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“I don’t want my mom to see me talking to you. It might make her suspicious.” Carol pushed up from the table. “I’ll find you later.” She headed back behind the counter, disappearing through the kitchen door once again.
Liam shook his head. The whole experience with Carol had been somewhat surreal, sort of like Rumpelstiltskin suddenly popping up beside his table and disappearing in a puff of smoke. Then again, Carol wouldn’t have much use for his first-born child.
He finished the sandwich, then licked his fingers, once again marveling at the complex interplay of flavors. He’d never tasted cheese like this before. He was pretty sure it was way beyond ordinary.
The other door behind the counter opened and Ruth appeared, wearing the same outfit Bec wore when she made cheese—white overalls with a white beanie and hairnet. She carried a basket of cheese logs that were probably destined for the take-out cooler at the far end of the counter. She stopped dead in her tracks when she saw him.
“Oh. Hello.”
He nodded, giving her his most affable smile. Nothing to be concerned about here, ma’am. “Hi. You make great sandwiches.”
Ruth looked a little flummoxed. He hoped it was the result of seeing him rather than the conversation. “Is that the grilled tomato?”
He nodded. “Carol whipped it up for me. She said I’d like it. She was right.”
“Carol?” Ruth frowned. “I didn’t know she was making sandwiches.”
“She did a great job,” he said quickly. If the kid was going to be helping him, he intended to return the favor.
“Good.” Ruth looked thoughtful, as if it hadn’t occurred to her that Carol could actually help out in the kitchen.
“Bec told me to try your goat cheese. I hadn’t had the chance up until now. It’s excellent.”
“Bec used to take some home with her. Didn’t you ever get a chance to try hers?”
His affable smile curdled slightly. “Bec and I weren’t communicating much for a while.” Unless you counted screaming arguments as communication, which he didn’t.
Ruth nodded. “Right. I remember.”
“Anyway, this cheese is great. You ought to sell some to Tim Stanton. The stuff he’s using at the tavern is pretty bad.”
Ruth grimaced. “Tim’s never been interested in buying from me. Unless I was willing to give him a steep discount, which I can’t afford to do. I’m selling to other restaurants in town but not Black Mountain Tavern.”
“Tim’s never been good at being able to see beyond his immediate bottom line.” Liam popped the last bite of sandwich into his mouth. He might have licked the plate if Ruth hadn’t been standing there.
Standing. “Please, join me.” He gestured toward the chair Carol had vacated. “Take a break.”
Ruth glanced down at the basket of cheese in her arms, then gave him a rueful grin. “Thanks, but I can’t just now. I’ve got cheese working in the back and a ton of other stuff to do.”
The door to the kitchen swung open and a large woman walked out. Liam didn’t think he’d ever seen her before. She wore an apron wrapped around her waist and a regulation hairnet over her hair. Her cheeks were pink from the heat of the stove, and her eyes were flashing. She had short order cook written all over her. She also looked like someone who was thoroughly pissed.
Liam, who’d had lots of experience with short order cooks in his time, pissed and otherwise, leaned back in his chair, trying not to get in her way.
“You didn’t tell me your daughter was going to be working in my kitchen.” The cook folded her arms across her chest, narrowing her eyes at Ruth.
Liam frowned. It wasn’t exactly the cook’s kitchen, seeing as how the deli belonged to Ruth, but cooks could be territorial.
“Carol didn’t discuss it with me, but it’s all right for her to help out. You said you didn’t like doing the grilled tomato and goat cheese. That’s what she made.” Ruth sounded slightly harassed but stood by her guns.
The cook’s eyes stayed narrow. “I don’t mind if you make those sandwiches, but I don’t want a kid getting in my way. It’s dangerous. I don’t like kids in my kitchen.”
