Branded for You (8 page)

“Stop it, Megan,” she said out loud. “This isn’t me.”

She normally had a positive attitude, and she wasn’t going to let him take that from her. She had a new life and potentially a great guy in Ryan. Who’d have thought?

It was more the sadness of what she considered a failure, even though she’d done everything she could to make their marriage work. The mistake had been thinking he could change.

She was resolved all the more to find someone who was different.

Life has a way of teaching lessons. Now she knew what to look for in a man and just maybe she had a good one now.

She sighed. Her concentration was shot. She might as well go look at the houses since she couldn’t get her mind to focus on work. She’d just go ahead and work late into the night to make up for it.

Once again she thought about Ryan and the fact that he happened to be at a wedding himself. It could even be going on this very moment.

She groaned. Stop obsessing over the man and go look at houses. She picked up the cell phone and dialed the first number.

After making appointments with a realtor to take a look at some rental homes, Megan headed out of the house. She had some time before she met with the realtor, so she drove to the Hummingbird Café.

Her parents’ café was quaint with an old-fashioned look to it. It was pretty with light blue trim on white and a blue and white striped awning. Flower boxes filled with geraniums were on the windowsill and a large hummingbird with flowers was painted on the front picture window. Three ironwork tables with matching chairs were on a patio in front of the restaurant for patrons to use when the weather was nice like it was now.

On the right side of the café was a convenience store and gas station which no doubt drew some patrons.

On the other side of her parents’ place was an older restaurant with a sign that said
The Chuck Wagon
over the door. It had a western look to it with thick dark wood borders, and the place could do with a new paint job. She frowned. It had to be Roger Meyer’s place.

People passed by on the street and a group stopped in front of the Chuck Wagon then went inside. A tall and lean man came out of that restaurant and started to walk past Megan toward the convenience store, but he stopped in front of her. He had brown hair and muddy brown eyes. He might have been considered good looking, yet his angular face seemed somehow at odds with his smile.

“You don’t want to go in there.” He jerked his thumb toward the Hummingbird Café. “Bad food and they’ve been in trouble with the Health Department.”

Anger burned in Megan, making her face hot but she kept herself composed. “You must be Roger Meyer, the owner of the Chuck Wagon.”

“Yes, I am.” He grinned. “Best restaurant around.”

“If your restaurant is so great,” she said, “why do you have to tear down someone else’s? Is your reputation not good enough to stand a little competition?”

Meyer’s face darkened. “You must work for them.”

“My parents own the Hummingbird Café.” She stared him down. “Why don’t you leave them alone and tend to your own business.”

She didn’t wait for a response and walked past him to the café. Skin on the back of her neck crawled as she could feel the jerk’s eyes on her.

When Megan pushed open the door to the Hummingbird Café, bells danced in a playful jingle. She took a deep breath and then let it out, along with the heat of her anger.

The interior of the restaurant was cool and bright. The tables were set with white tablecloths and bud vases with single red carnations in each one. At night, the lights would be dimmed and tables set with a single votive candle for atmosphere. The chairs and tables were light blue to match the trim on the outside. Tables for two were along one side and the rest of the tables seated four but could be pulled together for larger parties.

It was closing in on noon, but only four of the tables were filled with customers.

A hostess station was at the front of the restaurant and Tess was standing beside it with an order pad in her hand.

“Hi, sweetie.” Tess pushed a hand through her blonde waves. “Stop by for a bite to eat? Or for my great company?”

“Your great company, of course.” Megan smiled. “Is Jenny feeling any better?”

Tess nodded. “She’s with Mrs. Webb. That woman is incredible, especially to be watching her on a Sunday while I work.”

“I’m glad Jenny is feeling better.” Megan glanced over her shoulder and out through the large window to the street. She turned back to her sister. “I just met that Roger Meyer. What a jerk.”

Tess frowned. “What did he do now?”

“Stopped me in the street and told me how bad this restaurant is and that I shouldn’t come in here.”

A look of irritation crossed over Tess’s pretty features. “I wish that guy would just go away. I should put some roaches into the back of his kitchen and call the Health Department.” She shook her head. “But I’d never stoop to his level.”

Megan looked around the restaurant and said to her sister in a low voice, “Is it always this slow?”

“Ever since Roger started his vendetta against Mom and Dad.” Tess scowled. “Of course it can’t be proven that he was responsible, but we know he is.”

“That sucks.” Megan shook her head. “There’s got to be a way to stop him and get traffic coming here.”

“If you can think of a way, let us know,” Tess said. “At this point we’d probably do anything to get customers coming in. I might start dancing in my panties and bra on the tabletops.”

“Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.” Megan laughed. “Where are Mom and Dad? In the kitchen?”

Tess nodded. “Yep.”

“I’ll go say hello,” Megan said.

Tess raised her order pad. “And I’d better get back to work.”

Megan walked down an aisle between tables to the back and slipped into the kitchen. The busboy and dishwasher, Tucker, was busy washing and drying dishes. Paul was at the stove stirring a large pot of chili. Her father stopped stirring to taste the chili.

Margaret was rolling pie dough on a counter and flour was on her apron and on the tip of her nose. In front of her was a large bowl with peach slices glazed in sugar and next to that were two empty pie tins.

Megan breathed in the scent of peach pies baking in one of the ovens. “Making your awesome best in the west pies, I see.”

Margaret raised her head. “Did you finish your work early?”

“I decided to go look at a few rental homes and find a month-to-month place until I figure out just where I want to live.” Megan leaned up against a clean counter. “But I thought I’d stop by for a few moments and see how everything is going with you and Dad.” She decided not to mention her brief conversation with Roger Meyer.

Margaret placed the dough she’d just rolled into one of the pans for the bottom crust, then picked up another blob of dough and started rolling it out. “Better watch it or we’ll put you to work.”

“Except we all know that cooking, baking, and serving are not among my talents,” Megan said. All things she absolutely hated. She’d helped her parents out with cleaning and washing dishes, but those tasks weren’t among her favorite things to do by a long shot. She looked at her watch. “I’ve got to go meet with the realtor now.”

Margaret rolled out the dough. “Anxious to move out?”

“Once I’m out you’ll have your guestroom back,” Megan said, wanting to avoid a guilt trip.

“You’re welcome to stay as long as you like,” Margaret said as she placed the raw crust into the second pie tin.

“I know, Mom.” Megan gave her mother a smile. “It will be good for me to get my own place.”

Margaret nodded. “Do what is best for you.”

Megan tried not to sigh, but then realized her parents could probably use the regular income from the money she was paying them as rent.

She held back a groan. Was it her responsibility to stay with her parents and pay them rent instead of finding another house?

As much as she loved them, they drove her crazy. She wanted her own place with her own routine, and peace and quiet. She wanted to not have to worry about bothering anyone else, or anyone bothering her. Was that too much to ask for?

Well, she was still going to take a look at those homes and she’d think about staying with her parents to help them out a little longer. She didn’t need to make that decision today.

Margaret’s expression went hard as she looked past Megan. Paul stopped putting spices into the chili and he scowled. Megan glanced over her shoulder to see Roger Meyer standing in the doorway.

“Have a moment?” Meyer gave an amiable smile. “I’d like a few words with you both.”

“We’re busy.” Margaret picked up a hand towel and started wiping flour off her hands. “We have a business to run.”

Meyer looked over his shoulder into the dining room before turning his gaze back on Margaret. “Doesn’t look so busy to me.”

Paul narrowed his eyes. “We’re finished here.”

“I know you signed a lease.” Meyer ignored Paul. “Your café is not doing well and you can’t be making money. You have to be losing it.”

Margaret gripped the hand towel and raised her chin. “Whether or not our business is profitable is no concern of yours.”

“I’d be glad to take over your lease for you.” Meyer kept the friendly smile on his face but there was a glint of something hard in his eyes. “You must be hurting for money.”

“We’re not interested.” Growing anger was in Paul’s voice.

Meyer frowned. “I’ll give you five thousand in addition to taking over the lease. This offer is one time only. The moment I walk out that door, you can forget the five grand.”

“No.” The word came out of Paul in a short, sharp bark backed by anger. He raised the spoon he’d been stirring the chili with. “We have a business to run. See yourself out the front door.”

“You’ll regret this.” Meyer gave a dark scowl as he turned around and strode out of the kitchen. A few moments later the front entrance bells jangled and the door slammed.

There was quiet for a minute in the kitchen then Paul returned to spicing up the chili and Margaret started rolling out another crust. Both looked angry, but neither said a word about what had transpired. Megan took their cue and didn’t say anything about it.

“I’d better get going, Mom.” Megan started backing up. She waved at Paul. “See you later, Dad.”

His face still dark with anger, Paul gave her a nod then set down the chili spoon and began chopping vegetables on a cutting board next to the stove.

Megan turned and walked out of the kitchen, grinding her teeth at what had just transpired with Meyer. What an ass. Would he follow through and do something to hurt their business?

“What happened?” Tess came toward Megan in the dining room. “What was Meyer doing here?”

“He just offered to take over the lease and would give Mom and Dad five thousand if they accepted his offer today. Dad practically kicked the bastard out.” Megan scowled as she looked at the entrance. “Meyer said they’d regret it.”

Tess pushed her hand through her curls. “I wouldn’t put anything past the man. According to Mr. Cowell, the owner of the building, Meyer threatened him when he was told Mr. Cowell wanted to sign a lease with us.”

“You might not put anything past the man,” Megan said, “but I’m not sure there’s anything he can really do to the business. I think he’s just a hateful man with a loud mouth.”

Tess nodded. “You’re probably right. It’s just too bad we have such a jerk for a business neighbor.”

Chapter 9

Ryan, as best man at his cousin’s wedding, walked down the aisle beside Charity, the maid of honor, the ushers and bridesmaids in step behind them.

With her black hair and vivid blue eyes, Charity was downright gorgeous. But she knew it and flaunted it, which made her less attractive to Ryan. He preferred a woman like Megan who didn’t realize how beautiful she was.

To either side of the procession the pews were filled on both the groom’s and the bride’s sides. Ryan and Charity reached the front of the church and took their places, followed by the four ushers and four bridesmaids. The men were in tuxes and the women were in dresses the color of Megan’s glass-green eyes.

Tom, the groom, stood at his spot in front of the preacher and looked toward the back of the church. The double doors were closed.

Ryan’s thoughts turned to Megan and he mentally shook his head. He couldn’t get the woman out of his thoughts. Not that he wanted to. He liked thinking about her and the next time they would be together, which would be when they went camping the following weekend.

His mind turned to thoughts of what they’d do. Fishing, swimming, and hiking. Maybe they’d even get to do a little snuggling near the fire.

The wedding march jerked him out of his daydream as the organist started playing it. Janie entered the church in a flowing white dress, her face covered by a veil. A pause seemed to fill the air and then someone sniffled.

Ryan watched Janie as she slowly walked to the front of the church in time with the march. For some crazy reason he pictured Megan behind the veil.

This time he almost let out a breath of frustration. His thoughts of Megan were bordering on obsession and were moving way too fast. That had never happened before—imagining that a woman he’d just met was walking down the aisle toward him. Hell, he’d never thought of any woman in that way.

Sure, he’d had a couple of serious relationships, but in the end they hadn’t been serious enough. He damned sure hadn’t started thinking of marriage.

And he’d only known Megan for all of two days.

Ryan continued to watch Janie as she reached the front of the church. Her father stepped beside her, took her arm in his, then presented her to Tom.

Janie’s flowers trembled, showing how nervous she was, but the lacy veil was still over her face so Ryan couldn’t see her eyes well.

The preacher spoke about God bringing the bride and groom together and how they stood in the presence of the Almighty to be joined together.

Tom and Janie exchanged vows and slid rings on each other’s fingers and then the preacher pronounced them husband and wife. Tom lifted the veil, revealing Janie’s radiant face before he kissed her.