14
CARLY
I have no intention of leaving my job at Bridger Ranch, but telling that to my father now isn’t a good idea.
I want information from him.
“Daddy,” I say, when we get to the old brick building that doubles as city hall and the courthouse, “please tell me. What has Jonathan Bridger done?”
He opens the entry door without responding. It’s late in the afternoon and the building is quiet. There aren’t many court cases, but unless it’s something big—which never happens in Bayfield to anyone but me—they’re wrapped up in the mornings.
“Good morning, Mayor, Carly.” The bright-eyed receptionist smiles when we walk in.
“Doris.” Dad nods and heads straight to his office at the end of the hallway.
I simply wave and close the door to his office, taking a seat in front of his desk. He’s already settled behind it, tapping on his computer keyboard.
“Daddy…”
“In a minute, Carly. I need to take care of a few things.” He continues tapping.
I look around the tiny office’s beige walls, a metal desk, and a few faded photos of the Montana Big Sky country on the walls. It’s not much, but Bayfield is a small town. The sign as you enter says Welcome to Bayfield. Don’t blink or you’ll miss it.
In reality, it’s a little bigger than that. Population of the city proper is about five thousand, but as mayor, Dad is also the chairman of the board of county commissioners, so he has jurisdiction over all the land that surrounds the town—including Bridger Ranch.
Dad hits return and then turns to me, setting his forearms on his desk and folding his hands. Gone is the angry glare he shared with the Bridgers.
“Your mother doesn’t want you working, but I’ll allow it. I’m going to help you find another position. I’ve been looking since you announced your new job, and I’ve got a couple possibilities.”
“No, Dad. I don’t want to talk about that.” No way in hell am I sitting beside Doris and stuffing envelopes. “I want to talk about the Bridgers, and not with regard to my job.”
“The Bridgers aren’t your concern,” he counters.
If he only knew…
I’m all but in love with one of them. Seeing Austin on the street with his brothers—arguing with my dad—made me realize I wanted to leave with him, not my father. I wanted to take his hand and run. To escape to our secret spring where it’s just the two of us. No problems. No outside world.
“I’ve known Chance for a long time,” I say. “I’ve told you before that he’s a good guy.”
Dad swipes his hand through the air. “Good guy? How could he be with Jonathan Bridger as his father? Now there are two more of them. They’re ruthless, sweetheart, and I don’t want you near any of them. You no longer work for them.”
My spine stiffens at his cut-and-dried decision making when it comes to my life. My friends. My…lover.
I do work at Bridger Ranch and I’ll continue as long as I wish. My father doesn’t own me. I’ve spent enough time with men having power over me, and I’m done. Of course, unlike the others in the past, he means well, but that somehow makes it worse.
I feel smothered. Suffocated instead of free.
If Dad knew about what I’ve already done and shared with Austin, he’d probably have a stroke. He’d probably even try to ground me like I was sixteen. I might be his daughter, but I’m not his little girl any longer. I can decide for myself who’s good and who’s bad. I’ve certainly had enough experience with that.
I let out a sigh and try to get through to him one more time. I don’t want to choose, but I might have to. “Just tell me, Dad. What did their father do, other than pay you less than what your property was worth?”
His dark eyes flick to mine. “You won’t understand.”
“Seriously?” I shake my head. “Last time I checked I was a college graduate and I got into vet school, which is highly selective. You saw my test scores. Don’t patronize me like that.”
His gaze softens. “You’re an intelligent gi—”
I glare at him.