Page 2 of Ranch Rules

She ignored his stammering. “I didn’t know of any meeting.” Fast as lightning, her fingers were on the keyboard, checking her calendar. When she saw that it was indeed clear of any meetings for the day, she relaxed. “There’s nothing in the schedule.”

“Well, yes... that is, I know that, but...”

Another glance at the clock showed that another five precious minutes had passed. It was time to get to the bottom of this. “Mr. Dawson, what’s going on?”

“I really should wait for the other partners.”

She forced herself not to show the annoyance she was feeling. “If you tell me now, there will be no need of a meeting later. That will save time, surely.” She knew she had said the exact right thing and saw it on his face as he debated what she had said. After what felt like forever, he nodded and she braced herself for whatever he would say.

“I suppose that’s true.” He sat up straight and faced her gaze head-on this time. “Listen, Natalie, you know how valuable you are to us here at Briggs & Spric.”

Uh-oh. She felt her pulse begin to race. He always called her Nat. That had been his pattern since she’d first joined the firm. She found this change more unsettling than all the others put together. Not to mention the fact that he was beginning this—whatever it was—by reminding her of her importance to the firm. That never boded well.

“We have been very pleased with the work you’ve done for the firm, the accounts you’ve brought in. You’re very dedicated and organized. Which makes it all the harder...” He cleared his throat and shifted uncomfortably.

“All the harder?” she prompted, surprised she was even capable of speech given how hard her heart was pounding. “Please, Mr. Dawson. I need to be going back to work soon.”

Those seemed to be the magical words capable of loosening his lips where all others had failed. He turned his steely gaze on her and now she was the one squirming before he even spoke. “You lost us the Cooper account.”

She froze, her spine becoming rigid as his words sank in. No. It wasn’t possible. She would have heard... “I don’t understand,” she said, trying to keep her voice from wavering. “You were pleased with the work I did on that case.”

He gave her a sharp nod. “I was. We all were. You have proven yourself so exemplary through the years that perhaps the final product was not checked as thoroughly as it should have been. You left out the clause that guarantees the client a return if the original deal falls through.”

She was shaking her head, her manicured hand reaching for the Cooper file even as he spoke. She began to flip through it to the appropriate page, her eyes scanning desperately. Then she saw it. A simple error to some, perhaps, but a huge one for an experienced lawyer to make. Her stomach plummeted.

“But it did fall through. And now Mr. Cooper—”

“We can appeal. We can argue that—”

Mr. Dawson held up a hand to silence her. “It’s already been done. We rectified the mistake.”

Relief flooded her with such strength that for a moment she thought she might be sick. “Well, that’s wonderful! Then—”

But he wasn’t done. “He still moved his account to another firm.” Mr. Dawson’s lips pressed together in a thin line.

Natalie felt like the air had been knocked out of her. She knew all too well how much money the firm had just lost. She felt sick. “I could call him. I could explain—”

“Explain what?”

She flinched, though his voice was not harsh. Far from it. He spoke gently, and it hurt all the more because she knew she deserved to be yelled at. “I don’t know. Maybe if I promise him some free hours, maybe—”

“And where will you fit those in? You already work seventy-five-hour weeks.”

“Well, I’ll just have to—”

He shook his head, and she trailed off. “No. Like I said, you’re known around here for your stellar work ethic and a flawless product.”

The ball in her stomach churned. She sensed a but coming. They wouldn’t fire her for one mistake, would they? Not after all the years she’d put in?

“The partners and I all agree that you’re working too hard as of late.”

“Well, I guess I can... scale back.” The words left a bitter taste in her mouth.

The thin line of Mr. Dawson’s mouth did not relax. “Actually, I was thinking—well, all of us partners, actually—that maybe it’s time for a vacation.”

For the first time that she could remember since she’d forgotten all of her lines on opening night of the junior high production of Harriet the Spy, Natalie was struck speechless. She had never heard of anyone being encouraged to take a vacation, unless they were being phased out. But that was reserved for the partners that had refused to retire. Surely they couldn’t mean to replace her in lieu of a vacation?

Her hand went to her bun, and feeling the silky smooth, perfectly pulled back hairs relaxed her, as order always did. “I don’t think that this is the right time for taking time off. Actually, I can’t think of a worse time—”

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