One of the administrative assistants at town hall, Stella had stepped in, taking charge after the storm and trying to help wherever she could. It hadn’t taken long for reporters to notice her and start getting her on camera.
Aaron shed his leather jacket and sat across from Cole, aware of Stella to his left. He caught a whiff of the rose-scented perfume she wore, something old-fashioned, but it was uniquely Stella and made him remember holding her close, catching that same scent then.
“I’m glad to have you back in Royal,” Cole said. He looked thinner, more solemn, and Aaron was saddened by Cole’s loss as well as the losses of so many others in town. He knew from experience how badly it could hurt.
“I know help is needed here, so I’m glad to be back.”
“Thanks,” Cole said. “I mean it when I say I appreciate that. When you can, drop by the Texas Cattleman’s Club. They’re rebuilding now and moving along. They’ll be glad to have you here, too.”
“Our club friends in Dallas said to tell you and the others hello.”
Cole nodded as he glanced at Stella. “Getting to the business at hand, Stella and I were talking about areas where more lumber is needed—all over the west side of town, it seems.”
“Each time I see Royal, I can’t believe the destruction. It still looks incredible. I’ve made arrangements to get another couple of our work crews here.”
“R&N Builders have helped tremendously,” Stella said.
“I’m sure everyone in town thanks you for doing such a great job right from the start, Stella—acquiring generators, getting help to people and directing some of the rescue efforts. When disaster happens unexpectedly like that, usually all hell breaks loose and it takes a calm head to help the recovery,” Aaron stated.
“Thanks. I just did what I could. So many people pitched in and we appreciate what R&N Builders, plus you and Cole individually, have donated and done to aid Royal.”
“We’re glad to. Everyone in the company wanted to help,” Cole replied. “So we’re adding two more work crews. Stella, you can help coordinate where they should go. I asked men to volunteer for the assignment. They’ll be paid by us the same as if they were working on a job at home, but R&N is donating their services to help Royal rebuild.”
“That would be a tremendous help,” Stella said. “Local companies are booked solid for the next few months. There’s so much to be done that it’s overwhelming.”
“Also, we might be able to get one of the wrecking companies we work with to come in here and pick up debris. I doubt you have enough help now when there’s so much to clean up,” Aaron said.
“We need that desperately. We have some companies from nearby towns, but we can use more help. There is an incredible amount of debris and it keeps growing as they get the downed trees cut up.”
Cole made a note on a legal pad in front of him.
“Right now I wonder if we’ll ever get all the debris cleared. It would be great to have more trucks here to help haul things away.”
Stella made notes as they discussed possibilities for the next hour. Even as he concentrated on the conversation, Aaron could not keep from having a sharp awareness of Stella so nearby. He wished she had not asked him to back off and forget their night of passion.
He’d done so, but now that he was back in her presence, he found it difficult to keep memories from surfacing and wished he could take her out again, dance with her and kiss her, because it had been an exciting, fun night.
Her long slender fingers thumbed through the notebook she held as she turned to a page of figures. He recalled her soft hands trailing across his bare chest, and looked up to meet her blue-eyed gaze.
She drew a deep breath and her cheeks flushed as she looked down and bent over her open binder. Startled, he realized she had memories, too. The idea that she had been recalling that night stirred him and ignited desire. He wondered how many men paid no attention to her because of her buttoned-up blouses and austere appearance. Her actions that night hadn’t been austere. Aware he should get his thinking elsewhere, he tried to focus on what Cole was saying.
At half past three Cole leaned back in his chair. “Sorry to have to break this up. You two can continue and, Aaron, you can fill me in later. I’m going out to a long-time friend Henry Markham’s ranch to stay five or six days. He invited me out. He also lost his brother in the storm and he’s had a lot of damage, so I’m going to help him. I’ll see you both next week and we can continue this.”
“Don’t forget,” Stella said, “I have to leave town for part of the day tomorrow. I’ll be back in the afternoon.” As Cole nodded, she looked at Aaron. “I’m flying to Austin where my sister lives.”
“If you need to stay longer, you should,” Cole said.
“I don’t think I’ll need to stay. Just a short time with her and then I’ll be back.”
Cole glanced at Aaron. “I’m glad you’re here, Aaron. We’ve got good people running the place in Dallas while we’re gone, so everything should be all right.”
“It’ll be fine. George Wandle is in charge. And if anything comes up he promised he would call one of us.”
“Good deal.” Cole stood, pulled on a black Western-cut jacket and picked up his broad-brimmed Resistol hat. “Thanks, Stella, for meeting with me.”
“All the thanks go to you and Aaron for the help you and your company are giving to Royal. You’ve been terrific.”
“We’re glad to help where we can. Aaron, if you need me for anything, I have my phone with me.”
“Sure, Cole.”
Aaron watched his partner walk through the restaurant and then he turned back to Stella. “It’s nice to see you again.”
“Thank you. It’s nice to see you, too. I really mean it. Your company has done so much to help.”
“There’s still so much more to do. How’s the mayor?”
A slight frown creased her brow as she shook her head at him. “Since the mayor was in the town hall when it sustained a direct hit, he was hurt badly. He was on the critical list a very long time. He’s hurt badly with broken bones, internal ruptures and complications after several surgeries. He was in the ICU for so long. With all the problems he’s had, he’s still a long way from healed.”
“That’s tough. Tough for him, for you, for all who work for him and for the town. The deputy mayor’s death complicated things even more. No one’s really in charge. You’ve sort of stepped into that void, Stella.”
“I’m just doing what I can. There are so many things—from destroyed buildings to lost records and displaced pets. Megan Maguire, the animal shelter director, has worked around the clock a lot of the time. It just takes everybody pulling together and it’s nice you’re back to help.”
He smiled at her. “Maybe, sometime, you need a night out to forget about Royal for a few minutes.”
“Frankly, that sounds like paradise, but I don’t have time right now. Someone texts or calls every other minute. This has been one of the quietest afternoons, but this morning was a stream of calls.”
“Royal could manage without you for a couple of hours.”
“Don’t tempt me, Aaron,” she said, smiling at him. “And I won’t be here tomorrow.”
“I have the feeling that you’re working late into the night, too.”
“You’re right, but every once in a while now, there’ll be a lull in the calls or appointments