Her Heart's Bargain. Cheryl Harper
the ceiling off, but there was something about the enthusiasm of kids that made it bearable. Loud, pushy adults set Macy’s teeth on edge. “Your job is hard. Remembering who ordered what. Juggling plates and chairs and all the coming and going. Being nice to people for all that time.”
“I am a wonder, it’s true.” Christina grinned. As she chewed, she said, “Pretty sure I used to be the world’s worst waitress, though.”
“What changed?” Macy asked before she took another bite. Seriously. Why didn’t she do this more? It was a sandwich, nothing special, but it tasted better than any meal she’d had in... She couldn’t even remember. Had to be the atmosphere.
“Well...” Christina wiped her mouth. “Couple things changed. I needed to keep the job.” She held up a finger. “Very important discovery. Then, I realized how little it takes to make people happy. Remembering an order or calling someone by name or relaying a tidbit of a story. That’s it. They’re convinced I’m awesome, even if I forget they asked for mayo on the side.”
Macy nodded. “Doesn’t hurt that a handsome man comes through at least once a day to kiss you, either.” She grinned. “Right?”
“It has certainly added to my current job satisfaction. Life is weird.” Christina sighed before attacking her lunch again.
Macy laughed, having thought the same thing for most of the morning. She and Christina ate in silence. Every now and then, a slow ripple in the water sent a bright flash across the table in reflection. “This is nice. I’d be satisfied here, too.”
“Your view at the station’s pretty good. Green trees. Enough handsome ranger action to keep the blood perking. We’re lucky to be surrounded by beauty.” Christina balled her napkin up and stretched back with a sigh as she extended her legs. “Brett says some of the chaos has died down.”
“Yeah, Ash is back to work. I wonder if the calm will hold when word gets out.” Macy shrugged. “I’ll keep an eye out if those reporters come back around.”
Christina fiddled with her straw wrapper. “The way gossip spreads around here, there may be a news caravan already headed your way. It’s all the locals will talk about lately. Especially whether Ash Kingfisher is responsible for delaying the lodge project that everyone’s hoping will bring more people and therefore more dollars to the area. The crowds through here have disappeared. Only the diehards like Woody, Janet and Regina have been coming in for breakfast. Tourists?” She shrugged. “Not enough to speak of right now. According to Woody, there’s a lot of pot stirring in town, calling for locals to boycott the whole Reserve, including the campground, until Ash admits he’s behind this leaked report. The Callaways will replace him, get the lodge back on schedule, and in will pour the jobs. Brett says when the number of visitors drop and the revenues drop, the district office will want to know why. If all of Sweetwater is pointing at Ash, it could mean trouble.” She glanced around the restaurant. “See how all the talk in town is working out here?”
Macy leaned against the booth and considered what Christina was saying and what she meant. “I’m not surprised. People holding protest signs is something I’ve never seen in Sweetwater before, but they showed up earlier this week out at the ranger station. They don’t know him like I do.”
Macy returned to studying the golden ripples of Otter Lake. The only thing she was certain of was that Ash Kingfisher had nothing to do with the current drama.
Was she wrong?
“The whole town depends on the tourists the Reserve brings in. The lodge will bring in even more. It makes sense that people are concerned. The mission matters less than the money,” Christina said softly. “They want somebody to be at fault, so they can get rid of ’em and convince themselves everything’s perfect in their small town. I’ve seen it before.” In the sunlight, Christina was pretty, gorgeous even, but her serious eyes worried Macy. Even with Brett’s support for Ash, it seemed Christina had her doubts.
“He didn’t do it. Ash has been vocal about his objections to this lodge all along, mainly because of the habitat it will destroy. To build up on The Aerie? It makes no sense. New road. A bridge over the valley, plus the clearing in one of the oldest areas of the Reserve. He was doing his job to object. Anyone who thinks he’d play politics to get what he wanted is wrong.” Macy leaned forward. “Is that what you’re thinking?” Storming out was a possibility, but Macy’s excellent lunch was slowing her down.
Christina snorted. “Me? No way. Brett would say the same in front of a firing squad. He trusts Ash and I trust him. The rest of Sweetwater, though? Man, you would not believe the things I’ve heard from the morning crowd. Gossip starts out simple enough, but it doesn’t take long to get ugly. Believe me, I’ve studied it for a long time. Got the first complaint about me for the month for setting someone straight about Ash.”
“It’s a good thing Ash doesn’t care about ridiculous gossip like that.” Macy dug around in her purse for cash. She needed to get back to work.
“Sure.” Christina rolled her eyes. “Brett would be having a crisis if anyone said the same of him, but Ash... Well, he’s kind of a mystery, anyway. Doubt he’s even heard it, lucky guy.”
Macy paused. “What does that mean?”
Christina wrinkled her nose. “Hermit. That was the word I heard someone use. Do those even exist anymore? Must be nice to not have to care about what people say because you don’t have to hear it, you know?”
Annoyed at first, Macy forced herself to settle and take in the scenery.
“So...what? That convinces people he’s guilty? They don’t know him.” If they did, they’d brush the story off like tabloid trash.
“Listen, girl, if there’s anyone in this town who’ll step up beside you to protest the way people jump to judgy conclusions, it’s me.” Christina pointed at her face. “Doesn’t change the fact that they can’t be talked out of what they think. They have to see it.” She leaned forward. “They need to see him more. I told Brett that, but he laughed like he does when his son tells knock-knock jokes. That’s what’s changing people’s minds about me and about his wild, bad ex-wife, Leanne. They see us working hard, raising good kids. It’s hard to believe a story when the evidence right in front of your face tells you something different.”
“How? How would we even show Sweetwater a different side of Ash?” Macy crossed her arms over her chest. “He works hard at the Reserve. Long hours.”
“Right. And that’s all. The last big splash Ash made was when he fell climbing the cliff below Yanu Falls.” She shivered. “Why would anyone want to climb up it? When we were in high school, I went out there with Travis Riggs after the Reserve had closed for the night, and he told a ghost story I’ve never forgotten. How many other girls did that move work on?” Christina shook her head. “Not important. It’s too bad Sam Blackburn took that job in Colorado. That guy could say Ash was better than Tennessee whiskey and people would believe the golden boy. Without him, that leaves... Brett. You, I guess.” She wrinkled her nose. It wasn’t an impressive number of people.
“Doesn’t matter. He will never go for... What would you even call that? A publicity makeover? He’s innocent. This will all work out. It has to.” Ash hated the unnecessary mess and noise of most people.
Unless it had to do with introducing them to the natural wonders of the Smoky Valley Nature Reserve.
“I hope you’re right and it happens fast. This place needs Sweetwater showing up here and ordering the usual. Brett respects Ash more than anyone else he knows. He doesn’t want to lose the best boss he’s ever had.”
Macy straightened in her seat. “You think Ash could lose his job, too?” No way. There was no way the Reserve would let silly things like unsubstantiated rumors lead to firing a man who served like Ash did. “Surely this will blow over. The news is dying down already.”
Brett had mentioned the possibility that Ash’s job could be in danger, but it