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“Someone to run it.”
“I figured you already had someone in mind.”
Mason snorted. “Like you didn’t have the same idea. The question is, do you think we can get her onboard?”
Grady reckoned they’d soon enough know that answer. He’d brought Charli in, and chances were, she’d already discussed the deal with Oakley. What Grady didn’t yet know was whether Oakley was interested.
Considering the amount of money investors were willing to invest, he hoped she would. It would not justput Sanctuary on the map, it would set the people who worked so hard to make it successful up for life, and the tax dollars to the community would be a boon to the whole county.
Ifthey could get Oakley on board.
Grady wondered how big an if that would turn out to be.
*****
Charlie reined in her horse and slowed to a walk. Oakley, who’d kept pace with her during the run, did the same. “I’d almost forgotten how much I love to ride,” she said.
“Gunner mentioned the ride you took last weekend. Good thing I knew you were going camping, or I’d have called out a search party.”
“Because you didn’t think I could survive in all this wilderness,” Oakley gestured around with both arms wide. “Girl, please. You can see trouble for miles in this place.”
“True. But since you didn’t mention it, I was curious. Didn’t you enjoy it?’
“I wish that was the case.”
“Meaning what?”
“Meaning I’m almost out of leave and almost out of patience, waiting on the big guy to make a move.”
“Who says you have to wait on him?”
“Me.”
“Well, that’s a first.”
Oakley shrugged. “Maybe, but – never mind. He’ll either step up or he won’t. And maybe he’s just not into me.”
“I doubt that’s the case. Gunner doesn’t push his weight around, as you’ve probably noticed.”
“He could push a little,” Oakley commented, halted her horse, and reached out to open the paddock gate. “Want to walk them a while?”
“Sure.” Charlie rode into the paddock and dismounted.
When Oakley did the same, they fell into step, leading the horses around the perimeter of the paddock. “I take it you like him?” Charli asked.
“I do.” The quickness of her response said a lot. Oakley rarely formed relationships, and used men the way many men use women. Simply for sex. Liking someone was a big deal for her.
“Yeah?” Charli prompted.
“Yeah. He’s good inside,” she tapped her chest. “Kind. To people and animals. One day we made a run into town to stock up on stuff for his cottage. We saw two old ladies walking along the sidewalk just before the crosswalk – you know, the one at the edge of town that has the button for pedestrians? Anyway, they were just making the turn when the cart between them toppled right over.”
She glanced at Charli. “Gunner pulled over to the side of the road, had his emergency flashers on, and was out of the truck before I could ask what he was doing.”
“Which was?”
“Helping. I hurried to follow and reached him after he’d righted the cart and picked up the spilled groceries.
“Charli you should have seen those women. They looked like they were caught between being upset about the broken or ruined items and being in awe of Gunner.Honestly, they couldn’t have been much over five feet tall, so he must have looked like a giant to them.
