The Ranger's Passionate Love (8 page)

After a few more bites, Jason smiled and settle back.

"Well, the good news is that, if this is strictly a business relationship, I can write a new review after you re-open with this amazing food," he said.

Kyara looked up from her plate, staring at him.

Suddenly, she felt a little sick.

"A new review?" she asked carefully.

"Yeah," he said, clearly confused. "I mean, I know the last one wasn't great, but with this food, I could honestly rave about it."

A memory floated up through Kyara's mind. The first night, Mrs. Waite had been sitting with a younger man, his back to the kitchen. Jason's flashes of guilt the first time they had met. The name at the top of the article which had condemned her from opening night – Jay Hardison.

"You're Jay Hardison," she said.

His eyes were big. He sat very, very still.

"Jason," she said slowly. "Am I the only one who calls you by your full name?"

He flushed, confirming her suspicion.

"When we first met," she continued, "You started to introduce yourself as Jay, then changed your mind, didn't you?"

He swallowed.

"I wasn't sure you remembered that," he said at last.

"I remember everything we've ever said to each other," she said, the admission flying out of her before she could take it back. He looked like she'd slapped him across the face.

"And later, I thought you knew, that someone had told you," he tried to continue.

"Cut it," she spat, seeing him for the first time. "You made everything harder for me from the moment I got here. You did it, and you pretended to be my friend."

"I didn't pretend," he protested.

"Why did you come up to me that day in the farmers' market?" Kyara asked, trying to hold back tears. "Was it for the trail project, or did you just want to see if I'd make a scene?"

Jason was on the defensive now.

"I thought I’d give you the chance to confront me, was all," he said, "if you were mad, I figured you'd get it out then."

"But then you decided to, what, trick me? See if you could get everyone to think I'd forgiven you? That I clearly agreed with you so much that now we were friends?" attacked Kyara, knowing it was probably unfair, but not caring. Jason stared at her.

"Kyara, I really thought you knew," he said, his voice straining.

"Did you?" she asked, "Or did you just hope I did, because it meant you didn't have to feel like you were to blame?"

At that, his face reddened and his jaw squared.

"To blame?" he asked. "I didn't make you pick that menu, Kyara. I didn't make you move up here either. All I did was be honest." He was clearly getting just as angry as she was.

"Honest?" Kyara spat. "Like honestly telling me who you were from the beginning? That kind of honest?"

"I thought you knew," Jason roared back.

"And you made sure of that, did you?" Kyara replied, scorn and hurt dripping from her voice. "Well now I know for sure. And I'd like you to leave. Now."

"Fine," said Jason, standing abruptly. "Now that you've picked your fight, I have to go back to the newspaper. Where. I. Work. Do I need to make sure you understand the route I'm going to take, or do I have your permission to go ahead and do it without explaining it first?"

"You can go to hell for all I care," responded Kyara, standing as well.

He brushed past her, striding for the door.

He slammed it behind him, dropping the restaurant into shuddering silence as he left.

Kyara gathered up the half-eaten plates. An hour ago, she’d thought that she wanted to be alone.

Now, she was.

By the time Crystal showed up for work that evening, Kyara had put herself back together, moving from wallowing into productivity. In fact, she'd done more than that.

"Crystal, come sit down, I need your help," called Kyara before the chime of the entrance bell had even died away.

"Uh, okay," called back Crystal. "Just let me take off my coat."

Kyara heard the kitchen door swing open behind her. She turned to face her young assistant.

"What do you need a coat for, anyway? It's August. It's a miracle you don't burst into flames," said Kyara. Crystal made a face.

"You sound like my mom. Anyway," the teen swirled the black leather monstrosity she called a coat off from around her shoulders, “it’s not about comfort, it's about being me."

Kyara hid a smile, knowing it would only hurt the girl's feelings.

"Well, do me a favor and go be you while sitting down in the dining area. I want you to try something."

Crystal shrugged and retreated to the other side of the kitchen door, grabbing her apron on the way.

Kyara followed a minute later, her arms filled with plates of food. In addition to the remains of the tomatoes, ham, and chicken, she'd made mac n' cheese, green beans, and corn bread.

"What's all this?" asked Crystal.

"Food," replied Kyara. "I want you to try it. You're not on a diet, are you?"

Crystal snorted, her eyes wandering the assortment before her.

"Not hardly."

"Good," replied Kyara, "Then taste these. Tell me what you think."

Unlike Jason, Crystal didn't take much time to contemplate the food. She took a bite of the Mac 'n Cheese, and her eyes went wide. Then she began filling her mouth with huge mouthfuls of food.

He may be a lying, deceitful, life-ruining asshole, but he might be right about this,
thought Kyara, watching the food disappear into her young friend. Crystal took several more bites, then slowed, turning her eyes to Kyara.

"This food is awesome, Ms. B. I didn't know you could cook like this."

Ouch
, thought Kyara.

"That," Kyara declared, "is exactly the problem. This is the food I usually cook. I just didn't think it would sell up here."

Crystal stared at her.

"You," declared the teen definitively, "are either crazy or stupid."

"Stupid," said Kyara, "but you shouldn't say so. I'm both your elder, and your boss."

"Sorry, Ms. B. I was drunk on cheese and cornbread."

"Apology accepted. I take it you think it'd sell okay, then?"

Crystal just nodded, and took a bite from a drumstick. Kyara felt an invisible weight begin to lift from her shoulders.

"Alright then. The only problem is going to be changing direction mid-stream, I guess."

Crystal turned this idea over as she ate, still trying each and every dish.

"Do you think you could make all this again?" asked Crystal.

"Of course," replied Kyara.

"Then I have an idea. Make a pile of your best stuff for tomorrow at lunch. Let me do the rest." Crystal looked triumphant, then horrified.

"Wait. You have your date tomorrow morning. You can't cancel that. We'll have to do it Friday."

"The date's off," Kyara said softly. "I canceled it. We can go through with this plan of yours tomorrow."

Crystal looked stricken.

"What happened?" the girl gasped, teenage melodrama heightening the situation to new levels. "Women have been chasing him since, like, the dark ages. And you broke up with him before you even went out? Why?"

Kyara shrugged.

"I really don't want to discuss it. Can we just focus on the food, please?"

Politeness warred with curiosity on Crystal's face, but politeness won out.

"Alright," allowed the teen at last. "But make sure there's more of this cornbread."

She really is a good kid,
Kyara thought, getting ready to go back in the kitchen for the dinner shift.
If only everyone in this town were as genuine as she is.

The next afternoon Kyara waited impatiently in the kitchen with a buffet of soul food spread before her. The fried chicken, mac n' cheese, ham, and cornbread were back. To that, she'd added a meatloaf, a slew of fried vegetables, fried crawfish, Cajun fries, and ribs.

She just hoped she hadn't made too much, or the leftovers were going to kill her.

Crystal was acting like a five year old with a surprise birthday party planned. She kept going between the kitchen and the dining area, giggling to herself as she did.

Each time, she brought out more food, returning with an empty tray. Vaguely, Kyara heard some exclamation from the dining area, but she had been warned to stay away.

Crystal had strictly forbidden Kyara from making an appearance or even peeking out there until she was called for, and Kyara was prepared to indulge her.

That, or I'm just terrified that this won't work either
, Kyara admitted to herself.

Finally, after what seemed like ages, Crystal came back in, her eyes sparkling. She held up a single finger to her lips, warning Kyara to keep quiet, then gestured for her to come closer to the door to listen.

Through the door, she heard the voices of Kyara's friends, all muffled by mouths full of food.

"Holy shit, have you tried this cornbread?"

"Naw, I don't like cornbread."

"Dude, you have to try this. It's not like your mom's at all."

"Hey, I didn't say I didn't like my mom's!"

"You didn't have to. No one likes your mom's cooking. She's great in bed, though." The sound of scuffling chairs followed, quickly cut off by a young woman's voice.

"If either of you two dickweeds spill my meatloaf, I will kill you myself."

"You're eating meatloaf? I thought that stuff was, like, banned by the Geneva Convention or something."

"You're thinking of the school meatloaf. Try this instead," said the girl's voice.

It went on like that.

After the eating sounds had died down, Crystal decided the time had come. Sweeping into the dining room with her hands raised, she faced the group of teens.

"Ladies and Gentlemen," announced Crystal.

"And dickweeds," added another girl.

"And dickweeds," allowed Crystal without missing a beat. "I give you the provider of tonight's feast."

Kyara took that as her cue, and stepped into the dining hall.

The teens sat around the empty remains of their plates, sprawled backwards in their chairs. They applauded her as she came in. Kyara smiled at the absurdity of the situation.

Crystal gestured imperiously for the applause to stop, and it died away.

"Now," the girl announced, her voice mock-serious. "You have tasted of this divine bounty, and found it good."

"Yup," said one boy.

"More chicken!" called out another.

A third just belched, loudly. The girl next to him swatted at him, then stole a remaining green bean off his plate.

"So," thundered Crystal, her voice carrying over them all. "Now you all must face a terrible choice." She looked around at each of the other teens, he eyes squinted in faux-menace.

I really hope this wasn't just to be silly
worried Kyara.
I don't see how it keeps us open. I mean, teenagers liking to eat isn't exactly news.

"Either," continued Crystal, "you may go away, never to eat like this again." a chorus of 'boos' met her words, the other teens now getting into the spirit of the act. Crystal seemed gratified, playing off the response.

"Or you may eat like this again, but you must ..." Crystal hung her head for a moment before lifting it and speaking in her best horror-movie trailer voice, "bring your parents back with you next week. To eat with you. In public."

"Booooo" cried one boy.

"Arg," cried another, clutching dramatically at his chest.

French-fry stealing girl stood, gesturing for her friends to stop.

"You drive a hard and terrible bargain," announced the girl, her tone matching Crystal's. "But you know you leave us with no choice at all. We shall return next week. As long as there is more meatloaf."

All eyes turned to Kyara, who stood completely bemused by the pageant unfolding in front of her.

"You're all really weird," Kyara said. "But yeah, there can be meatloaf."

The teens roared their approval, Kyara laughing along with them.