Unbreak My Heart (Rough Riders Legacy #1)(113)

She reached for a tissue. “Silver-tongued little thing. Thank you.”

“So now what?”

“You’re officially agreeing to take the directorship of PCE?”

“Yes.”

That felt…good. Damn good.

“We’ll announce it at next week’s meeting. They’ll put it to a vote, but you won’t get any opposition because everyone admires you and sees you as the future.”

“They do?”

“Yes. Last piece of business, and this is a biggie. WEI requires the director of the charter to go through an orientation process. To learn all aspects of WEI from the ground up. To network with every chapter. That is key. That global network is the glue that holds the organization together.”

“Okay. That won’t compromise my responsibilities running PCE?”

Phyllis smiled. “I love that you asked that first thing. No, it won’t. You’ll have a liaison while you’re traveling and I’ve volunteered to do it for the year you’re in orientation.”

Everything inside me stilled. “Maybe you’d better go into a little more detail about this year-long orientation.”

“Your schedule for the first year will be networking focused. That means a considerable amount of travel. I’ve been told not to expect you to be in the PCE offices more than five days a month.”

“Only five days a month?”

“But just think where you’ll be the other twenty-five days. Anywhere from India to Pasadena. Doing everything from listening to tips on securing international financing to giving seminars on finding your niche in the marketplace.”

I heard what Phyllis said, but above it in a high-pitched panic tone, I heard Only five days a month? Only five days a month? Only five days a month?

What the hell had I agreed to?

My brain immediately started a war.

This is the opportunity of a lifetime. One year is nothing.

No. She withheld crucial information about the travel schedule because she knows no sane person would agree to that.

No sane person with a life or a family or in a serious relationship.

Then it sort of clicked.

As far as Phyllis knew, I had none of those.

Except…now I did.

How could I tell Boone I was taking off for a year when he’d requested the Phoenix program because I lived here? Would he think I’d taken the job as some kind of revenge?

This is why you should’ve talked to him about it.

“Sierra?”

I refocused on Phyllis. When had she pulled out a contract? I glanced at it, then at her.

“It’s just a statement of intent,” she explained quickly. “Not a big thing.”

“Then you won’t care that I don’t sign it until I’ve had my attorney look at it?” I said coolly.

That surprised her. “If that’s what you prefer. But it is an unnecessary step.”

“I always err on the side of caution. You taught me that.”

“I also taught you to accept things at face value.”

A standoff.

Not what either of us had wanted.

Phyllis gathered her things. “I’m so glad you verbally agreed to take the position, Sierra. I’ll let the folks at WEI know and I’ll be by later in the week for additional discussion.”

I watched her walk out.

I’m so glad you verbally agreed to take the position, Sierra.

If I backed out and pushed my point that a verbal agreement isn’t binding, I’d lose any credibility I’d earned.

If I backed out, I wouldn’t be welcome in PCE—a business I’d poured my blood, sweat, tears, heart and soul into.

But I didn’t want to back out. This was an opportunity any woman in business would kill for. This wouldn’t ever come along again if I didn’t take it now.

And what about Boone? Are you willing to sacrifice what you’re just building with him?

If the situations were reversed he wouldn’t worry and fret over taking the next step in career advancement and fulfillment. He’d just do it. He’d do it without asking for your opinion because he’s done it before.

But things were different then.

The more I obsessed about it, the more I…had no freakin’ clue what I should do.

Eventually I decided my only option was to talk to my dad.

In person.

I told myself I wasn’t running from my problem when I booked a flight to Wyoming.





I hadn’t heard from Sierra in thirty-six hours and I’d started to get worried. Especially since she’d acted weird and distracted the last time we’d spoken on the phone.

Lu claimed she hadn’t talked to her for two days either.

I didn’t want to worry her dad so I didn’t reach out to him. I just hoped her sister would answer a call at seven a.m. from an unknown number.

She picked up with, “This is Rory McKay.”

“Rory? This is Sergeant Boone West.”

“Ooh, don’t you sound all official and big-time army guy. So why are you calling me, Sergeant Boone West?”

“Have you heard from Sierra?”

A pause. “You haven’t?”

“Not for a solid day and a half and that’s not like her.”