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Come on. I m giving you another chance here. Rewrite it by tomorrow and it can still feature in the
weekend edition. You re a good reporter, Ella. Your talents have been wasted, and I put my faith in you
with this assignment.
I know that. She saw a vision of her dreams going down the toilet and considered doing what he
asked. She needed this job. If she wasn t going to Boston now she had to make a name for herself here.
Then what in the world possessed you to write this? The first installment was wonderful, thought
provoking, inflammatory. I really thought you d nailed it.
She had, and she knew it. And then she had a vision of Betty s face as she d spoken of Devin s help,
and of Devin s when he d told her about his cancer. I wrote the first article on face value, she tried to
explain. But I couldn t this time. This is about real people, Charlie. I can t advance by stepping on others.
I just can t.
Why? Because you re married to Devin McQuade?
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Donna Alward
Ella s jaw dropped. You know about that?
He nodded. Of course I do. I have for some time. You forget I was once a junior reporter. With
research skills.
He d known and he d sent her to cover the story anyway. If it had been intentional, it was cruel. She d
been tested in so many ways from so many corners, and she d failed at each one. Well, no more. This time
she would do what was right. She would not change her story. She had done the right thing writing it the
way she had. If she was sure of nothing else, she was sure of that.
My story stands, she claimed, straightening her shoulders, feeling at once proud with an underbelly
of uncertainty.
If that s your position, I m afraid we have a problem. There is a reason we call them assignments .
You write what you re told to write, with a clear expectation of what that will be. His amiable face
hardened. There had been enough beating around the bush, apparently. Charlie was ready to play hardball.
I can t work that way. So yes, we have a problem. Are you going to print the article or not?
Yes, he acceded, sighing and leaning back in his chair. Yes, I m going to print it. But as an
editorial piece.
Thank you. She turned to leave, needing to end the conversation. She needed to think, and his
words were warring with Devin s at the moment. How could she be force-fed the kind of stories she would
write? What was the alternative? If she stayed one more minute, she would throw away her career with one
thoughtless remark. No, she needed time. Time to think it through.
Ella
I ll get back to you about the rest, Charlie. Just give me the afternoon, okay?
His eyes held a measure of understanding and disappointment she couldn t bear to see. She left his
office quickly, closing the door behind her, heading straight for her cubicle and feeling ill once more. This
time it had nothing to do with the life growing inside her.
***
Devin couldn t bring himself to go to the cabin, not this weekend. The memory of being there the last
time still left a sour taste. He paid Frank overtime to look after the stock in his absence, and when he
couldn t stand the quiet in his condo anymore, went to the Animas Resort for Sunday breakfast and then
out to the river. He took his rod with him. The best fishing would soon be over. He did his best thinking
when he was fishing, nothing but the silence and the rhythm of his wrist as he cast out with the fly.
He found a good lie and quietly entered the water, feeling the cool liquid pool around his waders. As
he cast, hearing the zing of the line through the reel, he remembered the first time he d seen Ella again.
She d accused him of never looking forward, of being stuck in the cabin and wasting his time fishing and
watching ball games. She d been wrong. It wasn t a waste, but a way to unwind from work, to burn off
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Sold to the Highest Bidder
stress. To remember and appreciate where he d come from. But she d been right in one way. He d held
on to some things too long. He hadn t left her behind. Now that he had, it was more painful than he
expected.
He got a few nibbles, but the trout weren t biting well and he was far too distracted. He packed up his
gear and made the trek back to the resort. It had been one of DMQ s most recent acquisitions, and while he
trusted the running of it to Kate McGrew, he enjoyed being onsite and keeping on top of things. It had been
an enjoyable revelation to discover his passion went beyond the initial acquisition stage. He had thought
he d buy properties and flip them, but instead he invested in them, fixing them up. He made them profitable
and reaped the benefits.
He went into the lounge to grab a sandwich for lunch. He d ordered and was sipping on a Coors when
Kate slid into the booth with him. Hey, stranger.
He grinned up at her pretty face. Hey yourself. Business looks good. He looked around the room,
noting the busy tables and smiling staff. You re doing a hell of a job, Katie. I don t know if I ve said that
lately, but it s true.
It keeps me out of trouble.
I m sorry about that.
They shared a good-natured smile and a waitress put a glass of ice water in front of Kate. He had
never seen her take a drink on the job, not even when it was more social than work. Hiring her had been
possibly the best business decision he d made in turning the resort around.
She was a good friend, and he wondered if he d overlooked an opportunity there. The night of the
auction she d bid right along with Ella until the last. Would their forty-eight hours have been more than he
expected?
Would he have wanted it to be?
Last time I saw you, she noted, pushing her straw through her water, you had your shirt off and a
bunch of horny women were howling.
He blushed. Thanks for bringing that up.
It was quite a show.
He met her gaze. She wasn t hiding or flirting. Instead, her brown eyes met his evenly, perhaps even
with a hint of challenge.
You did some bidding yourself. I don t think I ever thanked you for that. You did me a favor.
The warmth in her eyes cooled. It wasn t completely altruistic, you know.
Devin tried, wished he felt some attraction, some pull to Kate that would take his mind off of Ella. It
would make things so much easier if he could find himself interested in someone else. But it was no use.
He looked away.
That s okay, Devin. I gave up on more a long time ago.
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Donna Alward
He swiveled his head back to stare at her. Kate? In all the years he d known her, he hadn t realized
she d fostered feelings for him. The first night they d met he d embarrassed himself by inflicting a sloppy,
drunken kiss on her lips. Her no-nonsense response had solidified a friendship. Or so he thought.
Kate, I don t know what to say.
Kate took a sip of her water and put the glass back down on the table, creating a new wet ring on the
wood surface. Hell, the whole town knows there s never been anyone besides Ella for you. How are things
with her, anyway?
He puckered his brow, feeling the jump of his pulse at the mention of her name, followed by the
sinking knowledge that it was really over between them. Why would you ask?
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