The Bride (The Bride #1)(26)

It was crazy to think how each year was a total crap shoot in this business. We had profitable land, a ranching operation worth millions, and yet by the time I paid Javier, Gomez, Jake, and taxes, then accounted for the business costs going into the next season, I had a pretty tight cash margin to live on for the next year.

It made me understand my dad better. In so many ways Sam Mason was one of the coolest, most easygoing guys around. Living with him, obviously I knew there were layers under all that. I saw the stress in his eyes each year before he went to market.

I understood it now, the pressure he was under year in and year out. I knew what it meant to budget. To want things and know what I could and could not afford.

I remember asking my dad when I was fifteen if I could have a new car when I turned sixteen, because I knew my destiny was not my mom’s ancient Subaru.

He laughed in my face. Now I got how ridiculous I was.

It was fine. I wasn’t really into clothes and stuff. Jake and I replenished what we needed. Which was mostly jeans and work shirts. Except today was Jake’s birthday, which meant we could splurge on dinner out.

The diner was a big deal for us, because Jake hadn’t been back since his standing dates with Janet ended. Janet, who by the way, had officially left Riverbend. Word had it she’d gone to work at a hospital in Missoula. I did really wish her the best. Maybe I never thought she was the one for Jake, but it didn’t mean I didn’t want her to find happiness with someone.

When Jake pulled up the truck to park at an angle in front of Frank’s, it seemed weird to me.

Every summer except this past one I would have spent most of my time in town. Hanging with Chrissy, Karen, and Lisa. Sitting in the diner for hours, gossiping and eating cheese fries. Frank made cheese fries with real American cheese. Delicious.

This summer I had barely made it in to town. And only then because Jake had insisted I get away from the ranch. Chrissy, Karen, Lisa, and I had gone to see a bad movie.

It had been fun. But in some ways it had been sad. Because everything they had talked about seemed like a million miles removed from my life.

Boys and clothes and hair and who did we think was going to hook up this year. What was senior week going to be like? What was going to be the theme of the homecoming dance?

Meanwhile I was worried about beef prices, ranch expenses, being on my own once I turned eighteen… and well, just about everything they weren’t concerned about. It was sobering.

“You okay?” Jake asked me.

“Yeah. It’s been a while since I’ve been to Frank’s. I hadn’t realized.”

“I know. I’m craving some chili.”

He got out of the truck and I followed. When we walked into the diner, heads turned. Jake got a bunch of chin nods and hat tips.

Me… I could feel it. The Weird Married Ellie vibe. Jake and I had been living together out on the ranch now for nine months. Something that had become totally normal for us. Except when I saw it through the lens that folks in town saw us through, we were weird again.

I wasn’t going to let it ruin dinner though. We picked a booth on the left and got in on either side. Just then Bobby MacPherson, who was dating Susan (having dumped Lisa again) passed us to pay for their dinner at the counter. Jake’s gaze on him the whole time was ominous. Dare I say deadly.

“Will you stop,” I whispered. “You’re going to make a scene.”

“I’m reminding him, it might be a new school year but the rules are the same.”

Right. I was officially not open for business. Which should have been super upsetting, but again it really wasn’t. Right now boys did not compare to the importance of cows in my life. How sad was that?

“Yep. Got it. I’m going to be a perma-virg,” I muttered as I opened the menu.

“Ellie, I’m not having—”

“This conversation with me, I know. I think I want pasta.”

“Hey Jake. Hey Ellie. Long time no see.” Kathy came to our table. She wore jeans and a nice T-shirt. Frank didn’t bother with waitress uniforms.

“Hey Kathy,” we said at the same time.

“I don’t think I’ve seen either of you two in here all summer. You two keeping busy at the ranch?”

It was such an innocent question, but as soon as the words left her mouth I could see her face turn red as she realized what a double entendre that was. It wasn’t intentional. She wasn’t trying to be salacious, but if you took it the wrong way, keeping busy had a whole knew meaning and Kathy knew it.

Jake, however, was impervious.

“Yep. Big ranch, a lot to do.”

Kathy quickly recovered. “Oh, that’s good. Glad it hear it. Coke for you, Jake and diet for you, Ellie.”

We both nodded and she left.

I looked at him then and wondered. Did he really not see it? Did he really think people weren’t a little suspicious of us?

Or maybe it was me, and I was the one overthinking it.

“Going to head out to the property this weekend. I want to check on the house.”

The property was code for Jake’s land, only he didn’t want to call it his land because technically it wasn’t his yet. It was like he was trying not to jinx himself.

“How was it last time?”

He grimaced. “Standing, but that’s about it. I only need four walls and roof, and it will do until I can get up on my feet. I’m worried about the condition of the barn, though.”