Chapter Twenty-Three
The next morning, Josh was behind the barn, carrying sacks of mineral pellets from his pickup to the single-wide trailer they used for storage, when he thought he heard the sound of an unfamiliar engine. He shrugged, figuring whoever it was would go to the office. Just as he loaded up his shoulders with two more sacks, a stranger peered around the side of the barn, then walked toward him.
Josh sighed. He didn’t see a camera, but he’d been fooled before. And then he recognized Chasz Winslow and paused.
“Hey, Josh.”
Chasz approached, wearing jeans, the first time Josh had seen him so casual.
Chasz glanced at the sacks. “Heavy?”
Josh smiled. “Yeah. I’ll be right back.” He came out of the trailer and wiped his dusty hands together. “What can I do for you?”
Chasz looked into the bed of the pickup. “I’d like to talk, but I can help you unload the rest of those first.”
Josh eyed him curiously. “Okay, thanks.”
Chasz tried the two-sacks-at-once method, but it was more unwieldy than it looked, and he settled for one. In ten minutes they were done.
“What did we just unload?” he asked.
“Mineral pellets to help keep the cattle healthy through the coming winter.”
Chasz looked past him into the pastures. “I haven’t seen a cow yet.”
“They graze up in the mountains. We’ll be bringing them down in another month or two.”
“Oh. Interesting.”
“Want something to drink?”
“No, thanks. I imagine you’d just like to hear what I have to say.”
Josh put his hands in his jeans’ pockets and cocked his head. “Okay.”
“Did Whitney tell you the trouble I’ve gotten into?”
Josh nodded. “She did.”
Chasz didn’t bother to explain himself, which Josh sort of respected.
“Did she tell you that our father asked her to come work for the company in my place?”
“Nope.” So that’s what’s been going on, Josh thought, the uneasiness rising inside him like a slow spill of oil.
“Well, since you’ve only just begun dating, we didn’t think she’d told you, but we thought perhaps you deserved to know.”
Or maybe her family thought she wouldn’t be so easily swayed if left to her own devices. It saddened him that Whitney couldn’t tell him something so important. He knew how she’d felt about being shut out of the family business.
Or maybe their relationship just wasn’t serious enough for her to confide such major decisions in him.
“After dinner last night, I could tell how essential family is to all of you,” Chasz continued.
Josh eyed him, not liking his tone—serious, but with hint of condescension. Or was that desperation? Whitney obviously hadn’t jumped at the opportunity to bail her family out. And that’s what it would be, a way to stabilize the company after Chasz’s indiscretions were revealed.
“Family is important to us, too,” Chasz went on. “But it’s obvious Whitney doesn’t want to hurt you.”
“Or leave her business? That’s what you’re asking her to do, right?”
“That’s not true. She might not be able to concentrate on the stores at first, but that would come with a little time.”
Yeah, right. “So why are you trying to convince me?”
“Look, it’s obvious a woman of the world like Whitney has been with more sophisticated guys than you. You can’t be fooling yourself to think she could be happy in a place like this, right?” Chasz narrowed his eyes. “I don’t know what you think you want from this relationship, but to me, it’s obvious—you’re holding her back.”
“Excuse me?” Josh said in a low voice, feeling his muscles stiffen.
“She’s always wanted to be a part of our family company. I think she’s hesitating not because of Leather and Lace but because of you.”
“Then you don’t know her very well,” Josh shot back, but part of him worried that Chasz was right. He knew how crushed she’d been when her family rejected her. Now she had the opportunity she’d always wanted. Was she really hesitating because of him? How could he be the one to stand in the way of her family reuniting when he of all people knew how wonderful it could be to work together?
“Look,” Chasz said patiently, “I don’t want to argue about who knows her better. I just want to know what it would take to make you back off.”
“You’re offering me a bribe?” Josh asked in disbelief.
“That’s kind of a harsh way to put it. How about an incentive?”
“How about you take off now, and I’ll pretend this didn’t happen?”
Chasz sighed. “I can see you want to play for bigger stakes.”
“That’s not what I’m—”
“I know you’re no stranger to scandal yourself,” he interrupted. “The whole country saw that shot of you naked in a fountain.”
Josh rolled his eyes. “Really? Are you going to compare my drunken prank to the way you slept with the enemy?”
Chasz acted like he hadn’t heard. “All I’m saying is that a lot worse can come out about you if you won’t back down.”
“Worse? I haven’t done anything that could be worse than what you’re doing right now.”
“Rumors are insidious things, Josh.” Chasz’s gaze darted away even as his forehead started to shine with sweat. “What if there was a rumor that your photographer girlfriend at that ski resort also filmed you having sex?”
For a moment, the thought of how that would hurt his family made Josh a little crazy. He found himself standing menacingly over Chasz. “Knock it off before I deck you.”
Chasz raised both hands. “I don’t need to resort to that, of course. Just thought it gave us a little bargaining room. I’m offering a hundred thousand for you to back off.”
“I don’t want to hear it. See yourself out.”
Josh walked past him and into the barn, feeling like his skin was afire, and he needed to burst out of it. A few minutes later, the limousine glided away, and he stood still, hands fisted at his sides at the audacity of that a*shole.
And then he thought about Whitney, fighting this all alone. She’d done everything alone because of that self-absorbed family of hers. Of course she hadn’t confided in him—she’d never had anyone to confide in.
He wanted desperately to talk to her, to help her, but didn’t know if he would be welcome. And how could he tell her that her family had tried to bribe and blackmail him?
Whitney looked up when someone knocked on Leather and Lace’s front door. She saw the silhouette of a slim woman, and although it could be many people, she just somehow knew it was her mother.
With a sigh, she unlocked the door and met Vanessa’s worried gaze.
“Come on in, Mom,” Whitney said, stepping aside. “Can I get you something? Coffee? A soda?”
Vanessa winced and tossed her purse on the table Whitney was using. “You’re treating me like a guest rather than your mother.”
Whitney could only shrug. Vanessa had become that all by herself.
“Is anyone else here?” Vanessa asked.
“I gave everyone the day off. They’re going to start the upstairs soon, and that won’t take as long, but… I don’t know, I just didn’t feel like listening to the pounding. It’s pretty peaceful right now. I’m considering the suggestions of the interior designer I’ve used for the other stores and…” She trailed off when Vanessa didn’t even look down at the sketches. “Okay, Mom, what’s going on?”
“I—I have to tell you something, and you’re not going to like it,” Vanessa said, not quite meeting her gaze. “I didn’t know anything about it until it was over. I’m not even sure your father knew, but—”
“Mom, just spit it out,” Whitney said, feeling tense.
“Chasz went to Josh this morning to talk about your coming into the company.”
Whitney inhaled and gritted her teeth. “I hadn’t even told him yet, Mom. I’ve told you all along I haven’t made up my mind.”
“Well, Chasz didn’t know Josh was clueless, but maybe somehow this is all for the best?”
“Even you don’t sound convinced of that. What happened?”
“I just… I just don’t think you mean as much to Josh as you think you do.”
“Mom, tell me what happened!” Whitney said in a sharp voice.
Vanessa twisted her fingers together. “After Josh told him that Winslow Enterprises needs you, he offered Josh money to step aside.”
Whitney felt her mouth drop open. “He what?”
“Oh, Whitney, I knew you were going to take this badly, especially since Chasz told him you couldn’t possibly want to live in this small town, living such a… small… normal kind of life.”
Now Whitney’s face flushed. “I can’t believe this,” she hissed, then covered her mouth with both hands.
“I know, I know, it was a terrible thing to assume, but maybe it worked out for the best. Because Josh seems to want to bargain for more money.”
“What? That can’t be possible. Tell me exactly what happened.”
“Just that Chasz offered money, and Josh made him leave. Chasz fully intends to counter with a higher offer, he was that confident that he could persuade Josh to let go of this whole thing.”
“This whole thing?” Whitney echoed icily. “You mean me. Let go of me.”
Vanessa winced. “You’ve only been dating a few weeks, darling.”
Absolutely nothing about this whole conversation was making sense. Her family actually thought Josh wanted a higher offer?
It should chill her, but for the first time in a while, she felt… hope. They saw Josh’s behavior from their own skewed point of view. She saw it in another light. He didn’t laugh in Chasz’s face; he threw her brother out. Had Josh been angry? Maybe even angry because he felt something for her, and was offended?
But was this a good thing? Or would it make her decision even more difficult?
“I just thought you should know all this,” her mother finished in a lame voice, “and that your father is deciding our next response.”
“No, Mom, no response, no bribes, nothing. Just leave us alone and let me make my own decision!” Her voice rose so loud by the end that the final word seemed to thunder in her ears.
With a shaking hand, Vanessa picked up her purse. “I didn’t want this, Whitney, any of it. But somehow it’s all happened, and we have to make the best of it.”
Whitney felt her anger deflate into tired sadness. “Chasz made it all happen, Mom. There was no ‘somehow.’ I’m sorry he disappointed you and Dad so much. But you have to promise me you’ll make Dad and Chasz leave Josh alone.”
Vanessa nodded. “I’ll do my best.”
“Thank you.” She opened the door and waited for her mom to go through.
Vanessa hesitated, looking back at Whitney over her shoulder, then lowered her head and walked out. Whitney closed the door with gentle restraint; otherwise, she’d have slammed it.
She was being ridiculous—just because Josh was too honorable to accept a bribe didn’t mean he loved her. The exhilaration that threatened to overwhelm her was only confusing her, especially since she’d jumped off the porch swing when he tried to have a serious conversation with her. He hadn’t even called her last night, as he normally did. No word today, either.
And now he’d been practically assaulted by her family. She wouldn’t blame him for backing off.
That night, Whitney lay in bed and stared up at the dark ceiling with dry eyes. She ran scenarios in her head, where she went to work in Manhattan and tried to have some kind of long-distance relationship with Josh. She had the money to fly to see him anytime she wanted, but how often would she be able to get away? She still didn’t know how she felt about him, and perhaps that signaled a death knell for it all.
Or should she just open her Valentine store and return to San Francisco, letting her family deal with the problems Chasz had caused? He wasn’t the face of the company; maybe it would weather the storm of one bad employee.
Or should she stay in Valentine?
The whisper of such an idea gave her the chills, of both fear and exhilaration. She had no guarantees that anything more would happen with Josh. What if she stayed, then found out he’d expected her to leave, that she was just a late-summer fling? The town was so small, and they’d see each other all the time, and there could be awkwardness—
So? When had a broken relationship with a man ever made her question where she lived, who her friends were?
But here, her friends were his friends, his family. A breakup in Valentine wouldn’t be as anonymous as one in San Francisco.
She had no idea what she was going to do, for the first time in her life. Even when she’d found out she couldn’t be a part of Winslow Enterprises, she’d had a plan. And when that hadn’t worked, she’d gotten her parents’ attention with Whitney Wild. After the thrill of that had petered out, she’d charged with excitement and determination into building Leather and Lace.
And now? She was clueless, and it made her feel small and insignificant and alone.
And Josh didn’t call.
The next day, the girls called Whitney up and invited her to lunch, so she was able to coolly tell her family she had plans. She couldn’t go on ignoring them, she knew, but for now it made her feel better. It still appalled her that they thought they could bribe Josh to break up with her.
After a Mexican lunch at Rancheros, Brooke, Emily, Monica, and Whitney retreated to Sugar and Spice for dessert, because frankly, no one else made them as well as Emily. And Whitney told her that, too, making her blush. Emily waved to Steph, who had a half day off from school and was working the counter.
“Is she always here, Em?” Whitney asked softly.
“She keeps asking for more hours,” Emily insisted, her voice lowered as she spoke to her friends. “She’s up to twenty hours a week, and I think that’s all a high-school senior busy with classes and a boyfriend—”
“And barrel racing,” Brooke interrupted.
“—and looking at colleges, should do,” Emily continued. “I enjoy her here, of course, but—”
“You’re whispering!” Steph called, as a customer left the shop, her voice amused. Wiping her hands on a towel, she came around the counter and approached their table, blond ponytail bobbing. “So what are you whispering about?”
Emily hesitated.
“You,” Brooke said. “Em’s worried you’re working too much, when you should be enjoying your senior year.”
“But I’m enjoying this,” Steph said to her sister. “In fact, I’ve been thinking about an idea, and now’s as good a time as any to bring it up. What would you say about actually teaching me to bake? You know, your secrets and everything.”
Emily stared up at her, mouth parted in surprise. “But that’s even more work for you.”
“But I like it. I like experimenting with how things taste, and I like how happy people are when they eat our food. And if you teach me, I can take your place while you go on your honeymoon. Maybe around Christmastime, when I have off from school. It’s all about me, you know,” she added, smiling.
Whitney saw Emily’s eyes fill just before she rose to hug her sister.
“I think your learning to bake would be wonderful,” Emily said huskily. Then she broke the hug and held Steph’s upper arms. “But you can change your mind if you don’t like it.”
Steph rolled her eyes. “I’ve already been working here a while. I think I’d know that. Who knows, maybe we could work here together forever.” She grinned.
Then the front door opened, setting the bell jingling, and Steph turned to greet their customer, an older lady, before heading behind the counter.
And Emily stared after her, mouth agape.
“You’ll catch flies in there,” Monica said, bumping shoulders with her.
Emily swallowed. “I just… we had such troubles last year, and now… this.” She cleared her throat and gave an embarrassed smile. “Sorry. When you had as little family interaction as I did growing up, this all still seems unreal.”
Whitney felt a pang of sympathy and sadness. She knew just how Emily felt. But Emily had come here and found her real family, loving and supportive. Whitney’s real family had followed her to Valentine just to use her now that they were desperate—and offend Josh, too. And he was so offended, maybe he’d dropped her altogether.
She didn’t want to think about that just now, and instead, turned back to Brooke. “Did I mention you look nicely dressed up today?”
Brooke looked down at her navy pants, striped white and blue top, and summer sweater. “Thanks. Not my normal clothes, it’s true. But I spent the morning making the rounds of businesses that might like to rent my indoor arena. You know, to help it pay for itself. And I mentioned the riding school, too, of course.”
“So you weren’t trying to entice Adam to propose?” Monica teased.
Brooke sighed. “He’s busy coordinating the final renovations on a house meant for the returning-vet program. Good thing we work together, or I’d never see him.” She reached into her blouse and pulled slowly on a necklace. “But we did camp up near the herd last night… and this was the result.”
On the end of the chain dangled an engagement ring with an oval diamond winking in the sunlight.
Everyone screamed and gasped, leaving Brooke grinning.
“Congratulations!” Whitney said. “Come on, we need details. Did you have any idea it was coming?”
“How could she not?” Monica said. “The whole town knew she wanted a ring, and Adam’s no fool.”
Brooke laughed. “But it was still a surprise. We were roasting marshmallows—yeah, I know, a kid thing, but Adam likes them. He had the marshmallows, and he took my stick, and when he handed it back, rather than a marshmallow, the ring was dangling from it! I think I screamed and scared off every cow for miles.”
They all took turns hugging her. As Whitney listened to the friends’ suggestions and plans, she realized that when she left Valentine, all of these special moments would go on without her. Josh hadn’t called last night or this morning, as if she wasn’t even worth the fight, now that he knew she had even more reason to leave town. She told herself she didn’t know what he was thinking, that maybe he was trying to find a way to break the news about what her family had done.
Brooke had donned her ring, and the other women were oohing and aahing over it. The stab of envy Whitney felt took her by surprise. She knew things hadn’t been easy for Brooke and Adam, and this engagement was the culmination of a love story that took work.
So why did Whitney feel envious about a future marriage, when she herself could have the business world she’d long wanted? Hadn’t that always been more important than a relationship with a man?
But that had been before Josh. And now this feeling of envy. Was she actually falling in love with him? Had he responded to her brother the way he had—because Josh might be falling in love with her, too? Dammit, but whatever happened, she could not just keep ignoring what her family had done. She had to talk to Josh.