"You didn't come here with the best of intentions," she said grimacing. "Though you made amends it takes a while to forget."
The slamming of a car door stopped her thoughts and movements. She thought she had prepared for this, but now her stomach was in her throat and her heart was in her stomach. Nothing she had planned to say to this man was in her head. Would she remember or would she mess up this one and only opportunity to keep her land and her life? Caitlin and Scott headed outside; Caitlin held her breath the entire time.
She gasped when she saw the tall, stately man with an air of self-confidence surrounding him. In his navy trousers and white and blue checkered shirt he seemed like a normal man, but she knew he was the CEO and owner of Mackay Construction in Dallas, Texas. He had a monopoly on construction work in the city.
"Nice things you're doing with the place, Miss Chadwick, but a waste of time and money. How does the executor feel about this?" The man's voice was courteous, somewhat soft, yet full of sarcasm.
"The executor is behind me 100 percent," Caitlin replied, a bit of smugness coming through her voice and smile.
"I heard that about him. One bat of those long eyelashes and his mind no longer works of its own accord. Is that what happened to you, son?"
"Stepson," Scott said with venom lacing his words.
Forrester MacKay stared at the ranch and the new buildings, his hand on his chin. "Actually, my dear, you have done me a great favor. With new buildings on this land I can quadruple my earnings." He moved towards Caitlin and studied her face for a moment with his piercing eyes. She never blinked and never looked away from him, despite her knees shaking and voice screaming inside her head to run away.
"Here's the way this was supposed to have happened," Forrester said. "My stepson," he emphasized while glaring at Scott, "was to set up a meeting. A business deal, mind you. Unfortunately, he's a goof off like his mother, so simple tasks are difficult. That's the way of the world, isn't it? Some of us are cut out for higher purposes and others, like the two of you, are here to cater to people like me." He turned his attention to his stepson. "What happened, Scott? Did this pretty lady twist your mind?" He shook his head. "Don't tell me, you fell in love."