Discovering Gold

by S. M. Spencer

  ‘Okay.’ Alex ran a hand through her hair, and then reached up and rubbed her shoulder. She wasn’t excited about another long flight, but Frank and Summer were family—she’d have to go.

  Now Casey moved in front of the screen. ‘You know, Alex, we haven’t forgotten about the money, but we’re also not counting our chickens before they’re hatched. You said you were going to see the accountant. We mightn’t be as rich as you think we are once the tax office gets their hands on it.’

  Alex shook her head. ‘The accountant says it should all be okay.’

  Taylor leaned over in front of the screen again. ‘Let’s talk about it when you’re here. We’ll know a lot more by then.’

  When they’d said their goodbyes, Alex curled up on the sofa to look for a Sunday evening movie, but as she sat there scrolling through what seemed like millions of channels, all she could think about was a tall cowboy and his beautiful daughter who wanted tennis lessons all summer. She hadn’t looked forward to anything this much for a long time.

  Had she misinterpreted Travis at first? The gruff man who had interrupted her and Denver at the saloon had, according to Denver, a chip on his shoulder when it came to women. And at the time she’d wondered if it was all women, or just her. Yet the more she got to know him the kinder he seemed. He was, perhaps, a bit on the serious side but who was she to judge him for that? She’d seen the gentle side of him when he was working his horses, and the kind side of him when he rescued her on the dance floor.

  And then Annie came into the picture and everything started making more sense.

  Spending time with Annie would give her the perfect opportunity to get to know the real Travis Gold on a deeper level. But was that a good thing?

  ~~*~~

  Annie hadn’t argued with him when Travis told her it was time for her to take a bath and go to bed. Between riding the horses and playing tennis she’d had a full day, and then hadn’t stopped talking about the coming rodeo all through dinner.

  He’d been thrilled when Alex had agreed to hang out with Annie at the rodeo, but now, alone in the living room and staring at the television screen, he wondered if it was the smart thing to do. It was a lot to ask of someone he barely knew. And wouldn’t it have been better for Annie to hang out with Stacy and Tammy, her family? Then there was the risk that Annie might get too attached to Alex, spending so much time with her.

  But was it really Annie he was worried about?

  He couldn’t deny his physical attraction to her. When they’d danced it had taken all his self-control not to wrap his arms around her, and he’d hated for each one to end. Dancing with her had been the most enjoyable thing he’d done with any woman since Karen had walked out. And later, when they were talking, there was definitely a connection. That was the first time he’d even come close to talking openly about Karen, with anyone other than Denver. If Annie hadn’t called when she did, who’s to say how that conversation might have gone?

  He rubbed his forehead, and then ran his hands through his hair. Alex Mason was a problem for him, but her being a Mason was only part of it. There was also the fact that she could disappear back to Australia at any time. He was a fool to even think about getting involved with her.

  Chapter 17

  When Alex drove up to the saloon the following morning, she wasn’t surprised to see Denver’s truck parked out the front. She walked across to the hotel, got two coffees, and then made her way over to the saloon.

  Denver turned when she walked in, and rubbed his hands together. ‘Hope one of those is for me?’

  ‘You bet,’ she said, handing him a cup. ‘You’re still happy to keep an eye on the work, right? I mean, I don’t want to put you out at all.’

  ‘Absolutely—I promised your uncle I’d see it through and I see no reason not to.’ He lowered his voice. ‘To be honest, these guys are pretty good at their jobs, and should be done in about three weeks.’

  Alex pulled the top off the coffee and blew on it before taking a sip. ‘Still—it’s comforting having you look over it. So, tell me, if you owned the saloon, are there other improvements you’d do while it’s closed?’

  Denver beamed. ‘I’m glad you asked that. I’d been planning to talk to your uncle about a few things, but never got the chance. The floor is looking pretty tired. It’s got character, but even so I’d strip it back and refinish it. And some of the bar stools could use new leather on the seats so I’d be inclined to do all of them.’

  ‘That sounds reasonable to me. I was wondering about the mirror too—there seems to be damage to one corner of the frame. Should I get someone to have a look at it?’

  Denver laughed. ‘No, don’t touch that—it’s good luck. That’s a bullet hole, left over from the days when the miners drank too much and cheated at poker. You can’t buy that kind of character, and you definitely don’t want to repair it.’

  Alex cocked her head, remembering the story of the poker game where her family had won the saloon. Could that have been the game? ‘A bullet hole? Well, there you go. From a distance it looked just like it had been dropped or something. I’ll have to take a closer look at it when the lights are on.’

  ‘Should I go ahead and organise the flooring and the bar stools? I know a few people who could do the work and I think they’d get it done in the time frame you want.’

  Alex nodded. ‘Would you mind? I mean, I’d love to get it done, so long as their prices aren’t absurd.’

  ‘They won’t be—I’ll make sure of that. But to get a good job done while the saloon is shut is worth a bit extra. I’ll get onto it right away and let you know.’

  Alex did a quick mental calculation. Three weeks meant the saloon should be back open before she had to leave for Summer’s wedding. She’d give all the old employees a call and let them know roughly when they could restart work, then she’d have to look into getting a manager organised. She’d hoped to do it herself, but that was before the girls reminded her about the wedding. She’d speak to Sam—perhaps he could help out since he had a night manager at the hotel. Or if not, maybe he’d know someone.

  She took another sip of her coffee and looked at Denver over the rim of the cup.

  He gave her a big grin. ‘That must have been some serious thinking you were doing—I could almost hear the cogs turning in your head.’

  She couldn’t help but laugh. ‘Ah, yes, I was thinking about how my uncle had been the manager at the saloon and how I’d either need to take on the role myself or find someone else to do it. Three weeks isn’t terribly long, is it?’

  ‘No, it’s not, but I wouldn’t be afraid to do it yourself. You strike me as being pretty capable.’

  She tilted her head, a warm smile escaping. ‘Thank you, for the vote of confidence.’

  ‘To be honest, the employees pretty much run the place. Your uncle liked keeping active but in truth I think he was more of a figurehead than an actual worker. His assistant manager, Darleen Clarke, is about as capable as they come. And it’s not like she can’t call you if she needs to ask something.’

  That was encouraging to hear. Everything would work out, hopefully. ‘That’s great to hear. Oh, and I’ve spoken to that bookkeeper—she sounds great. Have you gotten any closer with costing out the fit-out works?’

  Denver pulled out his phone and scanned through his contacts. ‘Sorry, I meant to give this guy a call about the refrigeration units. The rest will be easy after that. I’ll work out the total cost after he’s had a look.’

  ‘Thanks, Denver, this is all so new to me—I don’t know if I’d have had the courage to take it on without your help.’

  ‘You don’t give yourself much credit, do you? You’d have been fine, but I’m happy to give you a hand. That’s what neighbours do. Now, I better make tracks. I’ve gotta give Sally a bit of a workout this morning, and then help Travis with a couple of the youngsters. Can’t believe th
e rodeo has come up so quickly. Guess I had my mind focussed on my party.’

  ‘It was a great party. I had a wonderful time.’

  Denver looked at her quite seriously for a moment, giving her the feeling he was about to interrogate her, but then he seemed to change his mind. ‘Glad to hear it. Oh, and I’ve been playing that CD you gave me for my birthday. It’s great! I’ve never even heard of half those artists, but they’re fantastic. Who’d of thought Australia had so many great country singers.’

  Alex smiled, said her goodbyes, and then went in search of Sam to run her idea past him.

  ~~*~~

  By four o’clock Alex had organised for Phil Marshall to do market appraisals of all her properties, and had spoken to the accountant who was still working through some projections for them. Both hoped to have everything complete within two weeks which would give her everything she needed to take with her so she and her sisters could make an informed decision about whether or not to sell up.

  Just before five she spotted her neighbour, the high school principal, coming home. She raced out to meet him, asking about the possibility of a summer tennis program. He met the idea with enthusiasm, saying he would run it past the students and parents to see if there was any interest.

  An hour later, Alex had her return ticket to Australia. It would be a quick trip, but she wanted to get back because the saloon would be open, the fruit and veggie shop would be nearly ready to open, and if the students were interested the tennis program would be about to start. And then, of course, there was Annie. Alex wouldn’t say anything to Annie until right before she went, on the off chance Annie might lose interest before then in any case. It wasn’t likely, but you never knew how long kids would stay interested in anything.

  The following morning, Alex called Ben Thompson.

  ‘Have you had any enquiries about those vacant shops?’

  ‘Oh, hi Alex. Sorry, I meant to call you yesterday. The short answer is no, nothing serious. I’ve had a couple of calls, but they weren’t prepared to pay anywhere near the rent we’re asking.’

  ‘Okay—well, you can tell the next person who rings that there is only one shop left.’

  She explained her plans and when he finally replied his tone was less than enthusiastic, perhaps because he’d lost the opportunity for a commission.

  ‘Good for you, Alex. I’ll put a leased sign in the window, and perhaps with the jubilee coming up someone will make us an offer for the other shop.’

  ‘What’s happening with those other vacant shops up the other end of the street? Were you able to find out anything about them yet?’

  ‘Not yet, but now that you remind me, I’ll do a bit more investigating, see what I can come up with.’

  Her voice didn’t hide her disappointment. ‘Oh, well, let me know what you find out.’

  ‘I will. I’ll be in touch as soon as I’ve got something to tell you. Enjoy the rodeo … I assume you’ll be going?’

  ‘Yes, as a matter of fact. And you?’

  ‘No, someone’s got to man the fort, but I’m letting most of my staff have the weekend off. Enjoy it, and don’t let any of this worry you. It’ll all get sorted out before you know it.’

  She hung up, feeling less than satisfied with his lack of results, but would put off making any decisions about him for a bit longer.

  With nothing else needing to be done before Annie’s lesson, she’d drive past the school to look at their tennis courts. Then she’d head over to the Gold’s early, and maybe watch Travis work some of the horses for a little while. That wouldn’t be such a bad way to spend a little time if Annie wasn’t ready.

  ~~*~~

  Travis was surprised when he spotted Alex leaning on the fence, watching as he finished working with the third horse for the morning. He still had one more he wanted to work this morning, and hadn’t expected her until after lunch. He’d hoped to take a break, have a bite to eat, and watch their session. Now, having lost concentration on what he was doing, he rode over to the fence, took off his hat, and absentmindedly ran a hand through his damp hair.

  ‘You’re early.’

  ‘Hey, Travis. Yeah, sorry, hope it’s okay?’

  ‘Not a problem. Annie’s in the house, probably just watching television or something.’

  When she didn’t make a move to go, he put his hat back on and sat waiting for her to speak.

  ‘How’s the training going anyway?’ She smiled, and appeared interested.

  He patted the horse on the neck. ‘Great. This guy’s been a dream to work with. I reckon he’ll sell for sure.’

  ‘He’s pretty, isn’t he? I love the colour. Chestnut, right?’

  ‘Yes, that’s right.’ The gelding was one of his flashier ones, with two white socks and a wide blaze. Lots of people went for these showier horses even if they didn’t necessarily perform as well.

  ‘It must be hard to see them go, after putting so much time into them, and seeing how well they come along. I’d have thought they’d become sort of like pets?’

  ‘Sometimes, but it’s the business we’re in. We can’t keep them all.’

  She looked toward the barn, where the last horse he wanted to work was still tied up. ‘If you don’t mind me asking, what sort of money do they sell for?’

  He cocked his head as his face tightened in a frown. Was this just general curiosity or did she want to put a figure on what he was worth? He huffed out a breath, realising she could just be interested in buying a horse for herself.

  ‘I wouldn’t let my fillies go for less than eighteen thousand. The geldings, probably around twelve to fifteen, depending on what sort of promise they’re showing. They’re extremely well bred, and good natured.’

  ‘Wow, that’s not bad money is it?’

  ‘Depends on how you look at it. What’s my time worth? And Denver’s? And the feed we pour into them, and vet bills, when we’re unlucky.’

  ‘Oh, I hadn’t thought of all that.’

  ‘No, why would you? Unfortunately, some buyers don’t either. Those prices are the young horses. If they start earning money for us, the prices go up. We sold a horse last year for forty thousand. And my stallion is worth a lot more than that.’

  She blew out a weak excuse for a whistle. ‘Forty thousand. Wow … for a horse. Who’d of guessed.’

  ‘That’s nothing compared to what some of those dressage, cross-country and show jumping types pay for horses. A lot of them are well over a hundred thousand, and the rest. There’s big money in horses.’

  ‘And here I thought all the big money was in tennis.’

  When she rolled her eyes he couldn’t suppress a smile. She was just making conversation. Why did he have to be so suspicious all the time anyway?

  Now it was his turn to ask questions. ‘What about you? Did you ever think you’d make it to the top? In tennis, that is.’

  She reached up and rubbed her shoulder with her left hand, then looked down at the ground almost like she was embarrassed. She’d mentioned the tennis programs, but nothing about her aspirations for her career, or the injury he’d read about on the internet.

  She looked up and met his gaze, and just like they had the first time he met her, her eyes flashed like fool’s gold.

  When she didn’t answer, he broke the silence. ‘Sorry. Didn’t mean to pry.’

  She let out a loud sigh, and her eyes softened. ‘Don’t be sorry, it’s okay to ask. Yes, I had big aspirations. I was good—made it into the top one hundred—but a car accident brought my career to an end. I can still play well enough to coach kids, and have a social game, but I was never going to be able to compete again.’

  He knew that, but she didn’t know he knew. ‘Wow, I’m sorry. It must have been hard. I can’t imagine what it’d be like if something happened and I couldn’t ride any longer.’

  ‘It wasn’t eas
y, but it was years ago. You’d think I’d be able to laugh about it by now, wouldn’t you?’

  ‘Laugh? No … I wouldn’t say that.’

  Annie must have seen Alex drive up, because now she was running toward them, yelling hello to Alex.

  ‘You’re early. Want some lunch?’

  Alex laughed, and stepped back from the fence, readying for impact. Sure enough, Annie raced up and threw her arms around Alex, giving her an almighty hug. Alex extricated herself from Annie’s grip, and laughed. ‘Depends, what are you offering?’

  ‘Well, I’m having peanut butter and jelly, but you can have sliced ham if you want. Dad usually has ham.’

  Alex frowned, cocking her head almost seductively. ‘What sort of jelly have you got?’

  ‘I’m having grape, but I think we also have strawberry.’

  ‘Hmmm … strawberry sounds yummy.’

  Annie grabbed Alex’s hand and started dragging her toward the house, then looked back at him. ‘You coming, Dad?’

  ‘Not yet, sweetheart, I still have one more horse to work, but you two go ahead and have your lunch. I’ll drop around to the court to watch you a bit later. Gotta make sure you aren’t wasting Alex’s time, you know.’

  He winked, but even so Annie bit. ‘I’m good, Dad, and I’ll be getting better every time we play. You’ll see.’

  Chapter 18

  ‘Can you stay for a swim?’ Annie asked, with a slight whine in her voice.

  Alex wasn’t prepared for that question and gave a flustered reply. ‘Swim? Oh, well, I haven’t brought my bathers.’

  Annie frowned. ‘What are bathers?’

  ‘You know, swim gear. What you wear to go for a swim in.’

  Annie rolled her eyes dramatically. ‘A swimsuit.’

  Alex turned when Travis, who was approaching them from the courtside bench, spoke. ‘That sounds like a great idea, Annie. Alex, why don’t you race home and grab your suit, assuming you just meant you didn’t have it with you here right now.’