Chapter Five
Before locking up that afternoon, Miranda put several kolaches in a bakery box, and even made up a mixed box of cookies. She hoped Jaclyn would see the baked goods as the peace offering they were and have that talk with her. Whatever talk she was thinking of.
She was a little creeped out that Matt’s name really was Matt. He’d only just given her his name the day before. She had to know what the other woman knew.
Miranda walked across the ranch toward the RV park, where Jaclyn’s house sat. Jaclyn had worked as the keeper of the RV park since before the Weston children were born, having moved there when her best friend had married into the family. She was a fixture on the ranch, and much loved by everyone there.
When Miranda reached her yard, she was standing there with her arms crossed, obviously waiting. “It’s about time. The tea’s waiting.”
Miranda asked no questions as she walked to the front door and went inside. This time the be-diapered bunny was gray. She started to ask how many of the bunnies had diapers, but she was afraid to offend Jaclyn. “I brought you some kolaches and other random baked goods.”
Jaclyn smiled. “The fairies said you were bringing me a treat, so I didn’t bother making snickerdoodles.” She opened the top box and reached in, pulling out a cupcake and sinking her teeth into it. “Did you get the cake done for the wedding tomorrow?”
“I did. The bride came by and saw it this afternoon and told me it was perfect.”
“Oh, good. I’m sure it’s beautiful.” Jaclyn took a sip of her tea. “Now, tell me what’s going on with Matt and Bob.”
Miranda wasn’t sure how to respond, but she spoke quickly for fear she’d offend the older woman. “Bob and I are seeing each other. We fought for months and months, and now he’s kissing me. It’s so strange. Are you sure it’s not albino brain chiggers?”
Jaclyn rolled her eyes. “There’s no such thing, child. It’s attraction, pure and simple. Bob has liked you from the moment he first saw you.”
“But he always picks fights with me about my cookies. He doesn’t think I use enough chocolate chips. Well, now he says they’re perfect, but for the longest time he said I didn’t use enough chips.” Miranda sighed. “I’m babbling. I’m nervous talking to you.”
Jaclyn tilted her head to one side, studying Miranda. “Why on earth would you be nervous around me?”
Miranda shrugged. “The last time I was here you kicked me out. I wasn’t sure if you’d let me come back.”
Jaclyn laughed. “You weren’t ready then. You are now. How do you feel about Bob?”
“I don’t know. I mean, I like kissing him. He’s fun to be around now that he’s not complaining about my cookies all the time. I just feel like everything is changing so quickly it’s making my head spin. I don’t know what I’m supposed to say or do around him anymore.”
“You’re supposed to just be yourself around him, of course. What about Matt?”
“Matt? Well, he comes to the bakery every morning for a treat, and he keeps asking me out, but I don’t think I want to go out with him. I think he’s leaving me Secret Santa presents every morning, though.”
“Do you like the presents?” Jaclyn asked, sipping her tea and choosing another sweet from the box.
Miranda nodded. “I like them very much. I thought for a moment that maybe they could be from Bob, but Bob wouldn’t be able to wrap them so beautifully. And he doesn’t seem like the type of guy who would think of buying a charm bracelet and charms for a woman.”
“I think there’s a lot to Bob that you’re not seeing.”
“Are the gifts from him?” Miranda asked, her eyes wide.
“You know in your heart who the gifts are from. You have to make sure you listen to it.” Jaclyn put her tea cup down. “All right. Thank you for the sweets. Have a good day.”
Miranda realized she’d been dismissed again. And as abruptly as the last time. “Thank you for the tea and the conversation.”
“And thank you for the baked goods. My sweet tooth will love you forever.” She opened the door, taking her bunny from Miranda. “You can’t keep Mr. Flopsy. The other bunnies would be sad, and your dog would chase him everywhere.”
“May I come back?”
“When you’re ready, you’re welcome back. Be ready to really talk.”
Miranda nodded, leaving the house. She saw Matt walking toward her, and she raised a hand in greeting even as she hurried to her car. She didn’t want to tell him no again. She didn’t want to hurt his feelings, but the truth was, she had eyes only for Bob.
*****
Bob stepped out of Jaclyn’s kitchen. “Thank you for wrapping all the gifts, Jaclyn. I hate that she thinks the gifts are from Matt, but I’m glad she likes them.”
Jaclyn smiled, picking up the gift she’d been wrapping before she went outside to meet Miranda. “This is the last one. Then you’ll have all of them for next week. She knows in her heart they’re from you. Don’t you worry about that.”
“Tonight’s open mic night at the restaurant. Maybe I should take her in and sing to her.”
“I’ve heard you sing, Bob. I beg of you, don’t do that to her or anyone else on the ranch. We want the guests to return to us, not run screaming for their lives.”
Bob frowned. “That’s mean, Jaclyn.”
“You know as well as I do that I tell the truth and nothing but the truth.” She carefully tied a ribbon on the last gift. “There. All ready for you to take with you.”
Bob leaned down over the chair where Jaclyn sat and kissed her wrinkled cheek. “If I wasn’t madly in love with Miranda, I’d be begging you to marry me.”
Jaclyn laughed, swatting his arm. “Get out of here!”
“Thank you!”
As he walked toward his Jeep with the bag of gifts in his hand, he saw Matt lurking near the bakery. The man either had a serious sweet tooth, or he really was interested in Miranda. It had better be the former, because Miranda was his. Whether she knew it or not.
*****
The charm on Saturday morning was different. Every single charm Miranda had received until that moment was related to baking. This one…it was a heart with an M in the middle. She traced it with her finger, smiling happily. She loved these gifts, and she badly wanted them to be from Bob. But what if they weren’t? Was she doing the wrong thing by accepting them?
She slipped the charm in her purse and started baking. Men in her life or no, she still had to do her job. Today, she could do it with a smile.
*****
After work on Saturday, Miranda headed into town to talk to the only jeweler in Riston. She needed the charms put on the bracelet.
When she got to the shop, she handed the jeweler the bracelet and dumped all the charms onto the counter. The man smiled. “I wondered when these would come back to me to be put on. He made good choices, didn’t he?”
“He? Do you know who’s leaving these gifts for me?” Miranda knew it wasn’t fair to ask the poor jeweler, but she didn’t know anyone else who would know, and she was suspecting more and more that it couldn’t be Matt.
“I do, but that’s not something I can tell you. I’m sorry.” He scooped up all the charms and hurried to the back of the store.
Miranda looked around while she waited. There was a beautiful heart shaped diamond ring under the counter, and she loved it. When the jeweler came back, he asked what she would like to see.
She jumped, blushing. “Oh, I’m just being silly.”
“I’d love to have you try one on. Which one catches your eye?”
She paused only for a moment before pointing to the heart shaped diamond. “That one. It’s beautiful.”
He pulled it out, sliding it onto her finger. “Do you know what size ring you wear?”
The ring was a little loose. “I think I’m a six.”
He pulled out a set of plastic ring sizers. “Let’s just be certain.” He slid the six onto her finger and wiggled it a little. “Yes, I’d say you’re a six.”
She pushed the ring back at him. “Too extravagant for me, but it’s beautiful.”
He smiled and set the ring next to his cash register. “Here you are. I hope you enjoy it.”
Miranda smiled down at the bracelet. She was going to wear it on Sunday. Surely if Bob had given it to her, he’d claim it then. Either way, she loved it, and she wasn’t going to keep hiding it away.
*****
When Bob picked Miranda up on Sunday morning for church, he immediately noticed she was wearing the bracelet. He didn’t comment on it, because he didn’t want to give his secret away. He was slowly working up to something special with the bracelet, and he didn’t want to spoil his own surprise.
“It’s too warm for snowmobiling again,” he said. The snow was mostly melted. “I’d suggest four-wheelers, but the ground is too wet, and we’d get stuck. We can have a picnic on the lake. Or we can go into town again if you have Christmas shopping to do, but I would rather not if you don’t need to.”
She shrugged. “The only days I have off before Christmas are Sundays. You’re either going to have to take me shopping, or you’re going to have to not spend one of the Sundays with me. I’ve adjusted my laundry and grocery shopping to Saturdays, but I can’t do the same with the shopping, because I work until two.”
“I guess we can go shopping.” He made a face.
“I wish we had time to drive to Boise and meet my mom. She would love that.”
“I’m not sure I’m ready to meet your mom yet. Where’s your dad? Why would you only meet your mom?”
“Dad was killed in a car bombing in Kuwait when I was two. It happened a month before my brother was born.”
“I’m sorry. You don’t remember him then?”
“Not at all. I have pictures, and I like to think I remember him, but not really. Mom never remarried, saying that one shot at true love is all she got. I hate that she’s never been able to move on.”
“That’s sad. I’m sorry.”
“It was a long time ago, and truthfully, I don’t remember him at all. From everything she says he was a good man, though, and I wish he’d been part of my life.” She got out of the Jeep and they walked together toward the Old West town where the church was. “What about you? Are your parents still married and all that good stuff?”
He nodded. “Yup. We all moved to Louisiana when I was twelve. I went to school with Kelsi and Dani. Did you know that?”
She shook her head. “I know that Kelsi thought her mother was sending you here to be her husband.”
“Yeah, her mom said something like that to me too. I wasn’t coming here for that reason though. I wanted to cook.” He shrugged. “They liked it there. Dad’s a professor at LSU, and they’ve been in Baton Rouge for a very long time. The only thing I liked about Louisiana was the food, and the food was to die for.”
“But you can cook so you can make it for yourself, no matter where you live.”
“You are one smart Miranda. Yeah, I make sure I have a Cajun or Creole meal at least once a week at the diner. I love Mexican food too. I really just kind of love food.”
They moved to a pew in the middle of the small, old-fashioned church. There were still a couple of flower arrangements left over from the wedding the day before. Bridget waved at Miranda from the front pew, where she sat, ready to listen intently to her husband.
After church, Miranda went to the front to hug Bridget. “You still think you can handle being a pastor’s wife?” she asked.
Bridget sighed. “If he can watch Disney movies, then I can be a pastor’s wife. I just hope I don’t scare anyone away.”
“Just keep your shrimp fork in your pocket, and all will be well.” Miranda winked at her friend, knowing her propensity for stabbing her twin with a shrimp fork. She claimed it was the only way they could get along, which didn’t make a lot of sense to Miranda, but she just nodded in agreement.
“Are you dating Bob?”
Miranda shrugged. “I’m not sure what you’d call it.”
Bob sighed. “We call it dating.”
Bridget laughed, hugging Miranda. “Men are so confusing sometimes. And they say women are the ones who need to come with instructions,” she whispered.
Miranda nodded emphatically. “You’ve got that right.”
“What are you doing today?” Bridget asked.
“I think we’re going shopping. Bob is so excited.” Miranda grinned up at Bob, thankful he was beside her.
Bob put his arm around her waist. “Bob is excited. Bob is always excited to spend a day with Miranda.”
Miranda saw Matt watching her from across the church, not meeting his gaze. She wasn’t ashamed of being with Bob, but she didn’t want to hurt Matt’s feelings either. It was a strange position to be in. “We should head out if we’re going to Lewiston today.”
“I’m sorry we don’t have time to go see your mom in Boise, but it would take far too long to get back.”
“That’s okay. She’s going to come stay with me for Christmas weekend. She’ll be here Friday night, and she won’t have to leave until Monday.” Miranda waved at Bridget as she and Bob headed toward the exit at the back of the church. “When will your family be here?”
“That same weekend is when my sister and niece are coming. They said they’d do all the ranch activities as well.”
“You don’t have a brother-in-law?”
“He’s in Iraq. He’s a marine.”
“How does your sister feel about that?” Her father had been a marine as well.
He shrugged. “He was a marine when they met, so she’d better be okay with it.”
“How old is your niece?” Miranda asked. Her brother was still in college, but he had a girlfriend that she really liked. She looked forward to having nieces and nephews to spoil one day.
“She’s six. Sweetest girl you could meet. Her name is Heather. I’m looking forward to having them here. I got them a cabin on the ranch, because my apartment is barely big enough for me. I can’t imagine having my sister and niece staying with me.”
They got into his Jeep, heading toward Lewiston. “Do you want to eat when we get there? Or stop somewhere along the way?” he asked.
“You’re going to eat someone else’s cooking again? Is this going to kill you?”
“It won’t kill me, but I may not like it much.”
She laughed. “You know what? Wherever you want to stop is fine with me. You’re pickier than I am about whose cooking you’ll eat.”
“What kind of shopping are we doing today?”
Miranda shrugged. She’d spent almost every evening that week working on the quilt she was making for Duchess Hiccups. She still needed to make his ornament, but she knew just what she’d do, so that would be easy. “I just want to pick up something for my mom, something for my brother, and something for a couple of friends on the ranch.” She needed to get him something, but she’d shop online or in Riston for him.
“Is this going to take all day?”
“Not at all. I know what I want for everyone. It’s just a matter of buying it.”
He spotted a sign for a family restaurant. “Want to try that place?”
“Sure. Are you feeling adventurous?”
“I hate chain places more than anything. I worked for one when I was in Louisiana and I hated it. You have to make everything exactly the same every single time. There’s no room for experimentation or for individuality. I like to go to little mom and pop places where I know the cooks actually have some freedom to do what they want to do.”
Miranda smiled. “Let’s stop there then.”
He pulled off the highway and into the parking lot of a small restaurant. They went in and she sniffed, letting the aroma wash over her. There was something that smelled delicious, and whatever it was, that’s what she wanted.
After they were seated, she looked at him. “I want whatever I smell.”
He nodded. “It smells good, doesn’t it?”
The waitress stopped at their table, a smile on her face. “You want the special?”
“Is that what we smell?” Miranda asked. “What is it?”
“It’s my dad’s meatballs. He makes them all fresh, and they are wonderful! You’ve got choices if you’re doing the meatball special. You can have them over noodles with a brown gravy, in spaghetti sauce, or just in a bowl.”
Miranda looked at Bob. “I like the idea of the brown gravy.”
“Then I’ll do the spaghetti sauce and we’ll share!”
“Sounds wonderful.” Miranda looked at the waitress. “And water to drink for me, please.”
“Me too,” Bob said, handing the waitress his menu. “Those meatballs had better taste as good as they smell.”
An hour later, they’d eaten their fill, and the food had definitely tasted just as good as it smelled. When the waitress came out with their check, Bob asked, “Can I talk to the chef? Is that allowed here?”
The waitress nodded. “I’ll go get him.” She took the credit card Bob offered and walked toward the kitchen, yelling, “Dad! Someone wants your recipe again!”
Bob laughed. “That’s exactly what I want.”
Miranda shook her head. “Do you think he’ll give it to you?”
“No idea. I wouldn’t share a recipe with some shmoe that came to the café, but I’m pretty protective of my secrets.”
An older man with a round belly, bald head, and a white apron stopped beside their table. “I’m the cook here. Peter’s the name.”
“I’m Bob Blakely. I’m a chef at River’s End Ranch.”
“Oh, I know the ranch. We go there for a week every summer.” The man beamed down at Bob. “Do you cook in the café? They had a new cook last summer, and he made the best gumbo I’ve ever eaten. I’m dying to get that recipe.”
Bob laughed. “I would be the new cook. I’ll trade you my gumbo recipe for that meatball recipe. I don’t share my secrets with just anyone either.”
Peter smiled, shaking Bob’s hand. “Come to my office, and we’ll talk food!”
Miranda sighed, knowing she’d lost Bob at least for a while. She looked around and realized she was the only one left at the restaurant. The waitress, Stephanie, slipped into the booth across from her. “They won’t be back for a while. When Dad finds someone to really talk food, he doesn’t shut up.”
“I have a feeling I won’t be getting my shopping done today,” Miranda said with a sigh. “I’m the baker at River’s End.”
“I love your chocolate chip cookies and your kolaches. You are a marvel with baked goods!” Stephanie looked at her with new interest. “The ranch is one of my favorite places in the whole world. I have so many memories there.”
Miranda grinned. “I’ve been there for a little over a year now. I love it too. I don’t think I could ever leave.”
The two women sat for a while, talking about their favorite things about the ranch. “Kelsi’s big pregnant now. She’s due in three months,” Miranda informed her new friend.
“Really? We played together when we were little. I’d hang out with her and Dani and we’d all swim together. And we’d talk to the crazy fairy lady. Oops…Kelsi says I’m not allowed to call her that. I’m supposed to call her Miss Hardy.”
Miranda smiled. “I’ve been talking to her this week too. She has bunnies in diapers.”
Stephanie rolled her eyes. “That doesn’t surprise me at all!”
Bob walked back to the table then, a piece of paper in his hand. He looked sheepish. “It’s after four. The stores will be closed by the time we get to Lewiston.”
Miranda nodded. “I guess I’ll be shopping online this year. Did you get the recipe?”
“I did! And he has my gumbo recipe. He wants your kolache recipe too, but I refused to barter with your recipes.”
“Good of you.” Miranda smiled at Stephanie. “Come and see me when you are at the ranch next summer. I’d love to chat again.”
“I’m glad you guys stopped in today. It was nice to talk River’s End.”
Bob apologized as they walked toward the car. “I am so sorry. I didn’t plan to stay for so long, but he actually showed me how he makes them. There wasn’t a real recipe, so he just whipped up a batch. He said they freeze really well too.”
She just shook her head. “No big deal. I’m just glad you had a good time.”
“I did…but I was supposed to be spending time with you.”
“Trust me, if he’d baked something as good as those meatballs, I’d have been bugging him for a recipe too.”
“You sure?”
Miranda stopped walking in front of the Jeep and grabbed the front of his shirt, pulling him in for a kiss. “I’m positive.”
He was still grinning as he watched her walk to the passenger door…her bracelet sparkling in the sunlight.