Welcome to Valley View (Valley View Book 1)

Chapter 8

I wiped off the corners of my lips with my napkin and set it back down on my lap before looking over at Betsy, "Betsy, this has to be the best beef roast that I have ever tasted. It just melts in your mouth."

"Well, it better be!" She laughed, "It slow cooks for ten hours."

"Ten hours?" I reply in complete shock.

"Low and slow is the only way to go."

"That sure is some dedication to your craft. It is worth it though to come out tasting like this," I take another forkful and put it into my mouth and resist the urge to roll my eyes in pleasure.

"I'm glad that you like it, dear. It does take a while, but that's why I do two or sometimes even three at a time so I can freeze some for later."

"Or sometimes we end up devouring it because Mama is the best cook ever and spoils us good," Tyler grins over to his mom and she gives him a loving smile back.

"They do devour leftovers, that's for sure. Animals I tell you."

"Yeah, but we're you'r animals." Bobby puts her arm over Betsy's shoulder and kisses her on the temple.

She jokingly shrugs him off, "Mmmhmm. Suck up."

Tyler takes a break from eating and looks aross the table at me, "So Tiff, decide what you're going to do about a car yet?"

"No, not yet. I might see if I can't get a temp job working around here somewhere to have enough money for maybe a used car or something," I glance over at Jimmy and notice the pained expression in his face. "I guess it all depends on how long I plan on staying here."

Raymond speaks up from the head of the table, "So I take it that Valley View was not your final destination?"

"No," I reply back to him, "I was actually on my way to Seattle from Chicago."

"Is there something waiting for you in Seattle?" Betsy questions.

"Nothing really. I'm a bit of a nomad at heart. I get it from my parents, they can't stay in one place for the life of them. It was my time to move on from Chicago. I had been there much longer than I ever planned."

Candy nudges be with her elbow, "I personally think there is no better place to start new than Valley View."

I feel Jimmy's hand graze across my leg under the table and I turn my attention over to him, "I think I kind of agree with her on that. What's the rush to move on?"

I couldn't help but to smile back at him, "I guess we'll just have to see what happens here." I turn my attention back to the rest of the table, "I think regardless I need to establish some sort of roots here. My old roommate sent me an email the other day that I've got a lot of mail since I don't have a forwarding address yet."

"Seriously, Tiff?" Candy gives me some of her attitudes that I've grown to love, "Just give her my address, duh!"

"Well, there you go," Wes speaks up, "there is a problem solved and now you can stay here."

"At least she has a really comfortable couch if that's where I plan on staying."

"Oh! Speaking of," Wes starts to talk, but then takes a drink to swallow down the rest of his food, "after dinner Mama needs help getting the couch moved from the game room."

"Thank you, Wes! I almost forgot that they're coming tomorrow to deliver the new one. I can't wait to take that filthy thing to the dumpster."

"Oh come on!" Tyler exclaims, "I love that couch. How could you get rid of it?"