Page 9 of The Cowboy's Country Charm

“Fine.”

The fact Charlene bothered to mention the brand suggested something about Kristy had found favor with the seasoned waitress.

“You up for some nachos?” He was starving. He’d taken up the caterer’s offer of some leftover lemon chicken, but it hadn’t been more than a taste and certainly not filling enough for someone who had worked up an appetite. Had Kristy not come with him, he’d probably have ordered one of Smokey’s famous burgers and chowed down, but she’d said just one drink, and he’d keep to that.

“Sure.” She fingered her water glass.

“Coming right up.” Charlene shuffled away.

“This is a homey place. You live out this way?”

“My family had a ranch not too far from here.”

“Had?” She cocked her head.

“Now it’s part of my brother-in-law’s spread. I rent out the house still on the property, just until I get my own place.” Though Cort and Lexi had yet to ask for money, renting sounded better than mooching. He didn’t want Kristy to think he couldn’t pay his own way. He had more than enough money, thanks to the generosity of his parents, who had given each child some of the money from the sale proceeds.

“Convenient. They were neighbors?” The flecks of yellow in her eyes flared. “Were they childhood sweethearts?”

“Kind of. Kind of not.”

Her eyebrows arched. “Sounds like a story.”

“I’ll tell you about it sometime.” But tonight he wanted to learn about her. “So you don’t live in the area?” Finding that she was staying in a hotel had been a disappointment.

“Not yet. Ariel and I are thinking of moving out here, at least for the next few months. Since my boss won the event planning contract for the Boots and Bells August charity gala, there’s a lot to do. As Ariel and I try to build a business in the Casper-Gillette-Sheridan area, we thought we might look for a short-term rental.”

Great news. Especially since his sister Lexi and her husband were on the Boots and Bells committee.

“Tonight seemed to go pretty well. Guests seemed happy when they left.” Which, due to staggered departure times, wasn’t as crazy as the arrivals.

“The bride expressed her thanks, and another couple asked for contact information, so fingers crossed.”

“Gillette’s pretty much in the middle of the two other cities. And you must know that the mayor is trying to bring in more events to the convention center.” Commuting could be a good thing since it would mean she’d definitely not be looking to get serious. On the other hand, if she moved he’d get to see her more often, if she was interested in any type of relationship at all.

“My boss is definitely aware. It’s host to quite a few charity events that might be interested in having a professional event organizer. If you know of anyone…” She sipped her water.

“I might.” He’d check whatever contacts he could if it gave him an excuse to see her again. “What made you decide to pick this area over running the Cheyenne office?” Which was a bigger city and, as the capital, far more likely to have people with the means to throw big events.

Charlene appeared and set down a frosty mug and beer bottle by him and a full wine glass in front of Charlene. “Nachos will be up in a minute.”

Kristy eyed her glass. “Wow. You get a sizable glass of wine around here, don’t you?”

“Smokey’s doesn’t skimp on anything.” He poured his beer into the mug and raised it.

“Let’s toast to those old sneakers saving the day.”

She clanged her wineglass against his mug and took a sip. “Decent wine too.” She set the glass down. “My boss saw potential precisely because of the convention center. That’s the reason she bid on this gala. She felt winning the bid was a good sign.”

“Otherwise you work out of Cheyenne.”

“Marcia, my boss and the company owner, works out of the headquarters in Denver, and I was hired out of college to handle the Cheyenne opportunities. Marcia has built up an excellent reputation over more than twenty years and has pretty much saturated the Denver and Cheyenne markets, so it makes sense to expand into other regions. I’m looking forward to the opportunity. Though if I fail, I don’t know that there would still be a place for me in An Affair to Remember, since she’s already filled my position in Cheyenne.”

“Gutsy move then.”

She chuckled. “So many people have told me that, though I don’t think they viewedgutsyas a compliment. More like a synonym for foolish.”

“You know it takes even more guts to go against what everyone else thinks.”

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