“Ms. Spencer,” Cain said in a deep, masculine voice as he stopped next to their table. “It’s good to see you.”
“You as well, Mr. Barrett.”
“It’s just Cain. I thought we’d settled that the last time I was in here.”
Her cheeks warmed. She didn’t really know him that well, but he was a good customer, and if that was the way he wanted it . . .
“All right . . . Cain. This is my friend, Summer Hayes. She and her mother own the Butterfly Boutique just down the street.”
Cain smiled. “Nice to meet you, Summer.” He had a solid jaw, dark brown hair, and gold-rimmed dark eyes.
“I’d like to speak to you for a moment when you’re finished,” he said. “I have a business proposition for you.”
Summer surged to her feet. “I was just getting ready to leave.” Though half her burger and fries remained on her plate, she nearly knocked her chair over trying to escape.
“I’ll buy next time,” Summer added. “Nice to meet you—”
“Cain,” he reminded her, and Summer’s face flamed.
“Cain,” she repeated.
“You as well, Summer.”
With a last glance at Jenny, Summer turned and hurried out of the bar. Jenny forced herself to relax as Cain pulled out a chair and sat down at the table.
“Would you like something to eat or drink?” she asked.
“I’m fine, thanks.”
“So what can I do for you . . . Cain?”
“I need to hire a consultant to help me finish the hotel. I’m interested in hearing suggestions that could make the place run better. I figure you’ve been managing this place for a while—”
“Actually, I own the Copper Star. I’ve been working here off and on since I was a kid. Now I own the property.”
He looked chagrined. “My mistake. I should have done a little more research. I thought Charles Spencer was the owner.”
“Uncle Charlie recently passed. He left the Star to me.”
“I’m sorry for your loss.”
“Thank you. I miss him every day.”
Cain just nodded. “Being the owner/operator, you clearly know how to run the business, which gives me an even better reason to hire you.”
Jenny frowned. “Surely you can find someone a lot more qualified than I am to give you advice on how to run your hotel.”
“Maybe. But I’d have to bring them in from Phoenix, find a place to put them up until we open, and take the risk they know what they’re doing. Add to that, Jerome is a specialized clientele, a mix of locals and tourists. A tiny community that’s extremely self-sufficient. You’re accepted here, and you understand the mix.”
Jenny considered the offer. She knew how to run the Star, but this was different. The old Grandview Hotel had dozens of rooms, plus a bar and a restaurant. She wasn’t sure she could handle the job.
On the other hand, she could certainly use the money. Uncle Charlie had run up a debt on the business she was still paying off, and there was a second loan to cover the construction on the newly opened wing.
“I’d have to hire someone to fill in for me while I’m over at the Grandview,” she said. “How long would you need me?”
“Until the hotel is finished—at least a few weeks, maybe longer. But it would only be part-time, which should allow you to handle things here as well.”
At least the place was close by. She would still be driving the eight miles to and from her small house in Cottonwood, but she was used to that. “What sort of money are we talking about?”
