“I’m not running away,” Ty said. “It’s business.”
“Who’s gonna run the hotel?”
“We’ll be closing most of it down for demolition,” Ty said. “I’m only leaving the bar open during the construction phase. Hell, it’s the only part of the operation that shows any profit anyhow.”
“How did you come by the money to renovate?”
“Monica,” Ty answered. “We’re partners in this. She’s agreed to stay in Vegas. It was her idea to take a trip to Spain to look at the bullfighting rings.”
“Bullfighting?” Zac said. “If that’s what you want to see, you only need to head south a few hundred miles. The biggest bullring in the world is in Mexico City.”
“We may go see it on the way back.”
“What’s behind this sudden interest in Spanish bullfighting?”
“It’s not the bullfighting, it’s the architecture,” Ty replied. “Monica and the architect are exploring some design ideas for the new hotel. I’m just trying to keep an open mind.”
“So when do you leave?” Zac asked.
“Next week.”
“Then I’ll drive up to Vegas this weekend. There’s some things we need to work out before you go. We need a face-to-face.”
“It’s that serious?” Ty said.
“It is.”
“All right, Zac. I had a few things to share with you too, but I guess those can wait. I had another reason for calling,” Ty said. “I’ve got a lead on a private livestock sale in El Paso.”
“Oh yeah? Whereabouts?”
“Colby Hart’s place. Do you know him?” Ty asked
“He’s a rodeo contractor in West Texas, isn’t he? Didn’t you once have a run-in with him over one of his bulls?”
“The one that put me in the ICU? Yeah,” Ty confessed with a laugh. “But that’s all water under the bridge now. Tom smoothed it over for me. Colby’s had a heart attack and decided to sell out. He’s giving us first look at his stock. There’s s’posed to be several good bulls in the lot. Think you can drive out there and check it out?”
“I just left Laredo a little over an hour ago with a half-full trailer.” Zac glanced at his GPS. He was still an hour south of San Antonio. He could easily pick up I-10 from there to El Paso. “I guess it would make more sense to head there now than to make a second trip.”
“Great,” Ty replied. “If you see anything that’ll buck, buy it.”
“You still haven’t told me exactly what you plan to do with all these bulls.”
“It’s all part of the master plan,” Ty replied cryptically. “But I’ll reveal all that when you get here.”
“Okay,” Zac replied. “I’ll call you with an update on everything once I get back to the ranch.” He flipped the phone shut with a disappointed groan. Damn. He wasn’t looking forward to two more days of driving. The highway to El Paso was also one of the longest and loneliest Zac had ever experienced. Although he’d lived the better part of his adult life on the road, he’d always had traveling buddies. It was the cowboy way to share a ride, a room, and even a can of beanie weenies if someone faced a dry spell between paychecks. He’d long ago tired of eating out of those cans and drive-through burgers, and yearned for the day he’d sit down every night to a home-cooked meal.
Lately, he’d begun to fantasize about eating those meals with Delaney. Was she a good cook? Hell, he didn’t even know, but truth be told, he didn’t care. He’d live on a diet of hot dogs and Cheerios if he could wake up to her beautiful face every morning. He was really looking forward to that dinner with her, but as it stood, he’d only have a day to spend with her before he’d have to leave again for Vegas. That was not the way to win his Delaney campaign. So much for the promise he’d made her to be there. He just hoped to hell she’d understand.
It was mid afternoon when Delaney noticed a missed call from Zac. Was he back already? She quickly realized that was impossible even if he’d driven straight through. Why had he called? Rather than wasting time in speculation, she hit redial instead.
“Hello, Zac? It’s Delaney. I just saw you called. You aren’t back already, are you?”
“Nope.” Zac’s deep baritone vibrated warmly in her ear. “I just left Laredo.”
“Was it worth the trip?” she asked.
“It was,” he replied. “Picked up four respectable bulls at a good price. They’re older but should still have a few good years left in them.”
“So you’re headed back home now?”
“I only wish,” he replied dryly. “That’s what I was calling about. I just got a call from Ty asking me to go to El Paso. Seems an old compadre of Tom’s has decided to sell his ranch. He offered Ty first pick of all the livestock so I’m heading out there to check it out.”