Page 18 of One Hundred Humbugs

Maisey’s eyes widened. “Goats? Well, now that’s a story I’ve got to hear. Come on in, let’s get you two settled. I hope you’re ready for some real food. Can’t have you wasting away on whatever’s left in that old house of Peter’s.” Shegrabbed two menus from behind the counter. “Before we get to that goat tale, how about I set you up with our blue plate special? It’s meatloaf tonight.”

Ruby and Becket exchanged glances. “Sounds great,” Ruby said, speaking for both of them.

“Perfect! Two blue plates coming right up,” Maisey said as she led them to a booth. Ruby noticed the other patrons watching with interest. In Aspen Cove, it seemed that news of a new face spread fast.

Once they sat down, Maisey asked, “What can I get you to drink?”

“I’ll have a coffee,” Becket said, glancing at Ruby.

“Same for me,” Ruby added.

Maisey nodded. “Coming right up.”

A few minutes later, Maisey returned with two steaming cups of coffee. “Here you go. Food will be out soon.”

They sipped their drinks, chatting about the town. Not long after, Maisey appeared again, skillfully balancing two plates. She set them down with a flourish, proudly declaring, “The best damn meatloaf this side of the Rockies. Enjoy, you two!”

Ruby inhaled deeply, the savory aroma making her mouth water. She was about to dig in when a cheerful woman approached their table with a wave.

“Hi, I’m Katie! I own B’s Bakery across the street. You should stop by sometime—first treat is on me,” she said. Next to her stood a tall man with an easygoing grin, holding the hand of a little girl who was clinging to his leg.

“This is my husband, Bowie, and our daughter, Sahara,” Katie added. Sahara, about five years old, peeked out shyly before grinningup at Ruby.

“Nice to meet you,” Ruby said, warmed by the family’s kindheartedness.

As they settled in, a few other townspeople wandered over to introduce themselves, each offering a friendly word or invitation. Even Sheriff Aiden Cooper, who had been sitting across the room, stopped by to shake Ruby and Becket’s hands.

By the time they started eating, Ruby’s nerves had eased. The food was delicious, the company lively, and the whole diner gave the impression of a tight-knit community welcoming her in. Even the scratchy old country tunes from the jukebox added to the cozy appeal of the place.

After dinner, Ruby insisted they stop by the Corner Store. “We can’t keep living on canned beans and Spam,” she told Becket as they perused the aisles. “Besides, I think that cheese in the fridge is plotting a takeover. I swear I heard it muttering ‘vive la revolution’ this morning.”

Becket laughed. The sound made Ruby’s heart do a little flip. “Well, we can’t have a cheese uprising on our hands. That would be an embarrassing way to lose control of the house.”

They left the store laden with bags full of staples—bread, eggs, milk, and enough fresh produce to make Ruby feel like she was back in civilization. As they walked back to the house under a sky full of stars, Ruby stole glances at Becket. In the soft glow of the streetlights, he looked ... different. Softer, somehow. More real.

“Thanks for coming with me tonight,” Ruby said as they reached the front porch. “It was nice to get out of the house for a bit.”

Becket smiled, and that now-familiar flutter stirred in Ruby’s stomach. “Thanks for inviting me. It was fun getting to know the town a little better.”

They stood together, the cool evening air settling around them. Becket glanced toward the backyard, then back at Ruby. “I should check on the goats before it gets too late. They tend to get a bit adventurous in the evenings, with all those trees tempting them.”

Ruby nodded, watching as he walked away into the night, his figure gradually disappearing into the shadows cast by the trees at the far end of the yard. There was something steady and reassuring about him, like the town itself—a quiet strength that was beginning to grow on her.

As Ruby got ready for bed that night, her mind buzzed with the day’s whirlwind. The house still seemed like a mountain to climb, but now there was a glimmer of possibility in every cluttered corner. And Aspen Cove ... maybe it wasn’t quite the backwater she’d pegged it for. There was something irresistible about the town, a tight-knit community that felt worlds apart from her life in Chicago.

She picked up the photo of Uncle Peter she’d found earlier, studying his smiling face. “Okay, Uncle Peter,” she said. “I’m starting to see why you loved this place. What else do you have to show me?”

CHAPTER TEN

The usual chorus of bleating that served as his alarm clock was conspicuously absent. Becket blinked, rubbing the sleep from his eyes, and peeked out of his tent. A thin blanket of snow covered the ground, transforming Ruby’s yard into a winter wonderland.

“Well, I’ll be,” he muttered, a grin spreading across his face. “Looks like winter decided to show up. Just in time for Christmas.”

His moment of awe was short-lived as he noticed something else: the makeshift pen where his goats should have been was scattered in pieces and he could make out a few hoof prints in the fresh snow. Only Lucy, his heavily pregnant goat, remained, standing still and staring pointedly toward the back fence, as if telling on her more nimble companions.

“Oh no,” Becket groaned, scrambling out of the tent. “No, no, no. This can’t be happening.”

He hurried over to the pen and did a quick headcount. A few of the goats were wandering around the yard, nosingthrough the snow, but as Becket counted again, his stomach sank—one goat was missing.

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