Thunder crashed.Loopy whimpered.Lightning ripped apart the sky.Being stranded with Cade Donovan was beginning to look like a possibility.
They moved into the kitchen and he asked, “Did you want to show me your concepts?”
“Yes.Is there a place you want to sit?”
“This is fine.”
She sat at the kitchen bar and he pulled another chair close to hers.Pretending this was an ordinary sales call, she turned on her tablet then touched the icon for her presentations.
“That’s the ranch logo,” he said, and there was a warmth in his voice she hadn’t heard before.
“I save each client’s presentation with their logo.It makes it easier to find.And this one, I particularly like looking at,” she said.
“Do you?”
“Your graphic designer is talented.”
“I drew the rough draft.”
“Did you really?”She looked over at him.“That’s impressive.I love the definition of the horse’s mane, and its face looks fierce, as if nothing will stand in its way.”All of the same characteristics Cade had.
Loopy scooted out from beneath the table and padded toward them.With a shudder, the dog plopped down behind both of the chairs.
Even as Sofia went through the slides she’d prepared, she noticed him watching her more than the screen.
Their scene in the barn, combined with the picture he painted of what he wanted to do in the turret, replayed in her mind, making it difficult to focus.
“The presentation?”he reminded her.
She shook her head before touching the screen.Automatically she moved from picture to picture of the various tent options.Some were self-supporting, others were framed and a few had poles.“As for specific ideas… If you wanted to do an informal afternoon event, you can have a presentation on a stage, either in the barn or in one of these tents.Then turn that area over for entertaining.Or, if you want something more upscale, there’s this option.”She advanced to pictures of a formal party inside a climate-control century tent.
“Good God.I had no idea they came in so many different sizes.”
“This one includes windows, and you can add real French doors.”
“Are you joking?”
“No.We can add sections based on the number of people in attendance.”She showed him various layouts, for plated meals, old-fashioned Texas barbecues, buffets.
“Bottom line, what do you recommend?”
“This idea was your grandfather’s, wasn’t it?”
He nodded.
“I think we need to ask him before we go much further.Of course, things will change if you can utilize the barn.”She shot him a sideways glance.“And you’ll need to wall off the dungeon or move the equipment.”
“But not immediately.”
Something hot unfurled in her veins.
“Plenty of time for it to get some use.”
Striving for professionalism, she cleared her throat then said, “Regardless, this will not be an inexpensive event.”
“With the Pain in the Ass Fee,” he added.
She pointed to the screen.“That number is likely to be the biggest line item and the one most subject to change.”Finally, she quoted some ballpark figures for the celebration.
