before her was the construction site she’d traveled two hundred miles to reach. Making her way down the sweep of gravel road, she tried to take in everything, from the tall crane swinging a long piling, to the heavy earthmovers parked on the far side of the mammoth clearing, to the sparkling water of the high Alpine lake, part of the spectacular view beyond.
To the left, a hodgepodge of trailers and campers lined the perimeter of the cleared area, with cars and trucks interspersed. Trees surrounded the site, dark green and soaring taller than any she’d seen before. But the jewel was the deep blue Alpine lake, pristine and clear, and stretching as far as the eye could see.
Mandy took a deep breath as she eased her car down the hill. Once the road was paved, the thirty-mile trip from Julian could be made in half the time it had taken her. And it would be a lot smoother.
“We’re almost there,” she murmured, searching for the office. She’d check in, find out which trailer had been allocated to her, and move in her few things. It wouldn’t take long to get settled. She especially wanted to refrigerate the groceries she’d bought in Julian before they spoiled.
And she wanted a bathroom!
She spotted a trailer apart from the others, nearer the work site, and headed for it. It had to be the office. All around her men worked in precision as they toiled to create a luxury resort in the Colorado wilderness. Hard hats gleamed in the sun. The drone of the crane as it swung the piling into place was background noise to the bang of hammers, the whine of a drill and the buzz of saws.
Mandy pulled to a stop by the office. She hastened out of her car and walked up the two steps into the trailer, excitement bubbling inside her.
“Mandy Parkerson! You made it!” Jeff Henshaw rose from behind one of three battered desks. A tall man with a shock of gray hair, he held out his hand. He’d been the one to interview her and offer her the job back in Denver.
Grateful for the friendly welcome, she felt some of her worry fade. Mandy smiled and took his hand. “Your directions were excellent.”
“You made good time. I didn’t expect you before dark.”
“I didn’t want to risk driving after sundown on an unfamiliar road. Especially one that isn’t paved. Julian looks like a darling town. I stocked up on groceries before I left.” She planned to visit on her days off—explore the small shops, eat at the local café, surround herself with some civilization, quiet though it might be.
“It’s the closest place for R and R we have when not working. Of course, it’s not up to Denver’s standards. Come on over and have a seat.”
“Uh, maybe I could freshen up first?”
“Go right down that short hall. Take your time. When you’re ready, I’ll show you around. Get you settled.”
“Thanks.”
Mandy almost flew down the hall, her long, flowing dress snapping around her legs. She was most comfortable these days in loose-fitting cotton dresses. The pink one she wore now gathered beneath her breasts, the full skirt hitting her midcalf. It swayed when she walked, billowing out behind her as she hurried. It also camouflaged most signs of pregnancy, not that she could be called svelte by any means. But the major growth of her baby was yet to come.
She suddenly wondered how suitable dresses would be on a construction site. It hadn’t been a problem in the offices in Denver, but this was definitely not Denver. Still, it wasn’t as if she’d be climbing girders or hammering nails.
Mandy was washing her hands when she felt the trailer move slightly, felt a vibration of the floor. Someone had joined Jeff. Was it his partner?
She knew from her interview that Jeff and a man named Jackson Witt had been business partners for several years. And that this was their biggest project to date—and in danger of falling behind because of paperwork snafus.
Not to mention that their previous secretary had quit abruptly, leaving everything in chaos. Mandy hadn’t figured out why the secretary had left. Jeff had been quite vague about that, and Mandy hadn’t felt it was her place to ask. Now that she was here, and a part of the team, maybe she’d be clued in.
She checked her appearance in the mirror. There wasn’t much she could do about the wild mop of blond curls. They were as tamed as they got. Touching up her pink lipstick, she smiled. Hoping to make as good an impression on Jackson Witt as she had with Jeff, she opened the door and headed back down the short hall. She heard voices and took a deep breath, ready to meet whoever had arrived.
“I saw the car, wanted to meet the new man. There’s no emergency on the site.” A strong voice carried to her ears.
“I can get the new secretary settled in.” That was Jeff’s voice. Did it sound a bit hesitant? Mandy wondered.
“Hey, he made good time. There are a few hours left until quitting time. Maybe he can make some headway in that stack of permits today. If we don’t get caught up soon, the entire project’s going to fall behind schedule, and that’s something I don’t plan to allow!”
Mandy stepped into the doorway. The man who stood casually beside Jeff’s desk, leafing through a stack of mail, was tall, dark, and seemed to seethe with impatience. Mandy blinked. She was five feet two herself, so most men seemed to tower above her. This one had to be six feet tall, with shoulders a yard wide. His T-shirt had the sleeves ripped out, and the rippling muscles covered by taut, tanned skin had her admiring superb musculature. Undoubtedly from hard physical labor. No gym could produce such bronzed skin, defined muscles and the air of command emanating from him even as he glanced through a handful of envelopes.
He caught her movement and looked up. His eyes were dark and unfathomable, but a hint of shock showed. Then they narrowed as he studied her. He looked at Jeff, raising an eyebrow in silent inquiry.
The older man shrugged. “I didn’t get around to telling you—our new secretary is a she.”
“The hell you say! You didn’t get around to telling me? You hired her last week! You’ve been back here four days. Dammit! Jeff, have you gone crazy? The last thing we need around here is a woman. We have fifty-three men working flat out and we need everyone to concentrate on their job, not slack off trying to make time with some blonde! Who knows how much longer we have before the weather turns? Get rid of her!” He tossed the papers on the desk and strode out of the office without looking at Mandy again. The door slammed, the sound reverberating in the narrow confines of the trailer.
“Gee, that went well,” Mandy said. She looked at Jeff. “Who was that?” A niggling worry had her guessing exactly who he was.
“That’s my partner, Jackson Witt.” Jeff smiled wryly. “His bark is worse than his bite. He’ll come around.”
“I gave up my job, my apartment, and put almost everything I own into storage to come to this job,” Mandy said, that hint of trepidation she’d felt earlier expanding, engulfing her. She’d been thrilled to get the position, especially because it was so far from Denver. So thrilled, she’d lost no time in rearranging her life and burning her bridges behind her. If she lost the position before she began, what would she do?
She needed this job!
Jeff rose. “Don’t worry about a thing. Jackson’ll come around. You’re staying. This’ll be your desk.” He indicated the one near the window—piled with stacks of folders, unopened mail and rolled-up blueprints. Some of the clutter spilled over onto the chair, the wide windowsill behind it and the floor. Had anything been done since the former secretary left? Exactly how long had she—no, undoubtedly he—been gone?
“Jackson was right about one thing, though, we need to get going with this paper mess to make sure we stay on target. Pete left us in the lurch when he took off unexpectedly like he did.” Jeff looked at her sharply. “I know we discussed timing—two months minimum—but we need to make sure you plan to stay until we shut down for the winter. We need all the paperwork caught up.”
“I’m