by Kate Pearce
“Any news from Tasty Treats?”
“Nope.” Yvonne frowned. “Did you hear from your father?”
“Yeah, he sent me a package detailing the offer. It’s a damn good one, but I’m still not tempted.”
“Good for you.” Yvonne stood up and kissed him on each cheek. She smelled so delicious he wanted to inhale her whole. “I’d better get back. I’ll speak to you soon, okay?”
She and Paul disappeared into the kitchen, and Rio let out his breath. Ruth came back with the coffee and a selection of pastries, and settled in opposite Rio.
“She likes you.”
“Who does?”
“Yvonne.”
“So why does she have her ex working in the kitchen right now?” Rio inquired.
“Probably because she needed the help? You know how hard it is to find good staff around here.” Ruth sipped her coffee. “And speaking of which, I spoke to Margery next door. She’s definitely not right. The moment she saw me, she started crying. I couldn’t get much sense out of her at all, except that she’s lonely, and that she doesn’t want her town changing as well as everything else in her life.”
“I can kind of see her point,” Rio said cautiously. “But—”
“The town needs new blood and new housing opportunities,” Ruth said. “I’ll drop a word in Dr. Ortiz’s ear about checking in with her. I also suggested she might consider moving her business somewhere closer to her son.”
“What did she say about that?”
“She promised me she would consider it.” Ruth sighed. “It’s hard when your family leave you. For a long while, I thought I was going to die on the ranch all alone.”
“Until you persuaded Chase to come home.”
She winked at him. “And all the rest of them.”
“Even HW.” He shook his head. “You must be some kind of magician.”
“Family is the magic word, Rio.” She held his gaze, her blue eyes bright with unshed tears. “Forgive the past, and make new plans for the future. That’s what my grandsons have done.”
“Sometimes families aren’t worth saving, Ruth,” Rio reminded her gently.
“Like yours? You love your mother and sister, don’t you?”
“Yes, of course.”
“But you struggle with your father.”
“He was not good to me or my mother.”
“And yet Josie says Isabelle has forgiven him. Why can’t you do that?”
“Because he hasn’t changed one bit,” Rio said.
“Is that really the truth, or is that just how you prefer to see it?” Ruth asked. “Everyone changes. Look at my son, Billy. He became a drunk and walked out on his home and his family. He even went to prison. But now his sons are all trying in their different ways to connect with him.”
“Because he’s accepted responsibility for what he did? My father—” Rio paused and considered the last conversation he’d had with Graham, where certain things had come to light and he’d surprised his parent into apologizing.
“You’ve got to start seeing your father through your adult eyes, not through the eyes of a frightened child.”
“And what good will that do?”
Ruth’s smile was full of warmth and wisdom. “Free you from all that hurt you keep inside you. Now drink your coffee, eat one of these delicious pastries, and let’s take the rest of them back to the ranch.”
* * *
“So what is Tasty Treats?” Paul asked as they stood side by side at the sink, washing up various utensils.
“Nothing important.” Yvonne carefully wiped down her favorite knife and placed it back in its block.
“It sounds like something related to your business.” He paused. “If you don’t tell me, I’m just going to Google it anyway.”
Yvonne mentally pictured herself duct-taping up Rio’s mouth. But then she wouldn’t be able to kiss him, and she enjoyed that far too much.
“It’s a TV production company. One of the producers came by recently and really enjoyed my baking and the atmosphere of the café.” She shrugged. “She might feature us at some point.”
“That’s good, right?”
“I suppose so.” Yvonne finished washing up and wiped her hands. “I doubt it will come to anything—you know how these things go.”
“What does your cowboy friend have to do with this potential business opportunity?”
“He happened to be in the café when the producer was saying how great my cakes were.” Jeez, Yvonne hated lying, but she had a sense that if Paul discovered the extent of the production company’s interest in her, he’d never leave. He’d always wanted to be a TV chef.
“Oh.” Paul wiped down the countertop and took the cloth through to the laundry bag. “The restaurant chain I’m hoping to start on the East Coast would be perfect for a production company to feature. Do you happen to have the producer’s number?”
Yvonne relaxed. Of course Paul was primarily thinking about himself. “I don’t have it on me right now.”
“No rush. If you find it, I’d love to have it.” Paul took off his apron and stretched. “Wow, that was some workload we got through today.”
“Yes, sometimes I feel like I never stop.”
“Not sure how you manage all by yourself.”
“After you walked out, I didn’t really have much choice, did I?” Yvonne said sweetly.
“I Googled your cowboy. He’s quite something, isn’t he?”
“I guess he is.” Yvonne took another look around the kitchen, making sure everything was in its correct place.
“How did you meet him?”
“He came in for coffee just like everyone else around here. Why are you asking so many questions?”
Paul shrugged. “I was just wondering. It seemed like a bit of a coincidence.”
“In what way?”
“Just odd that a man like him would find himself in an out-of-the-way place like this.”
“He’s friends with the Morgan brothers up at the ranch. They asked him to come and do a master class on bull riding this summer. What’s so odd about that?”
“So you were just in the right place at the right time for him to hook up with you.” Paul washed his hands and dried them.
“So what?” Yvonne raised her chin and looked him right in the eye. “What’s it got to do with you?”
“I’m just looking out for you. Men like him aren’t exactly known for sustaining long-term relationships.”
“Apparently most men aren’t.” She pointed at the back door. “Good-bye, Paul. Thanks for all your help.”
“I was going to take you out to dinner.”
“No thanks.” She stomped over to the door and opened it wide. “Have a great evening. The food at the hotel is good. If you prefer something with livelier company go to the Red Dragon Bar on the corner of Morgan Street.”
He slowly came to the door and paused right in front of her. “He’s not going to stick around for you, Yvonne.”
“And you are? What about your business interests in France, and your family over there—the people you couldn’t live without when we were married?”
“I intend to spend the majority of my time in the USA. I told you I want to do better.”
Even though he was staring right into her eyes, she still didn’t quite believe him. Call her paranoid, but there was something missing here . . . something that explained why he’d contacted her, and why he suddenly wanted to be part of her life again.
“Bye, Paul. Thanks for your help today.”
She stepped back, closed the door with him safely on the other side of it and locked it. With Paul helping out in the kitchen, she actually wasn’t as tired as she normally was, and she craved company. Her first thought was Rio, but she couldn’t go there....
Yvonne stared out of the window. When had Rio Martinez become her go-to person? What was going on? She grabbed her phone and sent a text to Nancy.
R U around?
Till 6, why?
Sure.
Rio wasn’t sure how he ended up at the Red Dragon when the only place he wanted to be was in Yvonne Payet’s bed. But at least this was better than sitting at the ranch reading through all the information his father had sent him about the position on the board, and imagining how he’d change and improve things....
He could do it.
If he wanted to give up his soul to his father.
He finished his beer and Jay Williams, the bar owner, who had reactions like a cat, immediately held up another one, a question on his face.
Rio nodded. “Obrigado.”
“You’re welcome.” Jay sent it down the bar.
It was early in the evening. Most of the tourists had left, and the locals hadn’t yet taken back their favorite space to meet and drink. Some sports game was playing on the giant screens, but the volume was off, and it wasn’t annoying him. He rarely drank alone or indeed came out without at least one companion. He’d needed to think, and the Morgans, much as he loved them, were way too ready to give him their thoughts and opinions on everything under the sun.
Ruth’s comments about him not letting go of the past and giving his father a chance had hit home. He’d watched Billy at dinner, seen the way his sons interacted with him, and the love that was willingly being offered and shared despite their fractured pasts. If Billy Morgan was forgivable, how about Graham Howatch?
Nah . . .
“We meet again.”
Rio looked up from his beer to see Paul sliding onto the bar stool beside him.
“It’s a small town.”
“Yvonne said I could eat at the hotel or here. It is a shame that she does not open her place in the evenings. The town could do with a good restaurant.”
“And she’d be working eighteen-hour days.”
“Not if she used my franchise opportunity.”
“You have one?”
Paul shrugged. “I’m currently working on an opportunity to do so in the USA.”
Which explained why Paul thought he had a chance to get back together with Yvonne. He was going to be hanging around all the time.
Great.
Rio finished off his second beer in one long swallow.
“The attrition rate for restaurant franchises is quite high, but I wish you all the best with yours.”
“Well, you would know, wouldn’t you?” Paul’s smile wasn’t friendly.
“Meaning?”
“With your family connections.”
“I don’t have anything to do with that anymore,” Rio said firmly.
“Really? That’s not what I heard.” Paul sipped the wine he’d ordered and grimaced. “I hear you’re now on the board, and ready to take over when your father retires.”
Rio eased his wallet out of his back pocket and beckoned to Jay. “I’ve got to get back to the ranch. Nice talking to you, Paul.”
“Yes, I wouldn’t advise you to go over to Yvonne’s. She said she’s having an early night.”
Rio got off the stool and faced Paul. “You don’t get to advise me about anything, okay? Yvonne is her own person, and she gets to decide whether she wants to hang out with me or not.”
“I beg to disagree. I think I still do have some say in things.” Paul’s sympathetic smile made the hairs on the back of Rio’s neck stand up.
“Why’s that?”
“She didn’t tell you, did she?” Paul paused. “I’m sorry, but that was really unfair of her. We’re actually still married.”
Rio took out a twenty-dollar bill, wedged it under the empty bottle, and left the bar, his feet automatically taking him into the parking lot before he stopped to let what Paul had said sink into his head.
Yvonne was married.
For the first time ever, he actually agreed with something that lying snake in the grass had said. It would sure have been nice if Yvonne had mentioned it. He tried to laugh it off and found it impossible. His last coherent thought was that he needed to speak to Yvonne right now.
* * *
“Paul’s up to something, but what?” Yvonne said to Nancy as they sat on her couch, drinking coffee and eating left over ham-and-swiss-cheese croissants from the café.
“I’m not arguing with you about that,” Nancy mused. “So what do we know? He’s got a new business venture in the US. What does he think you can bring to that?”
“Not money. He has enough to last him several lifetimes from his family,” Yvonne said. “Or creative input. He always hated my ideas, and I suspect nothing has changed there.”
“Influence?”
“From my one tiny café in the gold country? I doubt it.”
“Then what?” Nancy sat up straight. “Ooh! Did he know about the TV thing? He’d love to be involved in that.”
“He only knew about it because Rio mentioned it to me in his hearing. I played it down, but you’re correct. He was definitely interested.” Yvonne bit her lip. “Maybe he knew about it already, and was just pretending to find out?”
“I wouldn’t put it past him,” Nancy agreed. “He’s all about the glorification of himself, and being on TV would probably be a dream come true.”
“It would.” Yvonne nodded. “So that’s one thing. Maybe I should ask him straight out what he’s up to. He can’t seriously believe I’d get back together with him again, can he?”
“With his ego? Sure, but I think you’re on the right track. This isn’t about rekindling lost love. This is all about him, and his business interests.”
Yvonne flopped back on the couch. “I’m just going to have to ask him, flat out, aren’t I?”
“Yeah,” Nancy sighed. “Any chance we could get him blind drunk, tie him up, and make him confess everything?”
“He’s French. He never gets drunk,” Yvonne said gloomily.
Nancy uncurled from her position on the couch. “Gotta go, girlfriend. I’m due at the bar.”
Yvonne rose as well. “Thanks for coming over. I really appreciate it.”
Nancy drew her into a quick hug. “That’s what friends are for, right? And seeing as we’re the only two sensible women left in town since the Morgan brothers returned, we need to stick together.”
“I’m not feeling very sensible right now,” Yvonne confessed. “Every moment I spend with Paul reminds me how much I like Rio.”
Nancy drew back and searched her face. “You really like him, don’t you?”
“Yeah.”
“And?”
“It’s terrifying. What if I make another huge mistake and get lust and love mixed up? What if he’s really cool with us just staying friends, and will blow me a kiss and ride off into the sunset never to be seen again?”
“Okay, relax,” Nancy said firmly. “That man is not going anywhere. He is totally into you.”
“You think?”
“I know. Get rid of Paul, sort out the divorce, and make sure you tell Rio how you feel before he gets the chance to ride away.”
“Okay.” Yvonne nodded. “It’s not like me to be so indecisive.”
“Which only confirms that this dude has done a number on you.” Nancy smiled. “It’s quite fun to watch, actually.”
Yvonne laughed and walked her friend to the door. “Go away. You’re way too happy at my expense.”
She gathered up the empty plates to bring down to the shop as Nancy clomped down the stairs in her wedged heels. It appeared to be raining, but as Nancy was quite close to the bar, Yvonne didn’t think she’d need an umbrella.
Unlocking the back door, she kissed Nancy’s cheek.
“Bye, girlfriend, love you.”
“Same here.” Nancy headed out, drawing the hood of her jacket over her white and black hair to protect her from the rain.
“Hey.”
Yvonne almost jumped as a deep familiar voice called out to her.
“Rio?”
His cowboy hat was lowered over his face against the drift of the rain, and he wore his favorite all-black ensemb
le.
“May I speak to you for a minute?”
“Sure, come on in.” Yvonne held the door open to allow him to come through into the hall that separated the kitchen from the stairs up to her apartment. She started up the stairs and then realized he wasn’t following her.
“Are you coming?”
“I’d rather talk to you down here.”
She retraced her steps and took in his body language. Her usually easygoing, elegant lover had disappeared, and been replaced by someone she barely recognized.
“What’s up?”
He finally looked at her. “We’re supposed to be friends, right?”
“Yes.”
“So was there some minor detail you should have shared with me recently? Something important?”
“Such as?”
“The fact that you’re still married to that godawful French jerk?”
Shock fisted in her gut. “Who told you that?”
“Guess?”
She crossed her arms over her chest. “It’s not that simple.”
“It damn well sounds like it to me!”
“Well, it isn’t. The thing is, I thought—”
“You know whether you’re married or not, Yvonne, so which is it?”
She drew herself up to her full height. “Are you shouting at me?”
“What’s that got to do with answering the question?”
Hurt blasted through her. “Why do you care so much anyway? I don’t tell my friends everything.”
“So no one knew except you and the asshole?”
Yvonne hesitated long enough for him to shake his head.
“I bet all your friends knew, so what does that say about us?”
“You agreed that we could only be friends,” Yvonne pointed out. “You said you didn’t want a long-term relationship.”
“So this is my fault? I accidentally put myself in the wrong friends category? I have no right to ask you what the hell is going on?”
“That’s not what I said!”
“I don’t have affairs, Yvonne. I don’t get mixed up with married women, period. I saw my father doing that to my mother. It’s screwed up.”
“So you’re angry because in your eyes I’m apparently an adulteress?”