Kassie bit her lip. “I plan to suggest we name the park after Debbie and Diana. They always did everything together. We need a town vote.”
“The park will honor both of them,” Barb sniffled and dabbed her eyes.
“I’ll have the kids distribute a flyer with an ominous call for the town meeting in the morning. Curiosity seems to drive them out in groves,” Kassie said, turning to Chase. “Can you contact Leo and ask if they can patrol the crowd? With Jeremy still free, we don’t want another person hurt.”
“I’ll call him,” Chase assured her.
Ty and Scarlett said goodbye. Taco followed them home.
“Your mom will be here tomorrow. Do you need to make up the guest room or anything? I can help,” Scarlett asked as they walked into his house.
“Thank you for the offer, but it’s all done. The insurance adjuster wants to meet me again at the restaurant on Wednesday. He said he needed more pictures. Do you mind if I leave you here with Mom?” he asked. “I’ll have one of the team stay with you.”
“Rocker will be here,” she reminded him. “He can keep us company.”
Scarlett got herself a glass of water and curled up on the couch with her book. He smiled. Every time she walked into the room, his heart raced. Tonight, she didn’t hesitate to bring up the issues, and he saw her leadership skills in action. She didn’t outright accuse or point fingers. She stated the problem and suggested a solution. He used the same approach with his employees at the restaurant.
Scarlett and Kassie’s suggestion to combine his and Bryanna’s businesses carried merit. It might give him the time he longed for on the ranch and Bryanna a much-needed break. With Scarlett in the picture, his desire to stay at home grew more with each passing day.
CHAPTER 35
“What doyou want to do today?” he asked Scarlett over breakfast.
“I want to have a picnic this afternoon and finish my book by the lake. I asked Hank this morning while you mucked out his stall, and he said he’s up to it,” she informed him, adding cranberries, almonds, and flaxseed to her oatmeal.
“Oh, you speak horse now?” he teased.
“Hank and I have a special bond. It explains why he always does what I tell him,” she said, sticking her nose up in the air. “Your mom wants to go to the lake and fish tomorrow. If you’re meeting the adjuster, may I take her with Hank?”
By the expression on her face, Ty knew she fully expected him to deny her request.
“I’ll saddle him up before I leave. Mama always likes a picnic out there. I’ll make lunch, and you can slip it inside the saddle bags.”
“Really?” she exclaimed.
“Yes, for you,” he emphasized.
“Oh Ty! Thank you.”
His mouth covered hers as she lingered showing him her appreciation. She touched his face, felt his grin. Her hands lingered as she felt his joy.
“I’m surprised you considered not opening the restaurant. You seem to enjoy cooking and everyone loves to eat there,” she said, waiting for his response.
“I do. But owning the place requires more work than cooking. Lots of nights, like the night of the fire, I’m there doing administrative work, planning the menus for the following week, dealing with employees, and ordering food for the next deliveries. It doesn’t leave me time to enjoy the ranch. My dad worked himself to the bone for this land only to lose it to the bank in the end. I’m slowly purchasing it all back. If I continue at this pace, I’ll be doing exactly what he did.”
“Why don’t you hire a manager? Someone who can keep the records, deal with the employees, and aid your sous chef with issues. No one likes a job they have to work. Do something you love and it’ll never feel like a chore to you,” she advised.
“Did you feel that way about your job?” he asked.
“Yes. I loved the planning and strategies, and the win came when all my brothers in arms returned to base unscathed,” she admitted softly. “I miss it.”
Ty took her hand and rubbed his thumb against her soft skin. “Will you stay if Leo offers you a job?”
“Yes. I think so,” she said cautiously. “I’ll have to break the news to my parents. Plus, there’s a guy in town I’m interested in.”
“Oh?” he asked, grinning as she bit her lip.
“Yeah. I love him, and I don’t know how to tell him because I can’t see his face. You may not want to hear those words this soon, and I don’t want to ruin anything. I don’texpect you to say it back, but I wanted to tell you. Oh, and I don’t like you because I’m blind. Rocker and Sledge say you’re ugly, but I don’t care. I see your heart and I…”
