TUESDAY TALES - WORD PROMPT "SILVER" #romance #shortstory

We're joining Rick at the chicken barbecue for the fire department today. Grab a chicken leg and a seat at the table for another episode of "BREAK MY HEART."  Scroll down to return to Tuesday Tales.

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People dressed in shorts, full skirts, or jeans milled around. A big keg of beer and several containers of sweet tea were attended by Will Lennox. His sister, Jess sat at the money box. Rick stopped and paid.

“Wanna buy a raffle ticket?” She asked.

“Nope. Here. A donation.” He handed her a one-hundred-dollar bill.

“Wow! Thank you. That’s very generous.”

“For the fire department.”

“Here’s your food ticket. The line forms over there,” she said, pointing.

Mike Foster, and his wife, Sunny Davis Foster, were standing on a small bandstand while the men tuned their instruments. Rick ambled over, keeping Ollie by his side. Picnic tables were set up by the lawn. Laura Dailey, the woman who baked for the café in town, stood over the food.

“Howdy, Mr. Winslow. Happy you could join us.”

“It’s Rick, Mrs. Dailey.”

“Laura. What would you like?” She gestured to the food line.

There was grilled chicken slightly burnt and temptingly crispy, corn on the cob, salad, home-made potato salad, macaroni salad, cupcakes and watermelon. His stomach growled.

“Everything looks good. What did you make?”

“My famous potato salad, of course.”

“I’ll be sure to get that,” Rick said handing his plate to Barney, Laura’s husband, who was doling out chicken. When his plate couldn’t hold any more food, he picked up plastic silverware and stepped away. Tables were filling up fast. Suddenly shy, he didn’t spy anyone he knew. Then he heard a voice, a feminine voice, calling his name.

“Rick! Rick! Over here!”

He turned to see Dani waving to him. She was at an empty table, motioning for him to join her. Relief mixed with happiness. He ambled over, keeping Ollie with him. Swinging his long leg over the seat, he eased down next to her.

“Aren’t you eating?”

“I finished. I came early. Helped set up the lanterns.”

“Looks good.” He took a bite of chicken.

“How’s the barn coming?”

“Almost finished. How about coming over to take a look tonight?”

“Okay. Looks like our horses are going to be ready for new homes sooner than I thought.”

“The old man die yet?”

She shook her head. “But he wants to get them cared for before he goes.”

Rick nodded.

Dani continued to tell him about the animals while he ate. The food was incomparably good. He hadn’t expected it to be so tasty.  

“Laura Dailey took charge of the cooking, if you’re wondering.”

“I was.”

“She’s the best cook for three counties. And she’s nice enough to do it for every event.”

“The food is great.”

“Not exactly the fancy cuisine you’re used to.”

“It’s good. Really good.”

Something about this young woman drew him to her. She was pretty, but certainly not as beautiful as some of the models he’d dated. Still, she had an elusive quality, a warmth, something. He was always at ease in her presence.

People stopped by their table to say “hello” and chat for a moment. They loved Dr. Dani, their local vet. A few stopped by to see him. He remembered a couple from a garage sale and the garage mechanic over on the hill, who’d rotated his tires.

Being a famous face, he’d often been recognized in the street. Sometimes it was great, but more often it annoyed him. He’d grow impatient with people taking pictures and gushing over him. He adopted the cynical attitude that they didn’t know him and were only impressed by his fame. When that went away, he’d missed it.

Being recognized for being Rick and not Breaker, meant something. The people who greeted him were folks who knew him, and liked him. Feelings overwhelmed him, shutting down his speech. So, he’d simply shake their hands, nod, and smile, when they said how glad they were to see him, asked about how Ollie was getting on, and when he’s be by to visit.

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