Free At Bluebonnet Lake (Texas Crossroads Book #1): A Novel by Amanda Cabot

the buffet if you need anything else.”
    Kate turned toward her grandmother. “Sally, I’d like you to meet Carmen St. George. She’s the woman who gave us last night’s incredible meal.” As Carmen smiled with pleasure, Kate continued, “Carmen, this is my grandmother, Sally Fuller.”
    “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
    “The pleasure is mine,” Sally said as she shook Carmen’s hand. “I’ve eaten a lot of meatballs in my seventy-three years, but I’ve never had any that compare to yours. Would you consider sharing your recipe?”
    Carmen nodded. “Anytime. Just stop in the kitchen, and I’ll write it out.”
    “Is there anything else I can get you?” Carmen asked when Sally had murmured her thanks.
    Sally opened the chafing dishes, revealing pancakes, scrambled eggs, bacon, and oatmeal, and sniffed appreciatively. “If I eat all this, I won’t need that box lunch I ordered.”
    “Some folks skip lunch.” Carmen patted her ample hips. “I’m obviously not one of them.”
    Giving her a conspiratorial smile as she looked at her own hips, Sally nodded. “Me either.”
    “Enjoy your meal.”
    As Carmen started to leave, Kate touched her hand. “Sally’s already told you how much we enjoyed the meatballs. I wanted to say that your cannoli is the best I’ve ever eaten.”
    Her smile reflecting her pleasure at the compliment, Carmen nodded. “Thank you, but wait until you taste the peach cobbler.”
    “It can’t be better.”
    Carmen raised an eyebrow. “Don’t bet on that. There’s nothing like Hill Country peaches.”
    “The state of Georgia might disagree.” Sally’s smile was wry.“They’re mighty proud of their peaches—even put them on their license plates.”
    Carmen refused to be cowed. “It’s all a matter of opinion. You can decide after dinner tonight.”
    When Carmen left, Kate and Sally filled their plates and carried them to the table, where insulated carafes of coffee and hot tea waited for them. After she blessed their food, Sally took a bite of pancake, then a sampling of the eggs. It was only when she’d tasted the bacon that she looked up at Kate, satisfaction on her face.
    “The food is much better than it was fifty years ago. The Sinclairs are lucky to have Carmen cooking for them.”
    They were indeed. Though Sally hadn’t voiced the thought, Kate suspected that Carmen’s meals were the only thing that had improved. The mattress had been surprisingly comfortable, but the sheets had worn spots and the towels were mismatched.
    “The food may not be enough to save Rainbow’s End.” Her scrambled eggs were light and fluffy, and the oatmeal had a hint of spice—not cloves, Kate was willing to bet. If Rainbow’s End were simply a restaurant, boosting business would be less of a challenge, but to be a successful resort, it needed an almost overwhelming amount of work.
    Sally pursed her lips. “Please, Kate. No gloom and doom while I’m eating. Let’s talk about something more pleasant, like Greg Vange.”
    “Vange.” Kate swirled the name on her tongue as she had the cream filling from last night’s cannoli. “So that’s his last name.” It suited him, a unique name for a decidedly out-of-the-ordinary man.
    “Roy told me. He said he’s a very nice young man.” Sally looked up from the toast she was buttering and added, “Single too.”
    This was vintage Sally. “Please, no matchmaking. You knowthat doesn’t work out for me.” Though her grandmother had supported her move to New Jersey after graduation, acknowledging that Manhattan was the best place for Kate to start her career, she had never given up hope that Kate would move back to Buffalo and live near her. As an inducement, Sally had introduced Kate to a seemingly endless stream of supposedly eligible men until Kate had threatened to stop her monthly visits.
    Sally shook her head. “Just because two men got cold feet doesn’t mean everyone will. The right man is waiting for you.” She gave