She remembered the lyrics so well that said someone was knockin’ and she wondered if she should let him in; that she’d heard about the devil but who would have thought he’d be wearing blue jeans and have blue eyes when he came knocking on her door.
Allie squeezed the sandwich so hard that her fingers went through it. She wanted a bowl of that chili so bad she could taste it. And she was meaner than the devil and one bowl of chili did not mean it was a social call. It was food that would provide warmth for her to work on the roof in the bitter cold all afternoon.
Lizzy could fuss at her later that night, but she was going back into that house and eating chili at a table and maybe even a piece of chocolate pie afterward. Besides, Deke loved Mary Jo’s chili even more than she did and he’d tease her all afternoon about how good it was if she didn’t eat with them.
The house smelled scrumptious when she knocked on the back door and entered without waiting for an invitation. “I changed my mind and I don’t want to hear jack shit from you, Deke Sullivan.”
“I ain’t sayin’ nothing. I was about to walk on back to my ranch if you hadn’t come on back in here,” Deke said.
“Why did you change your mind?” Blake asked.
“Because the day she turns down chili, then I figure she’s gettin’ that stuff that her granny has and I ain’t workin’ with a woman who’s holdin’ a nail gun if her mind ain’t right. Why are you in a bad mood today anyway?” Deke asked.
Allie scowled at him. “I’m not in a mood. Where are the bowls?”
Blake pointed. “There’s a bowl beside the slow cooker. Help yourself.”
She removed her coat and hung it over the back of a chair.
Blake’s eyes caught with hers and sparks flew. “Well, whatever the reason, I’m glad you changed your mind. A dinner table is always nicer with a lovely woman sitting at it.”
Deke pushed back his chair and in a couple of long strides he was beside Allie. “You best not skimp on your helping because I’m having seconds. Mary Jo hasn’t made chili for me in more than a year.”
Allie filled her bowl to the brim and carried it carefully to the table. She sat down and dipped her spoon deep into the chili, keeping her eyes on the food instead of looking at either Deke or Blake. “Mmm. Mary Jo’s chili is the best in the world.”
Deke set his second bowl on the table. “If you hadn’t come back I really was going to give you hell about it.”
Blake pushed back his chair and went to refill his bowl. “Sometime I’ll make a pot of chili and let y’all be the judge if it’s this good. My mama had four old ornery boys and she said that we had to learn our way around the kitchen. So every fourth day one of us had kitchen duty. We hated it but I can make a pretty good pot of chili and I know how to grill a steak. And sharing it with a pretty lady and a friend makes everything better.”
“Allie still hates the kitchen. Only thing she hates worse than cooking is cleaning. She’s pretty good at both but that don’t mean she enjoys it,” Deke said between bites.
“I’m sitting right here,” Allie said bluntly. “You aren’t supposed to talk about me when I’m close enough to smack the shit out of you.” Allie reached for a piece of cheese and then cut it up in cubes on top of her chili. “I’m surprised you didn’t buy this place, Deke.”
“I started to. Went to the bank and asked for a loan and then changed my mind. It’s not what I really want.”
“And that would be?” Blake asked.
One of Deke’s shoulders raised a couple of inches in a shrug. “I want the place my cousin has across the road from mine. He’ll get tired of his bitchin’ city wife within the year and put it up for sale. Besides, this place ain’t nothing but mesquite and cow tongue cactus. Only thing it’s got going for it is those three spring-fed ponds so you don’t have to carry water to the cattle in the hot summertime.”
“Mesquite can be removed right along with cactus, and the ranch was cheap.” Blake changed the subject. “Got a wife and kids, Deke?”
Deke slapped his forehead. “I forgot the beer. Not that this sweet tea isn’t good, but I said I’d contribute the beer to our dinner. Sorry about that.”
“He doesn’t have a wife or kids.” Allie answered the question for him.
“And you, Allie? Got a husband or kids?” Blake asked.
“No.” Her answer was tight and left no room for discussion.
Deke went on. “I got a little spread of about three hundred acres and I run some cattle, grow some hay, and do odd jobs with Allie when she needs a tough cowboy. It butts up to your place on the west side. Other than that, I’m a rodeo junkie. I ride a few bulls and broncs and even play at rodeo clown when they need me. No wife. No kids and ain’t interested in neither one right now.”