The Gamble (Colorado Mountain 1)

I smiled and stopped in front of her. “Word travels fast, I’m learning.”

“You are English, like they say,” Kami noted and she noted this like she would note, “You are a demon-from-hell, like they say.”

I felt my neck start to get tight. “Well, sort of –”

She cut me off, looking around. “Is Max here?”

“No, he’s in town,” Mindy offered, coming to stand by me.

I tried to get things on the right track and lifted my hand. “You’re Kami, Max’s sister.”

She stared at my hand then at me then she sighed in a harassed way, took my hand, hers remained limp as a dead fish and she replied, “Yeah,” she dropped my hand and looked at Mindy. “When’s Max gonna be back?”

“Dunno,” Mindy answered.

“Well,” she began and walked to the dining room table, opening her enormous, well-made, designer leather purse. “Tell him I stopped by and brought the papers for him.” Then she yanked out some papers and slapped them down on the table.

“Papers?” Mindy asked as Kami turned back to us.

“Papers,” Kami repeated. “Curt might be dead but that doesn’t mean work stopped and Trev’s still lookin’ for a foreman and they still want Max. They’re offerin’ full benefits, have added a week on his vacation and another five thousand dollars. He’d be a fool not to take it and quit travellin’ around like he’s twenty-two and got no sense.”

I wasn’t sure I liked Max’s sister and found myself lamenting the fact I hadn’t thrown myself on the floor beside the couch like Mindy.

“Kami, Max ain’t gonna work for Dodd,” Mindy said softly and I looked at Mindy in surprise.

“Yeah? Well then it’s good he’s dead, Max doesn’t have that excuse anymore,” Kami shot back.

Now I was sure I didn’t like Max’s sister.

“Brody says he gets paid loads more on the jobs he takes out of town,” Mindy told her.

“They sweetened the pot.”

“I’m thinkin’ they’ll need to make it even sweeter for him to work for Dodd, even seein’ as Dodd’s dead. It’s still workin’ for Dodd,” Mindy pointed out.

Kami directed her gaze to the floor all the while shaking her head, walking toward the door and muttering, “Why am I having this conversation?”

“Would you…” I tried politeness again, “like to stay for a cup of coffee? We were just thinking about pulling together lunch.”

Kami stopped at the door and looked at me. “Thanks but… no.” She appeared to be fighting back a curl in her lip as her eyes travelled the length of me. “I’ll pass on having coffee with another one of Max’s women. We’ll see how long you last then we’ll think about coffee.”

“Kami!” Mindy snapped, her back up, her courage slotting into place, her anger apparent.

“You should be warned, he’s a player,” Kami said to me, ignoring Mindy.

“He is not!” Mindy defended.

Kami’s eyes went to her and she was definitely having trouble with her lip curling now. “Like you’d know.”

“Know him better than you.”

“Hardly,” Kami said derisively.

To her tone, Mindy decided to deliver a twenty-four year old girl’s lethal blow and it was good. “Know you better than you think too and I know you’re just jealous because everyone likes him but everyone thinks you’re a bitch and he’s hot, you’re not and you couldn’t get laid if you tried.”

Kami leaned forward and snapped, “Mindy Smith, shut your mouth!”

“Make me!” Mindy snapped back.

“Ladies, please, this is –” I started.

“You can shut your mouth too, fancy pants,” Kami said to me.

My back straightened as well and I asked, “Did you just call me fancy pants?”

“Yeah, you got a problem with that?” Kami voice was ugly and it was clear she was raring for a fight.

“No,” I answered calmly, deciding cat fighting with Max’s sister in his house wasn’t on my agenda for the day, “except it’s weak.” She opened her mouth to speak but I spoke first and I did it with glacial politeness. “Please, don’t worry. We’ll make certain that Max gets those papers. Enjoy the rest of your day.”

Then I turned and walked toward the kitchen and heard Mindy following me.

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you,” Kami called to my back.

“Careful on your drive down, those roads are tricky,” I called back and opened a cupboard that hid my face from her but not one I needed anything out of. Mindy got close, I twisted my neck and I bugged my eyes at her. Mindy giggled.

We heard the door close then I closed the cupboard and Mindy and I watched Kami stomp down the steps, get in her shiny SUV, execute a visibly annoyed three-point turn and then drive, too fast, out of the lane.

I turned to Mindy and asked, “Did that just happen?”

Mindy turned to me and replied, “I told you.”

I looked back out the windows and murmured, “How can she be related to Max?”

“Max’s Mom isn’t much better, then again she’s mellowed with age.”

This wasn’t good news.

“You’re good,” she said, the huge smile spreading on her face was also brightening her pretty blue eyes.

“Sorry?” I asked.

“You went all Ice Queen on her, gave her no opening, it was awesome,” Mindy complimented.

“Um…” I didn’t know what to say but was strangely pleased with the praise then I finished, “thanks.”

“Anyway,” Mindy said, clearly over it and on to better things, she turned to the fridge, opened it and asked its shelves, “What’s for lunch?”

“I thought I’d make toasted sandwiches with shaved chicken, Monterey Jack cheese and avocado,” I suggested, a suggestion that was met with silence.

I turned to see Mindy staring at me then she said, “Really?”

“Really,” I answered then asked, “Why?”

“’Cause that sounds freaking great.”

I smiled and said, “It is.” Then reached passed her into the fridge to get the cheese and chicken. “Fire up the stove, darling, let’s make lunch.”

“Cool!” she cried and skip-danced to the stove.