Page 8 of Boots, Bucket Lists & Bad Ideas
Notes are made.
People are put in charge.
Impressive.
Why isn’t she this helpful at the Fox Lodge Dude Ranch, our family owns and operates?
“You look so pretty.” Her attention slides back to me as she shifts sideways.
She fixes her gaze on me with that weird, unmistakably Josie intensity, as if no one else in the room exists but me.
It’s creepier than a stroll through the haunted Underwood Schoolhouse.
I don’t like it.
“Don’t think I didn’t notice this new blouse under here.” She tugs lightly at the collar of my Aztec sweater, sliding it off my shoulder.
She gasps. “And it has thin straps.”
I yank the sweater back over my shoulder. “Would you not?”
“It’s so cute, though. Silky. Threadlike straps. Sexy ivory. Totally not you, and yet, totally you.”
“Is that a backhanded compliment?”
Her smile widens. “You’re all tough now but wait until you’ve had a few down the hatch.”
“A few? We aren’t going on a pub crawl at the beginning of the week.”
“Don’t be like that.” She pouts, leaning in a little closer. “You can hold your liquor.”
“Oh, I know I can. I also know I have work in the morning. You know, the never-ending to-do list of responsibility and adulting?”
“Don’t be boring.” She scrunches her face in mock disapproval.
That’s when my lips finally curl upward. “I can hold my liquor, so a few shots ain’t a problem.”
Her frown melts into a smile. “Was that so hard?”
She has no idea.
“I can out-drink you and still be standing.”
Her eyebrows shoot up. “Is that a challenge?”
I smirk. “Call it what you want, but you might want to pace yourselves.”
“Alright, show off. Let’s see if you can walk the walk after round one.”
“Round one?” I laugh. “You won’t even know what hit you by the time we finish round one.” I pause. “If we get out of here early.”
Refocusing on the meeting, I try to catch up and realize we’ve already reached the fourth item on the agenda. Maybe my sister’s got some town meeting magic after all.
Skimming over the first page of the outline on my clipboard, important things pop out. Transportation has been taken careof: a motorhome for my family and a second for the Wilde family.
Both RVs have enough storage to hold the signage, display racks, air-tight cooler bins for the Wilde family jerky samples, The Fox Lodge merchandise, lasso toss game, and a seat saddle for photo ops to give folks a taste of the fun waiting at The Fox Lodge. Additionally, we decided to give away last-minute slushy samples.
Check.
