is. You’re only telling me where her agent is flying to. No harm. No foul.”
The pilot shoved the grand into his pocket. “I’m flying Ms. Parker to Wilde, Nevada.
He smiled and held out his hand.
The pilot shook his hand. “One question.”
He reached into his jacket ready to pull out his gun if the question turned out to be something he couldn’t answer. “Sure. What do you want to know?”
“Isn’t it difficult for you to be a photographer with a patch over your eye?”
“I’ve found that determination overcomes all obstacles. Nice doing business with you.”
“Keep my name out of the paper, okay?”
“Absolutely.”
Chapter Twelve
Gya saw Stephanie walk into the Hotel Cactus’s lobby with two suitcases. She ran up to her, wrapping her arms around her. “I’m so glad you’re here.”
“Honey, are you okay?” Stephanie stepped back, her eyes wide.
“I’m great, now that you’re here.”
“Really?”
“Of course. I missed you.”
“I missed you, too, but you seem…different somehow.”
“I do?”
Kyle grinned. “Gya, she’s surprised that you hugged her. I’m betting that isn’t normal for you. It’s good to see you, Stephanie. Welcome to Wilde.”
They shook hands, and he took her luggage.
“Is that true, Steph? Do I seem different to you?”
“He’s right. You’re not one to give hugs.”
“Well, I do now. So both of you get used to it.”
Stephanie smiled. “I like them.” And she gave her a hug back. “Where is your brother, Kyle?”
“He’s meeting with Sheriff Champion.”
“This is a beautiful place,” Stephanie said. “I’m surprised a grand hotel like this is in such a small town. How old is it?”
“About a year old,” Kyle said. “I used to work at the original Cactus, which burned. It was over a hundred years old. My Aunt Maude owned it and wanted to restore it to its original glory. It’s identical in every way.”
Stephanie nodded her approval. “Well, it’s definitely impressive.”
Maude was behind the counter. “I’ve got your room ready, Miss Parker. I hope you will be comfortable during your stay here. Kyle, would you mind taking her luggage up to the Presidential Suite?”
“Not at all. It’s like old times when I worked for you.”
Stephanie smiled. “There are five more in the rental car outside that have Gya’s clothes.”
“Five? You must’ve brought my entire closet.”
“I wanted you to be prepared for anything and have plenty of choices, honey. I also brought your vitamins and a detox that I bet you need.”
Gya turned to Kyle. “Told you I would be in trouble when she got here.”
“Yes, you did.”
“I just want to make sure my girl is healthy, Mr. Strait. That’s all.”
She always liked when Stephanie called her “my girl.” It made her feel special and loved.
“I know you care about her. We all do. Let me get these up to your room, Stephanie, and then I’ll take the other five back to our house. It’s within walking distance, and I’m sure I could juggle them.” He flexed his biceps and then smiled. “But I think I’ll drive instead.”
She and Stephanie laughed.
“I have no doubt you could with those muscles,” Stephanie said with a grin.
He shrugged. “I’m sure you and Gya have a lot of catching up to do. Aaron and I would like to take you to dinner this evening.”
“I would like that very much. You’ve taken care of my girl. She’s safe because of you and your brother.”
They got Stephanie settled into her suite, which was as beautiful as any five-star hotel Gya had ever stayed in.
Kyle leaned over and gave Gya a kiss. “Aaron and I will be back in a couple of hours to retrieve you both for dinner. If you need anything, just call.”
“Thank you again,” Stephanie said. “I’m not sure how I can ever repay you.”
“You don’t have to.” He put his arm around Gya. “She’s more than worth it.”
“And so are you.” She tilted her head and he gave
The pilot shoved the grand into his pocket. “I’m flying Ms. Parker to Wilde, Nevada.
He smiled and held out his hand.
The pilot shook his hand. “One question.”
He reached into his jacket ready to pull out his gun if the question turned out to be something he couldn’t answer. “Sure. What do you want to know?”
“Isn’t it difficult for you to be a photographer with a patch over your eye?”
“I’ve found that determination overcomes all obstacles. Nice doing business with you.”
“Keep my name out of the paper, okay?”
“Absolutely.”
Chapter Twelve
Gya saw Stephanie walk into the Hotel Cactus’s lobby with two suitcases. She ran up to her, wrapping her arms around her. “I’m so glad you’re here.”
“Honey, are you okay?” Stephanie stepped back, her eyes wide.
“I’m great, now that you’re here.”
“Really?”
“Of course. I missed you.”
“I missed you, too, but you seem…different somehow.”
“I do?”
Kyle grinned. “Gya, she’s surprised that you hugged her. I’m betting that isn’t normal for you. It’s good to see you, Stephanie. Welcome to Wilde.”
They shook hands, and he took her luggage.
“Is that true, Steph? Do I seem different to you?”
“He’s right. You’re not one to give hugs.”
“Well, I do now. So both of you get used to it.”
Stephanie smiled. “I like them.” And she gave her a hug back. “Where is your brother, Kyle?”
“He’s meeting with Sheriff Champion.”
“This is a beautiful place,” Stephanie said. “I’m surprised a grand hotel like this is in such a small town. How old is it?”
“About a year old,” Kyle said. “I used to work at the original Cactus, which burned. It was over a hundred years old. My Aunt Maude owned it and wanted to restore it to its original glory. It’s identical in every way.”
Stephanie nodded her approval. “Well, it’s definitely impressive.”
Maude was behind the counter. “I’ve got your room ready, Miss Parker. I hope you will be comfortable during your stay here. Kyle, would you mind taking her luggage up to the Presidential Suite?”
“Not at all. It’s like old times when I worked for you.”
Stephanie smiled. “There are five more in the rental car outside that have Gya’s clothes.”
“Five? You must’ve brought my entire closet.”
“I wanted you to be prepared for anything and have plenty of choices, honey. I also brought your vitamins and a detox that I bet you need.”
Gya turned to Kyle. “Told you I would be in trouble when she got here.”
“Yes, you did.”
“I just want to make sure my girl is healthy, Mr. Strait. That’s all.”
She always liked when Stephanie called her “my girl.” It made her feel special and loved.
“I know you care about her. We all do. Let me get these up to your room, Stephanie, and then I’ll take the other five back to our house. It’s within walking distance, and I’m sure I could juggle them.” He flexed his biceps and then smiled. “But I think I’ll drive instead.”
She and Stephanie laughed.
“I have no doubt you could with those muscles,” Stephanie said with a grin.
He shrugged. “I’m sure you and Gya have a lot of catching up to do. Aaron and I would like to take you to dinner this evening.”
“I would like that very much. You’ve taken care of my girl. She’s safe because of you and your brother.”
They got Stephanie settled into her suite, which was as beautiful as any five-star hotel Gya had ever stayed in.
Kyle leaned over and gave Gya a kiss. “Aaron and I will be back in a couple of hours to retrieve you both for dinner. If you need anything, just call.”
“Thank you again,” Stephanie said. “I’m not sure how I can ever repay you.”
“You don’t have to.” He put his arm around Gya. “She’s more than worth it.”
“And so are you.” She tilted her head and he gave
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