CHAPTER ELEVEN
D ay two of not being a virgin and Riley felt like a new woman.
A more confident one. A happier one— thank you multiple orgasms .
And a stronger one. Which would explain why she agreed to a girl’s lunch today at The Tipsy Cow.
With not just Bella, but with a woman called Cat and another woman called Rachel.
You’ve got this.
Okay. As free as she felt, she was still her, and still nervous. That was clear to anyone who bothered to look her way as her leg tapped up and down on the wooden floor.
Riley was early and had scoped out a booth in the dark corner of the local tavern. Away from the dance floor and away from the older cowboys perched on stools along the bar. Here she could sip on her orange juice, stare at the odd neon signs scattered all over the walls and freak out in peace.
“Hi.” Riley’s head lifted at Bella’s cheery voice. Immediately, she noticed that her new friend wasn’t alone.
Offering a nervous smile to each of the women as they approached the table, it was the tall, slender woman with long black hair that spoke first.
“Hi, Riley! I think we briefly met at Libby’s wedding, but we didn’t get a chance to chat.” She slid into the booth opposite her. “I’m Cat.” Is that a British accent?
Before Riley could reply, the petite redhead was sliding into the seat next to her. “And I’m Rachel, nice to meet you, sugar.” A kind smile was flashed her way.
Bella had taken a seat next to Cat. And they were now all looking at Riley. Expectantly.
Now would be a good time to talk.
“Um, hi,” she mumbled. “Um, Bella has told me a lot about you.”
“Same,” Cat replied, a mischievous glint in her piercing blue eyes. “I think her exact words were... ‘Riley’s awesome’. She’s also warned us to be on our best behaviour too, in case we scare you off, so she must really like you.”
Scare me off?
“Actually,” Bella interrupted, “what I said was—maybe wait until your third lunch with her to start with the sex jokes.”
Cat rolled her eyes in response before turning to Bella. “You all act like I’m some kind of sex pest. I’m a respectable woman I’ll have you know. A mum and everything.”
“Talking of which, I heard you got into it with Betty-Jo the other day at the school gate?” Rachel inquired.
Cat shrugged. “Yeah, well, Betty-Jo’s son has been bothering Dylan, so it was just a friendly reminder that if her son continued to be a dick, then I had no trouble being one too.” A sly grin spread across her face.
“I don’t think you can call a ten-year-old a dick ,” Rachel chastised while Bella giggled.
Cat treated Rachel to another shrug. “Being a dick isn’t restricted to age, honey. Some people are just born that way.”
Bella was laughing harder now. And louder. Riley couldn’t help but smile. These women were funny. The more they talked around her, the more her nerves were easing.
“Right.” Cat’s hands came down on the dark wood table. “I’m getting drinks. Shall I order us some food too? I was thinking burger and fries all round unless anyone has any objections?”
There was a resounding “yes please” from Rachel and Bella. Eyes turned to her again afterward, where she choked out a “um, yes, fine with me.” That was all it took for Cat to disappear over to the bar.
Bella and Rachel chatted amongst themselves after that and seemed satisfied with a few head nods for answers when they tried to include Riley. She was working her way up to a conversation. Or at least that’s what she kept telling herself.
Once Cat returned, talk turned to their friend Libby. She learned all about how Libby and Zach would be taking their honeymoon in Europe next spring. How Cat and Rachel thought they were trying for a baby. And what amazing aunts they would all be.
“Oh my God.” Rachel’s hand covered Riley’s arm. “I just had a thought. If you marry Wade, you and Libby will be sisters-in-law.”
Um...what was that now?
“Don’t worry,” Cat interjected, “Libby’s the nice one. She’d be an excellent sister-in-law.”
“Um, excuse me! What about me?” Rachel squeaked. Clearly offended.
“Oh, yeah, sorry.” Cat laughed. “Correction—Libby and Rachel are the nice ones.”
It was Bella’s turn to be offended. “I resent that. I’m nice!”
“You’re okay.”
Bella’s gaze swung to Riley. From Bella’s reaction, she guessed that she was doing a bad job of hiding her horror.
“Guys. Enough,” Bella ordered. “This is what I’m talking about. What happened to not scaring her off?”
Rachel and Cat exchanged guilty expressions before turning to Riley.
“Sorry,” they both said at the same time. “Don’t run,” Rachel sweetly pleaded.
“Yeah, please don’t. We’ll never hear the end of it if you do.” Cat’s comment was met with an arm smack from Bella. “Ow!”
“Why don’t you tell us a little more about yourself, sugar,” Rachel continued. “How are you liking working on the Evans ranch?”
All eyes were back on her. She hated that. It was too much pressure. And her thoughts were spiralling. They all knew about her and Wade. How?
Oh no. What if Bella told them about me being a virgin?
Surely not. Bella didn’t seem like the gossipy type. But then again, she hadn’t known her long enough to completely rule it out.
“I’d say it’s going damn well personally; she’s bagged herself a hot cowboy,” Cat chimed in. “Ow.” And received another smack.
“Uh, it’s good,” Riley mumbled. “I’m good at cleaning.”
She mentally sighed at her own response. All that small talk practice and that’s all she could come up with. I’m good at cleaning.
The women around the table were politely nodding. Great. Pity nods. So much for being a new woman. She was just the same old Riley.
“I actually enjoy a good clean,” Rachel chirped. “It’s a stress reliever.”
“So you clean and bake to relieve stress? Screw Hunter, will you marry me ?” Cat joked.
“You bake?” Riley asked as she turned to Rachel.
“I do,” she replied, excitedly. She then began to tell her all about the bakery she owned in town. It was called Fairy Baked. Great name. And she could tell by the sheer enthusiasm pouring out of the woman as she discussed her creations, that the cakes tasted just as good as they sounded.
“I, um, I don’t bake or anything, but I like to cook.”
That one sentence was enough to turn the whole lunch around.
For Riley anyway. Between sips of orange and bites of burger, Rachel and Riley were talking all things food.
Favorite dishes, secret ingredients and fun flavor combinations.
Speaking to someone so passionate about food was refreshing.
It made conversation easy. And enjoyable.
Look at you go.
Yes. Look at her go. Maybe she was a new woman after all.
***
S till on a high from her lunch with the girls, Riley was ready for more social interaction. Tonight’s interaction came with perks too. Fingers crossed.
“Where are we going?” Riley asked Wade, possibly too late as they pulled up in front of a barn.
Her question was met with dimples. “You’ll see, petal. Come on.” Wade climbed out of the driver’s seat and rounded the truck. Opening her door, he took her hand and led her toward the ominous red building.
Walking through the thick, panelled door, she certainly wasn’t expecting a restaurant. An empty one at that.
Fairy lights hung from the rafters, while colored uplights shone in each corner. Chunky wood tables and benches were scattered everywhere but it was the one in the centre that caught her eye. Adorned with flickering candles and a vase filled with wildflowers, it was like something out of a movie.
When she turned to look at Wade, he was studying her.
“I called ahead, made sure we wouldn’t be in the middle of a crowded restaurant this time.”
There was no crowd. No other diners. And apparently no staff. They were alone.
Heaven.
She started to wonder how she got so lucky as her hand was being tugged again. This time toward the centre table.
As they took their seat, a waiter pushed through the double doors located at the back of the barn.
In mere seconds he was by their side, ready to pass them menus and ask what drinks they would like.
Riley let Wade order for them as she perused the menu, where there was another surprise waiting for her.
“It’s farm to table!” she squealed in delight.
“It is.” Wade grinned. “I figured if we’re gonna be doing this at the ranch, then we should probably taste it first.”
“So you’ve decided...you’re definitely going to do it?”
“That’s the plan.” His gaze dipped to the table for a second, when it returned to her, she noticed a gleam in his eyes. “You interested in helping?”
“Yes. Definitely. I’ll try any food you want to feed me.” She giggled. Even though she was deadly serious.
“I’ll keep that in mind, darlin’. But I was actually talking about maybe helping me with things like menu creation and sourcing local produce.
It’s pretty damn clear you love this stuff, and you sure as hell know what you’re talking about.
” Riley didn’t bother to hide her shock.
“You’d be compensated of course...for your time. ”
“You want to pay me?” she repeated, at the exact same time the waiter reappeared with their drinks.
Wade cleared his throat, before croaking out a “thanks.” He looked strange. Almost uncomfortable.
Once the waiter disappeared, he leaned forward. His elbows meeting the table, his expression turning serious. “Pay you to consult, petal. Not for anything else. Just so we’re clear.”
Double freaking meanings.
Damnit, she really hated them. Why couldn’t anything just mean one thing? She realized now what that weird look on his face was. Embarrassment.
She attempted to reassure him. “I know you don’t want to pay me for sex.”
The swig of beer Wade had just taken was promptly sprayed across the wood.
He barked out a laugh shortly after.
“That’s good to know, darlin’,” he drawled, moments later, still smiling. “Now we’ve got that cleared up, what do you think about helping me with the restaurant?”
He was being serious. He wanted her help. Her expert opinion. Well, more like non-expert opinion.
“You don’t have to pay me,” she sputtered. “I’ll help for free. I mean, I’m not a chef or a professional or anything. I’m just a maid.”
Wade’s head tilted, his astute blue stare considering her. After a good minute of looking his fill, he spoke again. “You’re more than just a maid, you know that right, Riley?”
Did she know that? No. Probably not. Likely because she’d always been ‘just a maid’. Firstly, at her uncle’s motel and now at the Evans ranch. But that was okay. Wasn’t it?
Undecided, she remained quiet. Prompting Wade to speak again.
“Granted, we’ve not known each other very long, but from the very first conversation we had about food, I could see just how much love you have for it. You light up, Riley. It’s beautiful to watch.”
She stayed silent, even more unsure of how to reply. It didn’t matter though, Wade wasn’t done.
“Is there a reason why you didn’t pursue it...as a career I mean?”
Yes.
“It’s, uh, it’s,” complicated. “Culinary school is expensive.” That was true.
“And my parents were, are,” protective to the point of suffocation , “well, I didn’t want to be too far away from them.
I’m an only child and they can be...” she drifted off, not wanting to lie but also not wanting to admit at just how smothering her parents were.
Wade dipped his head, a look of understanding making his eyes squint.
“I do like learning though,” she continued.
“I watch the cooking channel a lot . And I’ve read a million books.
I don’t mind that it’s not my full-time job, as long as I get to cook at home.
” She ended with a shrug. Like it was all fine.
But now her words were out there, she was questioning how true they were.
What would her life look like if she had become a chef? It was a thought she couldn’t seem to shake especially as mouthwatering aromas drifted in from the kitchen. She wasn’t the only one in her head, Wade too appeared contemplative.
Snap out of it.
Yes. Inner Riley was right. Enough dwelling. More dating. Picking up the menu again, she began to read.
They had the typical seasonal salads and heirloom vegetables. Fresh chicken, beef, pork and lamb. But there was plenty of things they hadn’t thought of. Like seasonal soups, a range of dairy, or something as simple as homemade bread with local butter or olive oil.
Her mind was racing as her gaze dipped to the house-made preserves. There was so much they could do. She already had a million ideas.
“I want to try the herb-crusted lamb.” Her eyes met Wade’s as soon as her head lifted. “I want to make the menu for you.”
He broke into another wide smile. “Done. And done.”
Once they’d ordered their food, talk turned to Riley’s day off.
In which she told Wade all about her lunch.
However, a tinge of jealousy coursed through her when he mentioned he’d been set up with Cat on a date, when she’d first arrived in town.
She was certain he noticed, as he was quick to confirm nothing ever happened between them.
And they didn’t even get a chance to order off the menu before Cody, who was now Cat’s husband, barged in and carried her out of the restaurant. It all sounded very dramatic.
By the time their dinner arrived, Riley was ready to talk food again. Especially after getting a taste of the herbaceous sauce.
“We should have dishes with farm-grown grains. Artisan bread. Seasonal desserts. And we should look at getting in local wines and craft beer.”
“Okay.” Wade smiled. “But bear in mind we need the basics first. Cost-effective, healthy meals for the staff. Then we can start introducing fancier stuff like that for the guests.”
Riley was nodding her head but secretly thinking about her recipe for fruit cobbler.
“Okay. I can do that.”
“I know you can.”
She believed him. More than she believed herself.