The Crown Ranch 2: Missing Out on Life

Meredith inched along with the rest of the traffic while glancing at the clock on the dashboard every thirty seconds. There was definitely no time to drop the girls off at her apartment before her meeting. They’d have to come to work with her, and then she’d figure out what to do with them later.

She sped through the parking ramp and screeched to a halt in her assigned stall. Thank goodness for her close-to-the-elevator primo spot—the one she’d earned when she was promoted to a vice president position.

She practically flew out of the SUV, then flung open the back door to retrieve her laptop. Iris’s shaky fingers worked to get Frannie free from her booster seat, evidently understanding the need to hurry.

Once free, Meredith scooped Frannie into her arms, knowing time didn’t permit waiting for a four-year-old’s tiny steps. With Iris in tow, they shot into the elevator.

“What floor?” Iris asked.

“Fourteen.”

“What are we supposed to do while you are in your meeting?”

“You can wait in my office. Peggy, my assistant, can get you anything you need.”

The doors opened, and Meredith shot out. Silence fell over the room as all worker bee gazes flew to her, then Frannie, then Iris, and then back to her. Their astonished looks were not a surprise to her. Holding a child with one in tow was never part of her plan, and likely they all knew that by her demonstrated priorities.

Meredith hurried through the aisle at the center of the cubicles.

Peggy, her assistant, stood and rounded her desk. “I just brought your clients to the small conference room. They came a bit early.”

Of all times for a client to be early, it had to be today, but at least it wasn’t eleven o’clock yet, so she wasn’t late.

The woman reached for Frannie. “I’ll watch the girls.”

Frannie easily slid into Peggy’s arms. She supposed it was partly because the older woman emitted that grandmotherly aura. Meredith wasn’t exactly sure how many kids and grandkids her assistant had, but there must be plenty judging from all the pictures on her desk.

“Great.”

Peggy reached up and rested her hand on Meredith’s shoulder. Sympathy radiated from her gaze. “I’m sorry about your sister. Is there anything you need me to do?”

Tears stung the back of Meredith’s eyes, but work was not the place for tears. She blinked rapidly to dissolve them. “Thank you, but no. I’ve got everything handled.”

Meredith spun and took one step before running smack dab into Sawyer. His arrogant blue-eyed gaze had her squaring her shoulders once she regained her balance.

He looked beyond her, zoning in on the girls. “I see you have your hands full today.” His head bobbed slightly. “Hmm, kids in the workplace. Interesting.”

Fury rose in her chest. So, he was going to use her tragedy to gain an edge on her for the CEO position. Jackass.

“What I’ve got going on here is none of your business.”

“Really? We’ll see about that. Especially in a month or so when I’ll be running this place.”

The vile man didn’t wait for her to respond before stepping past her as he bumped her shoulder.

A smile pulled at her lips. She’d be getting the last laugh in two weeks when she was officially named the new CEO. In any case, though, she needed to make sure her nieces didn’t impact her performance over the next weeks. As soon as she was done with this meeting, she’d have to get them out of the office.

* * * *

Coach parked his truck and headed into his office in the horse barn. He dialed up his sister on his cell.

“Is something wrong?” She answered, a tinge of excitement in her voice.

“No. Why?”

“You hardly ever call me at work…only when something is wrong. And I guess I’m just on edge today since we’re already having a crappy day here.”

“Sorry. I suppose you are. I still can’t believe Dexter killed Anne.”

“I know. It’s like I can’t even look at her workstation today. She was such a nice person and those poor girls. Their mom is dead, and their dad is on the run. I wonder how they’re doing.”

“Actually, they seem fine.”

“How do you know?”

“I just came across them and their Aunt Meredith on the highway. They had a flat, and I changed it for them. I’m guessing Frannie hasn’t really figured out what’s going on yet, and Iris, well, maybe she’s in denial or something. You weren’t much older than her when Mom…died, so you’d probably understand her state more than I ever could.”

Silence filled the air. Even after all these years, it was hard to talk about their mom, especially for his sister.

“Maybe, but the one thing that I had that Iris and Frannie won’t is a parent who loved them. And I had all you guys—three older brothers to lean on. Poor Iris doesn’t. But I’m sure Meredith will step up to the plate and do her best.”

“I don’t know. Right now, she seemed more worried about getting to work than dealing with her nieces. Hopefully, I’m wrong.”

“This is all new to her. She’s been out of Bourbonville for almost twenty years. According to Anne, work is Meredith’s life. It’ll be an adjustment for her, but she’s basically the only family the girls have.” His sister’s heavy sigh sounded through the phone. “If only…”

“I know what you’re thinking. I thought it, too. We did our best to convince Anne to leave Dexter. Looking back now, I’m guessing she feared leaving him because of what she thought he’d do to her, but staying ended in the same result.”

“I know,” his sister whispered.

“Peyton?”

“Yeah?”

“I want to keep an eye on those girls. I want to make sure they’re okay. If Dexter comes back and does anything to them, I’ll never be able to live with myself.”

“Don’t you think Dexter’s long gone by now? Prison is all he has to look forward to if they catch him.”

“You’d think we’d never see the whites of his eyes in Bourbonville again, but I have a bad feeling he’s not done here yet. The man is as evil as they come—and worse when he’s strung out.”

“Sadly, your gut is rarely wrong. Just like twenty years ago when you looked out for Meredith.”

“She doesn’t know about that and doesn’t need to know. Privacy is part of the rules.”

“That’s such a stupid rule in this case.”

“On one hand, I agree, but on the other, I get it,” Coach agreed.

“I keep in touch with their Aunt Mildred. I’m sure she’ll keep me posted on how it’s going.”

“Thanks. I’ll let you get back to work.”

Coach disconnected the call. Surely, Meredith would step up to the plate and care for the girls. But, as for Dexter, something wasn’t right with that guy, and Coach couldn’t stop the eerie feeling coiling in the pit of his stomach. What if he went after Meredith and the girls for money or something? From what he’d heard, Meredith had a pretty good income. Dexter may find her as an easy target for cash to support his drug habit now that Anne’s income was gone. Guys like him, those without a conscience, somehow managed to fly under the police radar.

Coach envisioned how this could play out. Dexter would be slippery enough to evade the police in a big town like Louisville while he extorted cash out of Meredith. Not on his watch, though. That piece of shit better not come around those girls, Meredith included.

Storm stepped through the doorway, snapping Coach out of his awful reverie. His concerned gaze let him know he’d already talked to Peyton.

“I take it you talked to Peyton?”

His business partner, best friend, and future brother-in-law drew a crooked smile. “Yeah, just hung up with her.”

“I’m fine. Just imagining the worst possible scenarios.”

Storm nodded. “Keep me in the loop is all. Whatever you need, you’ve got it.”

Coach knew that would be the case before his buddy offered it. Storm was that guy. The guy who’d have his back, no questions asked. Just like when they served in the Army together. He was an all-in guy and would stop at nothing to help a friend in need. Coach couldn’t be happier that his best friend would soon be marrying Peyton. His sister deserved the best, and she would get it with Storm. Honest, loyal, and dependable.

“Thanks. By the way, we just got a new government contract for three background checks to be completed within a month. These will require some travel,” Coach informed his buddy.

“Great.”

Their business was picking up, both on the government side and the private side. Between that and running the horse ranch for his dad, he and Storm were becoming quite busy. At least this year, during this time period, he and Storm didn’t have to worry about security for the upcoming Kentucky Derby like last year when they received numerous threats because of his dad’s prize horse, Prince Bourbonville, who was a contender in the derby. Threats that involved both Peyton and Prince. Unfortunately for his dad, the horse he’d groomed for this year’s race injured his hoof and was pulled from the circuit. So now, he could focus on Meredith and her nieces.

Meredith. Just seeing her got his juices flowing. But it was of no use to pursue her. She’d made her feelings for him quite clear back in high school and reiterated it when the name Crown rolled off her tongue in disdain. He would not be in her future. Nonetheless, the need to keep an eye on her and the girls was overwhelming. Dexter was the worst of the worst.

* * * *

Meredith finished her client meeting and hurried back to her office to find Frannie sitting at her desk coloring a picture of a horse. Iris stood, staring out the window, not bothering to turn around when Meredith entered the room. Lost in thought, Meredith assumed.

She stepped up beside her niece. “I love this view.”

Iris ignored her. Why? She had to have heard her.

“Iris, are you okay?”

Her niece turned and looked at her like she was stupid. Meredith supposed that was a rather dumb question considering the fact her mother was just murdered by her father, but her lack of experience with kids, coupled with an experience like this, had her reeling for the right words.

Iris shook her head and shot her an eye-roll. “We should be in school today—not here. You don’t bring kids to work.”

Did she really just get scolded by a thirteen-year-old?

“In light of everything that’s happened, I don’t think your teacher will mind that you missed school today.” Meredith swung her gaze to Frannie, then back to Iris. “And does Frannie even go to school yet?”

Again, her niece looked at her like she was a dim-witted ninny. “Yes. She goes to prekindergarten, half days, then daycare for the rest of the day. Did you even call daycare to tell them she wasn’t going today?”

Sweat beaded on Meredith’s upper lip. She worked in a dog-eat-dog environment, yet this kid had her sweating more than anyone had ever caused her to amid a corporate battle. Why was she lashing out at her? She didn’t do anything but come to their rescue when called.

“Sorry, but I had this meeting I couldn’t miss.”

“So that was more important than Frannie going to school?”

Where was this hostility coming from?

“No, but—”

“Whatever,” Iris interrupted.

Meredith reached out to touch her niece just as the door to her office opened. She pulled her arm back. Her boss’s large girth filled the doorway.

He eyed Frannie then Iris for a moment before returning his gaze to her and stepping farther into the room. “Peggy told me what happened. I’m sorry. You don’t need to be here if you have family business to attend to. I’m sure Sawyer would be happy to help you out for a few days.”

Sawyer. Of course, he would. He’d be happy to steal her work—clients. There was no way in hell she would let that happen now, not when she was so close to being named the next CEO.

Though her boss said the right words, they weren’t heartfelt. His superficial tone reminded her that she knew how Kenneth felt about family interfering with work. Kenneth was old-school—work first—work only. His disapproving stare matched his insincere tone.

“No worries. I’ve got it.”

“All right, then,” Kenneth replied as she spun to leave. He hesitated at the door and glanced over his shoulder. “I don’t need to remind you how important this upcoming low-income housing project is, do I?”

“No, sir.”

The door clicked shut, and Meredith sighed. How in the heck was she going to manage two kids and this job that required long hours and no distractions?

“See, we shouldn’t be here,” Iris stated flatly.

Perceptive, she was. Filtered, not so much apparently.

“Thank goodness it’s Friday. We have the weekend to figure things out.”

“It’s not that hard. Just take us back to Aunt Mildred’s,” Iris offered.

“The woman is almost ninety. She can’t care for two kids. And why do you want out of here so bad? You haven’t even seen my apartment yet. It’s nice. You’ll like it there.”

Iris scowled. “Move from Bourbonville away from Aunt Mildred? She needs to be taken care of. That’s what Mom did. We can stay there, and I can help her.”

Whew! So, it’s not that she dislikes me. ~She’s attached to Aunt Mildred.~

Maybe the old woman was a ground wire for Iris. In any case, there was no way she would move back to that hateful Bourbonville. That small, gossipy town was the last thing she needed besides the constant reminder of what had happened to her sister, not to mention how crummy her life had been when she lived there. Plus, commuting was out of the question for her. She just didn’t have that kind of time. Iris was just going to have to get used to the idea she was relocating to Louisville.