The Chieftain's Mate: Leadville Series, #1

By K. J. Lavallee

I've always had this desire to leave my hometown. Wanting something that I knew I would never find there. I made my way to Colorado, working with Wolf Brothers Construction. I'm their architect and I created my own program to assist in my designs. I have a pig for a boss, but other than that, it pays well and I enjoy it.

I was fine with everything as it was, even with my boss. That is, until I met him, Alexander Frasier. The man invaded my every thought and dream from the moment I met him. He is also my client. A very important client. Which means he is off limits.

After defying my boss and going back to see the sexy Scot, at his request, I find out things about my past I never knew existed. Can I survive what is to come? Or will I be forever lost?

• Language: English
• Publisher: K. J. Lavallee
• Release date: Jul 20, 2020
• ISBN: 9798224864409

Book preview

Chapter 1

Vivian

Driving around the bend and up the high street, I can't help but feel home sick. That is the only thing I can decide on, as to why I have all of these conflicting emotions racing through me. In the distance, the tree covered hills, with their changing leaves, send a pang of grief through me. Home sick. Who would have thought I would feel this way? I was so anxious to get out of that town and away from the memories that haunted me, I didn’t even give myself time to think if I would miss it. Now, driving through the mountain pass, seeing all of the almost bare trees, getting ready to withstand the brutal winters, and I miss the place? God above, help me.

I could go about saying it’s just the place itself, with the leaves that change colors, and the branches that lose them after their ability to hang on fails them. But I have that here. It could be that I knew everything that happened and who everyone was in my small town. But I ran from it because of that exact reason. It could just be that I've made one friend since being here, and I've been here for a few years now. But leaving here, this place I now call home, feels wrong. It's like I'm moments away from a life changing event, and the thought fleeing, sends some unknown message within me, keeping me here. Not like I would leave, I have a great job, minus one of the bosses, but it pays me well, and I’m relatively happy.

The sudden rush of emotions that make me feel like I am missing something hits me in the gut. I need a vacation, I decide, as I round the final bend that will take me to my destination.

I pull into the large lot and park the car. I sit there a moment, needing to compose myself. For some reason, my nerves are fried. Anxiety ripples through me in waves.

I hadn’t realized that I've driven all the way to my appointment already. Getting lost in thought while driving is dangerous. I could have killed myself or an innocent person walking in the middle of the road.

Although, there is something to be said about people who decide they’d rather walk in the street than on the sidewalk that is designated for pedestrians. But who am I to judge?  

I pull out the key from the ignition, grab my briefcase, which contains my laptop and information on my client, and purse. I close the door, straighten my skirt, and check my hair in the reflection of my window. 

I look just as I had before getting in the car. Long chestnut hair with curls that are so tight it looks about six inches shorter, with mouse and hairspray to keep it tamed, allowing me to leave it down, which helps to ease my constant migraines. I have almond colored eyes with specks of green in them. The green stands out a tad more when I wear green eyeshadow, which is currently the color I have on. I have a black suit skirt and a green blouse that hugs my body. I have my black suit jacket over it as well.

Now that I am out of the car, I realize that I am far up the mountain, and it is pretty chilly up here. My long car ride made me forget that we are on the brink of winter, and being this high up, makes the cold bite into my skin.

I have cream colored skin and it never gets darker no matter how long I'm in the sun, the only difference would be a nice shade of red that hurts like a bitch. I stay out of the sun for that purpose. I've learned the hard way growing up and I'm not itching for skin cancer. So, I'll take my skin just as it is. 

Okay, Vi, let's get this done. Just another client. Just another day. I often give myself pep talks before meeting a new client. For some reason, even after doing this for several years, I still get nervous. But today, I have more anxiety than I have ever had. Even on my first day. It could be that this client happens to be the biggest one yet. Giving us the entire livable mountain range as land we will be helping to develop. This little town, which seems to be rapidly growing, is Leadville, Colorado. It currently has 2,600 residents, and is the highest colonized altitude of 10,150 feet. Alexander Frasier, our client, said his family has owned it for years and he wants to make good use of it. He was very adamant that what we build will be helping the community and doesn't infringe it. He said this community is everything.

This is why I am traveling into the mountains of Colorado. To see what land, we are working with and what our client would like to have constructed. I live in Colorado Springs, which is about eighty-five miles from here. It’s a long drive, but with the amount of work we will be doing, it’s worth it.

I work for a major construction company. We do everything. My job, the one that I was offered when I fled my home town, is to meet with our clients and help draw up the plans. I am an architect, but I don't do the building myself. I'm more of a designer. 

It helps with Wolf Brothers Construction. They had the qualified builders but they lost their designer. So, here I am, five years later. I still work there and have my own office. I only work when we have new clients or old clients with new jobs to offer, which seems to be more often now than ever before. Colorado is growing, and even the small towns seem to be increasing in number.

We will be constructing at least four buildings. They don’t have a hospital here in Leadville. They are using a small clinic and it isn't enough anymore. So, we know for sure that they will be needing an actual hospital. 

I am shaken out of my musings when I walk into the foyer of the small office. It's nice, open, and very inviting. The small receptionist desk is located against the wall with Clan Frasier on the wall behind the receptionist. Definitely old. Clans in Scotland haven’t been around for quite some time, and, judging by the appearance, I am sure this is the original building from when this place was founded in 1877. Everything looks kind of old, but in a retro kind of way. Very old school. And entirely beautiful. I’ve read that this town still has many homes and buildings from the Victorian era. I am very excited to see it.

Good morning. How may I help you? The lady behind the counter asks. She is very beautiful. She has straight bleach blonde hair that stops just after her shoulders and bright blue eyes that shine as if a light is reflecting off of them. I glance down and read her name tag. Genny Lachlan.

Yes, my name is Vivian Macintyre. I am here to meet with Alexander Frasier.

She smiles slightly at me before responding. Ah, yes. Of course. Please have a seat and I will let him know you are here.

Thank you, I say, before walking to my seat. 

A few minutes later, Genny calls me back over. Ms. Macintyre, Mr. Frasier will see you now. I stand up and walk toward the direction she is pointing. She leads me through a door and turns right almost immediately after entering the door. Then she leads me into a small hall that has one door at the very end. The rest of the short hall has no doors, no other rooms down here but the big man’s, apparently. 

She opens the door and announces me. Ms. Macintyre, sir.

Thank you, Genny.

Genny bows slightly before motioning me in. She closes the door behind her, and I suddenly feel alone. There is a strange surge of energy I get from the man behind his desk. It frightens and sooths me all at once. I suddenly get the sense of home, standing in the room with a man I have never met before. This is odd, especially for me. It could just be that I have been feeling like going to visit the family and close friends that I’ve seen very little of since moving here. I shrug off the sensation, pushing it to the back burner with the extra anxiety and nerves I have on my plate today.

Mr. Frasier stands up and our eyes meet. His bright eyes, sparkle with joy. A spark of electricity shoots through my entire body. He seems familiar in a way that is comforting. But I know I've never met this man a day in my life. God he is sexy. He stands well over six feet tall. He has brown tousled hair and it appears as if he’s already jammed his hands through it in frustration several times, and it's only ten. 

We stand there, staring into each other’s eyes for several moments before he breaks the silence. I'm Alexander. He sticks his hand out for me shake it. I do. That bolt of electricity shoots through my hand again, making a small gasp escape my lips. I drop it as soon as I can, hoping he didn’t notice. Holy hell! What is happening to me?

Vivian, I reply, slightly breathless. 

He motions for the table to the left of the room, offering me a chair to sit. I go and open up my briefcase. I pull out my laptop. This is my baby; I would die without her. It's so much easier to design homes on her than it is on paper. But I can do, and will do it, by hand. But it's easier to give a quick look at what I am planning with my computer than it is on paper. 

I pull out my notes. And have my pad and pen ready. When I am ready, I look up to meet Alexander's eyes. He is studying me intently and I can't decide if I like it or not. Mr. Frasier, I begin.

He stops me. Please, Alexander.

I nod. Alexander, please, tell me what you want. How big, the amount of rooms, the usage. Anything about the buildings you can think of. This high up the mountain I can imagine you need to survive on your own. Help will take too long to come from the surrounding towns. I know this, because I researched it before coming. If there was a fire, the whole town would burn down before the closest station could come and help. Paramedics included.

We need a hospital. We don’t have many patients at one time, but our small town seems to be growing, and the small, two room clinic we have now, isn't enough. His words are laced with a slight accent. He has been living here for quite some time to master a speech without much of his Scottish accent to fully come out. It sounds sexy and does things to my body, I’d rather ignore.

He pulls open the paper of the empty land that this will be built. He points to the section right in the middle. This is where we want the hospital. We already have a small fire station. We have exactly what we need from the earth around us. But we most definitely need a hospital. The way he speaks about the natural resources they have, gives me a pang of longing. To see how this small town lives off the grid, hidden away in the mountain. Most people who come here are here for ski slopes or the trails that the mountain offers. I very much want to have him show me around.

We will have a restaurant here, and a library here. He points out the two locations on the map. I also need a bigger school. If you can believe it, we are still teaching kids in a one room building. It just hasn’t seemed a big concern to update it. When he mentions a single roomed school, I imagined the one from Holes that was falling apart. A real school house! They still have one of those? I have to see it. But my brother, Nick, and his new m-wife, have been procreating like crazy. They've been married three years and have two sets of triplets. Our buddy Joe has had his own set of quadruplets. This town is just growing faster than I ever thought possible. I miss what he is pointing at as my mind tries to come up with what he was going to say instead of wife. Also, multiple sets of triplets are very rare. I can’t imagine what his brother and sister-in-law are going through. His friend Joe, who had four! That is just insane. I shake off the feeling of missing information and tune into what Alexander is saying. "Here, we want something for the kids. Not necessarily a park, but the kids would love to play all kinds