“Pardon me?”
“You said your parents have been married for forty years. Has it been a happy marriage?”
She had never thought about it before, but of course her parents were happy. Weren’t they? She knew their inability to have children had created an underlying sadness for both of them, but beyond that? She suddenly realized she didn’t know much about how her parents’ marriage worked.
She stood up. “If you’ll excuse me, I’ve had a very difficult day and I’m exhausted. I need to go lie down and figure out whether I should return to London.” She pushed her chair back, picked up her cup and took it to the sink. She was grateful for the food and tea; she felt fortified.
When she was done washing the dishes, she muttered a curt good-night as she stepped past him.
“Throw them a barbecue.”
She turned in the doorway. “What?”
“The town. They can’t resist a good barbecue—it’s a good way to win them over. You can have it here, and I’ll give you a grill and meat. Just...wear jeans and a T-shirt—you know, regular clothes.”
She frowned at him. “What’s wrong with my clothes? This dress is Gucci.”
His eyes traveled up and down her body. Heat seared through her. “Most people here get their clothes at discount stores. Show them you aren’t the Queen of England. Wear something regular folks wear, like that dress you had on this morning.”
She began to argue with him, then stopped. He was showing her a way out. A barbecue. I can use it as an opportunity to show them...and Jake...that I’m not so strange. All was not lost. She could picture it already.
She clapped her hands and stepped toward him. “I’ll have it the day after tomorrow. It’s a Sunday, so the office will be closed. I’ll order everything I need online, overnight delivery. Yes, I’m sure I can make it work. I’ll go make a list right now. Thank you so much, Jake.”
Impulsively, she leaned over and gave him a peck on the cheek. Her lips tingled as they touched his prickly stubble, and she took in his scent. She stepped back, suddenly a little light-headed. Her headache was gone, replaced with comforting, elating warmth.
His eyes darkened. He shifted in his seat, clearing his throat. “Yeah, well, I’ll tell Kelly to help you with all this. Let me know if you need anything.”
Her cheeks burned as she backed out of the room. She mumbled another thank-you and fled to the cottage.
JAKE SURVEYED THE SCENE. Not bad. Meera had gone to quite some expense, renting a tent, tables, chairs, even a dance floor. The tables were draped with red-and-white-checkered cloths and little vases of fresh-cut flowers. She’d turned his entire field into a photo-worthy barbecue.
He’d seen the light on in the cottage well into the night for the past two days, and she was up before sunrise today. She set up the tent right in front of the hay barn, the red structure providing a picturesque backdrop. She even managed a great day: partly cloudy sky, pleasant breeze and dry ground.
She had already loaded coal in the chimney starters of the grill he’d lent her, and he made a mental note to check that she’d opened the vent. Meera was standing near the grill with a clipboard in hand. He could see her checking things off. She was dressed in jeans and—what do you know—a T-shirt. She looked amazing, but then she always did—in whatever she had on, even the severe dresses she wore to work. Her dark hair was pulled into a ponytail. He liked it. It showed off her big, expressive brown eyes.
She’s something, isn’t she? He didn’t know many people who would take on the town of Hell’s Bells. Jolene certainly hadn’t; she’d run away as soon as they turned on her, and she was born here. He admired Meera’s gumption. Although she looked like a fragile little thing, he sensed an inner strength. She was a fighter.
He walked toward her.
“Need some help?”
She looked up and smiled. Oh, wow. His legs suddenly felt unsteady, and he slowed down. It was the first genuine smile he had seen since she arrived, and it was spectacular. He stopped when he reached her and stared at the ground, not wanting to meet her eyes. She was wearing flip-flops with sequins on the straps, calling attention to her bright red toes.
“I think I have the grill going.”
He gave it a perfunctory look and nodded, unable to take his eyes off her. “You do—the coal looks nice and hot.” She gave him another stunning smile, and he found himself grinning like a teenage boy. She had put it all together by herself. Given her obviously wealthy upbringing, he’d expected her to ask him or his staff for help on any number of little things, from moving tables and chairs to starting the grill, but she hadn’t.
“People should be here any minute. I think I’ll start the first round of hot dogs and burgers. I just need to check the package...”
“Package?”
“The instructions on how to cook them without burning.”
Instructions? “What?”
She pointed to the cooler. He frowned. It wasn’t one of his coolers; he’d assumed it held the beer. “Where did you get that meat?”
She smiled broadly. “It’s meatless hot dogs and burgers.”
Meatless meat? He gripped the cooler lid and lifted out a package. Precooked? This was going to be bad. Really bad.
“Tofu?”
She nodded excitedly. “They taste just like meat, but they’re made of soy. Sustainable soy, I might add.”
Why am I getting involved in this? She’s her own worst enemy. He looked at her excited face. She had her convictions, and he respected her for that, but she was headed for disaster. “Listen, Meera, I appreciate what you’re trying to do, but it won’t work. Meat is meat, and nothing else tastes like it. You told the town you’re throwing a barbecue; they’ll be expecting meat, you can’t just—”
“But that’s the point—I’ll show them they can follow a healthy lifestyle and keep their traditions. They don’t have to give up barbecues, just eat less red meat.”
“This is a ranchin’ town, Meera. You’re not going to win them over in one night. I pulled out a bunch of meat from the freezer yesterday—Kelly was supposed to give it to you. It’s all in the fridge. I’ll go get it. You can offer up your tofu dogs and burgers as another option.”
“No!” She gave him a sharp look. “That defeats the purpose. Part of my rotation here is to improve public health. I want to introduce the town to the notion that there are healthy, tasty alternatives to red meat. I have it all planned.”
He shook his head. Add stubborn to the reasons I shouldn’t get involved. “The whole point of this barbecue is to make up for not understanding what’s important to the town. Meat is important.”
“I’m trying to show them how to enjoy their traditions in a better way.”
He threw up his hands.
He turned. “I’m not gonna waste my time arguing with you.”
She looked defiantly at him. “It’ll be fine, just wait and see.”
* * *
“WHAT THE HELL is this?” Rose spit out the first bite of hot dog. Others followed suit, seeming equally appalled.
“It’s a tofu dog,” Meera explained.
“Toe what now?”
Meera looked at the disgusted faces. About fifty people were here—a good turnout, according to Jake. What’s wrong? She’d tasted