Page 12 of Big Daddy Mountain Man

“Why don’t you just settle in here, get something to eat, and we’ll leave in a bit.”

Her eyes darted from him to the menu that was posted on the chalkboard that hung on the wall behind Marsha. He continued to study her, seeing the desire for food, but sensing a change in her disposition when her eyes landed on the prices.

Marsha’s prices were more than fair. But that didn’t matter when one hardly had any money.

And Sawyer could tell that Amber hardly had any money.

Her clothes weren’t a perfect fit, and they were tattered in a few places. He would bet his Navy pension that she was barely scraping by and just doing the best she could.

“I’m not hungry, Sir,” she said.

It was Marsha who answered. “Are you sure?” She sighed with a heavy frown. “I’ve got so much food in the back that I’m going to have to throw out.” She shook her head. “I make it fresh every day. Misjudged what I needed today and ended up with too much. I’m just going to toss it out if no one eats it.” She smiled softly and looked at Sawyer. “I’ve been trying to get this feller to take it, but he says he’s just ready for pie. Isn’t that right?”

Sawyer hated lying, but under the circumstances, he figured it was worth it. “That’s right,” he said with a nod. “Do me a favor and eat it, kid. Then Marsha won’t keep hassling me about it.”

“What do you say?” Marsha asked, looking back at Amber again.

“Well… I am kinda hungry now that you mention it,” the newcomer said. “And I can pay you, ma’am. I don’t?—”

Marsha held up her hand. “I won’t hear of it. You just get comfortable, honey, and wait while I get you a plate.” She looked at Sawyer before turning around. “You want pie and were probably about to ask for coffee, huh?”

“Yes, ma’am,” he nodded.

“I’ll have some with you,” Marsha said with a smile.

Amber was smiling, too.

And that made Sawyer smile. Bigger than he had in a while.

CHAPTER SEVEN

Amber tried to pace herself, but hunger overtook her and before long she’d cleared her plate of all the green beans, mashed potatoes and gravy, and hamburger steak.

She didn’t want to make a pig of herself, but when Marsha sat a piece of pie in front of her, she couldn’t resist that, either.

“Thank you, ma’am!” she said as she pulled the plate closer and picked up her fork.

Across the table, the utterly handsome man named Sawyer sat, finishing his own pie and sipping his coffee. He’d gone at a more measured pace, and Amber felt quite embarrassed at the way she’d attacked the food. She’d had what the Reyes packed for her earlier, but days of not eating much had evidently caught up to her.

“Honey, do you have any way of getting ahold of the Colliers and letting them know you made it to their place? Or in case anything happens that you need to tell them about?” Marsha asked as she hovered by the table, having just refilled Sawyer’s coffee cup.

Amber took a drink of her milk and then answered, “Yes, ma’am. They have a landline in their cabin.”

“How about that!” Marsha exclaimed. “One of the last two in the county. I’ve got one, too.” She jerked her head over toward the register.

Amber looked and saw an old-fashioned phone hanging on the wall behind the counter, complete with a pad of paper tacked up next to it. She probably took to-go orders that way.

That was confirmed when Marsha said, “Online ordering hasn’t quite made it to Big Cedar yet.”

“Wouldn’t be a shame if it never did,” Sawyer said.

Amber studied him for a moment. “How come?”

He offered a shrug as he raised his coffee to his lips. “Old ways are better.” He took a sip.

That tracked. He seemed like an old-school guy, Amber thought.

“Honey, it’s awfully remote out there,” Marsha continued. “I just worry about you by yourself. Now, I’m not trying to interfere in your business, but… well, three miles is a long way to walk.”

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