Chapter Thirteen #2
Pauline’s foot continued its chaotic beat. Her words were cool. “You can’t order me to get out. I own this place.”
Not for much longer if Pauline had her way. “I just did,” Kelley countered. “And I am.”
“But we are not finished,” Pauline argued.
“I have work to do. Customers to see to and food to cook.” Kelley guided Pauline closer to Eric and nudged her boss none too gently.
Yet, that put Kelley within hugging distance of Asher.
Kelly pretended not to notice and concentrated on her boss instead.
“Pauline, you and Eric clearly have things to figure out. But out there. Not in here.”
“About that grilled cheese,” Eric said in the hallway.
“I could use something to eat, too,” Laura-Beth chimed in.
Kelley rolled her eyes. “Fine, fine, fine. Grilled cheese all around, if you all just sit down at the lunch counter.” And give Kelley a moment to gather herself. She was much too close to gathering her cowboy to her and holding on.
“That grilled cheese is off-menu,” Pauline muttered, although her pique seemed to have leveled off.
“Well, it should be on the menu. When you taste it, Pauline, you will know why,” Kelley retorted. She propped the swinging door open and motioned everyone through. “I’ve been told my grilled cheese is a mood buster and problem solver.”
Kelley waited until the quartet was seated at the lunch counter with Big E and the Arbor sisters before she returned to the kitchen to a round of applause from Frannie and Hayes.
Hayes drummed out a celebratory beat on the stainless-steel counter and grinned from cheek to cheek. “About time you found your voice around here.”
Now Kelley just had to keep using it.
“And Kelley actually thinks this is not about a cowboy.” Frannie huffed good-naturedly and scooted back out to check on her customers.
To prove her little sister wrong, Kelley kept her attention on the griddle. It wasn’t long until she delivered six excellent grilled cheese sandwiches with two sides.
Kelley secretly loved every ooh and aah she heard as the crowd tucked in to all that cheesy, fruity goodness.
She tried to focus on diner guests besides Asher and when that failed, she joined Hayes in the kitchen.
The lunch hour winding down, Kelley set several dessert plates in the pass-through and noticed the soft blush on Pauline’s face.
Kelley’s boss whispered to Eric, then the pair stood and quietly slipped outside.
Laura-Beth had her giant wedding planner open on the counter to the delight of the town’s favorite retiree sisters, Lynette and Beatrice.
Even Big E seemed to be involved in Laura-Beth’s rather animated conversation.
Kelley shifted and her gaze connected with Asher’s. His eyebrow twitched. His smile followed.
And Kelley’s cheeks warmed. Feeling good and caught, Kelley grabbed two pie plates and made her way out to the counter. Grinning, she said, “Looks like everyone is ready for dessert.”
Big E rubbed his hands together and eyed the slice of cherry pie Kelley placed in front of him. “I sure appreciate the double scoop of ice cream, Kelley. I need the pick-me-up after all that plowing this morning and we’re not done yet.”
“Don’t let him fool you,” Asher said. “I’ve been plowing the second field at the Skyline Drive-In. Big E has been critiquing my work from a chair in the shade with Warren Malloy.”
Plowing. Kelley did not bother to hide her surprise.
“I heard we’re getting another picture screen at the Skyline. Seems the double features are quite popular.” Lynette leaned in and cooed, “I can tell you, Warren’s snack shop is not to be missed. Their caramel popcorn won first place at the fair the past three years in a row.”
“I prefer their s’mores bark,” Beatrice offered. “I always buy extra on account that it tends to sell out during the first showing.”
“I’ll have to see about getting some of that when we head back after lunch,” Big E said around a bite of pie.
“We should have that on the dessert table at the rehearsal dinner.” Laura-Beth wrote a note in her wedding planner. “Can you make s’mores bark, Kelley?”
Kelley could not make herself look away from Asher. “Since when do you know how to drive a tractor?” Kelley wondered, only to realize too late she’d spoken out loud.
“Since my grandpa taught me,” Asher replied, amusement flashing across his face. “Someone needed to haul hay around our property, and I was chosen. My grandad told me it was a skill that would serve me well.”
“Sure has come in handy today,” Big E said.
Her city cowboy could drive a tractor. It made sense, given where he grew up. What did not make sense was that Kelley wanted to know about Asher’s other hidden talents. She wanted to know his secrets. She wanted to know him. Not the cowboy. Or the city businessman. But rather him. Bad idea, that.
She already liked Asher. There was no need to level up her like into something stronger that hinted at a connection. Still, Kelley asked, “Why are you plowing the drive-in and not some local landscaper? What happened?”
Asher polished off the last of his cherry pie and said, “Herman Whittaker’s chicken coop is what happened.”
“I am beginning to think we could live quite comfortably in that coop,” Big E marveled. He glanced down the counter at the others who were now paying attention and added, “I swear this chicken coop is more state-of-the-art than my RV.”
“Warren is a professional welder by trade.” Asher wiped his mouth and set the napkin on his plate. “We had to go see him about the motorized doors that open and close according to the sunrise and sunset. And the sunroofs for the chicken coop, which are all now installed thanks to Warren.”
“Sunroofs,” Kelley repeated. Those she had not noticed on Herman’s professionally drawn coop plans.
But she did notice Asher had a new look about him, even if she could not quite place what was different.
His dark blond beard was still trimmed short, more stubbly shadow than substance.
He wore another coordinating button-down plaid shirt and fitted T-shirt as usual.
Even his cowboy hat was the same chestnut brown.
“We had to bargain quite a bit to convince Warren to help us out,” Big E said and arched accusing eyebrows at Asher.
There. She spotted the difference. Her cowboy was relaxed.
His blue gaze was remarkably mellow. The laugh lines around his eyes soft.
Even his posture hinted that he was in absolutely no rush to get on with his afternoon.
And Kelley was suddenly keen to extend the conversation and keep Asher right there.
She held back her grin. “Wait. Don’t tell me that Dylan has history with Warren Malloy as well.
What did Dylan jump and knock over at the drive-in? ”
“We never rode our horses across the Skyline property. It’s a bit too far from the stables,” Asher replied, sounding unconcerned. “But it wasn’t Dylan who Warren has an issue with. This one is all on me.”
Big E shifted toward Asher and propped his boots on the footrest as if settling in to hear the story, too. Beside the older cowboy, Lynette and Beatrice swiveled their stools to listen in.
“What did you do?” Kelley propped her hip against the counter.
“I might have gotten distracted trying to get a cowgirl’s attention,” Asher said, a hint of regret inside his easygoing tone.
Kelley knew a little something about getting distracted. She picked up the hot water carafe and refilled Lynette’s and Beatrice’s tea mugs.
“One summer I worked for Mower Goats.” Asher glanced at the others and explained, “I delivered goat herds to customers who wanted targeted grazing for their land. Warren Malloy was a customer. He liked the goats to clear his empty fields near his house.”
“I can’t picture you as a goat herder,” Kelley said. Although, she could picture Asher and her somewhere else. Like a porch swing. Or the bluff. Somewhere less crowded. On a date night. Kelley swapped the hot water for the coffeepot.
“Come on, Asher, don’t leave us hanging,” Lynette said and leaned around Big E. Her eyes peeled wide. “Did you get the cowgirl’s attention or not?”
He certainly had Kelley’s full attention.