M ax woke early the following morning, as he always did. He changed into shorts and a sweatshirt. He knew Joni would have a fit if she saw him dressed that way, but he needed to run, and he wasn’t sure how anyone could run covered in layer upon layer of clothes .

He thought he’d run through the Old West town, along the highway, and then come back in toward the café. He couldn’t believe how excited he was to see Joni again, especially since they’d spent most of the day prior together. Never had he been excited to see a woman right after a night out together. He was more of the type who said he’d call after the first date and promptly forgot all about the woman .

He laced up his tennis shoes, absolutely refusing to run in boots. He left his cabin, heading for the route he’d mapped out in his head. As he ran, he inhaled the frigid morning air, thankful that he didn’t live in such a cold climate. In Texas, the summers may be as hot as blue blazes, but at least he didn’t have to worry about freezing his toes off .

The further he ran, the warmer he became, finally stopping in front of the café just before six. He could see Joni inside setting up her cash register, and he ran in place, doing some light stretches until she came over and unlocked the door. “You could have knocked, and I’d have let you in!” she told him .

Max shrugged. “I needed to cool down anyway. I like running in the cold. Much nicer than running in the summer in Texas .”

“Maybe you should try to find a job here on the ranch. I know Glen just left to start a therapy ranch, and he was the right-hand man of our resident horse whisperer .”

“I’ve never worked anywhere but at the ranch. I’m too happy there to even think about living somewhere else .”

Joni frowned. She wasn’t looking forward to him leaving. Already she felt as if she belonged with this man. “Well, come on in. Do you want me to get you some coffee ?”

“Yes, please. Coffee and whatever Bob has for his breakfast special .”

“Corned beef hash, two eggs, and three blueberry pancakes,” Joni told him. “That good ?”

“Sounds great .”

“How do you want your eggs ?”

“Over-medium is good.” He loved to mix the yolks with the corned beef hash .

He watched her as she walked away, enjoying the gentle sway of her hips. After she’d disappeared, he pulled out his phone and checked his email. Nothing. Not surprising. He wasn’t the best correspondent, email or written. He didn’t enjoy reading and writing letters, so he tended to avoid that sort of thing .

Joni was back a moment later, sliding a cup of coffee in front of him. “Bob’s got both of our breakfasts on. You mind if I sit and eat with you ?”

“You don’t have to wait tables ?”

“Nah. No one ever comes this early on Saturday. I really think we should wait to open until seven, but then we’ll have someone come in and surprise me .”

“I’d love it if you ate with me, then. I had a really good time last night. The ranch is pretty amazing. I ran through the Old West town and along the street this morning. It’s so peaceful here that I was simply amazed .”

Joni grinned. “I love the ranch. It’s the most perfect place in the whole world .”

“You should see my ranch in Texas. I love April with the bluebonnets all in bloom. I think it’s my favorite time of year .”

“But you can’t pick huckleberries in Texas. They only grow at high altitudes .”

He frowned. “I don’t think I’ve ever even eaten a huckleberry. Are they that good ?”

Joni shrugged. “I like them, but I think they’re an important part of summer. No idea why. It’s just what we do .”

“Well, maybe Bob will make me a huckleberry pie .”

Joni laughed, shaking her head. “Bob does not bake. Instead, he married Miranda. She’s the resident baker in the Old West town. You need to go over on kolache day. I swear that woman can make you get down on your knees and beg when she makes them .”

“So why doesn’t she make them every day? Wouldn’t that make sense?” He would think the most popular items would be a daily thing .

“Says they’re too time-consuming. Good thing about working with Bob is that she sends some over every kolache day for Bob. He never notices that we each have one before giving him the bag .”

Max threw back his head and laughed. “I’m a kolache lover myself. I wonder if she makes them as well as my foster-mom, Lillian. She made them for Sunday morning breakfast when we were growing up, and I would go to sleep every Saturday night drooling.” He frowned. “I wonder if she still makes them for the boys, and I just don’t get any !”

Joni shook her head at him. “I’d say you were a mess, but I sure do understand being obsessed with kolaches.” She looked over her shoulder and saw that Bob had slid the plates through the window. “I’ll be right back.” She rushed away, grabbing the two plates and the pot of coffee to refill his cup .

She slid his plate in front of him and set hers on the table before refilling his cup. Sitting down across from him, she suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of shyness, which was odd for her. She wasn’t used to not feeling confident in every situation. “Did you sleep all right ?”

He shrugged. “I never sleep well my first night in a new place. The beds just don’t seem to work for me .”

“I’m the same way.” She took a bit of her eggs. “So what time does your day start in Texas?” She found she wanted to know every single thing about him, and that scared her a little .

He smiled. “I’m always up around four to go for a run before work. It’s silly, but I’ve gotten into that habit over the years. When I first went to the ranch as a teenager, I had way too much energy. Peter, my foster father, made me run in the mornings. It really helped me stay focused in school. I never broke the habit, even though I get more than enough exercise through my work to stay in shape. It just makes it so I can eat two desserts for dinner every night .”

She laughed. “I’m a runner, too. I get up at four and run before coming into work, which I love. Doesn’t running make you feel powerful ?”

He nodded, grinning at her. “Exactly. I feel like I can do anything when I’m running .”

“Me too. What time do you start work ?”

“I usually have breakfast after my run, and then I start working around six. I could start as late as eight, but I don’t want to work as much in the heat. As is, I’m done by about two, and I have the rest of the day in front of me.” Max shrugged. “I’ve found it works better for me than any other schedule, so it’s what I do .”

“When I was going to school, I had to run early in the morning if I wanted to fit it in. After work was for studying. Now that I’m done, I’m just keeping the schedule.” Joni toyed with her fork for a moment. “I’m seriously thinking about applying at your boys’ ranch in Texas. I think it would be a good fit for me.” That wasn’t the whole reason, but she couldn’t tell him that she wanted time to get to know him better .

Max felt the excitement rush through him at the idea of her working near him in Texas. They wouldn’t see each other at all during the day, but it would be a chance to date and spend time together in the evenings. “I’ll talk to Adam and see if he’d be willing to interview you .”

“I have a masters in social work. I’d have to get licensed in Texas, but it looks like that would just mean studying Texas laws and taking a test. I’ve passed the Idaho test, so it shouldn’t be a big deal to learn the laws specific to Texas. I can get you a resume to send him if you want .”

“Sounds good to me. He’ll want you to come for an interview .”

Joni frowned. “Kelsi will be back to work Monday. I could probably take a day or two in the next couple of weeks .”

“I’ll let him know.” Max grinned. “Make sure you use Kevin as a character reference. His word will go far in Adam’s eyes .”

“I’ll do that.” She finished up her breakfast and leaned back in the booth. “I need to get these dishes to the kitchen and make sure Bob isn’t doing something nutty. I’ll see you tomorrow after church ?”

“What about this afternoon?” His eyes met hers. “I heard there’s a movie theater in Riston. There’s got to be something out we’d both like to see .”

She frowned for a minute, then nodded. “Sure. I usually do my grocery shopping on Saturday afternoons, but I can put that off .”

“Are you a creature of habit ?”

She nodded. “I’m afraid I am. I don’t mind changing things around when it’s just my recreation time, but grocery shopping is very specific, and it needs to be done right after work on Saturdays .”

“Then I’ll go grocery shopping with you. No big deal. Why don’t I hit a Red Box, and we’ll get a DVD to watch ?”

She smiled. “Sounds good. I can fix you dinner at my place .”

“Sounds wonderful .”

“Any food you don’t like ?”

“Not really. I’m not a picky eater at all .”

“Then I’ll make it happen.” She stood up and cleared the table. “You want anything else ?”

“More coffee? I’m going to sit here for a bit before I walk back to my cabin .”

“All right.” She whisked the dishes away and took them into the kitchen, leaning against the wall when she got in there. Her heart was beating quickly. “Bob? What should I cook for a man the first time I make dinner for him ?”

Bob stared at Joni with a mixture of horror and amusement apparent on his face. “Is take-out an option ?”

She glared at him. “Really? That’s your answer ?”

He sighed. “Is it a guest ?”

“Yeah. Pastor Kevin’s brother .”

“So he’s from Texas ?”

Joni nodded. “What does that matter ?”

“Tells me we want to steer clear of Mexican food and Southern cooking. How about a simple shepherd’s pie? I can teach you to make one here so you can just follow my recipe at home .”

She sighed. She’d never been known for her cooking prowess, because she had none. “That would work. Should I make a salad to go with it?” Joni had perfected salads, and she could make one in her sleep. She liked to add all sorts of crazy creative things to it, and it always turned out well .

“That would be smart. And for dessert, serve ice cream or something that you don’t cook. You don’t want to scare him away on the first date.” Bob was always blunt to a fault. It didn’t make him very lovable, but at least he was able to give good advice .

“Sounds good. Thanks, Bob .”

“Pick something up at the bakery for dessert .”

She shook her head. “I don’t have time to get over there before they close .”

Bob pulled his phone from his pocket. “I need an emergency dessert. Fancy as you can make it.” There was no greeting, but there was no doubt in Joni’s mind he was talking to his wife, Miranda. “Thanks. Delivery?” He ended the call. “Pastor Kevin will bring it over on his way to the wedding he’s doing today. He was in line for kolaches .”

“Wonderful. Thanks, Bob .”

Bob grunted in response. “Come back here at eleven, and I’ll show you how to make a shepherd’s pie. I’ll make a couple of them for a bonus special for the day, and you can make one .”

“You’re not such an ogre after all .”

“Don’t believe that for a second. I’m only helping to get you out of my kitchen .”

Joni laughed and wandered back to the front of the café. Valerie, one of the other waitresses was in, and she was taking an order from a new table. Lindy and Stephanie would both be in later. Joni went to the other table. “Have you been helped ?”

* * *

W hen Joni met Max right after work that afternoon, she had a chocolate cream pie in her hands. “I had Miranda send something over for dessert.” Bob’s instructions for how to make the shepherd’s pie were in her head, and she’d even made one herself under his tutelage .

“Grocery store?” Max asked .

“Why don’t you follow me to my place in town? I’ll drop off the pie, and then we’ll ride together to the grocery store. Does that work for you ?”

“Sounds good to me.” He didn’t like the idea of being in separate cars anyway. “I’ll be right behind you .”

Joni was a ball of nerves as she drove the twenty minutes to her small home in Riston. She’d shared half of a duplex with her friend Liz, another waitress at the café, until eighteen months before when Liz had married one of the guests and moved to California with him. She missed Liz a lot, but she knew her friend was happy, and that was what really mattered to her .

Pulling into the driveway, she shut the car off and jumped out to put her pie into the fridge. She’d taken a quick peek at it, and it had looked wonderful to her. She hoped it tasted just as good as it looked, because it was awfully pretty .

She hurried back out and met Max at his truck, climbing in beside him. She’d have driven, but she was afraid her car—held together by duct tape and string—might offend him a bit. As a college student, it had been much more important to buy text books than a new car .

She gave him directions to the only grocery store in Riston. When they arrived less than two minutes later, she climbed out of the truck and walked around next to him. “I’m buying all my usual stuff. I like to walk up and down every single aisle. I hope you’re all right with that .”

He shrugged. “I don’t have any kind of preference. I grocery shop when the fridge is empty and there’s no longer anything I can cobble together for a meal .”

As they wandered through the store, she kept thinking about what Bob had told her to get. It was strange to have Max there with her, but it felt right too .

She ran into Dawna, Glen’s younger sister, in the produce aisle. They hugged quickly. “It must be strange for you not working here anymore. How’s the ranch coming along ?”

Dawna grinned, her eyes excited. “Beautifully. I love working with the kids so much .”

“Ranch with kids? Is it a boys’ ranch?” Max asked .

Dawna shook her head. “No, it’s a therapy ranch for autistic kids. We do equestrian therapy. Glen is amazing !”

“How’s Kaya doing now that’s it’s a working ranch ?”

Dawna laughed. “I think she liked it better when it was quiet, but she’s doing all right. She keeps odd hours, which makes it a little hard for her, but she says her brain only works to write at night, so she can’t do anything about it .”

“I remember Liz telling me about Kaya and May and their weird schedules. She could never stay up as late as they did to write with them .”

“I still don’t understand how they do it! Oh, well. I need to get back. We’re baking cookies for the parents of the therapy kids this week. I need to get back before Kaya drifts off into her writer world if I want any help .”

“Do you guys do therapy on Saturdays ?”

“Yeah, we do. It’s a really busy day for us, because school is out .”

“Well, have fun, and I’ll see you soon, I’m sure .”

Dawna nodded with a smile. “In a town the size of Riston, you see everyone you know all the time .”

As Dawna hurried off, Joni turned back to Max. “Sorry about that !”

“I know how it is. Our little town is the same way. You can’t swing a dead cat without running into someone you know .”

Joni wrinkled her nose. “Why would anyone want to swing a dead cat ?”

“No idea. Because they’re insane, probably.” Max grinned at her .

Joni picked up a head of lettuce for her salad, deciding to ignore the “swing a dead cat” statement for now. She wasn’t exactly a cat lover, but…it had to be a Texas thing. She’d never heard the expression, and he acted like it was the most normal thing in the world to say. There were lots of cultural differences, even though they’d grown up in the same country .