through the swinging half door behind the counter. “Hi, Betty. Two of your specials, loaded.”
“Denn, where you been?” Smiling, the woman brought glasses of water to their table. She appeared to be in her late thirties, short and round, with the most beautiful hair Kendall had ever seen. So black it had tones of blue in the highlights, it fell, thick and straight, to her hips. She tossed a hunk of it over her shoulder and nodded toward Kendall. “You want the special or something else, honey? Denn here gets uppity when he brings a date to lunch. He forgets she can order for herself.” She pointed to a chalkboard handwritten with various menu items.
Kendall gave the menu a quick study. Just about every item had either ‘reindeer’ or ‘moose’ in the title. She shook her head. “No, I’ll try the special.”
“There you go.” Betty fished two straws from the pocket of her apron and handed them to Denn. “So, when did you get in? Did you see Molly? That damned brat, never stays home like she should.” She laid out napkins and silverware as she spoke.
“We saw a cow outside of town. Too big for Molly,” Denn replied.
“Cow? I didn’t see a cow.” Kendall frowned at him, confused.
Betty poked Denn with her index finger. “Molly’s all grown up, Nulo. Still a brat, though. She ate up my lobelia the other day, right out of the greenhouse. I’ll have to start locking the damned door. Well, I’ll have your order up in a jiffy.” She strode toward the counter.
“What cow?” Kendall wanted to know. “And I’m not your date.”
“Female moose are cows, too.”
Her eyes widened in understanding. “The huge moose that wanted to eat me alive is someone’s pet ?”
“Yep. Betty’s right, Molly’s grown a lot. But she’s about as tame as a dog. Betty’s had her since she was a calf. Legally you’re not supposed to keep wildlife for pets, but around here, nobody cares.”
“She’s enormous. Couldn’t she hurt someone?”
“Maybe, if she had calves of her own and someone got between her and her babies. Moose are ferocious mothers. I guess I’ll have to talk to Betty, remind her to fence Molly up so she doesn’t sneak out and get herself into trouble. Though by the looks of her, she’s old enough to come into heat and let some bull have his way with her.”
“I can’t believe we’re talking about moose sex.” But it was all Kendall could do not to laugh. This was the unexpected adventure, the new life she wanted for herself. Sitting in a café in the middle of desolate Alaska with a drop-dead handsome man across from her. Waiting for their reindeer burgers and discussing moose romance, of all things. Too surreal.
I’m having a great day, after all .
She grinned at Denn and caught her breath when he grinned back at her.
Chapter 5
Late-afternoon sunlight glinted through freshly washed windows. The previously dull, black and white tiled floor sparkled and every countertop gleamed. Kendall wiped the sweat from her forehead as she dropped the sponge in her bucket and stretched her tight muscles. Looking around at the now-spotless store, she knew a deep satisfaction.
She could open any day she chose, and yet enjoyed knowing she could take her time if she wanted. New stock would arrive soon, though she hadn’t needed to order much. She gave thanks to Mike Nulty regularly for leaving behind so much merchandise. He’d never know the huge favor he’d done her.
Carrying the bucket, she moved toward the bathroom in her new apartment and dumped the contents into the toilet. She left the bucket upside down in the tub to dry out, and stepped into her kitchen for a glass of water. Much of the past week had been spent cleaning and organizing both the store and apartment. She’d made one trip, by herself, into New Mina, buying odd pieces of furniture and a few bags of groceries. A yard sale had netted her some great household items, including a toaster still sealed in its original box.
“Denn, where you been?” Smiling, the woman brought glasses of water to their table. She appeared to be in her late thirties, short and round, with the most beautiful hair Kendall had ever seen. So black it had tones of blue in the highlights, it fell, thick and straight, to her hips. She tossed a hunk of it over her shoulder and nodded toward Kendall. “You want the special or something else, honey? Denn here gets uppity when he brings a date to lunch. He forgets she can order for herself.” She pointed to a chalkboard handwritten with various menu items.
Kendall gave the menu a quick study. Just about every item had either ‘reindeer’ or ‘moose’ in the title. She shook her head. “No, I’ll try the special.”
“There you go.” Betty fished two straws from the pocket of her apron and handed them to Denn. “So, when did you get in? Did you see Molly? That damned brat, never stays home like she should.” She laid out napkins and silverware as she spoke.
“We saw a cow outside of town. Too big for Molly,” Denn replied.
“Cow? I didn’t see a cow.” Kendall frowned at him, confused.
Betty poked Denn with her index finger. “Molly’s all grown up, Nulo. Still a brat, though. She ate up my lobelia the other day, right out of the greenhouse. I’ll have to start locking the damned door. Well, I’ll have your order up in a jiffy.” She strode toward the counter.
“What cow?” Kendall wanted to know. “And I’m not your date.”
“Female moose are cows, too.”
Her eyes widened in understanding. “The huge moose that wanted to eat me alive is someone’s pet ?”
“Yep. Betty’s right, Molly’s grown a lot. But she’s about as tame as a dog. Betty’s had her since she was a calf. Legally you’re not supposed to keep wildlife for pets, but around here, nobody cares.”
“She’s enormous. Couldn’t she hurt someone?”
“Maybe, if she had calves of her own and someone got between her and her babies. Moose are ferocious mothers. I guess I’ll have to talk to Betty, remind her to fence Molly up so she doesn’t sneak out and get herself into trouble. Though by the looks of her, she’s old enough to come into heat and let some bull have his way with her.”
“I can’t believe we’re talking about moose sex.” But it was all Kendall could do not to laugh. This was the unexpected adventure, the new life she wanted for herself. Sitting in a café in the middle of desolate Alaska with a drop-dead handsome man across from her. Waiting for their reindeer burgers and discussing moose romance, of all things. Too surreal.
I’m having a great day, after all .
She grinned at Denn and caught her breath when he grinned back at her.
Chapter 5
Late-afternoon sunlight glinted through freshly washed windows. The previously dull, black and white tiled floor sparkled and every countertop gleamed. Kendall wiped the sweat from her forehead as she dropped the sponge in her bucket and stretched her tight muscles. Looking around at the now-spotless store, she knew a deep satisfaction.
She could open any day she chose, and yet enjoyed knowing she could take her time if she wanted. New stock would arrive soon, though she hadn’t needed to order much. She gave thanks to Mike Nulty regularly for leaving behind so much merchandise. He’d never know the huge favor he’d done her.
Carrying the bucket, she moved toward the bathroom in her new apartment and dumped the contents into the toilet. She left the bucket upside down in the tub to dry out, and stepped into her kitchen for a glass of water. Much of the past week had been spent cleaning and organizing both the store and apartment. She’d made one trip, by herself, into New Mina, buying odd pieces of furniture and a few bags of groceries. A yard sale had netted her some great household items, including a toaster still sealed in its original box.
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