Short-Order Sheriff (River's End Ranch Book 1)

by Kirsten Osbourne

  It wasn’t until then she realized he was late. With trepidation she checked the display, frowning as she answered it. “Hi, Mom.”

  “Hi, Kelsi.”

  It was the first time her mother had called her since she’d told her about marrying Shane, so she wasn’t sure if this was going to be a good call or not.

  “Where are you and Dad now?” she asked, acting as if nothing had happened.

  There was a pause. “We’re in Florida. With all the times we’ve been to Disneyland, we thought it was time we tried Disney World. It’s so big in comparison!”

  Kelsi grinned, knowing she’d been forgiven. She’d known she would be, but she didn’t know when. “Have you been to all the parks yet?”

  “Yes! I think Epcot is my favorite by far.”

  Kelsi sat back and listened to her mother go on and on about the wonders of Disney World, but the longer they talked, the more concerned she became. Shane hadn’t been late getting home from work since they’d married, and he was more than an hour late already.

  Finally, her mother changed the subject. “So how’s married life? Are you and the sheriff getting along?”

  Kelsi smiled as she thought of the man she loved, glancing toward the door, hoping she just hadn’t heard him come in somehow. “Yeah. He’s really a wonderful man, and I’m lucky to have him.”

  “I’m glad you’re happy. Let Wade know the first part of our instructions will be coming this week.”

  “Wait, the first part? I thought there was one test we had to pass.” Why did her mother have to make everything so complicated?

  “Oh, there is. It just comes in multiple parts. I love you.”

  The phone went dead, and Kelsi stared at it for a moment before walking to the door and peering out the window. Where could he be? She quickly dialed his number, saying a little prayer that he’d answer. She couldn’t remember being this frightened in years—and she watched horror movies by the dozens!

  Shane answered, sounding tired. “Hey, you.”

  She breathed again. “Are you all right?” She wanted to yell at him for being late and not calling, but what good would that do? She wanted them to grow closer, not drive a wedge between them.

  “There was a kerfuffle in town today…two men were fighting over the last grocery cart, and…I got hurt trying to break them up.”

  Kelsi bit her lip, unsure of whether to laugh or cry. “How hurt?”

  “Stitches on my arm. One of them shoved me, and I fell and cut my arm. I’m just now leaving the hospital. I’ll be there in thirty or so.”

  “Do I need to come get you? Can you drive?” Trust Riston to be a place where the sheriff got hurt breaking up a fight over a grocery cart.

  “No, I’m fine. Bart drove me, and he waited. He’ll bring me home.”

  “All right. I’ll see you soon.” She paced back and forth, wondering how deep the cut was for him to have to have stitches. She’d seen her brothers go through all sorts of minor injuries over the years, and she herself had broken an arm skiing when she was younger. Still, she worried.

  When she heard a car in the drive, she ran to the door, flinging it open. Bart was there, standing by as if he was sure he needed to help Shane. “Thanks for bringing him home, Deputy Bart!”

  “You got it, Mrs. Clapper!”

  She started at the sound of her new name. It seemed strange, because she hadn’t used it yet. “Do you need help?” she asked, worried at the size of the bandage on his arm.

  “No, I’m fine.” He shook his head, a bit pale but otherwise no worse for the wear. “My first work-related injury, and I fell and sliced my arm on a broken jar of jam.” The disgust in his voice over the way the injury had happened told her that it wasn’t serious.

  She bit her lip, struggling not to giggle at the disgruntled sound of his voice. “Come on. I have dinner waiting.”

  As soon as he was in the house, Bart touched the brim of his hat and left to get in his car.

  “Thank you!” Kelsi called.

  Bart waved as he pulled out, and Kelsi walked behind Shane, making sure he got to the table. “Are you hungry? I made chili.”

  He nodded. “Starving actually. Did you make it too hot?” He looked at her warily, nervous about eating food she considered fit for human consumption. He didn’t know how she did it.

  She shook her head. “I have seasoning to add.” She put a bowl in front of him and sat down with her own. She shook both Cajun seasoning and chili powder into her bowl before tasting it, making sure it was seasoned to her taste. “Can you work tomorrow? Should I call and say I need to stay home with you?”

  “I can go in. They don’t want me to drive ‘til the stitches are out, but I can do the paperwork I keep avoiding. I’m sure I have enough to keep me busy for a month. It will teach me to get between two great-grandfathers fighting over a grocery cart.” He shook his head, obviously exasperated.

  She hid her grin. “Okay, but if you need me, give me a call. I can leave work if I need to.”

  “Absolutely not.” Shane noticed the candles on the table for the first time. “Was there something special going on tonight?” He felt awful that she’d gone to extra trouble, and he hadn’t been there to celebrate whatever it was she was excited about.

  Kelsi wasn’t sure it was a good time to tell him with his injury and all. “Well, we have been married eight days now.” She said it with so much enthusiasm, he had to laugh.

  “A whole eight days? Sounds like reason to celebrate to me.”

  She grinned at that. “I saw Jaclyn for a little while today.”

  “The fairies weren’t mean to you, were they? Bigfoot and I will go after them if they were. Just give me a few days to heal!” Teasing her about Bigfoot came as naturally as kissing her.

  She made a face. “The fairies are never mean to me. They love me. No, I stopped by for a chat. I try to check on her at least once a week, but she would hate it if she knew that.” She shook her head. Stubborn and bull-headed didn’t begin to describe Jaclyn.

  He nodded. “I can see that. She seems very independent.”

  “She never married.”

  Shane shrugged. “I assumed as much since she’s Miss Hardy and not Mrs. Hardy. Why bring that up now?”

  “She told me a story today.” Kelsi looked down at the table, wondering how much she should tell him.

  “If it was about the fairies, I’m not sure I can handle it!”

  She shook her head. “No, it wasn’t about the fairies at all. In a way it was about how she met my grandmother, but not really.”

  “Are you planning to tell me this story? Or will you make me guess?” Whatever it was she’d talked to Jaclyn about, it was obviously very important to her.

  Kelsi sighed. “You don’t need to hear the whole thing. You just need to know that she helped me realize I’ve been really wrong about something.”

  He frowned, a bite of chili paused in front of his mouth. “About what?”

  “I found Bigfoot.”

  He blinked a few times. “You found Bigfoot?” She couldn’t be serious.

  “No, but I did realize I love you.”

  He tilted his head to one side, considering her. “Maybe I do need to hear this whole story.”

  She shrugged. “Probably not. It just made me realize that I’ve loved you for a while, but never having been in love before, I didn’t recognize the signs.” She felt stupid admitting it, but it was the truth. Besides, if you couldn’t be stupid in front of the man you loved, who could you be stupid in front of?

  He reached with his good hand to grip one of hers. “I love you too.”

  “I know. And that’s why I was so excited to be able to tell you.” She took a drink of her water. “I’m not sure why it took me so long to realize it, but I promise, I won’t forget again.” She’d spend the rest of her life loving him, just as Jaclyn had spent the rest of her life loving Barry. Maybe it was silly, but she knew no matter what happened, she’d never regret loving hi
m.

  After their meal, she cleaned up without complaint, but she did remind him that he would need to wash dishes for a week straight when his hand healed.

  “Fair is fair,” she said, her eyes twinkling.

  When she joined him in the living room on the couch, she curled against his good side, her head on his shoulder. Shane’s hand stroked over her hair, which was down around her shoulders for a change.

  “Are you sure?”

  Kelsi nodded. “I couldn’t be certainer.”

  He grinned, resting his forehead against hers. “Sometimes I wonder how I was so lucky as to have you for my wife, and then I remember we’re both lucky, because so many people don’t find real love.”

  “And we did. I’m never letting it go either!”

  Kelsi was surprised to see Dani at the café the following morning, shortly before the lunch rush would have started. She hadn’t expected to see her in the café for a few months after having to work there for three weeks. Boring banker, Fred Wharton the Third, walked into the café and slipped into the booth with her sister. Kelsi rolled her eyes. Dani was the only person she knew that he went out of his way to talk to.

  Kelsi walked to the table and smiled. “What can I get for you two?” She looked back and forth between them, desperately hoping to know what was going on through the twin radar, but apparently it wasn’t working that day.

  Dani shrugged. “What’s the soup today? I’m hearing good things about Bob’s soups. And is there a new menu?”

  “Normal menu is still the same. Soup is potato leek. Special is jambalaya. He set aside a small pot with extra spices just for me. He said I wouldn’t be able to eat it, and I told him if he could eat one bite, I could eat a whole bowl!” Kelsi loved to prove people wrong where spices were concerned. It was yet another thing she’d inherited from Grandma Kelsey, who would always be the woman she looked up to more than any other.

  Fred raised an eyebrow at her as if she was disturbing them. Kelsi rolled her eyes back at him.

  “What will you have?” Her voice was as sweet as she could make it, but she wanted to poke him in the eye with a fork. She didn’t trust him. At all.

  “I’ll try the jambalaya. The kind for everyone but you!” Dani said, looking at the banker.

  “I’d like coke with a twist of lemon and the sirloin, medium well, with steak fries please.”

  “Okie dokie! I’ll be back with your drinks in a minute.” Kelsi hurried to the kitchen and gave Bob the order before taking the drinks out.

  After she delivered them, she spotted Shane walking into the café. She hurried to him. “What are you doing here? You’re not supposed to drive!” How had he gotten there? He’d better not be going against doctor’s orders already!

  He shrugged. “I had Bart bring me. He’ll be back in an hour to pick me up.”

  “What happens if you’re not finished in an hour?”

  “He can sit in his car and wait. I’m the boss.” Shane winked at her.

  She laughed. “Why, Sheriff! You’re in a naughty mood today.”

  “Soon you’ll know me well enough to realize that I’m in a naughty mood every day.”

  Getting into the booth with him as usual, Kelsi didn’t put her feet in his lap for a change. She didn’t want him to think she expected him to rub her feet when he was injured. She’d wait until his arm was all better and then demand her foot rubs, like any reasonable woman would.

  “How’s the paperwork coming?”

  He groaned. “Awful. Of course. Do you know how much I hate paperwork? I probably have three months’ worth I have to do!”

  “It’s a good thing you hurt your left arm and not your right!” Kelsi refused to feel sorry for him. She hated paperwork as well, but she did a little every week so she wouldn’t get bogged down.

  “Who’s the stuffed shirt with Dani?”

  “I thought you knew everyone around. That’s Fred Wharton the Third, he works at the bank, and he’s one of Mom’s spies.”

  “Oh! Have you heard from your mom since you told her we got married?” He hated the idea of coming between her and her mother, but he would never regret marrying her.

  “Yeah, I forgot to tell you. She called yesterday while I was waiting for you to come home, and she told me that we’d find out the first part of our test this week.” She rolled her eyes. “I don’t want to be part of this test. It’s already making me mad.”

  “No idea what it is? Or what this 'part' of it is?” He frowned. “I thought there was supposed to be one test? I guess she’s doing it in pieces. Is that fair?”

  “Nope. Maybe Freddy boy is over there telling Dani what we have to do.”

  Shane looked over his shoulder. “You really don’t like him, do you?”

  “I just don’t like that he reports back to Mom. It makes me mad.” Kelsi looked over at her sister who was leaned forward, speaking earnestly with the banker. “I wonder what they’re talking about.” She was quiet for a moment, trying to listen to what the other couple was saying, but they were speaking too softly.

  “I’m sure Dani will tell you when they’re done.”

  “Probably.” She scooted out of the booth. “Soup today is potato leek. Special is jambalaya.”

  “Jambalaya sounds interesting. Is Bob going to change everything?”

  Kelsi shrugged. “He’ll still rotate in some of Grandma Kelsey’s recipes, but he has some of his own too. I think he’s just happy to be able to cook some of his own stuff.”

  “I don’t like him,” Shane said, knowing he sounded like a belligerent child. “I wish he hadn’t come back.” He didn’t like that the other man got to spend all day, every day with Kelsi, and now he was showing off his ability to cook fancy foods. Shane could cook, but only simple things.

  “Why don’t you like him?” Kelsi looked toward the kitchen. “I expected to hate him, but he’s really not that bad.”

  “He came back here to marry you!” Shane protested.

  “No, he didn’t. That’s what Mom wanted. He was relieved I was already married before he got here.”

  “He told you that?”

  “Yes, he did! He had no more interest in me than I had in him. He just had fond memories of the area and wanted to be in charge of his own café. I’d have come back under those circumstances as well!”

  Shane didn’t look convinced. “Fine, I’ll eat his jambalaya.” He made it sound like he was doing the other man a huge favor by eating his food.

  Kelsi saw Liz and Joni come in, back from their break for the lunch rush. “You know what? I’m going to let the other waitresses handle things for a bit, and I’m going to have lunch with my husband.” She rarely took a lunch break, but they were never very busy on Mondays. It would be nice to sit and eat a leisurely meal for a change.

  “That sounds good to me!”

  Kelsi rushed off to get the jambalaya Bob had made for her, and some of the milder version meant for Shane.

  Bob followed her out. “I need to see you eat at least five bites of it!” He crossed his arms over his chest, making Shane think he wouldn’t back down.

  Kelsi rolled her eyes. “He thinks he made a separate pot of jambalaya too spicy for me.” Nothing was too spicy for her. She kept telling him that, but he wouldn’t listen.

  Shane laughed softly. “She burned off all her taste buds years ago!”

  Bob made a face. He carried a small spoon and stuck it into her bowl, taking one bite. His face turned red and he grabbed Kelsi’s water, drinking it down. “I’ll bring you more!” he choked out as he ran to refill it.

  Shane watched as Bob drank two more glasses before bringing her a fresh one back. “Is this some kind of bet?”

  “Of course. I get to pick who he dates if I can eat this.” Kelsi grinned at Shane.

  Shane laughed. “He’s toast.”

  “Yup.” She waited as Bob set the water on the table and then took a big spoonful of the jambalaya. “Not bad. Needs a little more seasoning.” She look
ed at Bob. “Would you bring me the can of Cajun seasoning from the spice rack in the back?”

  Bob raised an eyebrow but did as she asked. He watched as she poured more seasoning on the dish and then ate several bites.

  “Much better,” Kelsi said. When the bowl was half gone, Bob was still gaping at her. “Don’t you have orders to fill?”

  He walked back to the kitchen, turning periodically to look at her over his shoulder, obviously amazed anyone could eat the spicy concoction.

  “What would you have had to do if you couldn’t eat it?” Shane asked.

  “He’d have gotten all my tips for the day!”

  Shane shook his head. “He had no idea what he was up against, did he?”

  Kelsi kept an eye on the table where her sister and the banker were eating, taking note when he left. She had just finished her jambalaya, and she waved Dani over.

  “Any news?”

  Dani nodded, rubbing her hand over her face. “Mom’s going to call Wade later this week, but her first demand for our test will be to expand the kitchen and make it possible for us to have formal events here. Formal events!” Dani said, groaning as she slid into the booth beside her sister. “Where would we even have a formal event? We have no event halls big enough!”

  “I bet that will be the second demand.” Kelsi frowned at Shane. “We need to call a family meeting. Tonight. I know it’s not normal for us to all get together on Mondays, but we all need to discuss this.”

  “We need to invite Sam as well,” Dani said automatically.

  “What about Wyatt? Isn’t he supposed to take out a group on an overnight ride tonight?” Kelsi asked.

  “Glen will have to take his place.” Dani named Wyatt’s right hand man, his horse-whisperer in training. Wyatt had a skill and a touch with horses that was a true gift, but Glen was proving to be an apt pupil. He had the raw talent, but he had yet to learn everything Wyatt knew.

  Kelsi nodded. “I’ll call everyone. Can you drop by the stables and beg Wyatt to skip his ride and come to the meeting? We all need to talk about this.”

  Dani nodded, slipping back out to stand beside the table. “How was your extra-spicy jambalaya?”