Lone Star Burn: Taken by Surprise (Kindle Worlds Novella) by Desiree Holt Read Free Book Online Page B

would turn up something. She sure hoped so. The details of the relationship were becoming more and more important to her.
    “Your rolls sure are a big hit,” Alton said. “Good thing you made up several trays full. I can’t get them in the oven fast enough.”
    “I might even have another recipe or two up my sleeve,” she joked.
    The rolls were the first thing she’d edged onto the menu, and she had done it as tactfully as possible. She had several other recipes she wanted to introduce, but she was testing the waters, trying not to stomp on their pride in the meals.
    “I think you must have chased the law away,” Rona said as she clipped new orders to the wheel. “He hasn’t been in since that first day, and he used to come in here all the time.”
    “Maybe he’s decided he’s too good for us,” Alton called from the grill. “That’s okay. We’ll take Jessie any day.”
    She had expected to work a long time for acceptance by her staff and was pleased it happened so quickly.
    But Jack? That was another story. Rona was right. Since that first day, he hadn’t been back.
    When she’d bumped into him a few times in a couple of the stores, they’d been coldly polite to each other. And sometimes, when she looked out her window at night, she would see him drive slowly by in his cruiser. At those times, she wanted to curl up and cry.
    Realizing how much she’d hurt him made her heartsick, and she knew he was still so angry with her. If she had it to do over, she’d think it through and realize she could have had both him and her restaurant in her future. How stupid she’d been, and she was suffering for it now. If only she could figure out some way to repair the damage she’d done to their relationship.
    Lynne Robbins, however, was in several times. Jessie was sure the woman was waiting for her to make a mistake, to screw up in some way. That way she could get her hands on the restaurant and keep her away from Jack. She was curious as to what he’d told the woman about them.
    “You gonna stand there all day daydreaming?” Rona nudged her. “Marshall Wohl came in, and he’s asking for you.”
    “For me?” She wondered what on earth he wanted. They had pretty much concluded their business.
    “Uh-huh. He’s in the booth way to the right.”
    She started to remove her apron then decided to leave it on. What the hell. It was who she was now. Instead, she grabbed a coffee carafe and a clean mug.
    “Hello, Jessie.” He smiled at her when she approached
    “Nice to see you, Mr. Wohl.” She filled the mug and slid it toward him. “Rona said you were asking for me?”
    “I was.” He looked uncomfortable. “And I apologize in advance for this.”
    “Is something wrong?” No, please don’t let there be a problem here. Please don’t let him have made some kind of mistake and he really meant to contact another Jessie Coford.
    “I’m sorry to disturb you, Jessie.” He cleared his throat, “And I beg your pardon for it. And for this.”
    He pulled an envelope from his pocket and handed it to her.
    Jessie frowned. “For me?”
    “Yes. This is the missing envelope. It seems Delfina came into the office about a week before she passed and left this at the front desk. Unfortunately, I had someone filling in for my secretary at the time. She had no idea it might be significant and just tossed it in a drawer.”
    “And you found it today?”
    “She called this morning, very embarrassed. Said she’d just remembered this and told me where it was.” He sighed. “Good help is so hard to find sometimes.”
    Jessie stared at the envelope then turned it over. Her name was written on the front in flowing script but nothing on the back. And it was sealed. She noticed her hands shaking and stuffed the envelope in her jeans pocket.
    “Thank you. I appreciate you bringing it by.”
    “Again, my sincerest apologies.”
    “No problem. Listen, I’ll send Rona out to take your order, okay?” She wasn’t sure she