But she knew from Andy that today’s injuries had been minor and they’d caught the drunk rider before he could hurt anybody else. So maybe he was just tired and hot. And hungry, since their silverware was still wrapped.
“We had to do some errands in town and you know how I love to talk. And then we went to the market and Fran talked Laney’s ear off.”
That had been both of them, not just Fran, but Laney hadn’t minded. The Whitford General Store and Service Station was owned by Butch and Fran Benoit, with Fran running the store and Butch taking care of the gas pumps and oil changes, along with the occasional tow. Laney had been in there several times, but it wasn’t until she went in with Rosie that she got to find out just how much Fran loved having company at the store during the day.
“You boys enjoy your dinner,” Rosie said, which was Laney’s cue they were going to start moving again.
“It was nice to meet you, Jimmy,” she said. “I’m sure I’ll run into you again soon, Ben.”
“Seems that way,” he said, and this time when he smiled it reached his eyes.
Laney was glad Rosie walked to the empty table farthest from Ben and his brother. She wasn’t sure how well she’d be able to concentrate on whatever lists she was supposed to be helping Rosie with if she could hear Ben’s voice. The problem, though, was that the booths made an L-shape following the coffee counter—except for an opening to the back dining room and restrooms—and she could see his back in her peripheral vision.
So she saw when Jimmy glanced at her and then leaned across the table with a grin on his face to say something to Ben. And she saw Ben try to cuff him upside the head, but his brother was too fast. And she heard them both laugh.
“I hope you don’t mind me dragging you all over town,” Rosie said after they’d ordered, which had taken longer than usual, since it required an introduction to Tori. She was married to Max, who she’d met at the ATV club meeting.
“Of course not. And you’re not exactly dragging me. It’s nice to get out and meet people sometimes. I’m not sure how much help I’ll be with your lists, though.”
That made Rosie laugh. “Oh, I don’t really need help with any lists.”
“Oh.” She was confused because, besides errands, working on the lists in peace and quiet was the excuse Rosie had given everybody for why they’d flown the coop.
“I just wanted to get away for a while and the easiest way to do that is to give them a believable reason. If I said I didn’t feel like making them supper and they could eat leftovers or sandwiches for a night, or that I wanted different walls to look at, they’d start wondering if I don’t feel well or if there’s something wrong.”
“That makes sense in a sneaky kind of way.”
“I’ve spent most of my life taking care of that house and the family in it but trust me, I know how to take care of me, too.” She paused and then gave a little shrug. “Okay, so I tried to hide pneumonia and I’m still adjusting to having you helping me, but I know how to get a night off.”
“Everybody needs a break now and then.”
“And that’s why you’re here with me. I get the sense you’re going to have trouble letting us know you want a day off or a few hours to yourself because there aren’t really any set hours. So I brought you with me to show you how it’s done.”
Laney laughed. “So if I tell you I need to find a place to work on some lists, you’ll know I’ve run off to have some fun.”
“Exactly.”
They did talk about Rosie’s lists while they ate cheeseburgers and fries, though. They went over where the family members would all be in the campground—who had campers, who would be in the cabins and the older kids in tents—which made Laney’s head spin. Some had babies and toddlers and they discussed the pros and cons of putting them near each other. On the one hand, their parents would be more tolerant of crying children. On the other, if the crying children got other children crying, it could be a mess.
“Maybe, other than need based on the size of the campers, we should let them figure that part out,” Laney suggested.
“I guess you’re right. But they’ll all be arriving at different times, so it would be so much easier if we already knew where everybody was going.”
“Have you talked to Mary about it?” Laney paused, frowning and reaching for the notebook so she could see the names. “That’s Josh’s aunt, right? The grandmother of all the babies?”
“Yes, that’s Mary. And don’t try to memorize this list ahead of time,” Rosie told her. “You’ll just give yourself a headache. It’ll be a lot easier when everybody’s here and you have faces, trust me. And not only have they been doing these annual camping trips for years, but they all feel right at home here, so those two weeks should actually be easier for you.”
“I don’t know if being in charge of the happiness of my boss’s entire family will be easy, but at least I shouldn’t have to help them hook up their sewer lines.” She gave an exaggerated shudder to make Rosie laugh, but Andy showing her how that was done hadn’t been one of her favorite days at the Northern Star.
“Honey, you’re working yourself up for nothing. We raised those kids right and there’s not one of them who can’t fend for themselves, and they know if anybody tries to throw their weight around with you because of the last name, they’ll get Mary’s wooden spoon upside the head.” Rosie nodded. “And yes, she keeps extras in her RV for these trips.”
Even as she smiled at the visual of a woman smacking a grown man with a wooden spoon, in her peripheral vision, Laney saw Ben and Jimmy sliding out of their booth. Ben, probably stiff after the day he’d had, stretched and her self-control failed her. She turned her head to watch him and all she could do was hope she made no audible sounds of appreciation as the muscles in his arms flexed.
He spoke to a couple of people on his way out, but right before he got to the door, he turned and looked back. His eyes met hers and he smiled before giving her a wave.
Laney waved back and then turned her attention back to her last few fries as he walked out the door, hoping Rosie wasn’t going to make a big deal out of it. Maybe older women in small towns all being obsessed with matchmaking was a stereotype and she wouldn’t have to explain to Rosie why she wasn’t going to date Ben or anybody else while she was in Whitford.
Rosie did give her a speculative look, but then she flipped to a clean sheet in her notebook. “I know Mary will make sure they all bring enough food for an army, but let’s make a list of extra supplies and staples we should have on hand. And maybe some activities for the younger kids.”
