The Rancher and the Event Planner - By Cheryl Gorman Page 0,2
me. I’m really sorry for what happened today. I’ve been under a lot of stress lately—”
The judge raised his hand stopping her. “Ms. Barrett, sentencing you to thirty days in jail for the charge of reckless driving is too harsh considering you have no prior offenses and you seem to be a level-headed young woman.”
Relief made her dizzy. She smiled. “Oh, thank you, Your Honor. I’ll just pay the fine and be on my way. As soon as my car is repaired that is.”
“I’m not finished. In lieu of the thirty days in jail, you are ordered to serve thirty consecutive days of community service helping our mayor, Mr. Rafe McCord rejuvenate this town to win the Best Texas Vacation Contest.”
Her heartbeat quickened and anxiety punched her in the gut. Her career was on the line. She had to think of a plan—fast. “Your Honor, I’m only an hour and a half away from Dallas and my home in Shreveport. I can help the mayor and take care of the event in Dallas if you’d allow me to do both. Otherwise I could lose my job. Please, Your Honor.”
Linc eyed her for a moment, a tiny frown appeared on his brow and he tilted his head to the side. A little smile curved his lips.
Damn. He recognized her.
“Ms. Barrett, the court doesn’t want you to lose your job so I will allow you to spend one day a week in Dallas taking care of the event.” He slammed down his gavel. “You’d better find a place to stay in Salvation because the rest of the sentence still stands. Court is adjourned.”
* * *
Why couldn’t they see the big picture? As mayor of Salvation, Texas, Rafe McCord was expected to develop policies and execute his duties with the best interests of the citizens in mind and improve their living conditions. Noon day traffic moved steadily along the street below. He watched a hawk cruising on the thermals and glimpsed a flash of heat lightning in a large, purple thunderhead in the distance. They’d have rain by this evening.
The day before, Rafe had argued that the economy was in a slump and the best way to attract tourism was to enter the Best Texas Vacation Contest and win it so they could host the East Texas Rodeo.
He turned from the window and raked a hand through his hair. Only the city council didn’t see things his way. He’d tried to convince them until he was hoarse, but they’d firmly planted their heels like a persistent kudzu vine and couldn’t see beyond the tip of their budget minded noses. The litany of their reasons his plan was doomed to failure played through his head.
The town doesn’t have a chance at winning.
The financial risk is too great.
The town is too small to host the East Texas Rodeo.
The town does need to be revitalized but that would mean hiring a professional and the town couldn’t afford one for the long haul.
They’d thrown him a crumb though. If he could find an affordable event planner to help they would consider it. He’d spent the last hour on the phone trying to find an event planner, but they were either booked solid or way out of the town’s price range. Rafe looked at the time. Court should be over in a few minutes. He grabbed his hat from the rack in the corner and headed for the door of his office. He’d snag his brother and take him to lunch and together maybe they could come up with some ideas.
Just before his hand closed around the knob, the door swung open and his brother Linc stood in the doorway with a smug look on his face and a twinkle in his blue eyes. “I found an event planner to help you and she’ll work for free.” Linc stood to the side and gestured toward a woman sitting in his office waiting room.
Rafe could see her blonde hair in a twist at the back of her head emphasizing the slender column of her neck and the necklace she wore had gotten tangled in loose wisps of hair. A memory niggled in the back of his mind like a cockle burr, but he couldn’t yank it free.
When he walked to her side, she turned and looked up at him. Familiar eyes the color of fine whiskey met his and her pretty lips parted. She gathered her purse and stood. “Hi Rafe, it’s been a long time.”