Page 13 of A Cowboy's Bride
“No set menu,” Petra added. “Cook what you want and they will come.”
Tansy was uncharacteristically silent for a moment. She leaned forward and spoke quietly. “I’ve been giving some thought to what I could do. I mean, for different work.”
Both Sydney and Petra sat up like a shot. “Close down Buns and Roses?” Petra asked.
Tansy made a rude noise. “No, not that. We’ve got it running well with enough staff that it’s pretty routine. But sometimes I do get a wild idea of wanting to cook something different. Plus, truthfully, living here over the shop is boring since Rose moved out.”
“You want a new roommate?” Petra asked. “Because I don’t have to live at the ranch. I could come stay with you.”
Tansy smiled. “I would adore you as a roommate, but I think it’s more than that. This was where Rose and I found our independence. Now that she’s engaged and living with her sexy Irishman, I feel as if I’m supposed to do the next thing as well. Which might involve not being in the apartment. Move on, move forward.”
A sentiment which Petra could absolutely agree with. She nodded slowly and laid her hand over Tansy’s. “Well, if you change your mind, let me know. I’m the last person to say you’re wrong. I moved provinces at thirty-three to get a fresh start.”
The two of them nodded back, solemn expressions on their faces.
Sydney wrinkled her nose. “I know you don’t want to spend a lot of time rehashing what happened with your ex, but if you ever need a sounding board, we’re here for you.”
Because while Petra had told them she’d broken things off with Curtis, she was still too embarrassed to share the details. “I know, and I love you for it. But for now, what we all need to relish is thatweare in charge. Of where we work, and how much we work, and who we work with. That’s a good thing,” Petra insisted.
“Amen,” Tansy said as she lifted her ice cream spoon in the air.
Sydney nodded. “We’re also in charge of something else. Specifically, where we play, how much we play, and who we play with.” Her gaze fixed on Petra. “So. Aiden?”
A laugh burst free, because these two had, over the past years, subtly snuck into her very soul. They were trustworthy and they were honest and they were women Petra connected with to the tips of her toes. Which made it easy to share the truth. “Aiden is a delicious distraction I’m looking forward to. But there’s no rush. Sometimes anticipation makes everything that much sweeter.”
Conversation turned, swirled into laughter and teasing and good solid female friendship. When Petra made her way home later that night, it was with a heart full of happiness and the lingering memory of Aiden’s smile and looking forward to being in his arms in a couple nights.
Anticipationwasa wonderful thing.
4
Mid-morning Friday, the High Water ranch house already looked a lot more like a home. By some weird magic, the shipment of mattresses and bedroom furniture Jake had ordered weeks ago arrived only a few minutes before the towels and linens.
Aiden and Jake took a pause from drywall work in the artists’ retreat space and spent a couple of hours assembling beds and arranging furniture. They’d gone with simple choices, and everything in the bedrooms was mix and match. By the time Declan stopped in for his third cup of coffee, he gave a slow nod of approval as he marched through the rooms to see what they’d accomplished.
“Not bad.” Declan stepped toward the window in the room where Aiden’s gear was shoved in the closet to get it out of the way of the new twin bed. He peered outside and made a noise. “I’ll adjust that yard light so it doesn’t shine in this room all night.”
“Good idea,” Jake guided them toward the kitchen. “Did you finish the idea list of outdoor furniture? Or find a place for a firepit?”
“Got a start on the list. I’m still not sure I’ve hit the right amount between too sparse and too busy. But the spot I picked is dead on. One of you should come and check after lunch so you can tell me I’m a genius.” Declan glanced around hopefully before his expression fell. “Do we have plans for lunch? Jake, you set the schedule.”
“I phoned over to Buns and Roses,” Jake admitted. “I know we’ve got stuff in the fridge, but once the furniture all arrived, we’ve been going full tilt ever since. I’ll cook supper.”
Aiden checked his watch. Thirty minutes to go until lunch still, but they may as well plan this now. “Does one of us need to swing over there to grab food at noon?”
Jake shook his head. “Tansy said she had somebody who could run it over for us, but not to get in the habit because they didn’t offer a full-time delivery service.”
“Sounds fair,” Declan said with a nod. “I like her.”
“You like anyone who kisses you on the cheek,” Jake teased. “Big brother to how many women now?”
Declan shrugged. “A lot of the reason why High Water will work is because we’ll be able to scare the crap out of the people who need it, but the innocent know they can trust us.”
Which was a sobering pull back to reality about exactly who would be coming to live in the rooms they were setting up.
The sound of a car in front of the house brought Aiden’s attention to the window where a familiar car had pulled to a stop. He swore softly. “Don’t kill me. I forgot to mention I got a text this morning from my contact with Alberta foster care, Danielle. She said she planned to stop by today. No other details.”
They all turned to the window. Jake sighed heavily. “We’re nowhere near ready, but we’ve made a good start. She probably wants to reassure herself we actually bought a place.”
