Page 65 of A Cowboy to Call Her Own
Owen gave Asher one last look and got to work.
Joe gave Asher a curt nod, then walked around him. At the tack room door, Joe called out, “See you in the stands this afternoon, Asher.”
“Right,” Asher muttered and shook his head. “Best not forget about those optics.”
Outside the stable, Asher slipped on a pair of mirrored sunglasses and walked over to the UTV parked outside the filly barn. His phone vibrated in his pocket. He slipped a wireless earbud into his ear and accepted the call without checking the caller ID.
His boss’s greeting boomed over the line followed by, “Now that I know you’re okay, I’m going to make my pitch. I’ll double whatever Fletcher and Rowe Capital offered you.”
Asher propped his boot on the step bar of the UTV and rubbed his forehead. “What are you talking about?”
“Fletcher told me he had a call in to you,” Pierce explained. “I figured since you weren’t immediately back online first thing yesterday when your access was restored, well, it was obvious. Fletcher and his team got to you with an offer you could not say no to.”
Asher tossed his cowboy hat onto the passenger seat of the UTV and scrubbed his fingers through his hair.
“I will take your silence as an affirmative.” His boss sighed, the sound more irritated than resigned.
Asher considered how to play this unexpected turn of events.
“I’m changing my counter,” Pierce said suddenly. “We will do whatever it takes to get you to stay. Whatever. It. Takes. Asher, just name it.”
“You’re serious.”
“Absolutely,” his boss said, determination in his voice. “We need you. And we are prepared to fight to keep you here.”
We need you. Wow, wasn’t that what anybody wanted? To be needed. Perhaps Joe had the right idea after all. Everyone should stay in their lanes. Stick to their own trails. Skip the work of clearing a new one. Asher sighed and said, “What if I told you that I have not spoken to Fletcher and Rowe Capital and there is no job offer?”
“Well, there will be,” his boss insisted. “They recognize talent and know what you bring to the table. I will have an offer and contract ready when you get home. I’m not losing you to any rival.”
“Fair enough,” Asher said.
“When will you be back?” his boss asked.
Asher paused and watched Elliot back the trailer toward the twos’ barn, then said, “I’m catching a flight out later today.”
“Excellent,” Pierce said. His boss quickly set about getting Asher up to speed on the current deals and negotiations in the pipeline. Pierce ended their call with a pleased, “Looking forward to seeing you in the office tomorrow.”
There was one goodbye Asher was not looking forward to. Yet, the sooner it was done, the sooner things would seem right. Asher stuck his phone in his pocket. Big E hollered his name before he could climb into the UTV and head back to the house to pack up and prepare for that last goodbye.
Big E closed the door to the filly barn and walked over to join Asher. “I see they’re loading up Derby Dreamer.”
Asher nodded yet did not turn around to look. He kept his tone indifferent. “It is Joe’s call.” That was Joe’s lane. No sense believing otherwise.
“But you don’t agree,” Big E said and nudged his hat higher on his forehead to eye Asher.
“Not the decision I would have made,” Asher admitted.
“You’ve got a say around here, too.” Big E set his hands on his hips.
“Let’s be honest,” Asher said, taking a page from his conversation with Joe. “The time to use my voice passed years ago.”
Big E’s nod was slow and pensive. “Or perhaps you needed all this time to find your voice?”
“You should know that was my boss on the phone just now,” Asher explained. “He needs me back in New York to close a few deals before we lose them.” Asher needed to go before he lost his way again.
“I understand,” Big E said, easily.
Asher did not understand why this was suddenly difficult, as if he was somehow letting Big E down, too. This was always the way things were going to go. Asher cleared his throat and said, “When I get home, I’ll talk with my brothers and figure out next steps.”
