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You realize that’s just an excuse, right?
He did. He wasn’t ready to give up on Ruth just yet. And tasting her cheese was at least a step in the right direction. Even if it did taste a little…gamey. The goat cheese dishes they served at the tavern weren’t all that terrific, even with Peaches doing the cooking.
He was pretty sure Tim Stanton didn’t buy his goat cheese from the Salty Goat. If there was such a thing as cheap-ass goat cheese, Stanton probably used it.
The Salty Goat was moderately busy, even though it was close to two in the afternoon when he showed up. Since this was one of the days Liam didn’t go to work until four, he had plenty of time. He found a seat at a café table at the side of the room. After a short wait, a waitress appeared at his elbow. “What can I get you?”
“Is there a menu?”
The waitress gestured toward a chalkboard on the wall. “That’s it.”
He squinted. The burgers were out since they featured cheddar. Ruth didn’t make that. Several of the other sandwiches looked like they had goat cheese, but he wasn’t sure. “What do you recommend?”
The waitress shrugged. “Everything’s okay. If you like cheese.”
“Take the grilled tomato sandwich,” a voice to his left said. “It’s good. I’ll make it myself.”
At first, he thought the voice might belong to Ruth, but it seemed a little high-pitched. He turned and saw Carol standing behind him with her hands on her hips.
Do not annoy her daughter. She might tell her mom. “Okay. Sounds good. And a glass of iced tea.”
The waitress made a note and departed. Carol headed over to the deli counter, then disappeared through a door that led to the kitchen. He wasn’t sure if there were any rules about children serving as cooks in restaurants, but there might be exceptions for the children of the owners. He knew lots of chefs who’d grown up cooking in their mothers’ and fathers’ kitchens.
The waitress reappeared a few moments later with his iced tea then moved on to bigger tables that might provide bigger tips. Liam leaned back in his chair, wondering just how long the sandwich would take to make.
Not long, as it turned out. Carol emerged from the kitchen a few minutes later, carrying a plate in one hand. She set it in front of him, then dropped into the chair on the opposite side of the table.
Liam narrowed his eyes. “Are you checking to see if I’ll like it?”
Carol shrugged. “You’ll like it. Those are tomatoes from the farmer’s market. And my mom’s goat cheese is premium. The potato salad isn’t much, but we didn’t make that. Try a bite of the sandwich.”
He frowned but picked up the sandwich, taking a quick taste. His taste buds were immediately assaulted by a variety of sensations—the sweet acid of the tomatoes, the crispness of the olive oil on the grilled bread, the faint fragrance of fresh basil, and beneath it all, the remarkable, slightly sour, slightly creamy taste of the goat cheese.
All in all, it was one of the more extraordinary bites he’d ever had in his life. “Wow.”
Carol nodded briskly. “Told you.”
He took a couple more bites in quick succession, then paused. Was she going to sit and watch him eat his lunch? “Great sandwich. Thanks for the recommendation.” Now, please go away.
Carol gave him a long look. “We need to talk.”
“We do?” We don’t. If she didn’t want him pursuing her mother, he didn’t want to know about it.
She nodded. “Do you want to date my mother?”
Right. He took another bite. If this was going to turn into an interrogation, he at least wanted to finish the best thing he’d tasted for quite a while. “Why do you want to know?”
Carol waved an impatient hand. “You do. I know you do. I can help.”
Liam stared at her. That was pretty much the last thing he’d expected her to say. “Why?”
“I’ve got my reasons. Do you want my help or not?”
He paused to consider the question. He wasn’t having a whole lot of luck on his own. “Sure.”
Carol nodded decisively. “Okay, good. I’ll be in touch.”
Liam frowned. “What’s wrong with now?” If she was going to give him the key to attracting Ruth’s attention, he’d rather they got to it immediately.
