Her Colton Lawman

by Carla Cassidy

  “Then Flint must feel like he’s working against a ticking time bomb to accomplish what he wants to before a cure is found and the quarantine is lifted.”

  Nina nodded, thinking of the tension that she could see building in Flint every night, a tension that even a hot meal and soothing words couldn’t dispel.

  She ached for him, for his pain and weariness. She wanted to somehow make his world right, but she knew there was nothing she could do to help him with the issues he faced. All she could really do was to provide him a soft place to fall each night when another fruitless day had passed.

  She whirled on her stool and looked around the empty diner. “I hope everyone is building up an appetite to come in tomorrow,” she said. “I think today has been the slowest we’ve had since the virus first struck.”

  “Maybe people will wander in around dinnertime. This is always the slowest time of the day,” Grace replied.

  “The lunch crowd was nearly nonexistent,” Nina said.

  Grace looked at her worriedly. “I know it’s really none of my business, but with the virus and the lack of customers, are you in financial trouble?”

  “Not yet, but if this continues for another couple of months, I’ll be singing a different tune,” Nina admitted. Thankfully, over the past two years she’d managed to squirrel away some profits to give her a bit of a cushion, but the cushion wouldn’t last forever.

  “Surely this can’t last another couple of months,” Grace replied. “If it does I think we’ll all be crazy.”

  At that moment the door opened and a couple came in and took a booth next to the windows. Grace got up to serve them, and Nina sipped her hot tea and tried not to think about how difficult it would be when the day came that it was time to leave Flint behind and get back to her own life.

  She’d never dreamed she’d settle in so comfortably with him, and it scared her more than a little bit. She’d always been so clear on what her path should be through life, but when she was with Flint, her vision of her future got a little fuzzy.

  When Billy came through the door at his usual time, Nina was ready for him with a plate of oatmeal cookies and a big glass of milk. “Mom says you spoil me,” he said as she sat in the chair across from him.

  “I work at it when I can,” Nina replied lightly.

  Billy grabbed a cookie from the platter and munched it as he gazed at her thoughtfully. He chased the cookie with a drink of milk. “You should be a mom,” he announced.

  “I’m okay being a favorite fake auntie,” she replied.

  “But you should be a mom because you’d make a really good one,” he replied. “I know about these things. You’re nice, and you care and you have good mom eyes, like my mom has.”

  Nina laughed. “And what exactly are good mom eyes?”

  “They have love in them.”

  Billy reached for another cookie as a sudden, unexpected rush of emotion rose up in Nina. She visited with him for a few minutes and then went into her office and closed the door.

  She sat at her desk and fought against the alien emotions Billy’s simple observations had managed to evoke inside her. She had never, ever considered having a child before, but Billy’s words had pulled forth a deep yearning she’d never experienced.

  What would it be like to carry a life inside you? To give birth to a baby and have such love in your heart for another human being? For the first time Nina realized she had the capacity to love a child, and if she closed her eyes and envisioned what that child might look like, she was somehow unsurprised to see rich brown hair and the vivid green Colton eyes.

  Chapter 10

  Nina was like a frenzied comet from the moment she woke up the next morning. Flint watched in amusement as she buzzed around the kitchen, making a breakfast big enough for a dozen people.

  “Are we expecting company this morning?” he asked.

  She refilled his coffee cup and then hurried back to flip the bacon she had frying. “No, why?”

  “Aren’t we having a big feast later today?”

  She paused with a fork in her hand and looked at the stack of pancakes that was tall enough to nearly tumble over, the bowl of eggs she had ready to scramble and the tower of toast that had already been buttered. “Frenetic energy,” she finally said with an impish grin.

  “I think this means we’ll be enjoying the later meal rather than the lunchtime meal at the diner.”

  “Sounds like a good plan to me,” she replied and turned back to the sizzling bacon.

  Flint leaned back in his chair, content to drink his coffee and just watch her burn off energy. They’d never be able to eat everything that she’d prepared, but that didn’t matter. They’d eat leftovers tomorrow for breakfast.

  Today he intended to let nothing bother him. He wasn’t going to dwell on the weeks of failures and disappointments. He didn’t intend to think about the virus or the missing Colton ring. He didn’t want to dwell on the missing fugitives or the attack on Gemma. Today he just wanted to exist in the glow that was Nina.

  He and his men had been working around the clock for weeks without much time off. Today he’d given the day off to as many of his officers as possible so they could enjoy a day of thanks and blessings with their families. The town was staffed with a skeletal crew who had volunteered to work the holiday.

  This was Nina’s day, and he planned to spend it all with her at the diner, enjoying watching her feed and visit and laugh with those who came in to indulge in the free feast.

  He hoped the day went exactly as she wanted, exactly as she’d planned, and there would be lots of people who, for a single day, managed to put everything negative behind them and just be thankful that things weren’t worse.

  By the time she got all the food ready and sat across from him, she looked at the table and then at him. “This is ridiculous. You should have done something to stop me.”

  He grinned. “As I recall, one of the first rules laid down was that you were captain in the kitchen, and my only power in here was to sit at the table and keep my mouth shut until it was time to eat.”

  “There should be exceptions to rules,” she replied.

  “I wasn’t willing to go there,” he replied. “Besides, we can always wrap up the pancakes and some of the bacon to eat tomorrow.”

  She nodded absently, and he knew he’d lost her to whirring thoughts in her own brain. He filled his plate with a couple of spoonfuls of eggs, a few pieces of bacon and several pieces of toast.

  “I’ve already called Charley to check on things at the diner four times this morning,” she said and snagged a piece of bacon. “He said if I call him again he’s turning off his cell phone and will burn all the pies.”

  Flint smiled. “I’m sure he and the others have everything under control.”

  She crunched into her bacon and chewed, her brow wrinkled in thought. “Don’t let me walk out of here this morning without the aprons we bought last night,” she said.

  On the way home from work the night before, they had stopped at Home and Hearth, and she’d bought black half aprons for the waitresses that were decorated with colorful turkeys.

  “I won’t let you get out of here without them,” he replied.

  She frowned. “Maybe they’re too tacky.”

  “They aren’t tacky, they’re fun and festive,” he assured her.

  She smiled at him gratefully. “You know I might be having a mini meltdown.”

  “I know,” he replied easily. “I can handle it. Now, eat something besides that piece of bacon. I’m not convinced that you’ll take time to eat a meal later today.”

  She dutifully filled her plate, but it was obvious breakfast was the last thing on her mind. “I hope I have enough food. It’s hard to plan right when you don’t know for sure how many people are going to show up.�
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  “I’m sure you planned perfectly,” Flint replied.

  She fell silent as they ate, although Flint knew her head was still spinning with thoughts and hopes for the day. She’d told him last night that she wanted to be at the diner by nine to make sure things were all ready for the eleven o’clock opening.

  There was no way, Flint knew, she’d be able to wait until nine. It was just after seven now, and he had a feeling the minute the table was cleared and they’d officially dressed for the day, she’d be chomping at the bit to head out.

  Sure enough, when the leftovers were put away and the table had been cleared, she didn’t linger, but instead headed to her room to dress in the diner uniform.

  Flint hurried into his master bedroom. Having already showered, he picked out a pair of black dress slacks and a dress shirt that sported the colors of black and brown and rust. A suitable choice for the day, he thought.

  It seemed almost sacrilegious to add his holster and gun to wear to a Thanksgiving celebration, but he certainly hadn’t forgotten his number-one role was as chief of police and protector of Nina.

  It would be nice if either Hank or Jimmy would be lured to the diner for a turkey dinner. It would be nice if driven by hunger one or the other or both would show up and turn themselves in.

  “Yeah, right,” he muttered drily. Like that would happen. The last thing he did before leaving the room was grab a small brown bag off the dresser top, and then he left the room and headed back to the kitchen to wait for Nina.

  The air now smelled of her scent of vanilla and peaches and stirred the desire in him that was never far from the surface where she was concerned.

  He was just about to sit down when she came into the kitchen. Even though he had seen her what seemed like a thousand times in the slim black slacks and the white blouse that all the waitresses at the diner wore, today something about her half stole his breath away.

  Maybe it was the exceptional sparkle in her beautiful eyes, or the way her hair tumbled across her shoulders with just a little more wave than usual, whatever it was evoked desire for her that heated his blood.

  “I know it’s early but...”

  “You’re ready to go,” he finished her sentence.

  “Do you mind?” She looked at him pleadingly.

  “Nah, I figured. Didn’t you have aprons?”

  Her eyes widened, and she whirled on her heels and left the kitchen. She returned a moment later with the aprons in hand. “Thanks for reminding me.”

  “Before we leave, I’ve got a little something for you,” he said and grabbed the bag he’d set on the table.

  “Something for me?” She set the aprons on the table and looked at him curiously.

  “Don’t get too excited,” he warned as he pulled from the bag a turkey lapel pin. It was fat and colorful and definitely tacky.

  “Oh, Flint! I love it.” She took it from him and pinned it onto her blouse.

  “Punch the stomach,” he said.

  She looked at him dubiously and then hit the fat brown turkey belly. “Gobble, gobble, gobble!” The sound came from the pin and set Nina into a fit of giggles.

  Flint’s day was already a success, especially when she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him on the cheek. The kiss was quick, but managed to warm him from his head to his toes.

  Unfortunately, she quickly danced away, grabbed the aprons and looked at him expectantly.

  “Okay, we’re out of here,” he said with a laugh.

  It was just after eight when they got in the car to head to the diner. “At least the weather is cooperating,” Flint said. The day was clear and bright and just cold enough to be invigorating.

  “Thank goodness,” Nina replied, squirming in the seat like a child eager to arrive at a birthday party.

  When they got to the diner, Nina used her key to unlock the front door while Flint hovered just behind her, his hand on the butt of his gun. It might be a holiday, but that didn’t mean criminals took the day off.

  When they walked through the door, they were greeted with the scents of roasting turkeys, of cooking ham and the sweet fragrance of cinnamon and apples.

  “The centerpieces look just like I envisioned,” Nina said with enthusiasm. She placed the aprons she’d carried in over the back of a nearby chair.

  Charley stepped out of the kitchen area and into the dining room. He looked at her in mock disgust. “I knew you’d be here early. You just couldn’t help yourself even though I told you I had everything under control.”

  “Short of hog-tying her, I couldn’t keep her home another minute,” Flint said.

  “Nothing wrong with a little hog-tying,” Charley muttered and then disappeared back into the kitchen.

  “He’s just afraid I’ll go in there and mess up his creative process,” Nina said. “But I have no intention of going into the kitchen at all.”

  Flint took a seat at a nearby booth as she began to walk around to each table and make sure the centerpieces were exactly in the middle and the foliage was perfect.

  He could sit and watch her forever. He loved the way she moved, her attention to detail. Her burnished-shaded hair seemed to shine particularly brightly among the fall colors of the decorations.

  She paused in her table-check to make a pot of coffee and when it was finishing brewing, Flint helped himself to a cup and returned to his seat.

  At nine o’clock the waitresses began to arrive. Molly was the first, followed closely by Wilma. Grace and her son, Billy, walked in soon after.

  They all oohed over the aprons, and each one tied one on while Flint invited Billy to join him at his table. “You know it’s going to be a long day,” Flint said to Billy.

  “I know. Mom already told me, but I’m ready for it. I brought my video game with me to keep me busy,” Billy said.

  Nina gave instructions to her staff and then came over to the table and dropped a kiss on Billy’s forehead. “How about a cup of hot cocoa for my favorite little man?” she asked.

  “That sounds good,” he replied.

  She went around to the back of the counter, and it took her only moments to place a cup of cocoa in front of Billy. She then leaned across the table and instructed him to punch the belly of her turkey pin.

  As the pin gobbled, Billy giggled and shook his head. “That’s so dumb, it’s good,” he exclaimed.

  “And that’s why I love it,” Nina said with a warm gaze at Flint.

  And then she was off once again, flittering around the dining room, chatting with her waitresses and watching the clock on the wall. Flint knew he’d have little of her attention today, and that was all right.

  Today was her day, and hopefully when the doors opened at eleven, people would arrive to enjoy not just the food, but also her company. She was like a bright light in what felt like weeks and weeks of darkness.

  At ten forty-five, Charley and his team began to carry food out of the kitchen and fill the top of the counter where electric servers and warming trays awaited them.

  Flint and Billy moved to the two-top table where Billy usually spent his time when in the diner after school as several of the young men working in the kitchen removed the stools from in front of the counter.

  Nina vibrated like a tuning fork a mere inch from a well of water as the clock ticked down and eleven arrived. “Ladies and gentlemen, we are officially open,” she announced and unlocked the front door.

  Nobody was waiting to come in, and Nina moved away from the door, her bright smile unwavering. “I imagine we’ll see most people show up around noon,” she said. “But of course people could start showing up at any time now.”

  She stood, as if unsure what to do next, and Flint wished there had been a dozen people lined up at the door just waiting for eleven o’clock to arrive.

&nb
sp; Flint was eternally grateful when at eleven-fifteen the first people through the door were his brother, Theo, and Ellie, with baby Amelia in her arms.

  He got up to greet his brother while Ellie headed for a booth and Nina went to the back to grab a baby chair. Flint grasped his younger brother’s hand. “Thanks for showing up,” he said.

  Theo smiled. “When did you ever know me to miss a meal? Especially one that’s free.”

  “How are you all holding up?” Flint asked. It had only been a month ago that Ellie had been threatened by a stalker who had followed her from her hometown when she’d taken the job at Theo’s ranch as cook. Thankfully, the stalker had been caught, and Ellie and Theo were now engaged.

  “Despite everything that’s been happening here in town, personally, things just keep getting better and better,” Theo said and shot a warm, loving glance at Ellie and Amelia.

  An unexpected jolt of envy shot through Flint. He was thrilled that his brother looked happier than he had in a long time, and after the near devastating fall Theo had taken from a drug-crazed bronc, Flint couldn’t think of anyone who deserved happiness more.

  The fact that Ellie’s stalker had managed to make love blossom between her and Theo had only been the cherry on top.

  “How are things at the ranch?” Flint asked.

  “Battened down for the winter. I’ve got enough firewood split to keep us cozy through the rough months,” Theo replied.

  The two brothers visited for a few minutes longer, and then Theo left to join his family, and Flint sat down once again across from Billy.

  “You know, if you’re hungry you can go get a plate of food,” Flint said. “It’s all ready and waiting.”

  “Mom told me not to be the first one through the line,” Billy replied soberly.

  Flint pointed to where Ellie was at the counter filling a plate. “Did she say anything about being second in line?”

  “I think second is probably okay,” Billy said and with a wide grin he left the table and headed for the counter.

  Flint watched as Nina stood behind the counter, chatting with Ellie and helping to serve. Her face was beautiful, wreathed with a smile as she did what she did best...make other people feel important, make other people happy.