Flynn thanked him, grabbed a salad, and put it on a tray. “Mind if I join you?”
“I’d love it.” I looked around when we got to the end of the food line. “Is there a cashier somewhere?”
Flynn laughed. “We don’t charge for food.”
“You don’t?”
“It’s part of the package for the staff, like the cowboys and hands. Obviously, it’s included for paying guests.” She shook her head. “Not that you’re a paying guest. But you know what I mean.”
I looked at her tray. “No slopper?”
“No, just a salad for me.”
All three of Flynn’s brothers looked up as we passed by their table. She kept going as if she didn’t notice them, which was fine with me. Instead of sitting down with Ink, she went to an empty table.
“Is this okay?” she asked.
“Perfect.” As she slowly nibbled on her salad, I dug into the mess on my plate. “Oh my God, what did you say this was?”
“First, tell me. Does that mean you think it’s good?”
“Good? No. The best thing I’ve ever eaten in my life? Yes.”
“All it is, is a cheeseburger covered in green chili. It’s a Colorado thing.”
I took a few more bites.
“There’s more if you want another.”
I raised my head and looked over to the food line. “I’d like ten more, but I better stop at one.”
“The way you look, you could get away with having another one.”
“The way I look?” I knew what she meant, but flirting felt so damned good, I kept it up.
Her cheeks flushed and she grinned, which was exactly what I was going for. “You know, you’re very fit.”
“And you are very pretty when you smile. You’re pretty all the time, but especially then.”
“Thank you,” she murmured, but the smile left her face.
“Last night was fun,” I said before finishing off the last of the slopper. “What else do you like to do when you’re not working?”
Flynn looked away. “I’m always working.”
“That can’t be true.”
She turned her head, and her eyes met mine. “It is.”
“Come on now, you can’t be here seven days a week.”
“To be honest, before now, I haven’t minded.”
“What’s different?”
Her cheeks were pink again, and she couldn’t contain her grin.
“I like your dimples.” Something about that compliment took her smile away again. I reached over and put my hand on hers. “What did I say wrong?”
She shook her head.
“Come on, tell me so I don’t do it again.”
“My face…”
“Is beautiful. What else?”
“It’s pudgy.” She stood and took my plate.
“I can do that.”
“I know. I’m going to get you another slopper.”
I grasped her wrist. “Flynn, don’t run away from me.”
“I’m not. I told you I’m getting you—”
“I can fetch my own food. Please sit back down.”
When she did, I turned her chair so she was facing me. I reached up and was about to touch her face when I noticed her eyes darting around the room like I’d seen her do last night in the car. I pulled my hand away. The things I had to say to Flynn should be done without an audience.
“Can you take a break?”
“What for?”
“Maybe you could show me around Crested Butte?”
“Um, I probably shouldn’t.”
I heard someone clear their throat behind me and turned.
“Hey, Flynn, hey, Paxon,” said one of her brothers I met the night before. I think it was Cord.
I nodded. “Hey.”
“Holt is playing a show at the Goat tonight. Just him. They’re shutting the place down, so it’s family only and, uh, guests. If you want to go.”
I looked back at Flynn. “I’d like to, would you?”
“Sure. That would be fun.”
“Great. What time?” I asked.
“Not sure, but someone will let you know,” said Cord.
I saw Ink get up and take his dishes and tray to a stand near a trash can.
“I guess I should head out since you have to work, but I’ll see you later, right?”
24
Flynn
“Why did he say you had to work?” Cord asked when Paxon walked away. “You’re done for the day.”
“I still have to clean up and do prep for tomorrow.”
“The kitchen crew can clean up, and I can do the prep. You can take time off, Flynn. In fact, if you don’t start, we’ll force you to.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means you have four brothers who love and care about you, and you shouldn’t be spending every waking moment in the dining hall.”
“I like being here.”
Cord motioned with his head to where Paxon stood, waving at us. “You like him?”
I was stunned at my brother’s question and shrugged. “He’s just being nice.”
“Kinda old for you.”
I swatted him. “I said he’s being nice, is all.”
“While I stand by what I just said about his age, if Paxon can get you to spend some time away from this place, then I think you should do it.”
“What’s going on?” asked Porter, who walked up with Holt.
“I’m just saying Flynn needs time off.”
“I agree,” said Porter.
“Same,” said Holt. “You spend way too much time here. No one expects you to.”
I felt my eyes filling with tears and turned my head away. It had always been easier to be here than go anywhere else. Mainly because I didn’t have anywhere else to go, and if I did, no one to go with.
Porter put his hand on my shoulder. “We’re not kicking you out of here, sis. We’re just saying you work too much.”
“Like the three of you don’t?”
“I would agree that we all spend too much time on this ranch,” said Cord. “In the past, the old man didn’t give us much choice. Hard habit to break.”
“Now’s not the time for us to start planning vacations,” said Porter. “I’ll remind you, we have a deadline to get this place profitable or we lose it.”
“Right,” said Cord. “But that doesn’t mean Flynn shouldn’t be able to take a day or two off a week.”
My eyes opened wide. “A day or two?”
“Yes,” said Holt. “The staff knows your recipes. Cord can cover when you’re not here.”
I looked at Cord to see his reaction, but he didn’t have one.
“Even if you’re just not here. Go out, visit restaurants, see what people like to eat. Hell, get out of the valley. Go over to Buena Vista or Salida for a day. See if there’s anything you want to add to the menu for the dude ranch guests.”
“Speaking of dude ranch guests,” said Porter. “I saw some of the guys working on the security system checking out the North Fork cabins.”