked Tree

  Dana parked in the lot, leaning over to grab her computer and files. She spotted Mitch’s truck a few spaces away, pushing aside the disappointment at the certainty at how it would end between them. She believed they’d never be together again as they had last night. A vague smile touched her lips—at least she’d have the memory.

  “Wait up, Dana.”

  She waited for Skye to walk up next to her, hoping Mitch’s sister hadn’t heard anything about last night, or the fact they hadn’t made it back to the house.

  “How’s it going?” Dana reached for the entry door handle, trying to juggle her files and computer.

  “I’ll get it.” Skye reached in front of her and pushed the door open. “Do you have plans tonight?”

  “Nothing other than packing to leave in the morning.”

  “You’re leaving so soon? I thought…” Skye stopped when she realized what had almost popped out of her mouth. She knew neither had made it home last night and hoped perhaps Dana and Mitch might have started something that would last a while.

  “You thought what?”

  “I assumed you had more work to do here. Anyway, a couple of my girlfriends and I are going out for drinks. Why don’t you join us? We all work, so it won’t be late.”

  Dana didn’t feel much like going out, although after some consideration, she decided it would be a good way to get to know Skye and keep herself from falling into the funk beckoning her.

  “Sounds great.”

  “Wonderful. Let’s meet at the house at six and I’ll drive.”

  They walked up the stairs, Skye ducking into her office as Dana walked the few extra steps to Mitch’s. Grabbing the handle, she took a deep breath and walked in, a determined smile firmly in place.

  “Hope I’m not too early.”

  Mitch glanced up, his breath hitching at the sight of her. They’d been together not twelve hours before, naked, tangled in sheets, her back tucked against his chest with him feeling a sense of peace he’d never known. The look on her face this afternoon, a mixture of determination and caution, told him he’d be fortunate to salvage a friendship.

  He started to speak, then cleared his throat. “No. Now is fine.”

  Nodding, she spread the material out on his desk. It had taken eight hours of nonstop work to complete all the elements so she could have them ready for today’s meeting and fly out in the morning. Each time she thought of his words, knowing he couldn’t wait to get rid of her, she pushed harder, determined to present her best work and leave with her pride intact.

  “The revised logo, example of the updated website, and mockups of RTC’s Facebook and Twitter pages.” She indicated each one, watching as Mitch looked from one to the other. “The details will be fine-tuned as the work progresses, so don’t feel all of this is set in stone. The idea is to be more interactive, keep the content updated weekly, and draw people to the pages.”

  Mitch hunched over her work, studying each concept, then leaned back. Grabbing a pen, he signed his name to the bottom of the documents and slid them back to her.

  “They’re approved. Anything else?” he bit out, sighing when he saw Dana wince at his curt words.

  Capturing her lower lip between her teeth, she stifled the blunt reply, stacked the pages, and slipped them into her folder. Straightening her spine and forcing her shoulders back, she summoned a forced smile and held out her hand.

  “Thank you, Mitch. Once or twice a week I’ll send you progress reports and additional work to review. Going forward, we can communicate by email and phone.”

  Mitch stood, eyeing her outstretched hand. He grasped it, relieved the desk provided a barrier, prohibiting him from pulling her into his embrace. What he hadn’t expected was the immediate and intense jolt to his body the contact, her skin to his, triggered. His jaw worked, although words failed him. Releasing her hand, he stepped around the desk, stopping inches away.

  “Have dinner with me tonight.”

  “No.” Dana glanced away from his intense gaze, licking her dry lips. “I already have plans for this evening.”

  “That so?” He continued to stare, letting his gaze wander to her mouth then back up to her eyes, which compared to last night, held none of the brilliance he hoped to see.

  “Skye asked me to join her and some friends for drinks.”

  “Then I’ll meet you for dinner afterwards.”

  Mitch stood so close she could feel heat radiate off him, wrapping around and almost choking her with memories of what his body could do to hers. Taking a step away, she gripped her computer case tighter as she turned toward the door.

  “Thanks, but I need to pack. My flight leaves early and I don’t want to miss it.”

  “I’ll take you to the airport.” Conflicting emotions warred within him. He knew he should let her go. Dragging it out wouldn’t change his feelings about love and relationships, and
would do nothing except make her leaving more difficult.

  Stopping, she glanced over her shoulder, a look of regret passing over her face. “Again, thanks, but no. I have it covered.”

  The sound of the door closing felt like a blow to his chest. Shoving both hands in his pockets, he let out a deep breath, realizing letting her go might be much harder than he’d ever thought.

  ******

  “Hope it’s not too loud in here for you.” Skye leaned away from Dana, letting her gaze wander to the stage and the next performer. The packed country western saloon offered karaoke two nights a week, drawing locals from miles around.

  “Not at all. I can’t believe how good some of these people are.” Dana sipped her single malt scotch, enjoying the smoky taste as it rolled over her tongue.

  “You want to give it a try?”

  Dana laughed at the suggestion. “Trust me. If I got on stage, I’d clear the place in thirty seconds.”

  “I wish my friends could’ve made it. You’d like them. Next time you’re in town we’ll all get together and go out. Unless you want to spend all your free time with someone else.” Skye saw the change in mood her comment caused and narrowed her gaze on Dana. “You will be seeing Mitch again, won’t you?”

  Warning signals went off in Dana’s head. She had to keep it professional. “Of course, for meetings and perhaps business lunches or dinners.”

  “I know it isn’t my business, but Sam and Rhett mentioned neither of you came back to the house last night. Well, I guess we all wondered if…you know…” her voice stilled at her inept attempt to ask about the two of them.

  Dana set her drink on the table, cupping her hands around the glass, deciding how much she should say.

  “Look, I know how it must look, but a relationship isn’t something we’re going to pursue, if that’s your question.”

  “Why the heck not? When Sam said you two didn’t come back to the house after dinner, we all thought there might be more to it.”

  Dana thought the same until Mitch set her straight. She stared into her drink, taking another sip and wishing she could have more time with him. “I’m sure you can understand what is or isn’t between us is private. All I’ll say is we had a great time with no strings.”

  “Is it because you’re in Arizona and he’s here?”

  She shifted in her seat, not wanting to talk about Mitch and the fact he’d gotten over her after one night. “Distance has nothing to do with it. It would be irresponsible for me to get involved with the president of a MacLaren company, and to be honest, he’s not in the market for anything more.”

  Skye blew out a breath. She understood Mitch as well as anyone, and the fact he’d gone out with someone from the company, a woman he liked and respected, said much more than what Dana believed. She reached over and put a hand on Dana’s arm.

  “Mitch is a hard case, which you already know. Give him time. He may surprise you.”

  As much as Dana appreciated Skye’s encouragement, she knew better than to wait for him just because they’d shared one amazing night together.

  “Not going to happen. My life is full enough with work and friends. I don’t need to put it on pause, hoping he’ll change his mind and decide he might want something more.” She plastered on a smile, hurting inside for what they might have had together if he could free himself from whatever held him back—and she believed with everything inside her he fought demons deep within him.

  “Would you care for a dance?”

  Dana glanced up to see a cowboy hold out his hand, a broad smile on his face.

  “I’ve love to.”

  Taking his hand, he found a place in the middle and took her in his arms, guiding her through a two-step. At least it was a step away from Mitch, she thought as he led her around the floor, not noticing the brooding figure a few feet away.

  Mitch leaned against a wood column in a darkened corner, watching Dana move across the room. He knew the cowboy who held her, and grimaced as she looked into the man’s eyes, laughing at something he’d said. Mitch took a sip of whiskey, cursing himself for not being the one with her tonight. It had been his own doing, a result of his own experiences. He had no desire to go through what his father had, or relive the same betrayal he’d experienced with his college girlfriend. All the same, he couldn’t get the feel of Dana off his skin or the look in her eyes when he held her in his arms.

  He tossed back the rest of his drink and slammed the glass on the bar as he stormed out, vowing to purge Dana and the memories from his mind.

  ******

  Dana tossed the last of the personal belongings she’d brought into her rolling bag and glanced around. Her computer case, jacket, and purse lay on a chair by the door. She’d stripped the bed, piling the towels on top of the sheets in the spot Sam had indicated the night before, and now waited for the cab to the airport.

  As if on cue, a car pulled up the drive and stopped out front. She’d yet to hear any sounds from Mitch’s room down the hall. For all she knew, he’d spent the night somewhere else. The thought brought a stabbing sensation to her heart, which she pushed aside as she grabbed her bags and slipped out the front door.

  “The airport, ma’am?” the driver confirmed as he lifted her luggage into the trunk and opened her door.

  “Yes, please.” She focused on her hands clasped tight in her lap, deciding not to look over her shoulder as the ranch house disappeared behind her. Instead, she distracted herself by thinking through the list of items still left to do. It seemed to take no time at all to reach the airport and get her boarding pass. Purchasing a cup of coffee, she pulled out a book and waited, glancing at the clock every few minutes, wishing time would speed by rather than crawl at the pace of an elderly driver on the freeway.

  “Flight 1210 to Fire Mountain is ready to board.” The announcement startled her, even though she’d been expecting it. Within fifteen minutes she’d be in the air with no intention of ever wasting another minute reflecting on her night with Mitch.

  Dana latched her seatbelt and stared out the window as the plane taxied across the runway. Brief moments passed before the massive engines fired in earnest, the pilot driving the plane forward as it lifted into the sky.

  As they rose, she noted a lone figure perched on a motorcycle outside the tall cyclone fence. She pressed her face to the glass, trying to get a better look, and gasped, recognizing Mitch as he raised a hand before dropping it to his side.

  ******

  Mitch pulled the collar of his coat tight around his neck to ward off the morning chill and shifted on the seat of his Harley. He’d followed the taxi at a discreet distance, turning onto a frontage road when the car continued to the departing planes section of the airport. Telling himself he wanted to make sure she got off safe, he woke early, grabbed a couple energy bars, and tinkered with his bike until Dana climbed inside the cab.

  From his vantage point, he could see the passengers traverse the tarmac and climb the steps into the plane. He spotted Dana right off, carrying her computer with one hand, her other hand pulling the rolling bag behind her. Hefting it from the ground, she maneuvered the steps, stopping twice to regain her balance on the narrow, metal steps.

  Berating himself once more for how he’d acted, Mitch cussed under his breath, keeping his eyes focused on the plane as it moved down the runway and halted, waiting its turn to take off. Never had he felt the loss of a woman the way he did Dana. One night with her and his whole world had shifted, and might never be righted.

  Continuing to watch, he lifted his hand in farewell as the plane took off, climbing into a clear morning sky, making a wide turn and disappearing south.

  ******

  Kansas City, Missouri

  “Thanks for flying up here to meet with the committee, Gage.” Matt walked alongside him toward the parking lot as the bright summer sun warmed the asphalt, creating waves of heat that fanned their faces.

  “Are you kidding? I was looking for an excuse to get out of th
e Houston office, if just for a couple days. Don’t know what inspired me to take on a desk job after all the years in rodeo.” Gage laid his hat in the backseat of Matt’s truck, then climbed into the passenger seat.

  “For the same reason I’m traveling thousands of miles a year trying to secure stock contracts. Our bodies failed us and we have to eat.” Matt’s grin didn’t quite reach his eyes. He’d found success with Double Ace Bucking Stock, as did Gage, and at least for now planned to stick with them.

  After his meeting with Ivan Santiago, he’d spent several days at the company’s stockyards near Houston. For a new player in the stock contracting business, Double Ace had grown at a rapid pace with new contracts being signed at an average of one a week. Their size allowed them to fulfill most contracts with their own stock without bringing in partners. It wouldn’t be long until that changed and they’d have to line-up sub-contractors if they wanted to continue to grow.

  “You’re right. Double Ace isn’t as exciting as competing, but it’s a good living and we get to stay close to what we love.” Gage pulled out his phone and scrolled through messages, sending a few quick texts before sliding it back in his pocket. “Do you think you’ll stick around a while?”

  The two had been friends in the rodeo circuit before Gage left to take a job as the vice president in charge of fulfilling the contracts Double Ace won. He’d been the one to put Ivan in touch with Matt when it became obvious he could no longer compete.

  “No reason not to. The money’s good, I work with rodeo people, and get to travel. The difference is this time I’m not hauling all my gear behind a truck.” Matt turned toward the highway leading to the airport. He checked his watch—still plenty of time before Gage’s flight left for Houston to stop for lunch.

  “I hear you, man. Plus we work for a company committed to being the biggest contractor in the country with what seems to be an unlimited amount of money.”

  “Have you been able to find out any more about the investors? Seems to me they stay pretty much in the background.” Matt pulled into a barbeque place he’d heard about and cut the engine. The dinner with Ivan hadn’t proven any more fruitful than their meeting.