This Hick?

Chapter 30

CHAPTER 30

CASSIDY

I finished doing inventory of all the supplies we would need for calving season. Before meeting everyone else at the lodge, I went to the bunkhouse to wash up. I knew Karen wouldn’t care if I smelled like a horse, but I wanted to look good for her. And smell good.

Part of me was hoping I would get another invitation to her room. The last few days we had both been busy with chores and ranch life in general. I had managed to sneak a few kisses here and there, but I wanted more.

After scrubbing the dirt from under my fingernails and washing the smell of livestock off my skin, I changed into a cleaner shirt and fresh jeans. Mirror-checking wasn’t something I did often, but tonight felt different.

I walked through the mud, which was my least favorite part of the coming spring. The mud was relentless. I hated the snow, but the fucking mud was just so messy. I made my way back toward the main house, dodging puddles and doing my best not to slip.

I walked into the lodge and spotted Kenny messing with the fire in the fireplace. Ginny and Karen were already sitting at the table. Bodie walked in carrying a tray of meats and cheeses.

“Let’s do this,” Kenny said. “Although I’m not sure I’m going to be much good.”

“Everyone is going to participate in this,” Karen said.

Karen had a stack of papers in front of her. When I sat down, she didn’t look directly at me as she slid a notebook toward me. “We’re going to brainstorm first,” Karen said, taking charge of the meeting. “We’ve got a lot to do and very little time.”

She looked as sharp and organized as ever, but something about her was off. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it. It almost felt like she was doing everything she could not to look at me.

“What are we brainstorming?” Kenny asked.

I rolled my eyes. “I told you what this meeting was about, jackass.”

“I don’t know shit about planning a party. I go to parties, but I don’t plan them.”

“This isn’t necessarily a party,” Karen corrected. “It’s an event.”

“What’s the difference?” Kenny asked.

“It’s not going to be a bunch of people drinking,” Karen said. “It’s an event. It’s something that people can come to and spend hours. We need activities. We’ll have dancing and music but we need more.” She looked at each of us. “Any ideas?”

Ginny looked thoughtful. “Like what? What is our budget?”

“I’d like to keep our budget under five grand,” Karen said. “I’m thinking we’ll sell tickets for a hundred and fifty dollars each.”

We all winced and gasped. Kenny let out a low whistle. “That’s a lot of money.”

“Which is why we need some serious draw. We can accommodate two hundred and fifty people. That means we get just over thirty grand. That would get the ranch out of the hole. Then Don and you guys can start making strides toward making the ranch profitable again.”

We all looked at each other. When I proposed the idea of a Valentine’s party, I was thinking small potatoes. I wasn’t sure if we could pull off the big payoff she was looking for. Go big or go home, I guess.

“No pressure.” Ginny laughed. “Thirty grand in one night? Is that really possible?”

“Yes,” Karen said. “I think so. But it’s going to take some serious planning. Quickly. So, let’s hear it. Give me your ideas.”

Once again, we all fell quiet. This was so far out of our element.

“What about a kissing booth?” Kenny said with a goofy grin spreading across his face. “People still do those, right?”

Ginny looked at him like she wasn’t sure the words actually came out of his mouth. “Since when are you full of good ideas?”

Kenny leaned back in his chair. “I’ve got awesome ideas. You all just don’t appreciate genius when you see it.”

Ginny rolled her eyes. It was like watching two siblings go at it.

“Actually, it’s not a bad idea,” Karen said. “We could take donations at the kissing booth, be transparent that the event is to save the ranch.”

“We should also offer pictures,” Ginny said. “We can set up a cute backdrop. Maybe have a couple of different options. A serious one and a silly one with props.”

Karen nodded. “I like it. Good idea.”

“Is this just for adults?” I asked.

Karen looked at me. “I thought about that. But I think we might be able to get more couples if we open it up as a family event. We could offer free babysitting or like a kids’ area.”

“Just throw them in a corral,” Kenny said. “Done and done.”

“Well,” Karen said, bobbing her head back and forth. “Maybe we’ll figure out something more fun. The key is, the adults can do their thing while the kids are doing theirs. The parents won’t have to worry about paying a sitter.”

“Kids get free entry?” I asked.

She looked at me again. “I think that’s fair. The tickets are already going to be pretty steep.”

“I’ve been thinking we could jazz up some of the dishes,” Bodie said, tapping his finger on the table. “Maybe some fancy hors d’oeuvres, nothing too crazy but something with a romance theme. You know, chocolate-covered strawberries, champagne, stuff like that. I’ve got some new recipes I’d love to try. They’re a little too fancy for our normal fare, but for a special night, they’re perfect.”

Karen’s gaze was on Bodie without really being on him. She was smiling, but it looked like she was a million miles away. I didn’t know what was up, but something definitely was. She was more distracted than usual. I felt guilty for springing this on her. We were all putting a lot of pressure on her.

“What do you think, Cassidy?” she asked, breaking out of her trance and suddenly locking eyes with me.

I sat up straighter. “About what?”

“The babysitting room.”

I blinked. “Oh, right. I can ask some of the older kids from my Sunday program to run it. I can ask the older, more responsible kids to act as babysitters.”

“That’s perfect,” Karen said, jotting down a note. “We can set it up in one of the storage rooms that isn’t being used. Maybe have a Valentine’s craft for the kids. Keep them busy, and the parents can enjoy themselves.”

“And a movie,” Ginny said. “We can serve them popcorn and make it fun.”

“I like it,” Karen said.

Karen made a few more notes. She looked up, her cheeks a bit flushed.

“You okay?” I asked.

She smiled, her lips barely curving. “I’m fine. Just tired.”

“Sure?” I pressed. “You don’t seem like yourself.”

“I’m fine,” she repeated, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear before looking back down at her notes. I didn’t believe her, but I let it go. For now.

“Okay, what else?” Karen asked.

We all thought for a moment.

“For the live music, I know a couple of bands that would draw a crowd,” Bodie said. “Maybe get them to play for exposure or for a reduced fee since it’s for a good cause.”

“That could work.” Ginny nodded enthusiastically. “Plus, if we advertise well-known local bands, more people might show up.”

Karen scribbled down more notes. “Good, good. I like that. So, we’ve got good food, music and a few activities. We need more to sweeten the pot, though.”

“Like what?” I asked.

Karen paused, tapping the pen against her chin thoughtfully. “How about a raffle or a silent auction? Normally, I would say we get donations, but I’m not sure that’s right for this event. If we’re charging admission, asking for more money will just put people off. But we can use some of our budget to buy items. You guys know more about what people around here might like. I would suggest a couple’s massage or something like that, but I don’t know if that’s quite the draw here.”

“People love the chance to win something,” Ginny said.

“I can talk to some of the business owners I know,” Kenny offered. “I bet you they’ll give us a huge discount. We can give them a discount on beef or something. Maybe we can trade for a stay at the lodge for something they can give us.”

Karen’s eyes lit up. “Yes, that’s perfect. Kenny, see what you can do.”

“What about personalized cookies or something like that?” Ginny asked. “It will be part of the ticket price.”

“That’s pretty cheap to make,” Bodie said. “I can make them a day ahead and add the names.”

“This might actually work,” Karen said, more to herself than anyone else.

“What else?” I asked. “Do we need more?”

“I think some kind of swag bag,” Karen said.

“A what?” Kenny asked.

“A swag bag,” Karen repeated, tapping the pen on the table rhythmically. “Like a goodie bag, you know? We can fill it with small items related to Valentine’s Day and our event theme. Maybe include those personalized cookies Bodie mentioned, a keepsake or two for them to remember their night. And a thank you card from Uncle Don. That kind of thing.”

Kenny nodded. “Something they can take home as a memento of the evening.”

“Exactly!” Karen said. “It adds an extra touch of class and appreciation. Makes the ticket price feel more worth it too.”

“This is going to be a lot of fun,” Ginny said.

“We just need to market this right,” Karen said. “I’m thinking social media blasts, posters around town, maybe even a spot on the local radio station. We don’t have a lot of time to promote it.”

“We need to make sure we highlight the family-friendly aspect too. It could really draw in a bigger crowd.”

We carried on for another hour, tossing ideas back and forth. Bodie and Ginny were in charge of the food, Kenny was overseeing the booths, and Karen and Ginny agreed to make the invitations and manage the RSVPs.

“I’ll be back in a minute,” Karen said and got to her feet.

She practically ran out of the dining room. It was a little odd. I kept talking with the others, but after a few minutes, I realized she hadn’t come back yet. I excused myself and went to find her.

I stepped outside into the cold air, scanning the area until I spotted her leaning against the fence, looking out at the empty pasture. She hadn’t bothered to put her coat on. It wasn’t super cold, but cold enough to need a jacket.

“You okay?” I asked, walking up beside her.

She jumped a little, clearly not expecting me. “Yeah. Just needed some air.”

I shrugged off my jacket and offered it to her, but she shook her head.

“I’m fine. Actually, I feel kind of hot.” She laughed, but it felt forced, like she was trying to brush off how off she really felt.

“You sure you’re okay?” I asked again. “You’ve been acting… different.”

Karen sighed, rubbing her temple. “I’m fine, Cassidy. Really. Just a lot on my mind. A lot to get done. It’s a good idea and I really hope we can pull it off. The ranch needs it.”

I didn’t push further. “Let me get you some water. We keep some in the barn.”

I walked inside the door and grabbed one of the bottles from the stack we kept near the door. I quickly took it back to her.

“Thanks.” She opened the bottle and took a drink. “We should get back inside. We’re almost done. I want to make sure we don’t forget anything.”

We walked back into the dining room together. As we took our seats, Kenny was already outlining his plan to approach local businesses the next day.

“I’ll start with Joe at the hardware store. He’s always been supportive of the lodge. Maybe he’ll throw in some tools or something for the auction.”

Karen looked aghast. “Tools?”

We all laughed.

“You said to think of things people around here liked, and that’ll do it,” I said.

“Okay,” Karen said. “You guys know best.”

When we finally called it a night, Karen lingered for a moment as everyone else headed out.

“I guess I’ll see you tomorrow,” I said. Yes, I was fishing for an invitation.

“Goodnight.”

She turned and walked away without a word or a kiss. I watched her go. What the hell was going on with her?