Currant Creek Valley(35)
He stood with an older man with a shock of silver hair and a very well-cut suit.
“Hey, Brodie. What’s up?”
When he was first starting out in the construction business, he might have been nervous when the guy cutting the checks told him he wanted to talk, but he knew he was doing a good job at Brazen and had no concerns on that score.
“Nothing, really. I just wanted you to meet Harry Lange. Harry, this is the man we were talking about at dinner. Sam Delgado.”
The name rang a bell but he wasn’t sure why. He tried to figure it out as he shook the older man’s hand. “A pleasure.”
“The pleasure is mine. It’s rare I get the chance to meet a genuine hero.”
He glanced at Brodie, who shrugged with an apologetic smile. He hadn’t told Brodie much about his time in the Rangers but he fully expected the man had vetted him before bringing him to Hope’s Crossing to finish the project. He would have heard things, just as he probably knew all about Sam’s role in his father-in-law’s downfall.
He shifted and pretended to misunderstand Harry’s reference. “I’m not sure I’d call it heroic, but you’re right. A good finish carpenter is tough to find these days.”
The other man gave a rusty sort of laugh at that, earning him a surprised look from Brodie.
“Full of yourself, are you?” he said.
“About the things that matter in my life now,” he answered.
“I like a man who doesn’t live in the past. How are you enjoying our little corner of paradise, Mr. Delgado?”
He thought of Alex and this tangle of anticipation churning through him. “Everyone has been very welcoming.”
“Good. That’s what we like to hear. I understand you’re thinking of moving your construction business up this way.”
He glanced at Brodie, wondering just how much the two of them had talked about him over dinner and why his name had come up. This was the part he disliked about being an independent contractor, having to carry on polite conversations with people who might someday want to hire him. Especially when right now he wanted to be somewhere else.
“Not just thinking about it,” he answered. “The wheels are already in motion. I’m committed. I’ll be checking out houses tomorrow, as a matter of fact.”
Not that it was any of the man’s business. He wasn’t sure if he liked Harry Lange. The man held himself with a confidence that bordered on arrogance. He was trying to figure out how to politely excuse himself from the conversation when Brodie spoke.
“Sam, Harry is the major shareholder and founder of the Silver Strike Resort Group,” he said.
Was that supposed to impress him? He waited until he knew a man’s character before he cared much about his accomplishments and how much was in his bank account. “Looks like that’s working out well for you. It’s been nice talking with you but I need to go. I just made arrangements to meet up for a late-night hike with a beautiful blonde who said if I was late, she wouldn’t wait around for me.”
Harry laughed. “Let me guess. Alexandra McKnight.”
He stared. “How did you know?”
“Beautiful, blonde, smart-mouthed. That’s Alex. Besides that, I saw her talking to you at my restaurant. I like you, Mr. Delgado. I trust Brodie—and Alexandra, for that matter—to recognize quality, and I think you’ll be a good addition to this town. I’ve got an opportunity that might interest you and I’d like to talk to you about it. I don’t have much time to waste on this one. When you’re done with the real estate agent, come and see me at my home office.”
He rattled off an address, just assuming Sam would snatch it out of the air and remember it.
“I’m sorry. That’s not convenient for me.”
Both men looked at him, surprise on their features.
“How do you know until you hear what I have to say?”
“I meant meeting Saturday won’t work for me. I’m picking up my son in the morning so he can spend a couple days with me. He’s staying with my brother and his wife in Denver.”
“Bring him along. I like kids. I’ve got a couple grandchildren myself and I’m about to gain a whole passel of step-grandchildren.”
“Is that right?” Brodie asked, sounding surprised. “I hadn’t heard you were making things official. You didn’t say a word, all through dinner. When’s the big day?”
“Don’t know. I’ll show up whenever Mary Ella tells me.”
Mary Ella. He knew one woman named Mary Ella, had just met her that morning, in fact. It couldn’t be a coincidence. Harry Lange was about to marry Alexandra’s mother.