Page 40 of Texas Made
He talked to Chase and Ella first, going out to their new house they’d built on the ranch. It was close enough for Chase to get to the barn but far enough away to give them privacy from the original house and Gabe’s cottage.
“Want a beer?” Chase asked, letting him in.
“Sounds good.” He took his beer to the big den, popped the top, and sat on the couch. “Jaclyn’s coming down this weekend.”
“Oh, good,” Ella said. “I know you’ve missed her.”
Only like crazy. “I want to do something special for her, so I need someone to cover for me Friday night, Saturday, Saturday night and Sunday until Jaclyn has to leave. I know it’s a lot to ask but I’m going to ask Gabe to help out too. Any chance y’all can do it?”
“Sure,” Chase said. “Can’t really turn you down after the virus. I think Damaris will help out some too.”
“Thanks. Damaris already covered for me the weekend I went to Dallas.”
“True, but if she’s around she won’t be able to leave it be.”
“Good point.” Marshall sat and talked with them for a bit while he finished his beer. When he got back to the house he made a dinner reservation at Blue, the restaurant at the local winery, for Saturday night, as well as an overnight reservation at the Harwood Inn, just south of Whiskey River. Wanting to surprise her, he didn’t tell Jaclyn his plans, though he did suggest she bring something to wear to go out to dinner.
Depending on when she got in on Friday, he thought they could go to Booze’s or the honky-tonk just north of town, Buddy’s Bar and Boogie. He wasn’t much for dancing but if Jaclyn was game Buddy’s had line dancing and country music. Booze’s ran more to pool and darts for its entertainment. He’d let Jaclyn choose, though, and hope she picked Booze’s.
In the meantime he made sure he was caught up on all his chores so he didn’t have to add extra in for his family to take care of. And by the time she got there it was well past dinner and Jaclyn wanted to stay in, which was exactly what he preferred.
Chapter Sixteen
Saturday evening Marshallhad arranged a romantic dinner at Blue, the restaurant out by the Barrels Winery. Jaclyn had never been, in fact, hadn’t known it existed. The menu was New American, and Marshall had said he wasn’t sure what that meant but he’d heard everything was really good. It surprised her a bit that he’d never been either, but then, Marshall had admitted he hadn’t dated much in the past several years, being too busy with the ranch to make the effort. And when he did he tended to go to more casual places.
The restaurant was fairly new, fresh and modern rather than traditional. The hostess led them to a small table along the side of the room, back in the corner, one of the half-circle booths with beige cushions. The window overlooked the grape-laden vines and the winery itself, where a dozen varieties of flowers were planted.
Wood-topped tables and the wooden rafters of the high ceilings were made from the same wood, though the rafters had a rough finish rather than the smooth finish of the tables. Artwork by local artists was placed in strategic areas on the walls. The art, a mix of both modern and traditional, went together surprisingly well. Subdued lighting and soft jazz and rhythm and blues playing in the background completed a very romantic picture.
Jaclyn was completely charmed both by the restaurant and by Marshall. “You didn’t have to go to so much trouble. I’d have been happy to stay at the ranch, but this is delicious.”
They shared some small plates of feta and bacon stuffed mushrooms and marinated crab claws and then Marshall ordered a New York strip while Jaclyn had the tournedos. After dinner they shared a dessert; peach cobbler, which was awesome.
“I wanted to do something different. Show you that there’s more to Whiskey River than the ranch. Besides,” he added with a grin, “I’ve been curious about this place for a while now.”
“I enjoyed the day,” Jaclyn said. They’d driven around the countryside a bit, and out to one of the lakes the Hill Country was known for. Then they stopped for lunch at a tiny burger joint that only the locals knew about. After that they came back to Whiskey River and strolled around the square. She stopped in at Lavender Dreams and bought some more of the hand lotion she’d discovered last time she was in.
“Scoping out the competition?” Ariana had asked teasingly.
“You can never tell,” she said with a grin. “Seriously, though, your products are wonderful. I bid on your basket at Boots & Bangles but I didn’t get it. If I ever expand, and I’m not saying I will, I wouldn’t change my business model of wholesale and online only. And I sure as heck don’t want to compete with your lavender products.” Though she hadn’t won the basket she’d bought enough of their products to know they ran a first-class business with first-class products.
Ariana laughed. “That’s so funny. I bid on your basket and won it.”
“Really? I’m flattered.”
“I was thrilled. I told you I use your makeup and now I have more to try out.”
They’d gone on to talk of other things, but Jaclyn filed the conversation away to think about if she did decide to expand.
“Damaris and I rarely came to town when we were young,” she told Marshall. “I only went a few times when I stayed recently. I loved seeing the art gallery and shops. Whiskey River has a lot more going for it than I’d realized.”
Marshall laughed. “It’s still small-town Texas. But it’s a great town.”
“You love it here, don’t you?”
“Yeah. My year away made me appreciate it more than I had. Let me know what I’d been missing by living in the big city.”
After dinner they got in Marshall’s truck and she thought they’d go back to the ranch. Instead, Marshall held up a pretty pink and white bandanna and said, “Turn around.”
