Chapter 8 #2
She handed him the plate and a fork, but as her Gramps did, he picked it up with his fingers and started eating. Clay had pulled a chair up next to the bed. She sat down while he ate, grinning when he made the same pleased face her Gramps did.
He licked his fingers before looking at her. “Clay still down at the stables?”
“Yes. He said he needed to clean the stalls today.”
“That boy is one of the hardest workers I’ve ever seen.
Works more than I do, truth be told.” A wide grin curved his mouth, his shoulders shaking, and she knew he was laughing.
“He’d make a good husband.” With a raised eyebrow, the innuendo in his words was clear.
She felt her face heat as she blushed, Liam’s shoulders shaking again as he laughed.
“That boy is half in love with you, if not completely.” He took another bite of his cinnamon roll, licking his fingers clean before saying. “What about you?”
“Me? What about me?”
“Do you return the feelings?”
Her mouth opened, but not a single word came out. Liam didn’t give her a chance to answer. He threw his head back and belly laughed until his entire body was shaking.
When he recovered, he gave her a wink and said, “Don’t pay me no mind. I’m just a nosy old man.”
He ate the last of the roll, licking his fingers clean before scraping up what icing was on the plate. “Best thing I’ve eaten since…well, breakfast. You should open your own restaurant.”
Open a restaurant? Did she read his lips right? It was her turn to laugh then. “How in the world would I accomplish that? I’m only a woman. One, I might add, who can’t hear a single word people say to me.”
He waved a hand in the air, dismissing the words. “There’s nothing to it,” he said. “You provide a service, and people pay you for your time.” He gave her a pointed look. "And you're not being able to hear has nothing to do with it. That’s just an excuse to keep from living.”
She smiled. “Now you sound like my sisters.”
“Well, they’re right. Besides, it's easy to start your own business. When me and my business partner, Lewis, started the livery stable, all we had were two old horses and a wagon. I didn’t even have a barn to put them in, but it didn’t take long to earn enough money to build one.
All you need is a kitchen and a few tables for people to sit down and enjoy their meal. ”
She thought of the dressmaker in Silver Falls. It couldn’t be too hard to own a business as a woman. Mrs. Hiatt did it. She and Vanessa ran their little store, and even though she herself had never been in there, she’d seen quite a few ladies go inside.
Liam tapped her hand to get her attention and said, “The stagecoach station has a full kitchen and dining room. Several years ago, it was the only place in town to get a hot meal. When the old man who cooked there died, Clement over at the hotel had his restaurant built. I bet Everette, that’s the stagecoach station owner, would be more than happy to let you cook in there for a portion of the profits.
His travelers could get a hot meal without having to go into that fancy restaurant in town, and he’d make some extra money on the side. ”
Daisy didn’t catch half of what he said, but gleaned enough to understand what he was telling her. Would a total stranger let her set up a restaurant in his establishment? If what Liam said was to be believed, then yes, he would.
He nodded, rubbing his chin as he thought. “I can see it now,” he said. “We could make you a big sign to hang out front. ‘Daisy’s Diner’— home-cooked vittles so good they’ll make your tongue slap your brains out.”
She laughed at his words, shaking her head before standing to take his empty plate. “It's a pleasant dream, Liam, but I don’t plan on staying in Butte long enough to do all that. I have a family in Silver Falls I need to get back to.”
With the sidewalks cleared of snow and the street nothing but a muddy mess of slush, there were people everywhere. The man who owned the barbershop was shoveling off his stoop and threw his hand up to him as Clay passed by. He nodded in return and kept on walking.
Clay liked Butte. For such a large town, the people here were warm and friendly. He’d been through more towns than he could count, and none of them had given off the same feel as Butte did. It was as if the town was alive, with a laid-back heartbeat that made you feel welcome.
Stomping the snow and mud off his boots when he reached Liam’s door, he headed inside. As usual, Daisy was cleaning the kitchen, and the air smelled of cinnamon. She’d not seen him yet, so he took his time removing his coat and hat and admired her while he did it.
He could get used to this. Coming home from work to find her waiting for him. She turned and saw him, smiling as if just seeing him made her happy, and his heart thumped. Hard.
She plated something up for him and set it on the table. “I wasn’t sure if you’d be home for lunch or not, so I didn’t fix a big meal, but I do have some cinnamon rolls hot out of the oven.”
“Is that what I smell?”
“It is.” She placed a fork on the table as he crossed the room. “Liam gave them his seal of approval.”
“I can see why.” The roll was huge and had some sort of glaze dripping off of it. He made quick work of eating it, licking his fingers when finished, and took his plate to the sink, where Daisy was busy scrubbing something.
She turned just as he stepped behind her and walked right into him. He grabbed her, one arm wrapping around her waist to steady her, before setting the plate down on the counter.
“Sorry,” she said. “I didn’t realize you were right behind me.”
“It’s all right.”
She was staring up at him, and he realized just how close they were. It would take no more than a dip of his head to kiss her, and he wondered what she’d say if he did. Neither of them had mentioned the kiss they’d shared that night in the barn, and he wasn’t sure how to bring it up.
“What’s wrong?” she finally asked.
“Nothing.” He realized he’d not let her go. His arm was still around her waist, her body flush with his own, and she wasn’t making any attempt to back away.
“Then why are you staring at me like that?” she asked.
Because I love you. He didn’t say the words out loud, but they were on the tip of his tongue.
He glanced at her mouth, his mind going back to that kiss, and he wanted to taste her all over again.
Would she let him if he asked? There was only one way to find out, so he took a chance and prayed she wouldn’t shoot him down.
“I was just wondering what you’d say if I kissed you. ”
Her cheeks turned a blistering shade of red before she looked at his mouth. Neither moved for long minutes, and when she raised her eyes and said, “There’s only one way to find out,” he could barely contain the rush of need that ran through his limbs.
He lifted his free hand, cupping her chin, and lowered his head, brushing his lips against her own. Her eyes fell shut, her breath exhaled as her body went soft and pliant against him. He licked the seam of her mouth, and her lips opened, her tongue darting out to meet his own.
For someone who hadn’t acted as if they knew how to kiss, she wasted no time kissing him back. Her arms wound around his waist, and he lifted his other hand, cupping her face and moving her head the way he wanted.
She tasted like cinnamon and sugar and was the sweetest thing he’d ever had against his lips.
The small kiss grew heated, her hold on him tightening, and he backed her up against the counter.
She made a small noise in the back of her throat and lifted her arms to wrap around his neck.
What started as a small thing turned heated in mere seconds.
The kiss was consuming and scrambled his thoughts with every small sound she made.
She moaned against his mouth, her tongue tangling with his own, and when his body responded, he pulled away, taking a step back so she didn’t feel the evidence of it.
She blinked up at him, her eyes dazed, her lips kiss-swollen. The sudden smile she gave him and her blushing cheeks caused his own grin to form. Liam chose that moment to yell, “Clay, is that you?” from the other room. He kept his eyes on Daisy as he yelled back, “Yeah, I’m here, Liam.”
“Well, come in here when you get a minute.”
Daisy looked toward the bedroom. “Is Liam talking to you? Does he need something?”
“He is, and I’m not sure. He asked me to come see him.” She nodded and pulled away. He let her, missing the feel of her against his body, and turned on his heel when she looked away.
Liam was sitting up when he entered the bedroom. The old man nodded to the chair beside the bed and said, “Come sit a spell and tell me what’s been going on over at the stable.”
There wasn’t much to tell. No one had come in, but that wasn’t unusual. There wasn’t much need for rented wagons and buggies once the snow started falling.
“I hate your having to deal with all of it on your own,” Liam said. “I can try to find you some help until I get back on my feet.”
“There’s no need,” he said.
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah. It's pretty quiet down there.”
Liam nodded and leaned back against the pillows.
“My business partner, Lewis, died a few months ago. The two of us handled everything ourselves, so we never really hired any permanent help. You're showing up asking for work, saved me the trouble of trying to find someone.” Liam was quiet for a few minutes before tilting his head to one side. “I know you weren’t planning on staying in town for longer than you had to, but it would be nice to have another partner. I’m getting old, and I have no sons to give the business to when I’m dead. You interested?”
“Interested?”
Liam nodded. “Interested in helping me run the place and taking over when I’m gone.”
Clay sat back, shocked. Was he really offering him a partnership in the livery stable?
“You don’t have to give me an answer today, but if you don’t take it, then some random person will and profit from all my years of hard work.
” Liam glanced at the door when Daisy dropped something before looking back at him.
“Lewis had an old cabin not far from here, too.
Needs work, but it's sitting empty unless someone has already claimed it.”
His heart skipped a beat. Most of his adult life, he'd dreamed of owning something, but never once did he think it would happen. He wasn’t sure why it was happening now. Nothing he'd ever done made him deserve anything like this. He was—nobody.
“Now you’re thinking too much.”
Clay looked up at Liam when he spoke.
“I can see everything going through your head. It’s plain as day on your face, so stop thinking you don’t deserve good things. Everybody does, but some never get the chance. I’m giving you one. All you have to do is take it.”