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“Right. Take your word for that. What are you doing at the lodge?”
He wasn’t in his usual running gear, and instead wore dress shorts and a collared shirt. His gray hair was brushed back from his forehead, and he wore a determined expression.
“I need to book one of your rooms that has a private spa, Ted.”
“Sure, we can sort that for you.”
The man looked left and right, and Ted found himself doing the same thing.
“You’re probably the only person besides Mandy I’d trust keeping a secret for me.”
Mandy again.
Ted crossed his heart with a finger and nodded.
“I’m going to ask Jess to marry me, and I want to do it right. Here, away from everyone.”
“Yeah? Nice work.” Ted high-fived the man. “You got a ring?”
“I do.”
“Nice. All right, let’s see what rooms we have free. When are you thinking?”
“As soon as possible.”
Ted went behind reception and had a look in the computer himself.
“Right, there’s a room free next Saturday. I’ll book you in. And it’s on the house.”
“Oh no, I couldn’t allow that—”
“You do enough for everyone else in this town; let me do this for you.”
A hand shot over the counter, and Ted shook it to seal the deal.
Romance came at any stage in life, and the thought was a happy one. Not for him, but others.
Smiling, he left the lodge minutes later and headed up to his rooms. Buzz was sitting on his doorstep.
“I told you last time that your daddy would be pissed if I kept feeding you biscuits.” Ted opened the door, and the large fur ball bounded in.
Branch hissed, as he always did, then realized it was his buddy and jumped off the counter with a loud thud. The animals then had a mutual love fest, rubbing up against each other.
He gave Buzz a biscuit and Branch two tiny ones.
“Let’s go,” he said to the dog, grabbing his keys.
He needed to go into town for a few things, but he wanted to visit the ranch first and see the float. It was the least he could do, seeing as it looked like he had to be on it. Maybe he could wear a mask?
Giving in to the inevitable—his vehicle covered in dog hair—he opened the door for Buzz. The animal jumped in, then walked through the seats and settled on the front one.
“Your manners need work, bud.” Ted joined him.
The Trainer land was worked by Jack, and the others when they weren’t doing their own thing, Joe running the bar, and Luke being a firefighter.
The main house stood to the left, a big rambling farmhouse that Ted always thought smelled like home. His home had been a show house. A place that had servants and was polished daily, with rooms shut off to the children and only opened when visitors came. In fact, his life had pretty much been like that. From school to the day he turned his back on his family, he’d been on show.
Pulling up at the barn, he saw Jack’s pickup and Miss Sarah’s car. Maybe she was here helping with the Tea Total float.
