Page 17 of The Wrangler Takes a Wife

He’d put it on, and she’d let him, even though she knew these roads like the back of her hand.

They arrived at the restaurant at five-thirty. Lucky’s Tasty Chinese food was a staple in her life. Her family had been coming here since before she was born. It was a small cozy restaurant which sat forty people. It was busy, but not packed. Most of the locals preferred takeout.

“What are you doing here? It isn’t a special occasion, is it?”

Chase raised an eyebrow at Nancy’s greeting. She was the third-generation owner of Lucky’s.

“Nope, thought I’d stop by and throw you off your game,” Amara answered. The other woman walked over and pulled her into a hug. “Who’s that, Brat?” It was Nancy’s running joke. They were born on the same day, but Nancy's appearance came three hours earlier than Amara’s, making her the older, and “wiser” of the two.

She wasn’t immediately released from the embrace, so Amara made the introductions in the cobra tight embrace of her friend. “This is Chase. Chase, this is Nancy.”

Her friend released her abruptly. “Really?” Nancy said, looking between the two. Putting on an exaggerated Asian accent, she continued. “You brought your sworn enemy to my restaurant? Listen Girlie, I don’t want no trouble in my place.”

“Shud up,” Amara shot back.

Nancy pinched her as she cackled. “Take your seat. Do you want your regular or do you need a menu?”

Amara looked to Chase. “What ever you normally get is good with me.”

Nancy went off to place their order while Amara took Chase to her booth. It was by the cash register and was great for people watching.

“You two seem close.”

“Nancy and I were born on the same day in the same hospital. She’s one of my closest friends.”

“Best friend, Bitch,” Nancy corrected as she placed the glasses of water on the table. “So, Chase, how did you manage to get Amara to come out to dinner with you?”

“I’m very charming and it turns out Amara, despite her initial reaction to me, is a peacekeeper at heart.”

“You know what Chase? I like you,” Nancy said, pointing her finger at him. “I’ll leave you to your little…” Looking between the two of them. “…summit.”

Amara was curious about how laid back he was about food. The few times she had fed him, he hadn’t been concerned about what meal she’d served him. “How come you didn’t ask what my regular was?”

“I’m not a picky eater. No allergies or anything like that. Plus, I enjoy trying new things. If I eat something and it isn’t my favourite, it’s only one meal.” He shrugged.

One of the waitstaff brought a plate of egg rolls. “Amara’s Rolls,” he announced.

“You’ve got food named after you?”

“I suggested putting shrimp and chicken in her egg rolls, so she named them Amara’s Rolls.”

Nancy brought out the sweet and sour wonton soup. “It isn’t how it happened. She bullied me to make her egg rolls late one night when we were in culinary school. Then she told me when I get back to Lucky’s, put it on the menu and name it after her.”

“That’s what I said.”

“Is not…”

Chase just looked on, amused, as he took a bite. While the women bickered, he polished off his first egg roll.

“Good, right?” Nancy prompted.

He nodded his agreement. Her friend disappeared back into the kitchen.

“You didn’t mention before that you headed off to culinary school with company.”

“It wasn’t either of our ideas, but it put our parents at ease to know we were out there together. It might not have, if they knew the things we got up to.”

He raised an eyebrow at her, and his smile would make a cheshire cat envious. “Really, tell me more.”

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