Page 40 of Giddy-Up
Um...what was that now?
“Don’t worry,” Cat interjected, “Libby’s the nice one.She’d be an excellent sister-in-law.”
“Um, excuse me!What about me?”Rachel squeaked.Clearly offended.
“Oh, yeah, sorry.”Cat laughed.“Correction—Libbyand Rachelare the nice ones.”
It was Bella’s turn to be offended.“I resent that.I’m nice!”
“You’re okay.”
Bella’s gaze swung to Riley.From Bella’s reaction, she guessed that she was doing a bad job of hiding her horror.
“Guys.Enough,” Bella ordered.“This is what I’m talking about.What happened to not scaring her off?”
Rachel and Cat exchanged guilty expressions before turning to Riley.
“Sorry,” they both said at the same time.“Don’t run,” Rachel sweetly pleaded.
“Yeah, please don’t.We’ll never hear the end of it if you do.”Cat’s comment was met with an arm smack from Bella.“Ow!”
“Why don’t you tell us a little more about yourself, sugar,” Rachel continued.“How are you liking working on the Evans ranch?”
All eyes were back on her.She hated that.It was too much pressure.And her thoughts were spiralling.They all knew about her and Wade.How?
Oh no.What if Bella told them about me being a virgin?
Surely not.Bella didn’t seem like the gossipy type.But then again, she hadn’t known her long enough to completely rule it out.
“I’d say it’s going damn well personally; she’s bagged herself a hot cowboy,” Cat chimed in.“Ow.”And received another smack.
“Uh, it’s good,” Riley mumbled.“I’m good at cleaning.”
She mentally sighed at her own response.All that small talk practice and that’s all she could come up with.I’m good at cleaning.
The women around the table were politely nodding.Great.Pity nods.So much for being a new woman.She was just the same old Riley.
“I actually enjoy a good clean,” Rachel chirped.“It’s a stress reliever.”
“So you cleanandbake to relieve stress?Screw Hunter, will you marryme?”Cat joked.
“You bake?”Riley asked as she turned to Rachel.
“I do,” she replied, excitedly.She then began to tell her all about the bakery she owned in town.It was called Fairy Baked.Great name.And she could tell by the sheer enthusiasm pouring out of the woman as she discussed her creations, that the cakes tasted just as good as they sounded.
“I, um, I don’t bake or anything, but I like to cook.”
That one sentence was enough to turn the whole lunch around.For Riley anyway.Between sips of orange and bites of burger, Rachel and Riley were talking all things food.Favorite dishes, secret ingredients and fun flavor combinations.Speaking to someone so passionate about food was refreshing.It made conversation easy.And enjoyable.
Look at you go.
Yes.Look at her go.Maybe she was a new woman after all.
***
Still on a high fromher lunch with the girls, Riley was ready for more social interaction.Tonight’s interaction came with perks too.Fingers crossed.
“Where are we going?”Riley asked Wade, possibly too late as they pulled up in front of a barn.
