Page 10 of Theirs to Treasure

“Oh, Honey, they’re the lucky ones,” Butch piped up. Josie watched as the pretty blond waitress blushed.

“Butch, if Betty didn’t have you sewed up, and I didn’t have my hands full with my two husbands, I would so be knocking on your door. Now what can I get y’all to drink?”

Josie’s eyes widened at the phrase two husbands.

Betty saved her when Josie didn’t reply. “Josie’s been living in the South, so I bet sweet tea sounds good to her.” The blond waitress smiled knowingly. It seemed it wasn’t the first time she’d encountered that reaction when she’d told someone she had two husbands.

“Coming right up,” she said. “Just so you know, Jace got in some spectacular salmon from Sven today, so I recommend that. It’s not on the menu, but it’s the best.”

Josie’s gaze swung from Betty to Butch and back again after the waitress was out of earshot. “Two husbands?”

“Yep,” Betty answered. “Actually, it’s a little more common around here than you would think. It took Butch a little getting used to as well. Me, not so much. I could immediately see the attraction.” Betty grinned at Josie.

“A lot of this town was founded by fishermen and loggers from Alaska, so the population was skewed up there. When they came down, there were a few of these marriages already established,” Butch explained. “Some of the children and grandchildren of these families saw this as the norm, so they continued it. And don’t think we’re going to foster some strapping forty-year-old ‘husband’ for you, Betty. Ours is just a two-person marriage.” Butch winked at his wife.

“Does it go the other way?” Josie asked. “I mean, two women to one man?”

“I think that’s pretty limited to Utah. I haven’t seen it here in Fate Harbor,” said Betty.

The waitress brought the teas to the table, and all three of them ordered the salmon. Butch asked Josie if she had formally met Lola yet, introducing the waitress.

“I’ve been meaning to get over to your bakery, but the diner keeps me hopping. I have a proposition I want to run by you, Josie. Do you think you could stay after the dinner rush and talk to Jace, Dale, and me?”

“Sure.” Josie was curious what possible proposition the diner owners could have for her. Betty and Butch smiled, as if they already knew what was going to be proposed. When Lola left and Josie asked them, she couldn’t get them to tell her anything.

As they ate their dinner, they regaled her with tales of foster parenting, and she told them stories of raising her sisters. When they asked questions about her mother, she deflected them, which they respected. She noticed that they talked a lot about all the children they fostered, but the ones they mentioned most often were her and Chance, as well as four others named Olivia, Brianna, Sam, and Flynn.

Finally, the dinner rush slowed almost to a stop, and the two men came out from the kitchen and towered over the booth where Betty, Butch, and Josie sat. Lola came over and stood between them. They each put an arm around her.

Butch stood up and shook hands, introducing each man to Josie. “Josie, this ugly man on the left is Jace Hart. You can tell because he is just a little bit taller than his brother, Dale.”

“Actually, they were in the shop earlier but we didn’t get a chance to meet.” Josie tried to stand up, but it was difficult since she was seated between Butch and Betty in the booth.

“Josie, you don’t have to get up,” Dale said, smiling.

“We’re really hoping you can help us out. Well, actually, I’m hoping you can help me out,” Jace said.

“Believe me, it would help all of us out,” Lola said. “Jace does all the baking, and he hates it. We tried one of your amazing pies and we’re hoping we can purchase baked goods from you. We’ll stop baking our pies, and just purchase everything from you. You can upcharge us to any price you want.”

“Anything, so long as I don’t have to bake anymore. I know it would probably put more of a burden on you, and you might have to bring on part-time help, but I’m sick of it, and people expect baked goods at a diner.” Jace sent her one of the most charming smiles she had ever seen. Lola sure had her hands full.

Josie was excited, and it wasn’t because this man was flirting with her. This would really be a boon to her business. She turned to look at Butch and Betty who just sat there, smiling at her. They were obviously not surprised by this turn of events.

“Please, Josie, it would really make Jace easier to live with.” Lola smiled at her.

Josie thrust out her hand. “There will be no upcharge. This will definitely be a great opportunity for my business.”

“Thank God. But you won’t be doing that before the school carnival in a few weeks. Instead you’ll be cursing my name, and I’ll be fine with that!” Jace gave a heartfelt sigh of relief. “I hated carnival time.”

“Not as much as we hate being around you at carnival time,” Lola said.

Chapter 6

Josie watched as Sam Booth ran toward her. He was easy to recognize since she’d ogled him at the three classes they’d shared at the yoga studio. There was something very distinctive about the way he held himself, and really, who could miss that chest and those legs?

Josie didn’t bother getting up from her kneeling position—it was too comfortable on the grassy knoll and she knew he’d be gone in just a moment.

“Hi, Sam,” she called out with a smile in her voice.