Christyne Butler - Destiny's Last Bachelor?

Her stomach had certainly liked the idea, but his crack about the local restaurants not being up to the level of what she might be used to set off warning bells. Had he figured out who she was? Of course, it would only take a quick Google search to find out what she’d been through the past week. “Priscilla?”

She blinked, realizing Bobby and Leeann were waiting for her to answer. What was the question again? Oh, yes. Why she was in town.

“Well, my vacation plans for the summer changed rather suddenly.” Priscilla paused to wet her dry throat with a sip of tea. Priscilla had wondered if her family’s latest escapade with the Hollywood gossip mill was something Bobby would mention when she arrived, but neither he nor Leeann had said anything as they welcomed her warmly into their home. “When I found myself taking a spontaneous road trip, I decided to head somewhere...unexpected.”

“I guess Destiny could be considered that, considering your usual surroundings,” Leeann said. “We’re about as far away from the glitz and glamour of Beverly Hills as one can get.”

Priscilla heard no malice in the woman’s tone, but she was thankful for the years of experience that kept her smile relaxed. She did feel a bit lost and out of place in this small Western town, much like Alice when she’d dropped into Wonderland.

Not to mention the fact she was vastly overdressed.

Her deep purple silk sundress and favorite taupe-colored peep-toed heels were a bit much for a casual Saturday afternoon. Despite her friend Lisa’s hairstyle suggestion, she’d gone with her familiar French twist and simple yet elegant gold jewelry. She carried a leather tote big enough for her portfolio, not to mention Snake and his favorite pillow.

After going through her suitcases this morning, she’d realized that while her wardrobe might be perfect for a European holiday, most of her outfits wouldn’t fit into the much more casual style of a place like Destiny, Wyoming.

Bobby’s wife, a stunning brunette who moved with an ease that spoke of her former career as a fashion model, wore a simple outfit of dark blue shorts that ended just above her knees, a white cotton shirt and canvas sneakers with no laces. Bobby, too, was dressed casually in jeans and a T-shirt embroidered with his former team’s racing logo.

She couldn’t remember one time during her three years with Jonathan when he’d ever worn a shirt without a collar. Not even last summer while cruising on his yacht.

“Yes, well, getting away—” Priscilla hesitated and then pushed any thoughts of her ex from her head “—is exactly what I...planned. Now, why don’t you tell me more about this summer camp of yours? You mentioned it when you showed me the architectural drawings and photographs in your study, but I’d love to hear more.”

“This is the first summer Camp Diamond has been open, so we consider it a shakedown period,” Bobby said. “The staff is pretty much in place and we’ve offered free stays for local kids from Destiny in return for acting as test subjects, for lack of a better word, for two-week sessions that will run through Labor Day. We’ll take a week off in between each session to make any needed repairs, upgrades or rework any of the programs.”

While Bobby spoke, Priscilla leaned over and placed her glass on the low square table in front of her and then reached for her portfolio. She itched to start making notes, but held off until she could gauge how he and Leeann were going to feel about her research. “How’s that working?”

“Well, we’re only finishing up the first week of our second session, but so far, so good.” He glanced at his wife, who offered a nod in agreement. “A few hiccups along the way, but we expected that. The plan is to have our first full season next summer.”

“We have a business plan, a board of directors and an advisory council for the camp in place, as well,” Leeann added. “Thanks to my husband’s generosity, Camp Diamond doesn’t carry any debt on its land or the buildings, and it’s fully funded for the next few years.”

Hmm, she hadn’t been aware of that fact. “It must take quite a bit of financial support to run this type of operation year after year, covering everything from salaries to insurance to marketing. Is raising funds an important part of your business plan?”

“Ah, yes, it is, but like Lee said, we’re in a good place money-wise at the moment.” Bobby paused. “Wait a minute. Have you been looking into this?”

Priscilla smiled, glad that he seemed more surprised than insulted at her initiative. “It’s what I do, remember?”

“Yeah, I know, but I never expected... Wow. I only mentioned the camp a couple of times when you called to thank me for our donation to your gala event this past week.”

It took a bit of effort, but she managed to keep the tainted images from that night from coming back to life and focused instead on the here and now. “I was intrigued by what you’re trying to do.”

“Talk about great timing,” Leeann said, enthusiasm shining in her eyes. “We were just trying to come up with ideas for a fund-raising event and here we have an expert right in front of us.”

Taking that as permission to proceed, Priscilla flipped open her portfolio and glanced at her notes. “So, have you thought about corporate sponsorship?”

“We do have one—my former racing team that I’m still a part owner of—but I’m a bit hesitant about having outsiders giving funds and then wanting a voice in how the camp is run.”

Priscilla added the information about Bobby’s team to the list she’d created this morning. “What about sponsors a bit closer to home?”

“Well, there aren’t exactly a lot of big corporations in Destiny.”

A fact she knew thanks to her research, but Priscilla had something different in mind. “What I meant was maybe you should be looking at people who have a connection to this area instead of looking for business sponsors.”

Bobby glanced at his wife for a moment, then looked back at Priscilla. “That’s sort of what we have in mind when it comes to an event, but I’m guessing you’re talking about people with deep pockets?”

“Exactly.” Priscilla pulled out her list. “Have either of you ever heard of the high-tech mogul Drake Hamill?”

“Sure. Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Drake Hamill. They’re all members of the same club.”

“Drake and his company are based in Silicon Valley, but he’s originally from Laramie. He attended the University of Wyoming and has a vacation home in Jackson Hole, so he comes back to the state often.”

“I’ve met him a few times at your foundation events in L.A.,” Bobby said. “We did talk about being from Wyoming. Interesting idea.”

“I found that long-established camps often rely on alumni, not only to send their children to the same camp they once attended, but to assist in fund-raising efforts, as well. You don’t have that yet, but there used to be a summer camp in town that ran for over twenty-five years. Their former campers might be interested in learning there’s a new camp here in Destiny.”

Bobby nodded. “I guess that’s something we could look into. If we can get any information from the Shipmans, the family that used to own the old camp.”

“It would take a bit of doing,” Leeann added. “There aren’t any Shipmans still living in Destiny that I know of.”

“Well, I’ve found at least one former camper who’s a big name. Did you know that the San Antonio Alamos’ second baseman, Jax Summers, was born and raised in Chapman Falls, which is only two hours from here? According to his website, he first learned to hit a baseball while attending the Shipmans’ camp. His parents still live up there and he’s often home during the off season.”