Charming Chef (River's End Ranch Book 7)

by Kelley, Pamela M.

  “So, have you run into our famous guest yet?" Wade asked while they waited for their breakfast.

  “Yes, I had that pleasure Saturday night. She came in for dinner just before ten.”

  “Ouch. How can people eat that late?”

  “That’s Sophia for you. She always was one for sleeping in and staying up late.”

  “Did you have a chance to catch up with her?”

  “I had a drink with her at the bar when she finished eating.”

  That got Wade’s interest. “Oh? How did that go?”

  “Well, I barely got a word in, but I know all about Sophia and her recent breakup. Her needs weren’t being met.”

  Wade choked on his coffee and almost spit it out.

  “What?”

  Ryan chuckled. “It’s not easy dating Sophia. She’s…what do they call it, high-maintenance?”

  “Right. So did she say what brought her here?”

  “She says that she wants me to guest star on her show, for the upcoming season. She’ll feature me and the restaurants.”

  “Oh? Well, that could be a good thing, right? It sounds it.” Wade turned his attention to the plate of food that Kelsi sat in front of him and cut into his omelet. Ryan did the same and took a bite. The combination of flavors exploded in his mouth. This Bob guy knew his stuff.

  “It might be, but with Sophia there are usually strings.”

  “You think she wants to get back together?”

  “I’m not sure. Maybe. She was full of compliments the other night. Mostly about the food, though, so it’s a little confusing.”

  “Hm. She came all the way to Riston when she could have just called or emailed you. That says something to me,” Wade commented.

  Ryan said nothing, just continued to eat his breakfast. But Wade wasn’t done.

  “So, how would you feel about that? Would you want to try again with her? She is gorgeous. I can see the attraction.”

  “She is. Larger than life, though, and a lot of drama. That can be exhausting.”

  “And exciting…” Wade grinned.

  “True, to a point.”

  “Well, she does seem to fit into your life. She’s also a celebrity, probably travels a lot, and loves food. Maybe you should give it a second chance.”

  Ryan nodded. Wade was right. In a lot of ways, Sophia was a good match for him. Six months ago, he probably wouldn’t have hesitated. He wasn’t entirely sure why he wasn’t jumping at the chance now. Things just felt different somehow. Sophia was certainly tempting, though. He had to admit that.

  “I’m not ruling anything out.”

  Chapter 15

  Monday afternoon, Barbi stopped by Jaclyn’s house on the way into work. She found the older woman outside doing some weeding by her front door. Jaclyn turned when she heard her come up behind her.

  “Hello, dear. What brings you by?” She stood and brushed dirt off her pants. “Do you have time for a cup of tea? I’m about ready for one myself.”

  “Sure. I brought your brownie pan back. Thanks again for those. They were delicious.”

  “They were, weren't they?” Jaclyn agreed. “Thank you for bringing this by.” She took the pan into the kitchen and filled the tea pot with water and set it on the stove.

  Barbi looked around Jaclyn’s kitchen. It was small but tidy, and the walls were painted a sunny lemon yellow. White bead board cabinets and a matching table gave the cozy room a cheery feel. Barbi jumped as something soft and furry brushed against her ankle.

  “Don’t mind him, that’s just Matthew. He’s one of the few that I allow in the house. He’s a good boy.” Jaclyn reached down and scratched the fluffy white rabbit behind his ears. Rumor was that Jaclyn had about twenty pet rabbits running around her property, but no one had ever actually seen more than seven or eight at a time.

  "Have a seat, dear. And try one of these gingerbread cookies." She set a plate of cookies on the table and Barbi sat and picked one up.

  “Thanks, I love gingerbread. These are great.”

  “Old family recipe.” The tea kettle whistled and Jaclyn poured them two cups of hot water and added a teabag to each. “Do you take anything in your tea?”

  “No, just black.” Jaclyn brought the tea to the table, sat across from Barbi and reached for a cookie. “So, dear, how are you?”

  “I’m good.” She was actually feeling a little down and wasn’t sure why. That wasn’t exactly true, either. She couldn’t stop thinking about Ryan and that woman, Sophia. She recognized the look in Sophia’s eyes. She wanted Ryan back.

  “Are you? You look a little tired. Something on your mind?”

  Barbi smiled. “Not really. You’re right. I’m just a bit tired, I suppose.”

  “Hm.” Jaclyn stirred some honey into her tea and took a long, slow sip before setting the cup down.

  “I saw your friend Ryan this morning at the cafe. He and Wade were in. He seemed to enjoy his breakfast.”

  “I bet he did. Bob’s cooking is right up his alley.”

  “Bob’s cooking is up everyone’s alley,” Jaclyn corrected her.

  Barbi chuckled. “That’s true enough.”

  “So I couldn’t help but overhear their conversation.”

  “Oh?” Barbi leaned forward in her chair. “You were eavesdropping,” she teased her.

  “Can’t help it when you sit at that counter. You hear everything.”

  “That’s true. So was it anything interesting?”

  “Did you know there’s a celebrity staying at the resort? A famous woman chef? She has her own show, like Ryan does.”

  “Sophia Carmela.”

  “That’s it. I looked her up when I got home. Very pretty, in an Elizabeth Taylor sort of way. Striking, voluptuous.”

  Barbi frowned at that. Sophia was a bombshell, no doubt. She felt mousy in comparison.

  “What did he say?”

  Jaclyn was watching her curiously. “I didn’t overhear much more than that. He said something about having a drink with her in the bar. Wade wondered if she was looking to rekindle a romance they once had. I didn’t hear what Ryan said in response, though.”

  Barbi nodded. That pretty much confirmed her fears, what she sensed that Sophia was after.

  “She’d probably be a good match for him,” she said miserably.

  “That’s what Wade said,” Jaclyn agreed. “I’m not so sure.”

  “No?”

  Jaclyn was quiet for a moment, as if she was gathering her thoughts.

  “I think I heard that you once dated him, too, though it was a long time ago. Maybe you’d like a second chance?”

  Barbi took a sip of her tea and brooded.

  “Even if I did, how could I possibly compete with that?”

  “With Sophia? You don’t. It’s not a competition. If you were like her, maybe. But you’re her polar opposite. Which means you have as good a shot as she does, I would think. But you’ll never know unless you try. Don’t just let her have him.”

  “What do you mean? What are you saying I should do?”

  Jaclyn shook her head. “I have to spell it out for you, don’t I? It’s simple, my dear. Go after him, win him over, make the first move. Take a chance. What do you have to lose?”

  “You’re right.”

  “Of course I am. Now have another cookie.”

  Chapter 16

  Barbi had Wednesday night off and met Lily after work for a drink at the restaurant bar. She hadn’t seen Ryan since Saturday night as they’d had opposite schedules the past few nights. She knew that he was working tonight. The bar was crowded for a Wednesday, though Wednesdays were often unpredictable. Sometimes people came in right after work and it was slower later in the evening. That seemed to be the case tonight. They had just settled at the bar and took their first sip of wine when Barbi saw Sophia coming their way. She and her assistant, Ellen, sat a few seats away but before they sat, Sophia glanced over at Barbi and her eyes narrowed. The coldness in her look took Barbi by sur
prise. Lily noticed it, too.

  “So, I take it she knows who you are now,” Lily sounded amused.

  “You really think so?”

  “No doubt. I know that look. She’s feeling threatened. Somehow she learned about your history. Says to me that her getting back together with Ryan is far from a sure thing.”

  “I don’t know about that.”

  “Have you talked to him?” Lily asked sensibly.

  “No. I haven’t seen him since Saturday.”

  “Right. You said he had a drink with her after work. So what? I don’t think she looks like his type at all.”

  “I don’t know about that.”

  “Well, who cares about her? Let’s share a pizza and catch up on more important things. Did I tell you we got a booking at Figs for this weekend?” Lily looked thrilled to share that news.

  “That’s great! It’s so packed in there. Where will they put you?”

  Lily smiled. “That’s the best part. That front area that we were in is less than half the size of the place. There’s a whole back room that is more like a nightclub on weekends. There’s a separate bar and a full stage. It looks amazing.”

  “What night?”

  “Friday. You’re off that night, right?”

  “Yes. I’ll definitely be there.”

  Lily’s eyes took on a mischievous gleam. “Ryan is off on Friday night, too, I think? You should ask him to go with you.”

  “That’s a great idea. I will.”

  They split a pizza and chatted easily for the next hour and a half. They were just dividing up the bill when Barbi heard her name mentioned. She turned toward the sound and recognized Sophia’s voice.

  “He agreed to come on the show. I know. It’s almost too easy. He jumped at the chance. I’ll insist that he stay at my place in Chicago while we shoot that week and we’ll see how it goes.”

  Her assistant murmured something in response and Barbi couldn’t quite make it out, but Sophia’s next comment was loud and clear.

  “Of course he wants to get back together. He just doesn’t know it yet. But I could tell the attraction is still there. Staying with me will seal the deal.”

  There was another murmur from the assistant.

  “Yeah, he said they dated years ago, but there’s nothing there now. I’m not worried about a waitress. Please.”

  Barbi felt a hand on hers, and Lily gave it a squeeze and said, “Ignore her. She’s showing her true colors now. Almost as if she’s trying to warn you off. Don’t give her the satisfaction of letting her know you heard her. Let’s go.”

  They put their money down and left. Barbi didn’t even glance Sophia’s way as they left. She couldn’t. When they got out into the parking lot, Lily stopped and looked her in the eyes.

  “Are you okay? You know she was just fishing, right?”

  “Maybe. I wish she wasn’t so pretty, though.”

  “Don’t be silly. You’re a gorgeous girl, too. Don’t give her another thought.” Lily gave her a hug. “I’ll see you on Friday, and definitely ask Ryan to go with you. It’s your perfect opportunity.”

  Chapter 17

  When Barbi got home, she was surprised to see that her mother wasn’t there. She was always home and curled up with Jasper watching TV by now. She must have gone out with friends after work. Barbi changed into her comfy sweats and treated herself to a bowl of Ben and Jerry’s Cherry Garcia frozen yogurt. She kept a pint of it in the freezer for occasions like this when she needed a dose of comfort food. Jasper hopped up beside her as she clicked on the TV and searched for something to watch. She’d just set her empty bowl on the coffee table when she heard the kitchen door open and the sound of her mother’s footsteps.

  “Hi, Mom. Did you go out after work?” Barbi asked as her mother came into the room and took off her coat.

  “I did. I had a lovely dinner with your friend, Sam.”

  “You did? He wasn’t working tonight?”

  “No. He said your friend Ryan told him he could manage without him, so he called me up and we went out for a bite to eat.”

  “You and Sam, huh?” Barbi was surprised to hear it.

  “Oh, it’s not like that honey. We’re just friends. He’s a nice man and I enjoy his company, but I’m not ready for a relationship yet with anyone. I told him that and he understood.”

  “He did?”

  “We’re going out again Sunday night. That’s his next night off. He’s going to cook dinner for me. Isn’t that nice?”

  Barbi smiled. “That’s great, Mom. I’m glad you and Sam have a connection.”

  “We really do. Thanks to you, for introducing us. Well, I’m off to bed, honey. I’m full and tired and five a.m. is going to come early tomorrow.

  “Night, Mom.” Barbi decided that this announcement deserved another scoop of ice cream. She polished off the rest of the pint and felt happy for her mother. She and Sam might never be more than friends, but a friend like him was so much better than a horrible boyfriend like Oscar. She was glad that they had hit it off so well. It seemed like romance, or the possibility of it, was in the air and she hoped that Ryan might want to go see Lily’s show with her. It wasn’t a date, just two friends going out to support another friend. No big deal.

  Chapter 18

  Sophia was gone. Back to where she came from, and Ryan wasn’t sorry to see her go. Sophia seemed to suck all the energy out of a room. He couldn’t relax when she was around. She kept him on edge, not sure what she was going to do or say next. She was exhausting. She also made it very clear that she was looking to start things up with him again and insisted that he stay with her when he went to Chicago to film her show.

  “It’s silly for you to stay in a hotel when I have so much room in my condo and you could be so much more comfortable.” She held his gaze for emphasis and he was already regretting that he’d agreed to do her show. But the paperwork had been signed. She made sure of that before she left. Her assistant, Ellen, was quite efficient.

  In truth, doing her show would be good for his business. Whenever his restaurants were highlighted in any way like this, sales shot up for weeks after. It would be crazy to turn down this kind of exposure, and Ryan was too savvy a business person to do that. No, he’d go and if there was no way around it, he’d stay with Sophia but not on her terms. As attractive as she was, he knew that he didn’t want to go down that road again. He entertained the thought for about five minutes, because the physical attraction had always been strong between them. But it wasn’t enough to overcome everything else. He wasn’t looking forward to the Chicago trip, at all.

  But he was looking forward to an evening out with Barbi. He’d been pleasantly surprised when she’d suggested going with her to watch Lily’s band play at Figs and he’d been intrigued to learn there was a back room there. He told Barbi he’d be by to pick her up at six. Their plan was to have dinner in the restaurant and then make their way into the back room to hear the band.

  His heart skipped a beat when Barbi opened her front door. Except for his aunt’s wake, he’d mostly seen her in either jeans or her waitress uniform since he’d been back in Riston. She stood before him now in a shimmery, pale blue dress that elegantly flattered her slim curves and made her hair seem even blonder. She smiled and he took a step back.

  “You look beautiful.”

  “Thank you. You look pretty good yourself.”

  Ryan was glad that he’d taken extra time to shave and splash on a little cologne, and he was wearing his favorite green shirt. He always felt good in it for some reason.

  “Are you ready to go?”

  “I am. Come in and say hello to my mother first, though. She hasn’t seen you in years.”

  “I’d love to. I didn’t realize she was here.” Ryan stepped inside and smiled at the older woman who was coming into the kitchen to greet him.

  “Ryan Calhoun. You’re all grown up! It’s great to see you.”

  Ryan gave her a hug. “You, too. You look as lovely as ev
er.” Barbi’s mother beamed at the compliment. It was true, though. Ivy was still a very pretty woman and Barbi took after her.

  “Have fun, you two.”

  “We will. See you later,” Barbi said.

  “Good night, Mrs. Johnson. Great to see you.”

  * * *

  When they arrived at Figs, there was already a long wait for a table, but Barbi had called ahead and made a reservation and they were led right in. They shared a bottle of wine and several appetizers before their main meals. Barbi thought the food was great but she was enjoying the company even more. She knew they were there as friends, but it sort of felt like a date, too, sitting at a table with a white linen tablecloth, sharing food and wine and good conversation. After they finished eating, they took their still-full wineglasses into the back room.

  Lily was already there, getting everything set up on stage. She came over to say a quick hello then went back to helping her brother and his friend, Mark, get ready. Barbi looked around the room. It was bigger than the main restaurant and had an open area that she guessed was used for a combination dancing and standing to watch the show. Along the walls were long sofas and coffee tables, and more chairs scattered around them. The room wasn’t crowded yet, so they were able to find two empty spots on one of the sofas. Barbi set her drink down and leaned back against the back of the soft padded sofa. She was full and content and looking forward to hearing Lily sing.

  “She’s really good, you know. Well, the whole band is but Lily’s voice is special. You’ll see.”

  “I’m looking forward to it.” Ryan smiled and she noticed the spray of laugh lines around his eyes and how it made him even more attractive.

  The music started and Lily’s voice rang out in the room. Suddenly, the crowd hushed, and everyone’s attention was riveted on the stage. She had that affect on people. Barbi never failed to be mesmerized by the haunting quality of her voice, the sweet raspiness of it and her ability to soar above it and hit incredibly high notes with power.