Lone Star Defender by Jennie Jones

Author:Jennie Jones
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Romance
ISBN: 9781950510696
Publisher: Tule Publishing Group, LLC
Published: 2019-05-24T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seventeen

Pepper looked up from the tables she’d dragged together for the food and swiped at her brow. All she had to do now was mop the floor a third time. All other activity in the store was rolling along, and people were still coming up to her with ideas for the emporium. Jewelry. Rag rugs. Pot holders and tote bags with country sayings. Painted rocks—she could give them the pieces from her pet rock if they wanted them. Knitted hats and crocheted jackets. Jewelry. Wind chimes. Metal sculptures. The list was endless.

But Jack had disappeared. He’d been gone when she came out of the dressing room. Marie said he had something he needed to do.

The door banged open and Winona and Kelly charged into the store and headed for the diner.

“We need to discuss food,” Winona said.

Pepper forced a smile. “I’ll be putting the picnic out in an hour or so, and you’re welcome to share.” It cost her to say it, but the important thing was to ensure everyone worked and thought as a community. That meant helping others in need. And these girls certainly needed help.

“Our food, not yours.”

Her stomach knotted. They weren’t going to pull a fast one and open a gourmet business while hers was on hold, were they? Impossible. They didn’t know she’d put it on a back burner.

“We’ve been in discussion with our new marketing person,” Kelly said.

Winona preened. “He’s finding a way for us to shine brighter than we already do. He said we need to make sure our number one place in town is safe, and that we should branch out into foodstuffs.”

“Winona had a brilliant idea to add real food to our products, so people can see what their pot roasts and burgers will look like on a lizard or a lion-shaped plate. And how the eggs will look in the egg cups. It’ll make people so ravenous they’ll want to buy the plates.”

Pepper ensured her eyes didn’t widen to the size of saucers. “How much are you paying this man?”

“A lot!” Kelly informed her. “But we can afford it.”

“Who is he?” Pepper asked.

“Don’t tell her!” Winona said, nose in the air. “We’re just informing you of our needs.”

“I’ll get straight onto it.” Not.

“We’ll need a big corner in the new emporium now,” Kelly said. “With an oven.”

“We can discuss needs once you know exactly how you’re going to execute this plan, and perhaps give it some more thought. Because, to be honest—and I’m not knocking your amazing ideas—”

“You’re scared we’re going to be better than you,” Winona said. “You’re frightened.”

That’d be the day.

“Oven. Big. Corner. Big,” Kelly said.

“Just get it done,” Winona said, and hooked her arm in her sister’s.

As they flounced off Pepper attempted to ward off a feeling that she’d just swallowed half the canyon. All her senses were thrumming and unless she was coming down with a heavy cold there was something decidedly wrong.

Think, think, think.

Food. Cooking. But what else?

This time, common sense wasn’t doing it for her.

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