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Genevieve’s eyes gleamed. “We have dessert?”
“From Cloud Puffs,” Willow said, naming the local bakery.
“Death by Chocolate.”
“Well.” Genevieve set down her fork and sat back in her chair. For Willow to bring out the chocolate—serious chocolate at that—whatever news she had to share wasn’t good. “Okay. I’m not waiting any longer. Tell me what’s happened to upgrade this conversation from overdue to a calorie bombing? What do I need to know about Andy?”
Tears filled her daughter’s big blue eyes and overflowed to spill silently down her cheeks.
Genevieve grabbed a tissue from the box at the end of the bar and handed it to Willow, who said, “Mom, it’s bigger than just Andy. I hardly know where to start. ”
Gage and Noah set the final fence post at three o’clock on Friday afternoon. By five, as the Triple T Ranch work utility vehicle Gage drove approached Noah’s place, the older man observed, “I’m so hungry that my belt buckle is rubbing against my backbone.”
“I offered you half of one of my sandwiches at lunch,” Noah replied.
“If you didn’t need two, you wouldn’t have brought two. I needed you to work harder than I needed to fill my old man’s belly. I wanted to finish up today. That said, I wouldn’t object if you could find an apple for me in your house when we get there. Or maybe a hunk of bread. A side of beef.”
Noah grinned. “How about beef stew and biscuits? I put it all in the Crock-Pot this morning before you picked me up.”
“Son, you are a king among men.”
Noah grinned, something he’d been doing a lot this past week. Working alongside Gage and talking about everything and nothing to pass the time had been a catharsis neither man had expected, but it was clear both were better for it.
Now that they were back at his place, and since Gage had expressed his hunger so eloquently, Noah saw to getting food served right away.
“You’re a good cook,” Gage observed. “This is mighty fine beef stew.”
“Learning to cook is part of the job when you’re working in a firehouse. Firefighters like tasty, simple food and lots of it. Beef stew was always a basic.”
“Well, me and my belly thank you.” Gage patted his stomach with both hands. “I was getting… What’s that term the kids use when being hungry makes them cranky?”
“Hangry.Hungryandangrycombined.”
“That’s it. Hangry no more,” the older man declared with satisfaction. “Right now, I’m happy as a dog with two tails. Work’s done. Belly’s full.”
Noah grinned. “Can I get you anything else?”
“Actually, you can. Got any whiskey around here, Tannehill?”
“I keep bourbon.” Noah gestured toward a cabinet.
Gage nodded with satisfaction. “Pour me a glass, and then go show me these puppies you keep trying to push off on me.”
“I can do that.”
Noah poured two glasses and led the rancher out to the workshop.
“I’ve enjoyed working with you, Noah,” Gage said as they stepped inside and Noah flipped on the lights. “I’ll admit it. I hate to see this time end. We will have to… whoa…” He gazed around the workshop. “You do some serious work here. This is a well-equipped shop.”
“It’s good for my mental health to get out and work with my hands. This workshop saved me. It’s only been lately that my leg has healed to the point to allow me to work like I have with you the past week.”
Gage nodded toward the shelving along one wall. “These are the fire-training dollhouses you told me about?”
“Yes,” Noah confirmed.
“Interesting.” He flicked a slide open and shut. “I’d like to see a demonstration sometime.”
“I can arrange that.”
