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Widowed in Wyoming

Page 37

by Samantha Cole

With a groan, he dropped back into the chair and took another drink. Tom picked up a pen and tapped it against a folder on his desk. “We’ve got a production company coming to town.”

Grady stared at him over the rim of his cup, hoping he’d misunderstood. “What?”

“Like for movies or TV shows. This one’s for a show.”

“I know what a production company is, Tom. I was hoping I heard you wrong.”

“You didn’t.”

Well, hell. Grady set his coffee on the edge of the desk and rubbed his face. Depending on the production’s size, this could become a logistical nightmare for his department. He didn't have deputies sitting around waiting for Hollywood to give them something to do.

“How big a production are we talking about?”

“I don’t have all the details yet.” Tom opened the folder and scanned the first page. “They’re sending a location manager ahead of the main crew, and someone from Vividmark Productions will meet with us about logistics. From what I understand, they want to film around town and at several local businesses.”

Grady drummed his fingers on the chair’s arm as he processed that. Something about the situation sounded suspiciously familiar. There couldn’t be that many television productions suddenly interested in a tiny Wyoming town most people had never heard of, and he happened to know one television personality who was currently living in Antelope Rock.

Son of a bitch.

He sat forward. “This wouldn’t have anything to do with Amanda Sparks, would it?”

Tom’s eyebrows rose. “You know her?”

“You could say that.”

“How?”

Grady opened his mouth to answer, then changed his mind and shook his head. “That’s not important.”

The other man studied him for a few seconds, and Grady could practically see the questions forming behind his eyes. Thankfully, Tom had enough sense not to ask them. Yet.

Instead, he nodded and ran his finger down the page in front of him. “Well, you’re right. It’s her cable show, Life, Restyled. The request says they want to film Amanda while she’s here, along with some footage around town and at several local businesses.”

Of course they did. Grady leaned back and stared at the ceiling for a moment. He should’ve known last night had gone too damn well. Less than twelve hours ago, he’d been dancing with Amanda and kissing her good night. Now he was learning that her television crew was about to descend on his town, and he had a sinking suspicion it was all her idea.

“When are they coming?”

“The advance people will arrive tomorrow. The main crew comes a few days after that.”

Grady scowled. “They’re already sending people? Has the town even approved this yet?”

“Yesterday. The production company contacted me Tuesday, and I called a town board meeting. They approved the request unanimously.”

“Of course they did.”

Tom gave him a pointed look. “Can you blame them? They’re looking at what this could mean for the businesses around here. Hotels, restaurants, shops—not just while the crew is here, either. If the show puts Antelope Rock in front of a national audience, it could bring tourists to town long after they leave.”

Grady scowled. “So everybody saw dollar signs and voted yes.”

“They saw an opportunity. There’s a difference.”

“Not from where I’m sitting.” He picked up his coffee and took a drink. “How long are they staying?”

“Several weeks, from what I understand.”

“Weeks?” He sat upright again, his mind immediately jumping to schedules and staffing. “Tom, do you have any idea what that could do to my department? They’ll want traffic control every time they film outside. Once word gets out that Amanda Sparks is filming here, gawkers will show up. Then there are parking issues, equipment trucks, permits, crowd control, and God knows what else.”

“I know,” Tom replied, his earlier amusement disappearing.