I was halfway teasing but mostly serious. I was not a virgin, but my previous encounters had been one-night stands or, in a few cases, had lasted for a weekend.
“Those were Matilda’s rules from the get-go, and I mean to keep them in force,” Rosalie said. “Now, that’s enough talk for one morning, especially about sex, which should be reserved for a man and woman behind locked bedroom doors after they are married. It’s time to go to work. Maybe we’ll do as well on tips today as we did yesterday.”
I finished off the last bite of my leftovers and headed back to my room to get a hoodie from my suitcase. On the way, I noticed that what I had put in the washer the night before had been dried and was now lying on top of the dryer. I gathered it all up, tossed it on the bed, and took time to put my denim coat in the washing machine before I followed Scarlett out of the trailer.
“Thanks for helping with my laundry.”
“That was Rosalie, not me,” Scarlett said. “She’s tough, but if you give her a chance, she can be the best friend you’ll ever have.”
“Are y’all related? What brought you to this godforsaken area?” I asked.
“We are not related by blood, but she is like a surrogate mother to me. And why we came here is a story that we don’t tell unless we know you very, very well,” she snapped. “And for your information, there is a Catholic church in Dell City where Rosalie goes to Mass at least twice a week, and a Baptist one that I attend for night services on Sunday with my boyfriend, Grady. So this place is not ‘godforsaken.’”
She set her full mouth in a firm line and didn’t even hold the door for me when she went inside the café’s storage room.
“Lesson number one,” I muttered. “Do not ask any more questions.”
Rosalie slipped a bibbed apron over her head and tied the waist strings behind her back. “You can wait on the tables today, and Scarlett will do the bar and the register.”
Anger shot through me like a fiery-hot poker. I had never cheated a single soul out of anything. What I had won had always been fair and square. “Do you think I’ll skim money?” My voice had a razor-sharp edge to it.
“It’s basically your money, and you’ll have to answer to the tax people and God for whatever you do,” Rosalie said.
“When I came to the Tumbleweed, I had even less experience than you,” Scarlett said. “Matilda made me learn everything from the ground up. I started by cleaning up after the breakfast and lunch runs, then graduated to waiting tables, and finally to taking care of payments. Since you said you had experience and learned the cash register so quick ...” She paused for a breath. “And looked like you were about to drop from exhaustion, I gave you the bar yesterday.”
“She did the same for me in the kitchen. I had been a fry cook before. I learned from the previous cook, who was retiring.” Rosalie’s voice had softened. “‘Baby steps’ is what Matilda called it.”
“I haven’t worked in a café since I was sixteen. A refresher course will be good for me,” I agreed. “I’ll go get the chairs set up and make sure all the condiment containers are full.”
“I’ll help with that after I get the money from the safe and set up the register,” Scarlett offered. “By the time we get everything in order, Rosie will have breakfast started. I usually have an omelet and biscuits. You need to put your order in now if you want something, or else you’ll have to wait until after the rush.”
Rosalie was already making biscuit dough in a huge bowl. “You had peas and corn bread at the trailer.”
“I slept through last night’s supper, so that counts as yesterday’s food. I’ll have whatever you are making for Scarlett for breakfast, and later, if you are making gravy, I’ll have that and biscuits for my midmorning snack.”
Rosalie focused on my eyes so intently that I felt like she was seeing right into my soul.
“What?” I asked.
“How do you eat so much and still look like you do?” she asked. “I can gain weight just watching a cooking show on television.”
“I have no idea, but I love good food, so I hope I never have a problem.” I was glad we were back on better terms. Having a friendly relationship with the two women would be a blessing in case I had to stay a long time.
We had barely finished getting things set up when Rosalie yelled, “Come and get it.”
On our way to the kitchen, Scarlett flipped on the light that blinkedOpenand then went straight to the sink to wash her hands. I followed her example before I sat down in one of the chairs and picked up my fork.
“Grace,” Scarlett whispered.
Rosalie had already bowed her head, so I quietly laid my fork down and tucked my chin to my chest. This was surely a whole new lifestyle I had fallen into.
She chanted a quick prayer and then, with a nod, gave us permission to begin. “God has been too good to me these past years for me not to give thanks every time I can. Now, let’s eat before the first bus arrives.”
“Mmmm,” I muttered when I put the first bite in my mouth. “This is the best omelet I’ve ever eaten, and these biscuits are ...”
“Heavenly?” Scarlett butted in.
“Yes. What is your secret, Rosalie?”
