Chapter 6 Dessert Dates
Quinn hurried back to Abigail's, rushing past buildings which were becoming familiar; in the periphery of her vision, she saw some curious looks from the people she was passing; Quinn smiled but didn't make eye contact. There was no need to alienate anyone on her first day, even if she didn't want to stop and introduce herself.
In her haste to get back, she chose the shortest route and entered through the front door of the café, not thinking about the reception she would receive or that it might slow her down. As she opened the door and stepped inside, it felt as though everyone there stopped what they were doing to stare.
People froze with forks or teacups halted in mid-air, startled by her appearance. She looked around nervously, praying for a diversion. Mike Hickam came to her rescue, standing up from a table along the wall. "Quinn, did you find the Livery okay? I hope everything was okay with your horse." He asked, looking at her shyly. He could sense the curiosity of the people in the room and looked to his two companions sitting at the table and said, "Fiona, Faith, this is Quinn Standing; she is new in town and is going to be helping Bill in the Judge's office.
Quinn followed Mike's gaze toward his dining partners; she thought back to what Bill had told her, remembering Faith was the Town Doctor. Fiona also stuck out in her mind, she was the Town Barber, an usual job for a woman, but more importantly, she was a rival in the mayoral race. Looking at Fiona, her lovely, intelligent face lighting up as she smiled, Quinn returned the smile; she bet she would give Bill a real run for his money.
"Yes, Mike, I did, thank you, everything was fine; I trusted Gabe would see to her but wanted to check myself, especially on the first night in a new town," Quinn assured Mike. As Quinn listened to herself, she wondered if Nathan and Allie eating dessert at the café was his way of checking on her, this being her first night in town. A stab of disappointment pierced Quinn's heart, thinking that might be the only reason he agreed to Allie's suggestion.
"It's lovely to meet you both; please call me Quinn." She said, looking at Faith to include her in the smile she had given Fiona. Fiona and Faith welcomed Quinn to town and asked her to call them by their first names. She chatted with them about her arrival in Hope Valley, giving an edited version of her past. Skimming over what influenced her decision to relocate, answering their questions as honestly as possible, she was happy they didn't pry.
As they talked, Quinn subtly looked around the room, realising this was her opportunity to see inside the café. The restaurant was cosy and welcoming, and she could see why people would enjoy eating there, and then there was Minnie's cooking.
After a while, Quinn realised that she needed to excuse herself to eat dinner and change before having dessert. Waiting for a lull in the conversation, she said, "it's been so lovely to meet you both, but unfortunately, I do need to go. Bill saved dinner for me, and I would like to freshen up; it has been quite a long day." They chorused their agreement, each one welcoming her again, and she felt she could leave without being rude. As they said goodbye, she realised she had once again attracted attention to herself, smiling at the table, and around the room, she walked quickly through the curtain at the back of the room, leading into the private space and kitchen area at the back of the café.
As the curtain closed behind her, head down, she let out a small sigh of relief, glad more of her introductions had gone well. Quinn was hoping all her interactions would be just as positive. Looking up, she saw Bill standing in the Kitchen looking at her, smiling.
"I thought I heard your voice," he said, collecting a bowl and spoon, serving her a portion of the stew from the large saucepan on the stove. Bill indicated she should sit at the table; as he dished out her food, he said, "don't expect me to wait on you for every meal unless you're a paying customer." the smile on his face let her know he was joking.
Quinn grinned, "of course not, Bill, you are a very busy man, and, from tomorrow, aren't you paying me to wait on you?" Picking up her spoon and dipping it into her bowl of stew, she looked up at him cheekily.
Laughing, he shook his head at her, "well, I don't expect you to wait on me; I would rather us be a Team, and to prove what a great Boss I am going to be, you can have tomorrow off. Take the whole weekend, get settled in and start Monday."
"Oh, thank you, Bill, definitely the best boss." Quinn couldn't help but laugh at the look on his face; he was so proud of his generosity he was glowing; if his hands weren't full, she was sure he would have patted himself on the back. She happily went back to eating her stew, the smell of it reminding her just how hungry she was; it was one of the best meals she could remember eating.
Stomach full, Quinn headed upstairs to freshen up; she still hadn't decided whether to change her dress or leave it. Climbing the stairs to her rooms, she thought about the night ahead. She was very grateful to Bill for letting her settle in over the next few days; she could take more time to familiarise herself with the town and its people. An early morning ride on Misty was also a must.
After finishing their meal at home, Nathan, Allie, and Gabe strolled through the fading light toward the Café, heading away from the rowhouses. It was a quiet trip, the three walking in companionable silence, lost in their thoughts. There was always room for dessert, even though the meal had been filling. They hadn't made it home in time to make cupcakes, so Nathan, as promised, was taking Allie to Abigail's for dessert.
Allie had spoken excitedly about Quinn and her horse at dinner, clearly keen to learn more about the newcomer. Nathan hoped that having her as the main topic of conversation may have loosened Gabe's tongue, but it hadn't. Nathan tried to understand his feelings toward Quinn. She was beautiful, one of the most beautiful women he had ever seen, but there was something more than that. If it were only her looks, he wouldn't be in such a rush to finish dinner and see her again, if it would make his heart race.
Gabe walked between Allie and Nathan; he knew Nathan wanted information on Quinn; he had asked several questions but had not pursued them when Gabe didn't answer. Gabe wasn't deliberately trying to hide anything from Nathan; he just wanted him to make up his mind without clouding it any more than it already had been. Nathan was not a gossip; Gabe smiled to himself; around most people, Nathan barely spoke, so that wasn't his concern. He just wanted Quinn to go back to her old self, the way she was before the death of her father and the accusations against her. If people in town thought there was no story, there would be no story; no one would have a reason to look for more information. He knew if anyone found out about Quinn's recent history, she would need people on her side; he had already said the same to Nathan and hoped the two would become friends.
Nathan, Allie, and Gabe entered the Café; the Mounties looked around, unconsciously assessing the room; as their eyes met, they each realised what the other had been doing and laughed. Nathan said, "well, put your skills to good use and find us a table Mountie Gabe." slapping him on the shoulder while Allie giggled.
Gabe selected an empty table for four in the middle of the room; he glanced over his shoulder at Nathan and Allie, silently asking if the selection was okay. He placed his hand on the back of the chair facing toward the Kitchen, but Nathan quickly moved in, claiming it from him, ready to sit down. Gabe's lips formed into a grin, so Nathan wanted to face the Kitchen, which was interesting. He wondered how Nathan would react to Quinn; it wouldn't be long now. Gabe knew they had met earlier but, without being there, hadn't been able to assess how it went. Standing, he allowed Allie to sit next to Nathan before seating himself; he would have the perfect position to observe Nathan and Quinn.
Quinn looked at her reflection in the mirror, critiquing her appearance. Her hair was pulled back from her face on both sides with combs, then fell loosely down her back. The dress she had changed into was a simple one; it was a light green, with no fancy ruffles or embroidery. Quinn wasn't a person who liked too many frills; she was much more practical in her tastes. She hadn't changed her outfit to impress Nathan; after her dinner and a quick rest, she realised she was too wrinkled for the Cafe; she didn't want to embarrass her new boss or new friends. Quinn grinned at herself in the mirror; of course, that was the reason.
'Stop it!', she said to herself, giving herself a mental shake. Quinn knew she had to stop thinking about Nathan in any way other than professionally; the man was married. Even though no one had mentioned his wife, he had to have one or have had one; he had a daughter.
Taking a deep breath and one last look at herself, she shook her head and tried to calm her nerves. Hope Valley is where she would make her home; she needed no complications, only to build relationships with the townspeople. A good working relationship with the Town Mountie was essential to her role. All she had to do was go downstairs, have dessert with an old friend and make some new ones; it was nothing more than that.
They were only there for dessert, they arrived later than usual, and the Cafe was almost empty. Gabe watched Nathan with amusement; his friend could not sit still; he fidgeted in his seat and would surely get whiplash from looking around at every noise or movement from the Kitchen. Luckily for Nathan, Allie was happy to do most of the talking, and with Gabe carrying the conversation, she hadn't noticed her father's distraction.
Gabe had never seen his friend so distracted. He wasn't around Nathan when he was involved with Elizabeth Thornton, if you could call it that. Gabe knew they hadn't gone on any formal dates; there were just many interactions and shared moments between the two, and consequently, Nathan had fallen in love with her. Seeing Elizabeth in person, Gabe couldn't deny she was beautiful; he just struggled to understand how she had treated his friend and Allie so carelessly. Elizabeth chose to court Lucas Bouchard over Nathan, breaking their hearts. She had also shattered Nathan's confidence in himself after telling him that she had never been in love with him, only looking for a replacement for her dead husband. Nathan was left reeling, wondering how he could trust his feelings again. Many thought Elizabeth had taken the safe option with Lucas, frightened of losing Nathan the same way she had her first husband, Jack.
Nathan knew Gabe was watching his discomfort and finding it amusing. He couldn't blame him; he knew how jumpy he was but couldn't seem to help it. A movement from the Kitchen caught his attention, and he looked over hopefully. Quinn appeared in the break in the curtains, her eyes finding him immediately; she smiled. Nathan's breath caught in his throat, she had changed since he had seen her earlier, and in the simple green dress she wore now, she was stunning; he certainly hadn't overstated her beauty. He watched her walk towards them, maintaining eye contact, swallowing hard. Nathan tried to stand in greeting; his first attempt didn't go well, his legs refusing to cooperate. He heard Gabe snigger but refused to acknowledge him. Inhaling deeply, his second attempt to stand was much better.
Quinn's eyes connected with Nathan's intense blue stare as she walked into the Cafe. He was looking at her intensely, her mouth went dry, and her stomach fluttered with nerves at the look in his eyes. Seeing Nathan waiting there made her smile. Of course, she was glad to see Allie and Gabe also. Walking to their table, Quinn counted only four seats. Nathan's wife wasn't joining them; maybe she had stayed home. Quinn was determined to find out about her as soon as possible; Quinn knew her physical reaction to Nathan was natural; he was extraordinarily good looking. If Nathan turned out to be as charming as he was handsome, she was in trouble.
As Quinn drew closer, Gabe stood to greet her, doing a much better job than Nathan had. Looking at Nathan to gauge his reaction, he noted that his friend seemed mesmerised by Quinn. He looked at Quinn; he conceded she was attractive, her outfit was lovely, so he was not surprised Nathan was staring. What did surprise him was Quinn's reaction to Nathan; she didn't appear to have noticed anyone else in the Cafe, including him and Allie. Quinn was focused intently on Nathan. Gabe frowned slightly; this was an intriguing development; one he hadn't seen coming; he wasn't sure how he felt about it. Quinn and Nathan had both been through a lot; was this the right time for either of them?