Serious Cowboy (Cowboys of Duncan Ranch #2)

Chapter 6

CHAPTER SIX

Aaron hadn’t honestly realized that Joy worked here, he only knew she’d been in the building that one time. And it was too late to back out of this now without coming off like a jerk. So, he dutifully crossed the room over to her salon chair. At least he could chuckle along as these ladies—Joy included—made fun of him.

He didn’t honestly mind since not one of them had shown any real malice. And the truth was the teasing reduced the stiffness between him and his childhood friend.

As her scissors went to work, which was impressive because he could already see his hair taking a new, updated shape, he gave into his temptation to ask about her.

“So, you adjusting to life back in Montana all right?” He figured he couldn’t get much more innocuous than that.

“We are. We just moved out of my parents’ place into our own apartment. Things have both changed and remained the same.”

“How different and the same?”

“Well, everything’s new and old at the same time. If that makes sense. It’s been so many years since I’ve been back here that it’s strange to see a restaurant or store where the Gulp and Fill used to be. But then, some stuff’s still in the same place. Like the square, of course. And the elementary school. Kara starts her first day there on Monday.”

“What grade?”

“Third. Remember when we were in Mrs. Allen’s third grade class throwing rocks at each other?”

But that wasn’t quite accurate.

“As I recall, it was actually you throwing them at me ,” he corrected her, grinning. “Thought for sure we’d both get spankings.” Corporeal punishment had still been a thing back then, with kids living in perpetual fear of the principal’s paddle. “Good thing you turned on the waterworks.”

“I didn’t want to get hit with that thing.”

“Me neither, especially since you were the one at fault,” Aaron said, and Joy’s scissors stopped.

“Hey, just because I was the one throwing them doesn’t mean…” She trailed off. “Okay, fine. I was the guilty one. It was all the more reason for me to throw a pity party and get us out of trouble.”

He snorted at her. “Then there was that time we got caught passing notes in seventh grade science class.”

The funny thing was that they’d just been making plans for after school, not passing anything incriminating. They hadn’t been cheating on tests or even saying anything sappy. And that was despite him being in love with her even back then.

“Discussing the proper flavor of ice cream to get is exceptionally important,” she remarked.

“Still into fudge ripple?”

“Fudge ripple is a good one. But have you tried some of the Ben and Jerry’s? Their strawberry cheesecake is to die for.”

Aaron peered up at the mirror he was facing, catching her gaze in the reflection. That last sentence she spoke was precisely the tone and inflection she’d used back then. Back in high school. Back when they’d been a couple.

Back before she’d broken up with him, and his world had fallen apart.

But he needed to change that horse midstream. No use going there. It was all ancient history now.

His hair looked better than his barber had ever left it and in half the time. Aaron wondered how Joy had learned to do such a good job so quickly.

“You’re really fantastic at that.” He patted the sides of his scalp, fluffed his bangs, and even felt for the cowlick at the back of his head that his barber could never seem to tame. Yet Joy had done it, no problem. Wow. “Maybe I’ll come see you from now on.”

“It appears that I’ll be here. Just let me know, and I’ll pencil you in.”

Her eyes sparkled when she said this, those green-gray orbs so unlike anyone else’s he’d ever known. He swallowed.

“Or how about I take you to dinner?” He had to clear his throat once his question was out. “You know, to catch up more? You worked so fast I didn’t get the chance to find out how things went for you back in California.”

Joy froze in place like a statue, and for a minute, he figured he went too far. As much silliness and fun as they’d had in here today, maybe she thought more time with him would be too much. He kind of surprised himself by asking, to be honest. But being around her hadn’t been near as painful as he’d expected. He wanted to find out who she was now.

He needed to know.

“How about lunch instead? I’ll have to be home to make Kara’s meal, get her set for school the next day, and so forth.”

He was swift to agree. Even though getting away from the ranch would be a challenge. He could figure it out, though. “Sure. Absolutely.”

Over the subsequent two weeks, he and Joy met for lunch at the Sip ‘n Shop at her suggestion. The Sip ‘n Shop was a small country diner with eighties décor and a gift shop that was as popular as their famous “broasted” chicken.

“Do you like it?” he asked her, indicating her meal with his fork. He’d ordered the same thing.

“So, does the broasted mean boiled then roasted or…”

“Just broiled in their special oven setup,” he explained. “Supposed to seal in the juices like baked chicken but with more of the flavor of fried. I think they get pretty close. No false advertising as far as I’m concerned.”

“It is tasty.” She took another bite. “But I think I’d remember if they had it back when I was here. When did they start doing it?”

The broasted chicken had come about roughly seven or eight years ago, he thought. He and Joy had gone on a date or two here, but it hadn’t been their regular haunt. That had been a place called Edie’s, an even tinier greasy spoon owned by an elderly lady who’d run it for as long as Aaron could remember. The year after Joy left, a kitchen fire happened, and it burnt all the way to the ground.

Edie hadn’t been hurt, but she’d been devastated by the event. Heartbroken. She never reopened and instead chose to retire, dying within a couple of years of that.

Sometimes at his bleakest, Aaron had thought of how it’d symbolized his relationship with Joy. Nothing left but cinders.

Yet here she was. Here they were together. Even if it was nothing like it’d once been.

Internally, he shook his head. Didn’t know why his mind had gone there. Especially not right now. Determined to focus on happier subjects, he pointed out a sled strapped to the wall.

“Looks like the one we used to use.”

She glanced up. Grinned. “Sure does. Kids still climb that hill over on the north side of town and race down it to see who wins?”

Man, it had been forever since he’d done that. Even thought about doing it.

“Not sure. Probably. Can’t beat that spot for anything.” He allowed himself to think about it now. How the speed would often knock his hood down so often that his mom started planting a knit cap on his head as well. How he and Joy had played out there until their noses and cheeks were red was a mystery all these years later.

“Think they went and tracked the thing down to stick up there?” She referred to the sled again. “Maybe along with that big green toboggan?”

“Nah, I think my parents still have the sled in their garage somewhere. The toboggan they gave to some of my distant cousins. Maybe the folks should donate it to the Duncan’s Ranch, though. Let the kids of that family play on it. The guy I work for over there is about to become a dad of twins.”

“Twins? Wow.”

“Yeah.” Aaron told her all about how Sam had been his mentor, and that he’d been so honored to be promoted. He also explained Whitney’s bedrest situation. Even as he talked about the other people in his life, he couldn’t help committing Joy’s appearance to memory.

She was so much thinner than she had been when he’d known her. Almost gaunt. Still beautiful, but he lied and mentioned that he didn’t want the complimentary cinnamon rolls that came with the meal, hoping she’d eat them. She took the outsides off and ate the sticky and gooey sweet middle.

He watched every move, chew, and swallow she made.

“I remember the Duncans,” Joy said, licking her fingertips in a manner that had Aaron’s full attention on her. Once upon a time, he would’ve plucked through that confection and fed it to her himself. “Well, I remember their prominence here in town and could probably pick them out of a lineup. But I never really knew any of them.”

“They’re good folks. The best. Especially Sam and Josh. And Whitney works circles around every other man in the field. I’ve seen her do it with my own eyes. Well, when she’s not huge pregnant, anyway.”

She folded her hands in front of herself, studying him. “You like working there, don’t you?”

“Love it,” he answered immediately. “Consider myself a lucky man career-wise.”

“I guess as far as careers, I’m a little lucky, too. Most of my luck otherwise comes from Kara, though. She’s my light.” Joy retrieved her phone and showed him a selfie she’d taken with her daughter. “She’s put up with all this upheaval like a champ even though I know it’s been hard on her. All this change all at once like this… I don’t think I would’ve handled it so well at her age.”

Aaron’s stomach sunk. He anticipated her next choice of topic would be her husband. The man who fathered her little girl. Or maybe why he wasn’t here with her in Rocky Ridge. Yet Joy never once brought him up, and Aaron felt glad.

He wasn’t about to ask about Wayne, the guy she not only dated after Aaron but married. Then, Wayne took her away from Montana entirely. Aaron didn’t consider himself an unforgiving person, but he’d have a hard time treating Wayne Randall politely.

Doing that wouldn’t be right, Aaron knew that. But there would likely always be a part of him who blamed the guy for stealing Joy away, even if from everything he’d heard, she’d gone with him more than willingly.

Yet at least when she’d been here in town, he’d see her on occasion. He’d known she was all right, even if it hurt quite a bit to see how well she’d been doing without him. He’d expected Wayne to be some flash in the pan. A guy with lots of pizzazz but zero substance that Joy would see right through eventually and…

Shoot, he didn’t know if she’d ever come back to him. But as long as she stayed nearby, there was always a chance.

A chance that had dried right up once she’d moved to California.

Now all these years had gone by, and each of their lives had traveled along different tracks. He didn’t want to hear about Wayne. He just wanted to hear about Joy. Yes, he knew she could still be married, he was just hoping that she was at least in the process of a divorce since she was here with her daughter without him.

That’s why he heaved such a sigh of relief when Joy didn’t mention anything about Wayne. And Aaron wasn’t about to, either.

Still, after all these days in a row of having to rush to get back to the ranch on time, he decided to try another approach with her.

“It can be a bit challenging getting here to town and back sometimes,” he began.

A closed expression fell over her features. “Well, if you can’t meet up anymore, I’ll understand.”

“No…” He reached across the table to touch her hand, then thought better of it and pulled back. “No, that’s not what I mean. I don’t want to give up our time, I’m just wondering if I could change it. Would you go to dinner with me instead? We could go to The Steer House.”

“Oh, Aaron, I don’t know.”

He had to tread carefully here, he knew. “As friends, of course. And that way, we could have more time to sit back and relax. We wouldn’t have to hurry off. It’s just an idea.”

“How about I let you know?” she asked.

And what else could he say?

“Sure.”