CHAPTER TEN
Charley unlocked the back door of the café. More than three weeks had gone by since her picnic with Kane, but she couldn’t keep her mind off him. He’d given her so many firsts…her first real kiss and her first orgasm. They’d fallen asleep only to wake with the setting sun. A mad scramble and they’d parted, going separate ways. They’d not seen each other since then but spoke on the phone each night. Charley didn’t feel the need to spend every moment with him. She was confident in her feelings for him. And his feelings for her.
He worked long hours. He’d received his first therapy patient and was teaching Graham how to brush the horses, which helped the little boy with his fears and even gross motor skills.
This morning, she’d open Café French alone since her boss needed to cut back on her hours due to her fainting spell. Heady with responsibility, she thought about what she’d put on the morning’s menu. While she wasn’t as wonderful a cook as Angela, she had skills. She went through the cupboards and refrigerator looking at the available items. She had the ingredients for bran muffins. After all, they’d become a local favorite, and Debra would flip out without them. But Charley decided to also make her yummy scrambled egg muffins. She had some fresh mushrooms and green onions to go in with the eggs and cheese.
She scrubbed up and quickly set to work. Once the muffins baked in the oven, Charley went out to begin the coffee and set the cash tray into the register. With just an hour left before the café opened for business, she was more than ready for the first customer.
Debra stood waiting outside at 7:00 a.m.
“Good morning, Debra. You’re here early this morning. You don’t usually arrive for another hour and a half. I’ve got the bran muffins cooling. Do come in and I’ll get you the usual.” Charley held the door open for the blonde. Why is Debra here? For her breakfast treats or for a different reason? She hoped Angela hadn’t sent in Debra because she feared Charley couldn’t handle the job. Letting the worry flow off her back, Charley smiled.
“I came in early to see if you needed anything. You know, help out since Angela couldn’t come in.” She glanced around the café. “But it looks like you have everything under control. Do you mind if I enjoy my breakfast here this morning instead of taking it back to my office? Since I’m early, I’d rather eat here. ”
She hugged the woman, grateful for such good friends. “Thanks. Let me pop in the back, and I’ll be right out.” She scampered into the kitchen, sprinkled sugar on the tray of bran muffins, then brought the whole batch out. Setting two on a plate, Charley added a little more sugar to them. She placed the rest of the treats into the display before walking the plate over to Debra who had already grabbed a cup of coffee and sat by the window.
“Here you go. On the house, this morning.” She wanted to be able to sit and chat with Debra, but a steady stream of customers began to arrive.
For the next hour, Charley filled orders, rang up customers, and cleaned tables. She couldn’t start anything new, but their supply held steady. Debra had stayed and helped out, refilling coffee until her first appointment at eight. The crowd had started to clear when Kane walked in. Only two tables remained full, and those customers—a single business man and a young female student—had almost finished their breakfasts.
She flashed him a big grin as her heart sped up at the sight of him. Her lips tingled as if they remembered the feel of his own pressed against hers. “Hi, Kane. Are you here for the ranch’s morning goodies?”
He strolled to the counter and eyed the treats on display. His stomach growl, and she giggled.
“You sound hungry. Why don’t you sit here at the counter and eat an egg muffin while I get the order together?”
“I can’t say no to good cooking.” He rubbed his belly then hopped up on the stool.
Charley placed a plate in front of him as well as a cup of coffee. “I’ll be right back.” She ducked into the kitchen and grabbed a bakery box. She packed bran and egg muffins, scones and pastries. She also loaded a coffee box then bagged it all, along with napkins and forks. Carrying the sack out front, she laid it on the counter next to him.
“The egg scramble is great. Did you make it?” He’d finished stuffing his face then took a swig of coffee to wash it down.
“Yeah. It’s one of my go-to morning recipes.”
He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. “Yummy. Both you and the breakfast. Thanks for getting the treats together for the ranch. I’ll be sure to report to Angela how well you’re doing this morning.”
Her face heated. She cracked a shy smile and looked at the floor. His words warmed her heart as well as her face. “Thanks. You’d better get these off to the gang.” She picked up the bag and handed it to him. As their fingers touched through the handle, butterflies fluttered deep in her belly. She recalled being in his arms down at the river and how good his kisses felt. Positive her face flamed red, she gave him a quick peck on the cheek then pushed him toward the door.
“I’ll call you later, babe. Maybe we can have another picnic.” He flashed his big smile, winked, and left the café.
Charley stood with her fingertips over her lips, staring at the door. She didn’t notice the man from the window table standing behind her until he cleared his throat.
“Excuse me, miss.”
She turned. “Would you like anything else? Maybe some pastries to go?”
“Actually, I had a few questions I hoped you could answer.”
She studied the man. He appeared in his early forties with dark-brown hair sprinkled with gray flecks. His suit had her thinking of a businessman, but she didn’t recognize him from around town. The man withdrew a small pad and pen.
“I’m John Stevenson from the Sporting News. We are the largest sports magazine. Was that Kane Warner who left a few minutes ago? How long has he been hiding out in town?”
She didn’t like answering questions about Kane. Her smile slipped from her face as she crossed her arms over her chest and tilted her head. “Why all these questions?”
“Kane Warner was indicted on charges of gambling. He fixed football games, earning winnings from bets placed. He snuck out of Ohio to avoid scrutiny, and we’ve been searching for him so we can get an exclusive interview on why he did it.”
This guy’s a shark or a bottom feeder, searching for a story and not caring who he hurts. “I’m sorry, sir. But I don’t know anything about gambling or game fixing. If you’ll excuse me…” She turned away, grabbed a washrag, and went from table to table, collecting dirty plates and wiping down the tabletops.
The bell on the door sounded and, when she turned around, the man had gone. He’d left a business card on the counter, though—as if she’d change her mind.
Charley ached to talk to Kane about this guy’s accusations. They can’t be true, can they? What do I really know about Kane and what he did in Ohio? He’d never offered any information, and she’d never asked. Now she regretted their time together without getting to know him better. Her eyes welled up with tears. Just another person I gave my trust to who betrayed me.