Page 23 of Moonlight Over Montana

“Thank you.” She promised herself not only did she need to call around and find a contractor to clean up her diner, but she had to talk to Annie about using Quinn’s kitchen. It was as close to ideal as she was going to get. If only he’d agree, and the last thing she wanted was for Annie to demand he give her access to his domain.

Maggie and Jed crossed the small blacktop lot. He asked, “Ready to get back to the ranch, or do you need to stop anywhere before we leave town?”

Her steps slowed. She wanted to be angry with him, but she couldn’t summon the strength. “Is there anything else you’ve held back from me?”

He shook his head. “I swear, I’ve told you all I know.”

She needed to trust her gut. “Do me a favor. Don’t ever withhold information from me that I have a right to know. It’s about respect.”

He reached out to touch her but dropped his hand. “I promise. You know everything.”

She wasn’t going to harp on what had happened. He had done what he thought was right. Waiting half a moment, she said, “I don’t have any other stops. All I need is my computer and my phone to get things going.”

“About that.” Jed opened the passenger door for her. “You should walk down to the new cabins. Jessie’s running the project, and I’ll bet he could help you find someone reliable to clear away the debris, and Annie hired Tasha Melnick to design everything. Maybe she could help recreate the diner so it retains all the ambiance of the original but toss in a few upgrades for the next fifty years.”

She hopped up into the passenger seat and leaned over to give him a peck on the cheek. “Both are great suggestions and I’ll talk to Jessie and Tasha.” Color flushed his cheeks, and Maggie thought it was sweet that a tiny kiss would cause that reaction. It was too bad he didn’t have a girlfriend; Jed deserved to have a special woman in his life and she’d be darn lucky too.

Later that afternoon, Maggie was walking up from the new cabins. Jed had been right. Not only did Jessie know who could help with the cleanup, but while she was with him, he put in a call and they would start on Monday. She couldn’t have asked for a quicker time frame. Now she needed to talk with Annie about kitchen privileges and get Tasha’s phone number. If she hired an architect, she might have a better chance of controlling construction costs.

She climbed the front steps to the main house and tapped her knuckles on the door. A minute or so later, it swung open and a tiny gray-haired woman with deep laugh lines around her eyes greeted her with a warm hug.

“Maggie. It’s so good to see you. Are you hungry? I just finished making a batch of molasses cookies and the coffee’s fresh too.”

Mary was everyone’s idea of the perfect mom or grandmother, quick with a hug, encouraging word, and a hot beverage. “Thanks, Mary, I’m fine. I was hoping to chat with Annie if she’s in.”

“Of course. She’s in her office. But I’m sure she’s ready for a break too.” She gave Maggie a slow wink. “And she’s always up for a freshly baked cookie.” Mary ushered her inside and closed the door. “There’s quite a chill in the air this afternoon. How’s Susie settling in on the ranch?”

Maggie followed the older woman to the heart of the home, the spacious kitchen. “She’s okay. Missing our place, of course.” She didn’t want to tell Mary that Susie had been having hissy fits since it was more than likely the stress of the situation and not like her daughter to be crabby.

“That’s understandable.” She nodded in the direction of the field stone fireplace on the far wall. “Linc started a fire for me. These old bones are not as tolerant of the cold as they once were.”

“Winter’s coming quick.” The warm smell of ginger, molasses, and rich coffee filled the air with a tinge of woodsmoke from the large stone fireplace that dominated one wall.

“Settle yourself at the table and I’ll let Annie know you’re here.”

Maggie went to stand in front of the fireplace with her hands outstretched, soaking up the warmth. This was a nice respite after the day she’d had.

A few minutes later, Annie rushed into the kitchen with a smile on her face as wide as the Colorado River. “Mags, just in time for coffee.”

She spread her hands wide. “Timing is everything.”

Mary placed a plate of cookies in the center of the bistro table and added two mugs.

Annie asked, “You aren’t going to join us?”

“Not this time. There’s a mystery book waiting for me in the den.” Mary filled a mug and slipped from the room.

Maggie stirred a spoonful of sugar and added cream to her mug before taking a sip, stalling for a bit of time since she wasn’t sure how to approach the question of the kitchen.

“How are things going?”

“I hired a company Jessie knows to clear what’s left of the diner and Jed mentioned the architect you hired to design the cabins. He thought maybe she’d be interested in helping me develop plans for the new diner even though it’s on short notice and she might be too busy.”

Giving her an encouraging smile, she said, “That’s a wonderful idea. I’ll give you her number and make sure you tell her that we’re friends and even if she can’t take on your project, I’ll bet she knows someone who will.”

“Thanks.” Maggie took another sip of her coffee.

Annie held out the cookie plate, “I know that face, you know, Mags. You’ve got something else on your mind.”

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