“That smells divine,” her mom said as she stopped in the doorway.
Winnie’s dad joined her mom. “It sure does.”
It wasn’t a surprise to Winnie. His favorite was pork loin stuffed with cream cheese and green chilis, with roasted potatoes and pan-fried butternut squash. If he didn’t love this dish, she’d take him back to the hospital for broken taste buds.
As much as she loved the compliments from her parents, she was missing Bear’s input. His opinion had come to matter more to her than anyone’s. “Have you seen Bear?” Winnie asked.
“Last time I saw him, he was going to lie down,” her dad replied.
A cough drew her attention to the area behind her parents. Bear rubbed his hand over his head and stopped behind them. “That really smells good. You can’t go wrong with green chilis.” He smiled.
Winnie tilted her head, studying him. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. I’m used to sleeping in the middle of nowhere. All these city lights are wreaking havoc with my sleep.” He chuckled. “Do you need any help?”
A timer beeped, and she shook her head. “Nope, that beep means it’s time to eat.”
Once she had everything plated, her parents and Bear helped her get it to the table. “I hope you guys like it,” she said, taking her seat next to Bear across from her mom and dad.
Winnie held her breath as her dad sliced a piece of tenderloin off and ate it. His shoulders rounded as his body melted with a moan. “Oh, sweetheart, this is…this is incredible.”
“Yeah?” Her pulse quickened as she held back tears. “I was hoping you’d like it.”
“I love it,” he said, slicing off another bite. “Oh, it’s so good.”
Her mom nodded. “It’s delicious. Is this one of the dishes you plan to serve once you open the restaurant?”
Shrugging, she said, “I wasn’t thinking so, but I might.”
“You should. I think people would love it. It’s amazing.” Her dad looked at her, and for the first time in her life, it felt like he was actually seeing her for who she was and not what he wanted her to be. “You’re amazing.”
Bear covered her hand with his and smiled. “She’s pretty incredible, but I think that about all of her.”
Lifting her gaze to Bear’s, she smiled. “Thank you.” Then she noticed how tired his eyes looked. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
“I’m fine, sweetheart.” He leaned closer, whispering, “This is your night. Your parents are proud of you, and so am I. Not just because of your talent, but because of who you are.”
After that, Winnie couldn’t keep the smile off her face. She’d cooked for her dad, he’d loved it, and he was proud of her.
Once they were finished eating, her mom and Bear had taken on dish duty, which was their way of giving her a chance to talk with her dad alone. Joining him in the living room, she sat in a chair adjacent to his.
His arms were crossed over his chest, and his gaze seemed focused on nothing in particular. Minutes ticked by, and the longer he was quiet, the more she wondered if maybe he’d said all he needed to while they were at the table.
“Winnie,” he finally said and lifted his gaze to her. “You were right, and I was wrong.”
She blinked, certain she’d hallucinated. “What?”
He dropped his hands to his lap and scoffed. “You heard me. I was wrong. You have an incredible talent, sweetheart. If your other dishes are anywhere near as good as the one you prepared tonight, you’ll be turning people away.”
“Really?” Her pulse raced. “You think so?”
“Absolutely. I think you’d make a fine lawyer, but you are a brilliant chef. Your talent would be completely wasted if you joined me.” He sat forward, covering her hand with his. “The only time I want you working with me is if you’re teaching me some of your recipes, especially the one for tonight.”
Laughing, Winnie moved from her chair and sat next to him, hugging his neck. “Thank you, Dad.”
Until that moment, she hadn’t realized just what his support would mean to her. How it would boost her confidence. But for the briefest moment, she reconsidered her desire to open a restaurant. If she didn’t, there was a chance she could…but, no, Bear didn’t want that. She wanted more, not him.
Besides, the fulfillment of her dreams wasn’t based on her dad’s approval. She’d wanted it, needed it, but she also wouldn’t give up on what she wanted. The thought didn’t stop her heart from giving her a moment’s pause. What if her dream changed?
She shook the silly thought away. No, she had a goal. She knew what it was, and it was so close she could taste it. Just a couple of weeks…that’s all and she’d be cutting the ribbon and beginning what she’d worked so hard for.
* * *
Walking arm in arm, Winnie and her mom had decided to take her dad home after dinner and then go for a walk. They’d invited Bear, but he’d declined, saying Winnie needed some time with her mom.
“You think Dad will listen to the doctor?” asked Winnie, unable to picture her dad taking it easy.
Shaking her head, her mom exhaled sharply. “No, but I’ll call Uncle Clay and rat him out. Clay will make him do it if he has to strap him to a motor home and drop him in the middle of a national forest.”
Clay was an adopted uncle. He wasn’t related by blood, but he and her dad had been best friends since before she was born. His idea of work was Monday through Friday, unlike her dad. “Yeah, Dad will listen to him.”
“I’ll call your Aunt Becca too. If there’s one person that will get his attention, it’s her. She practically raised him.”
That was true. Winnie’s Aunt Becca, a redhead also, was six feet of attitude, and she wasn’t one to mince words. Dad would listen to her or else. “Yeah, if she finds out, he’ll have no choice.”
They walked nearly the entire track twice in silence before her mom cleared her throat. It was a sign that their conversation was about to center on Winnie. “I think you should tell your dad about the deal with Bear. He deserves to know.”
Shaking her head, Winnie said, “No, I’m not telling Dad about the deal.”
“He could help with the rest of the money. You could get started on remodeling the building.” She shrugged. “I thought you wanted to open it as soon as possible.”
Winnie nodded. “I do, but I still want to do this on my own.”
Her mom was quiet a little longer than normal. “Bear is a good man. I like him.”
“Well, I do too, but I have to finish what I started.”
“Do you? Just because you’ve been doing something doesn’t mean you can’t stop when it isn’t what you want anymore. You can be a chef without owning your own restaurant.”
Winnie stopped midstride. “Are you telling me to give up?”
Her mom turned to her. “No, I’m giving you permission to change. You had this dream when you were young. Your frontal cortex wasn’t fully developed at that point. This is eight years later.”
Scoffing, Winnie asked, “So, just drop everything I want for a guy?”
“Absolutely not. This isn’t about a guy at all. This is about you and what you want.” Her mom tapped the spot above Winnie’s heart with her finger. “What do you really want?”
“I have obligations. I’ve paid three months of rent in advance, plus a security deposit. I’ve ordered linens, talked to contractors and suppliers. I can’t just shift gears.” Winnie was almost offended her mom would even suggest her dream had changed. “I won’t give up.”
Her mom closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. “You and your father are so much alike. I am not telling you to give up.” She dropped her hand and lifted her head. “I’m telling you it’s okay if the dream changes. And that doesn’t mean giving up; it means coming to the fork in the road and deciding what will make you the happiest.”
Opening the restaurant would make her happy. But even as the thought floated through her mind, it didn’t come close to touching her
heart. What made preparing the meal for Thanksgiving wasn’t the food; it was the joy she saw in the family who had welcomed her like she’d always been one of them.
She’d spent most of the money working to open the restaurant, though. Signed a yearlong lease. She was a decision away from how she wanted the remodel to go. There were things in motion she couldn’t just stop. Not without spending another load of money. And then what? She’d have nothing to show for it. At this point, she’d just have to choose to be happy with the direction she was going.
“I am happy, Mom,” she said and smiled. “I really am. I like San Antonio. The location is perfect for foot traffic, and I can see the River Walk from the front door. The restaurant that folded failed several health inspections. I won’t do that. It’s going to be successful. I’m confident of it.”
Her mom hugged her. “That’s all I wanted to hear. If you’re happy, I’m happy.” She leaned back and grinned. “Bear is sure cute without that beard, isn’t he?”
“Mom.”
“I’m married, not blind. I swear the man walked off a shoot for Cowboy Monthly.”
Winnie snickered. “I thought the same thing. He’s gorgeous.”
“Sweet and respectful too. Gracious. I wasn’t my best self when I first met him.” She hooked her arm in Winnie’s and pulled her into a walk. “I like him.”
“He’s incredibly sweet. Good kisser too.” Winnie’s eyes went wide, realizing what she’d blurted out.
“Oh, is he?”
“Uh…we were pretending to date, and he’d invited me home. It was necessary. It only happened once.” No way was she telling anyone she wished it had happened way more.
Her mom laughed. “But you wouldn’t be upset if you had to do it again.”
Pressing her hand to her cheek, Winnie groaned. “Mom.”
“Am I wrong?”
“No,” Winnie replied, needing the topic to change. Thinking about kissing Bear wouldn’t help her determination to stick to her plans. Not when she liked it so much. “Anyway, let me tell you more about the location in San Antonio.”
As long as Winnie wasn’t thinking too much about Bear, she could keep her focus on what she needed to do by honoring the obligations she’d made. Bear was a great guy, but the timing was wrong. Plus, he’d said he didn’t want a commitment. Keeping to the path she’d made was the sensible thing to do. Despite her heart’s whisper to the contrary.
Chapter 21
The ranch was a sight for sore eyes. Bear wasn’t casting aspersions on Houston, but the peace and quiet of his desert oasis was missed. He and Winnie had returned the day prior, much to his relief, a week before Christmas. Without him saying a word, she’d offered to fly back to the ranch with him. He didn’t need to read anything into it because she was honoring her agreement with him.
When the alarm went off that morning, he’d realized he’d gone soft in only two weeks. He’d had to drag himself out of bed, and now he was parked on a bale of hay in the feed room, worn out and exhausted.
“Bear?” Winnie called his name.
He lifted his head and smiled as she peeked into the room. Pulling his Stetson off, he ran his hand over his head. “I’m dragging today.”
Her eyebrows knitted together as she approached him. “You don’t look like you feel good.”
“I don’t. Not waking up for chores, I guess I got more used to sleeping in than I thought.” He held his chest as he coughed like it came from the very depths of his lungs.
“You don’t sound like you feel good either.” She palmed his forehead. “You’re running a fever.”
Shaking his head, he said, “I think your hands are just cold.” He pushed off the hay bale and stumbled back, hitting it with an oomph. “Give me a second, and I’ll finish helping.” The cough came again, and he could feel it in his ribs.
“I think you should go lie down before you fall down. If I was a gambler, I’d say you picked up something from the hospital. That’s the best way to get a bug.”
His stomach roiled, and he braced his elbows on his knees. “As much as I hate it, I think you’re right. I don’t feel so great.”
“Let’s get you inside, and I’ll come back out and take care of the rest of the chores.”
He felt terrible, but he couldn’t leave her to take on the chores all by herself. “I think I can manage helping you. I’ll go lie down after.”
Taking his face in her hands, she shook her head. “No, you’re going to go to bed.”
Whatever fight he’d half-heartedly mustered died before it could leave his lips. He hated stranding her, but the longer he sat there, the worse he felt, so he just nodded his compliance.
Winnie took his hand, pulled his arm across her shoulders, and helped him stand. They reached the doorframe, and he leaned his back against it. “I need a second.”
He’d never been dizzier in his life, and his chest hurt. He hung his head, closing his eyes. “I’m sorry.”
A moment later, Winnie said, “Hey, Caroline, Bear doesn’t feel good. I need help getting him back to the house.”
He opened his eyes, and she was on the phone. “Okay, we’ll wait for them.” She ended the call and slipped the phone back in her pocket. “Your mom is sending your dad and Hunter to help.”
The only thing clear was Winnie’s face. The rest of the world around him was a spinning blur. “I’ve told you that you’re beautiful, right?”
A tiny smile played on her lips. “More than once.”
“If you find a guy in San Antonio and he doesn’t tell you that every morning when you wake up, he’s not good enough for you.” He covered his mouth as he coughed again. This time he wasn’t sure what hurt more, the coughing or the idea that his time with her was temporary. “No one’s really good enough for you, so you remember that, okay? You need to remember that.”
Her eyes seemed a little glassy, and she blinked. “I will.”
“Make sure your fella knows that.” For the first time in a while, it felt like his heart had a clear connection to his mouth. Then again, he was sick. He was probably only thinking all this stuff and not saying it aloud. When he felt better, he’d have to remember to tell her.
Brushing her hair back from her cheek, he smiled. “I like how your heart shows in your eyes. It makes them greener, and they sparkle like stained glass when it’s in the sun.”
Before he could utter another word, his dad and Hunter were there. He could barely keep his eyes open at that point. “Hey, guys.”
“I knew he wasn’t feeling good. Hardheaded goat,” Hunter grumbled.
Those were the last words he heard before his eyes closed again and the world went dark.
Chapter 22
“He’s rarely sick. I think maybe three times in his life. I don’t know how many perfect attendance certificates he has from school. It was really annoying when I was growing up.” Carrie Anne stuck a honey stick in her tea and stirred it a little. “When he does catch something, it hits hard.”
Winnie sat in the kitchen with Molly, Carrie Anne, and Stephanie, waiting for Bear’s mom and dad to give them an update. They’d called the doctor in Caprock Canyon, and he’d arrived roughly thirty minutes ago.
“I’d bet money he’s been sick a few days and neglected to tell anyone,” Carrie Anne added.
That didn’t surprise Winnie at all. Bear struck her as a man who would bite off his own arm to do what needed to be done. His hands weren’t calloused because he let other people do things he felt responsible for. It was one of the characteristics she liked best about him and one of many reasons she was falling for him.
Stephanie nodded. “Yeah, if there’s one character trait these West men have, it’s stubbornness. It’s only the amount that’s different.”
Shrugging, Molly ran her finger over the rim of her coffee cup. “Yeah, I can’t disagree with that.”
The chatter turned to white noise as she reflected on the things Bear had said to her in the barn. Her heart made her eyes g
reener. Who talked like that these days? He’d said she was too good for anyone. What caught her the most was his comment about her fella. All she could think was that she didn’t want another fella. Her guy was standing in front of her.
It was a thought that nearly doubled her over as it socked her in the gut. Her guy. Not just good-looking either. His heart was the draw. Of course, it didn’t hurt that when he smiled, her knees went wobbly, but she was enamored with the whole package.
Her heart hurt, realizing she hadn’t noticed he’d been feeling bad. He would have noticed if the situation were reversed. She had no doubt about that. How had she been so oblivious that she missed that he was sick? Was she that self-absorbed that she couldn’t see he didn’t feel good?
Bear wasn’t feeling good and hadn’t said a word while she busied herself with planning her restaurant. After her conversation with her mom, she’d spent a good amount of her time on the phone, talking to the contractor, working through follow-up with suppliers she’d previously contacted, and pouring through pages of different cutlery, linens, and dining room furniture.
“Wow, something sure smells good,” Wyatt said as he walked into the kitchen holding Travis.
The interruption was probably for the best. Any more deep thinking, and there was a good chance she’d scrap her restaurant plans, and she knew it wouldn’t be right to do that to the people working on the project. They had families. They were planning on that money she’d be paying them.
“It’s Winnie’s chicken noodle soup,” Molly replied. “She’s making it for Bear, and we talked her into making extra.”
Gabby followed Wyatt in, carrying a couple of pies. “Wow, that smells terrific.”
“What’s that?” Molly asked, eyeing the pie.
Snickering, Gabby slid it onto the island. “New pie I’m testing. I roasted the pecans with maple syrup and a packet of mulling spices. It smelled good, and I think the flavor is amazing.”
“Has the doctor said anything yet?” Wyatt bent, setting Travis’s feet on the floor.
The Fake Girlfriend's Billionaire Match (Caprock Canyon Romance Book 4) Page 9
