Free The Ranger's Passionate Love by Nicole Jordan

did you?" Kyara replied, scorn and hurt dripping from her voice. "Well now I know for sure. And I'd like you to leave. Now."
     
    "Fine," said Jason, standing abruptly. "Now that you've picked your fight, I have to go back to the newspaper. Where. I. Work. Do I need to make sure you understand the route I'm going to take, or do I have your permission to go ahead and do it without explaining it first?"
     
    "You can go to hell for all I care," responded Kyara, standing as well.
     
    He brushed past her, striding for the door.
     
    He slammed it behind him, dropping the restaurant into shuddering silence as he left.
     
    Kyara gathered up the half-eaten plates. An hour ago, she’d thought that she wanted to be alone.
     
    Now, she was.
     

 
    By the time Crystal showed up for work that evening, Kyara had put herself back together, moving from wallowing into productivity. In fact, she'd done more than that.
     
    "Crystal, come sit down, I need your help," called Kyara before the chime of the entrance bell had even died away.
     
    "Uh, okay," called back Crystal. "Just let me take off my coat."
     
    Kyara heard the kitchen door swing open behind her. She turned to face her young assistant.
     
    "What do you need a coat for, anyway? It's August. It's a miracle you don't burst into flames," said Kyara. Crystal made a face.
     
    "You sound like my mom. Anyway," the teen swirled the black leather monstrosity she called a coat off from around her shoulders, “it’s not about comfort, it's about being me."
     
    Kyara hid a smile, knowing it would only hurt the girl's feelings.
     
    "Well, do me a favor and go be you while sitting down in the dining area. I want you to try something."
     
    Crystal shrugged and retreated to the other side of the kitchen door, grabbing her apron on the way.
     
    Kyara followed a minute later, her arms filled with plates of food. In addition to the remains of the tomatoes, ham, and chicken, she'd made mac n' cheese, green beans, and corn bread.
     
    "What's all this?" asked Crystal.
     
    "Food," replied Kyara. "I want you to try it. You're not on a diet, are you?"
     
    Crystal snorted, her eyes wandering the assortment before her.
     
    "Not hardly."
     
    "Good," replied Kyara, "Then taste these. Tell me what you think."
     
    Unlike Jason, Crystal didn't take much time to contemplate the food. She took a bite of the Mac 'n Cheese, and her eyes went wide. Then she began filling her mouth with huge mouthfuls of food.
     
    He may be a lying, deceitful, life-ruining asshole, but he might be right about this, thought Kyara, watching the food disappear into her young friend. Crystal took several more bites, then slowed, turning her eyes to Kyara.
     
    "This food is awesome, Ms. B. I didn't know you could cook like this."
     
    Ouch , thought Kyara.
     
    "That," Kyara declared, "is exactly the problem. This is the food I usually cook. I just didn't think it would sell up here."
     
    Crystal stared at her.
     
    "You," declared the teen definitively, "are either crazy or stupid."
     
    "Stupid," said Kyara, "but you shouldn't say so. I'm both your elder, and your boss."
     
    "Sorry, Ms. B. I was drunk on cheese and cornbread."
     
    "Apology accepted. I take it you think it'd sell okay, then?"
     
    Crystal just nodded, and took a bite from a drumstick. Kyara felt an invisible weight begin to lift from her shoulders.
     
    "Alright then. The only problem is going to be changing direction mid-stream, I guess."
     
    Crystal turned this idea over as she ate, still trying each and every dish.
     
    "Do you think you could make all this again?" asked Crystal.
     
    "Of course," replied Kyara.
     
    "Then I have an idea. Make a pile of your best stuff for tomorrow at lunch. Let me do the rest." Crystal looked triumphant, then horrified.
     
    "Wait. You have your date tomorrow morning. You can't cancel that. We'll have to do it Friday."
     
    "The date's off," Kyara said softly. "I canceled it. We can go through with this plan