Who Moved My Goat Cheese?

by Lynn Cahoon

  Felicia handed her a bottle of water from the bar fridge. Cracking her own open, she hopped up on the counter and took a swig. “I like it. I think I like it better than our first venture. This feels more authentic. More like a place where you sit down for dinner and talk. The other place always felt stuffy to me. Like everyone was showing up to show off. This feels like home.” She echoed Angie’s words. “Why are you in town? I thought you were menu planning today.”

  She told her friend about the visit from Mrs. Potter and the one with Reana she’d just finished. “I don’t know why this is bugging me so much, but I think there’s more to Mr. Moss’s death than just an accident. He shouldn’t have even been near that part of the ridge. Not at night.”

  “What does your friend the sheriff say?”

  “He’s not my friend, and honestly, he didn’t say much. Mostly he just asked me questions on why I was even out there. Luckily Ian was there to back up what I told him.”

  Felicia narrowed her eyes. “I wonder…”

  “What?” Angie finished off her water bottle and threw it in the recycling can they had in the middle of the area.

  “Doesn’t it seem odd to you that he didn’t just tell the sheriff that when he agreed to come out to the farm to interview you? It seems like that would have just been a phone call, especially if his good friend Ian had already told him why you were there.” Felicia shrugged. “All I know about police procedure is what I see on television. So I could be wrong. It’s just a little weird.”

  As Angie unpacked the last of the boxes from the kitchen, making lists of what she needed and another column with what she wanted if there was enough money, she thought about Felicia’s statement. It was odd that Ian had come out to the farm with the sheriff. Of course, his response that the guy wasn’t good with people kind of made sense, but wasn’t that an elected position here in town? He would have to talk to people sometime.

  By one, she’d gotten all the boxes out of the kitchen area and all of the pans and utensils unpacked. She’d moved a few of the boxes into the dining room since they held linens and she’d been surprised at the amount of dinnerware they had collected over the five years.

  “We may not need to buy new dishes.” Angie carried a plate into the dining room, then stopped when she saw Felicia wasn’t alone. Kirk Hanley leaned against the bar, the stereotypical version of a cowboy, chatting up her friend. They turned to look at Angie when she entered. “Sorry, I didn’t realize you had company.”

  “This is Kirk. I met him at the Cherry Festival last weekend.” Felicia put a hand on his chambray shirt. “Kirk, this is my friend, Angie.”

  “We’ve already met. How’s the pup of yours doing?” Kirk stood and took a step away from the bar and distanced himself from Felicia as well.

  Angie could see the confusion in her friend’s face as she watched the man. “Dom’s great. I’ve got an appointment next week to bring him in for his booster shots.” She turned to Felicia. “Kirk actually owns some property out by the farm. Dom and I ran into him while we were walking.”

  “Oh,” Felicia took a breath. “I didn’t know you were a vet.”

  “A guy’s got to have some secrets.” He tipped his hat. “Ladies, I’ll see you around.” Then he walked out of the restaurant.

  They watched him leave, then Angie came out of the doorway and sat the dish on the bar. “That was awkward.”

  “You’re telling me. Before you came in he was all flirty. I thought he was going to ask me out but then he turned to ice as soon as he saw you.” Felicia stared out the window. “Did he ask you out when you met?”

  “No. I’ve only talked to him that one time. Maybe he took something I said wrong.” Angie rubbed a spot off the plate’s surface. “I’m definitely not interested in the guy. Besides, I’m not ready to date yet. Todd and I just broke up.”

  “You and Todd were over years ago. I think you missed the memo.” Felicia watched out the plate glass windows onto the street. “How old do you think he is?”

  “I’ll check the year he graduated veterinarian school when I take Dom in next week.” Angie picked up the plate. “I think we should use these until we grow out of the set. We have a lot of pieces. We might just have to fill in some holes.”

  “I doubt we can find somewhere that sells replacements, but we could get lucky.” Felicia turned the plate around to look at the watermark at the bottom. “I’ll do some research and get you numbers.”

  “That will work. Do you want to go to Boise with me tomorrow? I’m visiting the restaurant supply house and getting some new pans and odds and ends.” Angie pointed to the plate. “Bring that and what you think we need additionally for front of house. I’d like to make this our last shopping trip except for food before we open.”

  Felicia checked her phone. “Works for me as long as we go after eleven. The plumbing inspector is supposed to be here at eight and I’m not sure how long he’ll take. The office said to expect at least two hours.”

  “Eleven will be fine. We can start at Canyon Creek for lunch. I’ve been dying to eat there since we moved here.” Angie glanced at her watch. “I better get home and check on Dom and Precious.”

  “Did you bring me pictures?” Felicia stepped closer.

  “I’m not keeping her, so no, I don’t have pictures.” Angie pulled her tote over her head and settled it on her hip, stuffing her notebook inside as she did. “Ian says her mother was killed by coyotes. I hope I don’t have any sniffing around the farm.”

  “I think you would have heard them.” Her friend walked with her to the door. “You’ve seen a lot of Ian lately.”

  “Don’t go there. I told you, I’m not interested in dating.” She opened the door to the empty sidewalk. “The sign looks amazing.”

  “Thanks. They did a great job.” Felicia stared up at the old west themed wooden sign proclaiming The County Seat in carved and stained letters. “Don’t let me forget to get an open hours sign tomorrow. Now that we have a name, people are going to start showing up like flies, wanting to be fed.”

  “I hope that’s true.” She waved at her friend and started toward the parking lot where she’d left her crossover.

  “Hey, Angie?” Felicia called after her.

  She stopped just before she went around the corner. “What?”

  “You told me you weren’t interested, but I wonder if you’ve told him you’re not?” Felicia waved and turned back into the restaurant. “See you tomorrow.”

  Angie stood frozen to the ground. She hadn’t mentioned this to Ian because, well, she didn’t know if she was interested in him as more than just the farmers’ market guy. Okay, so that was a bald-faced lie, but she really hadn’t thought of him that way. Or she had, but she hadn’t thought of the two of them together. Not really.

  The thought haunted her all the way home. When she arrived at her house, Ian’s little wagon sat near the barn. She got out and looked around, finally finding him sitting in the yard with Precious on his lap. Standing by the gate, she stared at him. “What are you doing here?”

  “Waiting for you. I need to talk to you about your goat cheese order.” He pointed to the door. “You might want to let your dog out first. He’s been going crazy since I pulled up.”

  “He probably heard the car and thought we had a prowler.” Angie went and unlocked the back door, stepping to the side so Dom wouldn’t knock her over in his rush to get outside to slay the dragon he expected.

  When he got to the fence, he froze, staring at Ian and the goat. Finally, he lifted his leg and relieved himself on the post, turned his back on the offending site and went back to Angie where he flopped next to her leg and leaned in. Point made.

  Angie reached down and scratched his head. “Why don’t you come in for some coffee or a cold drink? I made a cherry crumble last night too, if you’re interested.”

  “That would be lo
vely. Do you have any hot tea? I can’t seem to break my habit and drink that coffee you all are so in love with. You should see the odd looks I get when I’m dining with some of members of the coalition.” He moved Precious off his lap and stood brushing the dirt and grass off his jeans. The goat bleated once, but then went to get a drink of water.

  “She likes you.” Angie commented. “You should take her home with you.”

  “I live in an apartment over my office in town. I don’t think they’d appreciate me walking a goat around the streets of River Vista.” He held the door open for her.

  “I’m sure they’ve seen odder things.” Angie smiled at the image. “I would have thought you would have a small, organic farm, being a true believer and all.”

  “Do I hear a touch of sarcasm in your voice?” He sat at the table and gave his attention to Dom. “Be careful, I haven’t sent out that email to the members yet.”

  “Idle threats don’t bother me.” She put a kettle on for his tea and plated up some crumble. “I think I have some vanilla bean ice cream if you want me to heat this up for you.”

  “You are a charmer, at least with your food, aren’t you? That would be great if it’s not a bother.” He stood. “Can I use your facilities to wash up?”

  “Sure. First door on your left.” She focused on dishing up the dessert, then formulated a way to get her questions answered without looking like she was grilling him. Maybe it might even just seem like conversation. All of their encounters so far had been strange and stilted, why should this one be any different?

  The kettle started to whistle and she poured two cups of water and put them on the table along with a basket filled with an assortment of teas. She grabbed the honey pot and quickly sliced a lemon. She got out a small pitcher for milk, but she’d wait until he got back to ask his preference. She’d just finished scooping the ice cream on the cobbler when he returned to the kitchen.

  “Thanks for letting me wash up. Between Precious and Dom, I was feeling a little gamey. I have to go set up the milking in a bit and then the crew’s working on the soft cheese for the week so I wanted to get your order in now.” He pulled out a notebook and sat back down at the table. Glancing at the basket, he put the notebook and pen down riffled through until he found a tea bag he wanted. He held it up like a trophy. “You really are a surprise. I haven’t had this brand since I left England before college.”

  “I had it on a vacation, liked the taste and ordered a few boxes for home.” She watched as he unwrapped the tea bag. “Do you want milk?”

  “What?” He looked a little dazed. “Actually, I’ve stopped taking milk in my tea. It makes it a little more acceptable in local circles.”

  “I won’t tell.” When he didn’t look up, she shrugged and sat next to him, grabbing an English breakfast tea and drizzling honey into the hot water. “So you’re from England?”

  “My mom and I lived there for most of my childhood. I was a youthful indiscretion and rather than marry the guy, Mom took off for England. I felt like an outsider there, but when I moved back to the States, it was worse.” He sipped his tea, then stared at the cup. “You sure you didn’t doctor the tea? I don’t think I’ve told anyone that story for a long time.”

  “No truth serum here. Did your mom move back with you?” She let a lemon slice float on the top, then let the drink steep and picked up a fork. The cherry cobbler was perfect. The cherries, just a little tart to set off the ice cream. If she’d just drizzled some dark chocolate over the top, the dessert would be ready for the menu.

  “You look like you’re enjoying that a little too much.” Ignoring her question, he smiled at her and the implication behind his words caused her face to heat.

  “So, when will I get the cheese if they’re making it tonight?” She tried to change the subject. Heat filled her body like she was about to spontaneously combust. She just hoped her face wasn’t as red as it felt. Thankfully, he followed her cue.

  “Monday, if that works. I can have someone run it over here as soon as we get clearance from the commission. They’re coming in to inspect just to make sure we haven’t changed anything in the last couple of weeks. I am beginning to understand why Gerald was so upset with Mildred. That woman can be a tiger.” He picked up his fork and took a large bite of the crumble. “If everything you make tastes like this, I’m going to be a regular customer for The County Seat.”

  “We aim to please.” She tilted her head down so he wouldn’t see her smile. She liked feeding people. She liked good food. There was nothing unusual about a man with bright green eyes sitting at her table eating dessert. Just because he looked like he could have walked off the cover of one of those time travel books Felicia loved so much, didn’t mean she had feelings for the guy.

  Of course, there could be worse things for her to be thinking about right now.

  CHAPTER 8

  By the time Ian left, dusk was beginning to settle around the farm house. He’d helped her clean up their dishes after several cups of tea, had gone outside with her to feed Precious and Mabel, all the time talking about the farmers’ market, his vision for the area, and why he believed in developing communities.

  They had sat on the porch for a long time talking about the effect community gardens had on the health of the poor. His facts were remarkably solid but Angie knew in the River Vista area, the guy would be called a flaming liberal, except for the fact he’d helped out so many people that he’d gained their trust. Which was one reason he’d been asked to manage Moss Farm until an heir was identified.

  She watched him pull out of her driveway, heading the little car toward the farm to finalize the milking and check on the cheese making. “I wonder when he sleeps?”

  Dom looked up at her, apparently surprised that she was already talking about bedtime. He nuzzled her hand.

  “I know. You and I are the only two that haven’t eaten dinner yet.” She walked toward the porch, Dom padding softly by her side. He was growing taller and bigger every day. Or at least it seemed that way. In the kitchen, after she’d fed Dom, she glanced through her fridge and pulled out a steak. She grabbed some fingerling potatoes, a red onion, and a couple of green chilis she’d picked up at a roadside stand a few days ago. Steak and roasted potatoes could be a menu addition but she needed another element. Her gaze fell on the turnips that Mrs. Potter had given her from her garden and decided to make a puree.

  The dish formulated in her head, she went to cooking.

  As she was taking pictures and finishing her notes for the recipe binder, her phone rang. Glancing at the display, she put the call on speaker. “Hey Felicia. What’s going on?”

  “I wanted to tell you that I was right about Kirk wanting to ask me out. I ran into him at the grocery store just now and he asked me to dinner.” Felicia’s words bubbled out of the phone.

  “So where are you going?”

  A clank came over the phone. “What do you mean? I’m right here.”

  “No, where are you going to dinner?” Sometimes her friend could be cast as the ditzy blonde, but typically, it was when her mind was otherwise occupied.

  “Oh, I didn’t say yes. I’m not sure I’m interested.” Felicia grumbled something Angie couldn’t hear. “This stove in the apartment needs replaced. One of the burners isn’t working at all.”

  “You could use the kitchen downstairs until we open.” Angie sat her pen down. “Or we could go looking for a new stove tomorrow when we’re in town. I thought you were interested in the guy.”

  “I like the second option better. I don’t want to be hanging around the restaurant when I’m not working. It will feel, well, like work.” Felicia sighed. “And I was interested until that thing today. If you can scare him off like that, I don’t know if I want to bother. I wonder why you scare him so bad.”

  “Who says I do?” Angie sliced the steak, looking at the cut to check the level of doneness
and made another note before she popped it in her mouth.

  “He does. He says you’re intimidating. And he’s just shy.”

  Angie choked on the bite of meat she’d just taken. When she got control of herself, she focused back on the phone. “I’m intimidating? To who? Small children?”

  Felicia laughed. “I knew you’d get a kick out of what he said. But it bothers me. You only met this guy once, right?”

  “We had maybe a five-minute conversation out on the road last week. He didn’t seem scared of me then.” Angie gestured to Dom to go lie on his bed as he was too focused on the steak dinner.

  “That’s what bothers me. I think he’s lying, but I’m not sure what about. I don’t think the guy is intimidated by anyone and certainly not shy.”

  That had been the impression Angie had of the local vet too. Friendly, confident, and easy to get along with. This other guy they’d met today was secretive and seemed to be scared of something. But what? “Hey, did he say anything else besides asking you out and telling you what an ogre I was?”

  “One thing. He made it sound like his crops were coming in soon and he’d have a lot of money to burn.” Felicia laughed. “Like that makes any difference to me. I’m not looking for a sugar daddy. I think that’s another reason I’m not sure I want to go out with him. He’s cute but seems locked in this patriarchal paradigm. Can you imagine me taking orders from anyone?”

  They said their goodbyes and Angie went back to her dinner. She hadn’t eaten a quiet meal without an interruption for a couple nights. It was beginning to annoy her.

  Dom had looked up hopefully when she set the phone down.

  “No begging, it doesn’t become a dog of your stature.” Angie laughed as he plopped his head down and covered his eyes with his front paws. Apparently Dom agreed with her assessment.

  Cleaning up the kitchen, she put her menu book on the table by her purse. She’d like to try one more out before meeting up with Felicia tomorrow. Then they could finalize the menu plan and get to work on the kitchen staff training and the family meal for the team. One more step, one more sleep, and she was one more day closer to opening her own restaurant. With a little help from her friends.