Faithful: Age Gap Small Town Romance (Whiskey Run Book 1) by Hope Ford (best books to read for knowledge TXT) 📗

talk, and there’s nothing good that can come from me talking to the hot cowboy. It’s obvious he’s way out of my league. And he’s obviously not from around here. I definitely would have remembered him. I gaze out at the restaurant, but no matter how much I focus on the locals, waving and calling hello across the restaurant, I can still feel the hot, penetrating gaze of the man behind me. I look through the big window that shows Eddie, the cook, and I can see that Violet is bagging up my order. Thank goodness. I need to get out of here. It definitely feels like the temperature has gone up a notch – or thirty.

“All right, here you go. A meatloaf and a Cobb salad with grilled chicken, blah, blah, blah.”

I can’t help but laugh out loud as I hand over the money. “Vi, I’m sure that’s not how you’re supposed to describe your food to customers.”

She rings up the order in the register and makes change with the money I gave her. She hands over the change. “I’m only saying that because I hate the way that stupid Mike has made you feel about yourself. He’s an idiot.”

I nod my head quickly and don’t dare look over at the stranger. No doubt he’s hanging on our every word. “I know, Vi. I’ve got to go. Thank you for lunch.” And because she’s my best friend and means well, I tell her, “And thanks for the pep talk. I love you, friend.”

Now, Violet is the one that’s trying to get away. She hates any kind of affection and does anything to avoid it. She pulls the towel from the belt at her waist and flicks it at me. “Go. Get outta here. Enjoy your salad. Talk to you later.”

I give her one last wave and walk out the door. I tell myself I’m not going to look inside but of course, I don’t listen. I look. I about have to strain my eyes to look through the reflection on the glass to see inside. But there he sits. Completely turned around in his stool, watching me as I walk down the sidewalk. And all I can think is, Don’t trip, Millie. Don’t you dare fall on your face. I lift my shoulders back and keep walking. The guy may be hot, but I definitely don’t need a man in my life. Not now.

Austin

Imagine my luck. I never come into Whiskey Run. My ranch is right on the border of Whiskey Run and Jasper. The farmers co-op in Jasper is closer, and that is my main reason for ever going into the town. So the fact that not only did I have the best lunch I’d had in a long time, I saw the prettiest, curviest, brown haired woman I’d ever seen. Already, the day is looking up.

I watch as she walks down the sidewalk until she’s out of eyesight. I hated to let her go without even asking her name, but the way she turned her back to me, she definitely didn’t seem interested. And then hearing her and the waitress talk about some guy named Mike breaking her heart pretty much sealed the deal for me. She doesn’t need or want a man hitting on her. So I let her go. But I’m a big believer in fate. If it’s meant to be, our paths will cross again.

Even knowing all that, I still can’t resist asking the waitress about her. “So, uh Millie... the woman you were talking to...” I start, hoping that she’ll get to talking without me having to actually ask the question.

But instead the waitress with the nametag that says Violet crosses her arms over her chest. She seems like she’s ready to defend her friend, and already I can tell I’m going to like this woman just for the fact that she seems like a good friend to Millie. “What about her?”

“Is she seeing anyone?”

She looks me up and down and then puts her hand on her hip. “Who wants to know? I don’t know you, and I know everyone in this town.”

“I’m Austin Yates. I own the Yates ranch at the edge of town.”

“You mean the big one as soon as you get into Jasper?”

I laugh. “Actually, the majority of my land is in Whiskey Run. I just don’t spend a lot of time in town since Jasper is closer.”

“Well, if you prefer Jasper then what are you doing here?”

I almost laugh at her question, but I can tell she’s being serious. I never answer to anyone. Most people take one look at me and don’t question me. This woman is definitely protective of her friend. “I’m in town to meet with Mr. Ogle at the Whiskey Run Co-op to talk about setting up an account.”

Violet smiles and looks me up and down. I definitely feel like I’m being judged. She crosses her arms over her chest with a smirk. “Millie works at the co-op. Her father, Rusty Ogle, owns it.”

She’s looking at me as if she’s trying to gauge my reaction, as if I have some sort of plan or something. Maybe she thought I already knew about Millie and her dad. But I can’t stop the slow smile that forms on my lips. If that’s not fate, I don’t know what is.

“Be nice to her,” she threatens as she hands me my ticket and tells me the total I owe for my lunch.

I unroll a twenty from my money clip. “You never did answer my question. Is Millie seeing anyone?”

“You’ll have to ask her that.”

I point to the dessert case. “Fair enough. I’ll take a piece of the cake too.”

“Which one? Chocolate? Or the apple cinnamon Blaze?”

“The apple,” I tell her as I set the money on the counter in front of me.

She boxes up a slice of cake and sets it in front of me before