Read Online Brides of Iowa by Connie; Stevens - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Connie; Stevens
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wasn’t a single crumb left on it.
“I understand you are the one doing the baking.”
She caught her breath and glanced to the right and left. “We’d rather nobody knew about that.”
Gideon gave her a knowing look. “You mean you’d rather Kilgore didn’t know about it.”
She didn’t know how he’d become privy to the information, but she merely nodded. Gideon could be trusted. “I really like doing it. Tillie even told me I should open a bakery. Of course that’s ridiculous. Opening a new business takes money, and I don’t make that much. But it was fun to think about.”
Gideon nodded. “That does sound like an interesting idea. You should give it some consideration. Maybe you could get a loan from the bank.”
“Pfft! Me? Why would the bank want to loan me money? No, it’s silly to even allow myself to dream about such a thing.”
Gideon appeared to be about to disagree when his expression darkened abruptly.
A hand grabbed Tessa’s upper arm and jerked her around. Mr. Kilgore’s ferocious expression bore down on her like an awakening grizzly in spring-time. “Didn’t I tell you not to stand around dawdling?” His fingers dug into her flesh so hard she winced.
Gideon was on his feet in an instant, grabbing hold of Mr. Kilgore’s arm. “Let go of her, Kilgore!”
Her boss pulled away from Gideon so forcefully she nearly dropped her tray and lost her footing. “Gideon, please. It’s all right. I shouldn’t have stopped to talk. I’m sorry, Mr. Kilgore. It won’t happen again.”
Gideon grabbed the man’s jacket lapel and necktie all in one powerful grip. “I said let go of her, Kilgore.”
“Who do you think you are, ordering me around in my own hotel? I have half a mind to call the sheriff and have you thrown out of here.”
The man’s bluster didn’t make Gideon back down an inch. As soon as Mr. Kilgore released Tessa’s arm, Gideon turned loose of the man’s garments.
Mr. Kilgore swore and pointed to the door. “Get out, and don’t you set foot in here again.”
Tessa’s heart pounded in her ears. Fear dug cruel claws up her throat, as she held her breath, anticipating the men coming to blows.
Mr. Kilgore whirled around to growl in her face. “You’re fired. Clear out of here.” He tossed a few coins at her feet. “That should cover whatever I owe you.”
The flinch that shuddered through her felt too familiar.
Chapter 7
T essa stooped and picked up the coins with a trembling hand. When Papa left her, she thought groveling at a man’s feet would become nothing more than an ugly memory, but she was wrong. She could feel Mr. Kilgore’s glare boring into her, but the man wouldn’t have the pleasure of seeing her cry.
Ignoring the stares of the diners, she fixed her eyes on the kitchen door and walked resolutely between the tables. No more exchanges between Gideon and Mr. Kilgore roared behind her, so she assumed Gideon had left as well.
As soon as the kitchen door closed behind her, she sagged against the worktable and let the tears come.
Flossie and Tillie came immediately to her side.
Flossie patted her on the back. “We heard him bellowing all the way in here.”
Tillie slipped an awkward arm around Tessa’s shoulders. “I’m so sorry, Tessa.”
Tessa dried her eyes with the corner of her apron. “Those pies ought to be just about ready to come out, and the bread is ready to go in.”
“Oh, who cares? Let the old buzzard bake his own pies.”
Tessa shot a glance at Tillie. “Don’t let them burn, or Flossie might get fired, too. Remember, he thinks she’s doing the baking.” She hung up her apron and exited the side door, only to run squarely into Gideon.
Remorse defined the lines carved in his forehead. “Tessa, I’m so sorry you got fired. But I couldn’t sit there and let him put his hands on you.”
She stared at him in astonishment.
He must have taken her silence for anger, because contrition filled his tone. “I apologize. It
“I understand you are the one doing the baking.”
She caught her breath and glanced to the right and left. “We’d rather nobody knew about that.”
Gideon gave her a knowing look. “You mean you’d rather Kilgore didn’t know about it.”
She didn’t know how he’d become privy to the information, but she merely nodded. Gideon could be trusted. “I really like doing it. Tillie even told me I should open a bakery. Of course that’s ridiculous. Opening a new business takes money, and I don’t make that much. But it was fun to think about.”
Gideon nodded. “That does sound like an interesting idea. You should give it some consideration. Maybe you could get a loan from the bank.”
“Pfft! Me? Why would the bank want to loan me money? No, it’s silly to even allow myself to dream about such a thing.”
Gideon appeared to be about to disagree when his expression darkened abruptly.
A hand grabbed Tessa’s upper arm and jerked her around. Mr. Kilgore’s ferocious expression bore down on her like an awakening grizzly in spring-time. “Didn’t I tell you not to stand around dawdling?” His fingers dug into her flesh so hard she winced.
Gideon was on his feet in an instant, grabbing hold of Mr. Kilgore’s arm. “Let go of her, Kilgore!”
Her boss pulled away from Gideon so forcefully she nearly dropped her tray and lost her footing. “Gideon, please. It’s all right. I shouldn’t have stopped to talk. I’m sorry, Mr. Kilgore. It won’t happen again.”
Gideon grabbed the man’s jacket lapel and necktie all in one powerful grip. “I said let go of her, Kilgore.”
“Who do you think you are, ordering me around in my own hotel? I have half a mind to call the sheriff and have you thrown out of here.”
The man’s bluster didn’t make Gideon back down an inch. As soon as Mr. Kilgore released Tessa’s arm, Gideon turned loose of the man’s garments.
Mr. Kilgore swore and pointed to the door. “Get out, and don’t you set foot in here again.”
Tessa’s heart pounded in her ears. Fear dug cruel claws up her throat, as she held her breath, anticipating the men coming to blows.
Mr. Kilgore whirled around to growl in her face. “You’re fired. Clear out of here.” He tossed a few coins at her feet. “That should cover whatever I owe you.”
The flinch that shuddered through her felt too familiar.
Chapter 7
T essa stooped and picked up the coins with a trembling hand. When Papa left her, she thought groveling at a man’s feet would become nothing more than an ugly memory, but she was wrong. She could feel Mr. Kilgore’s glare boring into her, but the man wouldn’t have the pleasure of seeing her cry.
Ignoring the stares of the diners, she fixed her eyes on the kitchen door and walked resolutely between the tables. No more exchanges between Gideon and Mr. Kilgore roared behind her, so she assumed Gideon had left as well.
As soon as the kitchen door closed behind her, she sagged against the worktable and let the tears come.
Flossie and Tillie came immediately to her side.
Flossie patted her on the back. “We heard him bellowing all the way in here.”
Tillie slipped an awkward arm around Tessa’s shoulders. “I’m so sorry, Tessa.”
Tessa dried her eyes with the corner of her apron. “Those pies ought to be just about ready to come out, and the bread is ready to go in.”
“Oh, who cares? Let the old buzzard bake his own pies.”
Tessa shot a glance at Tillie. “Don’t let them burn, or Flossie might get fired, too. Remember, he thinks she’s doing the baking.” She hung up her apron and exited the side door, only to run squarely into Gideon.
Remorse defined the lines carved in his forehead. “Tessa, I’m so sorry you got fired. But I couldn’t sit there and let him put his hands on you.”
She stared at him in astonishment.
He must have taken her silence for anger, because contrition filled his tone. “I apologize. It
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