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It sat on a high shelf against the back wall, plugged in. Tonight’s concert was Dragon Bones and Cowboys Named Jones, and while she’d not heard their music before, several patrons of the lodge had come specifically to see this concert. Maddy loved the summer concerts here at the ranch, and the only thing better than watching the stage with bright, bright lights would be if Kyle was there to hold her while she danced to the music.
She checked to see if any more customers were approaching, and when she found the coast to be clear, she dialed Kyle. His phone rang, and Maddy turned her back on the window. Her nerves laced through her body, but she told herself to calm down. Whatever he said would be fine. If he hadn’t been able to negotiate the contract, she’d make him his favorite food for his return to the ranch tomorrow. If he had signed the contract, she’d make him his favorite food for his return to the ranch tomorrow.
“Hey,” he said a bit breathless. “I only have a few minutes.”
“Sorry I couldn’t answer. There were a million people waiting for ice cream.”
“It’s fine.” He drew in a breath. “I signed the contract, Maddy. They gave me everything I wanted.”
She laughed, his words making her feel free for some reason. “That’s great, Kyle. Congratulations.”
He started to laugh too, and Maddy joined him again. “I’m just so relieved it’s done,” he said.
“Me too. You feel good about it?”
“You know what? I do. I feel really good about it.”
She grinned and turned to face the window. A man stood there, and she startled. “Oh, I have a customer.”
“I’ll be back to the ranch by three,” he said.
“I’ll have dinner on the table by four,” she said. “Come by whenever you want after that.”
“Thanks, Maddy. I can’t wait to see you.”
She had soft, wonderful things to say to him too, but not with the guy still staring at her. “See you tomorrow,” she said. She lowered her phone and let Kyle end the call. “Sorry about that. My boyfriend is out of town, and I haven’t spoken to him in a while.” She tucked her phone into her apron pocket. “What can I get for you?”
“Your number,” he said. “I don’t travel, and maybe you need a new boyfriend.” He grinned at her the way she imagined a wolf looked at a lamb.
She cocked her head. “You don’t travel? So you drove out here to the Texas Longhorn Ranch from town to get ice cream?” She surveyed the six flavors in front of her. One of them had been made at that morning’s ice cream demo, but the concoctions weren’t anything special. “Seems odd. I’ve heard the Baskin Robbins in town is to die for.”
The cowboy’s cocky grin slid from his face. “I’ll have the chocolate.”
Maddy reached for her scoop, wanting to say more. She held her tongue and scooped the man’s ice cream, handed it to him, and took his five-dollar bill. “Enjoy,” she said.
Thankfully, he left without saying anything else, and Maddy returned her attention to her phone. Kyle had texted with,I’ll be at your place right at four, okay? What are you making for dinner?
It’s a surprise, she typed out, her smile wide and feeling good on her face. You know how I love a good surprise.
Oh, I know, he said, and she could hear the dryness in his tone.
She grinned and giggled, and then she started planning the perfect welcome-home meal for him.
* * *
The following afternoon,Maddy lifted the lid on the grill in the common area of the ranch. The steaks had perfect diamond-seared shapes on them, and she pressed on the thickest one with her thumb. “Almost done,” she said to herself. At three-forty in the afternoon, she had the picnic area to herself. No one had claimed any tables, and the other three grills stood cold and unused.
She didn’t have a grill at her house, and in her opinion—as well as everyone in Texas—the only way to eat a steak was grilled. Her mother had pan-fried them once, but Maddy never wanted to repeat that experience.
She had baking potatoes at her cabin, and she needed to get back there and get them out of the salt crust. She had prepped all the toppings after lunch, as she had a painting class this morning and then not another one until tonight, right before the concert. She wasn’t working the ice cream booth today either, and she couldn’t wait to see Kyle.
Surely he was back to the ranch by now, but she just hadn’t seen him. She wanted their reunion to be private, thus why she’d invited him to an early dinner. After that, he’d have to deal with that night’s band, dinner service at the lodge, and then the actual concert.
She pulled the steaks from the grill and flipped off the flame. She put the tent of aluminum foil over them, starting their resting period, and hurried to her car.
At her cabin, she put the steaks on the counter and pulled the sheet pan with the potatoes from the oven. She broke open the tin foil around those and cracked the hard, crusted salt away from the veggies. This made them creamy and delicious, and she couldn’t wait to slice into it and add sour cream, butter, cheese, broccoli, and bacon.
All of those toppings sat ready, and she put the freed potatoes next to them. She surveyed the spread on the counter and spun to the fridge. “Sweet tea.” She got that out of the fridge and set the heavy glass pitcher at the end of the counter.
