Forever And A Day (Montana Brides, Book #7) (22 page)

“Their head office is in San Francisco. They want you to spend one week per month in Walnut Creek. Other than that you can work from anywhere as long as you have suitable connectivity with the rest of the team.”

Richard drunk his coffee while Sarah considered the offer in front of her. Everything had happened so fast. Once all of the paperwork had been filed, Sarah wasted no time in contacting the companies who had expressed an interest in purchasing her software.

Within days, her lawyer and accountant were in negotiations with Datajet, the company that had offered her the best deal. She’d made four counteroffers and each time, Datajet came back closer to where she wanted be.

“What are your thoughts on the offer for the software, Richard?”

“It’s a fair price and the best we could negotiate.”

She looked at the employment contract for the research and development team. “If I accepted the job, when would they want me to start?”

“Before Thanksgiving. I imagine it’s got something to do with their recruitment team being short-staffed over Christmas. I don’t want to state the obvious, but with the multimillion dollar deal they’re offering you for your software, you won’t need to work again.”

“I know. But I need to do something. At least until I sort out what I’m going to do with all of the money.”

“When are you meeting your accountant?”

Sarah looked at her watch. “In an hour.”

“Talk it over with her. You don’t need to make a decision about the software or the job now, but I wouldn’t leave it too long. They’re both good offers.”

Sarah took a deep breath. “I don’t need to think about the contract for the software program. I’ll sign that now. I just need a couple more days to think about their job offer.” She opened the software contract and started signing the bottom of each page. “This is more money than I thought I’d ever get. Thank you for all of your hard work.”

“It’s my pleasure, Sarah. It’s nice to be part of your success.”

Richard had stood beside her through all of the mud-slinging and innuendoes James had dredged up out of nowhere. He’d offered her expert advice and been every bit as hard-nosed as James’ legal team.

They’d won their case, proved that James was more than a thief. He was a liar, someone who wouldn’t find another job in a hurry. And now she was signing away all rights to the software program that had consumed her life for two years.

After Richard had witnessed her signature he slid the document into an envelope. “I’ll scan and email the contract to Datajet. They should get the hard copy by ten o’clock tomorrow morning. I’ll call you as soon as I receive confirmation that the sale is complete.”

“Thanks, Richard. I guess that’s it?”

“Let me know what you decide to do about the job offer.”

“I will.” Sarah picked up her bag and shook Richard’s hand. “I’ll talk to you soon.” As she walked out of her lawyer’s office, she didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Once Datajet signed the contract, she’d be a wealthy person. A successful somebody who’d developed a niche product and sold it to the highest bidder.

She breathed in the exhaust fumes of downtown Portland and headed to the nearest Starbucks. She needed coffee. It wouldn’t be the same as Angel Wings Café, but at least it would give her something to do before she spoke with her accountant.

***

***

“How was the meeting with your lawyer?” Sarah’s mom grated more cheese on top of the lasagna she was making.

“I signed the contract. Richard’s going to call me tomorrow once they’ve countersigned.”

“Congratulations,” Angela said. “What do you plan on doing now?”

Sarah stared at her mom, not fooled for one minute by her casual question. “I’ve got another couple of days here, then I’m heading back to Montana. Alex needs me on the ranch. I’ve still got to finish the website I’m working on with Sally’s class.”

“And after that?”

“I’m still figuring out what I want to do.”

Angela wiped her hands on the side of her jeans, then put the dish of lasagna in the oven.

“You should wear an apron. It’ll save your clothes from getting dirty.”

Her mom looked down at her tomato stained t-shirt and cheesy jeans. “But then I’d have to be organized and find an apron. What’s a little lasagna topping between family?”

Sarah leaned against the kitchen counter. “Why did you give up your career when you met dad?”

Angela smiled. “I didn’t give it up, not right away. Your dad is such an amazing man. I wanted to be part of his life and the job I had took me away from him more than I liked. So I resigned from my full-time position and did contract work for a while.”

“But you weren’t working when you were pregnant with me?”

Angela put the empty pasta packet in the trash. “I hadn’t been working for nearly a year when I found out I was pregnant with you. Your dad and I had been trying for a long time to get pregnant. I’d had three miscarriages and neither of us wanted to risk another one. We made the decision together that I wouldn’t work. When we got pregnant with you, work didn’t seem to matter anymore.”

“Why didn’t you go back to the senator’s office after I was born?”

“Because you were more important.” Angela rinsed out the empty tomato cans and put them in the recycling bin. “Your questions wouldn’t have anything to do with the man we met on the ranch after our tour, would they?”

“Why do you say that?” Sarah cringed. She sounded like her mom, and from the look on her mom’s face, she thought so too.

Her mom picked up a jar of crushed garlic and put it in the fridge. “You weren’t happy after he left. Did you have an argument?”

“Something like that,” Sarah muttered.

“Not everyone wants to be a rocket scientist or a political analyst,” Angela said with a smile. “I’ve got a sharp mind. It was even sharper when I was in my twenties. I wanted to fix the world, be part of something that made a difference. When I met your dad, everything changed. He had a demanding career and he needed my support. So I changed my focus. Instead of saving the world I helped my husband.”

“That doesn’t sound as important as what you were doing.”

“It was important to me. It was important to your dad, and I hope it became important to you.”

Sarah remembered all of the parent-teacher interviews, the end of year school plays, the car rides between music practices. Her mom had always been involved, made sure she never missed one performance or play.

She’d taken her mom for granted, known she’d always be there for her.

“While you were at school I did all sorts of things. I volunteered with the Red Cross, took art lessons, joined a mentoring program at the local High School. I got more satisfaction from helping people in the community than I ever did in Senator Bryan’s office. Does working with computer programs make you happy?”

Sarah thought about her mom’s question. “I like the structure of programming, figuring out how the algorithms will work together. I’ve made a lot of money.”

“Money isn’t everything.”

Sarah stared at her mom. “You and dad always wanted me to be successful. You sent me to so many after school programs that I never had a moment to myself.”

“We did that so you wouldn’t be lonely. You enjoyed them and met some nice children.”

“I had friends at school.”

Angela frowned. “Why didn’t you tell us you didn’t like going to the extra classes?”

“It wasn’t that I didn’t like them. I didn’t want to be so busy all the time.” She stared at her hands, then up into her mom’s blue eyes. “I didn’t want to let you down.”

Angela came around the counter and hugged Sarah close. “Oh, honey. You could never do that. We love you as you are. It doesn’t matter what you do, we’ll always love you.”

“But dad thinks I’m wasting my time in Montana.”

Angela kissed the side of her face and smiled. “As well as being your parents, we’re human. He knows how much effort you put into your studies and into your business. He didn’t want you working in the middle of Montana if it wasn’t what you truly wanted to do. And he knows how much you enjoy cooking and housework.”

Sarah’s lips twitched into a smile. “It’s easier when you’re getting paid.”

“I guess it is.” Angela took two mugs out of the pantry and started making coffee. “Tell me about Montana. What’s the best thing about living in the middle of nowhere?”

“Mom.”

“Just kidding.” She smiled.

And Sarah knew she was. So she started telling her mom about the crystal clear mornings, the sky that stretched into forever, and the people she’d met. And she told her about Jordan, about his ranch vacation business, the difference he was making on his land.

She didn’t know when it happened or why it happened, but somewhere between all of the stories, she began to realize what was important.

It wasn’t the job she had or the salary she made in Bozeman. It was the people, the values that strung the community together like a carefully woven web. It was the way everyone helped and supported each other when times were tough.

It was celebrating the good times. It was falling in love…

***

“Are you pushing or just standing there looking pretty?” Trent sounded pissed off.

Jordan grunted against the weight of the mattress. The commercial cleaners had dropped the mattress and curtains off this morning and he’d stupidly told them to leave them in the entranceway. “I’m moving as fast as I can. If you lifted the mattress off the stairs, it would make it easier to move.”

“Whose idea was this anyway?” Trent heaved the mattress higher and Jordan gave it an almighty push.

“I forgot how weak you are,” Jordan huffed as he pushed again. “A few days away with Gracie and you’ve gone to mush.”

“Can’t help it if I’m a stud. Oh shit, I think I’ve put my back out.” Trent collapsed on the floor at the top of the landing.

“Stop acting like a baby and give me a hand to get this sucker into the room.”

Trent pulled himself off the floor, adding a dramatic groan for extra effect. “You’re going to regret not believing me tomorrow. I might need to take the day off to recuperate.”

“You just want to sleep-in with Gracie. Is Jessica still keeping you awake?”

“She slept through last night,” Trent said proudly.

Jordan poked the mattress over the last stair. “So when will she start sleeping through every night?”

“Damned if I know. I’m lifting this mattress on three and running toward the bedroom. If you don’t keep up with me, I’m dropping it and you’re on your own. Got it?”

“Maybe you should take afternoon naps? It might make you easier to live with.”

Trent glared at Jordan. “Shut up and lift. One, two, three…”

His brother hadn’t been joking when he said he was going to run with the mattress. Jordan nearly tripped over his feet when the mattress started moving at break-neck speed toward the bedroom. “Straighten up. I’m going to whack my knuckles on the door.”

He yanked the mattress sideways and Trent let out a curse before falling over the edge of the mattress. The whole thing toppled sideways, landing half on, half off the bed.

Trent’s head narrowly missed the side table. He glanced up at the wooden drawers and sighed. “You’d have a lot of explaining to do if I came home with a slipped disc and a black eye.”

Jordan joined his brother on the edge of the mattress. He leaned back and breathed deeply. “Gracie would understand. She loves me.”

Trent grunted. “She loves you because you eat everything she bakes, including her cookies.”

Jordan didn’t want to dwell too long on his sister-in-law’s cookie making ability. She could make anything, but cookies stumped her. They usually ended up flat, hard, and burned to a crisp. Although she’d been working on the crispy factor. Mrs. Davies had finally convinced her that the timer on the oven was her friend. Once she’d mastered how to set it, they hadn’t had another burned batch hitting the cookie tin.

Trent stared at the ceiling, tried moving, then gave up. “So what’s happening with Sarah? You haven’t talked about her for a few days.”

“Nothing much to say.”

“Do I detect a problem in paradise?”

“Don’t be an idiot.” Jordan rolled off the mattress and glared at his brother. “Are you going to lie there all day or do I need to call the fire department to get you upright?”

“I liked you better before I went on vacation. You’re turning into a grouch.”

“I learned from the best,” Jordan muttered. He held his hand out and Trent grabbed his forearm. “Are you ready?”

“As ready as I’ll ever be.”

Jordan pulled and Trent groaned.

“This isn’t the best day I’ve had.” Trent stretched his back, cursing his brother and the king sized mattress. “I thought everything was working out okay? I know the gazebo thing wasn’t what you’d planned, but she must have seen the funny side of it. Everyone else did.”

“It wasn’t the gazebo that was the problem. It’s me.” Jordan heaved the mattress onto the bed.