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remembered how she’d felt when she saw Penelope flirting with him.  Why did he of all people have to make her crazy?  She didn’t need this.  She definitely didn’t need him. 
    She told herself she didn’t want him nor need him, but truth be told, she’d never wanted any man until now.  She wanted him so bad she ached to be near him.  She wondered what it would be like to be in his arms.  She would never know, because she was not the type of woman a man wanted.  She supposed the only man who would ever settle down with the likes of her would be one out to get his hands on her land.  She wasn’t much to look at, at least she hadn’t thought so.  She’d never had a man flirt with her, exc ept ugly old trail hands who hadn’t seen a woman in a while .  That was proof that she wasn ’t worth much to look like, she figured .  The only thing she knew how to do, was ride, rope, and shoot.  She was one of the men as far as the ranch hands were concerned.  She’d earned their respect by outworking all of them. 
    She thought it might be nice to cook for the man you love.  She’d never thought of it that way before.  Maybe, it was because she’d never been interested in anyone before.  She had no idea how to flirt with a man and most of the time she ended up, being down right mean to Jax. 
    She decided she would pay attention the next time her granny tried to teach her to cook.  If she couldn’t get his attention by a woman’s wiles then she would get his attention with food.  She was going to learn to cook, and she would cook him the best meal he’d ever eaten.  She grit her teeth in determination and headed into the kitchen.
    “Gran, I was hoping you might teach me to cook.  I know I’ve been awful about it and all, but I’ve had a change of heart.  I really want to learn.”  Ellen smiled, “Well that would be wonderful, come on we can start today.  I’ll let you cook Jax’s supper and we won’t tell him unless he likes it.”  “Ok, I guess that’s fine.” 
    Jax noticed that at some point, Virginia had quit clearing the tables and the fifteen year old who usually washed dishes was doing it.  He still didn’t know the girls name.  She never opened her mouth.  She was shy and nervous around people.  Jax started to help her but she shooed him away. 
    Mrs. Ellen came out and yelled for him to turn the closed sign around, and come on in.  It was time for supper, and he was starving, so he did.  He pulled out a chair at his usual table and sat down.  Mrs. Ellen brought him a plate of food just like she always did. 
    The meal she laid in front of him consisted of roast, potatoes, peas, okra and cornbread with a pepper on the side.  The gravy from the roast was dripping on top of the potatoes and it smelled delicious.  It was delicious.  He ate every bite without stopping.  “ Mrs. Ellen , you outdone yourself tonight, this is delicious.”  “Thank you, but I didn’t cook it, Virginia did.”  “You’re kidding, right?”  “I’m afraid not.  She asked me to teach her to cook, and she done a mighty fine job of it, too.  Of course, Virginia has always been one to outdo herself when she throws herself into her work.  That’s why all the hand’s at the ranch trust her to do a man’s job without question.”    “Well, tell her I said it was real good.”
    He cleared his plate from the table, took it to the kitchen and washed it.  When he left he headed to the livery to get his horse.  He overheard a conversation between the livery owner, Chuck and a man just off the trail, must be a trail boss, he thought.  They were talking about horses, and Jax centered his attention on the conversation.  “There good horses Chuck some of the best.  You know I have to sell them I can’t take them all the way back to Texas.”  “Well, I realize that but I just don’t have the money for them.  Maybe you’ll have better luck when you get to Montana.”  Jax