Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 84829 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 424(@200wpm)___ 339(@250wpm)___ 283(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84829 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 424(@200wpm)___ 339(@250wpm)___ 283(@300wpm)
“I’m in Wyoming.”
“Somebody finally grew a pair of legs and walked away from her desk. Good for you.”
“Get real, I’m here for Frank.”
A heavy sigh filtered through the phone, then a dry, “Of course, you are.”
“I need you to go to my apartment, pack up a bunch of my stuff, and FedEx––actually, I need you to bring it to me.”
“Sydney, I’m on vacation…in Miami. You remember that, right?”
“It’s an emergency.”
This time the sigh that blasted through my phone was a touch more dramatic. “Remember when you said, ‘Miller, you’ve been a model employee, completely indispensable. Therefore, not only can you finally take a fucking vacation, but after all the years you’ve served me tirelessly while I took advantage of your impeccable work ethic, I’ll even pay for it.’ Member when you said that?”
“I don’t have time for drama. I’m sending out an SOS.” I couldn’t be bothered to hide my agitation. It was finally sinking in that I was really doing this––marrying a man I barely knew. Not to mention, the little I did know I didn’t like. And it goes without saying that he definitely did not like me.
“Paul will officially divorce me if I tell him I need to get back to New York.”
“Which is why I’m going to offer you two first class tickets to Jackson Hole and a three-night stay at the Four Seasons.”
“Hmm. I don’t know…”
“I’ll throw in one of those freaking wine tasting thingies you guys like!” An older couple waiting for the elevator glowered.
“And a couples’ massage.”
“Fine.” My molars were getting a workout.
“Done. See you in a few days.”
“I’ll email you a list of things I need you to bring.”
“What’s the emergency, anyway?”
“I’m getting married,” I told him, matter-of-fact, after which a meaningful moment of silence ensued. No point in acting like a victim. I knew what I was doing when I practically challenged Scott to call it off: baiting his larger-than-life ego. It had been way too deliciously easy to pass up.
“Are you kidding?”
“I’ll explain when I see you.”
Chapter Five
Scott
“I’ve been calling you all morning,” I barked as soon as my sister answered. If anyone could talk some sense into my father, it was Devyn.
“I’ve got a major crisis on my hands right now, Scott. Chocolate Chip and Cheddar Cheese are missing! Hold on…Fallon, did you look in the pantry? Okay, keep looking.” In the background, I could hear my nieces shouting.
I wasn’t entirely sure I wanted to know who or what the fuck “Chocolate Chip” and “Cheddar Cheese” were but I really needed her help, so halting the mare I was riding, I motioned to Ryan to go on ahead without me. We were rotating some of the cattle onto a different pasture and it wasn’t the kind of work you could do if your head wasn’t in the game. I always preached safety with my employees and held myself to the same standard.
Dismounting, I leaned a hand on the saddle. “I’ve got a crisis of my own to discuss.”
“Do you know what happens when the little asshole that works at the pet shop assures you that the hamsters he sold you are both female and it turns out they aren’t? No need to answer that because I’m gonna tell you––you end up with eighteen fucking hamsters in eighteen separate cages. They need constant cleaning, Scott. Constant. And I can’t put them together and risk begetting more hamsters. Hence, Cheddar Cheese and Chocolate Chip are now missing and probably fucking their brains out. I’m living the movie Gremlins and it’s terrifying.”
Chuckling, I pinned the phone between my ear and shoulder, took off my Giants cap, tunneled my fingers through my hair, and slapped it back on. “Why don’t you give them back to the pet shop.”
“They won’t take them!”
As much as I’d like to say that I felt sympathy for her predicament, my situation definitely trumped hers. “Have you spoken to Dad?”
“No. Why? Is he okay?”
“He’s fine.” I stared out at the landscape, the valley peppered with my cattle, and pride filled my soul. Everything I had was invested in this ranch, money I’d earned through stock trades. It had taken years to get in the black and I’d done it all on my own, without a penny from my parents. “He’s decided to blackmail me into marriage, but otherwise he’s fine.”
Devyn snorted. “Really? To whom?”
“That’s your reaction when I tell you I’m being blackmailed?”
“Yeah. Who’s he making you marry?”
A pause before I begrudgingly answered. “Sydney Evans.”
What started as quiet chuckling quickly gained strength. In between the laughter she gasped for air. Was it too much to ask for a little solidarity?
“I don’t see what’s funny about this.”
“She hates you,” Devyn barely managed to push out between a fit of laughter. “Hold on a minute, I gotta text John. He’s going to piss himself laughing.”