“Hell, yeah.”
“Miranda was just teasing me about it,” she says. “I’ve only been here five weeks and I spent two of them working long hours in Fort Worth. It’s been too busy for me to think, let alone shop, but it’s on the list. I shall give up my city slicker footwear for some proper cowgirl boots.”
“Now you’re talking. Dallas or Fort Worth are the best place for you to buy them.”
“Next time I’m there, I’ll make sure to grab a pair.”
“I can take you,” I say without thinking.
She looks up at me and smiles. “Really?”
“I’m a gentleman like that.”
“That’s the only reason?”
“That, and I’d love to spend an afternoon with you, Carina.”
She lowers her eyes to her feet for a beat. “Did you really come back looking for me?”
“I did. Why would I lie?”
Her eyes sparkle. “It’s surreal.”
“I couldn’t last week with the new job and all, but the week before that, I did. I even stopped by Happy Belly to get my fill of their Spitfire Philly Cheesesteak sandwich. Damn that thing is incredible. Imagine my disappointment when April told me the chef who prepares them was out of town.”
She stops in her tracks, forcing me to do the same.
“What’d I say?”
“I’m the chef. That’s my recipe.”
“No way. You came up with those?”
“It’s an old family recipe. My family has a few restaurants in New York. We’ve been in the food business for four generations. Nonna Ludovica’s parents started the first restaurant after they moved from Philly to New York. My family are purist—don’t mess with perfection. I shook things up and that’s what landed me on Food Network’sBest Sandwich Evercompetition. Riley was one of the judges, and now, I get to work at Happy Belly for a year as part of my prize.”
“That’s quite the story, and you’re one hell of a cook.”
“Thanks. I love to cook and I hope it’s reflected in my food.”
“Trust me, it is,” I say. “One bite and I was seduced.”
“I’m pleased.”
“C’mon. We’re not far.” I grab her hand, lacing my fingers with hers. “It’s nothing fancy, but we won’t have to shout at each other over the music as the decibels go up.” I steer us towards one of the barns before rounding it.
I pass the covered outdoor staff eating area. It’s setup with a large screen TV, couches, tables, chairs, and benches. The indoors game room is something else. There’s a Samsung “The Wall” TV that cost as much as the price of a house in a small town. That blew my mind. Right outside of it, there’s a firepit for cooler months. During the winter months, we all retreat inside a large staff barn. Jake and Hunter know how to treat us well.
She glances up at me. “We’re going to the firepit with blue glass rocks?”
“How did you know?”
“I live on the ranch in one of the small houses over there.” She points.
“You mean where some of the ranch hands live?”
She nods.
Well, hell.
