Page 27 of The Cowboy's Country Charm
“But sometimes what a person wants is someone who will just listen. You don’t need to solve the problem by taking actionforthem. Sometimes just being present, hearing them, understanding, or helping them think it through, figure it out, rather than you rushing in to save the day, is more of what they need. That Rusty saving-the-day thing can make some people feel like you don’t think they’re capable of fixing it themselves.”
She wasn’t making sense. “If I can solve a problem for her, wouldn’t that be proof I’m who she needs? And if she doesn’t need me to help her, then guess I’m not the guy for her.”
She sighed. “Just think about what I said.”
He climbed the steps to Kristy’s office, tucked away as it was in the generic professional building that also housed an optometrist and an accountant. He turned the knob and entered into the tiny waiting area.
The door was open to the inner office. She was standing behind her desk, phone to ear. He caught her eye. She nodded.
He’d hardly settled on the sofa when Kristy stepped into the waiting room. She looked good. Her blond hair was loose across her shoulders, and she had on a pink T-shirt and white jeans. Simple, but on her it looked like a million bucks.
She’d made her position of not dating him clear, so why did it still bother him? He should just move on. But something about her made him want to try harder. Was it the challenge because she’d brushed him off? Or something more?
“Just the guy I wanted to see.”
His heart skipped a beat.
She glanced at the cowboy hat arrangement. “Oh, is that from June?” She bent, took a whiff, and straightened. “I love it!” She plucked the arrangement from his hands and studied it more thoroughly. “Nice balance. Great colors. And love the hat.” She peeked from behind the arrangement, her eyes sparkling. “What else do you have for me?”
A loaded question. He raised the binder. “She’s sent over her concepts for the entrance and the dais, as well. And I guess the pricing.”
“Great. Come into the office.”
Things were looking up.
When he entered the office, he was surprised to find more substantial upholstered chairs in front of her desk. And Ariel was sitting in one of them, having been hidden from view from the doorway.
“Oh good. Just the man I wanted to see.” Ariel rose and repositioned in the opposite chair so she had a view of the doorway.
Wasn’t that just what Kristy had said? Something prickled the back of his neck.
“Why’s that?”
Kristy motioned for him to sit down. He did, but his sixth sense, the one that had kept him alive in dangerous situations, hitalert.
“As you know, An Affair to Remember has the assignment for the Boots and Bells charity event,” Ariel began.
Kristy waved her hand. “And our boss is going to be out of commission for a while, so Ariel and I are in charge. We have presented our ideas to the committee…”
Ariel gave Kristy the side-eye. “None of which is relevant. Anyway, we are carrying out the western theme that was approved with Marcia. But since this is for charity…” Ariel looked at him like he was being served up for lunch.
“And please remember that, or we wouldn’t ask you.” Kristy sounded apologetic.
This couldn’t be good.
“We’ve come up with a fun idea to help raise additional money.” Ariel’s smile broadened.
Maybe it wouldn’t be too bad.
“I’m listening.” But his sixth sense was still on high alert.
“During the evening, we’re planning on a bail-out-of-jail event, but with a twist.” Ariel looked pleased with herself.
“What is that?” Jail certainly didn’t sound good.
“It’s a fun thing where people go to jail, a fake one obviously, and then someone pays to bail them out.” Ariel nodded, as if that explained it all. It didn’t.
“And why would someone pay to bail a stranger out of jail? If they want to give to the charity, wouldn’t they just make a donation?”
