by her family. He’d thought she had come with her grandmother and no one else, but then, they really hadn’t had time to discuss much of anything before his grandfather collapsed in the lobby. A fact that still haunted him. Grandpa Buck could have hit his head on a table or a chair or broken a leg or an arm and where was his grandson?
In a bar...as usual.
* * *
THE HENRY STRATER THEATER, according to the brochure Cori had read up in her room, was one of the oldest continually running theaters in Colorado, featuring comedy nights with world-renowned comedians, improv troupes and ragtime music—from The Rocky Horror Picture Show during late October to Breakfast with Santa in December. The theater acted as both a community space and a cultural center.
Deep red velvet drapes hung in various areas around the large room and across the stage. Elevated box seats adorned both sides of the room, and exposed redbrick walls gave off an Old West ambience. At once Cori felt as if she’d been transported into another time. A feeling of absolute delight filled her as she walked toward her grandmother and Hailey, her precocious daughter. At one point she had doubted her decision to quit her job.
She wanted a calmer place and a better way to live. She’d thought they could move to her grandmother’s small town, until she saw just how small the town really was. There wasn’t an adequate local school for Hailey, and the nearest possible employment for Cori was over sixty miles away in Denver.
As soon as they had arrived at her grandmother’s new home, she thought for sure she wouldn’t be able to last a week. Her gram had sold the big rambling house soon after Cori’s grandpa had died three years ago, and the new one was so small the guest bedroom barely held a double bed and a dresser. The place was great for her gram, but not so great for Cori and Hailey if their visit wasn’t going to be a short one.
So many good memories had been centered in her gram’s town that Cori had built it up to be somewhat magical. In reality, it was still a sweet little place, but unless she was an entrepreneur or was willing to make the commute into Denver, there was no way she and Hailey could settle there. She would have to find an alternative.
Cori knew she wanted to raise Hailey in a close-knit community—just not her gram’s community, which had turned out to be very disappointing for Cori. The thought of not being able to put down roots next to her gram had thrown Cori off course, but hanging out in Durango was proving to be something else entirely. More and more she felt sure this change was exactly what she needed, especially seeing the group of seniors who had gathered in the theater for the buffet-style barbecue dinner during the opening talks of the conference. Cori knew there had to be something more to life than merely working eight to twelve hours a day. She wanted time to spend with her daughter, time to pursue a hobby, time to learn how to cook something other than a prepackaged meal.
There was something comforting about being around energetic older folks, as if they were clearing the path with their tenacity and courage of conviction, saying, “Look at me! If I can make it to my golden years and still pursue my hobbies and dreams, so can you.”
“Mom! Mom! Grammy’s going to let me help during the auction. I get to hand out books and stuff. Doesn’t that sound like fun?” Hailey’s face glowed with anticipation, causing her blue-gray eyes to sparkle. Her thick caramel colored hair was pulled back in a long ponytail, and it bounced with her every move. She wore jeans, a soft pink Western shirt and cowgirl boots Cori hadn’t seen before. Obviously, Gram had taken her shopping, a pastime they both enjoyed more than they should.
Hailey could barely contain her excitement. For the most part, she loved doing things with her grammy, especially if the two of them could go shopping either before or afterward. Helping Grammy in the kitchen, however, wasn’t on Hailey’s list of fun activities, especially if it had anything to do with cleaning up.
Helping out with the auction, on the other hand, sounded perfect.
“Are you sure it will be okay?” Cori asked her gram, who was seated at one of the many long tables.
Cori noticed an empty chair right next to her gram, no doubt being saved especially for Cori’s arrival.
“Don’t be silly, Corina-May. I never would have suggested it if she couldn’t do it. Besides, there’ll be a couple other people available to help her,” Grandma May said. Grandma May always referred to Cori by her birth name, making it a point to tack on the May part, in case anyone had any doubt who Cori was named after.
Cori looked around the crowded room and spotted Gage coming their way.
“I made a new friend today, and I thought we’d sit with him and his grandfather for dinner. Would you two mind?”
“Nope,” Hailey answered, sticking out her chin and shaking her head. “Does your new friend have any kids I could play with?”
“I don’t really know, but if he does, he didn’t bring them to the conference.”
Cori hadn’t given any thought to whether or not Gage was a father. Not that it mattered, but he didn’t seem like the type. Dads were usually more in tune with family, and Gage seemed completely out of step with that element of his life.
“That’s all right,” Hailey mumbled, making a frown.
Cori knew that Hailey was lonely for her friends, especially for her best friend, Susan, who she’d spent time with almost every day since they were five. Her decision to quit her job and move halfway across the country to live with Gram for a while was proving to be more of a challenge than she had anticipated, especially for Hailey. Not being able to play with Susan was really hard on her. Once they settled somewhere, Cori felt confident that Hailey would find a new best friend in no time. Till then, the two girls would have to be content to chat on Skype every night.
“I’m sorry, sweetie, I haven’t seen any children at this convention, but when we get back to Grammy’s house, we’ll make a point of getting out there and meeting some. Okay?”
“We’ll go to the Community Center and sign you up for a swimming class or gymnastics and you’ll meet lots of kids your age,” Gram said, trying to assure her.
“But I already know how to swim and I don’t like gymnastics. Don’t they have anything else?”
“As soon as we get back to my house, we’ll walk on over there and see what they offer. You can sign up for anything you want. Okay?”
“Okay,” Hailey mumbled, but Cori could tell she wasn’t the least bit excited about the prospects. All Hailey really wanted to do was go back home to be with Susan and her friends. It was up to Cori to change her mind...which wasn’t going to be easy.
Cori glanced back to see Gage as he approached. Grandma May tilted her head to get a clear view of Gage Remington as he weaved through the group to get to them. A smile creased May’s pink lips and her gray eyes lit up as he approached. “Is that your new friend heading our way?”
Cori turned and threw Gage a welcoming smile. He returned the gesture, and his entire face lit up. He was more ruggedly handsome when he smiled, if that was even possible. Cori didn’t know if her attraction to him was causing his looks to take on an Adonis flair or if he’d had those qualities from the beginning. Either way, her insides had turned to mush, watching him approach.
“Where’d you find him?” Gram asked.
“In the bar this afternoon.”
“He’s
