Page 9 of Reaching Little Robyn

“Besides, everyone knows breakfast is the most important meal of the day!”

She ignored the ringing of her cell phone yet again. If she’d wanted to talk to Sadie or Hayleigh, she’d have answered any of the other times they’d called. She knew she’d have to talk to them at some point, or else leave the state of Montana, but that didn’t mean she had to do so at this moment.

Flipping her eggs over, she turned off the flame beneath the iron skillet. While they finished cooking, she pulled her toast from the toaster and spread a thick layer of Nutella across each surface. The hazelnut-chocolatey goodness had already begun to melt when she added the toast to her plate where two crisp strips of perfectly fried bacon waited. Once her eggs had been added to her plate, she walked out of the kitchen’s back door.

“Besides, this view beats that of the cafeteria any day,” she said. Settling on the porch swing, she ate her second breakfast of the day. At that thought, she shrugged. She’d most likely be eating her third in a few hours. She wondered if that would allow her honorary induction in the Hobbit Hall of Fame?

Go for it…

“Thanks, I believe I shall.” She lifted a slice of toast in salute to the land spreading out before her.

That is if all you ever want to do is eat by yourself while holding one-sided conversations with hairy-footed fictional beings.

Good grief. Is that what her life was turning into? Not ready to face that truth, she forced herself to change direction. A forkful of eggs had her glancing down the slope to where she’d set up her chicken coop. Unless her feathered friends started laying at a more rapid rate, she’d have to make a trip into Porter’s Corner and stock up on eggs. And while there, she’d need to expand her pantry’s contents to include more than breakfast items. Oh, and she probably should stop at the local library and stock up on some cookbooks as well. While she considered herself quite the baker, she was afraid her culinary skills didn’t extend far beyond items one might find on a breakfast menu.

Biting into a strip of bacon, she spent a moment wondering if Chef Connor offered cooking lessons. Of course, remembering he’d been in attendance at the fiasco in his cafeteria, she knew she’d never ask.

“You can stop calling me!” she yelled as the ringtone of her phone floated out the door she’d left open.

“I did the first time you didn’t answer.”

Robyn almost spilled out of the swing in her haste to turn around. Of course, she needn’t have bothered. She’d recognize Master Derek’s voice if the entire world went pitch black.

“I’m sorry,” she began, only to have him tilt his head.

“For what?”

“For embarrassing you with your friend? Your guest? That… that cowboy?”

“Rooster?”

At the utterance of the word, Robyn tilted her head backward against the wooden slats of the swing. Closing her eyes, she nodded. “Yeah, him.”

“Robyn, it takes far more than that to embarrass me. Mind if I sit?”

Her eyes flew open as she remembered her manners. “Of course not. Can I get you a cup of coffee or something to eat?”

He chuckled and shook his head. “No thanks. I just finished lunch. Oh, and Chef Connor asked me to give you this. It’s leftovers from your lunch, though I’m happy to see you found something to eat.” He nodded at her plate as he set a brown bag on the table at her side before taking a seat next to her on the swing, his booted heel gently setting it in motion. “Relax, little one. If you don’t want to talk about Rooster…”

“I don’t!” she instantly stated.

“Then we won’t,” Master Derek said. “I just need to know you are okay. You gave us all quite the scare.”

Robyn moaned. “Because I acted the fool?”

“No, darlin’, because you could have choked to death.” He reached over to place his hand over hers.

How had she actually forgotten that had been what had started her descent down the rabbit hole? Well, the sight of Roo… the cowboy had actually been what had started it. She turned to finally meet Master Derek’s gaze. “Thanks. I’m fine. As you can see, I can manage to eat without all that fanfare.” She lifted a piece of toast which bore the mark of her teeth taking a bite as if to prove her point.

“I’m glad to hear it,” the owner of Rawhide said with a smile. “Just know that I’m here if you need to talk. Sadie and Hayleigh are as well.”

“Then you’re not going to ask me to leave?” She finally voiced the fear that had threatened to strangle her since she’d arrived home.

“Robyn”—Master Derek shook his head—“of course not. You have a place here for however long you want to stay. Besides, I think I’d have a problem finding anyone to take over for you.”

“Why? I’m sure there are hundreds of people who’d give their eyeteeth to run a B&B.”

“Maybe, but how many are named Robyn? I mean, your name is already on the sign outside and featured in our literature.”

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