There was only one more thing she needed to grab before she left the room. And what she needed was in her suitcase…somewhere.
She dug around inside until she found the herbs she was looking for. There they were. Right at the very bottom, of course. She brought out the small bag that contained other small bags. Inside, she found what she needed. Her supply was getting low and would soon need replenishing.
She left the room, closing her door, and walked back to Brian’s office, stopping at the secretary’s desk. Shelley glanced up.
Shelley smiled. “Good morning. Amazing what a good night’s sleep will do. You look radiant.”
“Thank you. I feel a lot better.”
She studied her for a moment. “You’re dressed different, too. The outfit you’re wearing is…nice.” She tapped her pencil on her desk. “I might just have to tough out this cold to see what’ll happen today. Amazing what a change of style can do.” When Shelley smiled she looked like a cat who’d just found a bowl of cream.
“Is this okay to wear?” Celeste looked down at her clothes. Maybe she would have to wear a uniform, which was okay; she didn’t mind.
“Oh, no, what you’re wearing is fine. Who would’ve thought you would have a figure like that underneath the loose robe you wore yesterday.”
Celeste had no idea what Shelley was talking about. Maybe the cold had made Shelley a little spacey. Her figure was okay, nothing spectacular in her opinion.
She decided to change the subject away from what she was wearing. “The bed was wonderful. I slept like a baby,” she said.
Shelley started to say something but her words turned into a cough. She quickly covered her mouth. “Ugh, this cold is driving me crazy. I just can’t shake it. Sorry about that. I hope no one else catches it.”
That reminded her. “I brought you some herbs.” She held up the small bag.
Shelley eyed it skeptically. “Herbs?”
Celeste nodded.
“What kind of herbs. I don’t do drugs or anything.”
Laughter bubbled out of Celeste. “Neither do I, but a…a relative taught me about them. Trust me, they’ll help with your cold.”
“What is it exactly?”
Her brow wrinkled in thought. “Elder flowers, thyme leaves and a few other herbs. Just put it into a teapot and add a couple pints of boiling water. You’ll want to let it steep for about thirty minutes then strain off the herbs and drink it. It can be bitter so sweeten it with honey. Thyme honey if you happen to have any.”
“And it will cure my cold?”
Celeste laughed. “If I could cure a cold then I’d be rich. No, it won’t cure your cold, but it’ll ease the symptoms.”
Shelley nodded. “Okay, I’ll try it.”
The door behind Celeste opened and Brian stepped out. His eyes narrowed when he saw the baggie of herbs. He looked up and their gazes collided. His mouth dropped open, and for a moment he didn’t speak as he looked at her. Really looked. She could feel herself blushing. What was it with people today?
“You’re awake, and you look different.” He waved his arm toward her. “You’re not dressed the same.”
“Oh, my clothes. I don’t wear my robes when I’m working. As much as I love the freedom of movement, they kind of get in my way.”
He frowned.
Her stomach growled. “I don’t suppose you’d have something to eat? The sandwich I shared with you last night has worn off.”
Shelley started to cough.
Brian’s frown only deepened. “I told you to stay at home if you were still sick. Take the rest of the day off, and if you’re not one hundred percent better by morning, I don’t want you to come in.”
“But…”
“I’m the boss.”
Shelley rolled her eyes. “Okay, if I’m not feeling better, then I’ll stay at home. I’ll get Beth to cover me. She’s back from vacation.” She smiled at Celeste. “It was nice meeting you, and thanks for the herbs.”
“What exactly did you give her?” Brian asked as he and Celeste walked toward the kitchen.
“I could tell you but then I’d have to kill you.”
He stopped and looked down on her. She suddenly realized how much he towered over her, and right now he didn’t look happy. And he was still her boss.
“Herbs-that was all. They won’t hurt her and they might help with her cold.”
“You’re trained in the use of herbs?”
“Yes. Don’t worry, I wouldn’t give her anything that would cause her harm.”
“This is the dining room that you went through last night. Meals are provided for guests. We have one cook, one assistant, and two servers.” He walked past the tables, then through the swinging doors into the kitchen.
A woman looked up as they entered. Her gray hair peeked out from under her red cap. She wore a matching red apron that had “Kiss the Cook” emblazoned across it in black letters. When she saw that someone was with Brian, she smiled a smile that enveloped Celeste in a warmth of welcome. Celeste immediately liked her.
“This is our new massage therapist, Celeste,” Brian told the older woman. “At the moment, she’s starving.”
“Hello, Celeste. Have a seat at the bar and I’ll fix you right up with some breakfast. We can’t have you starting your first day on the job starving to death.” She continued to smile. “You can call me Betty.”
“When you finish eating, come back to my office and I’ll show you where you’ll work.” He turned and left without another word.
“He doesn’t say a lot, does he?” Celeste asked as Betty went to the counter and began to fix a plate of food. Celeste took a seat at the island, hooking her tennis shoes on the bottom rung of the stool.
The kitchen looked a lot different in the light of day-less forbidding. Maybe because Brian had left the room. It just seemed homier. And very clean. The tan granite countertops were free of clutter and complemented the creamy white cabinets.
There was an industrial-sized stainless steel stove and refrigerator. Except for the larger appliances, it could have been anyone’s kitchen.
“Brian’s got his head full of everything he has to do here at the ranch,” Betty said, and Celeste turned her attention back to the cook. “It wasn’t always making a profit like it is now. He had to put in a lot of long hours to make this place what it is today.”
“But it’s doing well now?” Her last boss not only had accused her of stealing but hadn’t paid her what she had coming. Not that she thought this would be the same situation. At least she hoped not.
Betty set a plate of food in front of Celeste, then went back for silverware. “Oh, yeah, the ranch is doing a lot of business now. We’re nearly always full. We have eight couples here this week. Two have kids. And one single woman up at the old homestead.” She shook her head. “Why anyone would want to pay good money to stay in that shack is beyond me. But Brian sees to everyone and makes sure they get what they came here for.”
She nodded as she took the fork and knife that Betty handed her. “Except I have a feeling he’s forgotten how to relax.” Darn, had she just said that aloud?
Betty laughed. “Are you going to show him how to have fun, child?”
Apparently, she had spoken aloud. She really needed to remember to think before she talked. “I doubt I could show anyone much of anything.”
Betty was thoughtful as her gaze wandered over Celeste. She shifted in her seat. Why was everyone looking at her as if she’d grown two heads or something?
“There’s a sadness about you. I can’t quite put my finger on what it is, though.”
“I slept a long time. I’m still not quite awake.”
Betty shook her head. “Nope, it’s more than that.” Her eyes narrowed. “Be careful. Brian always has liked to fix things whether it be a toaster or a pretty girl, but he shies away from commitments just as much as his brother, Cal. Don’t be getting more hurt piled on those pretty shoulders.”
Their conversation was getting just a little too personal. Celeste took a bite of her eggs. She didn’t need fixing, but she could certainly see how a girl could get her heart broken around here. Brian was a handsome man.