Page 67 of Rocky Mountain Home

A real smile came to Dare as she pointed it out to Vicki. “I haven’t seen one of those for ages.”

“It’s a good idea that got out of hand.” Vicki glanced up, amusement in her eyes. “I have a slight problem speaking my mind too bluntly. It helps remind me to watch my tongue.”

Dare eyed the coin level. “You must have pirates in your family tree.”

A laugh burst from the other woman. “Or whores—and you’ll find out I’m kind of not kidding about that—but all those coins aren’t my fault alone.”

“Joel?” Dare thought back. “I’ve heard Jesse swear, but no more than the average guy.”

“Joel’s the same, but he got cocky one day and talked to the people I work with. They counted while we were cooking for a catered event, and everything that could go wrong, did. I owed a shit-ton when he found out the count. Oh, drat…”

She sighed, then reached into her pocket, dropping a quarter into the jar.

“That’s kind of dirty,” Dare agreed.

“Oh, it backfired on him.” Vicki’s eyes flashed as she continued the story. “Joel doesn’t swear much around me, but after he pulled that trick I talked to Blake, and all the guys kept track one day.”

Dare could picture how well that had gone over. “The boys can get raunchy in the fields.”

“Hey, if I wasn’t allowed to swear at work, neither was he.” Vicki grinned. “He owed double what I’d paid. We’ve agreed work is off limits, although I am trying to watch my tongue there as well.”

Dare joined in and laughed. “Good for you. Changing a habit is hard.”

“A little at a time, I figure.” Vicki handed her a plate, then gestured to the door. “Let’s sit outside. It’s nice enough out, and I didn’t get a chance to clean up in here yet.”

“Outside is fine, but the place looks great.” God, Dare felt horrible for making more work for the other woman. “If you clean up more than this I’m going to feel woefully inadequate because my place gets less than a flicker of housekeeping, especially lately.”

They settled into comfy chairs that faced the sun and continued to chat, soups and recipes a nice easy conversation topic.

Dare was glad for the food in her belly and the reduced tension. In fact, she found herself wholly relaxed for the first time that day. The sandwich went down easy, and Vicki was no longer frightening.

Once the meal was done, Vicki stole the empty plate from under her fingers, stacking their dishes and rising to her feet as she waved Dare off. “Stay here. I’ll be back in a minute.”

“I don’t expect to be waited on,” Dare protested.

“You can help with the dishes tonight,” Vicki promised. “Or better yet, you can volunteer Jesse, and we’ll get the guys to do the hard labour.”

“Deal.”

Vicki stepped away, and Dare leaned back in her chair and let the sun hit her full in the face. She was tempted to close her eyes and take a nap.

Instead, she made a mental list. A successful arrival in Rocky had been achieved. While Jesse was acting weird, Vicki had turned out to be nice enough. The sun was shining, and no one here was too scary—

She could do this. Dare laid a hand on her belly and soaked in the warmth of the day.

A gentle nudge pressed her shoulder, and Dare realized she had fallen asleep. “Shit. I’m sorry.”

Vicki grinned. “Don’t sweat it. You’ve had your eyes closed for not even ten minutes. I hear sleepiness is par for the course when you’re pregnant.”

“It’s better than the nausea stage, that’s for sure.”

The other woman opened her mouth then closed it rapidly, a real smile curling her lips. “Come on. I’ve got an idea.”

Chapter Twelve

Jesse hungrily took in the fresh sight of the fields and buildings that had been his backyard for most of his life. He drove the perimeter of the Six Pack land, staring out the window with a sense of wonder. Crops were up, and cattle grazed, and there was nothing out of the ordinary, but the taste of home was in his soul, and it was sweet.

At least until the realization he wasn’t staying sank in. His gut churned. All the sweetness turned sharp. Bitter, like a cake that had been let cook a little too long. Chocolatey and rich inside, but with a layer of charred darkness on the surface.