Page 341 of Conveniently Wed
“I can cook. Good cook. Make good things.” Li nodded his head so enthusiastically, Aundy was afraid he’d make his injuries worse.
“What can you cook?” Aundy asked. Her men would not be excited at the prospect of eating Chinese food on a regular basis.
“Anything. Everything. Li good cook.” The man stared hopefully at the women. “Need job, you need cook.” He pointed at Aundy.
“Can you make meat and potatoes? Biscuits? Bacon and eggs?”
“Yes. Cook American food.” Li waved his hands to emphasize his words. “I cook anything.”
Aundy looked at Nora and shrugged her shoulders.
“You get well and we’ll see about trying you out as a cook. If the men don’t complain, you can stay. Does that sound fair?”
“Yes.” Li grinned broadly, at least as broadly as he could with his wounded face.
“You work on healing, then, because we are in dire need of a cook.” Aundy smiled kindly at the man. She had a good feeling about him, even if he hadn’t exposed who beat him or what happened.
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, although you might not thank me after you meet the hungry men at my place.”
Aundy and Nora returned to the kitchen, visiting for a while. When Aundy announced it was time for her to go home, Nora took the cookies out of the basket and set them on a plate. She placed a wrapped loaf of fresh bread in Aundy’s basket and held her jacket while she slipped it on.
“You should come see the sheep, Nora. We have one baby we’re bottle-feeding and he’s adorable. I named him Butter,” Aundy said as she prepared to go out the door.
“I’ll be over soon, honey. If you need anything, though, you let us know,” Nora said as she walked with Aundy down the back steps.
“I will. Thank you.” Aundy hugged her friend before hurrying out to the barn. No one was around when she walked in, so she located Bell and led the horse outside to mount when Garrett came around the corner, almost bumping into her.
“Well, hello.” Garrett shoved his hands into his pockets to keep from wrapping his arms around Aundy and kissing her. “What brings you by today?”
“I wanted to check on Li and I brought over some cookies for Nora to try. I was experimenting with a recipe and wanted her opinion.”
“Cookies?” Garrett perked up at the thought of baked goods. Aundy made the best cookies. He’d have to find an excuse to run inside the house and grab some before his dad ate them all.
“You’re worse than a child.” Aundy’s laugh resonated from Garrett’s ears all the way down to the bottom of his heart, drawing out a warm smile.
“Maybe.” He walked with her across the barnyard toward the lane leading back to the road. “How are things going today? The sheep settled in? Nik doing fine?”
“Yes. Nik is such a sweet boy and the sheep seem so docile. Fred has decided to stay, for now, and the two new hands should arrive this evening. Other than some unexpected visitors this morning, everything is fine.”
“Unexpected visitors?”
“Nothing to be concerned about.” Marvin Tooley’s threats had her worried and a little nervous. Would he really do something to her sheep? “I better get home, though.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t realize you were here sooner. I’d have come in while you were visiting Ma.” Garrett easily lifted her to the saddle. Aundy would have expressed her ability to get herself on the back of Bell without his assistance, but she liked the feel of his hands on her waist too much to protest.
“Then I wouldn’t have gotten to visit with Nora and she wouldn’t have been able to tell me what a naughty little boy you were,” Aundy teased.
“Were? I thought the two of you decided weeks ago I’m still a naughty boy.” The devilish grin on his face made heat climb up her neck and fill her cheeks.
“You’re impossible.” She shook her head and laughed again.
“That I am.” Garrett admired the way her riding skirt fit her tall figure as well as the way she sat on the horse as she started down the lane. “I’ll see you later.”
Aundy waved and urged Bell into a canter.
She raced the horse home as fast as she dared. After brushing down Bell and giving her a portion of her evening feed, Aundy hurried inside the house. Hastily changing back into her dress and tying on a clean apron, she set about preparing dinner for the men. Dent and the hands were out doing fieldwork and would arrive for dinner bone-tired. Aundy told Dent that morning to bring in everyone for the evening meal.
