AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Sorry,” she said. “I guess I’m feeling a little tender right now.” Once again, her hand was taken.
“You’re not alone, and take life each step at a time. Don’t allow it to swallow you down. Slow, tiny steps. The first being that you won’t allow those poor, hard-working men to starve.” Louise finished her tea. “I’m going to have to go and check on stuff at my house. Any time you need me, I’m a call or walk away.”
Poppy watched as Louise left. She gave the other woman a wave, and then entered the kitchen.
Food wouldn’t cook by itself, so she had to pull herself out of this pity party.
“I didn’t give birth to someone who gives up, Poppy. Don’t you ever give up, or give in. You’re a fighter. No one can ever take that away from you. Don’t let them win. Be the fighter I know you are.”
Picking her head up, she closed her eyes, counted to ten, and then opened them. Something felt … different. The pain was there, but with it something more powerful.
Her mother had had faith that she’d be able to do this, to fight the pain, and to keep on living. She had to live for her mother.
It was what she had promised her.
Gathering her hair up, she wrapped the blonde tresses into a bun, and then grabbed the recipe book. She could do this. One tiny step at a time.
Opening up the book, she selected the recipe and began. Of course, everything started with pudding, and Casey wanted to try her mother’s coconut pie.
“I’ll do this, Mom. I’ll do this for you.”
Laying the card on the counter, she ran her hand over the marble, recalling Parker’s visit to the hospital where he’d asked for her ideas on the kitchen. She’d helped to create this house. Now, she’d make it a home for the men she couldn’t have. It was the least she could do.
****
Shawn reined in his horse, securing him outside the barn where there was fresh water waiting for him. Patting the horse’s side, he made his way around the barn toward the backyard. There was already a large table spread out, with the twenty ranch hands eating. The scent of barbeque was heavy in the air.
Poppy had on an apron, and was flipping burgers at the pit. Parker had built the pit, and it had taken them days to source the right grates to put over the top. It was heavy as fuck to move and clean, but allowed for a lot of food to be cooked at once.
He moved up beside Poppy. Like so many times before, he grasped her hip and kissed her temple. “You okay?”
She pulled away and nodded. “I am. I’ve had my hands in several pounds’ worth of ground beef to make these burgers. I’ve got plenty of burger buns, and I’m all set. I’ve got onions, cheese, peppers, you name it, ready to go. I’d have done steaks and potatoes, but by the time I got started, there weren’t enough hours left.”
“Where’s Casey and Parker?” he asked.
“Getting cleaned up.”
He left her to it and entered the kitchen. Six pies lay on the counter, each one covered with a netting to keep flies and bugs away.
Casey and Parker were admiring the pies. They looked ready to devour each one.
“I take it the shopping trip this morning went off without a hitch?” Shawn asked.
“It was fine,” Casey said, standing tall. “Melissa tried to sweet-talk me into her bed again. I don’t think that woman can take a single hint.”
Shawn watched as Parker wrinkled his nose.
“She asked me for a gang bang,” Parker said. “That woman is seriously not with it.”
“She asked me if we touched and fucked each other,” Shawn said, grimacing at the thought.
“Fucking gross,” Casey said.
“I’m starving,” Shawn said, finishing up with his hands. “I’m going to eat.”
There were already three plates filled with food waiting for them. She knew them all already, and what they liked. Taking a seat at the table, he watched as she handled each of the ranch hands, filling them to the brim with her tasty food.
Tomorrow she’d be doing the lunch and dinner service, and he knew without a doubt it was going to be his favorite time of the day. Not only did he get to eat good food, he got to see her.
She wasn’t smiling yet. There was still an aura of sadness around her. Soon, she’d smile. They would all give her a reason to.
Shawn was the last one to finish, and as he gathered up the dishes, taking them into the kitchen, Poppy was already elbows deep in bubbly sink water.
She smiled at him and offered a thank you as he put the dishes in the water for her.
“I was wondering if it’ll be okay for me to take a trip to the lake before I leave tonight?”
