Carolyne Aarsen - The Cowboy's Lady

Here it comes, Vivienne thought, a prickling dread working its way through her veins. Another failure.

“What is it?” Vivienne wiped her hands on her apron, then clasped them in front of her.

Cody gave her a curt nod of recognition as he slapped his hat against his leg. His blue jeans were coated in dust, as was his loose jacket, and his damp hair was plastered to his head. He looked rough and rugged.

And oddly appealing.

Vivienne wanted to give herself a shake. You’re about to lose a job, and you’re making eyes at the man who’s going to fire you?

She straightened, determined to hold her head up in the face of whatever criticism was coming.

Cody scratched his one eyebrow with a forefinger and sighed. In that moment, Vivienne caught a look of utter weariness fall across his features. He looks exhausted, she thought with a flicker of compassion. Then his features tightened, his eyes narrowed and the moment fled.

“So what’s for dinner?” he asked her.

“Cornish game hens and savory stuffing balls with chocolate mousse for dessert.” Why had it sounded like such a good idea when she was making up the menu and so oddball now that she was saying it out loud to Cody?

Cody’s frown told her exactly what he thought of that menu as he glanced around the kitchen. For a moment she saw it through his eyes. Saw the pots, pans, dishes and bowls spread over every available working space, and she struggled to stay composed.

“I usually keep my kitchen cleaner than this,” she said, clenching her hands tighter to stop herself from fussing and tidying. “But I’m also used to having a couple of assistants.”

“Is that why you got Bonnie to help?”

“She volunteered,” Vivienne said in her defense, knowing exactly how Cody felt about Bonnie hanging around her.

“Stimpy didn’t need help.”

“And he was fired because he was careless,” she retorted.

As were you.

She stifled the accusing thoughts. That was different.

Was it? Careless is careless.

“So why do you need help?”

She gestured around the kitchen. “I think this speaks for itself.” She felt tired just looking at all the work ahead of her.

“I’m sure it would be easier if you made simpler food.”

“Grilled cheese sandwiches is simple food.” The retort came out before she could stop it. “I thought I would give the men something tasty.”

“I don’t know how tasty they thought it was,” he said with a frown. “All I’ve heard was grumbling. Beans and biscuits would have been a better idea than what you dished up tonight.”

Each word was like a blow to her own self-worth. Had she really lost her touch? Was she really such a failure as a chef that she couldn’t even please cowboys?

“I said to keep it simple,” Cody continued.

She rolled her eyes. “What I made wasn’t that complicated.”

“Savory stuffing balls for hungry hands? Seriously?”

Her cheeks tightened at his mockery. “Sorry, I’ll try to dumb down the menu.” As soon as she spoke she realized how brusque that came out.

“It’s just food, Miss Clayton,” he retorted. “Fuel for the body.”

All her training and years of work rebelled against this blunt comment. “Food is more than that. It’s enjoyment. It’s one of life’s pleasures. It’s … it’s …” Her He r outrage at his ridiculous comment left her stumbling around trying to find how to explain how wrong he was.

“Food is calories,” he said, cutting into her explanation. “Just make sure you give my men enough calories to do their job.”

“Calories can still taste good.” Vivienne tried to keep the prim note out of her voice but could tell from his raised eyebrow she hadn’t succeeded. She realized she was butting against a brick wall. For now. “But I’ll still need help even if I’m dumbing down the menu.”

This netted her a heavy sigh. Cody ran his hand over his face and glanced around the cookhouse. “I can’t spare any of the hands. I suppose I could talk to Delores, Grady’s wife.”

Grady, she understood, was one of the few married men who lived in a rented house on the ranch. “Delores has made it pretty clear she’s not stepping foot in the kitchen again,” Vivienne stated. “Which leaves me with Bonnie.”

Cody’s eyes narrowed. Why did it bother him so much?

“I know you don’t like having Bonnie help,” Vivienne continued, “but I also know she’s bored … and bored teenage girls get into trouble. Especially when there’s a couple of young men on the ranch.”

Cody glared at her, but she could tell he was wavering.

“Bryce knows better than to get near my sister, and Cade is engaged to Jasmine Turner,” he said.

“Cade Clayton is a grandson of Samuel Clayton,” Vivienne said sharply. “I know my family thinks he’s a good kid, but I don’t know him well enough to form a positive opinion.”

The history of the Claytons was checkered with double-dealings and backstabbings. A person didn’t have to go too far into the family tree to find the source.

According to Cade’s relatives, her grandfather, George Clayton, had swindled land and money and stolen the woman he’d loved from his brother, Samuel Clayton. Those half-truths and lies had been perpetuated by Samuel’s children and grandchildren. As a result, Vivienne’s side of the family, through George Senior, was hated by Samuel Clayton’s side of the family.

One of whom was Cade. Cade’s own cousins had been behind a string of problems that had dogged her family since Grandpa George’s funeral and will. Had Cade been able to keep himself above the invective spoon-fed to each of his relatives on the Samuel Clayton side of the family? As she had told Cody, Brooke and Zach seemed to like Cade but she still struggled with who he was related to. Les, Vincent, Marsha and the rest never had anything good to say about Vivienne or her family members.

“You Claytons and your family feuds,” Cody said in a voice that clearly expressed his opinion. “I don’t care who did what when, but I trust Cade Clayton.” Then he gave her a cool look she could only assume meant he didn’t trust her. “And as for my sister, I’m not crazy about her working with you, but I agree that she needs to stay out of trouble.” He shoved his hand through his hair. “She can help you in the kitchen once in a while and only when she doesn’t have too much homework, but I want you to know I’ll be watching you.”

“Watching me for what?” Vivienne couldn’t stop the words that burst out of her.

“Bonnie is easily influenced,” Cody said, his voice growing grim. “And she wants like crazy to get away from the ranch. And I know you think Clayton is some hick town and you’ll be leaving as soon as you can.” He stopped there and then waved his hand between them as if to erase what he just said. “I’m sorry. That was uncalled for. What you do is none of my business.”

Vivienne felt a confusing mixture of anger and shame at his comments. Yes, she was only staying around long enough for the money, and why shouldn’t she? Clayton held nothing for her.

But at the same time, his opinion of her bothered her on a level she didn’t want to examine too hard.

Then he looked around the kitchen again, shaking his head. “For now, I guess you’ll have to clean this up yourself.”

She wanted to make a comment but felt enough had been said for now. Tomorrow was another day.

“One more thing,” he said, dropping his hat on his head. “In the next day or so I’d like to sit down with you and figure out a menu.”

Her back stiffened at his suggestion. “I think I can figure things out for myself.”

“Savory stuffing balls?”