Almost a Hometown Bride

It was almost eight o’clock when Nikki’s boyfriend drove his silver, diesel, three-quarter-ton pickup into a parking spot up front and tapped the horn lightly. Only three customers lingered over dessert at that point. Nikki waved to Josh and ran in back to tell Alvie she was headed off for the night.

“See you when I see you,” Alvie drawled. She already had her area cleaned up and had begun her prep work for the morning.

It was general knowledge that maybe Nikki would be in and maybe she wouldn’t. It depended on how deep the snowfall was by morning, and whether the female alley cat ever got to bed—or, rather, slept once she made it there.

In typical Nikki fashion, she stopped just outside the door and squealed at Josh, waving her hands in the air like a fictional maiden in distress. Merritt watched in quiet awe as Josh exited the warm cab to sweep her into his arms and carry her to the passenger side of the truck. No way was Nikki going to ruin her high heels, let alone plunge her bared toes in freezing snow. It would never cross Nikki’s mind to bring a change of footwear—like boots—to work. Merritt had heard her say on more than one occasion that a man had to be trained from the start. If he wanted a show pony, he had to deserve one, and that cost attention as well as money.

Poor, foolish Josh, Merritt thought as the truck backed out of the slot. She caught a customer’s signal and went to retrieve their ticket. By the time she brought them their change, Cain had entered.

He glanced around at the remaining diners, then took a counter seat at the far end of the kitchen. Merritt guessed he was still in no mood to be sociable and wanted to stay out of sight of the kitchen.

“I thought you’d given up on the idea of dinner,” she told him as she brought a glass of water, silverware and a menu.

He ignored the menu and the question and asked, “What’s the hottest thing Alvie has back there?”

“Chili or the soup. Today’s is chicken-vegetable. With noodles, not rice or potatoes,” she added. Sometimes customers had a preference.

“I’ll take the chili if you meant it about saving some bread for me?”

“You get corn bread with that, but I’ll fix you a basket with a little bit of everything. You want to stick with water or are you up to a little more coffee? We also have hot tea or chocolate.”

“Coffee.”

Since he’d chosen the seat he had, she didn’t prolong their conversation and resisted asking him where he’d been keeping himself for the last three hours. By now she’d convinced herself that he’d headed for the interstate and might be halfway to Helena, or maybe even en route to Idaho or Wyoming by now. Could he have parked in back and waited out the traffic in here? It was odd that he’d managed to miss Nikki and Josh.

Alvie wasn’t pleased when Merritt arrived with an order ticket. But she relaxed when she learned it was for chili, which Merritt scooped into a bowl herself.

As Merritt moved to the container of grated cheddar, Alvie inspected the chili pot. “There’s only a cup left in here.” She reached for a cup. “You didn’t eat two bites for dinner. Throw some cheese on this and swallow it quick before you head up front again.”

Merritt demurred. “I really don’t need beef in my system at this hour. Cain has a lumberjack’s appetite, I’ll give it to him.”

The shrewd woman did a double take. “That’s Cain out there? What’s he doing hanging around town? I thought he went back to the reservation this morning.”

Merritt prepared a basket of the breads for him and tucked in two portions of the herbal butter. “It doesn’t sound as though he’s staying. He learned that his grandmother is dead. Did you know that?” Her boss usually was up to speed on all the news in town.

Alvie winced. “I did not. Didn’t know her personally, either, but she seemed to be a steadying influence on him. What a rotten welcome home. Poor guy can’t get a break.”

Heartened by that generosity, Merritt saw the opportunity to come clean about today. “He stopped at the cottage when he left here. He was checking around when I got home. He said he was looking for a place to rent.”

“More than likely hunting for something to hock. Did you have a problem chasing him off?”

“I started to until I saw who it was. Then I didn’t see the need. I don’t think he’s a thief, Alvie. He just remembered the place as empty. It was an honest misunderstanding.” Merritt decided she needed to know everything. “Alvie … the stove problem? He fixed the damper for me. He also restocked the wood inside and the stand on the porch. On his way back from the reservation, he gave me a lift.”

Alvie’s plump face went through several transitions before she puffed up her cheeks like a blowfish. “What do you mean letting a stranger in the house, young lady?”

“He’s not a stranger,” she whispered back, hoping the older woman would take the hint. “You and Leroy know him.”

“But you don’t. And none of us have a clue as to what all has happened to him since he was put away. I declare, Merritt—”

“The stove is as good as new,” Merritt reiterated. “If he hadn’t been available, I’d be returning to a walk-in freezer this evening—and it’s likely your customers might not have bread tomorrow.”

Her calm tone and sound logic deflated her aggravated employer somewhat. “You have me there. Still, this isn’t like you to accept so easily. Usually, you’re as skittish as a filly around strangers, particularly men.” Seeing Merritt’s expression grow closed, she quickly added, “Okay, okay, so I reason through things out loud. I’m glad everything is back in order. Just be careful, will you? What you heard about him being something of a lady-killer isn’t all exaggeration. Back before he got into serious trouble, you could count the female tongues hanging to the ground when he went through town. Even a married lady or two made fools of themselves inviting his attention. All that testosterone has probably only compounded being locked away in prison.”

“He’s been perfectly decent. Good grief,” Merritt added, “you sound like you’re lecturing Nikki. I’m no flirt.”

“There’s a first time for everything when it comes to the mysteries of chemistry. Look at me and Leroy. Better yet, don’t. We aren’t a pretty sight.”

As Alvie laughed at her own humor, Merritt shook her head. “What you and Leroy share is uniquely yours. Don’t make fun of that.”

“I’m not, really,” the older woman replied with a sigh. “I was more upset that you felt as though I was treating you like ‘Miss Always In Season.’ For the record, I don’t waste my concern or breath on Nikki. I just live with the hope that she ups and takes off with some specimen before I have to fire her. She’s exactly the kind to file for unemployment, and I would greatly resent having to pay half of that.” Alvie nodded at the tray Merritt had prepared with the chili and breadbasket. “Dinner is on the house tonight. No doubt he’ll get his back up, but tell him it’s my appreciation for the help at the house.”

Great, Merritt thought, picking up the tray. Now he’d get bent out of shape because she’d told Alvie everything.

To her surprise, however, Cain accepted the gesture. And, after he finished everything, including all of the breads, he agreed to a hot slice of apple pie, too. That’s when Merritt understood that he was killing time in order to give her a lift home. Also to avoid the cold. That made her wonder where would he go afterward.

None of your business. Can’t you see that even though he wants to stay in the warmth, he’s trying to avoid eye contact so you won’t get tempted to make too much small talk?