“Sal,” she greeted, then launched right into it. “I’m not taking my girl home today, am I?”
Pity webbed across his rough-hewn features. His mouth pulled low as he gestured to the waiting area. “You’d better sit down.”
Chapter 12
“Terminal?” Soledad gawped at Sassy. “What does that mean?”
“The engine’s shot,” Sassy muttered, picking at the contents of the platter Jessamine Baker had placed in front of her. The country-fried steak she’d ordered tasted like ash in her mouth despite Jessamine’s talents in the kitchen. “Sal says he’s replaced every part twice over. It needs a rebuild, and after buying the house two years ago and the reno, I’m not sure it would be wise to drop more cash on my princess when this could happen again in a year or two.”
“I’m so sorry,” Soledad commiserated. “I know how much you love her.”
“She got me to New York and back,” Sassy said ruefully. “The first time a boy kissed me, he racked his nuts on the center console trying to get to me.”
“You’re not eating,” Jessamine said with a tsk as she returned to the table to refill their glasses of iced tea. “My cookin’ not good enough for you girls anymore?”
“No one’s saying that,” Sassy said, spooning up a large forkful of Brussels sprouts. She made yummy noises to combat Jessamine’s puckered expression.
Soledad followed suit, sipping creamy chicken noodle soup out of the Oh My Heck mug it had been served in. Her thin black eyebrows rose to her hairline and her hand came to her mouth when she realized that it was still steaming. With a thumbs-up, she offered a stilted, closed-mouth smile to the hovering chef.
Jessamine lifted her chin. “You two aren’t leaving without dessert. I got Jell-O salad today.”
As she moved to the next table, Soledad groaned. “The last time I ate dessert here, I gained five pounds.”
“Mmm,” Sassy said with a nod. “Her Jell-O salad is frickin’ dangerous.” From the outside, the established hole in the wall looked more like a refurbished trailer than an eatery. When Dark Canyon’s beautification committee had come after Jessamine and her husband, Joe—both of whom ran the place with just a handful of staff—they’d added a wraparound porch and a small cupid’s fountain out front.
Nick and Sassy had a running bet on bare-as-a-bumpkin Cupid’s real reasons for being there. Sassy thought the fountain was a polite way for Jessamine and Joe to show their asses to the committee. Nick had odds on it being a misguided attempt to class up the place.
Cupid’s chipped nose and stained basin looked like something they’d picked up from a yard sale rather than a garden center. He fit right in, though, with the potato sack–lined ceiling, the scarred wood floors so soft in places walking over them felt sketchy as hell if you were paying attention and the chicken and egg salt and pepper shakers on each table.
If the city council ever decided to shut down Jessamine’s based on appearance, they’d find Sassy and a good many others at the front of the picket line.
She spooned mac and cheese and made herself eat it. If comfort food wasn’t going to get her through this, what would?
The door opened with a tinkle of bells, and Nick breezed through, Riot’s leash in hand.
“Boy,” Jessamine called from across the dining room, “you can’t bring that dog in here.”
Nick crouched behind him, using his hands to perk Riot’s ears at a jaunty angle. “But, Miss Jezzie, look! He’sstarving.”
On cue, Riot lifted one paw off the floor in a plaintive pose.
“You’re one horse away from a dog and pony show.” Tossing her checkered kitchen towel over one shoulder, Jessamine turned toward the swinging kitchen door. “I’ll turn my back this visit. Next time, he eats on the porch like the rest of the barnyard animals.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Nick said, dropping into the chair next to Sassy that she’d already kicked out for him. “After twenty-seven years, she still scares the hell out of me. Why do we keep coming back?”
“Jell-O salad,” Sassy said around a bite from her honey biscuit. She counted off others on her fingers. “Sweet corn. Fried peaches in honey. Funeral potatoes. Homemade fry sauce…”
“Oh yeah,” he said dreamily. Coming to his senses, he nodded to Soledad. “How’re you today?”
“Great,” Soledad replied. “Lunch is on me. Sassy’s letting me go early today so I can meet my friend Fletcher. We’re going dancing tonight.”
“Boyfriend,” Sassy stage-whispered behind her hand.
Nick grinned at Soledad. “Has he passed Sassy’s inspection?”
“Not yet,” Soledad admitted measuredly.
“She likes this one too much to expose him to my scrutiny,” Sassy pointed out.
