Convincing the Rancher. Claire McEwen

mind around the idea. Godmother. So far she’d mostly managed to pretend that this baby wasn’t really happening. Obviously she knew Samantha was pregnant, but Tess didn’t like looking too far ahead. Soon the baby would be here, and she’d be expected to adore it, and she just wasn’t sure she could handle that. Not after living through the pain of giving up her own child. “Absolutely. How exciting!” The corners of her mouth ached with the effort behind her smile.

      “Anyway, back to your situation.” Apparently Samantha wouldn’t be easily distracted from her matchmaking. “Slaid is a really good guy. And I bet deep down, he’s crazy about you. Just give him a chance. You’re here in Benson for a few weeks. Try something new—go on a date!”

      “I’d rather try something else new.”

      “How about learning to ride?” Jack walked into the kitchen and poured coffee into a to-go mug. “I’m heading out to the barn right now. Apple needs exercise.”

      “My horse,” Samantha explained. “She’s getting fat right along with me.”

      “You’re not fat. You’re more beautiful than ever.” Jack kissed his wife with such tenderness that Tess had to look away. It felt as though she was intruding. Jack put his hand on Samantha’s belly, and his blue eyes shone with hope and happiness. “I can’t wait to meet this little guy you’re growing for us,” he said softly, then kissed his wife once more and grinned at Tess. “I hope you’re up for some babysitting duty, Aunt Tess.”

      Tess inhaled her coffee and spluttered out, “Of course.” She needed to finish this project and get out of here before her friend’s due date—that much was clear. “Well, it’s been great to see you both,” she said brightly. “But the windmills call.”

      The mood in the room shifted. It was subtle, but Tess was good at sensing subtleties. There was nothing like growing up with drug-addled, abusive parents to hone a person’s people-reading skills. She’d learned early on to identify any signs of trouble.

      “About the windmills...” Samantha said quietly.

      “You know we don’t support them,” Jack finished for her.

      Tension coiled in Tess’s stomach. She’d figured they’d have doubts or questions, but she wasn’t expecting them to come out against the project immediately. “I don’t get it. Don’t you want clean energy?”

      “Of course we do,” Samantha said. “But windmills would be a huge change for Benson. We wouldn’t be surrounded by nature anymore.”

      “We love the wilderness, and it’s what brings tourists here,” Jack added.

      “So I’ve heard.” Tess sighed.

      Samantha looked relieved that Tess understood. “So many of the tourist businesses are my clients. I can’t be their public relations consultant if there is no public to relate to. They—we—need this place to stay pristine.”

      “And there’s also the issue with the birds,” Jack added.

      “What do you mean?” Tess asked.

      “We’re a pit stop on one of the biggest migratory routes in the world. Windmills kill birds, Tess. By the hundreds of thousands.”

      “I know they can, but there is a lot of new technology to mitigate that,” Tess defended.

      “Mitigate just means there will be slightly fewer birds killed.”

      “I’ll get you the actual figures as soon as they send the environmental impact report,” Tess told him. “I think you’ll be amazed at what they can do to protect wildlife these days.”

      “Thanks, Tess.” Jack took his hat from the hook by the kitchen door and clapped it on his head. “Though I don’t think your statistic will change my mind. Sorry.” There was an awkward pause. “Well, I’ve got a couple horses to take a look at. I’ll see you gorgeous women later.”

      They were silent for another moment after he left. Tess thought about the birds she’d seen outside her window this morning. Big, black, noisy ones—crows or ravens. They’d woken her up and she’d been upset at the time, but that didn’t mean she wanted them shredded in a wind turbine.

      “So you support the project?” Samantha asked.

      “Sam, I keep telling you, I don’t have an opinion.”

      “How can you not have an opinion?” her friend asked. “This is important stuff.”

      Tess wouldn’t let herself be drawn in. “I have all kinds of opinions about a lot of things. But I don’t get to pick and choose my work assignments and I’m not paid to have an opinion about them. In fact, I’m paid to remain as neutral as possible and just present the facts.”

      “Let’s be honest,” Samantha said, “your job is to put a spin on the truth so the project that you’re representing sounds fantastic.”

      “Well, yes, I’m expected to present the facts in the best possible light—”

      “I just don’t know how you do it,” Samantha interrupted. “How you can represent a project like this one.”

      That stung. “Well, you’re in PR. And I’m sure in your old job especially, you didn’t always believe in what you were selling,” Tess said, trying to mask the hurt. “You know what it’s like.”

      “Yes, but I just represented beauty products.”

      “And were all of those products organic?” Tess challenged. “And free of any animal testing?”

      Samantha looked troubled. “No, not all of them...”

      “You see?” Tess asked. “You don’t have to believe in your product in order to sell it.”

      “But this product, as you call it, affects a group of people who have lived here a long time. Who have built a life here over generations. And it isn’t fair that some outside company is coming in to change all that without their consent.”

      “They’ll have a chance to voice their concerns,” Tess reminded her, trying to ignore the lump of guilt that was forming in her stomach.

      “Fine, but will their concerns really be heard?” Samantha asked.

      “I have no idea,” Tess admitted. “But if they aren’t, they can always file a lawsuit.”

      “Which is costly.”

      This conversation was starting to feel extremely unfair. “Sam, are you blaming me for all the flaws in our democracy?”

      “No!” Samantha looked away, contemplating something out the window for a moment. “I’m sorry, Tess. I’m not trying to make you feel bad. I just want you to think more about what you’re doing. About who you’re working for. And about the consequences that it could have for our town.”

      Tess made a point of rarely thinking deeply about what she was doing. And the guilt she was feeling now was exactly why she preferred to bury her head in the sand. “Look, I’m sorry. I understand that you don’t support the wind farm. And I understand why. But I’m here to do my job, and that’s what I have to do.”

      “I know.” Samantha attempted a smile but looked forlorn instead. “And can you understand why I’m going to take the other side in this fight?”

      “I do.” Tess hid her distress by taking a last gulp of coffee. “And speaking of the fight, I’d better get to work. It was great seeing you and Jack. Thanks for the breakfast.”

      “I’m sorry if I upset you, Tess.” Samantha stood up. “I don’t want this to come between us. Can we hang out later in the weekend? I’m decorating the baby room, and I could use your style advice.”

      Ugh. Maybe she was a terrible friend, but it sounded like torture. “Honey,