Baker's Bob (River's End Ranch #16), Page 3

  “All right.”

  Bob reached out and took her hand in his. “Really!”

  After they’d ordered, they talked quietly. Other people slowly trickled in, but it wasn’t very busy at all considering how crowded it would be in a few hours. “I should watch your show with you tonight.”

  Miranda frowned. “I’m not sure if you’d like it.”

  “Isn’t there a guy named Bob on the show? Of course, I’ll like it!”

  Miranda laughed, shaking her head. “You’re pretty proud of your name, aren’t you?”

  “Sure am! Spelled the same forward as it is backward. What’s not to be proud of?”

  “You’re going to keep me on my toes.”

  “Like a ballerina,” he agreed.

  After their dinner, he again asked to watch her show with her. “I don’t know. I usually sit in my jammies and watch it while eating popcorn. I can’t do that with a guy in my house.” They were driving home, and it was only six-thirty. What could she do with Bob for an hour and a half. As soon as the question popped into her mind, she turned bright red. Wow. Having a Bob around wasn’t good for her.

  He frowned. “So you wear sweats and a T-shirt instead of jammies. You’ll still be comfortable. It’s more fun to watch TV while you’re snuggling, isn’t it?”

  “I have to tweet with my LLer friends.”

  “LLer friends? You are way too into that show.”

  “It’s honestly the only thing I watch, which is probably a good thing. Obviously if I’m going to get addicted to a TV show, I’m going to do it right.”

  He laughed. “I can see where this could be a problem. But I’ll make the popcorn.”

  “Why don’t I bake some cookies instead?” That would give her something to do before the show, other than sit with him being nervous. Baking always calmed her nerves in a way nothing else in life did.

  “That works. If you’re afraid of my special ingredient I put on my popcorn.”

  “No one puts a special ingredient on popcorn. You’re being silly, Bob.”

  “I do.” He pulled into her driveway. “Are you sure you don’t want to know?”

  She sighed. “I do. But more importantly…I want to know the special ingredient on your eggs. I’ve been asking for months. Why won’t you tell me?”

  “It’s a family secret. I can’t tell you unless you marry me.”

  “Bob…you can’t be asking me to marry you after the first date. Even you’re not that crazy.”

  He laughed. “There’s no telling how crazy I am, now that my mind has been invaded.”

  “Albino brain chiggers. They’re going to be the death of me.” She slipped out of the vehicle and walked toward her house, unlocking the door. She kept things reasonably neat, so there was no reason for her to worry about him seeing her place, but she still was. Bob had opinions about everything. He’d probably tell her she hadn’t decorated right. Why was she going out with someone so critical of her? “I’m not sure this is a good idea.”

  Bob sighed. “There’s nothing to be nervous about. I never bite on the first date.”

  She nodded, opening the door wide. “Cinnamon is trained to attack on command.” She felt a bit guilty for saying it. Cinnamon was trained to attack on command, but she only ever attacked her stuffed squirrel that lay in the corner.

  Bob laughed. “Cinnamon is a scary little beast, isn’t she?”

  “Not to me.” The dog had been sleeping on her bed, and came running into the room, practically dancing with her excitement to see Miranda, but almost as excited to see Bob. “I’m going to go bake those cookies. I’ll be back.”

  To her surprise, he followed her into her small kitchen. “I’ll help.”

  “You’re not a baker.”

  “No, I’m not. I’m just a chef, but most of the basics are the same. Let me help.”

  She pulled ingredients for her ginger snaps from the pantry and started mixing. She’d made so many batches of this particular cookie, a favorite of her mom’s, that she had no need for a recipe. She preheated the oven, rolled the cookies into little balls, coated them in sugar, and dropped them onto a cookie sheet.

  He stole one of the balls of dough, eating it happily. “I love cookie dough. It’s the one reason I considered being a baker and not a chef. In the end, I needed more creativity in the kitchen than I felt being a baker would allow me.”

  She slid the pan of cookies into the oven, glancing at the clock as she set the timer. They had forty-five minutes yet. She should have mixed slower. “Show’s not on for a while yet.”

  He took her hand and led her over to her couch. “Why are you so nervous around me?”

  “I’m not sure. I guess I had you in one slot in my life. You were the persnickety chef at the café who yelled about stupid things like chocolate chips. I could handle you in that slot in my life.” Miranda took a deep breath. “Now suddenly, that’s not your slot anymore. Last night you kissed me, and while not unwelcome exactly, it was very unexpected. I’m not sure I want you to leave the yell-y cook slot. I’m not sure I’m ready to have a relationship with anyone…but especially you!”

  “Why especially me? What is it about me that makes me fundamentally un-relationshipable?”

  “Nice word. You think that up all by yourself?” She thought hard about his question as she teased him. How was she supposed to make him understand?

  He didn’t respond, simply watching her, waiting for her answer.

  “I don’t know.” She looked down at her hands. “I thought of you as an adversary. Someone I would never see eye-to-eye with, and finding myself lip-to-lip with you has kind of thrown me for a loop.”

  “So you want me to stop kissing you?” Please let her say no! I’m not stopping.

  “Yes! No! Oh, I don’t know! I’m just confused.”

  He studied her. “If you’re not interested in me, you just need to tell me, and I’ll go.”

  “I’m really not sure what I am, Bob. I look at you and I see the man I’ve been fighting with for months. But when you kiss me…I see stars. What does that even mean?”

  He smiled, cupping one cheek in his hands. “It means you want more kisses, of course. Right?”

  As soon as his lips touched hers, she was lost again. Darn those albino brain chiggers!

  Chapter Three

  Bob didn’t ask Miranda out again for a few days, giving her time to come to grips with his interest in her. He understood why it confused her so much, but how could she not know that he cared? Wasn’t teasing her about chocolate chips the equivalent of a six-year-old pulling the ponytail of the girl he liked on the playground? Of course, that made him think of the Weston twins, and the crush he’d once had on Kelsi. Probably for the best if his thoughts didn’t go down that road.

  On Friday morning, he was ready for her. They both worked on Saturdays, but he wanted plans established for Sunday. When she brought her cookies into the café, he walked out to the front as if to talk to Kelsi. “Oh, Miranda. I didn’t realize you were here.”

  Miranda looked at him curiously. He’d said almost nothing to her since Tuesday night when he’d left her house with a scorching kiss. “I’m here at the same time every morning.”

  He nodded. “Eggs this morning?”

  “Sure…” She watched him go back into the kitchen, before looking at Kelsi. “I really think something has happened to him.”

  “Are you still going on about albino brain chiggers? You know there’s no such thing!”

  “This from the woman who kept trying to get me to hunt for Bigfoot for her last summer? You don’t get to say that to me!” Miranda sat on one of the stools, watching as Kelsi wrapped the silverware in napkins to prepare for the day. “Give me some. I can help while I wait.”

  Kelsi pushed some of the silverware and napkins toward Miranda. “Did you enjoy playing euchre? We could start doing that more regularly if you’d like.” She nodded toward the kitchen. “I have a feeling Bob would be willing.”

/>   Miranda blushed, concentrating on the napkins. “I’m not so sure. He seems to be busy with other things.”

  Kelsi laughed. “He wants you to think that. If you don’t start spending more time around him, he’s going to ask Wade for a meeting, just so you can be in the same room with each other for a while.”

  “That’s not true.”

  Bob walked out of the kitchen, setting Miranda’s plate in front of her. Then he started rolling the silverware. “So what are you doing this weekend, Miranda?”

  “I work tomorrow.”

  “What about Sunday?” he asked.

  Miranda shrugged. “I haven’t thought much about it. I usually grocery shop and do my laundry on Sundays.”

  “All that excitement in just one day? You should go snowmobiling with me instead.”

  She raised an eyebrow at him. “Have you ever been snowmobiling? Aren’t you from Louisiana?”

  He shook his head. “I’m from Riston. I just lived in Louisiana for a few years.”

  “Like most of your life?”

  He shrugged. “So?”

  “Do you know how to snowmobile?” She’d only been a couple of times and with people who were experienced.

  “Well, no, but how hard can it be? Looks like fun.”

  Miranda sighed. “Are you going to get us killed?”

  “Does that mean you’ll spend Sunday with me?”

  “I guess it does…”

  “I’ll pick you up at eight. We’ll go to Pastor Kevin’s church service together, and then we can head out. Make sure you pack a change of clothes so we don’t have to go back into town.” Bob efficiently wrapped a couple more sets of silverware, before walking back into the kitchen without another word.

  Miranda looked at Kelsi. “Looks like I’m going snowmobiling on Sunday afternoon…”

  “You need to remind Bob to pack a lunch for it. Café’s closed on Sundays.” There was no visible smirk on Kelsi’s face, but somehow Miranda knew there was one hiding inside her friend.

  Miranda looked toward the kitchen. She could see Bob hard at work on one of his masterpieces over the counter. “Bob! Don’t forget to pack us a lunch for Sunday. I’m going to be hungry after church.”

  Bob nodded. “Will do!”

  “Happy now?” Miranda asked Kelsi.

  Kelsi nodded. “Very happy. You two deserve each other.”

  “I don’t know if you’re insulting us both or praising us both…”

  “Maybe a little of each.”

  Miranda shrugged. It was probably true.

  *****

  Sunday was warmer than anticipated. After church, Bob and Miranda headed to the big house to change, and they ate their lunch in front of the fire in the library there. “Is it too warm to go snowmobiling?” she asked. “What if all the snow melts out from under us.”

  He grinned. “I don’t think the snow will melt out from under us, but I do think it might be too warm. As the snow melts there are going to be muddy,slushy patches, and we don’t want to get stuck.”

  “So do you want to change our plans?”

  “I want to spend the day with you. I don’t really care what we do, just so we can spend time getting to know one another better.” He shrugged. “Do you have any opinions?”

  “Oh, I’m full of opinions. You know that.” She shrugged. “I’ve been wanting to drive into Lewiston. I want to buy the stuff to make little Zsa Zsa a Minnie Mouse quilt.”

  “Oh, she’s not Zsa Zsa anymore. She’s Princess Wiggles as of Friday afternoon. Kelsi says she’s been wiggling so much it’s hard to concentrate on anything.”

  Miranda grinned. “Oh, to live inside Kelsi’s mind. Even for an hour.”

  Bob shuddered. “I love Kelsi as much as the next person…but her head would scare me. A lot.”

  “So do you want to drive into Lewiston with me? We could buy the fabric and other supplies I need for the quilt. I need to get stuff to make my special ornament for the tree as well.”

  “Sure. Let’s drive into town. Will there be any place open to buy fabric on a Sunday?”

  “I think so. If nowhere else, most Walmarts sell fabric. We’ll see what we see. I’d like a general craft store, though.” She pulled up her phone and did a quick Google search. “Oh, there’s a Joann Fabric in Clarkston, Washington. That’s really what I’m looking for. Would you mind driving a little further?”

  “I don’t know…Would me taking you across state lines mean that we have to get married?”

  She rolled her eyes. “Stop being ridiculous, Bob.”

  “I’ll convince you to marry me yet.”

  “I think at least five dates need to happen before an engagement. Preferably six!” She ate the last bite of her sandwich, throwing the baggie into the box he’d brought with their full lunches in it. “I’m ready for a day away.”

  “You like to shop?”

  She shrugged. “I like to shop when I have something specific in mind to shop for. Today I have something specific in mind, and I don’t have to go to Walmart, which makes me very happy.”

  Bob nodded, getting to his feet. “Let’s go into town then.” He wasn’t much of a shopper himself, but if it made her happy, he was all for it.

  Twenty minutes later, they were on their way to Clarkston. She was wearing a pair of sweats and a comfortable T-shirt, and he was in his oldest jeans. “What are you thinking about doing for the tree?” he asked. “Is that mandatory for employees?” He wasn’t exactly crafty.

  “It’s not mandatory, but it is encouraged. I’m just going to make a fun ornament for someone and give it to them.” Until that moment, she’d planned to make a fun princess ornament for Bridget, but she was going to make a chef ornament for Bob instead. She had some ideas in her head, and she just had to find the stuff to make one of them work.

  “I guess I should shop for ornament stuff too, huh?” Bob liked the idea of making Miranda a special ornament for the tree. “How exactly does the whole thing work?”

  “From what I understand, the family has always used the huge pine tree in the middle of the Old West town as their big Christmas tree for the whole ranch. Everyone makes at least one ornament to hang on the tree—even the guests. After the Christmas Eve service at church, the ornaments are exchanged. There are always people who are traveling alone who just do anonymous ornaments for anyone. And then we all walk over to the tree and put them on it. The lights are lit at that point. All of the ornaments from past Christmases are put on by whoever wants to hang them. Guests can leave their ornaments or take them home. Heidi always keeps ornaments in the store that people can buy if they don’t feel like they can make one, but making them is definitely encouraged.”

  He nodded. “Okay. I can do this.”

  “It’s really fun. That was the highlight of Christmas on the ranch for me last year. Of course, I love all of Christmas week with the different activities we do every night. It’s all just fun.”

  “That’ll be a week without much sleep, but I can handle it.”

  She shrugged. “I napped a lot after work and before activities last year.”

  “I see many naps in my future.”

  When they arrived in Clarkston, he followed the directions given by her phone’s GPS to the fabric store. “I’m going in too. I need to get a few things.”

  She looked at him skeptically. “Don’t complain because one of their ornaments is three specks of glitter short, please.”

  “I only have opinions of food. Nothing else.” Bob got out of the Jeep and held his hand out to her.

  “Are we splitting up once we get inside?” she asked, taking his offered hand.

  “I think we need to. I’m not about to look at fabric for a baby quilt.”

  “Are you too manly for that?” Miranda asked, her eyes filled with humor.

  “Of course, I am! I’m a Bob!”

  Once they were in, she headed straight to the fabric section, looking through the fabric until she found just what she was loo
king for. She’d made a couple of quilts in the past, but she’d done them with her mother. She could always go see her mom for help, but she really wanted to be able to do this one on her own if at all possible.

  After having the fabric cut, she headed to a general craft aisle. She wanted to be able to put something together that screamed “chef.” Or… She started giggling. She knew what she was going to do! After shopping around, she found the exact things she needed before heading to the checkout. She and Bob hadn’t set up a place to meet, but he was three spots ahead of her in line, so she would just go to his car when she was done.

  “Oh, are you going to use this for a quilt?” the clerk asked. “This is beautiful fabric.”

  “I am. A friend of mine is having a baby, and the nursery theme will be Minnie Mouse.” She smiled down at the pink fabric with Minnie dancing all over it. She had another kind for contrast. She was sure a tie quilt would be perfect for a baby, so that’s what she was making.

  As she walked to the Jeep with her purchases, she wondered if anyone was planning a baby shower for Kelsi yet. If not, someone needed to. The baby she was carrying was the first Weston of the next generation…Princess Wiggles was Idaho royalty!

  When she got to the Jeep, she threw her things into the back before getting into the passenger seat. “Thank you for bringing me shopping.”

  “Happy to do it. I got some stuff myself.”

  “Can I see?”

  Bob glared at her. “Absolutely not! You’d tell everyone, and then there would be no surprise for the person I’m making an ornament for.”

  That’s all she needed to know. Bob was making something special for her, even as she was making something for him. Should be interesting. Just knowing Bob was interesting. “Fine. Then you can’t see what I got either.”

  He unbuckled his seatbelt and turned to her. “You know what, Miranda?”

  She shook her head. “Nope. I know nothing. Everything I thought I knew flew out the window when you were infected with those albino brain chiggers. Every. Single. Thing.”

  He grinned. “I really like you. I like eating with you. I like playing cards with you. I like shopping with you.”