Quinn looked hurt.“I sort of liked it.”
Hastings gave him a disparaging look.“Which is why you’re in investment banking and I’m in filmmaking.Okay, we can deal with that.I’ll tell them we had some fun with that title, thought of turning this into a Mel Brooks type spoof, but the producers didn’t think it would suit my image.You didn’t know that when I sent you out to Ugly Bug.”
“You sent me?Wait a minute, you didn’t?—”
“Work with me here, Monroe.I’m trying to get you out of trouble, sport.Now, picture this.”Hastings glanced around to make sure they weren’t being overheard.“I met you in New York.That’s where you’re from, right?”
“Yep.”
Hastings nodded.“Good.I go there all the time.So I met you and noticed the striking resemblance.”He sent Jo a challenging look, but she only shrugged.“I’ve been looking for a stand-in, so I asked you if you were interested.You agreed to give it a try, so I sent you to Ugly Bug as a test, to see if people would believe you were me.It worked.I’m ready to hire you.”
“But I don’t want the job.”
“I’m not really offering you the job!Hell, you probably can’t even act!”Hastings shook his head.“Damn, but bankers can be literal.So I offer you the job, you turn it down, and we go on from there.Do you love it?”
Quinn nodded.“It might work.”
“Might work?”Hastings threw his hands in the air.“It’s brilliant!Improv at its finest!It’s so hard to get any honest appreciation these days.”
“I appreciate it,” Jo said.“You’ve just found a way to save my reputation in Ugly Bug.Thank you.”
“That reminds me,” Hastings said.“Where’d that dumb name come from?”
“You don’t even want to know,” Quinn said.
“Maybe not.We’re sure not using it in the script, that’s for sure.I even hate to put it in the credits, but I guess we’ll have to.”Hastings motioned to the limo.“Shall we?”
Jo eyed the limo dubiously.“Where are we going?”
Hastings smiled his perfect smile.“Straight into the arena, my friends.If there’s one thing Brian Hastings knows how to do, it’s make an entrance.”
Jo glanced at Quinn.“You’ll have to go some to top the last one.”
ChapterTwenty-Six
Quinn watched Hastings maneuver his way through the rodeo festivities and the dance that evening, and by the end of it he had to admit Hastings was a hell of a guy.He handled crazed fans with a finesse Quinn envied, but of course he’d had plenty of practice.For the first time Quinn understood that being a star in the spotlight required boundless energy.Hastings was on the go constantly from the moment he stepped out of the limo in the middle of the rodeo arena to his late-night tour of the Bar None ranch buildings.
Quinn used the time Jo and Fred were showing Hastings around to change into his city clothes and lay his borrowed ones in a neat pile on his bunk.He hadn’t told anyone about reserving a seat on the red-eye, figuring he’d make his goodbyes short and sweet when the time came.Finally he walked to the house, where a light shone from the kitchen window and he could see people gathered around Emmy Lou’s table, probably swapping stories of the day and sampling one of her pies.
Quinn felt very sorry for himself.Not long ago he’d sat in that kitchen enjoying the same treatment Hastings was getting, being fed like a king and hailed as Jo’s savior.Now she had a new hero.Come to think of it, she’d never really needed Quinn.Salvation had arrived only a few days after he was pressed into service.If Hastings hadn’t turned out to be an understanding guy, Quinn’s presence even might have ruined the movie deal.He’d been worse than useless—he’d been in the way.
At least he wouldn’t make the mistake of hanging around.He walked up the steps to the porch just as Jo came out the front door.
“There you are!I’ve been wondering where you—” She paused and surveyed his outfit.“Why are you dressed like that?”
“I’m taking the red-eye, Jo.”
“Tonight?”Her face paled.“You’re leaving right now?”
He nodded.“I was coming in to say goodbye to everyone.”
“I see.”She swallowed.“Well, let me say, while we’re out here by ourselves, that I’m very grateful for all you’ve done.”She twisted her hands in front of her.“I can’t...thank you enough.”
Gratitude was beggar’s wages.He wanted love from her, not a polite thank-you.But she needed a cowboy to love.“It turns out I didn’t do a damn thing.Hastings was on his way.”
“We didn’t know that.You stepped into the breach, Quinn.I’ll never forget...that.”
He figured she would forget it, and him, eventually.He wasn’t part of her world and never could be.But standing here and not reaching for her, no matter how dumb the gesture would be, was the most difficult thing he’d ever done.
