Page 24 of Loved By Tandy

She walks out of the room, and I’m left with a heap of guilt.

When she ignored my calls and letters so many years ago, I figured I’d made her mad. I had no idea how deeply I’d hurt her. I guess having the villain named after me is deserved.

I’mup with the sunrise, so I dress, figuring I’ll have time to grab donuts before everyone else wakes up. But when I step into the hall, voices echo from the kitchen, and the smell of bacon wafts my direction.

Someone’s cooking breakfast.

Wearing a brightly colored floral-print apron, Tandy motions to the table as I enter the kitchen. “Have a seat. Pancakes, syrup, and bacon are on the table. And I’ll make your eggs to order. How do you want them?”

“Morning.” Colt nods as he shoves a bite of pancake in his mouth.

Tandy must’ve been up extra early to have everything ready.

“Scrambled is good. This looks amazing. Did you get any sleep?”

“Enough.” She sets a mug of coffee next to my plate. “Eggs are coming right up.”

Colt is downing food like he hasn’t eaten in weeks, and I sort of miss the days when I could eat like that. He’s clearly happy to be here.

After his third plate of pancakes, at least by my count, he stands and gives Tandy a hug. “Best breakfast I’ve had in ages, Miss Tandy. Thank you. I’m going to head out to the ranch and get some work done, but I’ll be back later tonight.”

She reaches into her apron pocket. “Let me give you a key. Come and go as you please. Help yourself to whatever is in the kitchen, okay?”

“Yes. ma’am.” Whistling, he grabs his hat and strolls to the front door.

I take another sip of coffee, enjoying the smile on Tandy’s face. “Seems to me, heneededthat breakfast.”

Tandy bumps her foot against mine. “Don’t tease me. Need more coffee?”

“I’m good. Can I help clean up?”

Shaking her head, she starts clearing the table. “Nope. I’ve got it. You have work to do. On my ranch. Now shoo.”

The twinkle in her eye reminds me of the much younger Tandy I loved so much. “I’m going.”

Hank, Tandy’s neighbor, walks out his front door as I reach my truck. “You’re out and about early this morning.”

“Yep.” I tip my hat and slide behind the wheel.

I’m swinging by my house for a change of clothes before going to the ranch, but thanks to family connections and the way news travels, I’ll probably be getting a call from Zach about thetime I get to Matchmaker Ranch. I’m too old to fuel the rumor mill, but admittedly, it’s entertaining.

I want to tell Tandy that cleaning the kitchen and watching the storm with her made me feel content in ways I haven’t been in a long time, but that level of honesty will have to wait until she’s ready to hear it. And she isn’t.

But hopefully, with time, that will change.

As I turninto the ranch, Zach calls.

I answer on speaker and laugh before saying, “Let me guess. Hank told Nacha who told Haley who mentioned to you that I stayed the night at Tandy’s.”

Silence fills the line for nearly a full second. “Um, I called to see if you wanted to come to dinner tonight. Haley hasn’t said anything to me about…” A door closes in the background. “You stayed at Tandy’s? Do you want to tell me what’s going on? Weeks ago, y’all weren’t speaking to each other and now you’re spending the night. If I’d acted that way?—”

“I’d love to come to dinner. Mind if I bring Tandy? I think she’d enjoy watching the kiddos run around. And let me be clear about something. Tandy and I are not an item or whatever you kids are calling it these days. She was kind enough to let me crash in her office so that I didn’t have to drive in the storm. But if—and possibly when—there is something romantic sparking between me and Tandy, I’m not inclined to ask anyone’s permission.”

“That’s fair. And I wasn’t implying you needed permission. Least of all, mine.”

Getting him to drop the topic was easier than I anticipated. “And if I recall, Haley stayed at your place?—”

“Granddad, you don’t have to tell me anything about Tandy. And you really don’t have to dredge up my past.” Zach chuckles. “As long as she treats you well, I have no complaints about who you are friends with. And I’ll tell Haley that you’re bringing a friend with you to dinner. We were thinking six thirty.”

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