Some Like It Hot (Sweetrock Cowboy Romance Book 1) by Leighann Dobbs Page B

that in Boston. No wonder Tessa loved it here so much.
    “Think you’re starting to appreciate the country out here, aren’t you?” Tessa teased.
    “Well, it is pretty. So wide open. But there’s nothing out here,” Sam said.
    “That’s why people like it.” Tessa pulled up in front of a big old barn. It looked to be a hundred years old with a wide porch added to one side and hitching posts on the railings.
    “This is the restaurant?” Sam asked. Even though it was old, it seemed to be in good condition. A big sign hung over a double glass door. The door was obviously a more modern addition—the sign she wasn’t sure about. It was made from a huge old board with the name of the restaurant branded into it like the brand on a cow—The Chuckwagon.
    Tessa laughed. “Oldest restaurant in Sweetrock. And the best.”
    The swirl of dirt kicked up by Tessa’s jeep was just settling as they stepped out. The restaurant backed up to a wooded area. To the left was a large expanse of land that looked like it ran straight to the mountains. A brook meandered along the edge of the dirt parking lot, which had obviously been shaped to accommodate the path of the brook. It was hot as Hades, but the babbling sound of the brook had a cooling effect. They walked across the lot, listening to the buzz of insects and the croak of frogs. A coyote howled somewhere off in the distance just as Tessa pulled open the glass and gestured for Sam to precede her. “After you.”
    Cool air washed over Sam as she stepped into the large barn. The boards on the inside were just as rough as the outside, but you could hardly see them as they were covered with a hundred years of memorabilia.
    Tooled leather saddles, lassos, bridles, stirrups with etched designs, old farm equipment and tons of pictures of rodeos and cowboys dating from present times to a hundred years ago.
    The lighting was dim—not so dark that you couldn’t see your meal, but not glaring. Just enough to give it a subtle, relaxed ambiance. It was obvious the place had been a barn at one time since some of the original stalls were still intact and now had been turned into cushioned booths that made for cozy private seating.
    The center of the restaurant was dotted with white linen-covered tables and sturdy wooden chairs with leather cushioned seats held on by antique brass rivets. Tessa stopped at the podium beyond which a brown bun of hair could be seen poking up. Sam peeked over and recognized the woman—Beulah—from the chili contest.
    “Greetings.” Beulah popped out from behind the stand with two menus in her hand and exchanged a look with Tessa.
    “Table for two?” Beulah started into the restaurant without waiting for their answer. She was wearing black slacks and a black shirt with a white leather fringed vest. The fringe hung down to her knees and swayed back and forth like the rubber strips at a car wash. It might have looked ridiculous on anyone else, but for some reason, it worked on the feisty old lady.
    She led them to a table near the back, and they sat down. Sam’s stomach rumbled as she dived into her menu. It was covered in plastic and scattered with pictures. Lots of beef and steak. There were several choices for burgers, but Sam was surprised to find that there were no seafood items or salads. Not even a dessert menu. It was light years away from the menu at the trendy city restaurant where she had worked.
    “The menu is really basic. Mostly meat and potatoes. Is that what you guys like to eat out here?” Sam knew that food preferences differed per geographical area, but this menu seemed rather unusual.
    Tessa shook her head. “The Chuckwagon has been an icon in town for close to a hundred years. This is pretty close to the menu they started out with.”
    Sam opened her mouth to start on a diatribe about modern eating habits and how important a balanced menu was, but Tessa raised a hand to cut her off.
    “I know. Times have changed, and it’s not just