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off her coffee. A waitress made her way down the line of patrons seated at the counter to fill their cups. She wished it was something a bit stronger than excellent diner coffee steaming in her cup. She could feel the eyes of everyone in the diner on her back. People at the other end of the counter leaned forward to get a look at her. Even the cook was peering at her through the window to the kitchen. They whispered to each other, speculating about the future of the ranch and the town. Someone in a nearby booth was on their phone talking in hushed tones about her being at the diner after leaving Mr. Bair d’ s office down the street.  Kesslyn was the new resident Walker, queen of all she survived, and she was n’ t even sure she wanted to keep the crown. This was an experience she was n’ t looking forward to repeating every day. Hopefully the y’ d get used to her sooner than later.
    She lifted her eyes from her coffee cup to look around, and sure enough, everyone was still focused on her. It was too weird. Back home, she could go all day on the streets of Baltimore without anyone really noticing her, much less talking about her. She was just one more working professional in the daily downtown hustle and bustle of the streets. She was sure some people would think that was a sad way to live, but it was life in a big city. In this place, she was a stranger and everyone would notice her and contemplate her comings and goings.
    “ Can I get you some breakfast yet, honey ?” the owner of Notcha Momm a’ s asked with a kind smile. Her name was Molly Brown, and she was surprisingly young to be running a busy restaurant. She introduced herself when Kesslyn sat down at the counter.
    Molly was a chatty thing. She explained that sh e’ d inherited the diner from her momma when she retired a few years back. So she understood what it was like to take over a family business. Obviously, Molly already knew exactly who Kesslyn was, no introduction needed. Moll y’ s momma told her to make the place her own. She wanted Molly to be happy in the family business. So sh e’ d changed the name from The Honey Bee to Notcha Momm a’ s Diner and updated the menu. They had lots of traditional diner fare, but there were also vegetarian dishes and other dishes she had n’ t expected to find in a small town. It was n’ t your typical diner, and Kesslyn supposed that was why Molly had chosen the name. Sh e’ d also taken out a loan to update the dé cor. She had indeed made it her own.
    “ I think tha t’ s what you need to do too, Ms. Walker. You go on and make that ranch your home. You make that business into something that makes you happy ,” Molly had doled out the sage advice as if it were a slice of pecan pie. It was good advice that Kesslyn was still digesting. She would need to make some changes in the house if it were to be her home. As far as the business went, well, she had a lot to learn. That would take time.
    “ No, thank you, Molly. I think I’ ll get going. I have a lot to do today .” She smiled back at the pretty blonde.
    “ I bet you do. Go on then. Coffe e’ s on the house. I hope to see you back soon .” Molly hurried away with her ponytail swinging to pick up an order in the kitchen window.
     
    Kesslyn climbed behind the wheel of the pickup truck sh e’ d borrowed from the garage behind the ranch house that morning and headed out of town. She could n’ t help thinking about Beau when she sat there in the driver seat. Bea u’ s truck had been just like this one, only a newer model. As much as she had on her mind, yo u’ d think she would n’ t have time to wonder where that sexy man was today. Yo u’ d think she would n’ t be disappointed that she had n’ t seen him in town, but she did, and she was. She found that every moment not spent contemplating what to do about the ranch was spent remembering things he had done to her body. A flush crept up over her skin. She needed to put him out of her mind.