“Sure. That’s why we’re here.”
“Have you ever regretted moving to Bozeman?” She’d thought long and hard about this question. Before Logan joined the Chronicle, he’d worked as a war correspondent. If anyone knew how hard it would be to return to Bozeman, he would.
Logan looked across the café at his wife. “My story is a little different to most. I had post-traumatic stress disorder when I started working at the Chronicle. I needed to sort out my life and Bozeman seemed like a good place to do it. Have I ever regretted moving here? No. I met Tess the first week I arrived. Most days I came into the café for lunch. On my worst days, she kept me sane. On my best, I managed to annoy her. Now look at us—happily married and never wanting to leave. But everyone’s different. You need to do what’s right for you. Having said that, we need you on our team.”
“Did you work with Des Malone in Washington, D.C.?”
Logan shook his head. “No. We were employed by the same news agency in London. Between assignments, we’d meet at the local pub and trade war stories. He’s tough but fair.”
“Did you know he interviewed me yesterday?”
“I didn’t, but I’m not surprised. How did it go?”
“Better than I thought. His team is really friendly, and the salary is more than I earn in New York. One of the reporters showed me around town after the interview.”
“Have you been to Washington, D.C. before?”
“Once. Mom and dad took me when I was in high school. We spent almost two weeks visiting every museum we could find. It’s a wonderful city.”
“What can I say or do to make working for me better than Des’ offer?”
Ashley fiddled with the handle of her coffee cup. “There’s nothing you can do. Your offer was very generous.”
“What’s stopping you from working with our team?”
“A promise I made to my mom.”
Logan seemed surprised. “You promised your mom you’d never move back to Bozeman?”
Ashley wished it was that easy. “I promised I’d live my life to the fullest and never stop believing in myself. If I move back home, it would feel as though I was giving up our dream.”
“We might not live life at the same frantic pace as New York or Washington, D.C., but we have our moments.”
A smile slipped across Ashley’s face. “Somehow I don’t think Bozeman has the same number of crimes or dubious politicians that Washington, D.C. does. Am I wrong?”
“No, but we do have billionaire ranchers, environmental activists, and lots of moose. That’s got to count for something.”
“If you say so.”
“At least think about my offer. If you decide to work at the Chronicle, we’ll figure out your start date and go from there.”
Tess walked across to their table and handed Ashley a brown paper bag. “For you and your dad.”
Ashley opened the bag and sniffed. “Yum, blueberry muffins. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Did Logan convince you to apply for the job?”
“Maybe.”
The bell above the front door jingled, and Tess scanned the café. “You can tell me more at lunchtime. I need to get another table ready.”
Before Ashley could say goodbye, Tess was gone. “Is the café usually this busy?”
Logan looked at the people walking toward Tess. “It’s becoming busier, just like the rest of Bozeman. We’re the fastest growing city in Montana. The county is upgrading our infrastructure to cope with the demand, but it’s come at a huge cost. If you were working at the Chronicle, you could write a report on our public amenities and infrastructure projects.”
“Are you trying to make me work for you or go to Washington, D.C.?”
“It could be an interesting story.” Logan grinned. “Whatever you decide to do, make sure you weigh everything up. There are a lot of reasons why Bozeman is a great place to live, and one of them is walking toward us.”
