Page 5 of Choosing the Montana Cowboy

“I know. That’s why I brought you your bag.” He rubbed a hand over where his neck and shoulder met. “Didn’t think about grabbing your laptop and the other stuff, though.”

Natalie grimaced. Would she really lose everything to a fire tonight? Doubtful, since she had yet to smell smoke or see a single flame. She drew in a calming breath and offered a smile to this surprisingly considerate cowboy who’d rescued the item and its contents that mattered most.

“Thank you. That was very thoughtful of you.”

He shrugged, his gaze shifting from hers. “Just figured you’d need it, is all.”

Wait, was he getting shy on her all of a sudden?

“Does this mean you’re calling a truce between us?” she asked.

His lips twitched with the tiniest hint of a smile. “Not a chance, darlin’. I’ve got a ranch to protect.”

Lord, he needed to go back to scowling at her. Smiling Sam was far too handsome, and his sandalwood cologne smelled much too appealing.

“Well, I assure you—”

“Miss Wright? Where’s Miss Wright?”

They turned to spy the mayor wading through the crowd. He caught sight of her and made his way to join them.

“Thank you, Miss Wright, for coming all this way and helping to share your company’s vision with Marietta. Excellent presentation, you did a lovely job.”

Beside her, the almost-smiling Sam went still as stone. She refused to feel guilty about the compliment. “It’s my pleasure, Mr. Mayor. But I do have a few more slides to share with everyone once we get back inside. And then we need to have the planning board vote, of course.”

“I’m afraid we’re going to have to call it a wrap for tonight. The fire department is insisting on doing a comprehensive sweep of the building, which will take at least another half an hour, and these good folks need to be getting home to their families.”

Natalie worked to hide her disappointment. “Completely understandable. We’ll just have to continue the meeting another time. Perhaps another evening yet this week?”

“Hmm, I’m not sure if that will be possible. I want to say one of the voting members will be out of town the rest of the week.” He pulled out his cell phone and tapped its screen. “I’ll have my secretary check everyone’s schedules, though, and get with you first thing in the morning.”

It wasn’t a meeting set in stone, but at least it was something. “Thank you, I look forward to hearing from them.”

“Miss Wright?”

She turned toward the sound of a new male voice and spied the man who’d ushered them all from the room walking toward them, the rest of her things in his grasp. “Oh! Thank you.”

“No problem. Vinnie swears he smells smoke, so I didn’t want to take any chances.”

“I appreciate it,” she said, taking her things while trying not to mind that he’d literally shoved as much as he could into her travel briefcase and tucked the rest under one arm. Hopefully, her laser pointer was in there somewhere. Then again, if she got that promotion, maybe she wouldn’t be needing it after Marietta.

“Thanks again,” she called as he hurried back toward the building. Natalie pulled her things close, took a deep breath, then swiveled back to finish her conversation with the mayor.

Who was now gone.

As was Sam.

On a sigh, Natalie started for her car. Tonight hadn’t gone at all the way she’d hoped, but she tried focusing on the positive. The project hadn’t been voted down. She still had a chance of sealing the deal and moving one step closer to that promotion.

Besides, it was gorgeous out here in Montana, intimidating mountain aside. If their rescheduled meeting was delayed a few days, she could fill her time with sightseeing. Plus, this would give her time to smooth things over with the Miles family before the actual vote. How, she wasn’t sure. But knowing her boss, Steven Gerig would come up with something to appease them.

Natalie just hoped it would be enough.

*

The sun wasnearly set as the Miles ranch came into view, painting brilliant oranges and deepening blues across the modest, stocked pond that sat in the middle of their near acreage. In another hour, the clear sky would fade to an endless black, dotted by the glow of twinkling stars. A sky that Sam had always found comforting, its vastness wrapping their ranch in tranquility.

A peace that would soon be tainted by light pollution coming from some monstrosity down the road.

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