Chapter Nineteen
Rick
The next morning, Rick got up before Kaylee and headed to the grocery store.
As soon as it opened, he grabbed a cart and started down the aisles, hitting the dairy section first. When he stopped in front of the empty slot of eggnog, he looked around for a worker, finally spotting a short man in a black apron.
“Excuse me, do you have any Darigold eggnog?”
The guy stopped, and his mustache twitched like it powered his brain. “I’ll have to go look in the back and check. It goes fast.”
“So I’ve heard. Thanks. I appreciate it.”
The man disappeared through two swinging doors, and Rick stood there, waiting in front of the milk case.
The guy came out with one carton a few moments later. “You’re in luck. I got a shipment in this morning.”
“Could I buy more than one?”
The man’s eyes narrowed. “Are you a reseller?”
“What?” Rick spluttered.
“Are you buying eggnog just to resell it?” the clerk said slowly.
Rick couldn’t believe that was even something to worry about. “People buy eggnog and resell it?”
“This kind of eggnog, they do. Last year, we had a shortage. People ran out before Christmas, and it was a big deal.” The man’s mustache frowned, and it was the strangest thing he’d ever seen. Tom Selleck would be jealous. “We don’t want angry customers because we ran out.”
“No, I am not trying to resell eggnog; I want to make a friend happy.”
The man’s face lit up, and Rick could have sworn the mustache had a life of its own. It lifted and curled along with his lips. “Oh, well, in that case, how many do you want?”
“How about four?”
“All right, I’ll be right back.”
Rick picked up a coffee cake from a nearby table while he waited and put it in the cart.
He didn’t usually have sweets in the morning, but the smell of cinnamon in the air was making his mouth water.
Whatever they were making back there in the bakery smelled so good, and he realized that he hadn’t eaten breakfast. He probably shouldn’t have gone shopping while he was hungry.
The mustache man, whose name tag read Sean, placed the four cartons into Rick’s cart and asked, “Will there be anything else?”
“No, thanks, I appreciate it.”
Before Rick could walk away, the guy snapped his fingers and asked, “Say, aren’t you Kaylee’s friend, the one from college?”
Rick’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. Word really did travel fast in a small town. “Yeah, that’s me.”
“I thought so. We don’t have many people who are familiar with Darigold. Most of them just think eggnog is eggnog.”
“Honestly, I would’ve been one of those people had Kaylee not pointed out to me how good this stuff is.”
“Yeah, the tourists come in and buy what’s cheap. We don’t usually put it out when there’s an influx. We save it for the locals.”
“I can understand. Thanks again for your help.”
“Good morning, gentleman,” a shaky, elderly voice called, followed by the tap of a cane. Rick turned around to find a woman with silver curls and a stooped back hobbling toward them, her cane hitting the floor with unnecessary force.
“Good morning, Jolene,” Sean said, backing away slowly.
“Sean.” The guy seemed relieved when the old woman swung Rick’s way and Sean disappeared into the back again.
Her shrewd expression swept over him. “Young man, who are you?”
“My name is Rick Diaz.”
“I’m Jolene, and I’d appreciate it if you’d let me accompany you while you shop.”
Something about her tone made him think this wasn’t a request. “Sure, Jolene, I’m just getting a few more things. Mostly snacks.”
“You should get a few steaks and potatoes.” She patted his arm before falling into step beside him as he pushed the cart, her cane tapping away as they moved. “Handsome guy like you needs to eat protein.”
“Believe me, I eat a lot of protein.” He nodded toward two men who spotted them coming and practically flung themselves down an aisle to hide. “Do you scare everyone in town?”
“Just the young ones. They’re afraid I might set them up with their future wife.” She cackled loudly, and a few people turned, saw her, and hurried away.
“Come again?”
She pulled a card out of her blouse pocket and handed it to him.
“I’m a matchmaker. My ancestors came over from Ireland, and they would match lonely ranchers and miners with women who wanted to go west or were immigrating to America.
This town was built on arranged marriages, and I’ve managed to make quite a few love matches in my time. ”
Rick smiled. “You’re not getting any ideas about me, are you?”
“I think you’re well on your way to finding what you’re looking for,” she said cryptically, and Rick frowned.
“It’s not love that I’m looking for.” It’s justice.
“Sometimes, even when we’re not looking for something, we find it.”
Rick didn’t argue with the older woman because he didn’t think it would do any good. When they finished shopping and reached the front of the store, Rick recognized Austin from the town meeting as he approached Jolene, frowning. “Grandma. I’ve been looking for you everywhere.”
“I was just doing some shopping with my new friend, Rick.” Jolene waved her hand between them, adding, “Rick, this is my grandson, Austin. This is Rick. He’s a friend of Kaylee’s.”
Austin shook Rick’s hand. “It’s nice to meet you. Grandma, we really need to go. We’re going to be late for your appointment.”
“All right, dear. I’ll see you soon, Rick,” she said, letting her grandson take her arm and lead her toward the door.
Rick checked out, thinking how strange it was that Jolene didn’t have any qualms about doling out advice like a stick of gum.
He’d seen this kind of behavior in TV and movies, but in the town he grew up in, there were no matchmaking efforts or people looking out for one another.
It was more like “Mind your own business” or “snitches get stitches.”
His upbringing led him to pursue a career in law enforcement, which eventually led him to the FBI.
Before she died, his abuela’s identity had been stolen, and the thieves had racked up thousands of dollars in purchases.
It was one of the reasons his mom had been so determined to sell everything, including her house, because by the time they realized what had happened, creditors were coming after them for the money.
They’d gotten it sorted out, but they hadn’t been able to catch all the people who had run his favorite person’s credit into the ground.
Rick loaded up his groceries and headed back to Kaylee’s house. When he walked through the door with his bags, Pumpkin started chirping until he realized it was Rick, and then he stopped.
“Oh, so now we’re not friends anymore because I touched your mama?”
The guinea pig chattered in response.
Kaylee came out of the back bedroom in a red long-sleeved dress and black boots that stopped just below her knees. The dress hugged her chest and waist, flaring out at the hips. The collar was gathered at the neck, and she’d curled her hair—the rich, brown waves brushed forward.
Red is definitely her color.
When she spotted the grocery bags, Kaylee tilted her head to the side. “What’s all this?”
“You told me to get my own groceries, so I did.”
She peeked in the closest bag, frowning. “This is a lot of groceries for just a few days’ stay.”
“I’m not only staying a few days. I’m in this for the long haul.”
She huffed. “You are so difficult.”
He pulled out a carton of Darigold, and her eyes flared wide. “You got more eggnog?”
“I felt bad drinking all yours, so I got you four containers.”
“Four containers?” she squealed. “They let you buy four containers? They’re gonna think you’re a reseller!”
Rick laughed, shaking his head. “What is it with people and reselling? I do not understand how you resell eggnog. Who the heck buys it from a secondary source? That’s just gross.”
“You’d be surprised how desperate people get over this eggnog.” She took one of the cartons from him, holding it against her chest. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” Rick said, removing the other three from the bags. “I would appreciate it if I got at least a glass out of one of these four jugs. It really was very good.”
“I might consider sharing.” Kaylee put it inside the fridge, then closed the door. Before he could blink, she’d crossed the room, stood on her tiptoes, and kissed the underside of his jawline, which was the only thing she could reach. “It was sweet of you to replace it. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” he said gruffly, his jaw still warm where her lips were.
Kaylee started for the door, and he asked, “Where are you off to?”
“Book club,” she said.
“A book club on a Sunday?” Is that devil-red dress giving me impure thoughts? “Is this a Bible book club?”
“No, why would you think that?” she said, her hand on her cocked hip.
“Because I always thought people went to church in small towns.”
Kaylee shrugged. “Most of us attend the early service, and then the husbands take the kids to the ten o’clock service so we can be alone.”
“Wait, you went to the early service?”
“No, I didn’t wake up in time.” She grabbed her coat and tote bag off the hook by the door and gave him a little wave. “Enjoy your groceries.”
“Wait!” He removed all the refrigerated items when she hesitated and put them in the fridge haphazardly.
“Yes?” she asked, her feet still scooting toward the door.
“What is the book you’re reading for this month’s club?”
“We meet every week, and we each pick a theme. We choose different books to read that correlate with that theme, and then we share our thoughts, and sometimes, we trade books when we’re done.”
Rick took a few steps closer. “And what is the theme this week?”
“Santa Claus.”
He chuckled. “What book did you pick?”
“I’m not telling you!”
“Why?”
To his surprise and delight, she waggled her eyebrows and spoke in a British accent. “Because it’s naughty, and you’ll make fun of me.”
“No, I won’t. Show me.” He abandoned the rest of his groceries and came around the table, looking Kaylee over for where she might be hiding the book.
“It’s already in my bag, ready to go. Now, leave me alone,” she said, shrugging into her jacket.
“Fine, but you can’t hide from me forever.” He steepled his fingers, tapping them together like a supervillain. “After all, I’ll be here when you get back.”
“I’m surprised you’re not trying to follow me to book club.”
“Actually, that’s not a bad idea.” He quickly finished putting the groceries away and grinned. “Let’s go.”
“No, Rick, you’re not going with me to book club.” He ignored her, whistling on his way out the door as she continued yelling, “Rick? Rick!”
Even though this was supposed to be a job, Rick hadn’t had this much fun in years.