Promise Them (The Callahan Series Book 6)

by Bridges, Mitzi Pool

  Nellie waved at them as she went to join Dani.

  “You look depressed,” Nellie said. “It can’t be that bad.”

  “Are you kidding? That old woman is crazy.”

  Molly limped over, a frown on her face instead of her usual smile. “What’s wrong?” Nellie asked.

  “You don’t want to know.” Molly slid into the opposite booth. “I’ll take your order in a minute.”

  Seeing how distraught Molly was, Nellie patted her hand. “It’s okay. We’re in no hurry.”

  Molly dropped her head in her hands. “Sorry. I’m too upset to do anything right now.”

  “Do you want to tell us about it?”

  Molly looked up. “I’m going to have to close earlier than I wanted—like today.”

  Nellie gasped. “You’re going to close? Why?”

  “My health’s getting worse, but I planned to stay open another six weeks. Now I can’t even do that. My cook fell last night and broke his arm. He’ll be in a cast for six weeks. I’ll have to hang out my Closed for Good sign today instead of six weeks from now.”

  “How did you get by for breakfast?”

  Molly chuckled. “Told everybody who wanted breakfast it would be eggs and toast today.”

  “No cinnamon rolls?”

  “I had those made by six. There’s still some if that’s what you came for.”

  “Later. Your rolls are the most popular item on the menu.”

  “It was my mother’s recipe.”

  “Guarded with your life.” Dani smiled.

  “Something like that.” She looked closely at Dani. “I’ll give it to you.”

  “Why?”

  Molly shrugged. “I’ve heard what a great cook you are.”

  “So?”

  “So maybe you could take Tom’s place.”

  Seeing the look on Dani’s face, Molly rushed to add, “It would be temporary. I’m going to close the place anyway.”

  Dani’s eyebrows shot up. “I have a job.”

  “Emma is doing fine. She doesn’t need you, I do.”

  Nellie sat there stunned. How could Molly ask this young girl to take over the kitchen without any experience? No wonder Dani was thunderstruck.

  Molly’s hands twisted. “The time will fly by. Besides, it wouldn’t be fair to my customers to shut the doors without warning.”

  “There has to be someone else.”

  “I don’t know anyone else who can cook.” She looked at Nellie. “Except you. But I didn’t think you’d cotton to the job. Anyway, Emma says Dani’s the best.”

  “I came here to ask your advice on how to cater a party for fifty. Now I’m being asked to cook for that many or more. Impossible. Besides, Emma would never agree. She’s spoiled. She likes her meals on time and something sweet every day. She’d be more than upset.”

  Molly looked at her watch. “I’m going to have to hang that sign out before lunch if you say no.”

  Dani looked around. “Where’s Amy?”

  “Amy’s a waitress, not a cook. She’ll be back for the lunch crowd. That is, if I don’t have that sign out.”

  “Call Emma, I guarantee she won’t let me do it.”

  “If she agrees does that mean you’ll give it a try?”

  Dani shrugged. “I’ll help with lunch if you’ll tell me what you want me to cook and the quantity.”

  “I baked pies and rolls this morning. If you fix the blue-plate special for the day, I’ll be in business.”

  “Emma will never agree.”

  Molly pulled herself out of the booth, limped over to take the phone off its holder, and brought it to the table. “Call her.”

  Dani shook her head. “This is your party.”

  Nellie and Dani exchanged looks when Molly limped away. “What is she thinking? Has everyone around here gone nuts?”

  “I feel bad for Molly,” Nellie began. “But I agree with you. I don’t know what Molly is thinking.”

  Molly’s voice on the phone was low enough so they couldn’t hear. When she returned to the table she handed it to Dani.

  “I told Molly you wouldn’t agree. I’ll be back when I—What did you say?”

  Dani held out the phone and looked at it.

  “You never listen,” Emma’s voice barked from the phone.

  Nellie heard every word.

  “I told Molly I wouldn’t mind if you worked for her a few hours a day. It’s the least we can do.”

  “Since when have you been so nice? You certainly aren’t to me.”

  “Mind your mouth, young lady. Just send my lunch to the house and don’t forget dessert.”

  She hung up.

  Dani was still looking at the phone in shock. “I told you everyone was crazy.”

  “Aren’t you glad you didn’t make a bet?” Molly chuckled. “Now, come to the kitchen so we can figure out the special for the day.”

  Dani scrambled out of the booth to follow Molly. “Do you mean to tell me you don’t have the lunch menu planned?”

  Molly scoffed. “Sort of. I usually wait until breakfast is over before I get serious.”

  Nellie followed them in stunned silence. If the girl took over the kitchen even for a few weeks, she’d need help and lots of it.

  Nellie stood with her back to the door and watched a thunderstruck Dani look around.

  “I like your kitchen.”

  Molly grinned. “I’m going to miss this place. Let me show you the rest.”

  She led Dani to a door at the end of the kitchen. “This is the pantry”

  “It’s huge.”

  Tall, blond, blue-eyed, Zach popped up from behind a stack of boxes. Dani jumped a foot.

  Nellie stifled a laugh. Zach had graduated high school a month ago and had been working here since he was fourteen. Against the law, but he loved the place and kind-hearted Molly couldn’t tell him no when he begged for the job.

  “Don’t scare the help, Zach. This is Dani, our new chef. Dani this is Zach. He washes the dishes and keeps the pantry straight.”

  “My real title is Gopher.” He grinned. “Go for this…go for that.”

  “Glad to meet you. I’m not really a chef. Just filling in.”

  “No time for chit-chat,” Molly said. “I don’t need this much room. Told Emma that when I leased the place, but she said it came with the lease. It’s wasted space.”

  “I presume next to the wasted space is what was once Jane’s Gift Shop.”

  “It is,” Nellie chimed in. “Has Emma said anything about finding someone to lease it?”

  “Nope,” Dani said. “Guess this place will be next.” She turned to Molly. “Can’t you think of some way to stay open?”

  Molly shook her head. “I have to accept the truth. It’s time to retire.”

  “Well, then.” Dani looked at the other two women. “What’s for lunch?”

  Molly opened the refrigerator. “I have chicken, salad makings, and Carter’s had squash on sale, so I bought a box.”

  “What did you have in mind?”

  Molly shrugged. “Think of something. Sometimes I get the feeling the customers get tired of the same old thing. Why not give them something new today?”

  “Such as?”

  “I’ll leave it up to you. My leg hurts, I’m going to check on the customers, then sit down.”

  “You can’t leave me like this.”

  “Emma told me you made a great chicken dish the other night. See if we have the ingredients. If we don’t, Zach can make a run to Carter’s.” She walked out.

  “Chicken dish? What chicken dish?” Dani looked around the kitchen and started toward the door. “I can’t do this.”

  “Are you going to let Molly down? Plus all her customers?” Nellie asked archly from behind.

  Dani whirled around, looking scared and desperate. “You know I can’t do this. Why can’t the rest of the world know that?”

  “What was the chicken dish?” Nellie asked.

  Dani told her and opened
the fridge again. “All the ingredients are here.”

  “Then let’s get busy.”

  Dani’s eyes widened. “You’re going to help me?”

  “What are neighbors for?”

  “I have no idea what’s too much or too little. Do you?” she asked Nellie.

  Nellie shook her head. “I haven’t a clue how many people eat lunch here on a daily basis. We’ll just wing it.”

  For the next hour, neither had time to think.

  “Thank goodness for Zach.” Dani whispered to Nellie when he lifted heavy pots, ran for ingredients, and generally made things easier. “He’s worth his weight in gold.”

  By the time Amy came in to ask what the special was so she could put it on the blackboard, everything was ready.

  Amy was one of those women who couldn’t be hurried. Nellie thought it was her age, but it was hard to determine. Fifty maybe. Except her face was a roadmap of wrinkles, her long hair knotted on top of her head.

  “The special of the day is chicken spaghetti, squash casserole, and salad.”

  “Sounds yummy.”

  “Hope so,” Dani grumped.

  “’Course you know there’ll be those who order hamburgers.”

  “What?”

  “Oh, yeah. Hamburgers, cheese-burgers, bacon burgers; all with French fries.”

  “You’re kidding.”

  Amy chuckled. “You’ll get used to it.”

  “I thought we were almost finished,” Dani grumbled as she ran to the refrigerator. “Everything’s here.” She sighed heavily.

  “You’re holding up better than anyone I know, Dani,” Nellie said. “Hang in there.”

  “How many people come in for lunch? Did I prepare all this food for nothing?”

  Nellie shrugged.

  “You’re in charge of the grill, Zach.”

  He was so excited he almost dropped the spatula Dani slapped in his hand.

  Orders poured in. Just as many for burgers as for the special. Nellie and Dani dished up the plates and let Zach handle the burgers.

  At twelve-thirty, Molly came in.

  “I hope you’re here to help,” Dani snapped.

  “I just came in to say the clientele are happy as clams. They love the special and are impressed with the size of the fries. Cut them down a little, honey. You’re giving away profits.”

  “How would I know? You didn’t tell me a thing to help me figure this out.”

  “Did you ever hear the story about the man who threw his kid in the lake to teach him how to swim?”

  The door burst open, and Amy rushed in. First time Nellie had seen her move that fast.

  “Did you forget to send Emma her lunch?”

  Dani stood back from the stove to wipe her brow. “I can’t remember everything.”

  “I’ll take care of it,” Amy said as she scooped up the last bit of spaghetti. “I’ll give her an extra large piece of pie. That’ll calm her down.”

  “She deserves to be upset. It’s her fault I’m even here.”

  “You did amazingly well, Dani. I’m proud of you,” Nellie told her.

  “Without you and Zach it would have been impossible.”

  Nellie chuckled. “Somehow, I think you’d have done just fine.”

  Chapter Twenty

  Rey and Beau were on their horses, taking a survey of one of three hay fields.

  “Do you think it’s ready to bale?” Rey said.

  “How would either of us know? It’s not as if we’re born ranchers.”

  “No,” Rey agreed. “But we can learn. I’ve been reading a lot about ranching and the grass looks ready. If we wait until it rains, it could be too late. We’ll lose the nutrients.”

  Beau chuckled. “You have been doing some reading. Think you can handle the baling?”

  “Do you have a book of instructions to go with that baler?”

  Beau nodded.

  “Then I can do it.”

  “I had no idea you were mechanical minded,” Beau said.

  “Actually, I’m not sure I am.”

  “What’s Joe up to?”

  “I have him moving cattle. It’s a small herd, so he doesn’t need help.

  “Smart thinking.”

  Rey turned his horse around to go back to the barn. “I’m going to get right onto this grass. If I cut it today, let it dry tomorrow, I can bale the next day.”

  “It sounds like you know what you’re doing.”

  “I don’t. But with Gordon gone, somebody better learn fast. Unless you’re going to hire someone to take his place.”

  “Nope. You’re doing a good job. So is Joe. We’ll manage.”

  “If we don’t get hit again.”

  “There is that.”

  “I’ll see you later, then.”

  “Wait up a minute,” Beau said. “I wanted to see if you could join us for dinner tomorrow night? Your sister and Emma will be here, as well as Nell.”

  “Are we celebrating something? It’s not anyone’s birthday, is it?”

  “Nope. Just thought I’d return Emma’s invite.”

  “I don’t know, Dad. I’ll see. Working night and day is rough. If I can grab a few hours of shut-eye, I just might do it.”

  “Try. I’d like to see my kids eating at my table again.”

  From the look Rey gave him before he wheeled his horse around, Beau knew what he was thinking. I’m not a kid anymore, Dad.

  He had a lot to make up for.

  But it seemed that kicking the kids out and making them stand on their own two feet had worked. Rey was interested enough in ranching to study up on what needed to be done around here and when. And Dani…what could he say about Dani? She’d totally surprised him, a gourmet cook, and a companion to Emma as well.

  He followed Rey to the barn. He might as well learn how to use that machine himself.

  Beau watched as Rey found the instruction manual, took a look and threw it aside. After hooking the mower to the tractor, the boy headed for the hay field.

  Rey would probably feel better if his dad wasn’t watching, but Beau had read about tractor accidents that curled his toes. He didn’t want Rey in a dangerous situation over an unfamiliar piece of machinery.

  Rey lowered the mower and started forward. He didn’t get far before he stopped and jumped down.

  “What is it?” his dad asked, moving Taro closer.

  “Something’s dragging.”

  “Looks as if you’re cutting too deep. Lift the mower a bit.”

  Rey did as suggested, cut a few more feet, stopped the mower and got off again.

  “What now?”

  Rey went back to where he’d cut, squatted down and looked. “Have to make sure I’m not cutting too low or too high.”

  Beau slid off Taro’s back to squat down beside him. “What do you think?”

  Rey looked over at his dad, his brow wrinkled. “Well?” his dad asked again.

  “From what I read, this looks about right. Want me to give it a try?”

  Beau stood. “I think you know what you’re doing. I’m going to leave you to it.”

  Rey got back on the tractor.

  Beau watched his son for a few minutes. His line was straight, almost even. He was a fast learner. But he’d always known his son was sharp.

  The next morning, Beau gave Rey the day off. “Catch up on your sleep. Like you said, the hay can’t be baled until tomorrow. Take advantage of a free day. Joe and I will handle the chores.”

  When Rey didn’t argue, Beau felt guilty about the long hours the boys were putting in. He’d try to make it up to them.

  “Don’t forget the dinner party tonight.”

  “I’ll try, Dad.”

  Back at the house, Beau picked up the ringing phone for the second time in the last hour. The first call had been from Murdock who said he couldn’t make it back because a rancher in a neighboring county had been hit.

  This time it was Dani’s breathless voice. “Dad. It’s me. Look, I hate to back ou
t at the last minute, but Emma has one of her migraines. We can’t make it.”

  “What about you?” His dinner guests were thinning by the minute.

  “I can’t leave her, Dad. I’m putting cold compresses on her forehead now. She’s taken her migraine meds, but if she gets worse I’m going to call the doctor. Though she tells me this isn’t unusual, I’m worried.”

  “Then take care of Emma. We’ll make it another night.”

  “Thanks, Dad. Have to go.”

  He looked at the phone in bemusement. Was that his daughter? Who would have thought she’d be so concerned about her charge? Amazing. He went to tell Helen that their numbers had dwindled to only a few.

  “That’s okay, Mr. Beau. Any food we don’t eat those two boys in the bunkhouse will.”

  “I suppose...”

  “Do you want me to serve in the dining room?”

  The dining room was too large. Since he didn’t know if Rey was coming or not, it could be just Nell and him. “How about setting up the small table here in the kitchen.”

  He’d put a round table with six chairs in the corner where two windows met. The table looked out over a flowerbed Lela had overseen when they moved in. She had tended it faithfully until she began to feel poorly. It had been neglected until Helen came. Now he caught her outside early in the mornings with a spade and watering can. Every other day, she cut a couple of flowers and put them in Lela’s room.

  Though Lela couldn’t stay out of the kitchen altogether, she’d turned over the house duties to Helen. Now she was sitting at the island on a barstool, knife in hand, slicing a pie.

  “You should be resting, Lela.” It hurt to see her work when he knew if it weren’t for the pain meds, she’d be in terrible pain.

  “I rest too much, Mr. Beau. With guests coming I thought I’d give Helen a hand.”

  “Not that many coming. I hope you ladies didn’t go to too much trouble.”

  “How many places should I set?” Helen asked.

  If Rey didn’t come it would be only the two of them. If Nell thought he’d brought her to dinner under false pretenses, he’d be hard-put to get her here again. “Didn’t you tell me the boys were going to eat here until this rustling business is over?”

  “I did. There’s no point in them cooking, being so tired and all.”

  “Set a place for both of them, the two of you, one for me, another for Nell.”