Mick's...”
“ I've told you before, not that it's any of your business, it's emergency supplies, that's all. Ski stuff, two motor sleds, and equipment in case we get caught out by snow unexpectedly.”
“ So you've said, I don't believe that little piece of fiction either.”
“ That , My dear Mayor, is your problem. Go deal with it!”
“ Boys, boys, cut it out, eh?” Betty said, slapping down their pancake specials with a loud clatter.
Maddy looked at Aden, his features taut with restraint, and Mayor Bill's florid, horrible sneering face.
She was in the middle of a major dispute here and felt more than uncomfortable.
“ Surely you have something better to do than wind Aden up?” Lucas said hotly in Aden's defence.
“ There's nothin' I like more than what I'm doin' now,” the Mayor said with an evil grin.
“ Oh go fuck yourself. Make it twice,” Lucas added nastily.
“ Watchit boy. You know I'm real friendly with our lady Mountie, the honorable Sergeant Philomena Stevens. Remember her? Well, you should, being as she's my fuckin' wife! She'll whip you in jail for the slightest indiscretion.”
“ Oh go poke it mister big shot,” Maddy piped up, absolutely furious at Mayor Bill's disgusting behavior, even though she hadn't a clue as to why he was behaving this way.
“ Keep your little slut in order,” growled out Mayor Bill as picked up his cake and coffee and left his seat
“ Shut your filthy mouth.” Aden spun off his stool and turned to face him in a rage as he passed.
“ Hit a nerve have I...? Well how about that? That's soooo interestin'. I love a bit of female ammo... It's the best ammo of all. Be seein' 'ya Mr Carr. Hope your spindle legs all die with the horse flu. Pretty soon'd be good. Be seeing 'ya too Betty... Put that on my tab darlin'.” The door swung closed and peace descended once more.
“ Jesus, he's an evil bastard,” Betty said with a sigh. They all sighed with her, blowing out deeply.
“ The devil incarnate,” Lucas added with a laugh.
“ With bells and whistles,” Maddy said and they all burst into mild hysterics. “What the hell?”
They finished their wonderful maple syrup covered special cinnamon pancakes, and superb frothy coffees, and finally left Betty's with a cheery farewell and a promise to be back soon.
Maddy settled in the truck for the return journey, contentedly full, and secretly rather pleased to be wedged between two very handsome men who were fighting over her.
After filling up the gasoline tanks, they finally set off towards the ranch.
She even managed to remain calm as Aden hurtled around the hillsides at his alarmingly fast rate, with their extra supplies of highly explosive fuel on board. Half way back she dared to raise her burning question with Aden.
“ Why does the Mayor hate you so much?”
“ We snatched the ranch from under his nose. He really wanted it. Plus we're out-of-towners.”
“ But you only came from Calgary... It's literally next door!” she pointed out.
“ We might as well have been from Timbuktu,” Lucas added. “He's a touch insular in his outlook.”
“ Right... So what did he want the ranch for? I can hardly see him out on a horse, riding the trails!” she laughed.
“ Not for any particular reason I know of. He buys up any land around here. It's his personal little empire,” Aden informed her.
“ So he wants to own Heart?”
“ I guess so. But we outbid him. Luckily the owners were out-of-towners too and weren't subject to his persuasion. Money talks...” Aden added pointedly.
“ So he's a touch annoyed.”
“ Absolutely fucking furious and has been for five whole years,” Lucas said with his usual flair. They all laughed, united for a moment in their dislike of Mayor William Stevens.
* * *
She sat at the table feeling very uncomfortable. She'd chosen to sit next to Aden. Now she wished she hadn't. Lucas had planted himself firmly at her other side, like a possessive sentinel
“ I've told you before, not that it's any of your business, it's emergency supplies, that's all. Ski stuff, two motor sleds, and equipment in case we get caught out by snow unexpectedly.”
“ So you've said, I don't believe that little piece of fiction either.”
“ That , My dear Mayor, is your problem. Go deal with it!”
“ Boys, boys, cut it out, eh?” Betty said, slapping down their pancake specials with a loud clatter.
Maddy looked at Aden, his features taut with restraint, and Mayor Bill's florid, horrible sneering face.
She was in the middle of a major dispute here and felt more than uncomfortable.
“ Surely you have something better to do than wind Aden up?” Lucas said hotly in Aden's defence.
“ There's nothin' I like more than what I'm doin' now,” the Mayor said with an evil grin.
“ Oh go fuck yourself. Make it twice,” Lucas added nastily.
“ Watchit boy. You know I'm real friendly with our lady Mountie, the honorable Sergeant Philomena Stevens. Remember her? Well, you should, being as she's my fuckin' wife! She'll whip you in jail for the slightest indiscretion.”
“ Oh go poke it mister big shot,” Maddy piped up, absolutely furious at Mayor Bill's disgusting behavior, even though she hadn't a clue as to why he was behaving this way.
“ Keep your little slut in order,” growled out Mayor Bill as picked up his cake and coffee and left his seat
“ Shut your filthy mouth.” Aden spun off his stool and turned to face him in a rage as he passed.
“ Hit a nerve have I...? Well how about that? That's soooo interestin'. I love a bit of female ammo... It's the best ammo of all. Be seein' 'ya Mr Carr. Hope your spindle legs all die with the horse flu. Pretty soon'd be good. Be seeing 'ya too Betty... Put that on my tab darlin'.” The door swung closed and peace descended once more.
“ Jesus, he's an evil bastard,” Betty said with a sigh. They all sighed with her, blowing out deeply.
“ The devil incarnate,” Lucas added with a laugh.
“ With bells and whistles,” Maddy said and they all burst into mild hysterics. “What the hell?”
They finished their wonderful maple syrup covered special cinnamon pancakes, and superb frothy coffees, and finally left Betty's with a cheery farewell and a promise to be back soon.
Maddy settled in the truck for the return journey, contentedly full, and secretly rather pleased to be wedged between two very handsome men who were fighting over her.
After filling up the gasoline tanks, they finally set off towards the ranch.
She even managed to remain calm as Aden hurtled around the hillsides at his alarmingly fast rate, with their extra supplies of highly explosive fuel on board. Half way back she dared to raise her burning question with Aden.
“ Why does the Mayor hate you so much?”
“ We snatched the ranch from under his nose. He really wanted it. Plus we're out-of-towners.”
“ But you only came from Calgary... It's literally next door!” she pointed out.
“ We might as well have been from Timbuktu,” Lucas added. “He's a touch insular in his outlook.”
“ Right... So what did he want the ranch for? I can hardly see him out on a horse, riding the trails!” she laughed.
“ Not for any particular reason I know of. He buys up any land around here. It's his personal little empire,” Aden informed her.
“ So he wants to own Heart?”
“ I guess so. But we outbid him. Luckily the owners were out-of-towners too and weren't subject to his persuasion. Money talks...” Aden added pointedly.
“ So he's a touch annoyed.”
“ Absolutely fucking furious and has been for five whole years,” Lucas said with his usual flair. They all laughed, united for a moment in their dislike of Mayor William Stevens.
* * *
She sat at the table feeling very uncomfortable. She'd chosen to sit next to Aden. Now she wished she hadn't. Lucas had planted himself firmly at her other side, like a possessive sentinel
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