The Maverick's Baby Arrangement
Auteur
Kathy Douglass
Lezers
15,5K
Hoofdstukken
20
Chapter One
Brittany Brandt double-checked the contents of her tan leather satchel, making sure she had everything she needed before snapping it shut. She closed her eyes, inhaled deeply then slowly blew out her breath, envisioning a successful outcome to her meeting with Daniel Dubois. Other planners at Bronco Hills Elite Parties, the event-planning firm where she’d been employed for the past several months, had been reluctant to take him on when he’d hired the firm to plan an important dinner party. While the others had cowered in fear, Brittany had stepped forward. She wasn’t afraid of a challenge—or of a man rumored to be impossible to please.
Besides, organizing his party was part of her master plan to advance her career and earn a promotion to partner. Shying away from hard situations and difficult clients wasn’t going to help her accomplish that goal. Showing her bosses and the upper crust of Bronco, Montana, what she was capable of doing would.
She’d been fully aware that Mr. Dubois wouldn’t be the easiest person to work with before she’d volunteered to take on the job. The trail of other event planners who’d scurried away from Bronco with their tails between their legs made that abundantly clear. Everybody knew that BHE wasn’t his first event planner. Or second, for that matter. Originally, he’d hired a firm from L.A. with a reputation of catering to celebrities. They hadn’t lasted long. Next, he’d hired a big-name firm out of Chicago. They’d come and gone even more quickly. There’d also been some firm from New York, but their tenure had been so short they were hardly worth mentioning. He’d finally decided to toss the local firm a bone as if doing BHE a favor.
Others might be offended by being a last choice, but not Brittany. In fact, to her, the failure of the other firms was a good thing. Once she pulled off the event—and she had no doubt she would pull it off in spectacular fashion—the Who’s Who in town would take notice of her and beat a path to her firm, requesting to work with her specifically. Cornelius Taylor, the patriarch of the richest family in Bronco, would certainly be impressed enough to hire her. She’d pitched her idea of the Denim and Diamonds fundraiser to raise money for programs to aid low-income families in Bronco to him, but so far he hadn’t been persuaded. Although she’d put the idea on the back burner temporarily, she wouldn’t give up on it. But right now, she needed to focus on creating a memorable dinner party for Mr. Dubois.
Opening her eyes, she grabbed her satchel and purse, strode from her office and into the main area of the firm. Rachel, the assistant Brittany shared with two other planners, looked up from her desk and smiled. “Heading off to your meeting with Mr. Dubois?”
“Yes.”
Rachel pretended to shiver in fear. “You’re braver than I am.”
“He’s just a man.”
“A man who has chased off three firms already.”
Brittany waved a hand in dismissal. “I’m made of sterner stuff. Plus, they weren’t as creative as I am. Or as determined. There’s no way I’m going to run away in fear from any man.”
“Knowing you, you’ll have him eating out of your hand before the meeting is over.”
“I won’t go that far. I know he’s no pushover. But remember, I’m the oldest of five children. I have experience dealing with stubborn and demanding people. Trust me, nobody is more unreasonable than a two-year-old hopped up on sugar at bedtime.”
Rachel laughed. “I’ve seen the man, albeit from a distance. There’s nothing childish about his looks.”
Brittany already knew that. Although she had yet to meet Daniel in person, she’d seen pictures of him in gossip rags and business magazines. The creativity she used in her job failed her when it came to describing Daniel Dubois. The best she could do was tall, dark and handsome. Cliché as it was, the saying fit him to a T. He had a face designed to make a woman’s heart beat faster and a muscular body that had Brittany imagining things she shouldn’t if she wanted him as a client. In short, he was six feet of deliciousness.
“No, there isn’t. But since his personality isn’t nearly as appealing as his looks, I’d better get going. The last thing I want to do is get on his bad side by being late.”
“From what I can see, the man doesn’t have a bad side,” Rachel quipped.
Brittany laughed then left.
Daniel Dubois was a very wealthy horse rancher and his lifestyle reflected that. He owned a magnificent property in the exclusive section of Bronco Heights.
Two hours north of Billings, Bronco was actually two cities: Bronco Heights where the incredibly rich people resided and Bronco Valley where the regular folks lived. Bronco Heights was consistently included on lists of the country’s best places to live while Bronco Valley’s claim to fame was as a popular tourist destination.
As Brittany drove through the town, she passed by the business district. Exclusive boutiques, a high-end jewelry store and DJ’s Deluxe upscale barbecue restaurant lined the pristine streets. Shoppers strolled down the wide walks, enjoying the beautiful late-summer day.
After a relaxing ride, Brittany reached the winding road that lead to the Dubois mansion. Signaling, although there was no traffic behind her, she drove the nearly mile-long private road to his estate. The sprawling property was nothing short of magnificent and she slowed to take it all in.
The ranch had an air of serenity that only nature could provide. She was slightly nervous about her upcoming meeting and, with each breath she took, she felt more tranquil. In the distance, deer and elk meandered between the trees as if they, too, were at peace. Mountains soared in the background, reaching toward the wide sky. Given the amount of money Dubois had, she wasn’t surprised by the grandeur. What was surprising were the numerous small cabins she spotted in the distance. She briefly wondered what they were for and then dismissed the thought as unimportant. She was here to plan his dinner. Nothing else about Daniel Dubois was her concern.
Brittany parked her car at the end of the long circular drive, using the walk to the portico to prepare herself mentally for the meeting.
As she neared the covered walkway, she spotted Malone, the cook for one of Bronco’s established families—the Abernathys—coming out the front door. Although she didn’t know him very well, she liked the older man and called out a greeting to him. He spun around and looked at her. His face flushed momentarily before the color drained from it, leaving him pasty white. He appeared guilty, although she couldn’t imagine why.
“Hi. Funny seeing you here,” she said with a smile.
“Yes. Well.” Clearly flustered, he took a deep breath. “I’ve been working for the Abernathys for more than twenty years. And I like my job and am very loyal to them.”
“Of course.” Where was all this going? She’d only been making small talk. She certainly didn’t expect an accounting of the man’s time or an explanation of his presence.
“I didn’t know that Mr. Dubois had invited me out here to try and hire me away from the Abernathys. Had I known that, I would have saved both his time and mine.”
Brittany nodded as the older man continued on his way. Apparently, loyalty didn’t mean anything to Daniel Dubois. If he didn’t expect people to be loyal to their employers, he surely wouldn’t regard loyalty to his employees as something that he owed. She briefly wondered if he applied that same attitude to personal relationships then brushed the ridiculous thought aside. The only relationship she wanted with him was a business one. One where contracts would be signed and expectations clearly spelled out, not one where her heart was on the line.
Not that she was at risk of losing her heart to him—or anyone else, for that matter. She was a career woman through and through. Marriage and kids weren’t part of her five-year plan.
Brittany reached the front door and rang the bell. The sound of chimes filtered through the open windows and continued for several seconds until the melody finished. A moment later, the door swung open, revealing a uniformed woman who appeared a few years older than Brittany’s own thirty-three. The woman introduced herself as Marta, Daniels’s housekeeper, then she ushered Brittany inside and closed the heavy wooden door behind them.
“I’m Brittany Brandt.”
Marta smiled. “Welcome. You’re right on time, which will please Mr. Dubois. He’ll be right with you. He’ll meet with you in the study.”
Brittany followed the woman through the entry, through an impressive living room and several equally large rooms, before coming to a closed carved-mahogany door. Marta opened the door and waved Brittany inside. “Would you like a drink? The cook just made fresh lemonade.”
“Thank you, no. I’ll just wait for Mr. Dubois.”
“Okay.” Marta left, closing the door behind her.
Alone, Brittany took the opportunity to look around, trying to get a feel of Daniel’s style. In her experience, clients often could not put their likes or dislikes into words. She couldn’t count the number of times someone had told her they knew what they liked when they saw it. Which was fine when it came to deciding which dress to buy. It wasn’t as helpful when putting together a special event.
Though she’d only glimpsed the other rooms, adding that bit of knowledge to her quick study of this room revealed that his taste ran toward the masculine and Western. And exceedingly expensive. She ran her hand across a carved horse and rider sitting on the corner of his massive desk then crossed the room to the far wall where a built-in cabinet was filled with trophies for horse breeding. Several awards and commendations from civic organizations were there, as well. Beside the trophy case was a prominently displayed framed letter thanking Mr. Dubois for his ongoing generous contributions to their organization supporting mental health. Another letter thanked him for funding the Francine Dubois scholarship. She briefly wondered whether the woman was his mother.
Apparently, he was a charitable man, which was a mark in his favor. He might be demanding, but clearly he cared about those who were less fortunate than he was. A believer in giving to others whenever she could, Brittany’s opinion of Daniel Dubois rose several notches. Not enough to put up with any nonsense from him, but enough to give him the benefit of the doubt when necessary.
But something was missing in the room. There were no personal items. No photos of people he loved. People who were important to him. She thought it best to keep business and personal lives separate, but this was his home office. Surely, a personal item here or there would be acceptable. Come to think of it, she hadn’t glimpsed anything personal in the other rooms, either. Curiouser and curiouser.
She heard the door open and she turned. Daniel Dubois stepped into the room. Brittany took one look at him and barely managed to stifle a gasp. The magazines hadn’t done him justice. They’d completely failed at capturing his good looks. Daniel Dubois was absolutely stunning.
He had the kind of chiseled features that could make women swoon. Even her knees weakened for a moment before she forced herself to stay upright. His light brown skin was unmarred by the slightest blemish and his dark brown eyes, rimmed by thick soot eyelashes, were filled with intelligence. With his looks, he could make a fortune as a male model.
More than great looks, he had a commanding presence. No doubt he’d dominate any room he entered. He smiled as he crossed the room to shake her hand and her stomach took a foolish tumble. No way. He was a client. She couldn’t allow herself to feel the slightest attraction to him.
“Thank you for waiting.”
“No problem.” As she shook his hand, she felt the calluses on his palm. Daniel Dubois wasn’t some rich guy dabbling in ranching until something else drew his attention. He worked his ranch. Impressive.
After declining his offer of a beverage, she let him lead her to a seating area in front of a wall of floor-to-ceiling windows. The drapes had been pulled back, revealing a view of the ranch that went on forever. From this vantage point, she could see all the way to a babbling brook about twenty yards away. Shrubs and purple-and-yellow wildflowers billowed in the breeze and a few deer drank from the water As dedicated as she was to her work, she’d have to use all of her discipline to not be distracted by the beauty the windows revealed.
Once they were seated, her on the brown leather sofa and him on a coordinating chair beside her, she opened her notebook and took out a pen. She preferred the old-fashioned method of taking notes when meeting with clients. It was more personal and didn’t create the artificial distance a computer did.
“So, tell me about your event. What do you envision? What are your goals?”
He leaned against the back of his chair, stretched his long legs in front of him and crossed his ankles. Dressed in comfortable jeans that had been faded over time and a chambray shirt that stretched across his muscular chest and shoulders, he looked at ease. But given his reputation, she knew his mind was sharp and that he wouldn’t miss a trick.
“Did you notice the cabins in the distance while you were driving in?”
“Yes. They’re lovely.”
“Those are guest cabins. I plan to turn a part of my ranch into a dude ranch. A top-of-the-line resort worthy of Bronco Heights and serving an exclusive clientele. I’ve been in business long enough to know that community buy-in is important to any business. Although there is a lot of land between me and my neighbors, I want them to feel comfortable with what I’m about to do with my property.”
“That’s a good idea.”
“That’s where you come in. I want to have a dinner for the leading families and community leaders in Bronco to inform them about the resort. I’ll distribute information packets as well as answer any questions they may have.”
Brittany nodded. She admired the way he planned to take the proverbial bull by the horn. As a newcomer to town, he would be subject to a lot of suspicion by the old-moneyed folk who at times could be a bit insular. He struck her as someone who wouldn’t be cowed and who’d soon earn everyone’s respect.
He glanced at her and his beautiful smile faded. “Why do you think you’re qualified for a job that other firms were incapable of handling?”
Brittany was momentarily stunned by the abrupt change from charming man to cold businessman, but she shifted gears, as well. Now that the pleasantries were over, it was down to business. “I can’t say why the others failed, because I’m not acquainted with them. What I can tell you is that I’m good at my job. Very good. You strike me as someone who knows what he’s doing, so I’m sure you’ve already asked about me.”
“I have.”
“Then you know I have an excellent reputation.”
“I’ve heard good things. But I also know that you’ve only been with Bronco Heights Elite Parties for a few months. Before that you worked at that ghost-hunting company.” He shook his head, making it obvious what he thought of that business. “All told, you don’t have very much experience.”
“I can see how you would believe that.”
“It’s not a belief. It’s a fact.”
She’d give him that. “The people you hired before had experience, right?”
“Yes.”
“How’d that work out for you?”
His eyes narrowed. Obviously, he didn’t like being challenged.
Smiling internally, she continued. “They weren’t able to deliver. Clearly, a long résumé doesn’t guarantee ability or a successful outcome. You should consider my natural assets.” He raised an eyebrow and she realized how suggestive that comment sounded. Rather than try to clean it up and thereby prolong the uncomfortable moment, she soldiered on. “I have skills that can’t be taught. I can arrange a dinner party that your guests will be buzzing about for months. And I guarantee they’ll be lining up for invitations to your next dinner party while those unfortunate enough to have been left off the guest list try to wrangle invitations to your next event. More than that, it’ll drum up interest and support for your resort.”
“You’re pretty sure of yourself.”
“I know what I can do.”
He nodded, as if impressed. “Do you have time to see the ranch? If you’re going to be organizing this function, it would be helpful for you to have a look around.”
“I have time.” She’d cleared the afternoon for the express purpose of getting to know him.
“Okay. There are a few places we can only reach by horseback, so I’ll have to settle with describing them to you.”
“Why? I can ride.”
One side of his lips lifted in a sexy half smile that had her toes curling in her boots. She forced them straight. She didn’t get involved with clients.
“Really? In that case, let’s take the horses.”
“Yes. Let’s.”
He stood and held out his hand to her. Pleasantly surprised by the gesture, she placed her hand in his and rose. He led her from his office and through the magnificent house. The rooms were spacious, airy and exquisitely decorated, if a little masculine for her taste. But then there wasn’t a Mrs. Dubois in the picture to soften the décor. Or the man.
They walked through a long hallway where gorgeous paintings hung from the dark-paneled wall. She would have liked to slow down to get a better look at the artwork, but he was on a mission. Nearly half a foot shorter, she couldn’t keep up with his long strides.
They exited through a door and stepped into the warm air. She inhaled the scent of wildflowers and freshly mowed grass. The view from here was even better than the one from his office, showing a property more expansive than she’d thought. A paved path led from the door into two directions. One led to a small pond. The other—the one they took—led to the stables.
A man approached them as they stepped inside, pulling his cowboy hat from his head when he saw her. “Good afternoon, Mr. Dubois. Ma’am.”
“Hi,” Brittany said.
“I’m going to take Ms. Brandt on a ride around the ranch, Jerry. Would you saddle Sugar Cookie for her?”
“Right away,” he said and then ambled away.
“Sugar Cookie?” Brittany asked. He didn’t strike her as the kind of man who’d give a horse such a fanciful name.
“I didn’t choose it,” he said quickly, as if his man card was in danger of being revoked. “The previous owner’s daughter named her that.”
“I think it’s sweet.”
He snorted and strode to a stall where a gorgeous stallion waited. In under a minute, he’d saddled the horse and led it to where Brittany waited. The groom returned with Sugar Cookie and stepped up beside Brittany to help her mount.
“I’ll do that,” Daniel said.
“Okay,” Jerry said and walked away.
Before Brittany could tell Daniel that she was perfectly capable of mounting the horse on her own, he was beside her. When he gently put his hands on her waist and, her voice abandoned her as he lifted her into the saddle. She inhaled and she was instantly surrounded by his masculine scent. Her heart beat a little faster and the blood raced through her veins. Then he adjusted her stirrups. When he turned his back and returned to his own horse she blew out a shaky breath and wiped her hand across her suddenly damp brow.
How many times did she have to remind herself that she didn’t get involved with clients? She’d never struggled this hard to keep business and personal separate. Hopefully, this was a temporary problem.
She twisted in her seat, getting comfortable in the saddle. If she’d known ahead of time that she’d be riding a horse, she would have worn jeans and a T-shirt instead of the high-waisted black pants and pink-and-white chiffon blouse. But since this was the opportunity to get to know Daniel better, she wouldn’t complain. Besides, her parents owned a large dry-cleaning business, so getting her clothes cleaned wouldn’t be a hassle.
Daniel swung up onto his stallion and led them out of the stable and into the pasture. Without the slightest hesitation, he started off across the large expanse of grass. He went slowly at first, as if not believing she could really ride. She’d grown up in Montana. Of course she could ride.
Apparently satisfied that she knew what she was doing, he sped up. She tried to keep her eyes on the beautiful scenery, but they kept drifting to Daniel’s muscular body. He looked so fine riding on his stallion that her mouth began to water.
She was in unchartered territory here. Normally she had laser focus on work. Now the dinner was the farthest thing on her mind. The only thing she could concentrate on was the very sexy Daniel Dubois. If she didn’t get her wayward mind under control and tamp down on her attraction, she was going to be in deep trouble.
