Showdown at Lizard Rock by Sandra Chastain

homes and jobs for these men.”
    “Wonderful,” she said as she surveyed the picnic site with amazement. “You and I work year after year to make a few changes—without any substantial results, I might add—and King Vandergriff gets involved and things begin to happen. It must be nice to have so much power. I hope he enjoys the adoration.”
    “What’s the matter, Katie? King turning out to have more of a heart that you’d expected?”
    “I sound like the town’s most ungrateful citizen, don’t I? It isn’t that I’m not appreciative. I just wonder about motives.”
    From the time the “soupies,” as they’d begun tocall themselves, and the construction crew had reported for work the previous day, the townspeople had welcomed them. Kaylyn had no doubt that their combined efforts would make this celebration the best Pretty Springs had ever had. One thing she hadn’t counted on was turning King into a hero.
    She couldn’t find a single fault with either King or his crew, or the homeless who were finding a purpose and an acceptance that they hadn’t believed possible. Why, then, was she feeling so out of sorts? Everything was working out the way she’d wanted, wasn’t it? But she’d known that from the beginning. Why was it suddenly so hard for her to accept the very results she’d anticipated?
    It was King. Why was he doing this? she wondered. Would his kindnesses to the town cost her Lizard Rock and the use of the springs? Was he sincere in what he was doing, or was this some kind of ploy? Since he’d hurt his foot a few days ago, he hadn’t come back to the springs for a swim. Harold had refused to discuss his employer’s health or his whereabouts. King was ignoring her completely. She didn’t know what she’d expected, but she hadn’t expected him to give up. He wasn’t the type. She’d thought he might at least speak to her, try to see her, maybe even attempt to kiss her again. Not knowing where he was or what he was thinking was making her as jumpy as a cat.
    “Hello, darlin’.”
    The Stetson and alligator boots were back. And the man wearing them was as heart-stoppingly gorgeous as he’d been that first day when she’d watched him approach Lizard Rock.
    “Good morning, Mr. Vandergriff. Your men certainly are doing a fine job here.”
    “Yes, they are, aren’t they, Ms. Smith? Since we got the site lined up properly, it’s been a piece of cake.”
    “What do you mean, lined up properly?”
    “No reflection on you, Kaylyn, darlin’, but whoever arranged the placement of the events had no concept of efficient design. The layout was a confusing mishmash. The tug-of-war in the middle of the walking space between the booths? We moved it over there so that the mud hole would be out of the way.” He pointed to a section near the wooden booths being erected for goods to be sold for various charities.
    “But it’s always been in the center of the walking space,” she said, trying to curb the anger she felt at his high-handed interference.
    “Why?”
    “Because … because … oh, I don’t know. Tradition, I guess.”
    “Well, it won’t be there anymore. And neither will the course for the three-legged race. We’ve moved it to the other side of the tug-of-war. That way we can build permanent stands that are perfect for viewing the fireworks, plus watching the street dance in the square. By turning slightly, the crowd can see the race and the tug-of-war as well. What do you think?”
    “I think,” she admitted with a queer pain twisting her insides like an old-fashioned wringer washing machine, “that you’ve really got all this arranged. Nothing like having an engineer around to point out the errors of our planning. You’ve done a good job. I can’t see a thing for me to do, so I’ll take off. Thank you, Mr. Vandergriff.”
    She managed a two-fingered salute of approval to Tom as she headed back to the nursing home van. She wasn’t needed here. With Harold manning the