“M
R
. D
ALTON
,” L
YLE’S
secretary’s voice came over the intercom speaker. “Hope Scroggs is on line two. I tried to tell her that you were still in a meeting, but this is the sixth time she’s called in the last hour, so I thought it must be important.”
Suddenly alert, Colt dropped the document he’d been trying to decipher and sat up so quickly that he almost toppled headfirst out of the leather conference chair. He didn’t know why, but he suddenly felt as if he’d just been caught ditching class. And for a second, he had the strong urge to jump up and run like hell.
Which was just plain juvenile. Especially since there was no way Hope knew that he was at Dalton Oil’s corporate office in Houston. And even if she did, so what? He was an adult who could go where he wanted to go and do what he wanted to do.
Still, that didn’t stop Colt from pressing a finger to his lips when Lyle picked up the phone, which resulted in a bemused look from his brother-in-law.
“Hey, Little Bit,” Lyle said, although his haggard face didn’t match the jovial tone. “What a nice surprise—”
Before he could even finish, Hope cut him off. Colt couldn’t make out what she was saying, but it wasn’t hard to detect her anxiety. An anxiety that quickly changed Colt’s fear of discovery into something much more terrifying. With his heart banging against his rib cage, he leaned over the conference table with every intention of jerking the phone out of Lyle’s hand and finding out just what had Hope so upset. But before he could, Lyle spoke up.
“Now, Hope, honey, just because you overheard some guys from Pacific Coastal talking about buying—okay, taking over—Dalton Oil that’s no reason to think we’re going under. Companies try to buy out the competition all the time. That’s just good business.”
Colt flopped back in the chair and released his breath as Lyle continued to talk.
“So stop worrying your little head over things like that. Right now, the only thing I want you thinking about is names for those sweet babies.” After a long pause, Lyle pressed the receiver closer to his ear. “Hope? You still there, honey?” There was a muffled reply, and Lyle quickly ended the call. “Well, I better get back to work so Shirlene can have some spending money. Say ‘hi’ to your mama and daddy for me.”
After he hung up the phone, Lyle leaned back in his leather chair and rubbed his eyes. “I sure hate to lie to that little gal. But I can’t chance her letting it slip to someone in town. Not when panic will only make things worse.”
The intricate details of business had never been Colt’s strong suit—he much preferred using his hands to his mind—but from what he’d ascertained in the last week, things couldn’t get much worse for Dalton Oil. Due to bad
investments and dropping oil prices, the company was as close to bankruptcy as a company could get, and it was only a matter of time before they went under. Still, Lyle looked so haggard and defeated, Colt couldn’t bring himself to point that out.
“And I’ll tell you one thing,” Lyle continued. “If I ever run into the cowardly dog that got Hope pregnant, he’ll rue the day he defiled our little sweetheart.”
Colt was already ruing the day. Unfortunately, there was no way to go back and undefile. Which was why he was using the excuse of Dalton Oil’s troubles to hide out, like the cowardly dog he was.
Rising up from the chair, he walked over to the floor-to-ceiling windows and stared out at the Houston skyscrapers.
“So Pacific Coastal showed up in Bramble,” Colt mused.
“I figured it was only a matter of time before the vultures started to circle.”
Colt turned back around. “Pretty soon they won’t be circling—they’ll be picking our bones.” When Lyle didn’t say anything, he continued. “I realize you want to keep the company in the family, Lyle, but instead of letting a group of money-grubbing sharks get their hands on Dalton by paying off the debt with seventy cents on the dollar, we should be looking for an honest company who might be willing to buy us out with a fair deal.”
Lyle released his breath and slumped back. “You’re probably right. It’s just damned hard to let go of a business that has been in the family for close to a hundred years.”
Figuring he’d made his point, Colt turned back to the
window and stared at the rows of lit windows. “Doesn’t anyone go home in this town?”
“Time is money.”
“If that’s the case, then we should’ve made a bundle in the last week.” When Lyle didn’t say anything, Colt glanced over his shoulder. His brother-in-law was watching him with a look that made Colt extremely uncomfortable.
“Damned if you haven’t surprised the hell out of me, Colt Lomax.”
“I have a tendency to do that to people,” Colt said, dryly.
Lyle chuckled. “I meant it as a compliment. I don’t know what I would’ve done without your help this last week.”
“I didn’t do all that much.”
“I disagree, but even if you hadn’t lifted a finger, it was nice having family around—someone who cares about Bramble as much as I do.”
Not wanting Lyle to get the wrong idea, Colt enlightened him. “I didn’t do it for Bramble, Lyle. I did it for Shirlene.” He turned back around. “And if you want the support of your family, why haven’t you told my sister? I understand you not wanting the town to know about the company’s trouble, but Shirlene is your wife.”
Lyle swallowed. “I planned on telling her this weekend when she flew out, but then she started talking about Hope and Faith being pregnant…” His shoulders drooped. “If you could’ve seen that great big smile pinned on her face the entire time she talked about the baby shower she’s planning, it would’ve broken your heart—especially knowing how much she wants a baby of her
own.” He looked up at Colt. “And damned if I could add to her misery.”
Colt had never paid much attention when his sister had talked about having kids. Somehow the news that she wanted a baby so desperately made him feel even guiltier now for not wanting his.
“Still, I wouldn’t want to be around when she finds out you’ve been keeping secrets from her,” Colt said. “And the news will be out soon enough.”
Instead of commenting, his brother-in-law just sat there, staring out at the glittering cityscape. For the first time since Colt had known him, he looked all of his fifty-six years and then some. His face looked drawn and his eyes were bloodshot from lack of sleep.
“I have to fix this, Colt,” he said in a wary voice. “Not just for the folks of Bramble, but for the other employees of Dalton Oil and their families.” He covered his face with both hands. “I couldn’t live with myself if I let them down, especially since I’m the one responsible.”
Colt had never been much of a touchy-feely kind of guy, but he couldn’t help walking over and resting a hand on Lyle’s shoulder.
“You haven’t let anyone down. In fact, I’ve never seen a man work so hard to save a company.” He gave him a couple awkward pats. “But there’s nothing else you can do for now. So why don’t you go home for the weekend and relax a little? Take that sister of mine out dancing at Bootlegger’s. Or just kick back at the house and fill up on some of Cristina’s cooking.”
Lyle dropped his hands and shook his head. “I never was any good at dancing—or kicking back. Besides, you’re right. Instead of sitting here waiting for the
buzzards to land, I need to find a company worthy of Dalton. Didn’t you tell me that Travis Mossman mentioned a company that was interested in us?”
“C-Corp.” Colt walked back over to his chair and pulled up a file on the laptop. “It’s a relatively new company. They started with farm equipment, then somehow ended up with land just south of San Antonio that was rich in natural gas. Two brothers own it.” He glanced back up. “You want me to give them a call?”
It took Lyle less than a second to nod. “But if they’re planning on sending anyone out to look things over, you might want to tell them to stay out of Bramble. Hope won’t fall for my cock-and-bull story again.” He grinned. “She’s sure a firecracker, isn’t she? You won’t find another person in all of Texas who’s more willing to fight for Bramble than our little Hope.”
Colt glanced over at him. “I don’t know about that. If it hadn’t been for you and your family, Bramble would’ve turned into a ghost town long ago.”
The smile dropped. “Which is why I can’t give up, Colt.”
“I know.” Colt nodded.
A moment of awkward silence passed before Lyle leaned up and straightened the papers littering the tabletop. “And what about your own company? I guess you’ll be headed back to L.A. soon.”
It made sense. Colt had spoken with his office manager just that morning, and she’d informed him that his desk was piled high with project designs and part orders that needed his immediate attention. But for some reason he couldn’t bring himself to leave the state of Texas, even if Hope had made it perfectly clear that she could handle things just fine without him.
When Colt didn’t answer, Lyle cleared his throat. “I guess you wouldn’t consider going back to Bramble for a few days? It would sure make me feel better knowing you were there, watching over the town.”
“Watching over the town?” Colt’s eyebrows lifted. “You do realize I’m the same delinquent that broke most of the storefront windows on Main Street.”
Lyle laughed. “Do whatever you want to the windows, Colt, just watch out for my gal.”
It was late by the time they finished working. Since Lyle had recently sold the penthouse, they were both staying in a hotel downtown. But while Lyle took a cab back, Colt decided to walk. He needed the fresh air to clear his mind of all the information and numbers that ran through it.
The streets were crowded with men in business suits and women in nice dresses and heels on their way to dinner or to get a drink. Colt could’ve used a few stiff drinks himself. But as always, he stifled the urge.
At the corner, he ran into a group of women dressed in skimpy costumes. There was a blonde vampire. A brunette French maid. And a very nasty-looking Little Red Riding Hood redhead who gave him a bold once-over as he stopped to wait for traffic. As he stared back at her, it took him a moment to make sense of the costumes. With the turbulent events of the past week, he’d forgotten all about the holiday. Now he remembered Shirlene talking about selling tickets at the Halloween carnival.
The annual event was a big deal in Bramble, and one of the few things Colt had enjoyed growing up. He loved the caramel apples. Got a real kick out of watching the mayor
get soaked in the dunk tank. And anticipated a good scare in the haunted house. The only thing he hadn’t enjoyed was watching Hope dressed up like a witch and passing out kisses for a dollar. Every horny guy for miles around would line up in front of the booth, awaiting a brush from those soft lips.
Everyone but Colt.
It became as big a challenge as the ring toss to see if he could resist pulling a dollar from his pocket and stepping in line. Of course, he never did completely resist. Sooner or later, he’d made sure that he took much more than a dollar’s worth.
The light changed, and Colt waited for the ladies to step off the curb before he followed behind them. Halfway across the street, Little Red turned and blew him a kiss from her scarlet-painted lips.
He acknowledged the gesture with a smile, even though storybook characters had never been his thing.
Colt had always preferred witches.
“Y
OU’VE GOT TO
be kidding me!” Hope’s gaze narrowed on her twin sister, who wore the exact same costume as she had on—from the pointed black hat and purple sparkly wig to the purple-and-black–striped tights. The only things different were their boots. Faith’s boots were black, while Hope wore the red ones she’d yet to return to her sister.
“Did you buy your costume in Lubbock?” Faith asked, as she came around the back of the carnival fishing booth.
“No. I’ve had it for ten years. Which makes it even freakier.” Hope gave her sister’s witch costume one final glare before going back to taping string on the end of the skinny dowel rods that they were using as fishing poles.
“It is freaky, isn’t it?” Faith picked up a dowel from the box and started helping Hope. “It’s like we have a telepathic connection. Sometimes I know what you’re thinking without you even opening your mouth. Like at Shirlene’s house.”
“That was nothing more than a coincidence.”
“I don’t know about that. Since then, I’ve done a little research, and there are dozens of articles online about
twins being connected mentally. And you have to admit it’s strange the way we keep dressing alike.”
Hope snorted. “Strange isn’t the word I’d use—more like ridiculous. What woman in her right mind wants to dress exactly like someone else?” At the long stretch of silence, Hope glanced up into Faith’s big, innocent eyes.
I can’t help it. I like everyone knowing we’re sisters.
“As if people couldn’t figure out we’re sisters without the clothes,” Hope said, as she reached for another dowel. She had just pulled one out of the box when Faith grabbed her arm and squealed.
“You did it! You read my mind!”
The dowel clattered to the floor as Hope turned to her sister.
“What are you talking about?”