DONNA ALWARD - A Cadence Creek Christmas

“Are you joking?”

She shook her head. “Would I joke about a thing like that? It’s been a nightmare to organize.” She cut into her slab of beef and swirled it around the pool of gravy. “This is so good. I’m going to have to do sit-ups for hours in my room to work this off.”

He rolled his eyes. Right. To his mind, she could gain a few pounds and no one would even notice. If anything, she was a little on the thin side. A few pounds would take those hinted-at curves and make them...

He cleared his throat.

“What about you, Rhys? You said you work with horses?” Distracted by the chatting now, she seemed unaware that she was scooping up the mashed potatoes and gravy she’d been diligently avoiding for most of the meal.

“I work for Ty out at Diamondback.”

“What sort of work?”

“Whatever has to be done, but I work with training the horses mostly. Ty employs a couple of disadvantaged people to help around the place so I get to focus on what I do best.”

“What sort of disadvantaged people?” She leaned forward and appeared genuinely interested.

Rhys finished the last bite of Yorkshire pudding and nudged his plate away. “Well, Marty has Down’s syndrome. Getting steady work has been an issue, but he’s very good with the animals and he’s a hard worker. Josh is a different story. He’s had trouble finding work due to his criminal record. Ty’s helping him get on his feet again. Josh helps Sam’s end of things from time to time. Those cattle you mentioned herding earlier.”

Taylor frowned and pushed her plate away. She’d made a solid dent in the meal and his mother hadn’t been stingy with portions.

“So what are your plans, then?”

“What do you mean?”

She wiped her mouth with a paper napkin. “I mean, do you have any plans to start up your own place or business?”

“Not really. I’m happy at Diamondback. Ty’s a good boss.”

She leaned forward. “You’re a take-charge kind of guy. I can’t see you taking orders from anyone. Don’t you want to be the one calling the shots?”

Calling the shots wasn’t all it was cracked up to be. Rhys had seen enough of that his whole life. Along with being the boss came a truckload of responsibility, including the chance of success and the probability of failure. His own venture had cost him financially but it had been far worse on a deeper, personal level. Considering he now had his mom to worry about, he was content to leave the risk to someone else from here on in. “I have a job doing something I like and I get a steady paycheck every two weeks. What more could I want?”

She sat back, apparently disappointed with his answer. Too bad. Living up to her expectations wasn’t on his agenda and he sure wasn’t about to explain.

Martha returned bearing two plates of apple pie. “How was it?” she asked, looking at Taylor expectantly.

“Delicious,” she had the grace to answer with a smile. “I was trying to be good and avoid the potatoes and I just couldn’t. Thank you, Martha.”

“Well, you haven’t had my pie yet. It’s my specialty.”

“Oh, I couldn’t possibly.”

“If it’s your waistline worrying you, don’t. Life’s too short.” She flashed a grin. “Besides, you’ll wear that off running all over town. I heard you’re kicking butt and taking names planning this wedding. Everyone’s talking about it.”

Apparently Taylor found that highly complimentary and not at all offensive. “Well, maybe just this once.”

Martha put down the plates. “Rhys? The faucet in my kitchen sink at home has been dripping. I wondered if you could have a look at it? Consider dinner your payment in advance.”

He nodded, knowing that last part was for Taylor’s benefit more than his. He never paid for meals at the diner and instead looked after the odd jobs here and at his mother’s home.

It was why he’d come back to Cadence Creek, after all.He couldn’t leave his mother here to deal with everything on her own. She’d already been doing that for too many years. It had always been hand to mouth until this place. She still worked too hard but Rhys knew she loved every single minute.

“I’ll be around tomorrow before work to have a look,” he promised. “Then I can pick up what I need from the hardware and fix it tomorrow night.”

“That sounds great. Nice to see you again, Taylor. Can’t wait to see your handiwork at this wedding.”

Rhys watched Taylor smile. She looked tired but the smile was genuine and a pleasant surprise. She had big-city girl written all over her but it didn’t mean she was devoid of warmth. Not at all.

When Martha was gone he picked up his fork. “Try the pie. She’ll be offended if you don’t.”

Taylor took a bite and closed her eyes. “Oh, my. That’s fantastic.”

“She makes her own spice blend and doesn’t tell anyone what it is. People have been after her recipes for years,” he said, trying hard not to focus on the shape of her lips as her tongue licked a bit of caramelly filling from the corner of her mouth. “There’s a reason why the bakery focuses on cakes and breads. There’s not a pie in Cadence Creek that can hold a candle to my mom’s.”

“You seem close,” Taylor noted.

She had no idea. Rhys focused on his pie as he considered exactly how much to say. Yes, he’d come back to Cadence Creek to be nearer his mom after his dad’s death. She’d needed the help sorting out their affairs and needed a shoulder. He’d been happy to do it.

But it was more than that. They were business partners. Not that many people were aware of it and that was how he wanted it to stay. Memories were long and his father hadn’t exactly earned a stellar business reputation around town. Despite his best intentions, Rhys had followed in his footsteps. Being a silent partner in the restaurant suited him just fine.

“We are close,” he admitted. “Other than my brother, I’m the only family she’s got and the only family here in Cadence Creek. How about you? Are you close with your family?”

She nodded, allowing him to neatly change the subject. “I suppose so. We don’t live so close together, like you do, but it’s close enough and we get along. I know they were very worried about Callum when he came back from overseas. And they thought he was crazy for buying a dairy farm.” She laughed a little. “But they can see he’s happy and that’s all that matters.”

“And Jack?”

She laughed. “Jack is in Montana most of the time, busy overseeing his empire. We don’t see each other much. Our jobs keep us very busy. Running our own businesses is pretty time-consuming.”

“I can imagine.” Rhys had met and liked Jack instantly, but like Taylor, he looked a bit exhausted. Running a big sporting goods chain was likely to have that effect.

Which was why Rhys was very contented to work for Diamondback and spend some of his spare hours playing handyman for the diner and his mother’s house. It was straightforward. There was little chance of disappointing people.

Angry words and accusations still bounced around in his brain from time to time. Failing had been bad enough. But he’d let down the person he’d trusted most. And she’d made sure he knew it.

The fluted crust of Taylor’s pie was all that remained and she’d put down her fork.

“Well, I suppose we should get going.”

“I’m going to have to roll back to the B&B,” she said ruefully, putting a hand on her tummy.

“Not likely,” he said, standing up, but their gazes met and he was certain her cheeks were a little redder than they’d been before.

He took her coat from the back of the chair, pulled the scarf from the sleeve and held it so she could slide her arms into it. They were quiet now, he unsure of what to say and his show of manners making things slightly awkward. Like this was a date or something. He stood back and grabbed his jacket and shoved his arms in the sleeves. Not a date. It was just sharing a meal with...