Page 4 of Choosing the Montana Cowboy

An alarm sounded from the back of the room, loud as a dozen bull elk bucks in heat.

“Fire alarm,” Lyle Tate yelled over the noise, rising to his feet. “Everyone out.”

At the front of the room, Natalie paled. “But—”

“No time for buts, Miss Wright.” Mayor Gleeson guided her toward the door with the others. “As old as this building is, we don’t take alarms lightly. It could be anything.”

Or nothing.Sam smirked. He got his grandparents to their feet and ushered them toward the door, filing through the cramped space like the cattle he herded daily. Up ahead, he could see Natalie, her neck craned as she pointed back toward the podium. That was when he saw her purse still sitting on a chair near the refreshment table.

Sam had been married long enough to know how important it was for a woman not to lose her purse. She was probably in a panic, thinking that if the building was truly on fire, she’d lose everything in it. The jaded cowboy in him wanted to look the other way. The gentleman he’d been raised to be made him turn around to get it for her.

Besides, if he rescued her purse, maybe Natalie would stay true to her word and get her company to look into his existing lease of the Nelson property. Surely, they couldn’t develop while that was still in place. If that happened, his family would lose this season’s crops.

Or worse—all crops on that land going forward, forever. That’d be one helluva financial hit to the Miles family.

“Be right back,” he told Gramps, then stepped to the wall and squeezed his way against the flow to take one for the team.

Chapter Two

Natalie stood inthe small parking area beside the Marietta courthouse, watching helplessly as more firemen arrived, rushing for the recently evacuated building’s front door. A fire alarm? Seriously? She’d battled for attention over crying babies and puking toddlers at countless meetings, but never a fire alarm. Now one question remained. Would they get to finish the hearing or have to reschedule?

And how far back might that push her project schedule?

She scanned the parking lot, encouraged to see that most if not all of tonight’s attendees had remained despite being escorted outside. So long as those firemen hurried up and finished their inspection of the building, she might get this project to a vote yet tonight. And a vote would not only move her one step closer to that promotion but also keep her other scheduled trips clear of timing conflicts.

One month—that was all she was ever allocated for each project. One week for planning and prep, three for on-site community buy-in and guidance. Then a weekend at home to clear her mind before setting off for the next job. At the conclusion of every third project, she was given a week off. Though, that was never really enough time to take a vacation. Usually, it was more of Natalie getting reacquainted with the house she’d bought three years ago and barely had time to live in before the cycle started all over again.

Thank goodness her aunt and uncle lived near the house. She ordered their groceries each week to repay them for looking after her place. Natalie had offered to pay for more than that, especially during the summer months when her uncle mowed her lot as well, but they’d adamantly refused. So she made sure to spoil them as much as she could during her time at home, to make sure they knew just how much she appreciated them.

Her gaze drifted from the courthouse to a small library that shared the parking lot where everyone now stood. Even in the evening’s fading light, she could see cheery springtime flowers dotting its modest landscaping, bringing back childhood memories of her and her sister planting spring flowers with their mother. It was a springtime tradition Natalie was more than ready to start at her own home, once she had a position at her company that didn’t keep her on the road ten months of the year.

Close the deal first. Dream later.

She looked back toward the courthouse, willing the firemen to hurry. And where had Sam Miles run off to, anyway? If she hadn’t kept an eye on him the entire meeting, she might have guessed he was the one to set off the alarm. But Natalie knew for a fact that he hadn’t moved from his seat in the front row after his wardrobe transition. Other than to frown and scowl at her, of course.

Despite that, the man’s quiet, commanding presence had tugged at her attention all evening. She’d struggled not to stare when he appeared at the doorway then stepped into the room, his sure stride projecting strength and confidence. A stride dressed in jeans that fit his frame very nicely. But it was his eyes that her gaze kept traveling back to time and again, dark green with flecks of blue.

Flecks she wouldn’t have seen if she hadn’t practically fallen into his lap forty-five minutes ago.

Natalie shook her head. Now wasn’t the time to be daydreaming about cowboys, or any guys for that matter. New job, then find a man and put down roots—it wouldn’t make sense to work the plan in any other order. But before she dared apply for the new job, she had this one to finish. Successfully.

Nearby, streetlights flickered to lift. Dang it. They needed to get back inside and soon.

But then what? Sam had just called her out in front of everyone, his claim about this supposed lease throwing her for a loop. Usually, the land acquisitions team left no stone unturned. Surely, there wasn’t someone in that group who’d want to block her move, was there?

“Natalie.”

She whirled in the direction of Sam’s voice, irritated by the butterflies that lit in her stomach as he approached. And what was that in his hand?

“Uh, thanks. Why do you have my purse?”

He looked at her as though she’d just asked why the sky was blue. “Because you left it behind.”

“And?” she asked, taking it from him.

Confusion furrowed his brow further. “And… I didn’t think you’d want it to melt?”

“Wait—you think there could really be a fire? I just assumed it was a prank.” Her gaze flashed to the building, panic setting in. “All my stuff is in there!”

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