most familiar with.”
“What the hell is going on out there?” Todd demanded. “Have you been taken captive or something?”
“The days of the Wild West are pretty much over,” Megan assured him, grinning despite herself.
“Then what?”
“It’s gotten complicated,” she said, settling for the same word she’d used with Tess.
Todd was no more satisfied with the response than Tess had been. “Complicated how? The estate and stuff?”
“You could say that.”
“Megan, why don’t you just spit it out?” he repeated with a rare touch of impatience. “I need to know what we’re up against here. Are you closing things down? Selling out?”
“Absolutely not!” It was more certainty than she’d displayed with Jake, but she realized she’d made her decision about that overnight.
“Then explain.”
“Tex’s legacy wasn’t exactly what I expected.”
“More money? Less? The ranch? What?”
“An eight-year-old daughter.”
That silenced her unflappable assistant.
“Todd?”
“I’m here. I’m just grappling with this. He left you a daughter?”
“That pretty much sums it up, except for the part where I have to stay here to raise her.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“I wish to hell I were.”
“You with a kid,” he said with evident amazement. “It boggles the mind.”
“Doesn’t it just?” she agreed. “But that’s where I am. I’m still trying to figure out how to make all this work, so don’t go blabbing the news around and set off a panic, okay? My goal is to get back to New York, but that could take time and some legal tap dancing, okay?”
“My lips are sealed,” he assured her. “Uh, Megan, just what are some of the options you’re considering? Commuting, maybe?”
“It’s on the list,” she agreed, though even she had to concede that as a practical matter it was seriously lacking. She wasn’t sure Todd was ready to hear another option she’d been toying with all night long. Envisioning Todd and the others—savvy, sophisticated New Yorkers one and all—trying to adapt to life in Wyoming had given her one of the only good laughs she’d had overnight. Last resort, she’d finally conceded. That was definitely her last resort.
“Commuting could work,” Todd said, as if eager to convince her. “There are faxes and e-mail. And just imagine all those frequent-flyer miles. Plus you’d be halfway to the West Coast, so trips to L.A. would be a breeze, too. Just say the word and I’ll start writing up a plan.”
“Not just yet. I still have some thinking to do. In the meantime, I’ll pick up a fax machine and a computer for Tex’s office here. I’ll call as soon as I can get everything set up. Now tell me what’s happening there. Everything on schedule?”
“Running like clockwork,” he assured her. “I shifted the taping schedule on the show till next week. If you can’t make that, we’ll adjust, despite Micah’s dire predictions that it’ll be a disaster. There are enough shows pretaped to hold us for a while. The lead story for the magazine’s been laid out. I can fax you the pages as soon as you say the word.”
“Terrific. I don’t know what I’d do without you. I’ll talk to you later. Tell Micah I’ll check in with her before the end of the day, too.”
“Right.” He hesitated. “By the way, Megan, don’t think I haven’t noticed that it’s practically the middle of the night there. Now that I know your brain does actually function in the morning,” he taunted, “I might start scheduling those a.m. meetings for eight.”
“Don’t even think about it,” she warned, but she was chuckling as she hung up.
“Everything okay at your office, niña?” Mrs. Gomez asked from behind her.
Megan turned. “I didn’t hear you come in. I hope I didn’t wake you with all my commotion in here. I really appreciate you staying over till things settle down.”
“This is not a problem. I can stay as long as you like. My sister will take care of things at my house. As for waking me, we’re early risers here. You know that. Tess will be down any minute wanting breakfast.”
“And then what?” Megan asked, at a loss about what sort of routine the child had.
The housekeeper regarded her quizzically. “I don’t understand what you are asking.”
“Does she go to school?”
“Well, of course she does, though I thought it best that she not go this week because of Tex. She will return on Monday and things will settle back to normal.”
Megan wanted to scream that things would never be entirely normal again. She wanted to ask what could possibly be normal about Tex’s empty office or his empty place at the table. She wanted to ask what was normal about becoming an overnight mother to a child she hadn’t even known existed a few days ago.
“You will see, niña,” Mrs. Gomez consoled, as if she had read Megan’s mind.
Before Megan could argue, Tess wandered into the kitchen, gave Megan a distrustful look and sat down at the far end of the big oak table.
“I thought you’d be gone by now,” she said.
“Did you really?”
“I know what a busy life you have in New York,” she mocked. “You told me so yourself. Go, if you want. We don’t need you here.”
“Tess,” Mrs. Gomez scolded, placing a hand on the girl’s shoulder. “Be polite.”
Tess retreated into scowling silence. Megan didn’t have the strength or the ingenuity just then to try to coax her out of it. Besides, Tess’s distrust was justified. Megan hadn’t done much to prove she intended to stick it out in Wyoming. How could she when she didn’t know herself what decision she would finally reach? Maybe her actions today would help give them both some breathing room, though.
“If you’ll excuse me,” Megan said, pushing her chair back, “I have to go into town for a few things today. I’m going into Tex’s office to make a list.”
“A trip into town will do you good,” Mrs. Gomez agreed a little too enthusiastically. Then she added slyly, “Why not take Tess along?”
“No way,” Tess blurted, just as Megan was about to protest as well.
Mrs. Gomez went on as if their reactions had been more positive. “Tess can show you where things are. There are new stores since the last time you were here.”
“I
