No-name carefully pulled the curtain closed as she vanished. Lauren waited, fighting the need to slip under one of the fabric walls and escape. In her mind she kept backtracking all the way to the church, thinking of every wrong turn she must have taken to end up here. If she could get do-overs, shed have stayed with Mrs. Patterson to talk about all the things the old lady thought were on Laurens mind.
As time dragged by, her father dropped in twice to glare at her. She was in major trouble. During his first one-minute visit, he said he had to call Tims and Reids parents and get them out of bed. The second visit, an hour later, was to inform her that Tim was going into surgery. After that, Lauren just acted as if she was asleep when he made his hourly rounds.
He said the word surgery as if it was something terrible shed done to Tim, but Lauren couldnt bear to think about it. Somewhere in this very building someone was cutting into Tim.
She wanted to ask about Lucas Reyes. Her father seemed to have forgotten about him. Or maybe he was still angry, thinking that somehow this was all Lucass fault.
When the nurse finally came back, she was with a doctor who looked as though he wasnt old enough to be out of college. The nurse did all the talking, and the young doc just nodded and signed the chart. As Lauren had suspected, her injury wasnt worth much attention. A few stitches, just like the no-name nurse had said. Within minutes both the nurse and the doctor were finished. They had that why-are-you-wasting-our-time look about them. The emergency room had been busy for hours, and shed been shoved to the back of the line several times.
About the time Lauren wondered whatever happened to bedside manner, the nurse poked her with an injection and announced, Tetanus shot going in.
Do I get a sucker? Lauren asked, and to her surprise the nurse smiled.
Encouraged, Lauren continued, How are the others?
The nurse patted her hand. Theyll all be fine. Two will be released this morning, but the boy they took upstairs to surgery will have to stay a few days.
You mean Tims not going to die?
The nurse shook her head. Not from a broken leg. Theyre doing X-rays to make sure he didnt break a rib.
Lauren was so relieved that Tim wasnt headed for the afterlife she didnt feel the second needle. He might be dumb as a rock, but if his brain ever caught up to his imagination, who knows, he could make something of himself, other than being Reids sidekick.
What about Lucas?
Lucas Reyes?
Lauren nodded.
Hes fine. Lost some blood, but we stitched him up. I think hes already been released. I saw him sitting in the lobby about half an hour ago.
And Reid Collins? Lauren was so mad at him she really didnt care. First, hed gotten them into this mess, and then, when help showed up, he took all the credit for saving everyone.
The Collins boy sprained his ankle. He was really complaining about the pain until the doc told him hed have to use crutches for a few weeks. He seemed to cheer up after that. The nurse grinned. He might have been cured if theyd offered him a wheelchair.
Lauren smiled, knowing that Reid would make the most of his injury. She thanked the nurse then closed her eyes, deciding that now that she knew all the guys were all right, she might as well sleep awhile. Her dad wouldnt be by to take her home until Reid and Lucas were released and Tim was settled into a real hospital room.
She almost drifted into a dream when she felt someone take her hand. The touch was gentle, comforting, and for a moment she smiled, thinking that her Pop was finally showing her how much he cared.
But when she opened her eyes, Lucas was standing beside the examining table.
How you feeling? he said quietly, so low no one on the other side of the curtain could have heard.
She rose to her elbows. Ill survive.
I gotta go. Half my family came to pick me up, and I think the hospital is worried about the mob scene. I just wanted to say goodbye. Despite all that happened, I liked being with you tonight.
Me, too, she said, wishing that she could think of something clever to add. But fighting down nervous giggling seemed to be the limit of her communication skills. Lucas was at least a year older than her, good-looking, and he was holding her hand.
You ever been kissed? He flashed a smile.
No, she answered. He could have probably already figured that out. Glasses, sheriffs daughter, homely, brainy type. How many more strikes against her did she need? Oh, yeah, and flat chested.
Without a word, he leaned in and touched his lips to hers. As he pulled away he winked. How about we keep this to ourselves?
She nodded, deciding one kiss and her brain cells must be dying. Now she couldnt even talk.
See you around. He backed away.
As he vanished through the curtain door, she whispered, See you around.
CHAPTER SIX
Staten
STATEN DROPPED BY his grandmothers house, but she didnt have any chores for him. It seemed the cluster of retirees at Evening Shadows had hired a handyman to run the place. In truth, hed never seen the community looking so good. The swimming pool had been cleaned out, the fence fixed and the porches painted, every house a different color.
Yancy says, Granny shouted over the news blaring from her TV, if each door is a different color, some of the folks wont get confused and keep going in the wrong house. She shook her head. Ive never been so embarrassed in my life than when I saw Leo naked.
Staten stood, his fists clenched. He didnt care how old the little man was, he wasnt putting up...
Granny continued, It was my fault. I must have miscounted. I thought I turned into my house, but it was his. But I blame him, of course, for not locking his door.
Staten calmed. Granny, you live in number three, he lives in four. How hard could it be to count to three?
She shook her finger at him. Now, dont get smart with me. After about eighty years, things like numbers started falling out of the back of my head. I cant even remember my phone number, much less anyone elses.
Dont worry about it. Everyone you know is programmed into your phone. All you have to do is flip it open, punch a button and say their name.
She raised an eyebrow as if she suspected a trick. So, what is going to happen if one day Im somewhere lost and lose my phone? Even if I can borrow someone elses phone, I wont know a number to call, and the stranger I asked to help probably doesnt have Aunt Doodless number in his phone anyway. She crossed her arms over her chest. With my luck, the stranger will be one of them serial killers, just looking for his next victim, and there Ill be, up a creek without a phone.
Staten patted her shoulder. Every week she had a new worry. He should keep a list. Eventually she was bound to get around to repeating one. First of all, you cant drive. So if youre lost, youre still in the county. Anyone you stop will probably know you and be happy to bring you back here. Second, if you do see a serial killer, he probably does know Aunt Doodles. She went to jail several times, remember.
Grannys finger started wagging again. She did not. Not many anyway. And every single time was that dumb husband of hers fault, not hers.
Grannys finger started wagging again. She did not. Not many anyway. And every single time was that dumb husband of hers fault, not hers.
Staten leaned down and whispered, How do you know? You cant count to three.
She slapped his cheek too hard to be a pat. Stop it, Staten. You remind me of numbers I couldnt remember, and that reminds me of Mr. Leo and his wrinkled...body. Now, thats a sight Id like to unsee.
All at once laughter erupted from her. Staten enjoyed the sound from the dear old woman whod loved him every day of his life.
As always, her sweet chuckle was music to Statens ears. When he was growing up, his parents were either traveling or fighting. By the time he was in middle school, his father had divorced his mother and found wife number two. Neither of them had seemed to want custody of him in the split. His mother had remarried and moved to England within six months, without leaving a forwarding address.
Staten had spent most of his time with his grandparents on the ranch. Hed loved working the land with his granddad and living in their little place where his grannys laughter always seemed to fill every nook and cranny. The visits from his father and wife number whatever had grown further apart. Senator Samuel Kirkland showed no interest in the ranch. No one was surprised when Granddad died and left it to Staten, his only grandson.
Sorry you had to see Old Leo, Granny. He smiled at his grandmother. Maybe the new handyman was right about the doors. It must have been a shock for you and Leo when you walked into his house.
Granny was busy cleaning up the coffee cups. Not so much. Ive seen him naked before. She turned and headed to the tiny kitchen.
Staten had no intention of asking more. He didnt want to know.
Since it was too early to go to Quinns for supper, he dropped by the volunteer fire departments weekly meeting.
This time of year grass fires were rare, and guys were drinking coffee and talking about how the chamber of commerce was planning something big. The men got their information from their wives, whod passed it around some. So, no telling how accurate it might be. The leaders in Crossroads were looking for ideas to help the town grow and that meant raising money.
A fund-raiser to beat all fund-raisers, Hollis shouted. We plan to raise enough money to improve both the fire station and the clinic. Ellie could use the space at the clinic, and when she graduates, most folks would like to see her stay in town and run it full-time.
That waiting room is too small, one of the other farmers said. Shell be stacking folks in chairs before long. With all the pregnancies lately, shell want to add a birthing room. We can handle a doc coming in once a week, but we need a nurse there full-time.
G.W. Polk, who farmed next to Hollis, shook his head. Theres a good hospital in Lubbock. I was born in a car headed that way. To my way of thinking, kids should be born the same place theyre conceived.
Hollis nodded. My point exactly. You were born in a car and you havent been the same since.
Staten was distracted by thoughts of Quinn and the way she kissed him, but he tried his best to listen. He rarely participated in the towns problems, but he always sent a check to help out with any fund-raiser. Every year the chamber of commerce thought up a grand plan to improve the town, but nothing ever really changed. Correction, he thought, the dozen reindeer theyd put up at Christmas on all the light posts along Main looked great.
After an hour, he excused himself and told the men that whatever they decided, he was behind the chamber one hundred percent. He took his time leaving. Reason told him he was being a fool worrying about what time he got to Quinns house. She was the same shy woman hed known all his life. Nothing unusual would happen tonight, and hed be wasting worry to think otherwise.
For the past five years he had never given their unusual relationship much thought. Maybe because it seemed to have grown naturally with neither of them planning it. He never considered finding another woman, though he knew a few whod welcome him in their bed if he showed up.
Only, they would come with strings. Theyd want eventually to become Mrs. Kirkland, and Staten wasnt sure he ever wanted that again. Being numb most days was far better than hurting.
Maybe he should just be satisfied with what he had with Quinn. It was good. It was enough. She probably felt the same, even if she had asked to be kissed.
He told himself when he got to her house hed act exactly the same as he always did. Nothing different. Nothing changed. One little kiss didnt mean anything.
As he pulled up to her place, he noticed her working in the barn, elbow deep in the engine of her old tractor. Even after all his stops, hed arrived early. Hed said supper. It wasnt even five oclock.
Halfway to her barn he remembered the bag of barbecue in the truck. If she hadnt already waved, he would have turned around. But it was too late. Maybe shed rather drive over to Bailee and eat hamburgers or maybe even try something at the café in town. They didnt have to always do everything the same. He could be flexible. The kiss was proof, wasnt it?
No, going into a café would seem too strange. They never ate out. They both thought it would seem too much like a couple thing.
Need some help? he asked when he reached her.
No. Ive about got it. She stepped down to face him. Wheres the barbecue?
In the truck. I brought beer, too. That all right with you?
He rubbed away a smudge on her cheek with his finger. The touch was casual, but her eyes watched his every movement.
Stepping out of his reach, Quinn moved toward the house. Ill clean up while you get the food. She was almost to the porch when she looked back and added, I already set the table.
He watched her until she disappeared. Shed never seemed quite so nervous around him. Suddenly, he wished he could take back the kiss from last week. He wanted everything to stay the same. They had it good and good was enough.
The shower pipes rattled from down the hallway as he set out the food. The paper containers looked out of place amid her china. He hadnt given it much thought before, but she always set the table with her few pieces of hundred-year-old china and nice flatware. He tossed the plastic cutlery hed picked up into the trash.
When she finally joined him in the kitchen, he was halfway through his first beer. He offered one to her, but she poured herself a glass of cold tea instead.
She was wearing a blue silk blouse that floated around her. He liked the look. Something different. Brushing his hand over the soft material, he breathed in her fresh smell. It seems like Ive been fighting all week to get back to you.
I know how you feel. She leaned against him. I missed you, too.
They sat down where they always ate and filled their plates. He wasnt sure what shed like, so hed bought a pound of every kind of grilled meat the café had. Then hed tossed in fries and okra for the vegetable.
She asked about the meeting, and he told her the gossip that she probably cared nothing about. Neither ate much. Neither wanted to talk.
Finally, Staten stood. She hadnt offered to take him to her bedroom, and if he stayed longer, hed say more than he should.
I should call it a night. He reached for his hat. We saddle up before dawn tomorrow.