Falling for the cowboy d.., p.9
Falling for the Cowboy Doc, page 9
The headlights of an approaching truck flashed across the table, highlighting their joined hands. Maggie tugged her hand free and shielded her eyes. The engine cut off. The headlights dimmed. Then Ryan hopped out from the driver’s side and called out a gleeful greeting. “Sorry to interrupt your date.”
Date. As if. Kelsey was on a date, not Maggie. “It’s not...we’re not...” Maggie waved her hands over the table. “This isn’t...”
Grant opened a container of pretzel bites and watched her. Unconcerned by her stammering. And seemingly unwilling to correct his brother.
Ryan dipped a pretzel bite in the cheese dip. Amusement drifted across his face.
Maggie gave up and asked, “Ryan. Why are you here?”
“I’m here to fix your air conditioning, of course.” Ryan toasted her with his pretzel bite, then popped it in his mouth.
“Where’s Josh?” Grant frowned at his brother. “I texted him about Maggie’s AC.”
“Josh sent me and his toolbox.” Ryan swallowed and grinned at Maggie. “Josh is at the distillery with Carter. They’re welding something and he can’t break away, so I’m here in his place.”
“Ryan, when was the last time you fixed something like an air conditioner?” Grant’s words were more bland than curious, as if he already knew the answer.
“Never. I call Josh like we all do when things break.” Ryan laughed and squeezed Grant’s shoulder. “That’s why we’re going to call Josh when we get up there. He’s supposed to walk us through the repair.”
“We can’t all go up there,” Maggie warned. “There’s a weight limit.”
“I’ll go. You guys can finish your dinner.” Ryan turned toward the truck and started to whistle. “Just need my tools.”
Maggie touched her forehead and watched Ryan stroll to the passenger side of the truck. “He doesn’t know what he’s doing, does he?”
“Not a clue,” Grant admitted and wiped his hands on a napkin. “But he’s good at following directions. And Josh is good at giving instructions.”
Ryan kept on whistling as he made his way toward the back of the trailer and the ladder.
“We can’t let him go alone.” Maggie stood.
Grant sighed, pushed out of his chair, and walked over to Maggie. “This conversation isn’t over.”
It was very much over. Maggie never responded to prove her point and instead headed to the back of the trailer.
“You go ahead.” Grant motioned toward the ladder. “You know more about your AC than any of us.”
Maggie climbed the ladder, leaned her arms on the roof and called out, “Ryan, let me know how I can help.”
Ryan slid his cell phone toward Maggie. “Hold my phone so I can work with both hands and tell me what Josh says to do.”
Maggie pressed the call button and waited for Josh to answer. Within minutes, she was issuing instructions and watching Ryan sort through the tool bag, pulling out a meter and other implements. It wasn’t thirty minutes later that the tools were packed up, and she and Ryan were headed down the ladder.
“What’s the prognosis?” Grant asked.
“Josh says I need a professional AC technician.” Maggie frowned. Worse, Josh hadn’t sounded too convinced that the unit could be fixed this time after she’d filled him in on the previous repairs. “Josh has a friend in the service business, but he can’t look at it until next Monday at the earliest. Welcome to summer and the busiest season for broken air conditioners.”
Grant ran his hand over his mouth.
Ryan adjusted his grip on the tool bag and started around the camper. “Nothing to do now but stay at our place, Mags.”
Maggie searched for an argument. An out. And tried not to look at Grant. Certainly, that wasn’t the solution he’d choose either. Maggie shook her head and followed Ryan. “No, we couldn’t impose.”
“You’re not imposing. We have the extra rooms and working air conditioning.” Ryan dropped the tool kit on the ground and faced her. “Besides, you moved your horses into our stables. Lady Dasher needs more time out of the sun to recover. Shouldn’t Kelsey get the same consideration?”
Always. Her sister was always Maggie’s priority. “I’ll send Kelsey over to the farmhouse.”
Grant frowned at her. “What about you?”
“I’ll get some fans and stay here.” Maggie tightened her ponytail and her determination. “It’ll be fine.”
Grant’s eyes narrowed as if he was starting to dislike the word fine.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea, Mags.” Ryan rubbed his chin, then looked at his brother. “Tell her, Grant. Tell her it’s a bad idea.”
Grant’s gaze lifted briefly up toward the sky, then returned to hers as if he’d found a solution among the stars. “Maggie, you can come stay at the farmhouse or I’ll stay here with you.”
Maggie gaped at him. “You can’t be serious.”
Grant crossed his arms over his scrubs and looked about as unbending as a cinder block.
Ryan held up his hands, then hitched his thumb over his shoulder. “I’m going to put Josh’s tools in the truck and let you two hash this one out.”
Maggie glared at Ryan for leaving her alone with her exasperating doctor. Grant wasn’t staying with her. No way. Not happening. Maggie stiffened her spine and the insistence in her words. “Grant, you’re being unreasonable.”
He arched an eyebrow as if surprised at her use of his first name. Then he countered, “Maggie, you’re being stubborn.”
Yes. Yes, she was. She wasn’t giving in first. She stepped closer to him, intent on changing his mind. “We have air mattresses in the camper and no air conditioning. You can’t sleep here.”
“If it’s good enough for you, then why not me?” He leaned toward her slightly. “Trust me, some of the places I slept during my residency weren’t as comfortable as an air mattress.”
“Why are you doing this?” she asked.
“Doing what?” he challenged. “Wanting you to be safe? Not wanting you to be alone out here?”
Caring about me. You aren’t supposed to care. Not like this. It was supposed to be casual. If he cared about her, she might start to care about him too. She might forget all the reasons she’d put that Do Not Disturb sign on her heart.
“I know you’ve got this.” He took her hand in his. Curved his fingers around hers. “I know you can handle yourself, Maggie. That you’ve been fine on your own with your sister. But this one time, we’re just saying you don’t have to be alone. You have another option.”
She stared at their joined hands. That warmth from earlier slipped through her again. There had to be ground rules. Her hand had to stay out of his. It was simple. She’d have to avoid him. Stay out of his way. Then she wouldn’t have to worry about keeping her guard up. It was a big farmhouse. With lots of other people around. She could do it. Rules in place, she gave in. “A real bed does sound enticing and so does a really hot shower.”
“We have both at the farmhouse.” He grinned.
“We’ll stay.” She pulled her hand free. “But I’m only staying until the air conditioning is fixed in the camper.”
“Got it,” Grant said. “But fair warning, Gran Claire used to tell her guests: one night in our farmhouse and you won’t ever want to leave.”
“That won’t be a problem. My only gear is on-the-go,” she assured him. But if you asked me to stay, I might...
“I’ve got that same gear too,” he said.
Translation: I won’t ever ask you to stay. Maggie secured that Do Not Disturb sign back over heart. After all, she excelled at casual relationships, friend zones and uncomplicated departures. The same as her city doctor.
Their goodbye, when it came, would be effortless. That was what they both wanted.
And Maggie saw no reason why they shouldn’t both get exactly what they wanted.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
GRANT NEEDED SPACE. For the second time that day, a woman was the cause.
That afternoon, his mother had texted to inform Grant that she’d flown back to New York. There was a work situation that required her personal attention. She hadn’t included a return date. Or a request to reschedule dinner. No apology. No “see you soon.”
Grant should have expected nothing else from Lilian Sloan. That he was even marginally disappointed was ridiculous. That he’d let Lilian Sloan get to him again was maddening. And proof that letting someone in, even a fraction, only caused unnecessary pain.
After his mother’s text, Grant had escaped to the Feisty Owl, wanting to be alone. To get his head right before he went home. His brothers had been spared a Lilian Sloan run-in and for that he was grateful. He intended to pretend his mother hadn’t dropped into his exam room, stirred up his world, then disappeared not forty-eight hours later.
But he hadn’t found the solitude he’d sought at the Owl. And a run-in with Kelsey Orr led to an impromptu dinner with Maggie.
Now Grant couldn’t pretend he hadn’t held Maggie’s hand. Or that he didn’t want to take her hand again and draw her even closer. Like into his arms.
And the feeling wasn’t subsiding. Despite having spent the last sixty minutes loading Maggie’s camper and hitching it to Ryan’s truck. Despite no accidental brushes of their arms. No more words spoken other than directions on where to store the folding chairs and table.
But Maggie and Grant were only in Three Springs for a short while. Both soon would be gone. And getting to know her, well, Grant wasn’t looking for a friend. He was more than comfortable on his own. Besides, being alone wasn’t a problem that required a fix.
That left only one recourse for Grant. He needed to widen the space between Maggie and himself. Until he couldn’t recall the sparkle in her gaze or hear her sweet laugh. Until she was back in the not-quite-friend zone, where Grant could walk away from her and pretend he felt nothing for his cowgirl.
Ryan stepped around the back of the trailer. “Looks like everything is set.”
“That’s good.” Grant checked the lock on the storage bay on the side of the camper. “There’s no more room.”
“It’s a puzzle every time we pack her up.” Maggie walked over and patted the trailer. “But somehow we always manage to fit it all back in.”
“Let’s get rolling.” Ryan pulled out his truck keys. “There’s homemade chocolate cake, courtesy of Tess, at the house and I got a text from Grandpa that the cards are being shuffled. Teams have been decided. They’re waiting on us to get home.”
“I should probably...” Grant started.
“Brush up on your card skills on the drive home.” Ryan aimed his car keys at Grant as if ready to pop holes in any of Grant’s excuses for not joining his family. “We’re partners, Grant, and I don’t feel like losing tonight. Mags, you’re with Grandpa Sam.”
Maggie grinned. “I’ll ride with you, Ryan, and you can explain the game to me.”
Ryan opened his mouth as if to argue.
“That’s a good idea,” Grant said, cutting his brother off and reaching in his pocket for his own keys. He’d wanted space. He was taking it now. “Ryan, you play more cards than me anyway. You’ll have insider tips for Maggie on how to win, I’m sure.”
Grant spent the drive to his family’s property telling himself that Maggie was just a guest. He would pack up his interest in Maggie and keep his distance. The farmhouse was filled with people to entertain her. Give her whatever she needed. Grant didn’t have to be the one watching over her. Checking on her. Hospitality wasn’t his strength, anyway. He’d leave that to his family.
Pleased that his plan was solid, Grant parked outside the four-car garage and watched another familiar truck pull in beside his.
Kelsey cut the engine and climbed out of the vintage truck. Then she joined him near the tailgate, carrying a cloth shopping bag. She grinned, yet her words were cool. “Dr. Sloan, I only asked you to bring dinner to Mags. Not bring her back to your home.”
“The invitation came from Ryan.” Grant pointed to where Ryan guided the camper into the empty space beside the garage. “And technically Ryan brought Maggie home.”
Ryan’s headlights clicked off. The front doors opened. Maggie hopped out of the passenger seat. All blond hair, soft skin, and entirely too much appeal. She waved. Her laughter was like a hit of adrenaline spiking his awareness, locking Grant’s attention on her.
“It’s interesting, though,” Kelsey mused beside Grant.
More of Maggie’s laughter spilled free into the night, powering up that appeal. His brother joined Maggie and the pair walked toward them. Grant couldn’t look away from his cowgirl. “What is?”
“That you’re the first person my sister looked for when she got out of the truck,” Kelsey said.
Not as interesting as the fact that Grant wanted to take Maggie’s hand, lead her away from the farmhouse and linger outside. Under the full moon. With just her. “You should know that Maggie and I share the same philosophy on dating.”
“What’s that exactly?” Curiosity swirled around Kelsey’s words.
“We don’t date,” Grant stated. And it wasn’t something he planned to change. Not even for a cowgirl that intrigued him more than any other woman he’d ever met.
Maggie hugged her sister. “Grant and Ryan offered us real mattresses in their guest rooms, hot showers in the guest bathrooms and working air conditioning.”
“That’s certainly hard to resist.” Kelsey arched an eyebrow at Grant as if she too noted that her sister had called him by his first name, not Dr. Sloan.
Grant liked the lack of formality a bit too much. Would’ve considered it progress had he been interested in pursuing more with Maggie than the not-quite-friends status.
Maggie walked beside her sister toward the back porch and poked the cloth bag hanging from her sister’s good shoulder. “Kelsey, what’s in the bag?”
“Aprons and several shirts. Some of the staff asked me to pretty them up after I worked on an Owl apron over dinner.” Kelsey nudged her elbow into her sister’s side. “You know this means another craft store run. I need more supplies.”
Maggie didn’t appear or sound even remotely excited about the prospect of a craft store excursion. She said, “I’ve been telling Kelsey to open an online store and sell her wares.”
“Always good to have another income stream,” Ryan said.
Kelsey chuckled and patted the over-full bag. “This is just a fun hobby.”
“Still, a paying customer base would be helpful right now seeing as we’re probably going to need a new air conditioner,” Maggie said.
“That’s why we have the emergency fund, Mags,” Kelsey followed her sister up the porch steps.
“It’s just we’ve been dipping into that fund more and more recently.” Maggie’s voice sounded strained.
“I’m sure you’ll figure it out, Mags.” Kelsey wrapped her good arm around Maggie’s waist and squeezed her sister. “You always do.”
Maggie’s smile was now strained too. Too stiff. Not that her happiness or lack of it was Grant’s responsibility. Still, he preferred to see her upbeat and cheerful. Now he had a foolish urge to help make things right for her. Instead, he stepped around her and her sister to get to the back door.
“If it’s a job you want, Mags, then you should go work with Grant,” Ryan said, all too cheerful and reasonable.
Grant stopped in the middle of the porch and slowly turned back around. That was a bad idea. Everything was wrong with his brother’s suggestion. Working with Maggie put her close to Grant all day. He frowned at his brother.
“What?” Ryan considered Grant. His gaze sharpened, his words were clear and convincing. “You need a competent temporary receptionist at your clinic until Dr. Toro returns to hire a permanent one. You told me that yesterday.”
“When does Dr. Toro return again?” Kelsey’s voice was mild, as if she didn’t have an opinion one way or the other.
As for Maggie, she gaped at her sister as if she had too many opinions and wasn’t quite certain where to start.
“Dr. Toro is scheduled to be back in his clinic in two weeks,” Grant said carefully and intentionally. His family had been referring to Dr. Toro’s clinic as Grant’s since Grant had agreed to fill in for his mentor. No matter how many times Grant had corrected them, they just kept on. So, too, did Grant. His clinic was in California, and everyone needed to remember that.
“We are here for the next ten days so the timing fits our schedule really well.” Kelsey still wore the same bright smile she’d arrived with. “Maggie could fill in as your receptionist until we leave.”
Maggie chewed on her lower lip and remained silent.
“It shouldn’t be a problem.” Kelsey’s gaze collided with Grant’s. One of her eyebrows twitched. She continued, “It’s not like you two are dating or anything. So, it’s all perfectly professional.”
Grant nodded. Business only. It would be a strictly professional arrangement. Because there were no vacancies in Grant’s personal life. At least, not any he was inclined to fill.
“You can’t go the rest of the summer without air conditioning in the camper, Mags.” Ryan tugged Maggie’s ponytail playfully. “You and Grant can even carpool together.”
Working. Living. Now carpooling too. Grant couldn’t be the only one thinking that was too much. A bridge too far. He had limits. Boundaries. A perfectly solid self-imposed, keep-his-distance-from-Maggie plan. That was now steadily veering off course. Grant coughed and covered his mouth with the back of his hand.
Maggie’s gaze skipped around the porch but never connected with Grant’s.
“It makes sense,” Ryan continued. “You can’t deny the logic, Grant. Neither can you, Mags.”
Yes, it made sense. They all knew it. What didn’t make sense was Grant’s racing heart. Or his sudden nerves. He cleared his throat. “Maggie, you’ve been quiet. What do you think?”
