Patricia Thayer - Proposal at the Lazy S Ranch

“Good idea,” Josie said and put it on. “Let’s go check out this place.” She climbed out as Garrett opened the back door and helped Brody out.

Even though the circumstances weren’t ideal, she was eager to see the lodge. She pulled her coat together against the chill and waited for Brody and Garrett to catch up to her.

Together, they walked across the wet ground to the sheets of plywood covering the mud caused by last night’s rain.

They reached the front door. Well, it was where the door was going to be. This was still a two-story log cabin shell. The outside logs were up, along with the roof, but not much more. She inhaled the scent of fresh-cut wood as they walked through the wide doorway into what would be the main meeting room. More like an open area with high ceilings of tongue-and-groove oak.

Josie glanced around at the huge picture windows that overlooked the river. Drawn to the beautiful scenery, she walked over. This was a perfect spot. In her head, she was already figuring out different events that could be held here.

The first was the Slater/Rivers wedding right in front of these windows. She began to visualize the number of chairs that the room could handle, leaving room for an aisle. She turned to the men working on the floor-to-ceiling fireplace made out of river rock. It took her breath away.

“How do you like it so far?”

She swung around to see Garrett and Brody. She couldn’t help but smile. “It’s really nice. In fact, it’s better than I thought possible. There’s a lot we can do with this space. Are the floors going to be hardwood?”

When Garrett nodded, she looked toward the roughed-in stairs to the second floor. It was going to be left open, a mezzanine level for the bedrooms upstairs. She hated that anglers would be using it. She could really promote this for high-dollar functions.

“Okay, I see your mind working,” Garrett said. “Tell me what it is.”

Josie turned toward him. “It would be nice if we didn’t have to use it for anglers.”

Garrett arched an eyebrow. “Before we open to the public there’s going to be a wedding here.”

She tensed, recalling when she was planning her own wedding, until her groom betrayed her.

She wiped the picture from her mind. “I know. I’ll go over those details with Ana.” She released a breath. “Okay, where are these bathrooms that need my attention?”

He glanced around. “I need to find Jerry.”

When Garrett went off to find the foreman, Josie realized she had to find a way to get over her resentment toward him. It would be the only way this project would get completed.

Her cell phone rang and she reached inside her purse to answer it. “Hello.”

“Josie, it’s Ana.”

“Hey, Ana. Are you planning to come out to the site?”

“No. I’m at the house, but we need to discuss the lodge.”

“What about it?” she asked, and walked away from the group.

“I found out today that I’m going to a teacher’s conference in Helena,” Ana told her. “The school principal is sick and he asked me to take his place. I have to go out of town for three days.”

Three days. She looked at Garrett talking with the foreman. “You’re leaving me here alone?”

Ana paused. “I’m not doing this on purpose, Josie. It’s only for a few days. Since you helped with the building plans, I figured this should be easy.”

Josie glanced across the room. She was going to have to spend more time with Garrett. Hadn’t she already been doing that over the past twenty-four hours?

“Come on, I’ve seen you organize and delegate,” Ana said. “This will be easy.”

What could she say? “Okay, have a safe trip. But expect a lot of phone calls, because I’m still going to need your help.”

“You’ve got Garrett.”

That was what she was afraid of. Already her stomach began to hurt. She said goodbye and hung up as Garrett walked over.

“Is there something wrong?” he asked.

“Ana has to go out of town. Looks like you’re stuck working with me.”

A smile twitched at the corners of his mouth. “I can handle it, but can you?”

She wanted to wipe that smile off his face. “This is business. I can handle it with ease.” Garrett Temple, the man, she wasn’t so sure.

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