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He tensed.
“Congratulations.” She held out her hand.
He took it, and he felt an electric charge race up his arm, scrambling his brains. “Thank you. I welcome all input.”
“Really?” Her arched brow and the twinkle in her eyes gave him pause. He knew a challenge when he saw one.
“Absolutely. Once you’ve read through my plan, I’d welcome your input.”
“If you’re pulling my leg or trying to smooth things over with the little lady, you’ve seriously misjudged the situation.”
“No, I meant what I said.”
“Good, because I’ll have input.”
“I look forward to it.”
Her mouth slowly curved into a smile that could only be categorized as one of pure determination.
The door to the restaurant opened and a couple around Erin’s age walked in. The woman had beautiful blond hair that fell beyond her shoulders. Under the ton of makeup she had slathered on, she might’ve been pretty, Sawyer thought, but she just looked hard. She scanned the restaurant, clapped eyes on them and marched to the table much like General Patton marching across France.
“Erin, what a wonderful heart you have.” The woman’s voice dripped with sugar and venom. “I could’ve never eaten with the man who beat me out for a job I wanted, but here you are dining with our new turnaround specialist,” she said. Her raised voice echoed through the restaurant. The smirk on her face told Sawyer this woman enjoyed Erin’s humiliation.
Erin didn’t look up as she calmly collected the proposal and put it into her tote. The man with the blonde looked panicked.
Sawyer held out his hand. “Sawyer Jensen. And you are?”
“Traci and Andy Hyatt,” the man responded.
“My father is Melvin Lowell,” Traci announced, as if that said it all.
Sawyer stole a look at Erin. She didn’t look nervous or upset. She simply sat back.
Andy cleared his throat. “I’m sorry to hear about your dad, Erin. I always liked him.”
Traci elbowed her husband.
“What?” Andy asked. “Detrick always treated me well. I’m sorry to hear about his stroke.”
“Thanks, Andy,” Erin replied. “Dad felt the same about you.”
There was a wealth of meaning buried in those words. Andy glanced at his wife, who glared back.
“Watch your back with this one. You might find a knife there,” Traci warned, pointing toward Erin.
Andy pulled his wife away from the table. “Let’s order.”
Erin didn’t offer any explanation, but the tension the couple caused lingered.
In a small town there were lots of undercurrents that could take down an outsider in an instant, and Sawyer had just encountered one. You had to pay attention to body language and tone if you wanted to save yourself. He’d learned that lesson the hard way with his mom’s constant stream of boyfriends.
“Can you recommend a place to stay while I’m here?” he asked, wanting to change the subject.
Erin’s gaze settled back on him. “The board didn’t arrange a place for you to stay?”
“No, it wasn’t mentioned.”
“Well, there are quite a few motels.”
“What about that interesting-looking motel I saw a block over when I drove into town? The one that looks like a big sombrero?”
“Are you sure you want to stay there? It was built in 1937. We have more modern places.”
“No, I kinda like its style. A blast from the past.”
“Most of the rooms don’t have TVs. And their phones are the big black rotary kind.”
For some reason, the lady didn’t want him to stay there. Why?
Before he could respond, a couple walked into the restaurant. They nodded to Erin and made their way to the order counter.
“I think I can handle that,” he said.
Erin studied him, but before she could respond, they heard, “What?” The man at the counter said, “You’re joshing me?” He looked over his shoulder at them.
“You sure, Lulu?” the woman questioned.
Instantly, the couple walked over to their table.
“You didn’t win, Erin?” the man asked. “This is the stranger who won?” They looked from Erin to Sawyer.
Sawyer felt the gazes of the couple boring into his back.
“I can’t believe the board voted for a stranger over one of our own, especially after what happened with your father,” the woman added.
“It was a fair vote,” Traci called out from across the room.
The man glared at her. “I think we all know how you feel.”
Sawyer heard a strangled protest.
The man ignored it and focused on him and Erin. “Why go with a stranger? I know you and trust that your ideas would save the rodeo.”
“I’ve just skimmed his plan, Bob, but I wouldn’t jump to a conclusion before I’ve really studied it and thought about what he plans to do.”
Bob considered Erin’s suggestion. “Sounds good to me. I think the board needs to have a meeting tonight to let the rest of the town listen to this man’s ideas. The longer we don’t know what he wants to do, the longer we’ll be in the dark, and I want to know what’s happening from the beginning.” He whipped out his cell phone and punched in a number.
Erin sat quietly as they listened to Bob.
“Mel, I just learned that you gave the contract for the rodeo to a stranger.” He paused, obviously listening to Mel. “Okay, Sawyer Jensen.”
Everyone in the restaurant listened, but Sawyer watched Erin’s expression. Her defense of him to Bob surprised him. She wanted to give him a chance. He didn’t know what to think or feel.
Bob nodded. “I think that’s an excellent idea. I’ll call around and we’ll get enough people together tonight to listen to this man’s ideas. At seven.”
Another look passed between Erin and Sawyer.
“That’s no excuse. If the board members from Harding want the same for their residents, they can do it tomorrow.” Silence. “You may be head of the board, but that can be revoted.”
Traci’s gasp sounded through the room.
“Good. We’ll gather tonight at the new conference center.” Bob hung up and nailed Sawyer with a look. “We’re going to listen to you tonight. You got a problem with that?”
“No, I’d welcome the opportunity to present my proposal to the residents.”
“Good.” Bob glanced at Erin. “I couldn’t do less than check this guy out.”
“Thanks, Bob.”
“You always favored her, Bob,” Traci shouted.
“And if you’d driven my son around while I was in the hospital and my wife was with me, then I might’ve favored you, too, Traci.”
No comment came from the table behind them.
“Come on, honey. I’m hungry,” his wife said.
With a final look, the couple walked back to the order window.
Sawyer knew it was time to leave. “I’d like to check into that motel.”
“You sure?” Erin said.
“I am.”
Shrugging, she stood and walked outside. “We could walk, but you probably have luggage and equipment that you need to put in your room, so we’ll drive.”
He nodded. “I’d like to ask one question.”
Her shoulders tensed.
“Who’s Bob?”
She visibly relaxed. “Robert Rivera owns the hardware/feed/tractor store. If you need something for your ranch or farm, chances are Bob has it or can order it or knows where to get it.”
“And he’s not on the rodeo board?”
“He used to be, but family stuff has kept him busy, so he resigned. He was on the board with my father and they usually voted against Mel. It made things lively.”
“I’m sure it did.”
“And be warned, things could get vocal tonight.”
“I’ll consider myself warned.”
He swallowed his smile. She may have thought she could scare him away, but she didn’t know who he was. His professional reputation as a man who could bring success out of defeat and turmoil was at stake. But more than that, there was something here in this town that called to him and he wasn’t going to ignore that call. He’d turn the rodeo around and make it thrive. And the beautiful woman who would challenge him had nothing to do with it, he reassured himself.
* * *
It took less than three minutes for them to drive over to the next block and park in front of The Sombrero Motel, a prime example of art deco. The lobby was shaped like the high conical crown of a sombrero, surrounded by the curved brim of the hat sporting red, green and yellow stripes at its base. The hotel’s color resembled a big swimming pool.
Erin still couldn’t believe he wanted to stay here instead of one of the newer places. “Change your mind?”
“Nope. This place looks great.” He carefully ran his gaze over the building.
“Carmen Vega, the owner, bought it ten years ago, when she came back from Denver after working for several different hotel chains. She grew up seeing The Sombrero and had always loved it, so she bought it and restored it.”
“Good to know.”
Pushing open the glass door, Erin called out, “Hey, Lencho, how’s it going?”
The young college-aged man looked up from his reading. “Erin, what are you doing here?” He stood.
“I’ve brought you a paying customer.”
“Good, things are kinda slow right now, but next week, we’ve got more people coming in. The historic-motel crowd of Southern California has booked the place.”
Erin made the introductions, and Lencho handed Sawyer an old-fashioned registration card used circa 1937.
Sawyer stared down at it.
“Carmen believes in the full-blown experience,” Erin explained.
Sawyer shrugged and went to work filling out the card.
Erin leaned over the counter. “What are you studying, Lencho?”
“Differential equations. I have to have it for the engineering degree.”
Erin laughed. “I had a couple of courses that I could’ve done without in college. But fortunately I grabbed one of the bowling slots as my PE.”
It took Sawyer less than two minutes to fill out the card.
Erin peeked at it. “No TV?”
“I want the full experience.” If she thought she’d scared him, apparently she was wrong.
Lencho pulled the key out of a cubbyhole behind the registration desk. “You want me to show you to the room?”
