It was similar in style to Luke’s, a large, ranch-style, with rocking chairs swinging happily on the wrap-around porch.
“Thanks, Hank.”
I was just pulling the last item out of a bag when a large bus pulled up the lane and parked, and a group of giggling girls came streaming out. I watched as Luke talked to the scout leader, then raised his hand and pointed to me, then the barn, then the closed-off area where the horses often trained.
The girls were lined up single file and brought over to the tables.
“Good morning, ladies,” I said, oddly nervous at my first time in this new role. “You have your choice of breakfast items. Hot food is on this table, and cold food is on that one. All of the drinks are in the coolers at the end. Please let me know if you have any questions, or need anything.”
I watched as the girls walked through and picked out their items, refilling once they were done, and the ranch hands began to migrate toward the food.
The men were all respectful and thankful, some giving me a quick smile, while others watched me curiously. A few of them were quite handsome, although I couldn’t help but compare them to Luke, who won out in the hot cowboy competition, hands down.
The hot cowboy himself sauntered over to me with a grin on his face and said, “Thanks again, Belle. I can’t tell you how pleased I’ve been with your work since you’ve come to us.”
Pride ran through me at his words, and I grinned when he winked and moved on toward his men. I watched him out of the corner of my eye as I cleaned up around the tables. He was laughing at something his father said, and I couldn’t contain my answering smile.
He looked really good when he laughed.
“Something caught your fancy?”
I jumped guiltily at being caught staring, and blushed when I turned to see Jones leaning against a wood beam, grinning wickedly at me.
“Oh, hey, Jones,” I stammered, ignoring his insinuation. “I didn’t expect to see you this morning.”
He pushed off and walked closer, his hair blowing wildly in the wind.
“I usually come help out whenever the ranch has an event. I can pass it off as community service with the job, which they like, but really like having an excuse to eat good food, and spend the day outdoors playing with the horses.”
“That’s nice,” I said lamely, then lifted the lid off of the eggs. “Are you hungry?”
“Yeah, I’ll make a plate … but first, I have a huge favor to ask.”
I looked up at him, puzzlement showing on my face.
“You do?”
I couldn’t imagine what I could do for him.
“Yeah, and it’s short notice,” he began, schooling his features to look beguilingly bashful. “You see, we’ve got this new client and my bosses want me to wine and dine them … and if I do, and land the account, there’s a sizeable promotion in it for me. I’d like to hire your services, for Friday night. It would be a small dinner, for six, at my place. I’ll buy all the food and have the house ready, and I’ll even pay you extra, it being last minute and all. What do ya say?”
I thought about his request, the wheels spinning in my head. I’d been saving up all of my money from Luke, which was pretty easy, since room and board were included … but it still wasn’t enough of a nest egg to get me on my feet once Ms. Lucille came back. And, Friday was my day off, so … “Yes, I can do that.”
“Thanks, Belle, you’re a real lifesaver,” Jones gushed, leaning down to drop a grateful kiss on my cheek.
“Do you have a menu planned, or do you want me to come up with one?”
“I’ll leave that totally in your hands; you’re the expert,” he said, holding up his hands. “You can pick up what you need and bring me the bill, or text me the list and I can get it. Whatever works for you.”
“I’ll get the ingredients,” I replied, chewing my lips as I thought about logistics. “You live in Charleston, right?”
“Just outside, but yeah, pretty much. I’ll give you the address, and Luke has a key, so you can come in and have free reign of the place. We’ll have drinks at six and dinner at seven.”
“Sounds good,” I said with a smile, excited at the prospect of catering an event. Even if it was small.
“Thanks again, doll,” Jones said, then made himself a plate and wandered over to the guys.
I cleaned up the breakfast mess once everyone had cleared out and gone to the barn for their first lesson of the day. I loaded everything up, and since the keys were still in the truck, I took it back to Luke’s, unloaded, cleaned, and put everything away. Then I grabbed a couple things I’d forgotten to bring for lunch and headed back down.