He chuckled. “I wasn’t going to ask.”
Skyler laughed. “Smart man.”
“My mama didn’t raise no fool.”
Connie appeared beside the table and smiled at Rawley. “Hi, Rawley. How you doing, hon?”
“I’m doing well, Connie. How about you and Owen?”
“We’re fine, hon. Thanks for asking. Are you two ready to order?”
Skylar nodded, then told Connie what she wanted. She smiled when Rawley said his usual and Connie wrote on the pad, then walked to the kitchen.
“It amazes me she can do that.”
“Owen too. She just writes whose usual it is, and he makes it.”
“They’re both so great. She made me feel right at home the first time I met her.”
“That’s how they are.” Rawley sat back against the booth, folded his arms across his chest and stared at her. “How about dinner one night?”
“I’d like that.”
“Have you been to The Hartland?”
“No. Ryan told me about it though.”
“Ryan?”
“Yes, my best friend. We’ve been friends since elementary school.”
“He lives in Clifton now too?”
“She, and yes. She’s engaged to Seth Harrison.”
“Ahh, okay. I didn’t make it to the engagement party. I was out of town on a case.”
“We would have met then,” Skylar said with a smile.
“No doubt.”
“You love your job, don’t you?”
“I wouldn’t do it if I didn’t. Since owning the ranch, it’s been a little hectic, but I have good men working for me.”
“What type of ranch?”
“Cattle ranch. I raise Black Angus.”
“So, why did you buy a ranch if you weren’t going to leave…” She frowned. “What is it again?”
Rawley grinned. “MDOL. I’m sure there’s a division in California.”
“Yes, it’s the CDFA, California Department of Food and Agriculture.”
“Right. I didn’t buy the ranch. My grandfather left it for me. He was my mother’s father, and she told him not to leave it to her because she didn’t want it, so she told him to leave it to me. It didn’t take much convincing since he knew how much I loved the place.”
“That’s nice. I’d love to see it sometime.”
