Page 23 of A Montana Childhood Promise (Sagebrush Ranch Sweethearts #3)
“This isn’t funny, Noah. This is about my reputation.
If I chose to go work for another entity and this event fails, then what will I have to show for myself?
Who would want to hire me after a blunder like that?
It wouldn’t even matter that I’m not here when everything crumbles.
All anyone would have to say is that I was the one who was responsible, and I jumped a sinking ship.
If it comes out eventually that this charity is hiding something, then the people associated with it will be doomed, too.
I get that you’re living your best life surrounded by hills and horses and a sort of freedom that people wish for, so you probably don’t understand what I’m dealing with, here, but?—”
He choked out a sound she hadn’t heard before.
“I’m sorry, what ?” He folded his arms, and his eyes narrowed with anger.
It was the first sign of anger she’d seen today, but not the first she’d witnessed over the last couple of weeks.
Now she was beginning to wonder if that irritation he’d demonstrated wasn’t for her benefit but because she had been obsessing over this turn of events.
“Don’t you dare try to compare what you do for a living to what I do.
” His voice faltered for a moment, and he cleared his throat.
“Don’t water down the kind of effort it takes to run a ranch like the one my cousin has. ”
She rose to her feet, her lips thinning before she gathered her thoughts. “But that’s just it, isn’t it? Your cousin runs that ranch. You do the work he tells you to. What you are in charge of? Do you have to worry about meeting quotas or maintaining a reputation that could be career altering?”
He opened his mouth then snapped it shut.
“See? There’s a difference between us. And it’s not a bad thing.
” Her voice softened. “But it also means that you will never understand completely what I have to deal with. There are people who have expectations, and if they aren’t met, those same people could ruin me.
I have to tread carefully, especially after the people on the board chose to withdraw their agreement. ”
Noah still looked fuming mad. He continued to stare at her as if he wanted to say something, but he couldn’t find the words.
“Whether you want to admit it or not, that CEO has shifted the way people view this charity. It has shifted the way they’re going to behave the next time they’re invited to one of these events.
People will start questioning why someone refuses to attend or even come out and do a press conference.
For a charity as successful as this one to have even one secret will draw unwanted attention to other aspects. ”
“You don’t know what that person might be going through,” Noah said through gritted teeth.
“You can’t just make assumptions when you don’t understand their situation.
They could be young and don’t want people to assume they don’t know what they’re doing.
They could be a celebrity that doesn’t want the added attention.
Heck, they could be some quiet cowboy who wants to live their life in peace. ”
“Yeah, well, they forfeited that possibility when they decided to continue down the path they were on. Some things require sacrifices. And to run something like The Wounded Heroes Project means scrutiny. Whether for good or for bad, they’ve got the attention of the country.
They’re just going to have to accept that. ”
“I don’t think they will. Looks like they’re doing a pretty good job at avoiding things so far.”
She gave him a flat look and lowered herself into her seat once more. Jane opened her computer and woke up the screen. Without looking up at him again, she muttered, “Well, it’s not going to stop me from trying to figure out who they are and convince them to attend by whatever means necessary.”
The tension in the room only continued to mount.
“Just leave the poor person alone.”
Her eyes cut to meet his, not surprised to see the anger flashing in his eyes.
She didn’t know why he was getting so defensive about someone neither one of them knew, but it didn’t matter anymore.
What mattered was that she needed to make the guests happy, and she needed to keep her reputation intact. “You should go, Noah. I’m busy.”
He stilled, his anger fading as concern replaced that emotion in his eyes. “But we were going to have lunch?—”
“I’m not hungry. I’ve got emails to write and research to continue.”
Noah’s jaw tightened. “I doubt your boss would want you working on something that doesn’t pertain to?—”
“I’m on track with hitting my deadlines, not that it’s any of your business. And finding out the identity of this person does pertain to my job.”
He didn’t respond to that. And for a few minutes, she wondered if he was expecting her to say something more. But then he spun on his heel, yanked the door open, then stormed out of her small office.
If she was tired, he must be exhausted. What other reason would there be for him to be so temperamental?