“Like what?” Bridget asked for the both of them.

“The company’s main revenue comes from the lower-level programmers who do website design, database programming, and system security, but Sarah is a world-class programmer. She does the major projects that make them big bucks. She has as many as fifteen to twenty projects going at all times. She keeps to herself and rarely meets with clients directly because she doesn’t have the time. She handles most of the business meetings by phone or has someone from her team attend in her place. The press is constantly trying to interview her because she has one of the hottest companies in Silicon Valley. They expect it to grow as fast, or faster, than many of the Internet companies. She refuses all requests for interviews and sends the co-CEO Evan to do public relations and press conferences. She doesn’t date. Ever. She works seven days a week more often than not. She only takes one week of vacation and goes camping with the boys. For that one week, she turns off her cell phone, doesn’t answer email, and spends the entire seven days with the boys.

“Did you know she also owns a ranch not far from here? She has the best stock of quarter horses in the state. I know because I tried to buy some from her a while back, but she wouldn’t sell to me. She only sells to people she knows run a good ranch. She didn’t know my ranch, or me, so she wouldn’t sell and put her animals in possible jeopardy. She has integrity. She’s not out to make a quick buck. She’s mentioned that she has another business. I don’t know what it is, but if it’s as profitable as the other two she runs, I’d imagine she could quit it all tomorrow and never need money for the rest of her life, or those boys’ lives.”

Luke went on, “She’s brilliant, you know. She just finished a huge project for the company. The biggest one she’s ever accomplished. She did the majority of the work on her own. Her staff cheered her over the phone when they found out she’d accomplished something no one else has done. She thanked them for their hard work and told them it had been a team effort. They balked at the notion that they had done anything. They gave her full credit and still she made them feel as if she couldn’t have done it without them. In my book, that alone says a lot about her character. You’ve completely misjudged her, and I’ve been guilty of the same thing.”

Luke placed his hands on his hips. “She works harder than anyone I know and loves her kids bigger and better than a lot of parents I’ve seen. Sean didn’t appreciate her. He didn’t love her the way she deserves to be loved. I won’t make the same mistake. I’m always holding back and pushing women away. All I want to do now is hold on to her.”