“That’s good to hear,” Lily said.
“It’s too bad he can’t stay longer,” Bernie added. “Of course it wouldn’t make sense for him. I know he’s just helping Wade out, but we haven’t had anyone really good apply for the job yet. Wade was just going through resumes this morning.”
“Maybe he could check with the university. They must have an alumni service. That could help,” Barbi suggested.
“Good idea. I’ll mention it to Wade tomorrow.”
“What are you going to mention to Wade tomorrow?” The amused male voice startled them. Barbi looked over her shoulder and saw Wade and Ryan squeezing in at the bar to order a drink.
“Oh, hello! I didn’t know you were coming here,” Bernie said.
“It was Ryan’s idea. He noticed how this place was packing them in and wanted to check out the food.”
“Oh, it’s good. We just had appetizers, but they were great. And Barbi had a good idea for where you might find a sous chef.” Bernie told him about the university alumni service and he nodded.
“Thanks, I’ll call them tomorrow. I should have thought of that. We’ve contacted them before about other positions at the ranch.”
Two seats opened up next to Barbi and Ryan grabbed them, sliding in to the one next to her.
He looked great in his chef outfit, but Ryan in regular clothes took Barbi’s breath away. He was casually dressed in jeans and a navy blue button-down shirt, which highlighted his strong jaw with its hint of stubble.
“I’m glad I ran into you. I figured I’d see you tomorrow night and could tell you then, but this is even better. I have a proposal for you.” He seemed enthusiastic about whatever he had in mind.
“Okay, propose away. I’m listening.”
“So, I agreed to hold on to the house for a year and not sell it, but there’s no reason why I can’t rent it to you. Then at the end of the year, if you still want to buy it, I’m happy to put what you’d paid to that point towards the purchase price.”
“You’d be willing to do that for me? Are you sure?” His proposal seemed too good to be true. It would allow her to test out the business for a year, too, and make sure it was viable.
Ryan grinned. “It’s a win for me, too. The house won’t be sitting empty for a year and I know you’ll take good care of it. There is one small condition, though.”
“Oh?”
“I may come to town every now and then, and if I do I’ll need a place to stay. As long as you don’t mind me crashing in one of the spare bedrooms for a long weekend once in a while, it’s yours. It’s a big house. We should be able to keep out of each other’s way.”
But what if she didn’t want to keep out of Ryan’s way? “That would be fine with me. You’re right. It’s a big house, plenty of room. If you’re sure about this, I’d be thrilled to do it.”
Ryan mentioned a monthly rent that was more than fair, better than most of the listings she’d gone through earlier in the day, and it included the house.
“While I’m here for the next few weeks, I’ll get the place cleared out and get a fresh coat of paint on the walls. Then before I go, I can help you get moved in.”
“Thank you. I won’t have much to move, though. Mostly clothes and a few personal things. I’ll need to buy some furniture.”
Ryan took a sip of his beer and furrowed his brow. Barbi wondered what he was thinking.
“Before you spend any money, why don’t you swing by tomorrow afternoon on your way into work. I can show you around, and any furniture that you like, you can keep, even if it’s just temporarily. I don’t have anywhere to put it, anyway. I was just going to have it taken to either the dump or a thrift shop.”
“Oh, I’d love to do that. I’m sure a lot of your aunt’s furniture will be fine to stay, at least for the time being.”
“Right. And I’ll begin painting the walls in the studio, so you can start using that space right away. Give me until Sunday to get it all squared away.”
“This is incredibly generous of you, Ryan. Thank you.” Barbi felt her eyes tear up with gratitude.
“Hey, no crying allowed. We should be celebrating.”
“What are you two up to?” Lily asked, taking in Barbi’s tears and Ryan’s wide grin.
Barbi dabbed at her eyes with a bar napkin and then told Lily and Bernie what Ryan had just proposed. Ryan must have already filled Wade in on his idea because he looked thrilled for her as well and was already raising his glass in a toast.
“To Riston’s newest yoga studio! Congratulations, Barbi!”
* * *
After the girls left, Wade ordered another round of drinks for him and Ryan. The crowd was starting to thin out. Ryan had offered to buy another round of drinks for the girls earlier, but they all said they were full and ready to head home. Lily and Bernie had to be in the office by eight, and Barbi had an early morning yoga class to teach.
“So, you're sure about this?" Wade asked when the bartender set down their beers.
“About renting to Barbi? Yeah, I'm sure. Seems like the fairest thing to do, given the circumstances. And I won't have to worry about the place with someone living there."
Wade reached for his beer. “I agree, it’s smart to rent it while you’re not here. But do you really think it's a good idea to stay there if you come to visit? Just seems like it could maybe get a little bit messy for the two of you."
Ryan chuckled. “You don't have to worry about that. This is strictly business."
Wade was quiet as he took a sip of his beer and then finally said, “I hope so. I was there when you guys broke up before. I know that was rough for you."
Ryan understood his concern, but it wasn’t necessary. “That was a long time ago. I don't think either one of us is looking to start things up again. I know I'm not. Not that Barbi’s not a beautiful girl, she is. But we are even less of a match now. She's a homebody, and I'm on the road all the time. I'm fine just being her friend."
Wade nodded in approval. "You can never have too many friends."
Chapter 8
Barbi stopped by Ryan’s house the next day at a quarter to three. They both had to be at the restaurant at four, and she didn’t figure it would take too much time for Ryan to show her around. She’d been there a few times before when Rita had people over, so she had some idea of what her furniture was like. She wasn’t going to be picky, as the last thing she wanted to spend money on was expensive furniture.
She paused as she walked toward the front door to take a good look at the house. It was an older Victorian style, painted a pale lavender with white gingerbread trim. It also had a wrap-around farmer’s porch, which was one of Barbi’s favorite features. She could picture herself sitting there in a rocking chair, reading a book as she relaxed and watched people go by. The house was in the heart of Riston’s downtown district, on a side street that connected to Main Street. It was an easy walk to most of the shops and restaurants along Main Street and there was plenty of street parking, too, so students coming for classes should have no problem.
Just as she was about to knock on the front door it opened, and Ryan let her in. “I heard you coming up the steps.”
Barbi walked in and looked around. Ryan had been busy. The front door opened into the studio, which took up most of the whole first floor. It was a wide open area with polished hard wood floors and a bar running along all four walls.
“I can take that down if you like,” he offered. Barbi noticed that he had a splotch of paint on his cheek and another in his hair. But he’d already painted more than half the walls in the room.
“No, the bar’s fine. I don’t mind it at all. Looks like the painting is coming along well.”
Ryan smiled. “It goes fast. I’m just rolling on a basic white. It does clean it up, though. Looks nice and fresh.”
“It does,” Barbi agreed.
“So, if you want to follow me, we can go upstairs and check out the furniture.”
Barbi followed him up a w
ide, curved staircase that led to the second level. It was no wonder that Rita had been looking to move into an assisted living. Barbi couldn’t imagine how she had managed the stairs as long as she did.
When they reached the second floor, Ryan led her into the living room. The sofa was a dark brown leather and looked to be in good shape. Barbi walked over to it and sat down. It wasn’t so plush that she sank way down, but it was comfortable enough. There was a matching love seat and an oversized chair with an ottoman and a glass coffee table.
“What do you think?” Ryan asked.
“I’d be happy to keep it all. It looks relatively new.”
“I think it is only a few years old, actually. My aunt had pretty good taste.”
Barbi smiled. “She did. She was young at heart. Simon and Jaclyn, my breakfast buddies from the ranch, remind me of her. It still seems strange that she’s gone. I keep expecting her to walk into the restaurant,” she admitted.
“I know. It doesn’t seem real to me, either. I just talked to her a few weeks ago and she sounded fine. Maybe a little tired, now that I think about it, but I had no idea how sick she was.”
“I imagine that’s how she wanted it. She was never one to complain, which was unusual for someone her age and probably partly why people enjoyed being around her so much. She really was a special lady.”
They were both quiet for a moment, remembering her. Then Ryan cleared his throat and started to walk down the hall. Barbi followed him and they went through all the rooms. She kept quite a bit of the furniture—book cases, tables and chairs, the bed in the guest room and the dark wood, sleigh bed frame in the master bedroom.
“It will be fun to buy a brand new mattress. I want a soft pillow top that I can float on. I may never get out of it!”
“I do remember you used to like to lounge around in bed, reading and talking on the phone,” Ryan teased her.
“I did. Used to drive my mother crazy.”
“Your mother was easy-going, though, if I remember?”
“She was, still is. I’m lucky. How’s your father? Have you seen him much since you’ve been back?” Barbi knew that Ryan’s father was a sensitive subject.
“Not as much as I would like. He’s been busy handling all the funeral details for my aunt. It was unexpected. She hadn’t told him anything, either. They weren’t super close. My father’s not really close with anyone, except maybe his wife. But I know he cared about her. It shook him.”
“I can imagine.”
“I’m going to their house for dinner tomorrow night. Now that everything has quieted down, my father has more time to visit. I’ve been a little worried about his health, actually, and am going to ask him about it tomorrow. He’s seemed more tired than usual lately and not his usual feisty self.”
“I hope everything is okay.”
“Thanks. Me, too. Even if he says he’s fine, I’m not totally convinced and that’s part of the reason why I mentioned I might be coming back every so often to visit. I haven’t done that much in recent years and I think I need to make more of an effort.”
“Is it hard with your businesses, juggling it all?” Barbi asked. She knew that Ryan traveled a lot. That didn’t appeal to her at all.
He thought for a moment. “It’s just what I do, have done, for so long. I bounce around visiting the restaurants. I usually spend a few days to a week at all four of them every month, so that’s a lot of plane rides. Plus the onsite shoots for the Food Channel. But that’s usually done in a two-month period, fast and furious.”
“It sounds exhausting.”
He grinned. “It can be, but it’s exhilarating, too.”
“Do you ever get tired of all the travel?” she wondered. It sounded horrible to her.
“Sure, I get burned out. But, I have the flexibility to cut way back on it and when I need to, I do. I have good teams in place at all the restaurants. They don’t need me there for the day-to-day running of it. I go to troubleshoot, to visit and to motivate. They seem to like it when I stop in.”
“I bet they do. You’re famous!” she teased him.
“It is strange to be recognized. I don’t think I’ll ever really get used to that,” he admitted.
Barbi couldn’t begin to imagine. It didn’t appeal to her at all.
“Do you like living in Boston? What’s it like there?” All Barbi knew of Boston was the historical stuff everyone knew and that they had great sports teams, especially baseball and football.
“I do like it. I live just outside of Boston, in Charlestown, just across the water. I have a condo in the Navy Yard and I take a small ferry to work most mornings. It zips me across the harbor and drops me by the Aquarium, on Milk Street. From there it’s a short walk to Boston Common and my flagship restaurant, Calhoun’s.”
“A ferry to work? That sounds relaxing.”
“It is, actually, and it’s a short, fifteen-minute ride. You should come visit sometime. You’ve never been to Boston, have you?”
“No, I’ve never been.”
“It would be fun to show you all around. There’s so much to see. And we could eat our way through the North End. That’s where all the best Italian restaurants and bakeries are. Have you ever had a cannoli?”
“No, what is that? I’ve heard of them.”
“You’ll love it. It’s a delicate, rolled cookie filled with a sweet ricotta cream and dipped in chocolate chips or nuts. Lots of options. All good.”
Barbi’s stomach rumbled at the thought. She checked the time and realized they should both get going soon. She could grab something to eat at work.
“We should probably head over to the restaurant.”
“Right. Well, I’m glad you came by and we got this figured out. I’ll make arrangements to get the rest of her stuff cleared out over the next week or two.”
“I really appreciate this.”
“I’m happy to do it.” Ryan got his coat off a kitchen chair and started to walk toward the stairs.
“Hold on a minute.” Barbi grabbed a paper towel in the kitchen and ran some water on it. She walked over to Ryan who was looking at her quizzically. “Hold still for a minute, you have a spot of paint on your cheek.” She dabbed at it with the wet towel and it came right off. Being so close to Ryan was a bit unsettling, though. She had to fight the urge to lean into him and to breathe deeply of his scent, which was uniquely his. He smiled down at her, and she caught her breath and felt lightheaded for a second. “Turn around,” she managed to say. He did and she attacked the splotch of paint in his hair, too. “You’re all good now.”
“Thanks.” He looked amused and grateful, and she couldn’t help but notice the warmth in his deep brown eyes.
“I’ll see you there,” she said, as she followed him out the door.
Chapter 9
Ryan spent most of the next day painting and clearing stuff out of his aunt’s house. He still thought of it as Aunt Rita’s house, not his. Soon it would be Barbi’s, which seemed even stranger. He’d often wondered about Barbi over the years. Wade had occasionally mentioned her, sensing the unspoken questions. He found it curious that she’d never married and according to Wade, never even had a serious relationship for much longer than a year. Wade wasn’t entirely sure, but from what he gathered from working with Barbi at the Ranch for so long, it seemed that whenever a guy she was dating started to get too serious, as in putting feelers out about getting married or engaged, she ended the relationship.
In a way, though, it hadn’t surprised Ryan. After all, that’s what she’d done with him, too. He was head over heels for her and he’d thought she felt the same way. He knew they were young, though, and she either doubted her feelings or never shared them. Either way it was old history, and Ryan knew his track record wasn’t much better. He’d dated a lot but hadn’t had any significant long-term relationships. He preferred to keep things light, especially given his travel schedule.
It didn’t happen as much now, but in the earlier years, when he jus
t had the one restaurant, he worked even crazier hours as he felt like he had to be there all the time. And even on a scheduled night off, if there was any kind of a crisis at the restaurant, his plans went on the back-burner. The women he dated weren’t generally too crazy about that, and he supposed he couldn’t blame them. But the truth was that none of them had mattered to him more than the restaurant. The restaurant had always come first.
It was easier now that he had great teams in place, but he was already starting to feel a little anxious about getting back to Boston and checking on everything in person. He knew he needed the vacation. He just wasn’t used to unwinding totally. Wade thought that Ryan was doing him the favor by filling in at the restaurant, but he’d be going stir crazy without having somewhere to go and something to do while he was in Riston. So it had really worked out well for him, too. And as he told Barbi, he was concerned about his father. They’d never been close, so he didn’t open up to him when Ryan called every week or two to check in.
When he arrived at his father’s house, his wife, Sylvia, greeted him at the door and brought him into the living room. His father was sitting in his favorite leather arm chair by the window and sipping on a Manhattan, straight-up.
“Can I get you a drink, honey?” Sylvia asked as he took off his jacket and set it on a chair.
“A beer, if you have one, thank you.”
“Good to see you, Ryan. Hope you don’t mind that I’m not getting up to greet you. My arthritis in my hip has flared up again.”
“Of course not. I’m sorry to hear that. Has it been bothering you long?” Ryan sat across from his father, on a matching sofa. Sylvia returned a minute later with a tall glass of beer. She handed it to him and told them that dinner would be ready in ten minutes.
His father was quiet as usual and Ryan tried to draw him out by telling him funny stories about the restaurant at the ranch.
Charming Chef (River's End Ranch Book 7) Page 3