Page 37 of Heart of the West

“Headed to the kitchen.” I say loud enough for him to hear.

At least I hope he heard me. He did. Effrem enters the kitchen through the second door.

“I’ll have dinner ready in a few minutes. I just need to throw the steaks on the grill.”

“I can do that.”

“I like mine medium-rare, please. I’ll get the table set while you grill. Would you like beer or some wine?”

“Beer.”

I set the table, toss the salad and get us both a drink. I put a glass of ice water by each setting. A St. Pauli Girl for him and a glass of red wine for me. I pour the vinaigrette into a small glass pitcher I found and put on the stopper. I set out sour cream, fresh chopped chives, chopped thick cut bacon, and shredded cheese before grabbing the potatoes and putting them in a warming basket.

Effrem brings the steaks back inside. He used the outdoor grill. He brings the platter to the table and sits it between us.

“Ladies first he says.”

I chose the smaller steak and baked potato. There’s no way I’ll finish both of these, much less the bigger ones. I heap my plate full of salad. All the women's jokes aside, I love the stuff. I’d put fresh herbs in it to give it a little pizazz. By the time I drizzled some dressing on my salad, Effrem had taken his steak and was loading his baked potato.

“You didn’t have to go to all this trouble.”

I shrug my shoulders. “I have to eat too. Making food for two is just as easy. I couldn’t resist a good steak after seeing your freezer.”

“Did you get everything you need?”

“I did, but I’m going back closer to New Year’s Eve to get lobsters.”

“They have lobsters?”

“Shrimp and fish too. It’s all grown in aquaponics. They use the fish to fertilize the plants. They also have a few larger tanks for lobsters and shrimp. I’d say they are about ninety percent as tasty as the fresh lobster from Main.”

“Are you a foodie Ruby Buffet?”

“Cline, and yes I am.”

“Ruby Cline?”

“Yes, I’m taking my name back.” I laugh. “Roger thinks insisting on it is doing me some harm. I’m thankful to give it back.”

“How’s the divorce going?”

I wince.

“That bad?”

“He doesn’t want to pay me a dime, but I didn’t break the prenup. He did. Only the original prenup has disappeared and so did the word of me getting half if he cheats.”

“Where is the original?”

I blush. “I have it. It’s here with me. I don’t feel safe leaving it around. Not that I have the money to do anything about it.”

“What figure is he offering you?”

“He wants to pay me nothing. Literally. He wants a dissolution of marriage where I get what I walked away with. Basically my clothes, some kitchen stuff, a few family heirlooms and the car.”

“May I see the papers and the prenup?”

“Let me grab them.”

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