said he usually hires couples. I’m divorced. I sort of talked him into giving me a chance and letting me cook for him today.”
“Ahh.” Gwen chuckled. “Good. If you need help, I’ll be happy to.”
“Thank you. That’s sweet, but this time I better do it all on my own since it’s sort of a trial to show him what I can do.”
“And you’re up for this?”
“Oh, yes,” she said, smiling at Gwen, who gave her a big grin.
“Good for you. Ask me if you have any questions or can’t find something.”
“Thanks. I will.”
“My husband has worked for Mr. Ryan since he bought this ranch. After he built the house, I was hired on to clean. We live in a house here on the ranch and we like working here. So for tonight—what kind of pie are you baking?”
“I’m not baking. It’s a chocolate icebox.”
“Very good choice. He has a weakness for chocolate. Burgers, roasts, steaks, barbecue and just plain potatoes are his favorites. That and blueberry waffles.”
“Thanks for letting me know.”
“Do you really know how to cook?”
“Oh, yes,” she said, smiling.
“Then you’ll get hired. And you’ll definitely be the prettiest cook we’ve ever had.”
Jessica laughed with Gwen. “Thank you. And thanks for telling me what he likes.”
“It’s quiet here. Are you sure you want the isolation of the ranch?”
“I’m sure. I had a bad divorce and my ex didn’t want me to leave. This will be a good place for me. I’ll like it here,” she said, thinking of Ryan’s irresistible smile.
“I’ll be through cleaning and out of here by four. If you need something or want help, here’s my cell number,” Gwen said, getting a piece of paper and jotting a number to hand to Jessica.
“Thank you. That’s very nice.”
“I think you’ll be a good addition here. I clean upstairs today. I better get started. Oh, if you want flowers for the table, Mr. Ryan doesn’t care if we pick some and bring them in for bouquets. Just watch out for rattlesnakes in the garden.”
“Rattlesnakes? I think I’ll skip the flowers.”
When the housekeeper had left, Jessica checked and found frozen raw hamburger patties that she could cook. She found buns and all she needed. She busied herself with making the pie first and setting it in the refrigerator to chill.
When noon came, she looked around, making sure everything was ready. Thirty minutes later she still hadn’t seen Ryan and she wondered if an interview was running long because he had found someone who would be more satisfactory for his cook and would have a husband to work here also.
By one she was certain that was what had happened and then she heard his boots as he approached the kitchen and stepped through the door.
Her heart missed a few beats when she smiled at him. “I’d given you up.”
“Sorry, I should have let you know,” he said. He filled the doorway and dominated the room. Would she ever get accustomed to him and see him as just another person? “I’ll look over my notes and be back in about twenty minutes. That should give you some time.”
“Sure. By then your lunch will be ready,” she said, hearing the breathless sound of her voice and wondering whether he noticed it.
“Eat with me, okay? We can talk some more.”
“Isn’t that a little irregular?”
“Because you work for me? I don’t think so and that’s all that matters, unless you don’t want to—”
“Oh, no. That’s fine,” she said, flashing a smile at him.
“Good. See you in twenty minutes,” he said, and left.
Eat with me.
His request replayed in her mind. Once again this job was taking another unexpected turn. Could she continue being close to him, associating with him daily, and still stay remote and impassive around him? He had to know he was having an effect on her every time they were together. It was obvious sometimes that he felt it just as much as she.
She hurried to get his lunch, and twenty minutes later she took the hamburgers off the small grill as he came through the door.
They sat at a table overlooking the formal garden and a pond with a fountain, a waterfall and blooming lilies.
“This is a beautiful view,” she said.
“Yes, it is,” he said in a warm voice that held a note that caught her attention. She turned to look at him as he gazed back with a faint smile. He looked back at his plate. “This looks great and I’m hungry. It’s been a long time since breakfast.”
“I baked beans,” she said. “I thought that might be healthier than the fries.”
“You’re probably right. So far, I’ve rejected both women I interviewed this morning. You’re still at the top of the list.” He took a bite of his burger.
“That’s good news because I think I’ll like it here. We’ll see how you like my lunch and dinner. Lunch isn’t really a test, because burgers are sort of always the same and very easy.”
“The burger is good.”
“Thank you. Are you planning on staying at the ranch for a while now or will you go back to Houston soon?”
“I’m in and out right now. I’ll go to Houston later this week.”
As he spoke, she gazed into his warm brown eyes. She had made such a poor judgment with her ex; was she making more poor decisions now with Ryan? He smiled and picked up his burger to take another bite.
“I’m glad to hear the job is still open,” she said.
“Oh, yes. I have two interviews after lunch. I’ll let you know how it goes. So far, lunch is good. The beans are great and the burger is cooked just the way I like it.”
“I’m glad. Gwen told me you like burgers, but not how you like them cooked.”
“You guessed well. Gwen and her husband both work here, you know.”
“That’s what she said.” She wiped her hands on her napkin and stood up. “I have pie for dinner tonight, but I baked some cookies for now.” She went inside to get a plate of chocolate-chip cookies, which she placed in front of him. He promptly held the plate out to offer her one as she sat.
“No thanks,” she said. “I’m not a sweets person.”
“I’ll remember
