He finished up the row he was on and took a measurement for the last piece he needed. He wrote it in the pocket-sized notebook he kept on the counter, then swept the mask off his face so he could kiss his lovely girlfriend.
“What’d you make?” he asked. “I didn’t even realize it was dinnertime. Tuck had that open house today, and I swear I went back for another sandwich six times.” He laughed, though what he said was true.
“Did he sign anyone new?” Briar asked.
“He had almost two dozen people here,” Tarr said. “And I think our demos went really well, but I’m not really sure if he signed someone or not.”
“How many people does he want to take on?” she asked. “He’s already got four.”
“Well, another buddy of ours wants to come be a rodeo manager now that he’s retired from the circuit,” Tarr said. “Tuck thinks he can handle six, and if Myron can too, then he’s got slots for eight people.”
“Wow,” Briar said. “And they’re all going to live here on the farm?”
“No, Tuck’s given up that idea,” Tarr said. “He made that very clear during today’s presentation, that the trailer community where Alex and I live is not permanent and is not an option.”
Tarr moved over to the sink and turned on the water. It sputtered out, because it had only been hooked up for the past couple of days. He’d been cleaning up over at the arena, because he didn’t keep any supplies here at the house.
“I hope you brought bowls and silverware,” he said. “I don’t have anything here.”
Briar blinked at him, and since she hadn’t carried in a bag with any bowls or plastic spoons, Tarr took that to mean she hadn’t brought anything.
“I’ll have something in my car,” she said, and she turned to go get it.
While she was gone, Tarr lifted the lid on the pot and found that she’d made one of his favorite concoctions—broccoli cheese soup with chicken. He could slurp this right out of the pot, but he wouldn’t want to do it in front of her.
She returned triumphantly, a pair of clear plastic spoons in her hand, but Tarr eyed them dubiously.
“Where did you get those?” he asked.
“Out of my glove box,” she said. “They’re unused.”
“Are they? How would I possibly know that?”
“Oh, my word.” She stepped over to the sink and turned it on to wash the spoons. “Now they’re clean. Are you satisfied?”
“I’m just saying it’s kind of weird to have loose plastic utensils in your glove box.”
“It’s not that weird when you’ve eaten out of your car a lot,” she said.
Tarr tilted his head at her. “You eat out of your car a lot?”
“I mean, I used to,” Briar said. “I’d leave the farm and drive to get something, and then just eat it in my car—especially in the winter—because the sun comes in and it’s nice and warm through the window.”
Tarr grinned at her and took one of the now-clean spoons. “I suppose we’re just going to eat it right out of the pot.”
“I don’t have any bowls in the SUV, no,” Briar said with a teasing lilt in her tone. She went straight into the pot and took the first bite, getting a chunk of chicken and a floret of broccoli with the cream-based soup.
Tarr followed suit, thrilled at this super casual date that Briar had sprung on him. At the same time, they saw each other every night, and he wasn’t exactly sure why she’d shown up now, when she could’ve just waited for him to come over, and they could’ve had crusty bread and real bowls and spoons.
He watched her for a moment, quickly looking away when her gaze also darted to his. “This is real good, sweetheart,” he said.
“Thank you. I wasn’t sure if you’d want to come over tonight,” she said. “After being down on your hands and knees so much. I know that’s hard work.”
“Yeah, it is,” he said. “But you’ve got a real nice couch, and Wiggins is over there, so….” He trailed off, giving her a grin, as if he liked her dog more than her.
“I’ve also been thinking,” Briar said. “And I’ve texted a little bit with Kristie after the wedding. Did you know her parents didn’t come?”
Tarr had known that, but only because Tucker told him. “Yeah, I guess they had a falling out a few years ago,” he said. “She texted them and invited them, but they said they didn’t feel comfortable.”
