Wild Fire (The Fairy Tale Match Series) (9 page)

A woman in her late forties stood
behind the counter with a coffee pot in her hand. She had warm brown eyes,
short brown hair and a cheery smile. But despite her cheery exterior, Laura
could detect worry in the strain around her eyes and mouth.

“Well, hi there Kerry. I’ve not seen
you in a few days. Who’s your new friend?” She called as she grabbed two mugs
and poured coffee for them.

“This is Laura. She’s staying with us
for a while,” Kerry introduced. “Laura, this is Martha. She’s owned this place
for years. It’s as much a part of this town as the bank and library. She’s an
institution. I can’t imagine this town without her.” Laura greeted the woman and
took a stool next to Kerry.

“I wish everyone felt that way,”
Martha said as she handed them a menu. “Since that bastard opened up his place
across the way and stole my cook, business has been dead. It’s getting worse
every day. If this keeps up, he’ll get his wish and shut me down before the
month is out.”

“I didn’t realise things had got so
bad,” Kerry said dismayed.

“Well, without a decent cook, I can’t
compete. Alfie tries his best, but he’s just not able to reach the standards of
Rosalie. That Henry Blankton knew just what he was doing when he snuck her away
from me. There’s not another decent cook in this town and I can’t afford to
hire someone from elsewhere, even if they would move to this small place. I
have to face the fact that I’m through.” Martha told Kerry, her voice betraying
her bitterness. “I’d like to get my hands on that man. He wouldn’t be so high
and mighty by the time I was finished with him, I can tell you!”

“I think we can do better than that
and teach that stuck up slime a lesson instead,” Kerry grinned. “This is why I
brought Laura here. She is thinking about maybe settling here in town and would
love to have a job working with food. She’s an incredible cook and I think she
could turn this place around, as long as we’re not too late. Would you be
interested?” she asked Martha.

“Sure I’d be interested in theory.”
She turned to Laura. “You sure you’d want to work here honey? This isn’t a
fancy restaurant. We’re just a small diner in a small town.”

Laura hesitated. “I don’t have formal
qualifications,” she warned Martha. “But I would love the chance to work with
food.”

“That don’t matter none if Kerry
recommends you, but I can’t afford to pay you to start with,” Martha told
Laura. “I’m really on the breadline as it is. I have creditors coming out of my
ears. It’s going to take a miracle to get me back on my feet. Truth is, I may
go under without being able to pay you a cent.”

“That’s not a problem,” Laura waved
her hand in the air in dismissal. “It would give you a chance to see if you are
happy with my food and how I work without me feeling pressured. Besides, you’re
a friend of Kerry’s and I’d like to help. I’ve always hated bullies and if I
can help you take one down, that would be my pleasure.”

“Well, we could give it a go, if
you’re sure?” Martha said eagerly. “I’ve got nothing to lose and would I love
to get one back on that Blankton. When can you start?”

“When do you want me?” Laura asked.

There was a crash from the kitchen, followed
by a torrent of curses.

“What the hell is going on in there,
Alfred?” Martha yelled.

“The damn pan fell off the cooker
again, Ma,” came a young man’s voice.

“Is that my order he just dropped?”
asked the grizzly looking man on the other end of the counter. “I can’t sit
here another two hours while that son of yours cremates something else and
calls it food. I’m sorry Martha, but I just can’t keep on supporting you when
the fare in here wouldn’t tempt a dog!”

“Sam, please don’t leave just yet.
I’ve just hired a new cook,” Martha held her hand up in an effort to stop Sam
from leaving. “Would starting right now suit you, honey?” she asked,
desperation etched into every line of her face.

“Of course,” Laura leapt off the seat
and turned to Sam. “What did you order, sir?” she asked him as she rounded the
counter.

“I just want a decent lunch. Whatever
you can cook up for me as quickly as possible.” Sam sat back down on his stool.
“Mind you, if this isn’t edible, I’m not paying!”

Laura shot round to the kitchen,
finding a young man of about twenty standing to one side nursing a burnt hand.
She gave him a quick smile as she surveyed the stock of ingredients available
to her. Martha popped in to check on Alfie and to hand Laura an apron to cover
her dress. Laura quickly whipped up a homemade burger and chips, adding her own
mayonnaise to the bun with the salad. She brought the steaming plate out to
Sam, filling his coffee cup up as she went.

He sniffed the plate appreciatively
and took a huge bite of his burger. He ate in silence for some time before
Martha ran out of patience. “Well, how’d she do?” she asked.

“It’s not bad, Martha. Course, I’ll
have to check out how she does with something other than a burger, but this
will do. I’m glad I stayed.”

Martha sighed with relief and walked
over to Laura where she stood by Kerry. “Believe me, from Sam that’s high
praise. That man would complain about heaven!” she rolled her eyes
dramatically. “You really saved me today honey, but it’s going to take more
than one plate of food to save this place.”

“What we need is to re-launch the
diner with a new menu,” Kerry suggested. “Advertise that there is a new cook
and try to draw people in again. I think the upcoming barn raising would be the
perfect time and place. It would pitch you against Blankton directly. I bet
Laura’s cooking will win hands down!”

“Well it’s a good idea,” Martha
sighed. “I guess this is my last chance to save my business, so I have to take
it. Can we get things ready in time?”

Laura was already thinking hard and
making plans. “Would it be okay to use the kitchen at the ranch, Kerry?” she
asked. “It will be much easier to work there and we won’t have to drag all the
food back to the ranch, as it will be already on site.”

“I don’t see why not,” Kerry agreed.
“We can run it past Jake, but I doubt he would complain, especially if we’re
helping Martha.”

“We need to plan out a new menu for
the café and then see what we can use for the pot luck dinner. We need to make
sure that we do enough to draw people back, but not too much that they will
think they’ve tried it all already. Also, can you tell me what the other diner
is serving?” Laura grabbed the pen and pad that Martha handed her, furiously
scribbling down notes as Martha and Kerry filled her in on the competition.

For the next two hours the women sat
and planned, while nibbling on sandwiches Martha got Alfie to do for them.
Laura could easily see why the diner had gone down if the sandwiches were a
testament to Alfie’s talent. She wasn’t sure how he’d managed to make them so
tasteless and soggy, but he had. If she hadn’t been so hungry, she wouldn’t
have eaten them. She also didn’t want to hurt either Martha or the eager to
please Alfie’s feelings.

       Sam had finished his lunch,
paid and left and the other customer had gone shortly after. The place was
quiet over the whole of lunchtime with not one single customer coming in. Laura
just hoped that the barn raising dance could draw people back before Martha
lost her diner. She felt rather nervous that the success or failure of the
venture was on her shoulders, but at the same time she was excited by the
challenge. Food was her passion and her life. She could hardly believe she was
getting such an amazing opportunity.

Just as they were finishing up with
Laura promising to return the next day to work on the menu for Martha to taste
and choose, the door opened and a tall, good looking man with blonde hair
walked in. Kerry glanced up and froze. Her face took on a strained look and she
glanced down quickly when the man’s brown gaze landed on her. Curious, Laura
looked over at the man and was just in time to see an equally strained look,
only much more pain filled, cross his face.

“Hi Dan,” Martha called to him,
grabbing the coffee pot. “You eating today?”

“Not today, thanks Martha,” he
replied, his eyes still glancing in Kerry’s direction. He hesitated in the
doorway before moving over to take a seat at the counter, as far away from the
women as he could.

“I got a new cook today,” Martha told
him with a wink. “She’s real good too. Kerry recommended her. She’s going to
cook for me at the barn raising. You coming?”

Dan’s face froze. “Course not Martha.
You know I’m not welcome.”

Kerry stood so fast, she nearly
tipped her stool over. “Laura we really need to be going now.” She grabbed her
bag, glancing in Dan’s direction again. “What do we owe you for lunch?” she
asked Martha.

“Nothing, honey. It’s the least I can
do for you both after all the help you’re giving me. Have you met Dan yet,
Laura?” Martha asked her, completely ignoring Kerry’s silent protests.

“Ah, no,” Laura replied, wondering
what was going on that she obviously had no idea about.

Dan squirmed in his seat as Martha
pulled Laura over to him, a reluctant Kerry following behind. “This is Dan
Walker. He’s a veterinarian in the local area and an old friend of Jake and
Kerry’s.”

Kerry made a choking sound behind
her. “Dan, this is Laura. She’s staying over at the ranch with Jake and Kerry,”
Martha continued the introduction.

“It’s nice to meet you.” Laura stuck
her hand out in greeting. Dan looked at her with questions in his eyes. He
glanced behind her at Kerry, before slowly taking her hand and shaking it.

“It’s nice to meet you too.” His
voice was warm and soft, like honey. She could easily see him being able to
calm a frightened animal. “How did you meet the Carters? I’ve never heard them
mention you before.”

Before Laura could answer, Kerry
interrupted. “A lot changes in two years Dan. You don’t know as much about us
as you used to! And even then, you didn’t know as much as you thought you did!”
Laura turned at Kerry’s bitter tone. She was surprised to see pain and anger on
her friends face. Dan looked uncomfortable and slightly shocked.

“It’s good to see you Kerry. It’s
been so long since we spoke. How are you? How’s Jake?” He looked like he wanted
to reach out to her, but Kerry’s brittle expression kept him firmly in his
chair.

“How do you think he is?” Kerry
hissed. “He hasn’t forgiven you yet. I’m not sure if he ever will.”

“And you? Have you forgiven me,
Kerry?” Dan asked quietly.

“It’s not for me to forgive you,” she
replied shortly, looking out the diner window with sightless eyes.

“Isn’t it? I know what I did to Jake.
You have to hate me for that. I know I have a lot to make up for. I just wish
you’d both give me the chance.”

“You think this is all about what
happened with Jake?” Kerry spun back towards him so fast she somehow tripped
and fell into Dan’s lap. His arms closed around her to keep her falling to the
floor. Kerry froze for a moment, an expression of tormented pain flitting
across her face so fast, Laura almost thought she’d imagined it. Almost.

“Are you alright?” Dan asked, his
expression concerned. Kerry looked up into his face. Her eyes filled with
unshed tears. She scrambled to her feet, kicking Dan in the shin in her haste.
He winced in pain, rubbing the spot her heel had collided with.

Kerry marched to the door without
waiting for Laura. She wrenched the door open, but before she left, she spun
round to face Dan once more, her dark hair swirling about her flushed face.

“You really always were a clueless
idiot!” she yelled at him then she turned on her heel and left. Laura gave a
helpless look at the stunned Martha and Dan before she followed her friend out.

*****

Laura had to run to catch up with the
furious Kerry. She was marching down the street, her hands crushing her bag as
she muttered under her breath.

“Are you okay?” Laura asked
hesitantly.

“Can you believe him?” Kerry
shrieked, sending several startled birds into flight. “He is the most stupid,
insufferable, idiotic and infuriating man ever put on this planet!”

“And here I thought that was your
brother!” Laura joked. Kerry stood breathing deeply, trying to get control of
her raging emotions. Laura studied her face, suddenly seeing what she’d missed
before.

“How long have you been in love with
him?” Laura asked quietly.

Kerry looked stunned. “Who said
anything about being in love with him?”

“You don’t have to say anything. It’s
written all over you.”

“Then why the hell doesn’t he see
it?” Kerry asked, her face crumpling. Tears began to flow down her cheeks. “Or
maybe he does and he just doesn’t care.” She began to cry harder. Laura took
her arm and guided her towards the car. She was sure Kerry wouldn’t want people
looking at her while she was in this state.

They finally slid into the seats,
shutting the doors and the rest of the world out before Laura commented. “I
think he does care. I saw his face when he saw you in the diner. He looked like
he was hurting really bad.”