Angel Smits - A Cowboy At Heart

Lisa swallowed. No job? No. It wasn’t possible. She loved this job. She needed this job. Silence was Lisa’s only answer. What was she supposed to do now?

An hour later, the meager contents of her desk packed into a couple of vegetable boxes, Lisa sat in her car staring at the beautiful brand-new building. Marco had poured everything he had into designing this place. He loved it. And when he’d hired her last fall to be the event coordinator, she’d been so happy, she’d cried in his office. His success had given her a place to build the career she’d only dreamed of before.

Now all of it was gone? A gust of cold wind shook her little car, and she shivered. Still, she didn’t start it and drive away. She smacked the steering wheel.

How could someone fake doing a job? What was wrong with actually doing your job? There were plenty of customers wanting Marco’s amazing food, her decorations and entertainment. They created magic together.

Magic that was apparently no more than dollars to Robert.

She’d been an idiot! She’d worked with him every day for months. How had she not seen that part of him? Thinking back now, she realized she didn’t really know anything about him.

He hadn’t told her anything about himself, hadn’t shared any personal information.

Lisa’s hands shook, from cold as much as from her anger, as she reached for her purse. She would have to—she froze, almost literally...do what?

Rummaging around in her purse, she pulled out her phone. She needed someone to talk to. Someone to spill her hurt all over, who’d listen and not chastise her for trusting so blindly.

Jack’s face came to mind. But her ex-none-too-supportive-idiot boyfriend had told her not to leave her other job. Thank goodness, he was her ex and she wouldn’t have to tell him anything.

A weird sense of déjà vu made her cringe. She’d thought she’d known Jack, too. But just like Robert, Jack had been a liar.

No, she couldn’t go back to that. Back to where Jack had left her. Back to... No!

As if on cue, her phone rang. Not Jack, thankfully. Her mother. Lisa gulped.

“Hello.” She might as well break it to her now and get it over with. She’d have to talk to her mother about this at some point anyway.

“Hello, dear.” Mom’s familiar voice was a welcome long-distance hug. “How are you? I haven’t heard from you for a while.”

“Oh, uh—” How did you tell your mother that the job you’d been raving about for months was no more? That it was all over.

“Oh, Mom!” Her carefully planned conversation turned into a whimper. “I lost my job.” And a wail.

“Oh, hon. What happened?”

The words stuck in her throat for a moment, then came rushing out. “The boss is closing the business.” She tried to regain control of her emotions, with little success. “One of my coworkers was a dirty rotten crook and took all the money. Marco can’t keep the business open.”

“I’m so sorry, dear. That’s awful. I know you really liked that job.”

“I did.” Sadness swept through her. “I don’t know what I’ll do now.”

“Everything will be fine. You’ll get another job quick. I’m sure of it. You can always go back to Dusty’s.”

No way. No way was she returning to her old job. Not just because Jack was there, though that was part of it. It would mean admitting defeat. She might be down, but she wasn’t out.

“I’ll find something,” she declared.

“That’s my girl. I’m sure you’ll land something better.”

“I hope so. Thanks, Mom.” Her mother always had a way of making things seem much better than they really were.

“Lisa, the reason I called...” Her mother took a deep breath. “Have you talked to your grandfather lately?”

“Uh, no.” That was a bit out of left field. “Should I have?”

“No. But I haven’t heard from him and I’m a bit worried. I usually call him every Tuesday, but this week he didn’t answer, and he hasn’t phoned me back.”

“Do you think there’s something wrong?”

“I hope not. I’m sure Hap or the sheriff would get in touch with me if something had happened. No, I’m afraid he’s up to something and you know how that goes.”

She did. Everyone did. Grandpa was the king of schemes. He’d always been a dreamer. He’d been one of her biggest champions, encouraging her to follow her own dreams. Her mother and grandmother had talked of all the ideas he’d had over the years, few of which Grandma had ever let come to fruition.

“Maybe—”

“Maybe what?” Somehow, Lisa didn’t think this was a good maybe.

“Now that you’re unemployed for a bit, maybe you could take a trip up to Telluride and check on him.”

“Mom, I don’t have the time—”

“For your family?” There was an edge to Mom’s voice that made Lisa remember “the look” her mother had given her whenever she’d done something naughty. “I’d go, but you know your father and I are leaving for the cruise this week. Your sister can’t go because the kids have school, and your brother is working.”

Lisa sighed. Remind me to get a family and a job soon. “I’ll check on Grandpa,” she agreed, but not without a heavy sigh. The nagging bit of worry was only part of the reason she agreed.

“Oh, thank you, dear. You know I’d do it myself if I really thought it was a serious problem.” And she would. Mom was a great mother and a good daughter. Family was important to her.

As long as the dreams weren’t too big.

CHAPTER TWO

LISA SLIPPED HER PHONE back into her purse just as Trudy came out the front door. As Lisa had, she carried a battered box of belongings—the contents of her desk crammed into a single square foot of space. Her purse, the suitcase version, hung off her shoulder. Where was her coat? Did she even have one?

The older woman looked as lost as Lisa felt. Lisa couldn’t let her leave without a decent goodbye.

Despite the cold wind, Lisa climbed out of her finally warm car and hurried over to where Trudy struggled to heft the box into her trunk. A faded brown coat nestled on the floor of the trunk.

“Let me help.” The wind tried to rip her words away, but Trudy’s nod told Lisa she’d heard. Together, they managed to get the box settled in the trunk.

The older woman forced a smile through her slowly freezing tears. “Thanks, hon. I’m just so—”

“I know.” She got Trudy’s arms into her coat and helped her zip it up. “Where are you going now?”

Trudy shrugged and looked out over the nearly empty parking lot. Marco’s car was the only other one left. “I guess...home.”

“So, you do have one.” Lisa joked, trying to make the woman smile. It almost worked. “How about I buy you a coffee?” She pulled her own coat closer around her. “I’m—I’m not ready to be alone yet.”

Trudy appeared relieved. “Me, either. But I’ll buy my own. We’re both going to be without a paycheck soon.”

“Come on.” Lisa headed to her car. “I’ll drive.”

Trudy shook her head. “I’ll take my car.” She looked back over her shoulder. “I don’t want to come back here to get it.”

“I understand.” Lisa headed to her car and they each drove to the coffee shop down the street. Lisa pulled into her usual spot, her eyes taking in the familiar facade. How many times had she come here on break or for lunch? This might be her last visit. Lisa blinked her eyes. It wouldn’t do any good to sob in her coffee.

Trudy pulled up beside her, and they braved the weather again to step into the warm, coffee-scented café. It was busy—the whirr of the coffee machines, the soft conversations and the piped-in music filled the air around them. So familiar.