Texas Pride. Gerry Bartlett

      “Fine, fine. So you have contacts. That will help when you start making phone calls. Because here’s what I need for you to do.” Wilson nodded toward the papers Shannon now held. “Calhoun Petroleum has been very generous over the years with various charities.”

      “I know. It’s good for our image.” Shannon glanced at the top page and actually got excited. The gala for the Cancer Society. That was one of her favorites. Of course she’d be glad to go and represent the company. Maybe a new ball gown could go on an expense account.

      “Your job today is to call every one of those organizations and regretfully decline their invitations to buy a table or sponsor the event. We can’t afford to give generously this year, as much as we’d love to participate. Blah, blah, blah.” Wilson sat behind her desk, her smile fixed as she leaned back. The window wall behind her had a breathtaking view of the city. “The Ballet Ball is coming up soon. Get right on that one. They’ll have to scramble to find another underwriter.”

      Shannon struggled for breath. This couldn’t be. It was so humiliating. Her entire social life existed because she was on charity boards, helped raise funds, wrote checks.

      “Is there a problem, Ms. Calhoun? I put the contact person’s name and telephone number right there on the list. Your background should help you smooth the waters, so to speak. The social season is about to start. Time’s a wasting. As I said, it’s very late for us to notify that we are pulling out.” Wilson leaned forward. “And we are pulling out.”

      “No! You can’t be serious. Everyone will know Calhoun is in trouble. It’s a PR nightmare.” Shannon glanced at the first name on the list. “Reconsider the Ballet Ball! If we cut funding, they might not be able to bring in their guest dancer, a soloist for Swan Lake this year.”

      “The PR nightmare would be if our check bounced.” Wilson picked up her phone. “Now I suggest you hop to it. If you have any more concerns about the funding, take it up with your sister, the new CFO—I believe her office is two floors up.”

      Shannon clutched the papers and stalked off to her assigned hole. Impossible. It had been bad enough going through human resources. She may have made a scene when she’d realized what her pay was going to be. But it was ridiculous.

      She sat in the chair and stared at the list. She knew some of these contact people personally and just couldn’t do it.

      Two floors up.

      Her newly discovered half-sister Cassidy had proved to be a valuable ally and was a whiz with numbers. Surely she would understand that this was the wrong move. Bad publicity. Shannon grabbed her cell and her list and headed for the elevator.

      * * * *

      Cassidy’s floor was certainly not a ghost town. It bustled with activity. Of course. This was where they figured out the money. Her sister even had an assistant who guarded her door.

      “Holly, I have to see her. This is very important company business.” Shannon’s feet were starting to hurt. She’d never given these beautiful shoes this much of a workout.

      “She’s in a meeting, Shannon.” Holly Rogers gestured to a couch then smiled. “They should be done soon. If you wait, I’ll let her know you need to see her. First day on the job?”

      “Yes.” Shannon sat. She was tempted to ease out of the right shoe but toughed it out. Her right foot had always been slightly bigger than her left. “I don’t seem to have a secretary or assistant or anyone to help me.”

      “I remember seeing the memo. Public relations took a hard hit in the layoffs.” Holly held up a hand when her phone buzzed. “Excuse me.” She answered the phone.

      Shannon studied Cassidy’s layout. Big office, name on the door. But she couldn’t be too jealous. Cass had a business degree and banking experience. She’d already impressed the board of directors with the way she’d started work early and jumped in with some solutions when they’d found out Calhoun Petroleum was on shaky ground for a number of reasons. She was bucking to be named CEO in their father’s place. Since no one with sense would want to board this sinking ship, Shannon bet she got the job. Then she’d be moved up another two floors to Daddy’s office.

      Shannon hadn’t even known about her father’s first marriage and daughter until that crazy will had been read a few weeks ago. Now she was glad Cass had turned out to be smart and was doing what she could to save the company that was their inheritance. She was nice too. In her place, Shannon wasn’t sure she wouldn’t be bitter if she’d been left to grow up poor when the rest of the Calhouns had lived in luxury just a few miles away.

      And then there was what had happened once Cass had started working at Calhoun’s headquarters. She’d been attacked in the parking garage. More than once. Then finally in her office here.

      Shannon shuddered. When they’d found out who wanted Cass out of the way, it had been the worst shock ever. All the chaos had led to Shannon starting work weeks late. But she was here now. She wanted to make it up to Cass. Show her that she was behind her and wanted to help the company turn around. But dropping the charities was not the way. Hopefully she’d listen.

      “Shannon?” Holly stood in front of her. “Cass says to come on in. She’s meeting with the lawyer and wants you to hear what they’re discussing. Family business.”

      “Oh, right.” Shannon jumped up. That “family business” concerned her father and his shady dealings when he’d started Calhoun Petroleum. It was an even bigger problem than the low price of oil these days.

      Holly opened Cassidy’s office door. “Here she is, Cass.”

      Shannon stepped inside, assuming it would be the same lawyer who’d taken care of her father’s will. But no. Instead, it was the man who was best known in Houston as the one to call when you were in trouble with the law. Criminal law.

      “Billy Pagan? Well, hell. We must really be in deep shit if Cass called you to help us.” Shannon ignored his hand, which he’d held out to her, and collapsed into a chair.

      “You are. In deep shit.” William P. Pagan took the chair next to her. “Nice to see you again, Shannon. You look very”—he swept his gaze over her, starting at her feet and lingering at various spots until he got to her newly highlighted hair—“professional.”

      “Why, thank you, Billy. That’s very polite of you to notice.” Shannon looked him over too. Custom-tailored suit in black that matched his hair and brows. He was in great shape, his broad shoulders set off by the way that jacket fit so perfectly. He had a silk tie in red that looked perfect against a white shirt that made his bronze skin glow. She wondered if a salesman had helped him put the outfit together or a new girlfriend. Not that she cared.

      “Cassidy, are we thinking that what Daddy did was criminal behavior? Is that why you called in Billy?” Shannon tore her gaze away from Billy when she realized he was smiling at her.

      Cassidy moved out from behind her desk and pulled up a chair. It still gave Shannon a start that her new sister with her dark hair and stubborn chin looked so much like their late father. “I wasn’t sure. I wanted an opinion and Mason thought Billy might be a little more comfortable with this type of case than his brother.”

      Dylan MacKenzie was the lawyer handling their father’s estate and the will. He was also an expert in oil and gas issues. His brother Mason was their evaluator who had to make sure they followed the terms laid out in that will as they worked in the company for the next year, or lose their inheritance. Shannon hated how complicated it had all become. Cassidy had fallen hard for Mason so she seemed to be in her element, running the company and living with Mason now. The way things were shaking out made Shannon wonder if she was going to find herself left out when the year was over.

      “Dylan and I go way back. Went to law school together. But Shannon knows that.” Billy leaned toward Cass which meant his shoulder brushed Shannon’s. “He’s perfect for the kind of paper pushing he does day in and day out, like your daddy’s will. But if you need to get