by Hope Ford
Faithful
Whiskey Run
Hope Ford
Contents
1. Millie
2. Millie
3. Millie
4. Millie
5. Millie
6. Millie
7. Millie
8. Millie
9. Millie
Epilogue
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About the Author
Faithful © 2021 by Hope Ford
Editor: Kasi Alexander
Cover Design: Cormar Covers
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
1
Millie
What did I ever see in him? I ask myself as I stare through my office window out into the store. Mike Miller, my ex-boyfriend, keeps making faces at me through the window as if we’re still friends or something. But we’re not. I’m definitely not stupid enough to put myself in that position. Well, not twice anyway. I learned my lesson the first time.
Mike comes to stand in my doorway and stares at me with a big smirk on his face. “What you doing, Millie Moo?”
I cringe at the nickname. At one time, I thought it was sweet, the way he always seemed to say it with affection as he would wrap his arms around me. But now, not so much. Not since I discovered that he was only dating me to get the manager’s position at my father’s store and the fact that Millie Moo wasn’t really a term of endearment. He was making fun of my plus size figure.
The Whiskey Run Farmer’s Co-op is owned by my father. I’m the office manager, and my dad has been looking for a store manager for some time now. He’s wanted to retire for a while, and there’s no doubt the man deserves it. He raised me pretty much on his own since my mother left town when I was young. His whole life has been me, our ranch, and the co-op. Now he wants to spend more time on his ranch, and there’s no way I’m going to mess that up for him. I can put up with an ex-boyfriend if it means my dad gets a break.
“What do you want, Mike?” I ask him, unable to keep the disgust out of my voice. I’ve really tried to be nice to him since everything happened, but to say it’s hard is an understatement. If my dad knew what kind of man Mike is – a two timing, using cheater – there’s no way he would have promoted him. But I’m between a rock and a hard place, and I chose the option that seemed like it would be better for my dad, even though I’ve second-guessed myself a thousand times since making the decision.
“I was thinking that if you ever decide you want something scratched – I’ll take one for the team – I’ll scratch your itch.” He finishes his asinine statement with a wiggle of his eyebrows, and I roll my eyes at him. Thank God I never slept with him. If I had I probably never would have forgiven myself. Luckily, I figured out exactly what kind of man he was before I gave in.
“That’s never going to happen, Mike, so like I’ve told you before, if you don’t have anything to talk to me about work, then don’t talk to me at all.”
I spin my chair away from him and act as if I’m digging for something in the file cabinet. I’ve learned the best way to get rid of Mike is to ignore him. He can’t stand that.
I keep digging, and when I don’t hear him anymore, I assume he’s given up and walked away. That is until I hear a soft knock on my door. Already fed up and frustrated, I bark out, “What Mike? What do you want?” as I turn to face the door.
With my mouth hanging open, my dad looks at me with a grim look on his face. “Hey, honey.”
“Hey, Dad,” I say and bolt up from my chair. I’ve done my best to hide my true feelings about Mike from my dad, but too many more outbursts like that one, he’s not going to believe it.
“Millie,” he starts, and I hold my hands up because I know exactly where this conversation is going.
“Dad, it’s fine. I promise. Mike and I are fine.”
He’s shaking his head and walks farther into my office. “I know it has to be hard to work with an ex-boyfriend. All you have to do is say the word and he’s gone.”
I stare back at him, and it’s on the very tip of my tongue to admit what truly happened with Mike and me. There’s no doubt if my dad knew the truth, Mike would be gone. But just as I’m about to say it, I remember everything my dad has sacrificed for me, and my lips slam shut while I shake my head side to side.
“Millie, there’s something you’re not telling me. I know it. I know you.” He stresses the you, and bile starts to rise in my throat. I hate lying to my dad. The guilt is too much.
“Dad, it’s fine. I promise. Now, why did you come in to see me? Did you need something?”
He shakes his head. “No, I was just going to go down to Red’s and pick up lunch. I wanted to see if you wanted anything.”
I lean over and pull open my desk drawer and heft my purse out. “I’ll go. I need to stretch my legs after sitting at this computer all morning. What do you want? Your usual?”
If my dad notices me hustling past him, walking backwards to the door, trying to get away from all his direct questions, he doesn’t say anything. “Yeah, my usual.”
I put a smile on my face. “All right. I’ll be right back.”
I push through the front door of the co-op and get a block away from the store before I slow my pace. Lying to my dad is definitely taking its toll. I walk another block and take deep breaths to try and calm myself. First, dealing with Mike and then having to deal with the lies to my dad are enough to wreak havoc on a person.
I stop outside Red’s Diner and peek in. I see Violet, one of my best friends and the owner of the diner, standing behind the counter. I pull my shoulders back and push through the door. When the bell above the door chimes, Violet looks up with a smile pasted to her face, no doubt about to greet a newcomer. When she sees me and the look I thought I had hidden well, she shakes her head. “What’s wrong?”
I look around the restaurant as I stride up to the counter. Red’s Diner is the most popular place to eat in town. It’s the hangout of all hangouts. It’s where all the gossip seems to start, and with Violet yelling across the restaurant at me, asking me what’s wrong – well, I’ll be the first name mentioned tonight on the chatterbox as everyone forms their own opinions of what is wrong with me.
“Really? Did you have to scream that across the restaurant?”
“Sorry. I saw the look. You know the one. It’s the I’ve been dealing with my dumbass ex-boyfriend because I want to be some kind of martyr so my dad can retire look.”
I take a seat at the counter and am thankful that even though all the tables and booths seem to be occupied, the stools at the counter are still open. “Violet, we’ve been over this.”
She rolls her eyes. “So did you come for a lecture from your best friend or are you wanting to place an order?”
“I’m getting lunch for Dad and me.”
“Your dad want the usual?”
I give her the What else would he order? look. He’s been ordering the meatloaf and mashed potatoes ever since Violet added it to the menu. It’s definitely his favorite.
“What about you, Millie? Hamburger today?”
Just the thought of eating one of the diner hamburgers makes my mouth water. But I started a diet this morning. Another one. I shake my head. “No, I’ll take the Cobb salad with grilled chicken. Lite ranch dressing on the side.”
“Millie...”
“It’s what I want, Violet. I don
’t need the speech today.” She’s my best friend, and she knows how sensitive I am about my weight, but I still shut her down. No doubt she’s going to tell me how pretty I am, and I don’t need to lose weight. It’s the same thing she’s always saying to me. But obviously if what she says was true, I wouldn’t have the nickname “Millie Moo” from Mike.
Violet shrugs her shoulders and then points to the dessert case next to her. “Okay, you want to eat rabbit food for lunch. Have at it. But are you sure you don’t want a slice of your favorite apple cinnamon Blaze cake?”
She’s pointing at the spongy goodness with the cream cheese frosting, and if it was any other day, I would give in. The apple cinnamon Blaze cake is my favorite. Its key ingredient is the cinnamon whiskey that is made at the distillery at the edge of town. It’s what our town, Whiskey Run, is named after. But I take a deep breath and blow it out, telling myself to be strong. “No, no cake for me today.”
Violet puts both hands on the counter and leans toward me. “You don’t need to be on a diet, Millie.”
I point toward Eddie, who’s standing at the cooktop. “You going to put my order in? I have to get back to work.”
Violet flings her hands up in the air, shaking her head. Honestly, if I let her loose, she’d give Mike a piece of her mind. I have no doubt about it. She’s the one that was there for me when I found out that Mike was sleeping with another woman and was only dating me to get the manager’s job. Probably the worst of it was hearing him tell someone on the phone that there’s no way he would ever sleep with me because he’s afraid I’d smother him while we were in bed. I can’t stop the grimace on my face, and I look around the restaurant as if the people here could hear the thoughts in my head.
Luckily, no one seems to even notice me. At least no one seems to. That is until I look to my left, at the far end of the counter away from everyone, where a lone man is sitting. He’s rugged looking with at least a couple days of stubble on his chin. He has longer hair and the most piercing blue eyes I’ve ever seen. He’s staring at me, and instantly I can feel my whole body heat. A million things cross my mind. Did he hear me say I was on a diet? I look up at the ceiling, deep in thought – did I say anything about Mike and what happened with him? Geez, I hope not. I definitely don’t need someone else speculating on what they think happened. I have enough of that going around already.
Because I can’t stop myself, I chance another look at the stranger. At closer look, I notice that he’s older. Considerably older than my twenty-four years of age. He has to be in his late thirties. The corner of his lips raise in a smile, and he nods his head in acknowledgement. Normally, I’m a nice person. I’ll say hi to anyone. But I guess not today, because I barely stop my mouth from dropping open. The hot guy smiles at me. I turn my back to him. It’s rude and uncalled for, but I don’t know what else to do. I’m not good at small talk, and there’s nothing good that can come from me talking to the hot cowboy. It’s obvious he’s way out of my league. And he’s obviously not from around here. I definitely would have remembered him. I gaze out at the restaurant, but no matter how much I focus on the locals, waving and calling hello across the restaurant, I can still feel the hot, penetrating gaze of the man behind me. I look through the big window that shows Eddie, the cook, and I can see that Violet is bagging up my order. Thank goodness. I need to get out of here. It definitely feels like the temperature has gone up a notch – or thirty.
“All right, here you go. A meatloaf and a Cobb salad with grilled chicken, blah, blah, blah.”
I can’t help but laugh out loud as I hand over the money. “Vi, I’m sure that’s not how you’re supposed to describe your food to customers.”
She rings up the order in the register and makes change with the money I gave her. She hands over the change. “I’m only saying that because I hate the way that stupid Mike has made you feel about yourself. He’s an idiot.”
I nod my head quickly and don’t dare look over at the stranger. No doubt he’s hanging on our every word. “I know, Vi. I’ve got to go. Thank you for lunch.” And because she’s my best friend and means well, I tell her, “And thanks for the pep talk. I love you, friend.”
Now, Violet is the one that’s trying to get away. She hates any kind of affection and does anything to avoid it. She pulls the towel from the belt at her waist and flicks it at me. “Go. Get outta here. Enjoy your salad. Talk to you later.”
I give her one last wave and walk out the door. I tell myself I’m not going to look inside but of course, I don’t listen. I look. I about have to strain my eyes to look through the reflection on the glass to see inside. But there he sits. Completely turned around in his stool, watching me as I walk down the sidewalk. And all I can think is, Don’t trip, Millie. Don’t you dare fall on your face. I lift my shoulders back and keep walking. The guy may be hot, but I definitely don’t need a man in my life. Not now.
Austin
Imagine my luck. I never come into Whiskey Run. My ranch is right on the border of Whiskey Run and Jasper. The farmers co-op in Jasper is closer, and that is my main reason for ever going into the town. So the fact that not only did I have the best lunch I’d had in a long time, I saw the prettiest, curviest, brown haired woman I’d ever seen. Already, the day is looking up.
I watch as she walks down the sidewalk until she’s out of eyesight. I hated to let her go without even asking her name, but the way she turned her back to me, she definitely didn’t seem interested. And then hearing her and the waitress talk about some guy named Mike breaking her heart pretty much sealed the deal for me. She doesn’t need or want a man hitting on her. So I let her go. But I’m a big believer in fate. If it’s meant to be, our paths will cross again.
Even knowing all that, I still can’t resist asking the waitress about her. “So, uh Millie... the woman you were talking to...” I start, hoping that she’ll get to talking without me having to actually ask the question.
But instead the waitress with the nametag that says Violet crosses her arms over her chest. She seems like she’s ready to defend her friend, and already I can tell I’m going to like this woman just for the fact that she seems like a good friend to Millie. “What about her?”
“Is she seeing anyone?”
She looks me up and down and then puts her hand on her hip. “Who wants to know? I don’t know you, and I know everyone in this town.”
“I’m Austin Yates. I own the Yates ranch at the edge of town.”
“You mean the big one as soon as you get into Jasper?”
I laugh. “Actually, the majority of my land is in Whiskey Run. I just don’t spend a lot of time in town since Jasper is closer.”
“Well, if you prefer Jasper then what are you doing here?”
I almost laugh at her question, but I can tell she’s being serious. I never answer to anyone. Most people take one look at me and don’t question me. This woman is definitely protective of her friend. “I’m in town to meet with Mr. Ogle at the Whiskey Run Co-op to talk about setting up an account.”
Violet smiles and looks me up and down. I definitely feel like I’m being judged. She crosses her arms over her chest with a smirk. “Millie works at the co-op. Her father, Rusty Ogle, owns it.”
She’s looking at me as if she’s trying to gauge my reaction, as if I have some sort of plan or something. Maybe she thought I already knew about Millie and her dad. But I can’t stop the slow smile that forms on my lips. If that’s not fate, I don’t know what is.
“Be nice to her,” she threatens as she hands me my ticket and tells me the total I owe for my lunch.
I unroll a twenty from my money clip. “You never did answer my question. Is Millie seeing anyone?”
“You’ll have to ask her that.”
I point to the dessert case. “Fair enough. I’ll take a piece of the cake too.”
“Which one? Chocolate? Or the apple cinnamon Blaze?”
“The apple,” I tell her as I set the money on the counter in front of me.
She boxes up a slice of cake and sets it in front of me before picking up the money. “Got a sweet tooth? You can’t go wrong with the apple cinnamon Blaze.”
I just shake my head. “It’s not for me.”
She gets my change out of the register and hands it to me. “Is that for Millie?” she asks, gesturing to the Styrofoam carton between us.
“Yep. She looked like she wanted it.”
She puts her hands on the edge of the counter. “Well, Mr. Austin Yates, there may be some hope for you yet then.”
I thank her for my meal and walk out of the diner with a light step. Even though I feel like I got the third degree, I at least feel like I may just have a chance with the curvy Millie Ogle. There’s no way her protective friend would give me the go ahead if not. I pick up my pace, excited to find out and see Millie again.
2
Millie
I knock on my dad’s door to his office and walk in to set his food on his desk. “Here ya go. Meatloaf and mashed potatoes.”
He claps his hands and rubs them together. “Thanks, sweetie. My favorite.”
“You’re welcome. You going back to the ranch after you eat?”
“No, actually I have an appointment. Then I’ll be heading home.”
“All right, Dad, but you know the whole point of you hiring Mike as the store manager was so you could spend more time at home.”
He opens the package of food and inhales deeply. “I know. I’m going as soon as my meeting’s over.”
“Okay, love you.”
“Love you too. Thanks for the food, honey.”
I walk back to my office, completely avoiding Mike, and take a seat at my desk. I pick through my salad and wish I had just gotten the cake instead of what I ordered.
