* * *
The event has gone without many hiccups, although both Rhett and my parents have claimed it’s no surprise considering the amount of time I dedicated to planning this.
While all the vendors take care of their booths, I’m helping manage the many dogs we brought to the parking lot. It’s crucial for everyone to see exactly what they’re supporting. Maybe I also thought it would help a few of these sweet angels find their forever home. Sue me for being optimistic.
A woman with thick, wavy brown locks approaches. She’s dressed in a button-up blouse and striped flowy pants that look like they’re worth more than everything in my closet. She crouches down to pet one of the pit bulls with a radiant smile on her face, not at all worried about creasing her trousers or getting slobber on her fancy outfit.
After giving the dog the attention he rightfully deserves, she glances up at me. “You’re Olivia Parker, right? You’re the one that made this whole event happen?”
“Yes, I am. And the adorable monster you’re petting is Gus. He’s up for adoption if you’re interested.”
“I’m always interested, but my husband will kill me if I bring another rescue home. We already have five.” She leans in closer to me. “But maybe I can convince him we need an even number, right?”
I already like this woman. “I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your name.”
“Oh, of course! I’m Morgan Newton. I work with a PR firm outside of Fort Worth that helps non-profits.”
I lean in closer, immediately intrigued. “Wow, that’s so cool! Do you do that full-time?”
“Yup. We have some pretty generous donors that help give the firm the resources it needs. We only started a couple years back, but we are trying to grow so we can keep helping non-profits do good work like you’re doing with this event today.” She reaches into her pocket and pulls out a business card. “You should give me a call sometime. I’d love to take you to lunch and see if we could be a good fit for you… if you’re interested.”
I take the business card, unable to speak. There’s no way this just fell into my lap.This is almost exactly what I’ve been looking for!I glance around to see if anyone else is here to witness this, and I lock eyes with Rhett, who’s watching our exchange intently. I give him a knowing look, and he quickly refocuses his attention on the dog standing in front of him. Busted!
“Thank you so much, Morgan. I will definitely be reaching out soon. I’d love to hear more about the work you do.”
“Great!” She gives me a genuine smile. Even if Rhett helped align our paths, her smile reaffirms she thinks I’d be an asset, and it feels dang good.
The second she leaves, Rhett glides to my side with a sly grin on his face. “What was that all about? Was she offering you a job?”
“Don’t act innocent. I know you put her up to that. I can figure this out on my own, Rhett. I don’t need everyone getting involved. I’m tryingnotto be a burden.”
“I swear I didn’t put her up to anything. I’ve never seen or heard of that woman in my life.”
“Then why were you giving that look?”
“Because I want you to stay! And I could see on your face how excited you were about that job. Seeing you happy makes me happy.”
“How did I go from really not liking you to turning into mush every time you speak?”
“I’ll never tell my secret.” He smirks.
Before I can lean into him and tease him more, a man approaches one of the German Shepherd mixes I’m holding, crouching down to give her a gentle pat. After stroking her cheeks silently, he looks up at me. “Are you Olivia Parker, the one who planned this event?”
“Yes, I am.”
I glance at Rhett, and the look on his face looks guilty as hell. It’s immediately clear that Morgan might’ve been a fluke, but whoever this man is, he is here because of Rhett.
“My name is Chance Marlowe.” He reaches out his hand, and I shake it firmly. “This event is incredibly impressive. How much have you raised so far?”
I glance at the time on my phone. “I’ll be announcing an updated amount in fifteen minutes. I need to start collecting tallies from the booths again, but as of the last check-in, we had collected over twenty-five hundred dollars.”
He raises his eyebrows. “Like I said, impressive. I hear you work for an accounting firm now? Someone with your talent for marketing should be working for someone like us. I work for a small firm about half an hour from here. We work with a whole bunch of clients, hosting fundraisers and campaigns, but I’ve never seen something like this. You have a gift.”
“Thank you. That means a lot.”
He whips out a business card, thrusting it into my hand. “I know you’re busy today, but give me a call, and we can talk more.”
“Thank you.”
