Star Bright (6 page)

“I warned you.”

It wasn’t often that Rainie laughed nowadays, but the embarrassment in his voice caught her off guard. With a choked giggle, she said, “You did. You’re a master at understatement, Mr. Harrigan.”

“Parker,” he corrected. Then he said, “It’s not
that
bad.” He stepped over to another door and pushed it open. “I call this the coffee room, even though it’s a fully equipped kitchen with a fridge, stove, and microwave. There’s an adjoinin’ restroom as well. Nothin’ fancy.”

Rainie liked that she would be able to refrigerate her lunch items and then heat them up when she wanted to eat. Having a restroom handy was another plus.

Turning from the coffee room, he scooped animal husbandry tomes and a jumble of papers from the cushioned seat of a leather chair to her right and then inclined his head at the desk. “This will be your workstation.”

Rainie stepped around to check out the computer system, which looked fairly new. “How many gigabytes?”

He dumped the books and papers atop the other desk and rubbed beside his nose. “Damned if I know. I just tell my computer guy what I’ll be usin’ the system for, and he decides what bells and whistles I need.”

“And you just write a check?”

“Hell, no, I give him my credit card number. I don’t use checks unless I absolutely have to. I get my check register all screwed up.”

Rainie shook her head. “You probably shouldn’t give a salesperson free rein. They may overload you with stuff to increase their commissions.”

“What I don’t know won’t hurt me.”

“It may do some damage to your bank balance, though.”

He nodded in agreement. “That’s why I’m hirin’ you, to take care of my finances. I just updated both workstations. I haven’t used this computer yet, but the guy at the shop assured me that it will do everything you need it to, plus some.”

“Software?”

He named some programs she knew well, then an accounting program she’d never used. After confessing that to him, she added, “That isn’t really a concern, though. I’ll learn the ins and outs quickly enough. Most accounting programs are similar.”

He glanced around at the mess, which was considerable. “So, what do you think?”

She found herself smiling again. “I’d be lying if I said it isn’t a little daunting.” The only window looked out upon the walker and outdoor stalls. In the distance, though, she could see pine-studded hills with the majestic Cascades looming behind them. She’d have a mountain view to enjoy during coffee breaks. “It may take me most of the first week to put everything in order.”

He nodded. “I’m sorry it’s such a mess in here. But like I said, I’m just not into it.”

“If you were, you wouldn’t need me.” She followed his gaze, thinking of all the sorting and filing she’d have to do. “I’ll get it whipped into shape.”

“When can you start?”

The question made her laugh again. It felt strange to her, as if the person she’d once been had suddenly reentered her body. “I can start tomorrow if you’d like. My schedule is pretty much open. All I have to keep me at home is Thomas.”

“Ah.” His dark eyes moved slowly over her face. “It figures that there’d be a man in the picture. You’re too lovely to be unattached.”

Heat crept up Rainie’s neck to pool in her cheeks. “Thomas is a cat.”

He arched a jet eyebrow. “A cat,” he repeated.

“Yes, you know, one of those small, furry creatures that sleep in windowsills?”

He threw back his dark head and let loose with a laugh, the sound so rich and deep that she felt surrounded by warmth. “We’re back to the elk conversation, are we?”

Rainie almost cringed. Getting lippy with her prospective employer wasn’t smart. But it had just popped out. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to sound sarcastic.”

The deep dimple slashed his cheek again as he grinned. “No worries. I enjoy someone who gives back as good as she gets.”

At one time in her life, Rainie had occasionally enjoyed a bit of verbal sparring herself, but those days were far behind her now.

“It’s good to know Thomas is a cat,” he said softly. “Can I take that to mean there’s no significant other in your life at the moment?”

The gleam of masculine interest in his eyes made Rainie’s heart trip. She clutched her purse close to her waist, her fingers embedded in the leather so rigidly that her knuckles ached. “As it happens, I am unattached at the moment, but for the sake of office harmony, Mr. Harrigan, I think we should keep our relationship purely professional.”

“We don’t have much harmony around here, only chaos. But I see your point.”

Rainie was relieved to hear it. Having an affair with her boss wasn’t on her agenda. The very thought made her stomach clench with nausea again. She ran her gaze over the office once more. “Well,” she said, hating the tremor she heard in her voice, “I’ll see you at eight in the morning, then.”

“Hold on. You’ll need a sticker.” He stepped over to the other desk, opened a drawer, and drew out a small square of paper. “Just affix this to the upper left corner of your windshield. We call it the ‘open sesame’ sticker. If it doesn’t work, back up and come in farther to the left. The camera has to be able to see your windshield.”

When he reached to open the door for her and started to follow her out, she held up a staying hand. “No, please, I’ve interfered with your workday enough as it is. I can see myself out.”

“Toby should be finished lunging Monte Carlo by now, so I guess that works.” His dark eyes lingered on hers. She got the unnerving feeling that he could see far more in her gaze than she wanted to reveal. “Eight in the morning, then,” he agreed. “I’ll have the coffee on.”

Rainie turned to leave, only to have him stop her with, “Oh, wait a sec.” He reached into his hip pocket and drew out a well-worn wallet. “You need to get a cell phone.” He handed her three one-hundred-dollar bills. “Consider it an advance on your first paycheck.”

“Cash?” Rainie’s mouth twisted into a reluctant smile. “There’ll be no record of the exchange, Mr. Harrigan.”

“Parker, and you can document it tomorrow.” He folded her fingers over the money, the heat of his touch sending jolts of sensation shooting up her arm. “Like I said, I don’t worry about stuff like that.”

“I can see I’m going to have my hands full.”

His gaze trailed slowly over her upturned face. “Yeah, I think you just might.”

Chapter Three

E
n route to the ranch the next morning, Rainie still suffered an upset stomach. Last night, she’d gotten worried that the sudden onslaught of nausea might be an early sign of pregnancy. To her inestimable relief, the home test she’d purchased at a corner drugstore had been negative. She tried not to think about the fact that those tests weren’t always conclusive in the early stages of gestation.
Nerves,
she assured herself. She’d always had a sensitive digestive tract. God forbid that she should be pregnant with Peter’s child. What on earth would she do? Getting a clinical abortion wasn’t an option for her. Somehow, she couldn’t see Parker Harrigan being very happy if his new bookkeeper had to take maternity leave in eight months’ time.

Her hands tightened convulsively over the steering wheel. She had enough problems without borrowing trouble. Yes, Peter had often gotten so caught up in his own sick sexual pleasure that he’d forgotten to use a condom, and she’d been a virtual prisoner during the last few months of the marriage, not allowed to go grocery shopping un-escorted, let alone sneak to a clinic for birth control pills. So there was a possibility that she could be pregnant. But it wasn’t likely. During a less volatile stage of their relationship, when she’d still been stupid enough to think they might make it work, she’d wanted a baby more than anything, but her cycles had remained as regular as clockwork. Maybe it had been her failing. Maybe it had been Peter’s. She knew only that she hadn’t been able to conceive.

At least she had no worries about possibly having an STD. Peter had been perversely monogamous and totally focused on Rainie—possessing her, abusing her, and controlling her being his only passions. There’d been no room in his life for other women, so though it had been a small consolation, Rainie had never been worried about his bringing home diseases. Every dark cloud truly did have a silver lining.

Clinging to that thought, Rainie tried to calm down. Just getting through today would be challenging enough. Most employers checked out an employee’s references. Parker Harrigan seemed to be lackadaisical about things like that, but she would be foolish to forget the gleam of intelligence in his eyes. The man was no dummy. He’d invested heaps of money in security systems to keep his horses safe. How likely was it that he would toss her application aside and never look at it again? Surely he would at least want to make sure she had no criminal record.

A background check didn’t concern her. The persona of Anna Pritchard would appear to be bona fide. She had a driver’s license, passport, and Social Security card that would hold up under close scrutiny. But if Harrigan decided to check out any of her references, her goose would be cooked, pure and simple. So far as she knew, no Anna Pritchard had ever attended Pepperdine University, and all the former employers she’d listed were fictitious. With one phone call, he’d discover, lickety-split, that she was a complete fraud.

Rainie could only pray he was as lazy about stuff like that as he pretended to be. She needed this job desperately. The tires on the Mazda were worn down to nothing. The engine was throwing oil. Now, thanks to Parker Harrigan, she also had a cell phone bill to pay. She needed to start bringing in some cash.

Parker was mixing prenatal vitamins into Monte Carlo’s morning grain when Anna arrived for work. After entering via the personnel door, she hesitated for a moment, looking more than a little uncertain. The men who composed this morning’s stable crew stopped what they were doing to stare. Parker couldn’t blame them. A couple of the gals on Parker’s payroll were pretty easy on the eyes, but Anna Pritchard was downright stunning, despite the timeworn cotton skirt and faded knit top that she wore. Her hair fell to below her slender shoulders in a cloud of rebellious, gold-tipped brown curls. Even at a distance, her hazel eyes and delicate features grabbed a man’s attention and wouldn’t let go. In Parker’s estimation, she was a little too thin, but what there was of her packed a wallop.

“Put your eyes back in your heads,” he grumbled at his men as he exited the mare’s stall. “That’s Anna, the new bookkeeper.”

“She can fiddle with my books anytime she wants,” Gary Morton, a twenty-eight-year-old part-time employee, observed in a low voice.

Parker rounded on the younger man and jabbed a finger at his nose. “There’ll be no more talk like that. If any one of you gives her a moment’s grief, you’ll be pickin’ up your final check and hightailin’ it out of here. Is that clear?”

“Crystal clear,” Gary replied. “Don’t get your panties in a twist. I was only saying—”

“I know what you were sayin’,” Parker snapped, cutting the hired hand short. “And I’m tellin’ you comments like that aren’t gonna fly. Let it go at that.”

Parker went to greet his new bookkeeper. Her face was pale. As he drew closer, he noticed dark circles under her lovely eyes. Yesterday, she’d seemed inordinately tense during the application and orientation process, but he’d decided maybe that was normal. Lots of people grew rattled while interviewing for a job. The job was hers now, though, and she still looked coiled tighter than an eight-day clock.

“Mornin’,” he said, making a point of glancing at his watch. “You’re a few minutes early.”

She shifted her old purse from under one arm to the other. “I prefer to be a bit early rather than late.”

The members of Parker’s family jokingly said that he would be late to his own funeral. Parker couldn’t argue the point. It was his philosophy that hurrying up to wait was a total waste of his time. “Maybe that’ll rub off on me. I never get anywhere early.” He stepped in close to grasp her pointy elbow. “Come on. I’ll walk you back.”

She stiffened under his hand. “I know the way.”

He didn’t release his hold. “Not sayin’ you don’t, but this time of mornin’ is busy. Until you get used to it here, I’ll escort you. If someone brings a horse out of its stall, I don’t want you gettin’ stepped on.” He glanced down, pleased to see that she wore sturdier footwear. “Nice boots.” They were Western-style riding boots that looked kind of corny with the ruffled skirt, but he’d seen other young women in similar getups. “At least they’ll protect your toes.”

“I know I’m not making a fashion statement, but for the moment, these are all I have.”

Parker had a hunch she’d stopped off at a thrift store on her way home yesterday and the riding boots had been all that she could find. Telltale scuffs on the toes told him the leather had seen a lot of abuse, and he couldn’t believe Anna had been wearing the boots when it occurred. By her own admission, she’d never been around horses until now.

“Nobody here worries much about fashion,” he assured her. “Come winter, you may be wearin’ moose-hide mukluks lined with sheepskin.”

Her soft mouth curved. “Does it get
that
cold?”

“There are times when my breath freezes in the air and causes a small hailstorm as it hits the ground.”