Taken by Surprise

Chapter 7

She could tell from the look on his face he was still shell-shocked. The woman with him, a slender strawberry blonde, looked as if she was trying to decide whether to be gracious, friendly, just curious, or pissed off.

"Uh, Jessie?" He stared up at her. "Is it really you?"

"Sure is." She was determined to be Miss Bright and cheerful if it killed her. "I'm very surprised to see you here. I didn't think you'd ever leave Houston."

He scowled. "I could say the same for you."

She shrugged. "Oh, well. You never know when an opportunity will come your way. You folks about ready to order?"

Folks? If I said "folks" in my last place of employment, they would have sent me back to culinary school.

"Jack?" Miss Strawberry Blonde curved her bright red lips into a smile that had little humor in it. "Aren't you going to introduce me to your little friend?"

Little friend? Jessie wanted to pour coffee on her head.

Jack looked as if he'd rather swallow nails. "Lynne, this is Jessie Coford. She and I are, um, were, um..."

"Yes, Jack? What were we?" She looked at Lynne. "We were friends. Very good friends."

Okay, so she was being a b***h. But she just couldn't believe he was into this woman who was the exact opposite of her. It hadn't been that many weeks since she had broken off with him. Maybe she hadn't meant as much to him as he told her.

Jack was staring at her as if he'd never seen her.

"That's right," he said. "We were, uh, friends."

Jessie looked from him to Lynne, who was seething beneath her phony smile.

"I'm Lynne," she said. "Lynne Robbins. I manage the real estate agency in town. We were all surprised to hear that Delfina had left this place to someone. I was hoping to put it on the market."

Jessie blinked. "Really?"

"Yes." She fished in her purse and pulled out a business card. "Give me a call. We should talk."

Jessie just looked at the card. "Thanks, but I'm not interested in selling."

She wasn't sure who looked more shocked, Jack or Lynne.

"You're staying in Fort Mavis?" he asked.

"Looks like it. Seems like a very nice place." The conflicted look on his face only fed her desire to play this up. "So. You folks ready to order?"

Lynne stared at her for a long moment, trying to maintain her professional attitude. Then she picked up her purse and slid to the end of the bench.

"I think I've lost my appetite. Let's go, Jack."

He sat for a moment his gaze raking over Jessie's face as if trying to read her real intent. Then he picked up his hat, which he'd placed on the seat beside him, and stood up. He gave Jessie another penetrating stare, then followed Lynne out the door. Jessie stared after them then walked as nonchalantly as possible to the kitchen. But, the moment the door swung shut behind her, she hurried to her tiny office and practically fell into the desk chair.

"Jessie?" Alton stood in the doorway, a frown creasing his forehead. "You okay?"

"Yes." She swallowed and repeated more firmly, "Yes, I'm fine."

"You sure don't look fine. You're white as a bedsheet and shaking like a leaf in the wind. Did someone say something to you out there?" He scratched his neck. "People loved Delfina but they got no call to be mean to you just because she's gone."

"It's that deputy." Rona came up next to Alton. "I knew he was trouble the minute Dean hired him."

"I'm fine. Everything's fine. Please. Go take care of the customers."

With obvious reluctance, they went back to work. Jessie sat in her chair with her hands clasped together, her heart still racing fast. Jack Ward in Fort Mavis. Oh. My. God. And who was that phony b***h with him?

His taste in women sure has gone downhill. I should be glad to be rid of him.

But the sad fact was, she wasn't. Not at all. Seeing him again had brought back everything she felt for him and all her regrets in walking away from him. Maybe she should get a T-shirt with the word STUPID in large letters. She had no idea how long she sat there before Rona appeared in the doorway again holding a mug of coffee.

"You look like you need this." She set it down on Jessie's desk. "We have a little lull before the lunch rush so if you want to talk we'll listen."

Jessie studied the woman. "You don't even know me and yesterday didn't seem too happy to meet me, so why would you even care?"

"Me and Alton talked a little when breakfast died down. You don't seem to be what we expected at all. You're even nice."

Jessie had an insane desire to laugh at that. "Thank you. I think."

"I mean, you don't put on airs, or anything, coming from the high class place in Houston." She paused. "At least not yet. Anyway, we could see that deputy somehow upset you. I thought he was too good to be true."

Jessie lifted her eyebrows. "Oh? In what way?"

"He's too good looking and is nice to everyone. And does his job extra good. Nobody's that perfect even if he can ride a horse."

Jack rode a horse? That was news to her.

"He's just someone I knew some time ago. I'm fine. It was just a shock to see him here."

"Okay, then. But him hanging out with that Lynne Robbins doesn't boost him up a notch for me."

That made her curious. "Why not?"

"You watch out for her. She's a first class man-eater, and she doesn't much care whose man it is." She started to walk away then turned back. "We'll be setting up for lunch pretty soon. If you want to come out, me and Alton will walk you through it."

Now that was a surprise. Was it just because they felt sorry for her?

"Thank you. I'll be out in a few."

She could tackle the computer later. Getting a feel for the flow of the operation was more important. It would also give her a chance to assess the kinds of food people ordered and figure out supplies.

They closed at five, and by six o'clock when they locked up, Jessie had a strong appreciation for the skill of the people who worked there. The teams worked split shifts, five to twelve and twelve to six, alternating times each day. She'd have to figure out how her own time could be best spent. She wanted to do some cooking, too, but not until she'd had at least a week to get in the rhythm of things, and for her employees to get used to her.

She'd also learned a few things. For the most part, the people of Fort Mavis were very nice and no one at Delfina's Diner liked Jack's new lady friend.

"We'll be opening tomorrow," Diane said as they stood in the parking area. "You don't need to get here that early."

"I want to learn everything I can about this place. Maybe work with all of you to come up with some new ideas." Oh, wait. Maybe that wasn't too good. "If you all are willing, that is."

They both looked at her as if trying to find some hidden meaning in her words. Then Bob nodded.

"Okay. See you then."

She climbed into her SUV and sat there with the door open for a minute, just thinking about the day. Everything had been a revelation to her, especially the fact that she was caught up in the whole concept.

"So it was you I saw yesterday on the street here. Just what the hell do you think you're doing here?"

The voice startled her so she let out a small scream. Then she looked up to find Jack Ward standing by her car, glaring at her.