She stops kneading the dough and looks at me. "C'mon! You finally got some time with your cowboy and that's all you have to say?"
I walk over to the first oven, donned with my pot holders, and remove the donuts inside. Placing the sheet on the cooling rack, I pick up the finished sheet and place it in the oven. "What? It was good." I shrug, removing the large over cumbering mitts and set them on the table. She begins kneading the dough again.
"I know we aren't the best of friends yet but I was hoping for a little more excitement." She sprinkles more flour on the rolling pin and continues. "I know you're shy." She does? Am I that transparent? "Well, I mean, with guys." Okay, she has me there. I'm not sure "shy" is the correct word though. Stupid. Klutz. Idiot. Those seem more like it. She stops, flour covering her hands and forearms. "Really, Tina. You're a beautiful woman – inside and out. Any man would be lucky to have you as a girlfriend." Well, that just brought a damn tear to my eye.
"Thanks, Misty. You're so sweet to say that." My phone picks that moment to start ringing. I walk over to the desk and close my eyes at the name on the screen as I hold it up to my ear. "Hi, Mom!" I try to feign excitement when inside my stomach knots up like a pretzel.
"Tina, it's your mother." Duh, I know that. "Your father and I are coming for a visit." My eyes widen and bile rises to the base of my throat. "We want to see this country town and where you're living." No! "Of course, it's your birthday next week so we thought that would be a good time to pay you a visit."
"Oh. Oh, Mom. You don't need to do that." I wave my hand around as if she's standing in front of me. "I mean. I don't really have enough room for you all to stay with me. Besides. You wouldn't like it here. All cowboys and horses and stuff." My heart is beating against my chest. I don't feel well.
"Nonsense! We'll stay at a hotel. The town does have a hotel there, don't they?"
"Well, yeah, but...."
"Good. I'm really not looking forward to the plane ride, your father's insisting we take a commercial plane instead of our private jet. Said he wants to experience it all, even though we'll be in first class but still." She sounds so put out. Lovely. "By the way. Has Matthew Pearson called you?" Wait! What? "He's such a fine young gentleman."
"Uh, Mom."
"We were at the Pearson's the other night for a party. He was so sweet. He asked about you again."
"Earth to Mom!" I say a little louder.
"Really, Tina. There's no need to shout." She sounds exasperated. Her normal.
"You did not give my phone number to Matthew. Please tell me you didn't." It would be so like her.
"Of course I did! Seriously, I don't know why you don't give him a chance." Is she freakin' kidding me? "I just saw him at the country club with his family. Father says he plays a great game of golf." Boo-rr-ing. "He's in college, studying to be a lawyer, following his father in his field." Double boring. "You should come home." What? "You have no business being so far away on your own." Says one of the parents who used to leave me alone for a week at a time. The woman who forgot my birthday, more than once. "Seriously, Tina. Do you know how bad this looks for our family?" Now we're getting down to it. "People have been talking. A young girl moving out to the wild country, alone. It's unheard of. A scandal."
"Oh, Mom. Quit overreacting." I'm glad she can't see me rolling my eyes. I've been told, more than a million times, that's not becoming of a lady.
She sighs into the phone. "Tina. Really. What is it going to take for you to come home?" A real family? Love? Acting as if I really exist? Stop treating me like a two year old or debutante and just a girl?
"Sorry to interrupt." I look over at Misty. "There's someone here to see you." Oh? "Why didn't you tell me you had so many good lookin' friends?"
"Uh. I gotta go, Mom. Talk to you soon."
"I'll just see you next week, dear."
I open my mouth. "No...."
Click.
Dammit! I stomp the floor.
"Seriously, girl. Where do you find these guys?" I drop my phone onto the desk and look at Misty. "He's not even a cowboy!" Who in the hell is out there. Oh, my God! Surely it's not.... Letting out a huge sigh, I walk toward the doorway and out into the shop. "Grant!" He's leaning on the counter, his back to me. Suddenly, he turns and runs over, lifting me into his arms.
"Tina!"
Letting me down, his hands still grasping my arms and mine his, the excitement in his eyes warms me. "Do you need a drink? Something to eat?"
"Oh! No. I have my coffee and pastry over here." He walks over to the counter, picking up his things and I follow him over to a table in the corner. We sit down and he leans over the table and picks up my hand. "It was so good to see you last night." I nod smiling. "So.... you and Nash, huh?" My brows lower. "Oh! Sorry! I thought...."
I squeeze his hand, laughing. "Well. We're trying." His mouth lifts into a smile. "We just never seem to get time together. Alone. Something always comes up."
"Yeah. That could be frustrating," he responds but loses his smile quickly.
"But what about you? I heard you were dating someone?"
He coughs then squirms in his chair. "That was very short lived." His entire face saddens. "Caught him cheating on me."
I reach over and pat his hand. "I'm sorry, Grant. Anyone who would do that to you must be stupid as a rock." A laugh bursts from him. "You're such a great guy. Good looking. Awesome personality and so caring. Why anyone would be lucky to be with you."
He pats my hand back. "Aww! You're too kind."
I rub my hand over his, soothingly. "So you came here to get away for a bit? Wanting to take a break after getting your heart broken? Best thing you can do is be with your friends, those that love you and will be there for you."
Patting my hand back, he laughs. Ohhh-kay. How can he laugh at a time like this? Poor thing must be hysterical with grief. "Hell, no!" My brows raise. "I mean. Yes, I'm here to see all my friends but I'm also going to be looking for a house to buy. This morning, I've been talking to Larry – uh, Dr. Franklin, and Kathy, Dr. Stevenson, about sharing office space in the big house they have for their private practices. Do you know them?" Oh, my gosh! This is amazing news! I nod enthusiastically. I don't know why people would think I don't know them. I've lived here long enough and besides, I run into them when I help out at Prie's boarding house. "It's the perfect set up!" His high energy is catching as I bounce in my chair. He leans towards me like he has a big secret. "I haven't told Prie yet but I'm going to offer my services to those that need it at her boarding house too!" We both lean back in our chairs and I bounce more.
"That's amazing, Grant! She'll love that!"
"Shhhh!" He laughs. "Anyway. After I leave here, there's a cute little house that's for sale a couple blocks from where my office will be."
"Oh! Is it that one with the wrap around front porch and white picket fence all around the front and back yard?" I've looked at that house, more than once.
"Yes! It's totally perfect for me!"
"I'm so happy for you, Grant. When are you planning on moving?" He shrugs but then his entire face changes from elated and happy to confusion.
"Well...." He looks around my shop like someone will overhear the biggest secret of all time. He looks at me and lowers his voice. "As soon as I close on the house, which I'm sure will be fast, I'm going back home to finish packing." My brows raise high. "Yeah, I'd been planning on moving here for a while. I mean, all my friends are here. Anyway, I was going to see if Prie wanted to come with me and help me out. Maybe she would have a little time to see her family's graves and see some of her friends again. It could be the last time she does that for a long time. You know, with me moving here, there really isn't a big reason for her to go back there." Does he know she's pregnant? I open my mouth but shut it quickly. That's for her to tell. Besides, I still don't know if she's told Trevor yet. Surely she has. "If she doesn't have time or want to, that's fine. I just thought I'd ask her."
I start drumming my fingers on the table. "Yeah. She's pretty busy with their farm and the boarding house and all."
"I know. But I'm hopeful she'll be able to go." I nod along. I see a visit to Prie's house in my very near future. Like in a few hours since I'm scheduled to go cook at her boarding house. I think we are gonna have to have a little talk.
We talked for a while longer until the shop became really busy. By late afternoon, I leave Misty and Pam to manage the shop, knowing I'm leaving it in capable hands, and take off for Prie's boarding house. I love helping out there. Our town might be small, but it seems so many women, some with children and some alone, come from all over needing help. It's really cool and gives me such a warm feeling being a part of it. Okay, so I only cook enough to feed them for several days, nothing as important as what the doctors do when they come there, but sometimes, a few of the kids come into the kitchen and we make cookies together. I end up having more fun than actually working.