Page 103 of Back To Our Beginning

“Definitely. Yours are even better than Trenda’s.”

“It’s the balsamic vinegar. You just add a dash, and it enhances the strawberry flavor and brings out a subtle savory note.” She blended up another batch of margaritas for the three of us, and I got the beer out of the fridge for the two brothers.

“Every single time I’m around you, I learn something new. Your talents are wasted just being the barista at Java Jolt.”

“Karen is going to be leaving at the end of the month,” Ruby told me. “The owner has been talking to me about taking Karen’s place as the manager.” She poured out the margaritas.

“What do you think about that?” I asked.

“I told him it wasn’t going to be easy, because Jordan has been working there for five years, and he expects to be promoted. I flat out told the owner that Jordan is going to be resentful because I’m a woman and I’m younger.”

“What did he say?”

“Sam said he’d have a talk with Jordan.”

Ruby bit the end of her thumb.

“Do you want to take the job?”

“I really do. I think I could kick ass. I learned a lot about managing a restaurant when I worked at Tia’s parents' restaurant. And it would almost double my salary, but the hours would be a lot longer.”

“For what it’s worth, I think you’ll do great, but I’ll back you no matter what you decide.”

Ruby grinned, and we walked back out into the backyard.

* * *

“How are you feeling?” Beau asked me as he rubbed my feet later.

“I am definitely not feeling any pain. Between the foot rub and the third margarita, I am floating on a cloud.”

It was just about eleven o’clock on Saturday. I still had one more day off before I had to report to my first day back at work since my kidnapping. I was feeling really happy.

“Are you good enough to have a serious conversation?” Beau asked.

“Is there going to be a test afterwards?”

He dug in deeper on my arch and I moaned in pained pleasure.

“Nope, no test,” he assured me.

“Then I’m all for a deep, dark conversation. Fire away.”

“Speaking of that, ‘firing away’ I mean, tomorrow Kai and I are getting both you and Marlowe taser guns. Then we’re going to take you to Simon and Trenda’s house to train you how to shoot them on their land out back.”

I relaxed into the foot rub. “So, is that the serious conversation? Cause that was easy.” I wiggled my toes. He tickled the bottom of my foot.

“Hey! No fair.”

“I wanted to make sure you were paying attention.” He grinned. “Nope, that wasn’t the serious part.” His fingers slowed to where he was just tracing circles on the bottom of my foot. When I looked up at his face, I got concerned. He looked pensive. Not a normal look for Beau.

“What is it?”

“You love living here, don’t you?”

“Absolutely. I’ve lived in Tennessee all my life. The only time I didn’t live in Jasper Creek was when I was attending Eastern Tennessee State University and lived in the dorm, and then my apartment. But hell, that was only a two-hour drive back home. Plus, I had Zoe and Chloe with me when I was getting my masters.”

He blew out a deep breath. “Did you ever think of leaving? Tennessee, I mean? Trying a new place on for size?” He was now holding my foot in a tight grip, and I’d bet anything he had no idea he was doing it.