At Bluebonnet Lake (Texas Crossroads Book #1): A Novel Read Online Free Page B

besides chairs?”
    “I really need a phone. I’ve been trying to get a cell signal, but this must be a dead zone.”
    The woman ran her hands under the faucet and turned back toward Kate. “The only phone is in the office. We used to have a pay phone outside, but the phone company took it away.”
    Kate wasn’t surprised. Though she hadn’t actively looked for one in the past few years, she’d heard others bemoaning the fact that it was difficult to find a pay phone when their cell phone batteries died. “Do you think Ms. Sinclair would mind if I used the office phone?” The computer would be better, but she wouldn’t ask for that. Not today.
    “I can’t say. Angela’s gone for the afternoon. She and Tim go to San Antonio once a week. I heard them call it their date night.”
    Or their escape from Rainbow’s End. Kate couldn’t imagine what it must be like, living here permanently, especially now that she’d discovered there was no cell service. “Is there anyone else I can ask?” Even though she would charge the calls to her own line, Kate felt uncomfortable invading another person’s office space without permission.
    “I’m afraid not.” The woman gave Kate another smile. “I should have introduced myself earlier. I’m Carmen St. George. You’ve probably guessed that I’m the cook here.”
    Unlike the chefs Kate had seen on TV, Carmen did not wear a white jacket. Instead, she had a voluminous blue gingham apron tied over her navy polo and khaki pants. Perhaps that was why she called herself a cook and not a chef. Kate had never understood the distinction. What she did know was that the aromas coming from the industrial-sized range were making her mouth water.
    “Whatever you’re making smells delicious.” And unlike the other parts of Rainbow’s End that Kate had seen, the kitchen appeared to be in excellent condition. In addition to gleaming stainless steel appliances, it boasted two islands, one marble-topped for pastry making, the other with a butcher-block top and separate sink.
    Carmen shrugged. “Tonight’s spaghetti and meatballs. By the time you leave, you’ll know the menu. Every week is the same.”
    The brochure hadn’t mentioned that. It had waxed eloquent over the homestyle meals and promised genuine Western fare. Though Kate liked spaghetti, it was not her idea of Western cuisine. “Don’t the guests mind?”
    A wry smile lit Carmen’s face. “Not many stay more than a week.”
    Which might explain the punitive cancellation policy. “Isn’t it boring, cooking the same thing every week? I don’t claim to be a chef, but I enjoy trying new recipes. I made Thai chicken last week, and if I say so myself, it was delicious.”
    Carmen’s smile turned into a chuckle. “You won’t find any of that here. The Sinclairs like to keep things simple. The most daring experiment I’ve tried is changing the seasonings in the meat loaf. I added cloves and nutmeg once.”
    “How was that received?”
    “Not well. It seems that one of the guests was allergic to cloves. I’d never heard of that allergy, but ever since, I’ve stuck to the basics.”
    “So I won’t find any cloves in tonight’s meatballs?”
    “Definitely not.” Carmen’s glance at the clock reminded Kate that she had interrupted her.
    “I’d better leave you to your work.”
    “Can I get you something to drink before you leave? Soda, lemonade? There’s a small refrigerator in the dining room.” Carmen pointed toward the door at the far end of the kitchen. “I keep it stocked with beverages, and at night I put out milk and cookies.”
    “Really? That sounds both delicious and decadent.”
    “And you sound like my daughter. She’s always counting calories or fat grams.”
    Guessing that Carmen’s daughter would be around her age, Kate asked whether she lived in Dupree.
    A shadow crossed Carmen’s face. “Atlanta. I don’t see her very often. You know how it is with careers. You young people get so busy