A Cowboy in Disguise (19 page)

“Drop dead,” she hissed at Duncan with a plastic smile affixed to her face. With the rest of the
Zellez
team and Rio Safari executives close behind, she walked over and stood beside Scott.

•

“I’m sure glad to see you,” he whispered to her. He was stunned at the interaction he had just had with Mac. The woman was even more tactless, brazen and despicable than he’d remembered. Next to Alexandra, she looked like a cheap imitation of corporate class. Did she actually think he’d prostitute himself and lose Alexandra just to win a contract? Alexandra meant more to him than all the millions in the world. Especially after their visit to the ranch, nothing could change that for him.

Mac unlocked the conference room doors and interrupted the greetings in the hall. It was clear to Scott that she wanted to prevent him from having a chance to confer with his partner before the presentation. He wouldn’t have expected anything lower from her.

“Gentlemen,” Mac said, “if the
Zellez
team representative could step inside and go on back to the private waiting room. The D. W.
Songstram
presenter can go ahead and set up.”

Scott touched Alexandra’s shoulder lightly. “Sorry, Alex. I wish we could talk, but apparently, duty calls.”

Duncan and Scott stepped inside and Mac clicked the heavy double-doors shut behind them, not missing the chance to give Alex a look of unmasked hostility. Clearly the woman thought she’d beaten her at some self-imagined game.

Alexandra sat in the hall with Roger and Mike chatting about small things with them for the first time since the Rio Safari holiday gala. They smiled and nodded, vying for her attention, though she didn’t notice.

Alexandra’s thoughts were divided between her present conversation and the one she’d just heard, and an insecure fear slowly crept over her. Scott wouldn’t cave to Mac’s sleazy demands, would he? This contract was worth millions. The glow of happiness she’d felt only minutes before began to dim. Just imagine what his share of the bonus could do for the family ranch. How much was that worth to him?

She was ashamed of herself. The strong, honest man she’d come to know would never stoop to such a level. She had to stop doubting him at every turn. They would lose the contract, but walk away with their integrity. But, what if … ? That first drop of uncertainty was insidious. She’d promised Scott when they were locked in the supply closet that if she ever started to doubt him, she would wait. She’d give him a chance without jumping to conclusions. When Rio Safari announced
Zellez
as the winner of the contract, all her questions would be answered, her fears wiped away.

An hour passed and then another while they waited in the hall. Roger snored quietly in the corner and Mike reread the newspaper. Finally, the door clicked open and one of the board members poked his head out into the hall.

“We’re falling way behind schedule in here. We’re not going to need you folks inside later for the questions, so feel free to leave. I can’t give you any idea how long this is going to take.”

Mike nudged Roger awake. “Sounds like we’re being politely dismissed.”

Alexandra couldn’t believe what she’d just heard. “So it seems.” What could possibly be happening behind those locked doors? Frustrated, she drove back to the office.

When she arrived, Sarah’s curiosity was visibly getting the better of her. “Well?” she asked, “what happened?”

“Can you believe they still have Scott in there? The presentations ran over and they told the rest of us to leave.”

“Ouch.” Sarah followed Alexandra into her office. “David has been by here a dozen times this morning. Guess he wanted to talk to you pretty badly. I wouldn’t worry, though. With Scott and Mac Stevens so close and all, I can’t imagine we’ll lose this one.”

Alexandra turned around slowly to face her assistant. “What exactly do you mean by ‘close’?”

There was no way Sarah could miss the look on her boss’ face. She was on shaky ground. “Well, you know that day you were out with food poisoning?”

Alexandra remembered it well. That was the day Scott had found the fax from Rio Safari, the fax that had eliminated her from her own presentation. She nodded.

“I overheard him calling up Ms. Stevens,” she stammered nervously as Alexandra’s expression grew darker. “Actually, he had me get her on the line for him. I just overheard him saying how much he needed to see her.”

“Could you have interpreted it wrong?” Alexandra asked. The lingering doubt from earlier that morning threatened to take over her common sense.

“I don’t know. He shut the door like it was a private conversation, though.”

Alexandra shook her head. She’d been down this road before, and it never led to the right conclusion. “Sarah, I’m tired of the gossip. I really am. I was wrong to ask you and I won’t do it again. Now could you close my door on the way out? Unless it’s David, I don’t want to see anyone.”

Alexandra covered her face with her hands and moaned.

“Nerves?” David’s familiar voice came from behind the door.

“Come on in, David. I’m just waiting. And putting an end to my own stupidity once and for all.” She smoothed her hair back and smiled at him. “What’s up? I hear you’ve been by a few times.”

David sat down and grinned at her. “When Scott gets back, I have a lot to tell the two of you.”

“So mysterious, David? Must be juicy.”

“Oh, it is. Very juicy. But not as tantalizing as the news I just got a minute ago.”

Alexandra scooted to the edge of her seat. “I can’t stand the drama,” she said.

David leaned forward and whispered. “We just won the Rio Safari contract.”

Alexandra’s heart plummeted then soared. Should she laugh, cry, scream?

David stared at his vice president in confusion. “Aren’t you going to say anything?”

“Congratulations, David. This will be very good for the company.” She opened her mouth to say more and then snapped it shut.

“There’s more? I hope there’s more because that wasn’t the happy reaction I expected.”

“Here’s what bothers me, David. I heard Mac tell Scott there was no way we’d win unless he—”

“Oh. Yes, I get the picture. But I don’t think that’s why we won.”

For the first time, none of her insecurities surfaced. She smiled broadly. “You know, I don’t think so either. Scott isn’t like that. Ha! Can you believe it? I
know
he isn’t like that. And I know this comes out of the blue, but I’d like to take the next few days off, David. Would that be all right?”

She heard David hesitantly agree to her request for time off before she grabbed up her purse and walked briskly from her office. Life looked bright. Very bright. She felt the weight of the world lift from her shoulders.

“Life is good.” She waved as she walked away.

“But I need to talk to you later,” David called after her. “I’ll be back.” The Terminator himself couldn’t have said it better.

She’d just helped earn the biggest contract of her career. She’d just been part of D. W.
Songstram’s
biggest team presentation ever. And then there was Scott …

•

When Scott returned and learned Alexandra had gone without an explanation, David suffered another strange reaction from him. His executives had either gone insane or fallen in love with each other somewhere along the way, that much was obvious. In fact, he had begun to suspect the latter some while ago. David thought back to when he and his wife had first met and recalled that there wasn’t much difference between those two conditions.

When Scott had muttered something to him about Mac Steven’s last-minute demand, the pieces fell into place.

“She didn’t believe you’d stoop to that demand for a minute, Falconer.”

Scott nodded. “Then we’ve come farther than you can imagine. Wow. Just—wow.”

David put his hand on the younger man’s shoulder. “Far be it from me to interfere in your personal life. But from what I can tell, there’s sometimes been a breakdown in communication between you and Alexandra. Go to her and celebrate everything that happened today. She doesn’t have all the details yet and I’m sure she’d love to hear them from you. She also asked for a few days off. She’s never done that before. Just thought you should know.”

“I think I could use a few days off myself.”

“Fine. I’m getting soft in my old age, but I think you’ve earned it.”

As Scott’s footsteps disappeared down the hall, David’s eyes lit up with an idea and he picked up his phone. His wife, Connie, wouldn’t believe what he was about to do, but he wouldn’t miss this moment for the world.

Chapter Twelve

She’d barely returned home from work when she heard the voicemail from David asking her to meet him in the lobby of their building. As she’d seen him only an hour before, she couldn’t imagine why he wanted her there again so soon. He promised in the message their meeting wouldn’t take long, but even a few minutes at the office seemed like too many for her. Her phone showed another missed call from Scott. She just wanted to call him, go shopping, have dinner, start a life that involved something other than the inside of that building …

When she looked in the mirror, the face staring back at her seemed the same as it always did. Only Alexandra knew it was a public image constructed very carefully over the years. But upon closer inspection, now that image looked happy. She fairly glowed. She’d never loved anyone the way she did Scott. She remembered the touch of his hand as they danced under the stars. Her heart almost hurt as she thought of the slight wave of his dark hair, rumpled from fingers run through it too many times while working numbers.

Just as she was headed back toward her car, Mary came over with coffee and muffins to lend her moral support—just in case the presentation had gone badly. “Well?”

“We won! And I think Scott might— I think
I
might …”

“Aw. My little girl is growing up.”

“We’re the same age, Mary.” She rolled her eyes.

“But I have you outweighed in experience.”

“So should I go for it?”

Mary shook her head. “Duh. You’ve got it bad for this guy, and with good reason. Let me put this into perspective. He’s a family man who’s amazing to look at, good with cars, crunches numbers and feeds cattle—think you’ll find that combination again? He just slips right back and forth between two worlds effortlessly. He’s amazing.”

Oh, she needed to find Scott and she needed to find him now. David sure had timing, didn’t he?

“Go, Alex. Live a little. Get out of here!”

She laughed as she drove past the place on the freeway where she’d had the flat tire and Scott had come to her rescue. He’d caught her attention even then. When Mary was right, she was really right. Alexandra took out her phone and dialed Scott. Straight to voicemail. She tried the office.

“Hi, it’s Alexandra. Can you put me through to Scott Falconer?”

The receptionist put her on hold for what seemed an eternity before coming back onto the line. “Sorry,” she said. “Mr. Falconer isn’t here right now. You might try again later.”

Alexandra hung up. “Great,” she said to herself as she pulled her car into the lot. Just as she neared the elevators, David rounded the corner in time to meet her. He almost knocked a leafy green plant off its decorative stand in the process, and quickly caught it.

“Punctual as always,” he said with a wide, nervous-looking smile.

“Did I forget to sign something?” Alexandra asked.

David certainly didn’t seem his usual self. Was he fidgeting? She hoped he wasn’t angry with her for leaving so abruptly.

“I’ll explain why I asked you to come here in the elevator on the way up.” David pushed the button and, always the gentleman, held his hand on the door for Alexandra to enter first.

To say she was startled when he didn’t get in behind her and the doors shut would be an understatement.

•

Several floors up and several minutes earlier, Scott had waited outside the elevator for a signal.

David’s cryptic message had lured him back to the office and he still wasn’t sure why. As he’d stepped off the elevator into the reception area just a few minutes before, David had literally run out to greet him. He’d shoved a dozen long-stem red roses, a box of truffles and a bottle of champagne into Scott’s arms and told him to wait there.