“Give me a minute to close things up. Or I can meet you there if you’d rather. My truck’s parked in the back.”
No way was he leaving the studio without her. “I’ll wait for you. We can go in my Jeep, and I’ll bring you back afterward.”
Grant leaned a shoulder against the wall and watched as she closed the blinds, checked the lock on the back door, and turned off the lights. All of that done, she removed the band that had held her hair in a ponytail and let it tumble free.
Like an ebony waterfall.
He nearly chuckled at the thought. He wasn’t a poetic sort of guy, but Skye seemed to bring it out in him. She made him feel things he’d never felt before.
“Okay.” She turned to face him. “I’m ready.”
He pushed off the wall. “All right.” Outside, he took the key from her hand and poked it into the lock, turning the deadbolt in the door. Then he escorted her to his Jeep and helped her into the passenger’s side.
The drive to the Tamarack Grill didn’t take much more than five minutes, and since it was still early, the waitress—Cynthia Rogers—offered them their choice of seating.
“Outside?” Grant asked Skye.
She nodded.
“Follow me,” Cynthia said with a smile.
The interior of the restaurant had a rugged, western motif. Varnished logs, complete with bark, had been used as supports throughout. The floor was made of large planks of wood, possibly pulled from an old barn. Definitely not the usual hardwood flooring used in homes. Instead of paintings, rusty farm utensils, ropes with frayed ends, and antique spurs hung on the walls. Even a couple of pans used in gold mining. There was a bar on the far right side of the large room, but the entire restaurant—inside and out—was smoke free.
When Grant started working at the Tamarack upon his arrival in Kings Meadow, the menu had been heavy with deep fat fried foods. Little by little he’d managed to convince the owner to add some more innovative choices. Not that he didn’t like a burger and fries himself every now and then.
The outdoor seating overlooked the gurgling creek that ran through town. Trees lined the banks of the stream, their leaves applauding in a light breeze. Plenty of shade made the area pleasant, even on a warm summer’s day.
At their table, Grant held out a chair for Skye and then went to the opposite side to take his own seat. He could have sat on either side of her, but he wanted an easy view of his companion while they talked and ate.
“Would either of you care for something from the bar?”
Grant glanced at Skye, who shook her head. “No, thanks.”
“Anything besides water?”
He looked at Skye a second time.
“Iced tea,” she answered.
“I’ll have the same.”
Cynthia scribbled on her pad, then grinned at him. “Back in a jiff.”
When they were alone again, Skye leaned forward and said in a near whisper, “She likes you.”
“Cynthia?” He shook his head. “No. Just friends.”
“Hmm.”
Now seemed a good time to change the subject. “So tell me about yourself, Skye. Have you always lived in Kings Meadow?”
“Yes. Except for a couple of years when I was at BSU. I didn’t go back my junior year.” She shrugged. “There wasn’t anything I wanted to do except teach dance and race barrels, so I decided to open my studio. I’ll go back and get a degree eventually. Just not yet. What about you? What brought you here?”
“Long story. I wanted to leave Montana, and a friend of a friend of a friend told me the Tamarack Grill needed a new cook.”
Curiosity filled her eyes. “Why did you want to leave?”
Another long story, one he wished he didn’t have to tell. But the truth was the truth. He was stuck with his past. “I was a bit of a hell-raiser in my teens and early twenties. More than a bit, really. Caused my folks all kinds of grief. But when I finally reached the end of my rope”—he paused and looked toward the creek for a moment before continuing—“When I reached the end of my rope, I found Jesus waiting for me there. I was different after I let Him take control, but I wanted to move to a place where not everybody knew what I’d been like before.”
Skye had been raised by parents who were Bible-believing Christians, and she’d become one herself at a young age. She was used to talking about God over a meal or at a Bible study. But it wasn’t often she met a guy who introduced faith into a conversation this early in a relationship.
Relationship? That might be rushing things. She wasn’t sure this could even be called a first date. It had happened so last minute.
“I didn’t plan to stay in Kings Meadow for long,” Grant continued. “But I liked it here. Right from the start, I liked it. Felt at home. Like it was a place where I could put down roots and change my old ways. I made some good friends, like Buck Malone and Chet Leonard. Men I respect. And now that I’m also working as the lead chef for Ultimate Adventures, I reckon I’ll stick around.”
“I’m glad.”