“How long will this all feed this group?” Porchia asked.
The corner of Nadine’s mouth tweaked up. “Maybe three days. We’ll be back at the beginning of the week and do it all again.”
“Yikes,” Porchia said. “Count me in to help cook.”
“Don’t worry, dear. You have been.”
The camp was fairly empty when they got back. Jackie and Olivia were sitting on the lodge porch in rocking chairs, mugs of coffee in their hands.
“Where’s everybody?” Nadine asked as she climbed from her SUV.
“Drake, Darren, Clint and Lane have taken the four-wheelers out,” Jackie said. “Adam and Norman are with Mitch and Jason down with the horses. Reno and Magda took off on her motorcycle. We haven’t seen Cash and Paige.”
“Not that we expected to,” Olivia said with a laugh.
“Leo still around?” Porchia asked. She lifted a heavy bag from the car. “We could use a hand with the heavy lifting.”
Jackie and Olivia set their mugs on the railing and stood.
“Leo headed out at the crack of dawn. Hold on. We’re coming to help.”
It took multiple trips and twenty minutes before everything was in and stored.
“Quick break and then start on the baking?” Nadine suggested. “I’d like to wash my hands.”
“Sure.” Porchia looked at the clock. “Let’s meet back here about ten. That work?”
There were voices of agreement as the women headed off to their separate rooms. Porchia washed her hands and began assembling what they would need to make the breads today.
“I know you think you’re off the hook talking to me,” KC whispered into Porchia’s ear. “I’m a lawyer. I don’t give up easily.”
“Honestly, KC. There’s nothing more to say.”
“Will you at least give him a chance? I’ve seen how he looks at you.”
“How?” Porchia asked, sure she knew the answer but wanting validation from someone else.
“Like you’re the hot fudge on his ice cream sundae.”
Porchia turned away from KC so she wouldn’t see her pleased grin. Another brick fell from the wall around Porchia’s heart.
It was closer to ten-thirty by the time all the women were gathered in the kitchen. Porchia counted heads. Nine. No Magda, but then she was an excellent baker and Porchia doubted there was much left to teach her.
Her mouth gaped a little when she saw Paige tying an apron around her waist. “Paige?”
“What? You think I’m going to miss a baking lesson for sex with Cash? I only have you for a few days. Him, I have the rest of my life. Plus, he and Marc went hunting.”
The other women rolled their eyes in sympathy.
Katrina and Lydia exchanged hostile stares. Porchia was a little surprised to find both of those gals here for the baking lesson as they’d done an excellent job so far of avoiding one another. She mentally crossed her fingers that there wouldn’t be any warfare on her watch.
“Well, I’m a little overwhelmed and flattered you all want to learn some of my baking secrets,” Porchia said. “Today we’re going to make my Grandma’s yeast rolls and cinnamon rolls. We’ll use the same dough for both, but this way, we’ll end up with two yummy treats instead of one. Okay?”
There were nods of agreement.
“We’ll all start together and then divide into two groups when it comes time to decide between dinner rolls and cinnamon rolls. I set out enough large bowls and heavy spoons so each of you will get your own. We’ll be manually mixing today. No electric mixer required. So grab a bowl and spread out.
“Oh,” she added as the ladies began to move, “you’ll also need a bowl for the hot water and yeast, so grab one of those too. And find your spot to work. You should spread out a little.”
The kitchen had an island in the middle that was large enough to provide space for five. The other four moved to counters along the wall. She noticed the Katrina and Lydia went to opposite sides of the room. Probably safer.
Measuring cups had to be shared, or stolen as the case was more often than not. Same with the spoons. Shouts of, “Wait a minute. I wasn’t finished,” and, “Give that back,” were heard over and over, usually followed by a threat and a giggle. Porchia was pretty sure she saw Olivia toss flour at her mother when Jackie swiped the measuring spoons, but who knew? Puffs of flour covered all the stainless-steel countertops, so it could have been an accident. But when Jackie snickered, Porchia decided she’d had it right the first time…flour blasting.
The first hour of measuring ingredients and mixing went much better than Porchia feared. Everyone seemed to be having a good time, if the chatter and bouts of laughter were any indication.
She walked around the kitchen and checked each woman’s work.
“These look great. Now grease the top of the dough and set it somewhere out of any cool drafts. We want it to double in size.”
“Yeah,” Caroline said. “If I didn’t kill the yeast with the water being too hot.”
“I think you’re okay,” Porchia assured her. “It was on the upper end of acceptable temperatures, but I bet yours will do just fine.”
Porchia tossed clean dishcloths over each bowl for added protection from drafts.
“We have some time while these rise. Kitchen clean up time.”
“God. You’re a slave driver,” KC whined, and then followed that with a grin.
Caroline, bless her heart, had taken Katrina—who insisted on being called Kat—under her wing, making sure the woman felt like a part of the group. As an outsider with this family herself, Porchia appreciated Caroline’s gesture and made a mental note to tell her later.
“Kat and I are done,” Caroline announced. “We’re heading down to the barn to check on our guys.”
Every time someone said Kat, Porchia’s heart leapt and her internal security alert went off. Once, she even turned around when someone asked Kat a question. Hearing Slade call her Kat after all these years had thrown her back in time. From first grade on, all her friends had known her as Kat. But no one in Whispering Springs knew her as anything other than Porchia. She hadn’t disliked the name Kat until it’d oozed out of Slade’s mouth. Now, she didn’t ever want to be known as Kat again.
As though reading her mind, her phone gonged, signaling an incoming text message.
“I’ll check back with you ladies in a little bit. Got to run to my cabin for a minute.”
As soon as she was alone, she pulled her cell from her pocket to read the text. She’d hoped it was Darren. Instead, it was the last person in the world she wanted to hear from.
Where the hell are you? Your time is running out. Hiding won’t help.
A cold sweat broke out on her forehead and on her neck. A shudder ran through her as a wave of nausea overtook her.
Without answering his message, she slipped the phone back into her pocket and headed to her cabin. She liked Darren’s family, but having all of the women together at one time was mentally exhausting.
Slade was still on her mind as she shut her cabin door. Nervous because of his continued threat, she called and checked on the bakery. She got an everything’s-great report.
She thought about calling her parents, especially her dad, to tell them that Slade was out. In the end, she didn’t. She had lots of reasons, or excuses really, why she didn’t call. All of them just as valid and invalid as the next. She didn’t know how they would react to the information. Her mother still got upset if the events from that night were mentioned. But the reality was she wasn’t ready to have this conversation with them yet.
After thirty minutes of decompression, she felt ready to take on the Montgomery women again. She was walking from her cabin across the fire pit area when her phone’s text gong brought her to a stop. She debated whether to just ignore that damn thing, but she couldn’t, not with her staff doing all the work at her bakery. Even though she’d just checked with them, anything and everything can blow up in a bakery without notice.
She braced herself for either a work problem or another threatening note from Slade. Instead, her heart leapt when she realized the text was from Darren.
Riding with the guys is fun, but none of them look or smell as great as you do. Be back soon for lunch.
She was still a little put out for him sleeping on the sofa, but it was impossible to stay irritated when he seemed to know exactly what to say to her.
“Message from Darren?”
Porchia’s head jerked up and toward the voice. KC was standing on the lodge porch, a mug in her hand.
“Yes. How did you know?”
KC tapped the side of her head. “Psychic. Plus, you’re grinning like a crazy clown.”
Porchia tried to dampen her wide grin but failed miserably. “Don’t be a know-it-all,” she said to KC, who simply laughed. She climbed the stairs to join KC.
“And Drake sent me a note that they were headed back for lunch.”
“Okay, tell me the men in this family do not expect the women to do all the cooking and have lunch waiting on the table for them. Because Darren might be in for a surprise.”
“So would Drake,” KC assured her. “I helped Jackie and Mom put out stuff in the dining room so they could make their own sandwiches.”
The loud rumble of four ATVs announced the arrival of the four men long before they actually roared into camp.
“And here they are now,” KC added.
Porchia rubbed under her eyes to remove any eyeliner that might have smeared this morning. Then she tucked a loose piece of hair behind her ear.
“I saw that,” KC said.
Porchia felt the rush of blood to her cheeks.
KC grabbed Porchia’s shoulders and turned her until they were facing. “If the only reason you won’t give my brother a chance is because you are four years older than him, then you’re a fool.”
The four men rolled in and brought the four-wheelers to a stop. It was hard to tell who was who. Identical pairs of dirty jeans. Dust-covered boots. Helmets, goggles and faces coated with grime. And four wide, bright smiles.
“God,” KC said. “They all look like they got their teeth whitened at the flea market.”
A laugh bubbled up and burst out of Porchia. Everyone knew about the flea market that was about sixty miles from Whispering Springs. Folks got their teeth whitened there for about half the cost of the dentist. Thanks, but no thanks for Porchia. She’d just let Dr. Key continue to do his dentistry on her.
KC bounded down the stairs and leapt into Drake’s arms, wrapping her legs around his waist.
“My eyes,” cried Darren. “You two are blinding me. Stop it.”
KC looked over and grinned. “You’re just jealous.” And then she looked up at Porchia and arched an eyebrow.
“I need a shower in the worst way,” Drake said. “And now that I’ve gotten you all dirty, you do too.” He carried KC still wrapped around him to their cabin.
Porchia leaned over the railing. “You’re looking pretty dirty there, cowboy.”
Darren looked up with a smile. “Seems to me, I remember you liking a dirty, dirty cowboy. C’mon over here.”
She leaned out farther. Her upper body hung lower, level with Darren’s face. He caught her face between his hands–which were surprisingly clean due to his gloves–and kissed her. He pulled back a millimeter, changed the angle of his head and pressed his luscious lips to hers. When his tongue traced the seam between her lips, she opened her mouth and he charged in like an invading army, pillaging every drop of moisture and capturing her mouth as a prisoner of war, not that she was putting up much of a battle.
He pulled away and she licked her lips.
A groan from deep in his chest hit her like a blowtorch. “Damn. You’re killing me, woman.”
“You taste a little like…” She licked her lips again.
“Dirt?” he suggested.
“Maybe a little.”
“I think I’ll go take a shower and then I’ll taste cleaner.” He turned to leave but said over his shoulder, “Everywhere.”
She braced herself on her forearms on the rail and stretched her legs out behind, her feet resting on her tiptoes to watch him walk away. Years of riding horses had given him a firm, mouthwatering ass that just begged to be bitten. And just maybe she was the woman to do that biting.
When their cabin door shut, she sighed.
“He’s gone. You can wipe the drool from your chin.”
Porchia’s head snapped toward the female voice, an embarrassed heat climbing up her neck.
“Oh, Lydia. I didn’t hear you come up.”
Lydia held up her sock-covered feet. “Had mud on my boots so I left them by the door.” She pointed to a pair of muddy hikers. “Want to join me?”
“Sure.” Porchia sat in the swing next to Lydia. “How was the hike?”
Lydia shrugged. “Okay, I guess. Ready to go home though.”
“Yeah, I guess it’s hard to see Jason here with someone else.”
Lydia pushed with her foot and set the swing in motion. “You have no idea.”
“What are you going to do?”
“I don’t know. I’m only in Whispering Springs because of him, and now?” She looked at Porchia. “I just don’t know if I can stay. Everywhere I turn around there’s a Montgomery.”
“I can see that. Where’s home?”
“Everywhere. My parents were military, so we pretty much lived in a million places. They’ve retired to Florida. My sister and her family live in Wichita, Kansas, but I’ve never lived in either of those places. So I guess that leaves my moving options wide open.” She smiled and Porchia thought it was the saddest smile she’d ever seen.
“How’d you meet Jason?”
“I was a resident. He was on a double date with another couple. They were hit by a drunk driver. All four of them were brought to Emergency to be seen. His date was some prissy little thing who kept yelling, ‘Do you know who I am?’ Her daddy was a state senator from a small community, and I guess she was used to being top dog. After she yelled that the fourth time, I looked into her room and said, ‘Yes, I know who you are, but if you don’t, I can get Neuro and Psych down here for a consult.’ That shut her up.”
Porchia laughed. “Then what?”
“Her parents arrived at Emergency and acted almost as bad as she did. They demanded a plastic surgeon to sew up the small cut over her eye. No one but a plastic surgeon would do since they wanted to make sure she didn’t have a scar.” Lydia rolled her eyes. “She wouldn’t have had one anyway, but we got a plastics resident to come in and sew her up. She left with her parents. Jason needed a few stitches in his chin and over his eye. When I was done with him, he asked me out. I told him I still had six hours left on my shift.” She glanced over. “I figured that would be the last time I saw him, but six hours later when I got off, there he was in the waiting room. The desk clerk told me he’d been there the whole time waiting for me. How could I not go have breakfast with him?”
“Wow. That’s determination. Is it really over between you guys? I can’t believe that it is.”
Tears glistened in Lydia’s eyes. “I think so. This is what he wants so…” She shrugged. “If you’ll excuse me.” Her voice was clogged with tears, and it broke Porchia’s heart to hear how much she was suffering from the break-up. Lydia stood and hurried over to her boots. After shoving in her feet, she ran from the porch.
If she and Darren got together and it didn’t work…well, a Lydia-style heartache was exactly what Porchia wanted to avoid.
“Hey, darlin’. Ready to eat?”
Porchia turned toward Darren, who was walking toward the lodge. Should she risk her heart with him? Was he serious about her or had all her refusals just made her forbidden fruit? After all, when she did open up last night, hadn’t he run to the living room to sleep?
“Starved,” she replied, relationship questions still bouncing around in her head.
Chapter Ten
Darren knew something was still on Porchia’s mind. It wasn’t the words she used, or the tone of her voice, or even how she stood or sat. But still, he knew something was there. Since he’d decided she was the one he wanted, he wouldn’t push her, not yet. A skittish woman was like a skittish colt. Both had trust issues.
“I was thinking after lunch, we could take a couple of horses out for some exercise,” Darren said to Porchia as they ate.
“I don’t know if I’ll have time. I’ll have to check with your mom and Jackie. We’ve still got a couple of hours of work with the rolls. They’re planning some fancy dinner to celebrate Paige and Cash’s wedding, and I might need to help with that.” She wrinkled her nose. “Sorry.”
Putting his arm on the back of her chair, he leaned in and kissed the tip of her pert nose. The scent of fresh lavender tickled his olfactory nerve and he liked it. He drew in another breath. The aroma was wreaking havoc on his senses, not that he minded one iota. “No problem. This is only the second day of our vacation. We have a whole week to ride or hike or do anything we want.”
“Thanks. If I don’t have to help with dinner, I should be done in a couple of hours.”
“Hey, Mom,” Darren called to Nadine. “Can I get Porchia off dinner duty tonight?”
“Darren!” Porchia elbowed him. “Stop it.”
Nadine turned toward her son with a knowing smile. “Your father and Lane will be cooking the prime rib on the grill. Caroline and Lydia have volunteered to help Jackie and me tonight, so she’s all yours.”
If only.
“Thanks, Mom.” He turned his smile back to Porchia. “You heard her. You’re all mine this afternoon.”
She swallowed and arched her brows. “I guess so.”
After lunch, Darren left Porchia in the big kitchen with the other women to do something called punching down the dough. He had no idea what that meant, and he didn’t really want to.
Reno and Magda roared back into camp on her bike about an hour later.
Texas Hustle Page 9
