“I like your dimples.” Something about that compliment took her smile away again. I reached over and put my hand on hers. “What did I say wrong?”
She shook her head.
“Come on, tell me so I don’t do it again.”
“My face…”
“Is beautiful. What else?”
“It’s pudgy.” She stood and took my plate.
“I can do that.”
“I know. I’m going to get you another slopper.”
I grasped her wrist. “Flynn, don’t run away from me.”
“I’m not. I told you I’m getting you—”
“I can fetch my own food. Please sit back down.”
When she did, I turned her chair so she was facing me. I reached up and was about to touch her face when I noticed her eyes darting around the room like I’d seen her do last night in the car. I pulled my hand away. The things I had to say to Flynn should be done without an audience.
“Can you take a break?”
“What for?”
“Maybe you could show me around Crested Butte?”
“Um, I probably shouldn’t.”
I heard someone clear their throat behind me and turned.
“Hey, Flynn, hey, Paxon,” said one of her brothers I met the night before. I think it was Cord.
I nodded. “Hey.”
“Holt is playing a show at the Goat tonight. Just him. They’re shutting the place down, so it’s family only and, uh, guests. If you want to go.”
I looked back at Flynn. “I’d like to, would you?”
“Sure. That would be fun.”
“Great. What time?” I asked.
“Not sure, but someone will let you know,” said Cord.
I saw Ink get up and take his dishes and tray to a stand near a trash can.
“I guess I should head out since you have to work, but I’ll see you later, right?”
24
Flynn
“Why did he say you had to work?” Cord asked when Paxon walked away. “You’re done for the day.”
“I still have to clean up and do prep for tomorrow.”
“The kitchen crew can clean up, and I can do the prep. You can take time off, Flynn. In fact, if you don’t start, we’ll force you to.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means you have four brothers who love and care about you, and you shouldn’t be spending every waking moment in the dining hall.”
“I like being here.”
Cord motioned with his head to where Paxon stood, waving at us. “You like him?”
I was stunned at my brother’s question and shrugged. “He’s just being nice.”
“Kinda old for you.”
I swatted him. “I said he’s being nice, is all.”
“While I stand by what I just said about his age, if Paxon can get you to spend some time away from this place, then I think you should do it.”
“What’s going on?” asked Porter, who walked up with Holt.
“I’m just saying Flynn needs time off.”
“I agree,” said Porter.
“Same,” said Holt. “You spend way too much time here. No one expects you to.”
I felt my eyes filling with tears and turned my head away. It had always been easier to be here than go anywhere else. Mainly because I didn’t have anywhere else to go, and if I did, no one to go with.
Porter put his hand on my shoulder. “We’re not kicking you out of here, sis. We’re just saying you work too much.”
“Like the three of you don’t?”
“I would agree that we all spend too much time on this ranch,” said Cord. “In the past, the old man didn’t give us much choice. Hard habit to break.”
“Now’s not the time for us to start planning vacations,” said Porter. “I’ll remind you, we have a deadline to get this place profitable or we lose it.”
“Right,” said Cord. “But that doesn’t mean Flynn shouldn’t be able to take a day or two off a week.”
My eyes opened wide. “A day or two?”
“Yes,” said Holt. “The staff knows your recipes. Cord can cover when you’re not here.”
I looked at Cord to see his reaction, but he didn’t have one.
“Even if you’re just not here. Go out, visit restaurants, see what people like to eat. Hell, get out of the valley. Go over to Buena Vista or Salida for a day. See if there’s anything you want to add to the menu for the dude ranch guests.”
“Speaking of dude ranch guests,” said Porter. “I saw some of the guys working on the security system checking out the North Fork cabins.”
“Why?” asked Cord.
“Dunno, but maybe you should find out.”
When my brothers left, I wandered into the kitchen, realizing they were right about there not being anything for me to do.
After checking everything was set for the next day, I left. Normally, I would’ve hung out, tried out new recipes, or just puttered around. It was weird to leave and not have anything in particular to do.
Instead of going to the ranch house, I drove out of the Roaring Fork gates and went to Gunnison to see if Nina still had the dresses set aside for me.
“Hey, Flynn. Your brother was here earlier,” she said when I walked in. “You’re Buck’s sister, right?”
“Right.” I looked around the store. “Um, do you still have those dresses I tried on?”
She came around the counter. “Of course I do. That was just yesterday.” She winked. “By the way, how was the concert? Lucy and I were so envious!”
I told her about it and that my brother played in the band. It felt weird to be telling so much to a stranger, but she was so friendly, I found myself jabbering away.
“After you left yesterday, I pulled a few more things for you to try on, if you’re interested.”
“Uh, sure. What kinds of things?”
She pulled on my belt loop. “Women’s jeans for one. Something that will flatter your figure more. And some blouses that will do the same.”
I followed her over to the dressing room area and waited while she went into the back. My eyes opened wide when I saw all the clothes she was carrying.
“Don’t worry, you can just pick a couple of things, but at least you’ll know what we have.”
Once I graduated from high school, my father started paying me to run the kitchen.
