Page 4 of Flogging Faith
“Step aside, Billy,” said the chef to the host, and then pulled up a chair and sat down opposite Bex. “Pastaio Tay at your service. Pasta-maker extraordinaire! They/them pronouns. Talk to me; what are you thinking?”
“She/her,” replied Bex. “And I was hoping for filled pasta—I saw you had a couple of different ravioli dishes.”
“Ah yes,” said Tay. “Ravioli, my specialty. Are you veggie?”
“No,” said Bex, laughing. Tay’s energy was full chaotic queer, and it made her feel more at home. Brighton, where she’d grown up, had a loud and vibrant queer community, and whilst Billings was very accepting, it didn’t have Brighton’s laissez-faire attitude towards gender and aesthetic. Tay would have fit right in. They had a multi-colored mullet and couldn’t seem to sit still on the chair they’d chosen for even a moment.
“In that case, may I suggest the ravioli di carne? It’s my great-grandmother’s recipe and is to die for—even if I say so myself.”
“Ravioli di carne it is,” said Bex, not even looking down at the menu to see what that was. “Would you recommend having it with butter and sage, or with a tomato sauce.”
Tay nodded approvingly. “A woman who knows her pasta! Very good, you may eat here again. I always serve it with sugo, a tomato sauce. That suit you?”
“Whatever the chef recommends,” said Bex.
“Oh, I’m the pastaio; our chef is Chef Guilia.” The rueful smile Tay made spoke volumes; there was clearly something between them and this Chef Guilia.
“Whatever the pastaio recommends then,” amended Bex. “Thanks so much, Tay.”
They got up to leave, and then stopped and waved over two women who’d just entered. “Mandi! Come meet Bex!”
But it wasn’t Mandi who drew Bex’s attention, it was the woman standing next to her. There was nothing extraordinary about her at all. Mousy brown hair, medium build, standard height. Nothing to make her stand out whatsoever, but as she walked over to the table, Bex couldn’t keep her eyes off her.
“This is Bex,” said Tay. “She’s got good taste in pasta and was going to eat on her own, so y’all should sit together.”
“Bex might want to be on her own,” said Mandi. “You can’t just force her to sit with strangers.”
“That’s okay,” said Bex, standing up suddenly. She pulled out a chair for the brunette woman and smiled at her. “I’d love it if you could join me.”
CHAPTER 3
Faith didn’t know what was more panty-dropping—Bex’s smile or her accent. She’d noticed the woman as soon as she’d walked into the restaurant with Mandi. It was her first day at Rawhide Ranch, and Mandi had wanted to introduce her to Tay, and get some food, so they’d come down to the restaurant early, only to find Tay talking to someone else.
Bex had long dark hair, pulled up into a tight ponytail, and her clothes showed off the kind of curves Faith longed to bury her face in. She was drop-dead gorgeous, clearly very confident, and now she’d pulled out a chair for Faith.
Faith had no idea what to make of that.
“Thank you,” she whispered, and took the seat, avoiding Mandi’s look.
“This is Faith,” said Mandi, introducing her. “And I’m Mandi.”
“Nice to meet you,” said Bex. “Are you residents here?”
“I am,” said Mandi. “Tay’s my roommate. But Faith here is visiting.”
Faith looked up and found intense dark eyes watching her. “Hi,” she offered nervously. She didn’t know what had come over her. Usually she was chatty as anything, talking away, but there was something about this woman that radiated calmness and security and it was making Faith oddly anxious.
Usually, calm people evoked the same emotion in Faith. But not this time. This time it put her on edge, as if Bex saw something in her that Faith… well, that Faith didn’t know what someone like Bex could possibly see in her.
“Hi, Faith,” said Bex. “I’m visiting too. Are you in the Guest Wing?”
“Yes, I’m on the third floor,” she said.
“Nice to meet you,” said Tay, interrupting for a moment, and Faith pulled her eyes away from Bex’s stare. “Are you veggie?”
“What? Oh, no, I’m not.”
“Excellent,” said Tay. “I’ll make you all the same pasta.” And then they headed to the kitchen before anyone could say another word.