by Darcy Burke
Chapter Three
It was dark by the time Luke walked into The Arch and Vine in downtown Ribbon Ridge on Tuesday night. It was Tuesday, right? He’d been working practically nonstop for more than a week. All the grapes would be picked by Sunday, and then he was going to take a day—or hell, maybe even two—off.
But right now, he’d settle for a burger and a beer, and not necessarily in that order. Okay, definitely not in that order. He strode straight for the bar, which sat in the middle of the pub. Behind it stood everyone’s surrogate fun uncle, George Wilson. A retired marine, he was as much a fixture of Ribbon Ridge as the grapes on the surrounding hillsides or the Archer family, who owned this pub and much of the town.
“Evening, Luke,” George said, coming forward and slapping his hand on the bar. “What’ll it be tonight, Arrowhead or Crossbow?”
Those were generally his go-to beers, but he was really digging their seasonal. “Actually, I’ll take a pint of the Hunter if you have it.”
“Of course we have it. It’s fall, silly boy.” George grinned as he grabbed a glass from the shelf above his gray, buzz-cut head and went to the tap. “Dinner while you’re at it?”
“Absolutely. You taking orders tonight, or is one of the servers around?” He peered around the restaurant in search of Kelsey but only saw Andy, who’d started here over the summer.
George adjusted his wire-rimmed glasses on his nose. “I think it’s just me and Andy right now. Kelsey’s here, but she just left for a break.”
Damn. Luke would’ve liked to invite her to join him. “I’ll just take a cheeseburger with buffalo tots.”
George set Luke’s pint in front of him. “You got it.”
Just then, Kelsey came from the back, carrying a salad in one hand and her phone in the other. She was looking at the screen as she walked.
Luke scooped up his beer and intercepted her. “Careful, that’s an accident waiting to happen.”
She jolted, and he reached out to steady the salad. Her gaze jumped to his, and she frowned slightly. “Were you trying to scare me?”
Shit, no. Now he felt like an ass. This was what happened when introverts tried to get cute. “No, sorry. Totally mangled attempt at flirting. I, uh, was wondering if you wanted to eat with me. George said you were on break.”
Her eyes widened slightly after he’d said flirting. He wasn’t sure what to make of that. Good reaction or bad one? She glanced around, perhaps looking for an escape route, but since her salad clearly wasn’t a to-go order, she was kind of screwed.
He didn’t want to be the cause of that. “Actually, maybe I’ll just get my burger to go.”
She shook her head, and her features relaxed into a smile. “No, don’t do that. I’m eating. You’re eating. We may as well eat together.”
He nearly exhaled with relief but instead simply smiled in return. “Excellent. Lead the way.”
She went to a table in the corner. It was dim and out of the way. “Is this okay? I tend to sit in the shadows on break. That way people might forget I’m here, and then I can enjoy my dinner.”
Made sense. “This is great. I’m just happy to sit. And drink beer. And eat.” And be with you.
Really? He asked himself if he’d come here with the hope of seeing her. He hadn’t consciously thought so, but in retrospect, it seemed obvious. He liked her, and he wanted to get to know her better.
She slid into the side of the booth that backed up to the wall. “Did George take your order?”
Luke took the bench opposite her and sipped his beer before setting his glass on the table. “Yes.”
She winced—it was quick, but Luke caught it.
“Should I be worried? He’s taken my order for years.”
“Duh, of course he has. You’ll be fine. He doesn’t do so well with special requests. Don’t ask for light dressing or extra pickles.”
Luke nodded. “I’ll remember that. Though it won’t matter to me. I’ll eat just about anything.” His stomach growled as if to punctuate his statement. He nodded toward her salad. It was huge and packed with all sorts of stuff he’d never seen together in a salad here. “Is that a new addition to the menu?”
She picked up her fork. “No. It’s the Kelsey Special. That’s one perk of being an employee—you can make whatever the heck you want.”
He considered making some flirtatious remark about wanting a Kelsey Special for himself, but thankfully realized he would butcher it the same way he’d done earlier. He settled for taking a drink of beer.
After crunching through a bite of salad, she waved her fork toward him. “How’s the harvest going? You about done?”
“Not quite.” He picked up his glass to take a drink. “I don’t suppose you want to come pick grapes again this weekend?”
“Actually, I would, but I have to work.”
He set his glass back down. “Here or the library?”
“Both.” She took another bite of salad.
He leaned against the wooden back of the booth. “Do you ever get a day off? I guess that’s a stupid question, because you did last Saturday.”
She nodded as she swiped her napkin over her mouth. “That was a special case actually. I hired a part-time employee at the library last month because, yes, it would be nice to take a day off now and again.” She chuckled. “I do take days off. Okay, day off. Mondays. The library’s closed Mondays and Wednesdays, so I told myself that I should take at least one of them off both of my jobs.”
“Damn, you work as much as I do.” He grinned, always glad to find a kindred spirit. “But then I know we’re both introverts, and working too much is just part and parcel of that, isn’t it?”
“It can be, yes. I didn’t always used to work this much, though.” She dropped her gaze to her salad and gathered up what looked like some specific items for a savory mouthful.
“What changed?” He wrapped his hand around the base of his glass as he waited for her to finish chewing.
She shrugged. “I don’t know. The library, I guess?”
The way she looked off to the side and then refocused on her salad gave him the impression she did know and maybe just didn’t want to say. The introvert in him sure as hell wasn’t going to press her on it.
He recalled a conversation they’d had at some point in their acquaintance in which she’d said she’d always wanted to be a librarian. “Will you be able to work at the library full-time some day?”
“I’m pretty close to that. What would be better is if I could have a second full-time person, but I don’t know that Ribbon Ridge has the infrastructure to afford that. My salary is heavily subsidized by a grant from Archer Enterprises as it is.”
Ah yes, the Archers—an economy unto themselves. Not that Luke would complain. They were incredibly generous with their time and money, and no one loved Ribbon Ridge more than them. “Well, you never know what the future holds. And it sounds like you’re doing an incredible job with it. I still need to stop in.” He gave her a sheepish look.
“Whenever. It’s not going anywhere.” She moved her salad around with her fork. “Anyway, sounds like you’re really busy.”
George brought Luke’s burger and a soft drink that he set in front of Kelsey. He winked at her. “You forgot your Diet Coke again.” He looked toward Luke. “She always does that.”
“Not always,” she protested with a smile. “But thank you. I really appreciate it.”
He chuckled. “Someone’s got to look after you,” he said before returning to the bar.
“Things will calm down a little after the harvest is done,” Luke said. “Then it’ll be Hayden’s show.”
She sipped her Diet Coke. “What do you do after the harvest—in the winter? I imagine you’re far less busy.”
“Yes, but there’s still plenty to do. I’ll plant new vines in November.” He started in on his burger.
“Really? I didn’t realize you could plant that time of year.”
He waited to answer until he swal
lowed. “Yep, but then things do slow down for a while. I take my vacation in the winter.”
“That’s great if you like to ski, unless you go somewhere tropical.” Her eyes took on a dreamy, far-off look. “That sounds lovely.”
He set his burger down and wiped his mouth. “I do like to ski, actually. I typically go on some sort of outdoor adventure. I’ve done a combination climbing and ski trip. That was intense. Last winter, I went to Costa Rica.”
“Well, that qualifies as tropical to me—and exotic. But then, Florida qualifies as exotic to me too.” She laughed. “I’ve never been off the West Coast.”
He swallowed his tater tot and stared at her. “Seriously?”
She nodded. “Seriously.”
He shook his head as he picked up his beer. “That’s not right. I’d urge you to go somewhere—hell, I’d offer to take you—but I somehow think you wouldn’t take the time off.”
She smiled. “I would, but I can’t. Not yet anyway. Maybe when my part-time employee has a little more experience. And I’d have to make sure she could even work that much. She’s a grad student.”
Did she just agree to go on a vacation with him? Or was she only referring to taking time off? Did he really want to take her on a vacation? That seemed, uh, to be rushing things just a bit. “You have two jobs, and you make it work.”
She smiled. “True.” She asked him about Costa Rica as they finished eating, and by the time his burger was gone, the conversation had turned to hiking in general.
“Sounds like you spend a great deal of time outdoors,” she said.
He nodded as he pushed his plate to the side. “As much as I can. It’s one of the reasons I love my job so much. If I couldn’t do this, I’d be a park ranger, probably.”
“You must love living here—in the Pacific Northwest.”
“I do. I went to school in northern California and worked there for several years. I admit I’m glad to be home.”
“Sadly, I have to get back to work,” she said. “Before I go, I wanted to let you know that we’re going to the county historical society on Friday to look at maps of the vineyard. Before it was a vineyard.”
He polished off his beer. “Oh?”
“Yes, we hope the map will show us where the Bird’s Nest Ranch house was located.”
She looked so eager. He tamped down his uncertainty. “Hopefully not in my vineyard.”
“Agreed.” She cast him an apprehensive glance. “We plan to consult with an archaeologist after we determine the location. Of course we’ll include you.”
“Thanks. Just let me know what you need, and we’ll do our best to accommodate you.”
“I really appreciate that. And I promise we won’t disrupt your vines. I get it.” She gave him a warm smile, and he knew she did, in fact, get it. She sucked down the rest of her Diet Coke and started to rise. “Time to get back to work.”
Disappointment swirled in his gut. There was more he wanted to talk about with her. More he wanted to know about her. He stood and joined her next to the booth. Since taking a vacation together had come up—even if it was a joke—he thought they should maybe start with something far simpler. “Hey, since you don’t work on Mondays, do you want to go hiking with me? I’ll be done with the harvest, so I’m going to take the day off. I’d planned to go up to Gales Creek.”
She hesitated, and he was sure she was going to say no. “I usually work at the library on Mondays—yes, even on my day off. And I have a lot to do for this exhibit. Thanks for the offer, though.”
No it was, then. He didn’t want to accept that answer. “Is it critical you work on Monday? I mean, if I can take a day off, you can too, right?”
She paused again, as if her mind was churning. He recognized that look because he was a master—come up with something quick so you could avoid whatever event was being proposed. “Look, I don’t want you to get the wrong idea. I’m just not interested.”
Ouch.
Kelsey watched the disappointment crest over his features and felt a pang of regret. She liked him, but she just couldn’t date anyone. Crap, she really ought to clarify that.
“Interested in dating, I mean.” She shook her head, feeling like an idiot. “You’re a great guy. Or so you seem. So people tell me. I’m just… I’m just not dating.”
His expression relaxed. “I see.”
“I really hope we can be friends.”
“Definitely.” His brow furrowed briefly before he smiled at her. “I thought we were already.”
Well, duh, of course they were. She was completely butchering this. “Right!”
“Good luck on Friday, and let us know how it goes. See you later.”
She watched him leave and noted that he’d said to let “us” know, not him. What did she expect? He’d asked her out, and she’d turned him down. He’d get over it, but that didn’t make the moment any less awkward. She hoped it was just that—a moment—and they could be friends. Continue being friends.
Ugh, she was a dork. This was what happened when you tried to reenter the social world after self-imposed isolation.
She bussed their table and immersed herself in work. The pub wasn’t very busy, but there were always projects to do, such as cleaning under tables and chairs. So disgusting, but necessary.
“Kelsey!” George’s voice interrupted her attempt to pry gum from the bottom of a booth.
She popped her head up and gasped. Standing ten feet from her was the face she loved most in the world—her Grandma Ruby.
“Gram!” She jumped to her feet and rushed forward but stopped before reaching her. “I’d hug you, but my hands are gross.”
Gram’s brown eyes twinkled as she smiled. “I don’t care about that. Give me a hug.”
Kelsey wrapped her arms around her grandmother, who was a good two inches shorter than Kelsey’s five feet six. She inhaled the familiar scent of Gram’s perfume—Giorgio Beverly Hills—and felt something she hadn’t in years: a sense of home.
When she finally pulled back, she asked, “What on earth are you doing here?”
Gram lived in Chehalis, Washington, more than two hours away. She waved her hand. “Couldn’t stand another day with your mother and Todd.” She rolled her eyes. “Save me.”
Kelsey tried to process what she was saying. “How? You came to stay?”
“For a little while. Until I can figure out what I want to do.”
An image of welcoming Gram to her tiny, horrible apartment made Kelsey cringe. But of course Gram could stay. Kelsey understood the need to escape her parents. She’d give Gram her bed and sleep on the couch as long as necessary. “I’m surprised you lasted six months, actually.” Gram had sold her house and surrounding property last spring and had moved in with Kelsey’s folks for the short-term.
“They liked having me there. Because I was a free babysitter for Malcolm.” Gram said, scoffing. “I love that boy, but I have my own life! Or at least I used to. I’m not sure Chehalis is big enough for me and your mother.”
Boy, did Kelsey get that. It hadn’t been for her and Wendy, which was why Kelsey had graduated high school early and taken off for college at seventeen. “I’m sorry.”
“Eh, I should’ve known better. That’s what I get for getting soft in my old age.”
“Old age, schmold age,” George said, stepping closer to them. “I’ve got years on you, beautiful, and I’m not old.”
Kelsey smiled at this and also at his calling Gram “beautiful.” “Actually, George, I think you’re older than my grandmother by a year or so. Gram, this is George Wilson. George, this is my grandmother Ruby Atwood.”
George took her hand and gave it a squeeze. “The pleasure is mine. I’m certain your granddaughter is fibbing.” He tossed Kelsey a humor-filled glance. “She likes to try to pull one over on me.”
“Ha!” Kelsey chuckled. “You’re the one who does that, not me. Don’t listen to him, Gram, he’s incorrigible.”
Gram’s lips curved up as she s
urveyed him. “I like incorrigible,” she murmured.
George’s chest seemed to swell, and he looked as if he grew an inch taller. “Will you be visiting Ribbon Ridge for a bit, Miss Atwood?”
The sound of Gram’s girlish laughter made Kelsey’s eyebrows arch. “Oh, you call me Ruby. Everyone does. Yes, I’ll be visiting for a bit. Are you my precious granddaughter’s boss?”
“No, they don’t want me running this joint!” He leaned close and affected a stage whisper. “The truth is, I don’t want to run this joint.” He winked at her, something he did often, but it seemed slightly different this time.
Kelsey wasn’t sure what to make of this flirt fest. It was cute as hell, but she was still trying to process having Gram here. Kelsey was equal parts thrilled and overwhelmed. Which was silly. Gram wouldn’t be a burden. Growing up, she’d been Kelsey’s biggest cheerleader.
“I bet you could manage this place with both hands tied behind your back,” Gram said. Was she fluttering her eyelashes?
Kelsey cleared her throat. “So, uh, Gram, I’m working until ten thirty tonight. If you want, I can give you the key to my place.” She hated sending her over there by herself. But maybe it was best if Kelsey didn’t see Gram’s expression when she went inside.
“Oh, forget that,” George said gruffly. “Take the rest of the night off.”
“I thought you weren’t in charge,” Gram said.
“Eh, the assistant manager is here tonight, and he’ll agree with me. We’re not that busy. I’m pretty sure whatever gunk she was cleaning from the bottom of that booth will be there tomorrow.”
Kelsey didn’t typically like to go home early. She had a strict budget, and working fewer hours meant it took longer to pay off her student loans. However, it was only a little money and she was looking forward to spending time with Gram. “Are you sure?” she asked him.
“I insist. Go on, then.” He nodded toward the back, where they had lockers. “I’ll keep Ruby company while you get your things.”