AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I’ll keep it in mind Pops. Gotta run and catch a meeting but I’ll stop by tomorrow and we can sip a glass of bourbon.”
“Don’t spend too much time in that suit. It’ll start to itch after a while,” Pops said as he tilted his hat down over his eyes. He spent the majority of his days resting on his front porch and dreaming of life on the range.
Jackie Keller, 29, was going to meet with whomever she could find who would talk to her about the evening’s charity event benefitting the children’s hospital. Savage Enterprises was a major donor and as the catering manager at the Clear Creek Resort, she needed information. A big table was reserved for the corporation. Jackie needed to know what they might be drinking and eating. It would be embarrassing if they ran out of the CEO’s favorite.
Jackie’s priority was to meet Beau Savage. All she knew about him was that he was a playboy, highly intelligent and not to be underestimated. From a friend she had also heard that the man was hot and advised her not to be burned. Having just moved from New York City where she worked at the resort’s corporate office, Jackie thought she could handle anything. A man wearing a cowboy hat and living on a farm would be nothing compared to the sharks that she encountered back east.
“You appear lost.”
Beau walked through the oversized glass and steel doors of the BSE building. He noticed a woman who was beautiful and bewildered so of course he approached her. Jackie was gob smacked by the Adonis towering above her petite 5’2” frame.
“I’m new to Wyoming and this is my first time in the BSE building. I need some information from someone on the executive level for the charity event tonight. I want to make sure the Clear Creek Resort has everything they need. I’m the catering manager and I’ll be overseeing the event.”
“Do you come with a name? I might be able to help.” Beau smiled as he enjoyed toying with the stunning stranger.
“I’m Jackie Keller. What I’m trying to find out, if you’re able to help is what the people at the table drink and if there are any foods that the CEO in particular dislikes. I hear he’s finicky and a bit of a pain.”
Beau laughed. “I guess that’s accurate. Allow me to introduce myself. I’m Beau Savage. CEO and majority shareholder of Savage enterprises.”
There wasn’t a name for the shade of red that Jackie turned.
“Oh, I don’t know how I can begin to apologize. I heard you were. Ugh, bad start. Can I have a do-over?”
“Come to my office Jackie and I’ll let you try to impress me. I’ll also give you all the particulars about what I demand at my table. This is a $2000 per plate event and if you screw it up then your stay in Wyoming will be a short one.
Jackie followed Beau to the elevators and they ascended to the 30th floor which contained his office and a penthouse suite for his use only. A redhead in her 20’s occupied a massive desk constructed of roughhewn timbers. The décor was western but elegant featuring a portrait of Beau and what looked like his grandfather about whom she had read. Beau showed Jackie in and removed his tan cowboy hat. She no longer thought of him as just a cowboy who lived on a farm but as an in-control executive.
“I have a list of things I need to know.” Jackie sat in a brown leather hair and pushed her long pin-straight hair behind her ears. “I’m going to fire questions at you.”
“No, no, no. I don’t take well to being fired at. The children’s hospital has a wing in my family’s name thus I believe I have the right to run the show.”
Beau cleared his throat as Jackie nodded and got out her pen to take notes.
“I want only female servers for our table. Don’t even think of pouring water from a pitcher as I only drink bottled water; preferably French. I’m to be addressed as Mr. Savage and I will speak for everyone at the table. No chitchat from the servers. Too many times I’ve encountered waitresses that think they stand a chance with me. Any beef served is to be from one of the suppliers that buys from Savage Enterprises. I’ll be able to tell if it’s not from my cattle.” Beau put his feet up on his desk, revealing boots that were probably worth $1000 and had never been worn before. “I have wine already in the cellar at Clear Creek so don’t try and serve anything else. As far as bourbon goes, I drink Angel’s Envy or Bookers on the rocks but don’t let the ice melt. I require a new glass every 20 minutes, whether I have touched it or not.” Beau paused.
Beau watched Jackie as she took notes. She was not like women he was used to seeing. She owned the space she occupied with a sense of confidence and grace. Her long black hair and olive complexion made her look like an Indian princess although her eyes were light green. She was slender but strong and all natural which was rarely seen in the circles in which he mingled.
“Accommodating your needs will be no problem. I ask in return that you treat my wait staff with respect. They’ll be there to do a job and since it’s clear none of them stand a chance with you; there is no need for chit-chat. I have the names of everyone at your table Mr. Savage, except for your guest. Can you provide me with a name?” Jackie waited for an answer.
Beau was caught off guard by the question. “Her name is Tammy. No, it’s Theresa. Oh, now I remember, Tiffany will be accompanying me to the dinner.”
“Does Tiffany have a last name,” Jackie shot back.
“You’ll have to ask her,” The corners of Beau’s mouth turned up slightly.
“I have what I need Mr. Savage. I can show myself out and I’ll be there tonight if you have any last minute needs.”
He thought of a need Jackie could help him with but he could tell Ms. Keller would not be so easy. “My life story is all over the media. What’s yours Jackie?”
“How far back do you want me to go? I was born in Utica NY.”
Beau interrupted as he took his feet of his desk and got comfortable on a chair next to Jackie.
“Skip ahead to how you arrived in Southeast Wyoming working at Clear Creek Resort.”
“I started for working for Dominion, which is the parent company of many resorts around the world right after graduating from Fordham University. I worked my way up in catering as I worked in Bermuda, South Carolina and the Cayman Islands. I went back to NYC to get some further training and now I’m here.”
“Married? Children? Lesbian?” Beau asked.
