Page 64 of A Sweet Deal for the Cowboy

She felt a little guilty, as she hadn’t really made this from scratch. “It’s packaged barbecue pulled pork,” she admitted. “I have no idea how to barbecue something outside.”

He laughed and kept chewing. He took a break before bites to quickly say, “If you make this, I’ll barbecue you anything you want outside.” He shoved another forkful in, and Nova didn’t know if she had ever been so excited.

Then he swallowed and looked at her to say, “Except chevon of course.”

“What’s chevon?” Gabby asked, looking concerned.

“Something we don’t talk about here,” Gunner said quickly. Then he ate some more.

Nova mouthed, “I’ll tell you later” to Gabby. Then she finally allowed herself to start eating.

She too was surprised at how good it was. Maybe she could make this every other night while she figured out something else she could manage.

Gunner looked up at her when his plate was almost clear and said, “This is really delicious!”

She almost laughed at how surprised he was.

“It sure is,” Bull said from behind her. “Is there more?”

She waved at the stove. “Help yourself. I made lots.”

“Thank you.” Gunner got up to get himself a second helping, and Conley looked at her with a question in his eyes.

She nodded. “Go ahead.” She watched the men reload their plates and thought that if this is what cooking was supposed to feel like, then maybe she didn’t hate cooking after all.

Chapter 45

At the end of Gunner’s fourth grade year, his teacher had given him the most improved award. His mother had been thrilled, but Gunner had been embarrassed. Saying that a nine-year-old was most improved said that the nine-year-old started off the year as stupid. It was a backhanded compliment and not one not worth giving. So while he was nearly desperate to make sure that Nova knew how much he had enjoyed supper, he didn’t want to make too big of a deal of it, lest he draw attention to how terrible her first several suppers had been.

He didn’t want to give his wife the most-improved cook award.

Gabby had already gone to bed, and now Conley was asking if he could go upstairs as well. They had been watching a movie together, and it was quite boring, so he could see why the kids wanted to escape. Nova, however, seemed to really be enjoying the flick, and he was enjoying having his arm around his wife while she enjoyed something, so it didn’t really matter to him how boring it was. Nova told Conley that he could go to bed once he washed his face and brushed his teeth, and he hung his head on the way to the bathroom.

Gunner heard the water turn on and then immediately turn back off; seconds later the door opened. He knew the kid had just faked his nightly hygiene routine, but Nova was too engrossed in the movie to catch it. “Good night, sweetheart,” she said as he went up the stairs. Gunner caught his eye and winked, and Conley gave him a shy smile.

Mona was already asleep on Nova’s lap.

Gunner tried to hide his yawn, but Nova looked at him. “You don’t have to finish this, you know.”

He nodded. “No, no, I’m enjoying it,” he lied.

She gave him a sideways smile that suggested she knew he was fibbing, but she didn’t argue.

When the credits started, Gunner was relieved, and started to get up, but Nova put a hand on his knee. “Hang on, there’s a bonus scene after the credits.”

He settled back in. Of course there was. He watched the credits scroll across the screen. “Your supper was really delicious tonight,” he said before he realized he was going to say it. Apparently he just couldn’t contain his praise any longer.

She smiled. “Good. I’m glad to hear it.”

“We could make that a weekly thing if you don’t mind making it.”

“Already planned on it,” she said.

The bonus scene started, and it was all about a woman catching her husband in a lie. Gunner started to feel guilty for lying about liking the movie. He waited till the scene finished before saying, “Okay, I apologize, but I really didn’t like that movie.”

He expected Nova to laugh, but she didn’t. She stared at him as if she were horrified.

“I’m sorry. Was it really important to you that I liked it?”

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