Cassidy Harte and the Comeback Kid. RaeAnne Thayne

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      He ignored her clipped tone. “From all the research my people did before we made the offer, we know that the food at the Lost Creek is one of the main draws of the ranch. In just a few months you’ve developed quite a reputation for delicious, healthy meals.”

      He paused, waiting for her to respond, but she remained stubbornly silent. After a moment he went on. “I want to build on that reputation. Use it as a selling point. That’s been one of my goals for the ranch from the beginning.”

      She rolled her eyes. “Come on, Zack. You didn’t really think I would stay here and work for you, did you?”

      At his continued silence she gazed at him for a moment, then her jaw sagged. “You did! I can’t believe this!”

      He had hoped. Now he realized how completely foolish that had been. “You used to be the kind of woman who would never back down from a good fight.”

      Her mouth hardened again. “I used to be a lot of things. Ten years is a long time. I’m not the same person I was then. I’ve become much more choosy about the things I’m willing to fight for.”

      “And your job isn’t one of them?”

      “I won’t lie to you. I like working for the Lost Creek. Jean is a sweetheart and gives me all the freedom I could ever want to create my own menus. But I would rather take a job cleaning truck-stop toilets than stay here and work for you.”

      He deserved everything she dished out and more. He knew it, but her words still stung.

      “Is there anything I can say to change your mind?”

      She shook her head firmly and he chewed the inside of his cheek. He hadn’t wanted to play this card but she was the one folding way too early in the game. “Fine,” he said, his voice cool and detached. “I’ll let Jean know in the morning that Maverick will have to pass on the ranch.”

      Her eyes widened, and that stubborn little jaw threatened to sag again. “You can’t! You’ve already signed papers. Jean already has a check.”

      “Earnest money, that’s all.” He refused to let the shocked outrage in her voice deter him. “We had thirty days to reach a final decision on the sale. I’ll just tell Jean I’ve changed my mind.”

      “You’re willing to walk away from the whole deal just because I refuse to work for you?”

      “I’m a businessman, Cassie, as unbelievable as you seem to find that. The food you provide is an important component of the ranch’s appeal to its guests. Who knows what kind of an impact your resignation will have? I don’t want to take that risk.”

      “You can’t be serious.”

      “Do I look serious?” He brushed an imaginary piece of lint off the sleeve of his shirt while she continued to gape at him.

      “This is blackmail,” she hissed.

      “Call it what you want.” He smiled as if his whole world wasn’t riding on this moment.

      “You bastard.” Her voice quivered with fury.

      Her reaction cut deep, but he only smirked. “You think I’ve never been called that before?”

      “I’ll just bet you have.”

      “I never would have made it this far without a thick skin.”

      “Just like every other snake in the world, right?”

      Her eyes were bright with anger, and hot color flared high on her cheekbones. He wanted to reach across the distance between them and kiss away her anger, wanted it so badly his bones ached with it. He clamped down hard on the need for some kind of contact—any kind—between them.

      “Think what you want about me—”

      “Oh, I do. You can bet I do.”

      He went on as if she hadn’t interrupted him. “But as far as I’m concerned, you’re part of the package deal.” He paused. “However, I can understand your reluctance, given our unfortunate history.”

      She snorted. “Unfortunate, my eye. The day you ran out on me was the luckiest day of my life.”

      A muscle in his jaw twitched. “I’m trying to be reasonable here, Cassie, but you’re not making it very easy.”

      She remained stubbornly silent.

      “As I was saying,” he said, “I understand why you might want to find a new position. So I’m willing to make a deal with you.”

      “What kind of deal?” Suspicion coated her voice like a thin sheet of ice on a puddle.

      “You stay the thirty days until the sale is finalized, and Maverick won’t back out. In the meantime you can hire someone as your replacement, someone who can learn your menus and build on your success.”

      “And what do I get in return, besides the oh-so-appealing pleasure of your company?”

      The Boy Scouts probably would have laughed themselves silly if he’d ever tried to join up, but he certainly believed heartily in their motto about being prepared.

      Through a little casual conversation with Jean during the negotiations for the guest ranch, his lawyer had learned Cassie’s job at the ranch was always considered temporary between the two women, that she was saving for a down payment on the diner in town.

      Why she didn’t use some of the vast Diamond Harte resources was beyond him, but in this case her typical dogged determination worked to his advantage.

      “Stick it out for thirty days, and I’ll give you a bonus of five thousand dollars.”

      Only the slightest flicker in her gaze betrayed that she had even heard him. “I don’t want your money.”

      He shrugged. “Then stay for Jean’s sake. I’m sure I don’t have to tell you it will probably be a long time before she’ll see another offer as good as the one we’ve made.”

      Not just a long time. Never. Cassie drew in a breath, trying to gather the thoughts he seemed to scatter so easily. Maverick had offered far more than the appraised value for the ranch. And who knew when Jean would even get another offer? The ranch had been on the market for a year already with little to show for it but a few nibbles.

      He had her backed against the wall, and he damn well knew it. Would he be ruthless enough to make good on his threat to renege on the deal, even knowing he would hurt a sweet, feisty woman like Jean Martineau in the process?

      Yes. She didn’t doubt it for a second.

      She wasn’t stupid enough to buy his argument that the ranch’s reputation would suffer without her. She was a good cook but there were plenty of others who could pick up right where she left off. No, he wanted her here for his own sinister reasons. She couldn’t begin to guess what they might be. Just thinking about his motives made her stomach flip around like a trout on the end of a line.

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