Read Online THE TEXAS WILDCATTER'S BABY by CATHY GILLEN THACKER - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: CATHY GILLEN THACKER
Tags: Romance
Ads: Link
introduced the fourth and last member of their advisory panel—the lone environmentalist in the group. Clancy smiled. “You all know Rand McCabe. He’s been working closely with the county commissioners and many of the ranchers in the area to help us protect our properties. Rand will vet the proposals, from an environmental standpoint, and report back to us on any insufficiencies and dangers.
“My wife, our attorney and I will go over the results of both that and the independent financial and engineering analysis. The top ten bidders will then be asked to further explain and/or defend their proposals in a question-and-answer session at our attorney’s office. The panel of three experts will assist us in the questioning, and another comprehensive analysis will be completed. After that point, we’ll decide which outfit to use and notify everyone by telephone a few days later.”
Conrad Profitt raised his hand and asked sagely, “Does anyone else see a problem with Rand McCabe vetting his own mother’s bid?”
Ginger turned to look at her ex-husband, not surprised Conrad was already crying foul. Whenever her ex felt he couldn’t win on his own, which was most of the time, he used whatever device he could to level the playing field. In this case the hint of familial impropriety.
At the podium, Boerne scoffed at the concern. “The only one who should have a problem with Rand being involved is Josie Corbett-Wyatt McCabe—since she’s had her son interfere in more of her drilling projects than she can probably count.”
Everyone chuckled, knowing that truer words had never been spoken. The rift in the McCabe clan over that long-standing issue was legend. Turns out, Rand was as cautious as his mother was fearless.
Another independent oilman promptly raised his hand. “What about Rand’s new wife, Ginger Rollins?” he demanded. “You telling me McCabe’s going to be as hard on her as everyone else, them being newlyweds and all?”
Rand’s expression remained impassive, while Ginger grimaced. She hadn’t wanted her new marriage to come up tonight at all, at least not in a business sense.
Meanwhile, Ginger’s ex stared at her in astonishment. Clearly, Profitt hadn’t heard.
Nor had most of the people there.
Figuring any defense should come from her, Ginger stood and addressed the crowd. “I guarantee you that Rand will be as tough on me as he is on everyone else.”
Despite her avowal, skepticism abounded.
Dot Boerne took the floor. “We’re going to have the names on all the bids redacted by our oil-and-gas attorney before we see the proposals. Rand and the other advisors will not have access to that information, either. The winning semifinal bids will be chosen strictly on the merits of ingenuity, environmental safety and cost.”
“What about the final round?” someone asked.
Dot said, “Obviously, we’ll know who we are dealing with then, since we’ll expect all the executives and field experts from the various companies to be at the Q and A sessions.”
Clancy Boerne added that in the end he and Dot would choose the company they were most comfortable with.
More questions followed. Eventually the meeting concluded.
Conrad ambled over to Ginger and Rand. She couldn’t be sure, but she thought her ex’s head of meticulously groomed brown hair might be thinning a tad.
Her ex-husband stuck out his hand to Rand. “It appears congratulations are in order.”
“They are.” Rand amenably shook the oil tycoon’s hand, then stepped back and put a proprietary arm around Ginger’s shoulders, tugging her close to his side.
Still flummoxed, Conrad turned his full attention back to his ex-wife. “I had no idea you were serious about anyone.”
“Nor should you have since we haven’t spoken in—what? Two years?”
Conrad’s smile broadened. “We should remedy that,” he said.
Ginger had an idea what her ex-husband wanted, and it wasn’t friendship. “I disagree.” She turned to
“My wife, our attorney and I will go over the results of both that and the independent financial and engineering analysis. The top ten bidders will then be asked to further explain and/or defend their proposals in a question-and-answer session at our attorney’s office. The panel of three experts will assist us in the questioning, and another comprehensive analysis will be completed. After that point, we’ll decide which outfit to use and notify everyone by telephone a few days later.”
Conrad Profitt raised his hand and asked sagely, “Does anyone else see a problem with Rand McCabe vetting his own mother’s bid?”
Ginger turned to look at her ex-husband, not surprised Conrad was already crying foul. Whenever her ex felt he couldn’t win on his own, which was most of the time, he used whatever device he could to level the playing field. In this case the hint of familial impropriety.
At the podium, Boerne scoffed at the concern. “The only one who should have a problem with Rand being involved is Josie Corbett-Wyatt McCabe—since she’s had her son interfere in more of her drilling projects than she can probably count.”
Everyone chuckled, knowing that truer words had never been spoken. The rift in the McCabe clan over that long-standing issue was legend. Turns out, Rand was as cautious as his mother was fearless.
Another independent oilman promptly raised his hand. “What about Rand’s new wife, Ginger Rollins?” he demanded. “You telling me McCabe’s going to be as hard on her as everyone else, them being newlyweds and all?”
Rand’s expression remained impassive, while Ginger grimaced. She hadn’t wanted her new marriage to come up tonight at all, at least not in a business sense.
Meanwhile, Ginger’s ex stared at her in astonishment. Clearly, Profitt hadn’t heard.
Nor had most of the people there.
Figuring any defense should come from her, Ginger stood and addressed the crowd. “I guarantee you that Rand will be as tough on me as he is on everyone else.”
Despite her avowal, skepticism abounded.
Dot Boerne took the floor. “We’re going to have the names on all the bids redacted by our oil-and-gas attorney before we see the proposals. Rand and the other advisors will not have access to that information, either. The winning semifinal bids will be chosen strictly on the merits of ingenuity, environmental safety and cost.”
“What about the final round?” someone asked.
Dot said, “Obviously, we’ll know who we are dealing with then, since we’ll expect all the executives and field experts from the various companies to be at the Q and A sessions.”
Clancy Boerne added that in the end he and Dot would choose the company they were most comfortable with.
More questions followed. Eventually the meeting concluded.
Conrad ambled over to Ginger and Rand. She couldn’t be sure, but she thought her ex’s head of meticulously groomed brown hair might be thinning a tad.
Her ex-husband stuck out his hand to Rand. “It appears congratulations are in order.”
“They are.” Rand amenably shook the oil tycoon’s hand, then stepped back and put a proprietary arm around Ginger’s shoulders, tugging her close to his side.
Still flummoxed, Conrad turned his full attention back to his ex-wife. “I had no idea you were serious about anyone.”
“Nor should you have since we haven’t spoken in—what? Two years?”
Conrad’s smile broadened. “We should remedy that,” he said.
Ginger had an idea what her ex-husband wanted, and it wasn’t friendship. “I disagree.” She turned to
Similar Books
