A Little Surprise for the Boss (Mills & Boon Desire) (4 page)

She could understand why he’d insisted on ice cream tonight. He’d wanted to blur the memory and end the evening on a happy note. But the conversation with Quinn had only opened more dark windows on the past.

Terri knew about Buck’s troubled childhood. And she knew how far his mother, a desperate but kindhearted woman, had gone to provide for her boy. Terri could only hope he had forgiven her.

Terri’s long legs covered the seven blocks back to Giovanni’s at a brisk pace. Through the deepening twilight, she could make out her Jeep at the far end of the parking lot. She felt for the keys, pulled them out of her purse and strode toward the vehicle.

Had Buck’s crew fixed her flat tire, or would she have to haul out the jack and the lug wrench and do it herself? No big deal—she’d changed tires before. And at least that way, she wouldn’t feel beholden to Buck. After this morning, she never wanted to feel obligated to him again. To use the old-fashioned expression, it would be too much like being paid for her favors.

She was a few yards away from the Jeep when the parking lot’s overhead lights flashed on. In the sudden glare Terri saw what the shadows had hidden.

The flat tire hadn’t just been changed. It had been replaced, along with the other three. Her ancient Jeep was now sporting four brand-new, top-of-the-line tires.

Terri stared at Buck’s gift. What had the man been thinking? He could certainly afford to replace her tires. But why had he done it, especially without asking her? Did he think he owed her some kind of reward for her…
services
? Or had he done it out of some twisted sense of guilt for taking her to bed in the first place?

Either way, she wasn’t going to let this stand.

* * *

“Daddy, why did Terri’s grandma call you Steve?”

Quinn had been silent most of the way home. When she finally spoke, her question, coming out of the cab’s darkness, caught Buck off guard.

“She’s old,” he said. “She can’t see very well, and sometimes her thoughts get confused. It’s sad, but it happens to some old people. That’s why she’s at Canyon Shadows, so the nurses can take care of her.”

“But who’s Steve?” Quinn persisted. “Is he somebody who looks like you?”

Buck tapped the brake as a mule deer bounded through the headlights and vanished into the brush on the far side of the road.

“Steve was Terri’s brother and my best friend. He died in the war. It was a long time ago, before you were born. But his grandmother doesn’t remember that.”

“How did he die?”

“He was a soldier. He got shot.” Buck struggled to block the images that flashed through his mind. He wished his daughter would talk about something else.

“That’s sad.” Quinn’s profile was a dark silhouette against the side window. “Where did they bury him?”

“Right here in Porter Hollow. His grave is in the cemetery.” Buck pressed the remote button to open the wrought iron gate to his property. “What would you like to do tomorrow, besides clothes shopping with Terri?”

“I want to go to the cemetery.”

“What on earth for?” Buck bit back a curse as he gunned the Hummer up the steep driveway to the house. He knew Quinn was curious. But there was nothing in the cemetery he cared to show her, let alone see again himself.

“I’ve never been to a cemetery. I want to see what it’s like. I want to see your mother’s grave—she’d be my grandma if she was alive. And I want to see where Steve is buried.”

“Maybe Terri can take you after you go shopping.” It was the coward’s way out to dump this on Terri, but Buck really couldn’t go himself. He had some wealthy clients from Dubai coming in this afternoon to raft the Grand Canyon. He wanted to greet them personally and make sure everything was up to their standard of luxury. He’d been weighing the idea of building a second resort in the southeast corner of the state, near Moab, with access to Arches and Monument Valley. So far it was just a dream, but if he decided to go ahead, a hefty infusion of Dubai cash could make it happen sooner.

If nothing else came of it, at least he’d have an excuse not to visit the cemetery and relive the past with Quinn.

“What else would you like to do?” he asked his daughter. “I can have Terri line up anything you’d like. Oh, and I’ve asked Mrs. Calloway to be on hand while you’re here. She can take you if you want to go somewhere.”

“Daddy, I’m nine years old!” Quinn stormed. “I’m not a baby, and I don’t need a babysitter.”

“Well, you do need to eat, and Mrs. Calloway’s a good cook.”

“That still doesn’t mean I have to be babysat. Mrs. Calloway won’t let me out of her sight. She’s a nice lady, but she drives me crazy. She even sits right by the pool when I’m in the water. Last year I asked her if she could swim. She shook her head. If she had to rescue me, she’d probably drown.”

“Mrs. Calloway is just doing her job,” Buck said. “The agreement I have with your mother says that while you’re here you have to be supervised.”

“Why can’t I just hang out with Terri?”

Buck ignored the slight jolt triggered by the mention of Terri’s name. He wondered what she’d thought when she’d discovered the new tires on her Jeep. He’d done it in the spirit of helping her out, but would she see it that way? Maybe he should have left well enough alone.

“Terri has to work,” he said. “I need her help in the office.”

“Then why can’t I hang out with you?” Quinn asked. “You’re the boss. Nobody tells you when you have to work.”

“The boss has to work the hardest of all. That’s why he’s the boss. I’ll be busy all day tomorrow. But Terri will pick you up in the afternoon. You’ll be fine.”

“Sure.” Quinn sighed like a deflating balloon and slumped in the seat. She was silent till the Hummer pulled into the driveway and stopped. Buck had barely switched off the engine when she opened the door, piled out of the vehicle and ran to the fence, where Murphy was waiting to welcome her with barks and whimpers of joy.

“Hi, Murphy!” She reached her small hands through the chain links to pet the huge dog, whose wagging tail could have felled a forest of small trees. “How’ve you been, boy? Hey, I can hang out with you, can’t I? At least
somebody’s
got time for me!”

Giving Buck a meaningful scowl, she stalked onto the porch and waited for her father to unlock the front door.

* * *

The next morning Terri came in early, opened the door to Buck’s private office and left something on his desk. He wouldn’t be happy when he found it, but she was braced for the storm. If the boss man didn’t like it, he could fire her.

Minutes later, she was at her own desk, answering emails, when Buck walked in. His office had its own outside entrance, but today he came in from the hotel lobby side. Standing in the open doorway of her office, he gave her a casual smile and extended a closed fist. “Here. Hold out your hand.”

Terri reached across the desk. Opening his fist, he dropped something into her palm. Even before she looked at it, she knew it was her missing earring.

Terri willed her expression to freeze into a calm mask. Did this mean he was going to tell her how he came to find it? Her pulse kicked into overdrive. After ten years, was their relationship finally about to move out of its familiar rut?

She waited for him to close her office door for more privacy. Instead he remained where he was, the same disarming smile on his face.

“The grounds crew found your earring in the parking lot,” he said. “It’s a lucky thing it didn’t get run over.”

Terri felt the sudden catch of her breath, as if she’d just been gut-punched. Instead of owning up to what had happened between them, he’d chosen to lie. The unfeeling jerk hadn’t even cared enough to be honest.

It was time she faced reality. Aside from her general usefulness, Buck didn’t care about her at all—and if sleeping with him hadn’t changed anything, nothing ever would.

“Thanks,” she said, wrapping the earring in a tissue and sliding it into her purse. “The other one’s at home. It’ll be nice to have the pair again.”

He remained a moment, framed by the doorway. Was he waiting for some kind of confession from her? Well, the man would grow a long gray beard before he’d get one.

The standoff was broken by the first phone call of the day. As Terri took the call, from a possible client, Buck turned away and walked back toward his office.

Terri took her time on the phone, answering questions and jotting down information. Out in the common room, the summer temps were arriving, chatting on the way to their desks. Terri hung up the phone and waited. By now, Buck would have found the check she’d written and left in an envelope on his desk. Waiting for his reaction was like waiting for the fall of an ax. But this confrontation had to happen. Her pride demanded it—especially in view of the lie he’d just told her.

It was a matter of seconds before he reappeared in her doorway. His eyes were steely, his jaw set in a grim line. “In my office, Terri,” he demanded. “Now.”

CHAPTER FOUR

T
erri walked ahead of Buck, feeling like an errant schoolgirl being herded into the principal’s office. Curious gazes followed them. Buck hadn’t said another word, but his stride and his stormy expression gave off signals that somebody was in trouble.

As the door closed behind them, he turned toward his desk, picked up the check that lay next to the phone and waved it in her face. “What is this, Terri?” he demanded.

She raised her chin. “It’s just what it looks like. I’m paying you back for the tires you put on my Jeep. Let me know if it isn’t enough.”

Terri had looked up the price of the tires online. They were top quality, almost sixteen hundred dollars for the set. Covering the payment had all but cleaned out her checking account, but she had her pride, and she wasn’t about to back down.

Buck’s scowl darkened. “I wanted to
give
you those tires. You needed and deserved them.”

Deserved them? How? Oh—did I do something special for you?

Terri had to bite back the sarcastic retort. The fact that they’d had sex the day before was the proverbial elephant in the room. But if he wasn’t going to acknowledge it, then neither was she. She’d been an impulsive fool, letting her boss pull her into bed and foolishly thinking it might actually change things between them. Right now all she wanted was to forget it had ever happened.

“I don’t want your money, Terri. If you want to repay me, just take the check, say thank you and go back to work.”

Terri lifted her chin higher, fixing him with a narrow-eyed gaze. “I’m your employee, not your charity case, Buck. I’m not taking that check back. If it doesn’t clear the bank in the next three days, you’re going to find four tires piled on your front porch. I can get perfectly decent tires for a lot less than these cost—in fact, I was planning to just that.”

“Fine. You win,” he snapped. “I’ll cash the damned check. Just remember to drop by the vehicle department and get your wheels balanced and aligned. My crew couldn’t do that in the parking lot. And no, you don’t have to pay them.”

Terri could feel the emotions welling—anger, embarrassment and frustration. Her throat choked off. Her eyes stung with unshed tears. “I’ll take care of my own wheels, thank you,” she said. “I won’t be using the services of your vehicle department because…” The words were on the tip of her tongue, but she wasn’t sure she could say them.

She felt light-headed. Had she gone too far? No, she had to do this. It was time.

“Because why?” he asked.

“Because I’m quitting, Buck. I’m giving you my two weeks’ notice, starting right now.”

* * *

Buck stared after her as she stalked out and closed the door. She hadn’t meant it, of course. She was riled, that was all. Give her a little time to cool down, and she’d be fine.

I’m quitting, Buck. I’m giving you my two weeks’ notice, starting right now
.

Her words echoed like the memory of a bad dream. There was no way Terri could quit now, or even in two weeks—not when he needed her so much. Summer was the busy season here, with important clients coming in, and the big charity gala less than a month off. And what would he do about Quinn? She’d be devastated if Terri left.

Lord, what if she’d meant it? What if she was really going to quit?

She could do it, Buck realized. He knew of a half dozen places that would hire her in a minute. And she wouldn’t have that much trouble selling her grandmother’s property or relocating Harriet to a new facility. In two weeks she could have everything settled and be ready to move out of his life.

No way was he going to let that happen. He had to come up with some kind of plan. But that was easier said than done.

First off, it would help him to know why she’d been so upset. Was it because he’d bought her tires or because of what had happened in his bed? He could try talking to her about it—but he’d resolved not to show that he remembered their morning romp. Telling her the truth would only add to the complications.

Terri’s check for sixteen hundred dollars lay on his desk. He would cash it as promised, then apply the money, and more, to her grandmother’s care at Canyon Shadows. Terri might not like him paying for something else behind her back, but with luck she wouldn’t find out anytime soon. She was independent to a fault. But he’d promised Steve he’d take care of her. Besides, he’d discovered that he liked the way taking care of Terri made him feel.

Last night, when he’d arranged to replace her tires, he’d weighed the idea of surprising her with a brand-new vehicle. But that old Jeep had been Steve’s. There was no way Terri would part with it. She would drive it till it rusted away to a pile of nuts and bolts.

Still, it didn’t make sense that doing Terri a favor would push her to quit her job. There had to be more behind her reasons. Whatever was driving her away from him, he couldn’t afford to lose her. He had to find a way to make her stay.

Forcing the thought aside for now, he turned on his computer and brought up his agenda for the day—the agenda Terri, as always, had prepared the day before. This morning Evie would be taking the jet, along with a flight steward, to meet the Dubai clients at the airport in Salt Lake City. The four oil-rich sheikhs would expect nothing but the best—gourmet snacks on the flight south, then a private lunch in the restaurant’s dining room. Buck would be meeting the plane at the company airstrip, hosting the lunch, and taking them on a helicopter tour of Zion and Canyonlands National Parks, to be followed by an outdoor barbecue and a night’s rest. Tomorrow morning, after breakfast, a helicopter would fly them to Lee’s Ferry to board the raft for their three-day trip down the Colorado River, to Phantom Ranch in the canyon bottom. From there they would ride mules up the trail to the South Rim, where they could spend a night in the lodge. The next morning, Evie would fly them to Las Vegas in the jet.

Everything had been planned down to the last detail—the best guide and boat pilot available, the best food, and two camp boys who could cook and entertain as well as set up the tents and the portable latrine. He needed everything to be perfect, because if the sheikhs enjoyed the trip, they might take an interest in backing his new project.

Buck hadn’t planned to go along on the river excursion. He had other things to do. And he had complete faith in the people he was sending. There was no reason not to expect a successful trip. But he’d made his plans before Terri’s announcement that she was quitting. Now a sudden idea struck him.

Three days in the beautiful canyon, away from ringing phones and interruptions, might be just the ticket for talking Terri into staying around. He knew she loved this place—he just had to remind her. He’d have no trouble juggling his schedule to include himself in the trip. The challenge would be getting Terri to go along.

If he asked her, she was bound to make excuses, or even refuse to go. Rather than risk that, he would need to figure out a way to shanghai her.

Buck had hoped to free up some time for Quinn. But that would have to wait. The prospect of losing Terri was a five-alarm emergency.

* * *

After a busy morning, Terri phoned to tell Quinn she was coming to pick her up. “Is there any special place you’d like to look for clothes?” she asked.

“Anyplace away from here!” Quinn sighed. “Mrs. C. is driving me crazy. She follows me around like she’s the Secret Service.”

“Well, I’m betting she could use a break, too,” Terri said. “I’ll see you in about twenty minutes.”

Terri switched off her computer and stuck a note to the screen. She planned to come back at the end of the day to post the agenda and clean up any loose ends Bob and the temps might have left. With Buck off entertaining the Dubai clients, somebody needed to make sure everything was shipshape for tomorrow’s river launch.

Quinn was waiting on the porch when Terri pulled up to the house. Like an escaping prisoner, she raced down the steps and clambered into the Jeep. “Let’s go!” she said.

“Hold your horses, girl.” Terri waited while the plump, middle-aged widow, dressed in a blue seersucker pantsuit, came out onto the porch. “I’ll have her back here by four, Mrs. Calloway. Meanwhile, relax and enjoy some peace and quiet.”

Quinn giggled as the Jeep pulled out of the driveway. “Maybe she’ll take a bubble bath in Dad’s Jacuzzi. God knows she needs to do something to loosen up.”

“Stop that, Quinn,” Terri chided the girl. “Mrs. Calloway’s just doing her job. You know the woman would fight off man-eating tigers to keep you safe.”

“At least it would be fun to see her do that,” Quinn said. “Where are you taking me?”

“To the outlet mall at the junction. No sense spending a lot of money on clothes you’ll just grow out of. Okay?”

“Sure. I just need jeans and shorts and shirts—and a jacket and a new swimsuit. Oh, and new underwear. Hey, can I get a bra?”

“You’re nine.” Terri glanced at the girl’s flat chest. “Aren’t you a little young for a bra?”

“A girl in my class has one. She showed it to me. She thinks she’s
so
hot.”

“I think the bra can wait till you’re older.” Terri swung the Jeep onto the highway. The outlet mall was ten miles down the road, a shopping mecca for the surrounding towns and farms.

“Can we get burgers and fries and shakes? Mrs. C. only feeds me healthy, balanced meals.”

Terri suppressed a smile. “Okay. After we’re done shopping.”

Buying the clothes Quinn needed took a little less than two hours. By the time they’d finished their burgers, it was after three o’clock. “We need to get you home,” Terri said as they climbed into the Jeep. “I promised to have you back by four, and I don’t want Mrs. Calloway to worry.”

“Daddy said you’d take me to the cemetery. I want to see where my grandma’s buried.”

Terri hesitated, thinking of the time. “All right. It’s on the way back to town. We can stop there, but we’ll only have a few minutes.”

“That’ll be enough,” Quinn said.

“Okay. Let’s go. Fasten your seat belt.”

The cemetery was small and old, many of the weathered markers dating back to pioneer times. Hundred-year-old pine trees sheltered the graves. Spring grass covered the ground in patches. Among the headstones, the delicate hoofprints of mule deer etched tracery-like paths in the russet earth.

Terri knew where Buck’s mother was buried. Quinn’s hand crept into hers as they stood beside the grave and read the inscription on the small, plain marble slab.

Annie Morgan

July 10, 1953–August 14, 2001

“How old was she when she died?” Quinn asked.

“Not old at all, not even fifty,” Terri said, thinking even that number would sound old to someone as young as Quinn.

“Was she nice?”

“She was always nice,” Terri said, holding back the words
Too nice for her own good
, remembering the stories about the truck stop. Annie Morgan had been small and sad and had seemed desperately lonely—and sometimes just plain desperate—but she’d always been kind to Terri and Steve. “If she was still alive I think she’d be a good grandma to you.”

“I wish I’d brought a flower or something,” Quinn said.

“You can always come back.”

Quinn’s gaze followed the flight of a dragonfly. “Where’s Steve’s grave?” she asked.

“How did you know Steve was buried here?” Terri asked, mildly surprised.

“Daddy told me. He said Steve was your brother and his best friend, but that he died in the war.”

“It’s in the next row. I’ll show you.” Together they walked to the bronze plaque, set in concrete and flanked by a metal bracket where a flag could be placed on Memorial Day.

“Did he have a girlfriend?”

“He did. But after he died she married somebody else and moved away.” Terri glanced at her watch. They had a few more minutes to spare. “This next grave is my grandfather’s. He passed away before I was born. And this empty spot next to him is where my grandma will be buried.”

Quinn had fallen silent. This talk of death was a lot for a nine-year-old to wrap her mind around. She’d likely had enough.

“Time to go.” Terri led the way back to the Jeep. Twenty minutes later they pulled up to the house. Mrs. Calloway, looking relieved, was waiting on the porch.

Quinn unfastened her seat belt and leaned over the gearshift to give Terri a hug. “This was the best time ever,” she said. “Can you come back again tomorrow?”

Terri hugged her back. “We’ll see. That depends on what your dad needs me to do. I’ll call you, okay?”

“Okay.” Quinn grabbed her shopping bags and climbed out of the Jeep. With a farewell wave, Terri backed down the driveway and through the gate. There was work still waiting for her at the office.

Quinn had had such a good time today, she mused. It didn’t take much to make the little girl happy, just somebody to be with her and pay attention to her—preferably without smothering her, the way Mrs. Calloway did. Maybe it would help to talk with Buck and let him know how much his daughter needed him.

A shadow darkened her thoughts as she remembered giving him her notice that morning. She was determined to go through with her plans. But leaving Quinn when the girl had so few people she could rely on would break her heart. Maybe in the time she had left, she could work on getting Buck to spend more time with his daughter—or at least help Quinn find some friends.

By the time she returned to the office, the staff was gone. The ceiling lights had been turned off, casting the common room into late-afternoon shadows. Terri was walking toward her office when she noticed Buck’s door was ajar.

In her absence, it had been Bob’s responsibility to make sure the place was securely locked. Evidently the young man’s thoughts had been elsewhere—one more thing she would have to remind him about tomorrow.

She’d reached Buck’s door and was about to lock it when she realized the room wasn’t empty. Buck was sitting in the shadows, his chair turned toward the window. Terri understood him well enough to know that he was troubled. Was he upset about her quitting, or had something else gone wrong?

“Are you all right?” Terri asked softly.