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“I’m not interested in him, if that’s what you’re thinking.” Sandra grinned. “But I really wonder what he looked like when he was younger.”
Jodie slapped her arm, laughing. “Down, girl.”
Truth be told, Hank was handsome in a rugged cowboy way. “I take it he still hasn’t let you photograph him?”
“Nope.” Sandra popped the ‘p’. She sighed. “And I totally can’t blame him. It’s like all the times I was traveling with my parents and they told me to smile for the photos and videos, that I was prettier that way.” She bent to pick up her gear bags. “So, I’m not pushing it with him.”
Willow came around the barn carrying a clipboard.
“Hey, that’s my job,” Jodie said, pointing to it.
“Yes, and I’m more than happy to hand it over to you. I’m so glad you made it.” Willow gave Jodie the clipboard. Her gaze went straight to Mac’s truck. “Radios?”
“In the back,” Jodie said.
“Extra batteries and chargers?”
“Same bin.”
“My sanity?”
“Fresh out of sanity, I’m afraid.”
“I was afraid of that.” Willow nodded once, already turning toward the next vehicle coming through the gate. “Meeting’s still at three. Harold confirmed about twenty minutes ago.”
“Virgil coming, do we know yet?”
Willow stopped.
“Yes. He is.” Her voice dripped with venom.
Oh, Virgil. You really are taking your life in your hands.
Willow jogged toward an incoming SUV, passing Hank, who approached Jodie and Sandra carrying a coil of extension cord. The end came loose and he caught it before it dragged through the dirt.
“Before anybody asks,” he said, “yes, I’ve got power to the camp area. No, you’re not running six coffeemakers off one outlet.”
Sandra pointed at him. “Tyrant.”
“My ranch, my rules, missy.”
Jodie smiled despite herself and headed back to where Mac was finishing putting the tent up. For the next few hours, at least, there were things she could fix.
By two forty-five, most of the tents were up, the radios were charging, and the clipboard Willow had handed Jodie felt permanently attached to her arm. The meeting was supposed to start in fifteen minutes.
Virgil had arrived ten minutes ago, and Willow made a beeline for the man. Or, more like a hornet-line. Jodie had to run to intercept before Willow could bury him.
“You seriously signed that agreement right after the meeting?” Willow demanded as she stalked up to him.
Virgil had barely gotten out of his truck, thumbs hooked into the pockets of his jeans. The battered Akubra hat on his head shaded his face, which could have been carved from stone.
“Yep.”
“And you didn’t think maybe you should mention that to us?”
“Nope, I shouldn’t have.”
Willow stared at him.
