She grinned. “It’s so exciting! I never dreamed I’d get so far!”

“I did,” he chuckled. “You have the talent. Not to mention some real solid research associates,” he added. “I can’t wait to see how Cort’s going to react to that news.”

“There may be fireworks,” she sighed. “I don’t lead a conventional life.”

“You go to New York at the end of next week. That’s a lot of travel.”

She shrugged. “I’m used to it. Nicaragua was fun.” Her dark eyes twinkled. “I love being part of the group, you know? It’s the most exciting thing I’ve ever done.” She laughed. “I’ve had requests from my team about how they want to be portrayed in this new chapter.”

“Something along the lines of cosmetic changes?” he teased. “Some of them are pretty rough looking.”

“But with hearts of pure gold,” she replied.

“Speaking of gold, I’m going after a lot of new Angus yearlings. Want to come and look at them with me? You might want a few for your own herd.”

“Will it take long?”

“No. I’m going in the morning.”

“Then I’ll come, but just for the morning. I’ve got a lot of work to do before I leave next Friday for New York. I’ve got several meetings.”

“I’ll make sure we don’t stay long.”

She gnawed her lower lip. “You wouldn’t lie to me, about Cort not wanting to go home?” she asked in a worried tone.

His eyes were soft with affection. “Never about that,” he said. “He promised he’d be back in a couple of weeks. He always keeps his promises.” He didn’t add one more thing; that Cort had also said that he was going to tell Mina the truth when he came back. He had long-range plans for her. Bart was delighted. She’d had a hard life. It was time she had a little happiness.

THE NEXT FRIDAY morning before daylight, she boarded Jake McGuire’s private jet at the Catelow airport for the trip to New York City with her bags packed, yawning.

“We have coffee with bagels and cream cheese,” he teased after they were airborne. “Hungry?”

“I could eat a small horse. I don’t know what’s wrong with me,” she added on a laugh. “I’m tired all the time.”

“Still taking that quinine?” he asked with obvious concern.

She nodded. “I wouldn’t dare miss a dose. One of our guys came down with malaria just as we got off the plane in Miami. I called Ry to check on him. He’s doing okay, just trying to get through the worst of it.”

“Malaria is no fun,” he said. “I had a bout of it many years ago when I had to close a deal in Guatemala.”

“I’ve never had it,” she said. “And I’m crossing my fingers that I never will!”

The steward brought coffee and a platter of bagels on a silver tray, with a dish of cream cheese and a knife.

Jake poured coffee into china cups and handed her one.