Judy Duarte - The Boss, the Bride & the Baby

But the generous salary he was offering her was too tempting to ignore.

Besides, if things worked out and she proved herself handy and competent, he might recommend her for an office position at Rayburn Energy in Houston, which would be her ticket out of Brighton Valley for good—and before word of her fall from grace got out into the rumor mill.

All the reasons she ought to turn him down ping-ponged in her brain. She’d fallen for a womanizer’s lies and didn’t want to cross paths with another one. And as Margie had said, the apple didn’t fall far from the tree.

But the money he was offering her would allow her to leave town sooner and give her time to find another position in Houston.

“So what do you say?” he asked.

“When do you want me to start?”

Chapter Two

Jason had barely returned to the Leaning R and gone though a couple of cupboards when his office called with a list of several critical issues he needed to handle. He dealt with each one, which took no less than an hour.

When a pause sounded on the line, he realized that the last crisis had been averted—for the time being, anyway—so he adjusted the cell phone pressed against his ear, sat back in his desk chair and blew out a sigh. This was why he needed extra help on the ranch. He couldn’t run a company and get the place ready to sell, even if he could get his siblings to agree. Not by himself.

“By the way, Mr. Rayburn,” Marianne, his executive assistant, said, “we received a billing from a company called DII, which stands for Discreet International Investigations. They’re charging over three thousand dollars in services, plus fifteen hundred in expenses.”

Jason stiffened. “What in the hell was that for?”

“From what I understand, it’s a private investigation firm that did some research for your father in Mexico about four months ago. Braden had them send the bill to the office and told me that it was a legitimate expense.”

“Who gave Braden the right to authorize a payment like that?” And even more importantly, why had his father hired a PI? Did that have anything to do with his reason for being in Mexico when he died?

“I’m not sure, sir. That’s why I didn’t want to forward it to the accounting department without running it by you first.”

“Thanks, Marianne. Put a hold on it for now. I need to check into this.” After the line disconnected, Jason called his brother’s cell phone. The unusual ringtone indicated Braden was still in Mexico, but he didn’t answer.

For the next couple of hours, Jason continued to sort through cupboards while stopping every so often to try his brother’s number with no success. By the time a car drove up and parked near the front of the house, he was madder than hell and ready to fight at the drop of a hat.

Funny how just being in this house had him lapsing into the Western vernacular. He’d be saying “Howdy” and “y’all” if he didn’t get back to the city soon. He glanced out the window, only to spot an attractive redhead climbing from a white Honda Civic.

Juliana.

His frustration dissipated as he left his work in the kitchen, as well as the mess he’d strewn about the living room, and met her on the front porch.

An attitude change wasn’t so difficult once he saw her face-to-face, though. How did a woman become prettier in a matter of hours?

She’d shed her apron, for one thing. And she looked a lot less frazzled, for another. Maybe that’s because he was seeing her in the light of day instead of the diner.

The afternoon sun glistened off the gold strands in her copper-colored hair, which hung loose about her shoulders. Her eyes, a caramel shade of brown, glimmered under a fringe of long, dark lashes. She still bore a light scatter of freckles across a turned-up nose. But in a most attractive way that made a man want to memorize each one.

She wore a cream-colored gauzy top, and while it wasn’t the least bit formfitting, he found it sexy in a feminine way.

Rounding off her ensemble was a pair of shorts and sandals that revealed neatly manicured toenails.

“I’m glad you’re here,” he said, his gaze traveling up—taking in her pretty face, then tempted to travel back down again.

Damn, get a grip. He was glad to have her here. He needed the help. But he didn’t need her to realize that she’d also brought in a ray of sunlight to what had started out as a dreary day.

“Here,” he said, “let me take your bag.”

“It’s not heavy.”

“Maybe not, but for some reason, I’ve been doing quite a bit of reminiscing these past few days. I think it’s a side effect of being here at the ranch. And I can’t help but hear Granny’s voice urging me to remember my manners.”

“Then by all means,” she said, handing over her suitcase while hanging on to her purse and a small canvas tote bag. “I wouldn’t want to disappoint her.”

His movements stalled for a moment, long enough for Granny’s voice to hover in his memory. You’re a good boy. You know right from wrong, Jay-Ray. Don’t disappoint me like your daddy did.

But he shook it off as quickly as it came. He’d done his best to make both his great-grandmother and his father proud. Trouble was, he wasn’t so sure he’d pleased either one.

He led Juliana through the living room, winding through the mess he’d made, and into the hall. He’d thought about giving her one of several guest rooms, but decided upon Granny’s bedroom, which was bigger and had a private bathroom.

“I thought you’d be more comfortable in here.” He placed her suitcase on the lavender floral quilt that draped the queen-size bed.

“Thank you. This will be fine.” She set her purse and the tote alongside her bag. Then she glanced around the room, which he hadn’t entered in years—until he’d come in last night to change the sheets, dust and air things out.

He wasn’t sure why he hadn’t come into Granny’s room before then. Too many memories, he supposed. Even the furnishings, the white eyelet curtains, the embroidered throw pillows, still held a whiff of Granny’s powdery lavender scent. It was enough to draw a boy farther inside—and to make a man withdraw.

Juliana walked toward the south wall, which displayed a gold-framed portrait of Granny that appeared to be fairly recent. She’d only been gone for three years, and it couldn’t have been painted too long before that.

“That’s a perfect likeness,” Juliana said. “She looks just as I remember her—the eyes, the nose, the smile.”

Jason followed her, taking note of the expression that had been caught on canvas and thinking the same thing. “It’s like looking at a photograph, yet it’s softer. And almost real.”

“Did she have it commissioned?”

“I assume she did. I don’t remember seeing it before last night.” But then again, he hadn’t been home for any notable visit in years.

“The artist is quite talented.” Juliana stepped closer and read the signature in the corner. “I used to work in a gallery, but I’ve never heard of Camilla Cruz. I don’t believe she’s local.”

That was odd. Then where had Granny met her? Jason supposed it didn’t matter, so he shrugged it off. “I’ll tell you what. Why don’t you unpack and freshen up. Afterward, you can meet me in the den—I’ve set up a temporary home office in there. It’s two doors down on the left. As soon as you’re settled, we can go over your job assignment.”

“Sounds great. I won’t be long.”

* * *

True to her word, Juliana only took a few minutes to put away the clothing and toiletries she’d brought with her. Then she met Jason in the oak-paneled room with a bay window that provided a view of the front yard and the big red barn.