Cute Cowboy

by Pamela M. Kelley

  Sure enough, they were the only two people still there from breakfast, and both looked happy to see her. Jaclyn waved her over.

  “Nice to see you again, dear,” she said as Lily settled onto the stool next to her and said hello to Simon. Kelsi was over in a jiffy with a coffee cup and a steaming pot.

  “I know you want this, but I should probably confirm, just in case you’ve decided to shock me and get a milk shake or something crazy like that,” she said with a smile. Kelsi was always smiling and upbeat and Lily suspected a good reason for the cafe’s success beyond Bob’s amazing cooking was that people just liked Kelsi and wanted to come back to see her. She made everyone feel special and welcome, even when she teased them, which she enjoyed doing. A lot.

  “Yes, please,” Lily said. “How are you? You look great. Your hair looks so shiny and healthy.”

  “Thanks. It does, doesn’t it? It’s never been this thick before. I think it’s the prenatal vitamins or something. Are you getting your usual?”

  Lily chuckled. “I really should get a salad, I suppose.”

  “There’s no fun in that. Onion rings or fries?”

  “Onion rings, of course.”

  “Side of cheese curds, ranch dressing to start? Root beer with your burger?”

  Lily’s stomach grumbled in anticipation. Forget the salad. “Yes, you know me so well.”

  Kelsi walked off to give her order to Bob in the kitchen and Lily turned her attention to Jaclyn and Simon.

  “Have you been taking your elderberry syrup?” Jaclyn asked her.

  Lily smiled. “Yes, I have, actually. Every morning.”

  “Good, and you put the recipe somewhere safe?”

  Lily looked at her in confusion and tried to remember. Where had she put that index card with the recipe. And then she pictured it.

  “Yes, actually. It’s on the side of my refrigerator, clipped to a little magnet.”

  Jaclyn nodded in approval. “Good. The fairies told me you may be needing it soon.”

  “They did? Did they say why? I feel fine.”

  “I don’t ask questions, dear. I just listen. The fairies are very wise, though.” Jaclyn was so sweet and so serious about her fairies that Lily treated it just as seriously to respect how she felt.

  “Well, thank you for letting me know. Maybe I’ll stock up on the ingredients that I need for that, so I have it on hand for when I run out.” Where did one buy elderberries, anyway?

  “That would be smart.” And then, almost as if she’d read her mind, she added, “I buy my supplies for that syrup and other things at Murray’s Natural Foods. It’s right on Main Street.”

  “Oh, I was just about to ask you where I should go.”

  Kelsi set down a plate of fragrant cheese curds in front of Lily, as the front door opened and Cody Jamison walked in. He looked around the cafe, then at the counter and smiled when he saw the three of them. He hesitated, though, as if debating where to sit and Jaclyn waved him over.

  “Young man, we met you the other night at trivia, I think. Charlie is it?”

  “Cody. Nice to see you all again.”

  “Right, Well, Cody, Simon and I were just about to leave.”

  “We were?” Simon sounded surprised and then when Jaclyn shot him a look, he said, “Oh, right. Yes, we were.”

  “So, as I was saying, since we’re leaving, why don’t you sit here and keep Lily company?” She stood up, as if the matter had been decided. Simon threw money down on their bill and the two of them strolled off. Cody sat next to Lily.

  “You sure this is okay? I could sit at the other end of the counter if you want to enjoy your lunch and paper.”

  “This is fine. Do you like cheese curds? Bob makes the best around.”

  “I’ve never had them before. They do look good, though. But I don’t want to eat your lunch.”

  Lily laughed. “Oh, I have plenty of food coming. This is just my first course. I’m always starving when I come in here straight from yoga.”

  “Ah, I see. Well, in that case…” He reached over and picked up one of the still very hot cheese curds, which were deep fried bits of new cheddar, about the size of a Tater Tot.

  “Dip it in the ranch. It’s delicious that way.”

  He did, and then took a bite. Lily knew he’d love it. She hadn’t met anyone yet who didn’t enjoy a good cheese curd. Kelsi came over and gave Cody a menu and took his drink order, for a root beer.

  “I haven’t been in for ages, since the new chef took over. What do you recommend?” he asked Lily.

  “You can’t go wrong with anything. Bob’s a great chef. But I especially like the burgers. Bob makes the best patty melt, with caramelized onions and Swiss cheese. It’s so good.”

  “I was thinking of a salad, actually. Something healthier.”

  Lily made a face. “Well, I’m sure the grilled chicken salad is fine, but when you see my burger, you’re going to want one, too.”

  He laughed and gave Kelsi his order, for salad—once again confirming her initial opinion that he was definitely not her type.

  * * *

  Cody could tell that she didn’t approve of his order. Truth was, he seldom ate salad. His eating habits really weren’t the best. He often skipped meals and grabbed sandwiches on the run. He knew when he was actually craving a salad that his body needed it. Most women he dated that looked like Lily—slim, with long, lean muscles—that’s all they ate. Cody had brought a copy of the paper with him, too, and opened it to the crossword page. He’d started it earlier at home and was stuck on a few words. He always finished them, though, so he was determined to figure this one out. Lily flipped her paper open, too, and started reading the entertainment page. They sat in comfortable silence, with Cody every so often tapping his pencil on his paper in frustration. The answers just weren’t coming to him.

  Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Lily glance over at the puzzle and then at him. She opened her mouth as if she was going to say something and then changed her mind. Which intrigued him.

  “If you have a clue, I’d welcome it. I’m stumped.”

  “I think the one across the bottom might be forsythia.”

  “Really? Oh, it fits. But, the clue for that was milky flower?”

  “Forsythia are rumored to produce lactose.”

  “No kidding?” He was impressed that she knew that. “Are you into gardening?” he asked her as Kelsi brought both of their meals over and set them down. His salad looked perfectly fine, but Lily’s lunch? He had to admit it looked spectacular. Cheese oozed out of buttery grilled marble rye and fried onion rings spilled over onto the counter. She caught him looking and laughed.

  “I can’t possibly eat all of these. Help yourself.” He gratefully grabbed the one ring that had fallen off her plate.

  “And yes, you could say I am into gardening. I love it. I grew up helping my Aunt Gillian plant flowers and vegetables in her garden. I find it very relaxing.”

  “My mother enjoys it, too. She’s a member of the Riston Garden Club. I don’t have her knack, though. All my plants seem to die,” he said as he stabbed a piece of chicken.

  “Maybe you neglected them? Plants like lots of attention, regular watering. That’s where people usually go wrong. They’re good at first, but then they lose interest and the plants wither away.”

  He nodded. “That sounds about right. I think I’m just too busy for them. We have a few plants in the office now that are doing all right, though.”

  “Oh that’s good, then!”

  “I can’t take the credit, though. You know Andrea, my assistant? She watches over them.”

  “I’m sure she is very attentive.” There was a sudden sharpness to her tone that surprised him. Or did he imagine it? He decided to change the subject.

  “So, your band is playing downtown tonight?”

  She had just taken a huge bite of burger and nodded. A moment later she added, “Yes, at Flynn’s Pub. We’ve played there before. It’s a good
spot.”

  “Have you been doing that long, playing in a band?” He was curious to know more about her for some reason.

  “Officially, it’s been about five years. But my brother and I have played around with music our whole lives.”

  “Would you ever want to do it full-time?” He imagined that was the dream of most people that played in a band. But Lily’s answer surprised him.

  “I don’t think so. I enjoy it, but it’s usually once or at the most, twice a week. It’s a lot of fun, but I wouldn’t want to do it every night or have to travel any distance and the bigger the band, the bigger the tour usually.”

  “And you enjoy what you do at the ranch, too?”

  Her eyes lit up. “I really do. I love planning parties and events. I always have. I’m very lucky, actually. It’s the perfect job for me and I get to play with my music, too. It’s a nice mix.”

  “Wade says you’re really good. That you write a lot of your own songs.”

  She looked a little bit embarrassed by that. “Well, that’s very kind of him to say. That’s what I enjoy the most, the song-writing.”

  “I think Ben and I are planning to head to Flynn’s later. I look forward to hearing some of your songs.”

  “We’ll try not to play too loudly,” she teased him and then laughed. “Just kidding. I’m thrilled that you both are coming to support us. Thank you. I think Wade said he might try to come, too.”

  Cody finished his salad before Lily was even half done with her burger. His phone dinged and he checked his text messages. Ben was letting him know that he was on his way back to the condo with the paint and tiles. He needed to run to meet him there so they could try and get a good start on the renovation.

  “I have to head out. It was nice chatting with you, Lily. We’ll see you later tonight.”

  * * *

  “See you later.” Lily watched as Cody checked his bill that was folded neatly by his root beer, and then threw some money down. As he walked out the door, Dani, Kelsi’s twin sister, came in and went behind the counter. She went into the kitchen and came back a few minutes later with a folder full of papers and a big bowl of chili. She sat a few stools down from Lily and opened her folder. Kelsi walked over and slammed the folder shut.

  “Eat your chili first, then work on the weekly order. Otherwise you’ll get stuff all over it.”

  Dani chuckled, and flipped the folder open again. “No, that’s what you would do. When have you ever seen me spill anything?” Lily fought back a smile. These two cracked her up with their bickering. She knew they were close as could be, though. All the Weston siblings were.

  “You should go listen to Lily play tonight. You don’t have any plans, right?”

  Dani shot her a look of irritation. “How do you know I don’t have any plans?”

  “Well, it’s a Saturday night and you’re not dating anyone and unless someone else makes the plan, you usually stay in, right?”

  “Right,” Dani agreed.

  “So, I can’t go obviously. I have a date with hubby, the movie channel and a big bowl or two of ice cream. But you should go. Wade’s going and Jess and Jake, so you’ll know people there. It’ll be fun.”

  “If you feel like getting out, it should be a good time,” Lily said. “I can visit with you on the breaks, too.”

  Dani smiled and seemed a little more enthused about the idea. “Maybe I will. It has been a while since I’ve gone out and done anything like that.”

  Not for the first time, Lily thought it was so interesting how different these two were, especially for twins. In many ways, they were polar opposites. Kelsi was light and bubbly while Dani was dark and serious. She handled a lot of the behind the scenes stuff for the cafe and restaurant, ordering and scheduling and she also helped with the search and rescue efforts at the ranch. Unfortunately, that was busier than they would like. There were always tourists doing stupid things, going where they weren’t supposed to go, and taking chances that often got them into trouble.

  “Want me to wrap that up for you?” Kelsi asked. Lily still had an untouched half of her burger left.

  “Sure, thanks.” She was often starving when she came home from a night of playing with the band. It would make a nice midnight snack. Kelsi brought it back in a box, wrapped in a plastic bag, and set it down with the check. Lily set down her credit card and while Kelsi was running it at the register, Lily thought of Cody again and how funny it was that she’d run into him twice now after their first awkward meeting. She had to admit, though, he did seem nicer than she’d initially thought. As long as she didn’t practice again at the condo, she’d bet they’d get along just fine as neighbors. She was glad that she’d put him into the friend box, because it would be much too distracting having him live so nearby otherwise.

  * * *

  Lily took longer than usual getting ready to go out that night. They played a mix of rock and country music, and she alternated between wearing skinny jeans and flowy skirts. She decided on her favorite long, white cotton skirt and a flattering sleeveless black top, her funky teal blue cowboy boots and, of course, her floppy cowboy hat. She left her hair long and loose and let it dry naturally so it formed messy long banana curls. She’d hated her hair when she was younger, until she learned how to make it work for her. Lily never wore much makeup, but the lights when they performed were often bright and tended to wash out her fair complexion so she added a bit of color to her cheeks, a soft line of charcoal gray below her lashes and a generous coat of black mascara. A slick of pink lip stain and she was ready to go.

  When she stepped outside, the sun was still shining, but just barely and the air was cooler. It would be dark soon. She closed her door and locked it behind her, and as she turned to walk to her car, she heard the door to Cody’s unit open and heard voices. She stopped to say hello and saw Cody and his brother Ben carrying a big tub of wood scraps and old tiles. They were both a mess—all sweaty, with dust in their hair and paint on their t-shirts. They stopped and stared for a minute and then Cody finally spoke. “You look very nice. Heading off to Flynn’s?”

  She nodded. “We like to get there early, in plenty of time to set up and make sure everything is working as it should.”

  “You look amazing,” Ben said with a grin. “We’re done for the day here. After we both shower, we’ll be heading out soon, too. Looking forward to it.”

  “Thanks. I’ll see you later, then.”

  She went to her car, put her guitar and bag in the back seat and started the engine. She was surprised to find that her heart was racing. Why had the sight of Cody in his snug t-shirt and glistening muscles affected her this way? She wasn’t supposed to be thinking of him like that. He was just her neighbor. Her stuffy neighbor that liked to eat salad and didn’t like loud music. She decided that it must be because she hadn’t really had a date in a very long time. Her focus had been on her work and her music. She frowned at the confusing feelings. She sensed that falling for someone like Cody would be a very bad idea. Though she doubted that he would be attracted to her, too, she couldn’t imagine that he’d ever be serious about someone like her. They were too different.

  Chapter 4

  Tyler and Mark were already at Flynn’s when Lily arrived. They were busy getting their equipment set up in the back room where they’d be playing soon. The front of the restaurant was busy with the Saturday night dinner crowd. Flynn’s was an Irish pub and a family restaurant. After the dinner rush, they opened up a back room for live music and dancing. A server rushed by holding a tray of dinners—grilled steaks, crispy fries. It all looked good and smelled amazing. Lily was still full from her lunch, though, and nervous about their set. She was never able to eat much before they performed She set her stuff down against the wall by the guys and took her guitar out of its case.

  Tyler paused what he was doing for a moment when he saw Lily. “Tony, the manager, said they’re expecting a big crowd tonight. They’ve been promoting us on their Facebook page this week and
said they’ve had loads of comments and shares. Big word of mouth, it seems.”

  “Oh, that’s good.” It was great news, actually. Exactly what they’d hoped for, but it didn’t make Lily feel any less anxious. If anything it made it worse in a way, because now there was more pressure, more people with expectations. And she worried that they might disappoint. It was a constant worry. So far, though, they hadn’t had a bad show yet.

  “I picked up a new batch of CDs for us to sell tonight. We were almost out.” Mark looked pleased to share the update.

  “Really? That was fast.” Lily was thrilled to think people were not only enjoying their music but actually paying to buy their CDs, too.

  She spent the next half hour helping the guys finish setting up and testing all the acoustics. Once they were almost ready to go, Tyler gave Tony the thumbs up. People had already started to file into the back room and settled at the scattered small cocktail tables or on the long, black leather sofa that ran the entire length of the side wall. There was a small bar on the opposite side and a bartender getting ready to open, by stocking it with fresh ice and a new keg of draft beer.

  “Do you guys want anything to drink? I’m going to go to the bar for a water.” They both said yes and Lily set off to the main bar to get them. While she was waiting for Nancy, a bartender she also knew from Barbi’s yoga classes, she noticed Jess and Jake coming through the front door and right behind them, Barbi and Ryan. They waved when they saw her and stopped to say hello on their way into the back room.

  “We saw Wade and Dani pull into the lot as we were walking in. You should have a bunch of us here tonight,” Jess said with a smile.

  “It looks like you might have a good crowd anyway. It’s packed out there.” Barbi glanced at the main dining room, where almost every table was full of people eating.

  “Ryan and I will go ahead and find a table for us,” Jess’s husband Jake said. The two of them went ahead into the other room, while Barbi and Jess stayed to chat with Lily while she waited at the bar. Barbi helped her carry the three bottled waters and glasses of ice over to Tyler and Mark. Barbi and Jess went to join their husbands while Lily helped Tyler and Mark finish their final sound checks.