Chapter 10 #2
“Thank you,” Tammy said, releasing her. “It’s been hard, planning on leaving the ranch for good. I know Kelby is taken care of. West is a wonderful man, and Kelby is deeply in love with him. I’ve worried about Chance, though. He’s so quiet. Stoic. Never shows much emotion.”
Tammy clasped Summer’s hands in hers. “But when he talked to me about you, I saw something in his eyes. Heard something in his voice. Chance has avoided commitment for a long time, but my gut tells me he’s ready to embrace it now.”
“That’s nice to hear, Tammy, but Chance and I are just getting to know one another,” she protested.
The older woman shook her head. “You’ve known each other your entire lives.
Yes, you’ve gone different directions, but fate has led you both back to Hawthorne.
I can already tell that the years are melting away.
That Chance is seeing you for you this time, Summer.
You’re not West’s little sister. You’re a beautiful, interesting, confident woman in your own right.
The question is, do you think you could have a future with my boy? ”
Her throat thickened with emotion. “Yes,” she said simply.
“I worshiped him as a kid. Desperately wanted him to pay attention to me, but he never showed the slightest interest in me. I get that I was West’s sister—and younger—and that made me off-limits in his mind.
I assure you that I understand he’s different from when I had a crush on him.
I’m different, too. We’ve had a lot of different life experiences, but I’m eager to explore what we could have if we made a commitment to one another. ”
“I’m so happy hearing that,” Tammy said.
“Chance has lived for the ranch since he came home. He wanted to please Big Jim more than anything. After his father passed, he concentrated even harder on the ranch, wanting to prove to himself that he could run it well. He’s focused so long and hard on this place that I worried he’d grown tunnel vision and wouldn’t be able to see himself as a husband and father. ”
Tammy smoothed Summer’s hair. “You’re the first woman who’s come along that he’s been interested in since he came back to Hawthorne.
I know he was sowing a lot of wild oats during college and his years away from Hawthorne, but Chance is, in his heart, a one-woman, settling down kind of guy. I hope that he’ll do so with you.”
“Me, too,” she said, her vision blurring with tears.
Tammy whipped a tissue from her pocket and dabbed at Summer’s eyes.
“No tears. Just be yourself with him, honey. Everything’ll work out just fine.
Let’s talk pork chops now. If a way to man’s stomach is through food, you’ll have Chance fall at your feet if you can perfect my pork chops recipe. That boy could eat his weight in them.”
Summer laughed, feeling relaxed with Tammy, who pulled out a cookbook and opened it to a certain page.
“This is a write your own cookbook. Every recipe in here is one I already know by heart. I’m going to give this to you, Summer.”
“No, I can’t take it,” she protested.
Tammy pressed it into Summer’s hands. “I want you to have it. Try some recipes. See what you like. Change things up a bit to make them your own.”
“I don’t really know how to cook,” she admitted.
Tammy smiled, patting the cookbook. “Then this baby will help you learn,” she promised. “Read over the pork chop recipe, and let me know if you have any questions.
While Tammy busied herself in finishing dinner, Summer studied the pork chop recipe.
It surprised her that they weren’t cooked in a cast iron skillet.
Instead, they were oven-baked. Tammy had noted the different times in baking boneless versus bone-in pork chops.
She also indicated to use a meat thermometer to make certain the chops were at a certain temperature.
“The spice rub is the key,” Tammy told her.
Summer noted the rub included both garlic and onion powder, paprika, oregano, sea salt, and pepper. She saw in parentheses that Tammy had marked that oregano could be replaced with Italian seasoning and thought that an interesting swap.
As Tammy mashed potatoes by hand, she told Summer, “Lots of pork chop recipes call for brown sugar, but I’ve found this rub is better and healthier.
And always make sure you drizzle the olive oil on first, then sprinkle my spice mix on top and rub it in.
In fact, I make up a good amount of the spice mix and keep it on hand.
I sprinkle it on other meats and sometimes over chicken or fish. Even potatoes.”
“This reads really easy. I know this recipe is something I can follow,” she said.
“The resting for five minutes after they come out of the oven is important,” Tammy told her.
“Resting any kind of meat for a few minutes lets the juices soak in. And I don’t note this on the recipe, but don’t let your baking dish be too big.
You don’t want too much space between chops, or the juice will evaporate faster, and they’ll dry out and toughen up. ”
Tammy added milk to the potatoes, as well as more salt and pepper, while Summer flipped through the cookbook. She saw recipes for everything from peach cobbler to potato salad to Texas sheet cake.
“Are you sure you want me to take this?” she asked. “What if … Chance and I don’t stay together?”
“I know you will,” Tammy predicted. “But regardless, the cookbook is yours.”
Summer decided that she would take it for now and make copies of the recipes.
Just in case she needed to return it in the future.
Chance entered the kitchen again. “It smells heavenly, Tammy. Can I do anything?”
“Grab some plates for us. Silverware and napkins are already on the table.”
Tammy didn’t bother putting anything in bowls and setting the food on the table. Instead, they spooned up food directly from the pans and bowls. Summer put crisply fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and butter beans on her plate as Tammy pulled a cookie sheet filled with biscuits from the oven.
Her stomach gurgled. “Oh, my. Those are golden brown and calling my name.”
“Butter’s on the table,” Tammy said. “Honey and syrup if you want to add that.”
Chance leaned close, his lips brushing her ear. “I like syrup on mine. I think I’d also like syrup on you.”
A hot blush flooded her cheeks. “Behave,” she said quietly, causing him to chuckle low.
Summer enjoyed the meal with the pair. Chance told her about their FaceTime interview with Zeke Benevides and his wife, Maria, and how the couple would be cooking all the meals for the ranch hands, as well as keeping the big house and bunkhouse clean.
“They’ll be bringing their two kids with them,” he said. “We’re fixing up the old cabin for them. Remember, we used to play in it when we were kids.”
“I do,” she said. “It’s great they won’t have to be in the bunkhouse with the other cowboys.” Summer looked to Tammy. “Chance says you’re leaving on Saturday.”
“Yes. The Benevides family will arrive tomorrow afternoon. I’ll help them get settled and then walk them through things on Thursday and Friday. After that, I’m eager to head to Waco and my Tommy.”
When they finished dinner, Chance said, “I’ll clean up. Just let me tell Summer goodbye.”
Tammy said, “Say your goodbyes here. I’ll walk Summer out.” She left the kitchen, giving them a moment of privacy.
Chance wrapped his arms around her, and she said, “I know how much you’re going to miss Tammy.”
“I will. She’s a mom to me. I’m just happy she’s got a chance for personal happiness now. It seems there was always a part of her which loved Tommy.”
He bent, giving her a long, slow, absolutely delicious kiss which made Summer’s head spin.
“Go,” he urged. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“I’m having dinner with Sawyer tomorrow night,” she told him. “I’m treating him to a steak dinner at Great Steak. He did me a huge favor, and I want to pay him back.”
“Then maybe after dinner?” he asked hopefully.
She laughed. “Our reservation isn’t until seven. It’ll take a good two hours probably. I know you go to bed really early.”
He looked disappointed but said, “Then I’ll call you tomorrow. I just need to hear your voice.”
Already, she craved hearing his voice. Needing his touch. Summer was tumbling, hard and fast, and knew she was already half in love with Chance.
“Okay,” she agreed.
He walked her to the door and kissed her lightly. “Bye, Badass. If I need anyone negotiating for me anytime soon, I know who to call.”
“Bye, yourself,” she said saucily, secretly pleased that he’d thought her taking a firm stance with Buzz was a turn-on.
Tammy was walking around Summer’s new SUV, admiring it. “You picked a beauty,” she said.
“I’m really pleased with it.”
Tammy smiled. “I may not see you again before I leave for Waco.” She took the cookbook Summer carried and slipped a pen from her pocket. “I’m giving you my cell number. Call if you have any questions about the recipes. Or if you just want to talk.”
“Thank you. I’d like that, Tammy.”
The older woman hugged her. “Take care of my boy, Summer.”
“I will,” she promised.
Summer drove back to Autumn and Eli’s house, riding a natural high. She had a boyfriend, one who’d kissed her a good number of times today. It was as if everything she’d dreamed of was coming true.
Autumn met her at the door, and she called for Eli. They came out to look at her new vehicle, both complimenting her on her choice. She had them get in and took them for a ride, stopping at her parents so they, too, could see her new purchase.
After she’d driven back to Autumn’s, her twin followed her upstairs, closing the door to the guestroom.
“Spill it. Everything,” Autumn said. “You look different—and I think I know why.”
Not holding back, Summer said, “I think I’m in love with Chance Blackstone.”