A Cowboy for the CEO

Chapter 6: Hey Jealousy

"Who's your friend, Wylda? I don't think I've gotten a chance to say hello," said the main standing at the foot of her lounger. With hands tactically placed on his hips no doubt to accentuate his pasty white pectoral muscles, he was grinning like a fool.

"Dave, Ali. Ali, Dave." Wylda nodded from one to the other. "There, you've met."

Dave took a step forward. "Nice to meet you, Ali. May I?" he asked, taking a seat on the end of the lounger without waiting for her reply.

"I was actually just going to—" she began, but catching Hank still watching them as he gathered up the ladder made Ali reconsider. "Well, I guess I can stay a little bit longer."

Plastering on her best pretend smile, she listened to Dave give what was probably a well-rehearsed personal biography encompassing everything from being a commodities trader in Chicago to having recently gone through a messy—and expensive—divorce. By the time he was done, Ali was sure she could not only make a great deal on next year's corn futures, but also avoid costly legal settlements with a well-written prenup.

"So, do you ladies have any plans for tonight?" Dave addressed them both while looking only at Ali.

She froze, sure the shock of the proposition was evident in her face. "Um, I just got here yesterday, so I'm really not ready for a night out quite yet."

"Nonsense," Dave said, dismissing her excuse. "There's this great bar not too far from here. We can grab a bite, maybe have a few drinks . . .." He put a hand on her thigh.

Ali jumped from the forwardness of the warm, pudgy touch. Using the momentum, she quickly got to her feet.

"Thanks for the invite. We'll think about it." Grabbing Wylda's hand, she pulled the other woman up beside her and gathered her clothes. "Sorry to run, but we're meeting someone for lunch."

When they were out of earshot and Wylda had put her sundress back on, Ali leaned over and giggled. "Oh my god. Was that guy for real?"

"Believe it or not, he's actually not the biggest wanker here," Wylda said, playfully slapping her on the back.

At the main building, the kitchen crew was setting up for a cookout. Large smokers and grills were already hot and packed full of sizzling meat and roasting vegetables, and having skipped breakfast, Ali didn't realize how hungry she was until the smoky smell hit her nose.

Pete was camped out at one of the tables on the terrace, hiding behind a thick hardback novel. His tall frame topped with a floppy red hat was unmistakable, and they made a beeline directly to him. But before they even sat down, Liz came running out of the lodge in a heated discussion with an older man in a chef's uniform. They passed by in a hurry, but Ali caught enough to hear that the portable refrigeration unit was on the fritz, and the man responsible for catering lunch wasn't happy about it.

After inspecting an extension cord running to the machine, Liz pulled out a cell phone and dialed. Not getting an answer, she thrust the device back into her pocket and called out to the staff gathered around, "Does anyone know where Hank is?"

She looked from one face to another, but no one spoke up. Ali sure as hell wasn't going to be the one to do it. The last thing she needed was to publicly imply that he had a new admirer. If she wanted any chance with the cowboy, she was going to have to be smart about it.

Gritting her teeth, Liz was noticeably holding back her emotions when Sheridan left her seat at a table in the back, hurried across the terrace, and ran down the lawn.

"I saw him earlier working on the tractor behind the barn," she answered, already heading in that direction. "I'll get him for you."

"Tell him to bring a generator!" Liz yelled after her.