Page 9 of Taming I Do
“Sure.” Jasper put the menus back. “Wait here a sec?”
I nodded, more than willing to stay put.
He moved through the tables toward a set of swinging doors. I used the opportunity to gather my bearings. Not a single customer sat in the dated restaurant. If this was the best they had to offer, there wasn’t anything romantic about it at all.
“Ms. Stone.” A bear of a man strutted toward me from the kitchen, followed by Jasper. “I’m Helmut Schmidt. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“The pleasure’s all mine. Thank you so much for hosting me while I’m here in town.” I forced a grin as he handed me a tall glass full of iced tea. I’d barely set it on the counter when he reached two heavily tattooed hands toward mine.
“Of course.” His hands wrapped around mine as a smile spread over his lips. “I’m happy to help.”
“Ms. Stone already pulled up in back. If you can show me where the electrical and water hookups are, I’ll make sure she’s set before I head back to the square. I’ve still got a few things to do before she joins us for the kickoff.” Jasper used his thumb to point toward the parking lot.
Helmut nodded as he let go of my hands. “I’d be happy to. But first, have you eaten? Ido’s known for my Banzai Burgers. I can fix up a platter with fried onions and a side of wings. You look like you could stand to put on a few pounds.”
I bristled. I was used to people making comments about my appearance—it came with the territory. But this was the first time someone had seemed so eager to fatten me up. “Thank you, but I ate on the road, besides, I’m a?—”
“Little tired,” Jasper interjected. “She needs to rest up to be ready for tonight.”
I turned my glare on Jasper. “That’s not?—”
“The hookups?” Jasper asked.
“Of course.” Helmut walked back through the restaurant to the kitchen.
I grabbed my tea and followed, glancing over my shoulder to where Jasper trailed behind us. “What was that about?”
“Can we hold off on telling him you don’t eat meat? Maybe until you leave town again?”
“Are you serious?”
Jasper shrugged. “Unless you have some moral obligation to let everyone in town know. I think it would make things easier with Helmut. He has pretty strong feelings about the beef industry.”
“Sure.” I rolled my eyes. Nothing in Ido seemed to make sense. How did they even place fourth in the contest? So far, compared to the other two towns, they seemed the most backward, the most odd.
Jasper let out a breath. “Thanks. Now let’s see what we need to do to get you a hookup.”
I followed him out the back door and into the sun where Helmut stood, a long orange extension cord in hand.
“Hey, Jasper, we seem to have a problem.”
Jasper
I wipedmy bandana across my forehead. Not even an hour into my unwanted new job as hospitality host, and I was already drowning. There was no way I’d be able to survive the next twenty-nine days as acting yes-man to the beauty queen. She was nice enough on the surface, but I’d already failed twice. First, because of the unfortunate circumstances surrounding our initial meeting. Next, because of my inability to get power rigged to her small camper trailer.
When Helmut said she could park in his lot, he didn’t mention that the electrical on his restaurant hadn’t been updated in over fifty years. As soon as we plugged the trailer in, the fuse blew, and the Burger Bonanza went dark. Now I had a pissed-off restaurant owner plus a bedraggled beauty queen on my hands. And both were looking to me for a fix.
“How about you grab your stuff, and I can drive you out to my place so you can get ready for tonight?” I turned to face Delilah. “I’d offer you a room at the Sleep Tight Inn but there’s a big wedding this weekend and Lacey said they’re all booked up.”
“Your place?” She leveled me with a glare.
I shrugged. “Unless you want to go over to Lacey’s. My place is closer, but I can run you out there if you’d rather. I’ll get someone out here with a generator so you’ll be set for later tonight but if you need electricity to get ready for the kickoff, my place might be your best bet.”
“Fine. Let me get my things.” She found the key on her key ring and moved toward the trailer.
I took the opportunity to follow up on Helmut, who’d gone inside to check out his fuse box. “Figure it out?”
“No. Usually when I have a power surge, I just flip the breaker back but that’s not working.”
