“We know,” Rose said. “We tell each other that all the time.”
“I think women need to have friends around when they work,” Mia said. “We’re social creatures. We think out loud.”
“I know I do,” Rose said. “I get inspired about something and tell Mia, then she gets inspired and comes up with a better idea, then I riff on that one… We’re better together.”
“Once you’re settled, you can come hang out sometimes. We can put up a table in a corner somewhere and you can write your cookbook.”
“I’d like that.” Another wave of nausea hit her. It was worse today than it had ever been before. Sunshine had hoped she’d sail through this part without being affected much, but that obviously wasn’t going to happen.
“Sunshine? Are you okay?” Rose asked.
“I… I think I’m going to be sick.”
Rose rushed her into the back to a small bathroom, pushed her inside and shut the door behind her. Sunshine dropped to her knees and lost the contents of her stomach in the toilet. She retched until there was nothing left and sagged against the wall. This was awful. Could she really survive a month or two of morning sickness?
When she’d cleaned herself up and came out of the bathroom, she knew immediately both women had guessed her secret.
“You’re pregnant,” Rose said, confirming it.
“Yes.”
“Does Cole know?” Mia asked.
Sunshine shook her head. “It’s supposed to be a surprise.”
Rose surged forward and hugged her. “Congratulations!” Mia quickly followed her.
“Thanks. But I feel so…”
“Awful?” Rose said sympathetically. “The first trimester can be hard.”
“You need a lot of rest,” Mia said. “And you’ve been bouncing from house to house. That can’t be easy.”
“When will your house be ready to move in?” Rose asked.
“I wanted to wait until Christmas morning. It’s supposed to be Cole’s Christmas present.”
“Well, it won’t be long now. How much more is there to do?”
“I don’t know. Too much.”
Mia and Rose exchanged another look. “Do you need help?”
Sunshine was ashamed of herself. “Everyone’s helping already. I’m sure you two are busy—”
“Never too busy to help a friend,” Rose said.
“Have you talked to Autumn about your cookbook idea?” Mia asked suddenly. “She told me recently that she was getting a cookbook published.”
“Really? She didn’t say a thing to me.”
“Autumn’s like that,” Mia said. “She’d never toot her own horn.”
“You two should get together and brainstorm,” Mia put in. “Why don’t I see if she can join us for lunch?”
“She’s got guests at her B&B,” Sunshine protested, but it was too late. Before she knew it Mia had made the call, and when Autumn said she couldn’t make lunch, but she could do tea later on, Mia called Fila Matheson and Camila Torres and invited them, too.
“Why not get all the great cooking minds together in one place?” she said. “Besides, you need some female friends if you’re going to settle in Chance Creek.”
“That sounds like a good idea.” Sunshine just hoped she’d be here long enough to enjoy them.
Cole appreciated the fact that the sheriff had made time for him this morning. He knew his job was a busy one and Cab probably had more than his share of problems on his plate.
“Don’t you need to work?” he said when Cab offered to take him for a drive around town to show him what had changed during his absence.
“I’m not on duty this morning; I just came in to do some paperwork. Besides, I like to cruise around in my own truck from time to time and take a look at things. You’d be surprised what happens in plain sight when people don’t know there’s a sheriff around.”
Cole chuckled. “All right. I’ll ride along and keep my eyes peeled for trouble.”
“Got any plans now you’re back?” Cab asked when they’d been on the road for a few minutes. Cole enjoyed looking out the window. It was good to be home.
“A few.”
“What about the shooting range? Ready to take it back?”
“You’re not the first to ask that question. Just curious or is there more to it?” Cole watched a woman clearing the latest fall of snow off her Chevrolet.
“Scott’s done a good job, hasn’t he?”
Cole felt a pang. He’d talked to Scott on the phone when he’d first arrived, but he’d been so busy with the restaurant, he hadn’t even stopped by yet to see the man. He promised himself he’d go to the range tomorrow and see Scott in person. He focused on Cab’s question. “He’s done great.”
“Seems like a good business for him.”
“Has Scott been talking about wanting to buy? Because again—you’re not the first person to mention that.”
Cab drove with the precision of a man used to being behind the wheel. “He hasn’t said anything in so many words. But he had a rough go of it in the past and I think he’s thriving now. Seems like he’s kept those rentals in line, too.”
“Sure has. Rents are up.”
“If you’re not dying to get back into either business…”
“…it makes sense to sell,” Cole finished for him. “I know. Problem is, I haven’t figure out what to do instead.”
“Really?”
The look Cab shot him told Cole the sheriff knew more than he should.
“Hell,” Cole said. “Who spilled the beans?”
“I’ve got my fingers in a lot of pies,” Cab said. “You bought yourself a restaurant. Aren’t you and Sunshine going to run it?”
“Sunshine is. I’m no cook, you know that.” He tried to shake his unease over the fight he and Sunshine had the previous evening, but he failed miserably. He didn’t know why they were arguing all the time.
Cab chuckled in agreement. “Thought you might have learned in your fancy trip around the world.”
“I mostly ate whatever Sunshine made. Since I’ve been home I’ve been nosing around to see what other options I have, but I’ve come up empty.” Cole filled him in on everything he’d learned and Cab nodded, as if unsurprised.
“It’s all about finding a niche that hasn’t been filled,” he said. “I’ll keep my ears and eyes open, but you know who you should talk to? Jake. I know he wants to talk to you, too. We’ve got family coming to stay tomorrow, so how about I give him a call and see if you can spend a night at his place. Jake’s pretty entrepreneurial, and he’s got connections. You heard about him and Evan and the bison, right?”
“Definitely. Jake’s at school these days, though. Doesn’t Evan run the operation?”
“For now, but really he’s the investor. As soon as Jake returns from school for good, he’ll take it over again. He’s the one to talk to. Meanwhile, how about we go poke a stick at your restaurant? I hear it’s shaping up nicely.”