“He still in charge of the volunteers?” Mandy asked, turning toward the door.
Ben nodded as he grabbed his cowboy hat from atop a pile of papers. “It’ll give me a chance to show you around, Ty, even though there isn’t much going on just yet. We only have a senior team roping competition scheduled in the outdoor arena for this weekend, but in another six weeks the place will be jumping with the volunteers getting things spruced up for the fair and rodeo.”
As they filed out of the office, Ty reached for Mandy’s hand. Her puzzled eyes rose to meet his. Well, he guessed if they were newly married, they should act like it.
Her skin was smooth and warm, and he brushed his thumb along the back of her hand. As she didn’t pull her hand away, he added a little pressure to let her know he was there, with her, walking by her side. She turned her head toward him and frowned. He smiled back.
There was still tonight and one hundred and seventy-nine other nights ahead of them.
The sun was bright as they followed Ben, strolling hand in hand, across a parking lot toward what looked to be an open-sided arena. She matched his stride, and to anyone looking, they must have seemed a happily married couple.
It felt surprisingly comfortable having her small, slender hand in his, as if he belonged to someone, belonged to something. Not a familiar feeling. And one he wasn’t sure he could get used to.
“This complex covers a hundred and twenty acres,” Ben noted as they stopped at the entrance to the arena.
Ty scanned the impressive amount of buildings dotting the landscape. As a developer, he could appreciate the extent of the investment the county had made.
“This where the rodeo will be held?” Ty asked, turning his attention back to the empty seats that ringed about a thirty-foot show area as a hot breeze blew off the asphalt of the parking lot.
Ben shook his head. “This is our outdoor arena. Only holds two thousand. We use this for smaller attendance events like the senior team roping, but I thought Lyle might be hereabouts.”
Just then a tall, thin, balding man rounded the corner.
“Thought I saw you crossing the lot,” Lyle said as he drew closer.
“Lyle.” Mandy said, tugging her hand from Ty’s. He reluctantly released his grasp, and Mandy stepped forward to shake the elder man’s hand. “How’s Cora doing? Last I heard, she was laid up with arthritis after visiting the Houston Stock Show.”
“That she was, but she’s better now. Sorry to hear about JM, Mandy.” Lyle’s eyes scrunched up like he was blinking back tears as he removed his weathered hat.
“Thanks. We got the flowers, and they were beautiful.” Mandy gave the old man a gentle hug. “I need to introduce you to our new partner. And my husband. He was also a good friend of JM’s. Lyle Thornton, Ty Martin.”
Ty shook the thin man’s bony but sturdy hand.
“Ty here is new to Prescott, so I thought I’d show him around a bit,” Ben explained. “Was going to take him to the barn next.”
Lyle nodded and led the way with a rocking gait, across a paved sidewalk and toward one of the large buildings. Mandy had abandoned Ty to walk by Lyle’s side, doing her best, no doubt, to solidify a connection.
Ben and Ty trailed behind. “The county fair goes for ten days, and the rodeo, which we are in charge of, runs from Tuesday to Sunday. It’s a big event in these parts.” Ben seemed eager to impress, and Ty took that as a good sign.
The barn was large and long. Stall after stall lined the linear building, and they all looked well used with scratched wood and stained concrete attesting to the number of horses that had been housed over the years.
“You have, what, about a hundred and thirty stalls in here, Ben?” Mandy asked.
“That’s right.” Ben smiled as if pleased she’d remembered. “They’re looking to upgrade the stalls this coming year, and it’s about time. There are also plans for a new arena for the rodeo and cutting horse events located closer to the barn. We think that will keep attendance up.”
“They don’t like hauling in dirt to the coliseum, I’m guessing.”
Ben raised his eyebrows. “That’s right.”
“Through here,” Mandy said, waving a hand toward a large exit in the middle of the rows of stalls, “you can get to the cattle pens. As I recall, they can hold about a thousand head of cattle in those pens. More than enough for the bulls and steers we bring in for the events.”
Ty took a gander at the maze of metal railings. “Was this all built by the county?”
“In the seventies,” Ben said. “It’s in need of a facelift now. The plan is to renovate the barns, build an arena dedicated to equestrian events, and upgrade the offices and restrooms. Still serves its purpose though. Let me show you the coliseum where the rodeo is held, at least for now.”
“What are you looking at cost-wise for the renovation?” Ty asked as they walked out of the barn. He couldn’t help the developer in him.
“About twenty million.”