Joy to the Wolves (Red Wolf #1) - Terry Spear Page 0,9
in the kitchen when the last customer left the shop. Sometimes it was busy during lunch hour, and she couldn’t get a bite to eat, but sometimes, like now? Perfect. She hurried to make ice water for everyone, then took her seat and began eating.
Maverick smiled. “She was hungry.”
“If a customer comes in, I’ll have to quit eating. I have to hurry.”
“We can cover for you. We have ranch hands taking care of things back at the ranch.” Maverick smiled at her.
“Thanks. Boy, this is sure delicious. I like eating a big lunch and then a light dinner, but it rarely works out that way except on my days off when the shop is closed.”
Thankfully, they all had time to eat while Maverick talked about all the reindeer they had at the stables and Josh periodically studied her as if he was waiting for her to confess to the crime of stealing a reindeer calf. She finished half the meal and thanked him again for the food, then slipped the remainder in the fridge. As if on cue, her shop door opened, and five more women came inside to see the reindeer. Two of them purchased gift items for their families.
By the time it was six o’clock and Brooke could close the store, she was exhausted. The brothers still hadn’t left. Though Josh had disappeared for a time, maybe doing some detective work.
She thought Maverick had wanted to keep the calf here to help her business. At the same time, he was handing out business cards, telling customers about the reindeer ranch and tours they conducted any time of the year. So it benefited them mutually.
“Do you want to have dinner with me?” Maverick asked, looking hopeful.
“Thanks, but I’ve got the other half of the meal I had at lunch. I’ll have that tonight for dinner. I’ve got a ton of things to do before tomorrow gets here.” Like restock the empty shelves. It looked like she’d had a going-out-of-business sale, because so many of the shelves were practically empty. Which was great.
“Be sure and lock your gate from now on,” Josh said, giving her a stern look. “You’ve got a lot of merchandise in your courtyard that someone might want to steal.”
“Thank you, Detective. I’ll do that.” She didn’t need his advice. Though she thought she ought to thank him again for the great lunch. “Thanks for the prime rib lunch. That was great.” Too bad her lunch companion had made her feel like squirming under his scrutiny. She suspected he didn’t often eat meals—or pay for them out of his own pocket—with suspects on his most-wanted list. “It sure beat having a granola bar.”
He inclined his head and left the shop.
She supposed she needed to make a to-do list for closing so she wouldn’t forget to do any of the important stuff. Like locking her gate! Though it had worked out for the best, because the calf had ended up in her yard and he’d been safe.
Maverick began to take the reindeer out front. He’d periodically taken him out for bathroom breaks in the courtyard throughout the day, and luckily, they hadn’t had any more accidents. He’d put straw down for Jingles and even cleaned up after him.
Brooke walked outside with Maverick as he took the reindeer calf out to his truck and placed him in a trailer, all the customers now gone. She noticed Josh was on his phone talking to someone. “Do you rent the reindeer calves for promotional purposes?”
Maverick locked the gate to the enclosed trailer. “Usually not the calves, but the adult ones, sure.”
“Oh.”
He smiled. “Everyone loves to see them for Christmas. We show them off at the ranch. Jingles seemed to enjoy all the attention he was getting here. It all worked out in the end.”
“I was thinking about doing this again next year. I hadn’t expected to have that much business, and having Jingles here really helped sales. I could rent one of the adults and have photo ops for anyone who came to the shop. The reindeer would be out in the courtyard, and I’d be better prepared the next time, make a big deal of it and promote it.” Though it had worked out well this year, with all the press she’d received.
“We can do that. One of us is always here with the reindeer for the event, so that wouldn’t be a problem at all,” Maverick said. “I sure can arrange it.”