Too bad Charity didn’t. “No! Vanessa, you can’t.”
Van blinked. “Huh? But I thought—”
Charity shook her head. Her thick, golden curls shifted and shimmered like a river of silk. “I mean it. You can’t. True, it didn’t go the way we expected it would. I was shocked, too. I really thought it was finally my year.”
“Because you deserve to win.”
“No.” Charity sat up straighter. “That’s just not so. A lot of people wrote your name on their ballots. You are the chosen Miss Bronco, and the truth is I’m just...not.” She grabbed Vanessa’s hand and stared deep in her eyes. “It’s your job, yourdutyto rise to the occasion.”
“But I don’t even live here anymore.”
“You’re a Bronco girl and everyone knows it—and it’s okay, Vanessa.” She added, with feeling, “I promise you it’s all going to work out. Because I’m going to help you—and I know, I know. Jameson mentioned that you live in Billings now. But really, Billings is notthatfar away.”
“Jameson mentioned that, did he?” She slanted a dark glance at the maddeningly hot man on her other side. In return, he gave her a slow, knowing smile. Across the table, Callie watched them much too closely.
Charity demanded, “Did you get your schedule from Maureen?”
Confused, Van turned to Charity again. “Uh, Maureen?”
“The pageant coordinator.”
“Oh. Yes. I did.” She tried not to scowl. “All fifty pages of it.”
“Have you had a chance to look it over yet?”
“Well, I...”
“When you do, you’ll notice that the Miss Bronco events after summertime are few and far between. It’s all going to be workable. You’ll see. I know what I’m talking about. I’ve been doing this every year since I was sixteen. And I’m going to teach you everything you need to know.”
Wait! No!she wanted to shout.
But she knew she couldn’t. Charity was right, damn it. And the pretty blonde’s passion and enthusiasm for the tradition of Miss Bronco made Van want to grab her in a great big hug—so she did.
Charity hugged her right back.
And then Callie broke out the snacks and cold drinks. Charity opened her giant pink binder, which turned out to be her own personal planner, a blueprint for Miss Bronco success.
For the next two hours, the four of them munched Cheez-Its and trail mix as Charity guided Van through everything from what to wear for her upcoming appearances to the main points she should hit when speaking at various gatherings. Van kept her focus on the job at hand—mostly.
Yet she couldn’t forget who sat on her other side. More than once, she got distracted by his low, sexy chuckle. She would shoot him a furtive glance and then have trouble looking away again. When Charity asked for her phone number, she gave it and then couldn’t stop herself from sliding another look at her top-secret lover from TNTNH. That steady gaze of his was as compelling as ever. And those lips she’d loved kissing way too much twitched at the corners with a hint of a grin. She knew his thoughts exactly—she’d insisted no numbers would ever be exchanged but he’d gotten her digits, after all.
“Come on.” Charity took her hand. “Take me to your room. Let’s decide what you’re wearing tomorrow.”
It felt weird, to leave Jameson and Callie alone. Callie had a look like she might go a little bit rogue and press for answers to questions Van didn’t want her asking.
But Charity gave a tug and Van found herself up out of her chair, following Jameson’s sister down the hall to the second bedroom. They weren’t in there long. She showed Charity a pair of red jeans, her best boots and couple of dressy Western shirts she’d brought with her from Billings. Charity chose the blue one with the white trim and silver stitching, declaring that the silver thread would really pop with her rhinestone crown.
“Me, in a crown.” Van shook her head, readjusted her glasses and grinned. “Never thought I’d see the day.”
Charity beamed. “You’re going to look fantastic. You need to be at the fairgrounds at 1:00 p.m., right? I’ll be here at noon to do a final wardrobe and hair check, and then we’ll ride to the fairgrounds together.”
Tomorrow was Saturday. Weekends Daphne welcomed any and all Young Adventurers to Happy Hearts. Van didn’t teach classes on weekends. But on Saturday, as a rule, she dropped by for morning coffee with Daphne and Evan, after which she would stay and help out if Daphne needed her.
“Noon works,” she said. She could easily stop in at Happy Hearts, work for an hour or two at whatever chores needed doing, and still have time to pull herself together for her “wardrobe check.”
As she led Charity back to the main room, she could hear Callie talking about her job with Evan at Bronco Ghost Tours. “He’s a taskmaster, Van’s brother. But in a good way. I like the work. Never a dull moment when ghosts are involved.” Callie laughed. “And did you hear? Van and Evan’s great-grandmother, Winona, has opened a shop right there with us on the premises. She’s billing herself as sort of a cross been a life coach and a psychic. If you need guidance or advice, Winona can help.”
“You’re telling me thattheWinona Cobbs has a psychic shop at Bronco Ghost Tours?”
