She chatted on and on about nothing in particular while I sipped my coffee—man, I needed to teach these people about brewing strong coffee—and listened with only one ear.
“So what you do think?” she asked.
I had no idea what she had asked me. “I’m sorry, what?”
“Jade, you have not been listening to a word I’ve said.”
I sighed. “I’m sorry. My mind has just been other places, I guess. What did you need?”
“I said, ‘what do you think about asparagus spears and twice-baked potatoes with our steaks tonight?’”
“Sure, that sounds great.”
“I thought I’d grill the asparagus outside along with the steaks. Have you ever had grilled asparagus? It’s to die for.”
I smiled and shook my head. “Nope. At least not that I know of.”
“Well, you’re going to love it. What do you think we should make for dessert?”
Why was she asking me? My idea of dessert was opening a carton of Ben & Jerry’s. Which sounded pretty darn good at the moment. “I don’t know. Something chocolate?”
“Yes! Perfect. I’ll make my famous French silk pie. I just hope we have all the ingredients in the pantry since the grocery stores aren’t open today. I don’t want to drive all the way to the city for graham cracker crumbs.” Marj rose and walked across the vast kitchen to the walk-in pantry. “Sugar, check. Unsweetened chocolate, check. Crumbs, check.” She came out of the pantry and walked to the fridge. “Butter, check. Eggs, check. No heavy cream. That’s okay, I can substitute this half-and-half. It will be great. And we have plenty of asparagus and ten pounds of potatoes in the pantry.” She opened the freezer and pulled out a couple packs of meat wrapped in white butcher’s paper. “And rib eyes. Jade, tonight you will eat the best steak of your life.”
I laughed. “I’ve had Steel beef before, remember? When I visited during college? And that’s exactly what you said to me then.”
She laughed. “Well, it’s still true. I’m so excited to cook.”
“You’ve been home for a while. How come you haven’t cooked?”
“Well, I love Felicia’s cooking so much. To tell you the truth, I don’t really know. I should do more cooking.”
“Have you reconsidered enrolling in culinary school?”
Marj tilted her head. “That’s my dream. But I’m expected to stay here and help with the ranch. I mean, it is one quarter mine.”
I nodded. I understood. Why should she walk away from this empire she lived on? I sure as heck wouldn’t. Here I was, saddled with loans from college and law school, and currently living off Marjorie and her daddy’s money.
I hoped I could find a job as an attorney. Until recently, I’d been planning to join the legal team at Colin’s father’s Denver satellite office. Those plans had blown up on my nonexistent wedding day.
But this wasn’t about me. It was about Marjorie.
“If that’s really your dream, why not talk to your brothers about it? Surely they’d understand.”
“Yeah, I should. It’s just easier staying here. I don’t have to worry about anything.”
Easy. Yeah, Marj did have it easy. I bit back a surge of envy. I certainly didn’t begrudge her the good fortune, but man, my life would have been a lot easier if I’d had a little money. My dad did the best he could, and I never got a penny from my mother. Her much-younger second husband had seen to that.
I finished my coffee and stood. “I’m going to shower. What time do you need me in here to start our cooking extravaganza?”
“I’d say probably around five. No, make that four. The potatoes need to bake and then bake again. Plus we’ll need to start the dessert so it can chill.”
I nodded, put my coffee cup in the sink, and walked back to my room.
And on my bed sat Talon Steel.
Chapter Eighteen
Talon
“Uh…hi,” Jade said.
“My brothers don’t want me to leave,” I said.
She shook her head. “Hi to you too. What are you doing here?”
“Are you still leaving?”
She walked to her chest of drawers, opened the top one, and pulled out a pair of underwear. I tried not to imagine the plain white cotton panties clinging to her shapely ass. What was it about plain white panties on women? God, so hot.
“No, not yet, anyway.”
“What changed your mind?” I dared to hope I had played a part in her decision.
“Nothing in particular. I mean, I took the Colorado bar, so I’ll be living somewhere in the state anyway. And I promised Marj I would try to make it work here in Snow Creek.”