RANCHER BEAR’S BABY(86)

CHAPTER 11: Bunny




Six Months Later

“Tell Robin that Mr. Scott is expecting those papers on his desk by three P.M. sharp. No later or he’ll find someone else to take care of it.” I hung up the phone and sighed. I had no clue who I’d just yelled at, but I was pretty sure they didn’t deserve it.

That was the job, though. Ramsey Scott was intense. He had his fingers in a lot of pies and they were all sticky. I yelled at people more than I’d ever thought possible. Most days I barely had a voice by the time I got home. Which wasn’t exactly early.

I’d been working for him for three months and I’d already made myself at home in his business. I handled anything he needed me to, but I couldn’t help remembering the days I’d worked for Mandy fondly. She’d been an angel compared to her father, and that was saying something.

“Barbara!” Mr. Scott’s voice rang out from his office. That was another thing. He refused to call me Bunny.

I gritted my teeth and calmly walked into his office. “Yes, sir?”

Mandy was sitting in front of his desk with a couple of samples from the clothing line she was working on resting across her lap. “Bun! Hi!”

I tried to avoid a mouth kiss as she moved her face around mine, air kissing like a damn bird. “Hi, Mandy. How are you?”

Mr. Scott waved his hand at us in a way that said he couldn’t be bothered with whatever was happening around him. “Girls. I’m busy. Catch up on your own time. I need you to run these samples across town, Barbie. Take them by Tom’s. You know the place?”

I nodded. “Yes, sir. Anything else?”

He handed me his half-finished coffee. “Do something with this, would you?”

I took the samples in one hand and then the coffee in the other. “Sure. I’ll be back soon.”

“Be careful with those, would you? I only have the ones you’re holding.”

I forced a smile to Mandy. “Of course.”

“Oh, do me a favor. Pick up the new James Smith novel. Stop by the store that carries the latte that I like. They’ll have the book in the back. Tell them it’s for me.”

I nodded so damn much that I felt like a bobble head and then hurried to finish with my tasks. It was almost the weekend and I was eager to just sit at home and have girl talk phone convos with Star.

She’d been busy lately, getting to know her very own mate, so it was the first time we would get to really talk in a while. I couldn’t wait to catch up with her.

When Mandy arrived in Landing, Wyoming, she’d been surprised to find her boyfriend gone, but not too phased about it. When he’d called to end things with her, she’d thrown a hissy fit and refused to leave his home until she was done with her book. He hadn’t seemed to care, so I’d stayed in his home with Mandy for two months. I’d never felt such sheer torture. I didn’t even like to think about it. That was one of the many blessings of working for the Scotts.

Mandy liked me and offered me a job in LA with her. After two months of walking around John’s house, feeling like my skin didn’t even fit me right with him gone, I’d jumped at the chance. It paid incredibly well and she provided me with a home, a car, and a phone. After a month, though, it was obvious to Mr. Scott that I was being wasted with Mandy, so he’d offered me even more money and stolen me from her. Not that Mandy cared.

Being in LA was strange and didn’t fit me all that well, but I was so busy most days that I couldn’t think about anything. Not much, anyway.

After dropping off the samples, I crossed town and stopped at the bookstore Mandy liked. I had to argue with the manager for a few minutes before she finally relented. Then, instead of buying one copy, I bought two. I loved James Smith’s writing and I wouldn’t be able to talk to Star every minute of the entire weekend.

In the Uber on the way back to the office, I cracked my copy and started reading. Almost immediately, I felt my chest tighten. Something about the book felt darker than the other mysteries. I even asked the driver to circle the block twice so I could read more. I didn’t want to put it down. I thought about asking for another circle around, but I saw what time it was. Mr. Scott hated when I took too long.

I hopped out and ran into the building, feeling excited for the first time in forever. I was hungry for more of the book. I needed to know what was going to happen.

As expected, I found Mandy in Mr. Scott’s office, impatiently waiting for her book. She snatched it from me as soon as I walked into the office and frowned at me. “Jesus, did you take the stairs? Why are you breathing so hard?”

My tongue had grooves from me biting it.