Wrecked (15 page)

He’d put on this shirt dozens of times already this year, but not once had it made his gut twist the way it did today.

She was going to take a little while to forget. He’d started to suspect that before he left.

Even his usual routine wasn’t enough to take his mind off her. He could only hope the action in the arena would. Running from a rank bull intent on hooking him might be Wade’s one hope to quiet his mind.

As of now, when it came to CeCe, his mind was anything but at peace.

Reminder of what he’d left or not, this was his uniform. Wade had just slipped the jersey over his head when Aaron and Garret came rambling into the room in the company of Chase Reese.

“Jesus, Aaron. Relax. Will you? You’re worrying over nothing.” Garret dumped his bag on the bench two over from where Wade sat.

Wade wondered what was up Aaron’s ass today.

“You always say I’m worrying over nothing.” Aaron scowled, dumping his own bag next to Garret’s.

“I think Garret’s right. We’re at a new venue in a different state. CeCe was probably only there last week because it was local and the Cole’s invitational.” Chase’s words had Wade going still and listening more closely.

It had been easy to forget CeCe’s mistake with Aaron when Wade had been cocooned deep inside a world that consisted of not much more than her bedroom and kitchen.

Here, the reminder was like a bucket of ice water to the face.

Aaron shook his head. “The distance won’t matter to CeCe. She flew all the way from California to the event in Georgia just last month.”

“That’s true too. She’s got that private jet. She was hoping to initiate Aaron into the mile high club. Remember?” Garret’s cocky comment, and the tone with which he delivered it, had Wade clenching his teeth.

She’d made a mistake being with Aaron, in Wade’s opinion, but that didn’t mean she deserved any of the shit these kids were saying about her.

Chase laughed. “I don’t know, Aaron. I think I would’ve done it. A private jet. When will you ever get that chance again?”

“I know, right? That’s what I told him. I mean yeah, she was a bunny boiler, but still . . .”

“Garret, will you please shut up with the bunny boiler comments already. I’m sorry Mustang ever told you about that crazy stalker movie.” Aaron shook his head.

“Bunny boiler. Love that expression.” Chase chuckled, which only made Garret grin wider, obviously pleased with himself.

Wade breathed in deep as his blood pressure soared with every comment the boys made about CeCe.

As far as Wade was concerned, these guys all needed to shut the hell up. If they knew her at all, if they knew her the way he did, they would understand.

The things she did, the way she behaved, it was all a defense mechanism put in place to protect what he’d seen to be a delicate heart. A woman desperate to love and be loved.

And what the fuck was happening to him? It was as if he’d turned into some kind of quack psychologist or something.

He needed to get out of here before he got so mad at these kids he did something foolish. That could include anything from taking a swing at them to telling them off, which would only tip off everyone as to where he’d spent the week and with whom.

His judgment was clouded. If it remained so, it would affect his performance. His job required quick thinking as much as fast feet.

If he was distracted by these kids and their brat attitudes it could mean the difference between any of them walking out of the arena versus being carried out on a stretcher.

Wade had a feeling maintaining focus on anything was going to be a challenge today.

He blew out a breath and stood.
 
“I’m gonna head out and take a look at the bulls.”

Shorty nodded. “See you out there.”

CHAPTER 16

CeCe walked past her assistant’s desk. The chair was empty.

In fact, there was no one around the immediate area outside her office.

Not a surprise. CeCe hadn’t been there all week. Her employees probably didn’t expect her to show up to work on a Friday after taking four days off.

Her little sojourn at home with Wade had probably set the workload back days. Though, honestly, she should be able to trust them to keep the company running in her absence.

She made her way to the kitchen area and reached to take a mug down from the cabinet. There was coffee in the pot and it was steaming hot and smelled fresh so someone was in the office.

Glancing at the clock, she took note of the time. It was late enough the place should be bustling. She filled the mug and was just reaching for the handle on the door of the fridge when the sound of conversation had her turning.

A stream of people filed down the hallway from the direction of the conference room.

Maggie broke off from the crowd and rushed to her.

“Ms. Cole, I didn’t know you’d be in today.” She reached for the fridge, took out the cream and put it on the counter. “Let me fix your coffee and bring it to you.”

“That’s fine. I might as well get it since I’m here.” She frowned at the group as they dispersed. “Where was everyone?”

“The monthly sales meeting.”

CeCe let her eyes drift closed. “I forgot all about it.”

“It’s okay. I took notes for you. I was going to email them to you as soon as I cleaned them up. I knew you’d want to be updated.”

CeCe stopped with her hand on the sugar bowl. This girl wasn’t so bad after all. “Good thinking. Thank you. I appreciate that.”

Looking shy at the compliment, Maggie smiled. If CeCe wasn’t mistaken, she actually blushed. CeCe probably didn’t encourage her nearly enough.
 

 
“Thank you, ma’am. Are you sure I can’t finish fixing your coffee for you and bring it to your office?”

It looked so important to her, CeCe took a step back. “Sure. That would be great. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

With nothing else to do in the kitchen, CeCe made her way back to her office.

Inside she’d barely sat when she was surprised to see that Maggie was there right behind her, bearing her coffee.

“Here you go. I hope it’s the way you like it.” The girl waited and watched.

CeCe figured she’d better taste it and confirm or the girl was never going to leave. She took a sip and had to admit, it was exactly as she liked it. “It’s perfect. Thank you.”

Again, Maggie beamed. “You’re welcome. I’ll go email that document to you.”

CeCe nodded. “Thanks.”

Looking happier than she ever had, Maggie spun and almost ran to her desk while CeCe sat and pondered what had just happened.
 

Wade had always been big on saying
please
and
thank you
with the waitresses the few times they’d been out to eat. Even at home with Maria.

His politeness never failed to earn him huge smiles as the women fell over themselves to try and help him more. She’d assumed it was because he was a good looking guy, but now she had to wonder if it just wasn’t because he expressed his gratitude for whatever little thing they did for him, even if it was their job.

John had always expected people to do things for him, no
please
or
thank you
needed. If she looked closely at her own life, she realized she was the same way. It was hard not to expect a lot and give very little when just the mention of the Cole money had people bowing and scraping to please you.

It was a surreal world in which she lived. Yet she’d never noticed that until Wade had shown her a different perspective.

Thoughts of him had her reaching for her computer. Even as she opened a new browser there was a chant running through her head telling her not to do it. Not to search his name. Not to search where the next event was.

But even if she did find out that information, that didn’t mean she was going to act upon it.

Besides, it was important to see what was happening in the sport since, technically, Cole Shocks was still a sponsor until the end of the season.

Maybe there was some useful press about the last event.

Since last weekend had been the Cole Shock Absorbers Invitational, she should really look and see what, if anything, was online about her company’s participation. It might be useful to the marketing department.

With an abundance of excuses to justify her actions, CeCe opened a search window and began her investigation.

She started with a search for the bull riding association and found the official website. There was the listing of venues for the series for the remainder of the season.

The locations were all over the place. If Wade worked every one of the events, he would have to crisscross the country and spend nearly every weekend in a different state.

Perhaps he didn’t work every event.

People needed time off. Athletes especially. They needed to heal. She had no doubt he had broken ribs from the last competition. He pretended nothing was wrong but the bruises and the way he favored one side told a different story.

Why wouldn’t the association force him to take time off to heal?

Maybe they didn’t realize he’d been hurt. He was just the type to hide an injury from his bosses. But if he arrived there and they saw he was hurt, maybe they’d put him on leave or something.

Against her better judgment, CeCe let the nagging voice of curiosity override her common sense and she searched for his name specifically.

A search for
Wade Long
yielded a full page of results, including photos, videos, interviews with him and articles about him.

She clicked on one link with a particularly tantalizing headline. It turned out to be an article about a rider who’d been badly hurt but the reporter credited Wade with keeping the man from being injured worse or possibly killed.

CeCe’s attention span for an actual newspaper lasted about as long as it took to read the headline and the lead paragraph, but she read this article from top to bottom.

She could picture Wade risking himself by diving beneath the deadly hooves of the still-bucking bull to grab the rider and pull him to safety. She’d seen him do almost as much at the last event. She still didn’t understand why a man would choose that particular profession, but Wade had and evidence indicated he did it well.

The last paragraph of the article was about the charitable organization that covered the injured rider’s bills while he recovered. The rider was quoted thanking Wade for saving his life and the organization for supporting him as he recovered.

There was a link for the charity. She clicked on it and, page by page, systematically devoured the information she found there.

CeCe had gotten so lost in the labyrinth of links leading to more information that the next time she broke from the search it was to see than an hour had passed and her coffee, mostly untouched, was cold. But getting more coffee was the last thing on her mind. Her thoughts were spinning with information—and with possibilities.

It was one thing to donate huge amounts of money as a sponsor that helped put on the show that the sport had become, but it was another thing to help the people who risked their lives in that sport when they needed it most.

“Maggie!” She didn’t bother with the phone. She was too excited about her idea.

The girl was in her doorway within seconds. “Yes, ma’am?”

“I have an idea.”

“Okay.” She looked at a loss as to what to do next.

Were CeCe’s ideas so few and far between that the staff didn’t know how to react? She supposed they were. And actually, the last time she’d walked into the office and announced a major change it had been when she’d declared they’d no longer be sponsoring the professional bull riding association.

It was no wonder Maggie looked a bit trepidatious at CeCe’s announcement.

“Schedule a meeting with finance, PR and marketing.”

“Um, for when?”

“Now. Today. As soon as possible.” CeCe was never one to sit on her hands once she’d decided to do something.

Maggie’s eyes widened. “All right.”

As the girl spun and headed back to her desk, CeCe called after her, “Thank you.”