The Sticky Cowgirl (Lone Star Sweets, Book 2) (7 page)

Chapter Seven

“Mr. Dawson, please come in.” Samuel offered his hand, surprised to see Samantha’s father in his office. “I’m Samuel —”

“I know who you are,” came the stern interruption. “You’re the man tryin’ to buy my daughter’s business.”

The handshake never happened as Jock Dawson never let go of the brim of his well worn cowboy hat. His exterior was gruff and just as stern as his voice and Samuel wondered what it would have been like growing up with a man like Jock for a father. Likely not sunshine and daisies, but he could see the older man doting on Samantha. The thought eased and relaxed him for some reason. “Not her business, sir.” He gestured to the two chairs in front of his desk. Jock took one of them, Samuel the other. “We’re only interested in the building.”

“Why hers? She owns it free and clear. There are other unoccupied blocks of buildings, aren’t there?”

“Yes, sir. We —”

“You’re building condominiums, right?”

“Yes, sir.” Samuel kept his response short and sweet. His visitor was no-nonsense and wasn’t interested in explanations. Sam could appreciate the need for a bullshit-less conversation. Jock was concerned for his daughter. Sam understood that too because he was as well.

“So, build around her.”

“I’m afraid that’s not how it works.”

“You’re the one in charge, right? Make it work that way then.” The gruffness was back in Jock’s tone and Samuel sympathized. He often felt that same way since meeting Samantha and having to deal with his unrelenting stepfather. Samuel knew there had to be better ways to do this kind of thing. Neither she nor Brandt were willing to budge and all it did was serve to make Samuel’s job and peace of mind more difficult.

“Mr. Dawson —”

“Now, I’m just a simple cowboy tryin’ to understand, but you got an architect, don’t ya? A builder and an engineer too, right?” Samuel nodded “Well, there you go. Alter your building plans to include her storefront. She’s got established customers. She’s successful where she is.”

The man made it sound easy. “Forgive me, sir, but I get the feeling that you’re not as simple as you’d like me to believe.” Samuel wanted nothing more than to give both father and daughter what they wanted, but it was out of his control and out of his hands. “I can appreciate what you’re trying to do, but Turner Enterprises isn't going to alter their plans. Your daughter has been offered more than her little business is worth. Everyone else has sold. She's the sole holdout.”

Jock scoffed. “Of course she's holding out. Dawson’s don’t give in to bullying.”

Samuel wanted to smile, but held it in check. Though, just barely. “We can invoke eminent domain, Mr. Dawson. I don’t want to go down that road. It doesn’t make any of us look good and it’s not the way I do business, but it’s one of the only options she’s leaving me.”

Jock sighed and if it were possible, his eyes hardened a little more than they had been when he first walked in. “Son, I don’t know you, but I’ve seen your kind a million times. We don’t need new overpriced, shoebox-sized apartments. What we do need are lawyers who will stand up to you. Small business built this country, built this land we’re standin’ on.”

He couldn’t argue with Jock so it was time to try a different tactic. “There’s no reason her business can’t flourish in another part of the downtown area. She could take the money we’ve offered to open another location. If eminent domain is brought into it, we aren’t obligated to give her a dime.”

“Sounds like you’re trying to help her at the same time you’re trying to hurt her, Mr. Stevenson. There’s no reason you can’t leave her alone. There’s no reason you and your bosses can’t find another place to put up your empty towers. You keep harassing her and she’ll dig her heels in even more. She built up that little sweet shop of hers all on her own and if you force her out, you’ll be lucky if she doesn’t chain herself to the front doors every chance she gets. She loves that building. She has memories there.”

“I understand your concern, but perhaps you should be having this conversation with her.”

“Already have. Wouldn’t be here otherwise. I know my daughter. She’s got the stubbornness of a mule and I’m afraid she got that honestly. Now, I’m not here to cause you trouble, but we need to come to some sort of agreement.”

“Mr. Dawson, there’s no agreement to come to.”

Jock regarded him and Samuel fought the urge to squirm. He wasn’t a man who scared easily, nor did he give up, but the look from Samantha’s father freaked him the hell out. There was disappointment written in that unwavering gaze. And while Samuel had been on the receiving end of Brandt’s disappointment, it somehow wasn’t the same as this.

The cowboy finally spoke. “What about your boss? Mr. Turner, is it? Can I talk to him?”

Samuel smiled, wishing he could have Brandt take over this conversation. “Mr. Dawson, my boss isn’t Mr. Turner. He’s been dead for several years. Brandt Worthington owns the company now and he’s not going —”

“Did you say Worthington?”

That certainly piqued Jock Dawson’s interest. Curious. “Yes, sir. He’s my stepfather. He worked for Herb Turner for many years and… It’s a long story, sir. Needless to say —”

“Call him down here,” he demanded.

Samantha’s father was nothing less than impatient and definitely used to getting his way. Samuel couldn’t remember a time when he’d been interrupted so much. He even tried to see it as rude, but he couldn’t. He liked the rancher. He would’ve rather met him under different circumstances, but his respect for the man given what he was trying to do for his daughter, made him a man worth giving a little leeway too. “Mr. Dawson —”

Jock stood. “Son, you call him down here now, please, or I’ll go floor by floor until I find him.”

Well, that wouldn’t end well. Samuel leaned forward, linking his hands between his knees. “Do you know Brandt?”

“I do.” The answer was sharp, pointed, and short. “Used to be my best friend.” Samuel’s interest was more than a bit intrigued by that. Even though he knew Brandt to be an uncompromising man, one who laughed rarely, and one who expected nothing less than a hundred and ten percent effort always, Samuel admitted this was the first time he’d ever considered the life that Brandt might have lived before Bitsy and Samuel Stevenson had been brought into the Worthington life.

You know Jock Dawson will do it, too.
“Give me a moment, and I’ll get him.” Samuel didn’t have his hand on the phone firmly enough before the man in question stepped into his office.

“Jock? Jock Dawson?”

Jock spun around. “Brandt, you son of a bitch. What do you mean goin’ after my daughter this way?”

“Your daughter?” Brandt appeared confused, but seemed to quickly catch on. “That little bakery girl? She’s…? Now, hold on, Jock. I didn’t know she was your girl.”

“Don’t hand me that horseshit. She’s the spittin’ image of Marie.”

Marie?
Who was Marie?

“I’ve never met your daughter. Samuel has been dealing with her.”

“Still can’t look those you’re screwin’ over in the eye, huh?”

“This is business, Jock. What you’re talking about is ancient history.”

The other two men in the room might know what and who they were talking about, but Samuel didn’t have a clue. He settled on the edge of his desk, content to watch the show. Clearly, there was something more going on now than he’d imagined there would be when Jock and Brandt came face to face.

When Jock said he knew Brandt, Samuel hadn’t pondered how or when, but he couldn’t deny he was very curious.

“I don’t care what it is. You back off.”

“I can’t do that”

“Can’t? Or won’t? You never did know when to give up.”

“This isn’t personal, Jock. I need that space and you need to help her see reason. We’re trying to be fair and give her the means to start over.”

“Your young man over there tried to explain all that. I’m not interested in your reasons. I just want you to leave my daughter alone.”

“I told you, this isn’t personal.”

Jock shook his head. “You’re still a son of a bitch. Haven’t changed a lick. When you can’t get what you want nice and easy, you throw money at it. Maybe it didn’t start out that way, but it’s personal now.”

Brandt’s gaze hardened and Samuel felt the temperature in the room drop several degrees. There was no give in his step-father. Never had been. Looking at Jock Dawson, Samuel would bet he was the same way.

“It was nice seeing you again, Jock. Do your daughter a favor and talk her into taking our offer.” Brandt moved to the side. “I believe you know your way out.”

“I believe I do.” In the doorway, Jock turned toward Samuel and leveled a look at him that Samuel couldn’t read. “Gonna be a pleasure doin’ business with you, son.” There was no mistaking the displeasure headed Samuel’s way in the older man’s tone of voice.

He didn’t have a chance to do more than nod as Jock quickly shoved his hat on and stalked from the office. Both he and Brandt stared at the empty doorway and the silence that lingered became increasingly uncomfortable.

“What was that about?”he asked. His voice was casual, light and he slid his hands in his pockets in a gesture of relaxation he didn’t feel.

“Not now, Sam.” The words were bitten out, with no hint of emotion. Normally, Samuel would back off when he heard Brandt speak like that, but not today. Too much had transpired in that brief encounter he’d witnessed.

Samuel was never one for office politics and bringing personal stuff into business. He hadn’t approached this new project planning to do any different. It quickly became personal for him and he was fully aware that he was a little pot calling the kettle black demanding there be a distance for others, including his boss.

“Yes, now.” His own words were pointed and with little give. “What was that?”

Brandt sighed, impatience written all over the sound. Samuel wouldn’t let that dissuade him. “That was my past merging with my present.”

“Explain.”

Cold eyes met Samuel’s gaze as Brandt swung around to face him. “You don’t give me orders.”

“Then think of it as a request. I need answers. He said this is personal now and he’s not wrong. This transaction against Samantha Dawson and her shop is no longer
just
business. We’re all compromised now.”

“I didn’t know she was his daughter. Hell, I didn’t even know he had children, for that matter. There are many Dawson’s. How could I have known it was that particular Dawson family. I don’t read the reports Samuel. I trust you to do your job.”

“I did do my job, but maybe you should read the reports that are prepared for you.” The stare was no warmer, but Samuel forged ahead. “Tell me about Marie. Please.”

“It’s none of your business. She’s not part of this.”

Samuel stalked forward and stood toe to toe with his step-father. “The hell it isn’t. It’s been made my business.”

“Then maybe I should find someone else to take over if you can’t separate yourself from this.”

Threats and ultimatums. Classic Brandt. “Maybe you should.”

The words surprised Samuel as much as they probably surprised Brandt. Sam wouldn’t call them back though.

Many times before, he’d backed off and let Brandt have his way. Not this time. This time there was more at stake and it had taken place on his desk, the floor, and against his office door. Sex with Samantha wasn’t just sex no matter what he’d told her and no matter what he needed to believe at the time so he could do his job.

Right now, though, he wasn’t sure any of that was important anymore. He couldn’t say why he felt that way. Maybe it was meeting Samantha’s father and seeing how much he cared about his daughter. Maybe it was seeing that Brandt was actually a human being and there had at one time been someone incredibly important to him. Maybe it was nothing more than Samuel Stevenson wanting something that had nothing to do with business. This time, there was a someone.

He’d said the project was compromised. It was a truth he hadn’t wanted to admit to himself. He was the one who’d compromised it, and he was the only one who could do something about it.

“Dammit, Samuel. Don’t push me. You won’t like what’s on the other end. Are you really willing to risk everything you have, even your job over this?”