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  No Getting over You

  MacLarens of Fire Mountain

  Contemporary Romance Series

  SHIRLEEN DAVIES

  Book Seven in the MacLarens of Fire Mountain

  Contemporary Romance Series

  Copyright © 2015 by Shirleen Davies

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review. Thank you for respecting the author’s work.

  For permission requests, contact the publisher.

  Avalanche Ranch Press, LLC

  PO Box 12618

  Prescott, AZ 86304

  No Getting Over You is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used facetiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is wholly coincidental.

  Book design and conversions by Joseph Murray at 3rdplanetpublishing.com

  Cover design by The Killion Group

  ISBN: 978-1-941786-28-4

  I care about quality, so if you find something in error, please contact me via email at [email protected]

  Description

  No Getting Over You – Book Seven, MacLarens of Fire Mountain Contemporary Romance Series

  Cassie MacLaren has come a long way since being dumped by her long-time boyfriend, a man she believed to be her future. Successful in her job at MacLaren Enterprises, dreaming of one day leading one of the divisions, she’s moved on to start a new relationship, having little time to dwell on past mistakes.

  Matt Garner loves his job as rodeo representative for Double Ace Bucking Stock. Busy days and constant travel leave no time for anything more than the occasional short-term relationship—which is just the way he likes it. He’s come to accept the regret of leaving the woman he loved for the pro rodeo circuit.

  The future is set for both, until a chance meeting ignites long buried emotions neither is willing to face.

  Forced to work together, their attraction grows, even as multiple arson fires threaten Cassie’s new home of Cold Creek, Colorado. Although Cassie believes the danger from the fires is remote, she knows the danger Matt poses to her heart is real.

  While fighting his renewed feelings for Cassie, Matt focuses on a new and unexpected opportunity offered by MacLaren Enterprises—an opportunity that will put him on a direct collision course with Cassie.

  Will pride and self-preservation control their future? Or will one be strong enough to make the first move, risking everything, including their heart?

  No Getting Over You, book seven in the MacLarens of Fire Mountain Contemporary series, is a full-length novel with an HEA.

  From the Author

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  Visit my website for a list of characters for each series.

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  Acknowledgements

  Thanks also to my editor, Kim Young, proofreader, Alicia Carmical, and all of my beta readers. Your insights and suggestions are greatly appreciated.

  As always, many thanks to my wonderful resources, including Diane Lebow, who has been a whiz at guiding my social media endeavors, my cover designer, Kim Killion, and Joseph Murray who is a whiz at formatting my books for both print and electronic versions.

  Table of Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Epilogue

  About the Author

  Other Books by Shirleen Davies

  No Getting

  Over You

  Prologue

  Phoenix, Arizona

  “Cassie, Matt left a note on the front door.” Janie tossed the piece of paper on the bed. “Haven’t you returned his calls?”

  Cassie looked up from her computer. “Not yet, but he knows I’m swamped. I’ll shoot him a quick text to say I’ll see him Friday at dinner. I’m certain he’s just as busy as I am.”

  “Yeah, but it’s been days since you’ve seen him. The least you could do is call and speak with him.” Janie shrugged. “Just saying…” Her voice faded as she closed the bedroom door.

  Cassie’s fingers stilled on the keyboard. Janie might be right. She’d ignored the messages Matt had left over the last three days saying he needed to talk to her. They’d known each other their entire lives, been together since high school. A year older than she, he had one more semester in college, and she’d finish a year later.

  He’d talked of going into the professional rodeo circuit while she finished school, maybe staying in for a time after she graduated. They’d debated it over and over until she believed Matt had put that dream behind him, deciding to take the job her father, Heath MacLaren, offered at MacLaren Enterprises. The job made more sense than chasing the fantasy he’d harbored since he was ten. In her mind, Matt had more going for him than wrecki
ng his body and endangering his life competing in saddle and bareback stock competitions. Besides, Cassie had no desire to watch the rodeo bunnies fawn over him in city after city.

  They’d spent a lot of time together in Fire Mountain at Christmas a couple weeks before. Their families were close, and although a few stayed silent, most seemed to have an opinion on his future. His reluctant admission over the Christmas holiday that the rodeo life might not be the sensible choice had sealed it for Cassie. Right now, she needed to concentrate on school, then they could take a short break between semesters.

  Leaning to the side, she grabbed the note Janie had tossed on the bed. Opening it, she wasn’t surprised to read he needed to see her right away. They already had plans to meet for dinner tomorrow night. Smiling to herself, she grabbed her phone, typed a quick text, and sent it. Surely he could wait twenty-four hours. Setting the phone on her desk, she got back to work, forgetting the urgency of his message.

  ******

  Tapping her fingers on the table, Cassie glanced at her phone once more to make sure she hadn’t missed a message. She checked the time—eight o’clock. Matt was now thirty minutes late. Growing impatient, she called him, waiting as it went to voicemail.

  “Matt, it’s Cassie. Where are you? Call me.”

  Sitting back, she sipped her beer and picked up a blue corn chip, nibbling on it, watching the activities around her. She recognized several people who had also made this a regular hangout, just as she and Matt had for the last couple years. It would be different when he graduated and took the job Heath offered. She’d still be at school, but at least the drive to Fire Mountain wasn’t far. They’d see each other on weekends and holidays until she finished.

  After another half-hour of checking her phone every five minutes, she sent him a curt message, telling him she’d decided not to wait any longer.

  She continued to fume the following morning when he hadn’t called or messaged her. Cassie could think of just one place that could hold his attention for so long, making him forget everything else—the rodeo grounds where he kept his horse. Anger turned into concern when she considered something may have happened to Thunder, the gelding he’d owned and trained since high school.

  Showering and dressing, she picked up a latte at a neighborhood coffeehouse, then walked across campus. The rodeo grounds took up a good portion of what used to be vacant pastureland at one end of campus. Large and well-planned, it hosted collegiate and pro rodeo events. There were also a series of private stalls at one end. Ever since he had started school, Matt had rented one for Thunder.

  Looking around, Cassie didn’t see Matt’s truck in the lot, nor did she spot Thunder in his stall. Checking again for messages, she continued to the office, hoping Matt’s rodeo coach might be inside and know where to find him.

  “Morning, Cassie. What brings you out on a Saturday morning?” The coach’s deep voice greeted her the moment she stepped through the door.

  “Morning, Coach. I’m looking for Matt. Has he been around today?”

  He gave her a blank stare before clearing his throat. “He’s gone, Cass.”

  “Gone? Do you mean he’s running errands or drove into Phoenix?”

  Standing, he walked around his desk, crossing his arms. “He packed up and left this morning. He’s on his way to Texas. You are aware he graduated a semester early, right?” Seeing the stricken look on her face, he realized she knew nothing of Matt’s plans. “Didn’t he tell you anything?”

  Lowering herself into an old wooden chair, she fought for air, trying to understand what she heard. “Matt never said a word,” she breathed out. “So…he’s gone?”

  Coach scratched his chin, his brows drawing together. “You mean he never told you? That doesn’t sound like the Matt I know.”

  She tried to form a coherent thought as her chest squeezed. The idea he’d left her for the rodeo circuit without telling her, or saying goodbye, created an ache so intense, she thought her heart would stop.

  “He left a couple messages saying he needed to talk to me, but I was so busy with finals, I…I…” Her throat closed as the news of Matt’s departure became reality. Placing a hand over her churning stomach, she stood, heading for the door. “I need to go.” Dashing outside, she broke into a run, heading for her car. She had to get to the apartment he rented a few miles from campus. Maybe she could still catch him.

  Chapter One

  MacLaren Enterprises, Fire Mountain, Arizona

  Five years later…

  “Cassie, they’re ready for your presentation.” Phyllis Jurgunsen, the senior executive assistant at MacLaren Enterprises, signaled for her to join the senior management team in the boardroom.

  Picking up the folders she’d brought with her from the Cold Creek, Colorado, offices of MacLaren Rodeo, Cassie walked down the hall, once more reviewing her prepared speech. She’d been fighting the leadership’s desire to partner with a rodeo stock company out of Houston, Texas, since learning who the company employed as their representative in the western states. But her personal objections would carry no weight for the business savvy MacLaren executives.

  From her research, associating with Double Ace Bucking Stock gave them no significant advantages, and caused numerous disadvantages to their planned growth. At least that was her take on the findings. She knew her stepbrother, Cameron Sinclair, the president of the facility in Cold Creek, had a different conclusion. It would be quite a sales job to stop the momentum for partnering with Double Ace.

  “Cassie, we’re going to take a short break while you set up.” Heath MacLaren, Cassie’s father and chairman of MacLaren Enterprises, took a phone call as he headed into the hall.

  “Do you need any help?” Cam asked as Cassie turned on her computer and opened her presentation.

  “Do you mind passing these out?” She handed Cam the folders. When finished, he came up next to her, waiting until she looked at him.

  “A heads-up. Heath, Jace, and Rafe are pretty set on working with Double Ace,” Cam said, mentioning the senior MacLaren brothers. “It’s going to take a good bit of persuasion to change their opinions.”

  “If they’ve already made up their minds, it sounds as if my presentation is a waste of time.”

  “Not necessarily, but it will take a lot to change their thinking.”

  “I know they all believe I’m pushing back because of Matt, but there are sound reasons for continuing with the path they set a few years ago.” Cassie turned her attention to the presentation as everyone walked back into the boardroom.

  Lowering his voice, Cam leaned closer. “Then stick to the business reasons and avoid any mention of Matt.”

  After a few successful rodeo seasons, Matt Garner sustained an injury serious enough to knock him out of the circuit. Taking a lucrative offer from Double Ace to be their western states representative, he ran into Cassie for the first time in years at a meeting in Houston. They’d been able to avoid each other since then, and Cassie had every intention of keeping her distance. If this deal went through, however, she’d be his main point of contact, making avoiding him impossible.

  “Cassie, are you ready?” Heath took his seat, motioning for her to get started.

  Clearing her throat, she directed their attention to the folders, then launched into her presentation. Thirty minutes later, she closed her laptop and left. She’d find out their final decision soon enough.

  ******

  Double Ace Bucking Stock Headquarters, Houston, Texas

  “One more issue to discuss, then we’re finished.” Gage Templeton, vice president at Double Ace, sat forward, focusing his gaze on Matt. “We need to decide if we want to team-up with MacLaren Rodeo or move our efforts to another stock supplier.”

  “We do have other options that are as viable as MacLaren.” Matt rested his arms on the table, looking at each person.

  “Are you prepared to review them with us today?” Gage didn’t believe any other companies had the resources and financial backing
as strong as MacLaren. But knowing Matt’s history with Cassie, he felt compelled to listen to alternatives.

  “I am.” Rifling through his notes, he stood, walking toward the whiteboard located at one end of the room. Taking a marker, he listed four companies, including MacLaren, then cited the pros and cons of each. An hour later, they’d debated until Gage felt he had what he needed for his boss to make a decision.

  “Good job, Matt. I’ll need to run all this past Ivan Santiago.” Gage picked up his papers before he and Matt walked down the hall.

  “What are your thoughts?” As much as he wanted to believe otherwise, Matt felt the debate had supported continuing talks with MacLaren Rodeo. From a business standpoint, they were the best choice. From a personal perspective, however, he couldn’t think of a worse situation.

  The icy welcome he’d gotten from Cassie’s relatives a few months before, at Mitch MacLaren’s wedding reception, told him they didn’t know the whole story behind him leaving her for the rodeo circuit. Even his grandfather, Seth Garner, who’d raised Matt and his younger brother, Troy, had been disappointed in his actions. It had taken time, but his grandfather finally understood Matt’s side, why he had to leave, and the frustration he felt near the end when Cassie wouldn’t make time for him. He’d wanted to explain, but she’d shut him out.

  “You presented good points for each company, and there’s no reason we can’t work with more than one. We aren’t interested in an exclusive deal with MacLaren Rodeo—at least not yet. Santiago will want to kick the tires a bit before considering an exclusive with any outfit.” Gage checked his watch before turning back to Matt. “Let’s grab dinner after work. Stop by my office on your way out.”

  “Sounds good.” Matt enjoyed Gage’s company, always fascinated by the stories he told of his time competing in the rodeo circuit. Bareback and saddle bronc were his events, the same as Matt, although he’d gone a little further, winning a world championship in saddle bronc. He’d also been present the day Matt and Cassie saw each other for the first time since their breakup. It hadn’t been pretty. The highlight being when she called him a sonofabitch and planted a right hook square into his face.