Читать книгу Texas Pride - Gerry Bartlett - Страница 8

Chapter 1

“This is my desk? In this cubicle? You have got to be kidding.” Shannon Calhoun threw her purse on top of the scarred wood. “My family’s name is on this company. Honey, I didn’t put on my Prada pumps for this.”

The woman who’d walked her here from personnel didn’t bother to hide her smirk.

“They’re such lovely Prada pumps too.” A middle-aged woman in a fashionable black suit leaned over the partition that supposedly gave the cube some privacy. “Run along, Marge. I’ve got this.”

“Are you sure, Ms. Wilson?” The woman from personnel, Marge, seemed reluctant to leave.

“She said to run along. You afraid to miss the fireworks?” Shannon smiled and apparently she still had what it took to make underlings like Marge get the message. She ran.

“Look around the room, Ms. Calhoun.” Ms. Wilson gestured with a well-manicured hand. “See anyone else here?”

Shannon stepped out into the aisle. Her footsteps echoed as she walked between the rows of cubes. Clean desktops, neatly shoved in rolling chairs. The whole place had the air of a ghost town.

“Where is everybody?” Shannon faced the dragon in good shoes.

“Laid off. It seems public relations isn’t exactly a top priority in a company that’s foundering. I’ve been told your father left a will that puts you to work—hopefully you will earn your keep since Calhoun Petroleum can’t afford any dead wood. Follow me.” Wilson turned and strode toward the end of the aisle and a closed office door.

Shannon swallowed. Reality? It had been hitting her hard ever since her daddy had died. First there’d been the reading of his will and a surprise half-sister. On top of that, the price of oil had taken a plunge that had the entire industry in a tailspin. Their family’s personal issues piled on to make it seem like Calhoun Petroleum was destined for bankruptcy unless she and her siblings could work a miracle.

She followed the stylish woman rocking her own designer outfit and straightened her shoulders. She had to make good in this job. Wilson threw open the door just as Shannon noticed that it read Caroline Wilson, Vice President of Public Relations on the nameplate. Huh.

“Time to get to work. I read your resume. Thank God you have a degree in marketing and seem to have been quite active in local charity work.” She handed Shannon a stapled pack of papers.

“Yes. I’ve been on the board of several worthwhile causes.” Shannon noticed that while Wilson sat behind her desk, she didn’t offer her a chair. “I’m really involved with the rodeo committees, for the scholarships they give. And then there’s the ballet and the medical center—”

“Fine, fine. So you have contacts. That will help when you start making phone calls. Because here’s what I need for you to do.” Wilson nodded toward the papers Shannon now held. “Calhoun Petroleum has been very generous over the years with various charities.”

“I know. It’s good for our image.” Shannon glanced at the top page and actually got excited. The gala for the Cancer Society. That was one of her favorites. Of course she’d be glad to go and represent the company. Maybe a new ball gown could go on an expense account.

“Your job today is to call every one of those organizations and regretfully decline their invitations to buy a table or sponsor the event. We can’t afford to give generously this year, as much as we’d love to participate. Blah, blah, blah.” Wilson sat behind her desk, her smile fixed as she leaned back. The window wall behind her had a breathtaking view of the city. “The Ballet Ball is coming up soon. Get right on that one. They’ll have to scramble to find another underwriter.”

Shannon struggled for breath. This couldn’t be. It was so humiliating. Her entire social life existed because she was on charity boards, helped raise funds, wrote checks.

“Is there a problem, Ms. Calhoun? I put the contact person’s name and telephone number right there on the list. Your background should help you smooth the waters, so to speak. The social season is about to start. Time’s a wasting. As I said, it’s very late for us to notify that we are pulling out.” Wilson leaned forward. “And we are pulling out.”

“No! You can’t be serious. Everyone will know Calhoun is in trouble. It’s a PR nightmare.” Shannon glanced at the first name on the list. “Reconsider the Ballet Ball! If we cut funding, they might not be able to bring in their guest dancer, a soloist for Swan Lake this year.”

“The PR nightmare would be if our check bounced.” Wilson picked up her phone. “Now I suggest you hop to it. If you have any more concerns about the funding, take it up with your sister, the new CFO—I believe her office is two floors up.”

Shannon clutched the papers and stalked off to her assigned hole. Impossible. It had been bad enough going through human resources. She may have made a scene when she’d realized what her pay was going to be. But it was ridiculous.

She sat in the chair and stared at the list. She knew some of these contact people personally and just couldn’t do it.

Two floors up.

Her newly discovered half-sister Cassidy had proved to be a valuable ally and was a whiz with numbers. Surely she would understand that this was the wrong move. Bad publicity. Shannon grabbed her cell and her list and headed for the elevator.

* * * *

Cassidy’s floor was certainly not a ghost town. It bustled with activity. Of course. This was where they figured out the money. Her sister even had an assistant who guarded her door.

“Holly, I have to see her. This is very important company business.” Shannon’s feet were starting to hurt. She’d never given these beautiful shoes this much of a workout.

“She’s in a meeting, Shannon.” Holly Rogers gestured to a couch then smiled. “They should be done soon. If you wait, I’ll let her know you need to see her. First day on the job?”

“Yes.” Shannon sat. She was tempted to ease out of the right shoe but toughed it out. Her right foot had always been slightly bigger than her left. “I don’t seem to have a secretary or assistant or anyone to help me.”

“I remember seeing the memo. Public relations took a hard hit in the layoffs.” Holly held up a hand when her phone buzzed. “Excuse me.” She answered the phone.

Shannon studied Cassidy’s layout. Big office, name on the door. But she couldn’t be too jealous. Cass had a business degree and banking experience. She’d already impressed the board of directors with the way she’d started work early and jumped in with some solutions when they’d found out Calhoun Petroleum was on shaky ground for a number of reasons. She was bucking to be named CEO in their father’s place. Since no one with sense would want to board this sinking ship, Shannon bet she got the job. Then she’d be moved up another two floors to Daddy’s office.

Shannon hadn’t even known about her father’s first marriage and daughter until that crazy will had been read a few weeks ago. Now she was glad Cass had turned out to be smart and was doing what she could to save the company that was their inheritance. She was nice too. In her place, Shannon wasn’t sure she wouldn’t be bitter if she’d been left to grow up poor when the rest of the Calhouns had lived in luxury just a few miles away.

And then there was what had happened once Cass had started working at Calhoun’s headquarters. She’d been attacked in the parking garage. More than once. Then finally in her office here.

Shannon shuddered. When they’d found out who wanted Cass out of the way, it had been the worst shock ever. All the chaos had led to Shannon starting work weeks late. But she was here now. She wanted to make it up to Cass. Show her that she was behind her and wanted to help the company turn around. But dropping the charities was not the way. Hopefully she’d listen.

“Shannon?” Holly stood in front of her. “Cass says to come on in. She’s meeting with the lawyer and wants you to hear what they’re discussing. Family business.”

“Oh, right.” Shannon jumped up. That “family business” concerned her father and his shady dealings when he’d started Calhoun Petroleum. It was an even bigger problem than the low price of oil these days.

Holly opened Cassidy’s office door. “Here she is, Cass.”

Shannon stepped inside, assuming it would be the same lawyer who’d taken care of her father’s will. But no. Instead, it was the man who was best known in Houston as the one to call when you were in trouble with the law. Criminal law.

“Billy Pagan? Well, hell. We must really be in deep shit if Cass called you to help us.” Shannon ignored his hand, which he’d held out to her, and collapsed into a chair.

“You are. In deep shit.” William P. Pagan took the chair next to her. “Nice to see you again, Shannon. You look very”—he swept his gaze over her, starting at her feet and lingering at various spots until he got to her newly highlighted hair—“professional.”

“Why, thank you, Billy. That’s very polite of you to notice.” Shannon looked him over too. Custom-tailored suit in black that matched his hair and brows. He was in great shape, his broad shoulders set off by the way that jacket fit so perfectly. He had a silk tie in red that looked perfect against a white shirt that made his bronze skin glow. She wondered if a salesman had helped him put the outfit together or a new girlfriend. Not that she cared.

“Cassidy, are we thinking that what Daddy did was criminal behavior? Is that why you called in Billy?” Shannon tore her gaze away from Billy when she realized he was smiling at her.

Cassidy moved out from behind her desk and pulled up a chair. It still gave Shannon a start that her new sister with her dark hair and stubborn chin looked so much like their late father. “I wasn’t sure. I wanted an opinion and Mason thought Billy might be a little more comfortable with this type of case than his brother.”

Dylan MacKenzie was the lawyer handling their father’s estate and the will. He was also an expert in oil and gas issues. His brother Mason was their evaluator who had to make sure they followed the terms laid out in that will as they worked in the company for the next year, or lose their inheritance. Shannon hated how complicated it had all become. Cassidy had fallen hard for Mason so she seemed to be in her element, running the company and living with Mason now. The way things were shaking out made Shannon wonder if she was going to find herself left out when the year was over.

“Dylan and I go way back. Went to law school together. But Shannon knows that.” Billy leaned toward Cass which meant his shoulder brushed Shannon’s. “He’s perfect for the kind of paper pushing he does day in and day out, like your daddy’s will. But if you need to get down and dirty, I’m your man.” He actually winked at Shannon. “Shan knows what I mean.”

“Back off, Billy.” Shannon could smell his cologne. It was so damned subtle. She knew he’d never actually spray on something. He used a special soap. Oh, shit, she should not be remembering him in the shower. He had a masculine body, solid, strong and with moves…

“Shannon, I’ve told him what we’re up against. Shown him the papers my mother gave me.” Cassidy touched Shannon’s arm. “I know it’s upsetting, but the amount of money it will take to make this right is staggering.”

“Daddy forged signatures, tricked little old ladies out of their oil rights. Maybe we should suffer now because of what he did.” Shannon blinked as tears filled her eyes. The idea that her father, who she’d put on something of a pedestal, had been a crook was still hard to take.

“It’s not only your family who will suffer, Shannon. There are stockholders who will too. Me among them. We owe it to them to keep the damage to the company to a minimum.” Billy was taking this seriously now. “Some of the people Cassidy notified have already hired lawyers of their own. What we don’t want is this turning into a class action suit.” Billy patted her hand. “Hiring me puts them on notice that Calhoun isn’t going to lay down and roll over. I have a reputation…”

“You sure do.” Shannon frowned when he took her hand. She wrestled it away from him. “You represent criminals. So hiring you is almost like we’re admitting we’re just as dirty as the motorcycle gang that shot up that diner in East Texas or that creep who killed his mother and put her in the freezer.”

“Not true. I won those cases because the boy who put his mother in the freezer had suffered decades of abuse at her hands. And the gang thing was provoked. By stereotyping. Or I guess we should call it profiling. The police overreacted when they saw the Harleys in the parking lot and went in guns drawn. The whole thing got out of hand. But that’s not why I’m here.” Billy glanced at her hand. “Calhoun Petroleum spent decades earning money legally. With an unblemished record. Just because your daddy cut a few corners early in his career doesn’t mean we should give up everything he worked for after that.”

“A few corners?” Shannon poked him in his expensive tie. “You sound like you’re talking to a jury. I saw those papers. Daddy, with help from my mama, started this company based on theft and deception. How are you going to spin that, lawyer man?”

“He’s not the only one who’s going to be spinning the truth.” Cassidy had been observing their interaction and frowned. “I hope you can get along with each other because the public relations aspect of this is going to be your responsibility, Shannon. I don’t want Caroline Wilson involved.”

“It’ll be a nightmare. I just hope we can settle things quietly.” Shannon turned her back on Billy. “As for PR, that’s why I’m here.” Shannon handed her sister the papers. “Look at this. Ms. Wilson told me I’m supposed to cancel all these charitable obligations that Calhoun has always honored. Pull our sponsorships. Talk about bad public relations! It’s a mistake.”

“Wilson’s doing what I told her to do, Shannon. We can’t be generous with others when we’re barely staying afloat.” Cass shook her head. “Sorry, but you’ll have to make these calls if that’s what she told you to do. It’s your new job.”’

“Let me see that list.” Billy tugged it from her hand before Shannon had a chance to stop him. “The ballet? Not really my thing but I remember you loved it. Cancer Society, definitely. You remember my mother died of ovarian cancer, Shan.”

This time Shannon touched him. She did remember. “What are you saying, Billy?”

“Let me go through this list with you. I can pick up some or most of these sponsorships.” He smiled, that rakish twist of his lips that always pulled her in, before she realized they were so not right for each other.

“Really? You’d take over the financial obligations?” Shannon thought for a moment. “That’s a lot of money.”

“Honey, I’ve made a butt load of money.” He flipped the page then glanced at her, his bright blue eyes twinkling. “Since you’ve obviously been following my career, I guess you know that.”

“I’ve not, I mean…” Shannon glanced at Cassidy, but she’d moved back to her chair and was intent on her computer, meeting over.

“I have a condition, though. If I take over these things., especially the symphony and the ballet thing.” He stood and pulled her to her feet.

“What?” Shannon backed up a step. Typical Billy, in her space. Not letting her breathe.

“You have to be my date for these events. On my arm, looking beautiful. I can talk to the press, have for years. But it’s not my favorite thing. You can be the mouthpiece.” His eyes lingered on her mouth.

“That’s ridiculous.” Shannon licked her lips and he grinned.

“No, it’s not. You can play up the PR angle for Calhoun. Explain that it’s a joint effort, the Pagan and Calhoun sponsorship. Obviously, my image needs polishing since I’ve had some negative press lately. This will help, giving to charities. We’ll be partners. My money, but Calhoun gets half the credit. You can spin it any way you want when you make your calls.”

“Seriously? It will be all your money?” Shannon realized Cass had stopped working long enough to listen. “Calhoun can’t afford to kick in.”

“That’s okay.” He stroked a hand down her arm. “Nothing adds polish like a beautiful woman on your arm, especially one of those Calhoun women. You can tell the press what a good guy I am, Shan. So…giving.”

“Strictly business, Billy, or it’s no deal.” Shannon stepped out of reach. Why, oh why did his touch bring back so many memories? Nights in his bed. The way he could make her feel. They always had chemistry, but that wasn’t enough.

“We’ll see.” He smiled. “See you, Cassidy. Let me know when you have those figures ready. And be sure Holly sends me the names of any lawyers hired by the people suing Calhoun.” He grabbed Shannon’s elbow. “Now it’s lunchtime. I’m thinking sushi. You like stuff like that. There’s a place just a block from here. We can go over the list of charities and I’ll put the dates of those events on my calendar. Strictly a business lunch. Are you game?”

Shannon glanced at her phone. It wasn’t quite eleven o’clock. Lunchtime? But he’d thrown her a lifeline. Now she wouldn’t have to call those people. She nodded then waved at her sister before she let him guide her out to the elevators. She had just time to wish for her purse and lipstick before the doors opened. Oh boy, was she going down.

* * * *

William P. Pagan sat across from Shannon Calhoun and figured he had to be the dumbest son of a bitch on the planet. This whole move was going to cost him over a million dollars when all was said and done. For what? To have a half dozen dates with a woman who didn’t want him? Goddamn it.

The truth? He wanted her. This was all about proving to her once and for all that they belonged together. He’d come up hard, poor, and working angles all his life. God had blessed him with a brain that saw everything, and he knew how to use what he saw to his advantage. This charity thing? An opportunity he could not resist. A scholarship to college got him where he needed to be to make the right connections, and he’d quickly figured out who those were. Dylan MacKenzie had been one of them. He and Dylan had become fast friends and that son of an important family in Houston had opened many doors for him after law school. Dylan chose the paper pushing; Billy had always known that his flair for the dramatic needed to play out in a courtroom. Lucky for him, unlucky for his clients, the rich also needed a good criminal lawyer. Dylan had come through for him with referrals when he was getting started. Now he was sitting pretty. He could afford to blow a cool million on a strategy to get Shannon back in his bed and into his life.

He didn’t know why he still wanted her. God knows, she’d hurt him when she’d dumped him on his ass the first time. Yet they kept circling each other. Had tried again over the years, three or four times. It seemed like whenever they got close to making it work, she’d run. Because he couldn’t keep his mouth shut about her drinking. Yeah, he’d fallen for a party girl, the last thing he should want with his family history. And yet the beautiful, fascinating Shannon Calhoun kept pulling him in. He’d go along for the ride until he couldn’t stand it and would ask her to give up the booze. She called it controlling. And, boy, did she hate anyone who tried to control her.

He’d known as soon as he’d heard about the Calhoun crisis that she would be taking it hard. She had worshiped her daddy. So far they’d been successful in keeping it quiet. Dylan had asked Billy to look into it or he wouldn’t know a thing about it. But if they didn’t get this problem under control, Shannon and her family could lose everything. Maybe once, when the pain of losing her had been fresh, Billy had wanted her to suffer. But he’d gotten over it. Grown up. Now, he just wanted to help. And to see if maybe she was finally ready to make it work between them. Was it too late for them to reconnect?

“If you’re going to polish up that image, Billy, you need to quit taking on clients like Rupert Billingsley.” Shannon ate the olive out of her martini.

“He didn’t kill his wife, Shan. I’ll prove it.” Billy shook his head when the waiter hovered.

“But he could have hired it done. I saw the story online. And everyone who knew the couple heard them fighting. I almost felt sorry for him. Evelyn was a bitch.” Shannon looked around. “I could use another drink.”

“Nope. You have to go back to work. As for my case? Can’t talk about it. But it doesn’t matter if Evelyn was a bitch or not. Rupert is innocent. I don’t take on clients I don’t believe in.” He called for the check. “You’re a working girl. I think you have a boss now, right?”

Shannon made a face. “Ms. Wilson. Dragon Lady. You think they’ll dock my tiny pay if I’m late getting back from lunch?” She sighed. “You should see my desk, Billy. I don’t even have an office. And my paycheck? I spend more than that a week on cocktails and manicures.”

“Cassidy said your father wanted you to work for a year in the company. To prove you could stick with something to gain your inheritance. Surely you can put up with anything for a year.” Billy handed the waiter cash to cover the bill.

“A year is a long time.” She rested her head on her hand. “I have to live at home too. Which I’ve figured out is actually a good thing. Free room and board. And a car and gas are provided, along with housekeeping.”

“There you go then.” Billy stood. “We’d better get you back.”

Shannon got up, holding onto the table when she wobbled on those high heels of hers. “Why are you doing this, Billy? Helping Calhoun? I know you have a busy law practice.”

He looked her over. She had a natural grace and he remembered she’d done ballet for years before going off to college. Her blonde hair had a bunch of colors in it that seemed to catch the light when she ran her hands carelessly through it before she picked up her papers and her phone. She looked up at him through her lashes, her gray blue eyes gleaming. Shannon worked the angles too and he admired the way she usually saw right through him. Yep, just like she was seeing right through him now.

“You know why.” He pulled her in, ignoring the chatter and clatter of the lunch crowd around them. “How long are we going to pretend there’s still not this thing between us?”

“Ah, Billy.” She ran her fingernails over his jaw. “This thing is bad for both of us. That’s why we don’t need to start up again.” She let her thumb drift over his lips and he got so hard he ached.

“No other woman does it for me like you, Shannon.” He felt the bump of a waiter at his back and came to his senses. “We need to get out of here.”

“Back to work.” She smiled and led the way through the tangle of tables to the glass door then out to the sidewalk. “Thanks for lunch.”

“I’ll walk you.” Billy really wanted to pull her in, kiss that mouth that had lost its lipstick when she’d devoured her lunch. Shannon had always had a healthy appetite. For everything.

“No, you go do your lawyerly thing. I have phone calls to make. And you don’t need to show up in my office and meet my boss. She’ll think I was out on a date.” Shannon touched his chest. “You should wear a blue tie, to match your eyes.” And with that she was on her way.

Billy watched the sway of her hips in a narrow black skirt that hugged her butt. Her legs in those high heels made him remember the way they’d wrapped around him, holding him in. She was stronger than she looked. He needed to remember that.