Ryder walked into his sister’s veterinary practice on Main Street at noon. Ruby, the receptionist, was on her break as he knew she would be.
He’d gone to the county fair every day last week but hadn’t crossed paths with Lorri again. She hadn’t shown up to buy the quilt on Sunday either. He’d even asked the guys down at the mill if she’d come in looking for big bags of large-breed dog food, but so far, she hadn’t.
Soft instrumental music played in the background. Diane swore it kept the animals calmer. He was uncertain of it. He played a lot of George Strait in his barn and his animals seemed fine with or without it.
He walked around the counter to the reception desk where the file cabinet with the patient charts was. He knew this place as well as the back of his hand. He’d built this animal hospital for Diane a few years back when she’d outgrown the small building where she’d started her practice. Here they’d expanded the kennel for long-term stays and added stalls for larger animals so folks could bring their horses to her. It saved her customers money, and cut down on driving time to make farm calls for a quick Coggins test—a win for everyone.
He slid open the metal drawer and began flipping through the files. He’d only gotten through the first few when a woman with a cat in a light blue carrier walked in through the left entrance.
“Hi,” he greeted her politely, as if he were the one who was supposed to be behind this desk.
“Hey, Ryder. How’ve you been?”
He didn’t recognize her. “Good. How’s your mom and them?” That worked on just about anyone around here.
“Everyone’s doing great.” She nodded to the pet carrier. “Well, except for Tux. He’s here to get fixed. Poor little guy has no idea what’s getting ready to happen to him, but I know it’s the right thing to do.”
“It is,” he agreed. “Don’t need more feral cats running around.”
“No. That’s not good for anyone, although I’m grateful to have found him. He didn’t take a week to tame down, and he’s an excellent mouser.”
Diane walked out with a lady leading an old swaybacked Basset Hound toward the front.
Ryder leaned back against the file cabinet closing it without suspicion. Perfect timing. He didn’t want to have to make small talk with the cat lady any longer than necessary.
Diane glanced over at him. “Everything okay, Ryder?”
“Yeah, fine. I was in the neighborhood and thought I’d take my favorite sister to lunch.”
“Really? I’d love that. I’ll be free right after this next appointment.”
The cat lady smiled.
Ruby came in carrying a takeout box. “Hey, Ryder.” The smell of good North Carolina barbecue filled the air. The Basset’s nose wiggled as he inched toward the scent.
Ruby edged by Ryder and sat in her chair. “I can finish going over the follow-up with Barkley’s mom,” she said to Diane.
“Thanks, Ruby.” Diane turned to the cat lady. “Ginny, you can bring Tux right on back.”
Ginny Matthews. The librarian. That’s her. No wonder I couldn’t place her. Haven’t read much more than the farm auction brochure in a long while.
He stood there, kind of stuck while Ruby went over Barkley’s follow-up instructions and settled their bill.
Barkley and his mom left, and Ruby spun around in her chair. “Ryder Bolt. What are you doing here behind my desk? Are you trying to steal my job?”
“Not in a hundred years,” he said.
“Good,” Ruby said. “So, then what are you doing back here?”
He fumbled for an excuse. “Thought I’d take Diane out to lunch. You weren’t here so I came around to leave her a note, but then she came out and the cat lady came in and you showed up. It turned into a party.”
“I see. Well, from what I hear you could use a good party now and then.”
“Excuse me?” Since when was his business anybody’s business? “I’m fine, thank you very much.”
“If you say so.”
Ginny walked back out to the front empty-handed. “I guess I’ll be picking up Tux in the morning.”
“Don’t you worry,” Ruby chimed in. “I’ll call you as soon as he comes out of sedation. He’ll be a little loopy, but they bounce back super fast. By the time you pick him up he’ll be his old self.”
The woman held her hand to her heart. “I feel kind of bad about it.”
“Oh, don’t. It’s the responsible thing to do. We’ll take great care of him.”
“I know that. Y’all always do.” Ginny twisted the handle on the door and walked out with her head low.
“Poor thing,” Ruby said. “Sometimes those procedures are harder on the owners than they are on the animals.”
“Guilt’s a crippling thing.” He knew that better than anyone.
“So, do you want to wait here, or should I send Diane over to meet you for lunch when she’s done?”
“Oh, yeah. I guess she could just meet me across the street.”
“Sure thing.”
“Okay.” He slowly turned, taking only one step before he stopped. “Did a lady with a mastiff come in here? Lives in the new neighborhood up near my place?”
Ruby cocked her head. “A lady?”
“Anyone, really. A big mastiff. Like a hundred and eighty pounds.”
She leaned back in her chair and folded her arms across her generous chest. “Oh yeah. You must be talking about Mister.”
“Yes!”
“Mh-hmm. Ryder Bolt, were you back here looking through my files?”
He glanced back to the operating room. “Stop that. I’m just asking a question.”
“Oh, I know what you were doing.” Her lips curled up like she was in the know. Ruby was enjoying this way too much.
“I’m not up to anything. I met her at the fair. I was supposed to give her a number for something, but I lost hers.”
“Really?”
“Why are you giving me such a hard time about this, Ruby?”
“Because I know you. We all worry about you. You’re acting all goofy as heck, but own it, man. This is a good sign.”
“There’s nothing to own.” He shrugged. “I figured she’d have had to come here, and I’d get her number. Since I lost it. I … never mind.”
Ruby pulled out a lateral file to her left. With a quick finger walk across the top of the charts she pulled one out. “Get your pencil out.”
“Thanks, Ruby.”
She pursed her lips. “You owe me.” She called out the numbers, watching him the whole time. “Now would you do me a favor and use that number for something besides a good deed?”
“Nothing wrong with good deeds,” he said.
“No. Not at all, but just relax. You might have fun. She’s real nice.”
I know.
“You’re really not going to tell me anything?” Ruby fluttered her lashes. “Come on.”
“Nothing to tell.”
“Well, then get out of here. I’ll send your sister over when she’s done.”
“Thanks, Ruby.”
“Oh, don’t thank me. I’ll call in that favor one day.” She flipped her hair back and spun around in her chair.
He waved as he walked out.
The Dalton Mill Diner was busy, but he spotted an empty table near the window. Not really his favorite place to sit. It was weird to eat on display like that. Made him feel like one of those Siamese fighting fish in a teensy bowl, but the sooner he got lunch with Diane over with the sooner he could call Lorri. His heart pounded. He clutched the brochure he’d written her number on, then tried to commit it to memory.
“What are you having today, Ryder?” Maggie Mae slid a cup of ice water onto the table.
“Diane’s meeting me between patients. How about two specials. You know she’ll be in a hurry.”
“You got it. And two sweet teas?”
“That’ll do.”
He took out his phone and keyed Lorri’s name and number into his contact list, still unsure of what he was going to say when he called.
Diane slid out the chair across from him and sat down. “To what do I owe this nice surprise? Is this so you can get out of the family party tomorrow?”
Tomorrow was her birthday. “No. Of course not. Can’t a guy take his big sister to lunch?”
“Yeah. You just never do.”
“Well, I’m going to do better on that. Now that Mom and Dad are wandering the nation, we need to fill in some gaps.”
“I know. I really miss them. Sunday dinners too. One of us needs to learn some of Mom’s recipes.”
“It should probably be me,” he said with a smirk.
“You’re right. You are the better cook.”
“Don’t much like to follow a recipe, but this is a serious situation,” he said. “We have traditions that need to be continued.”
“How about we plan on Sunday supper after church this week? I’ll tell the kids to carve out an hour or two for us.”
He couldn’t hold back the snicker. “You know all those two are going to talk about is that celebrity wedding?”
“You better lower your voice.” Her eyes darted side to side.
“Whatever. I didn’t mention a date or a name.” He looked around. No one was paying them any mind.
“They are really busting their buns to make that happen,” she said. “I’ve never seen them work so hard.”
“They have time for family. If one or two hours will derail that project, then they are already in trouble.” He wasn’t about to let them skip out on this.
“I know, you’re right. You leave them to me,” Diane said. “I’ll handle that, and I’ll tell them all business is off the table.”
“Might be a quiet dinner,” he teased.
She shrugged. “At least we’ll all be together.”
Maggie Mae brought out two lunch specials and placed them in front of Ryder and Diane.
“This looks so good.” Diane placed a paper napkin in her lap. “I’m so far behind at work from being at the fair last week. This was really nice timing, Ryder.”
She grabbed his hand and they said a quick prayer before digging into the smoked barbecue plate, tomato pie, slaw, and skillet cornbread.
Ryder took a bite, but his stomach was busy doing somersaults. He hated to keep a secret from Diane. It was just a phone number, but those digits would spiral her into giving endless advice that he wasn’t ready to hear. He didn’t want to get Diane’s hopes up since all he knew was that he’d enjoyed spending time with Lorri and wouldn’t mind doing it again. But they’d also both said it was just as friends. People never think a man and woman can be friends. Other people anyway, not him.
“I have something to tell you,” Ryder finally blurted out. He’d never lied to her and he wasn’t about to start now. Lying by omission was still a lie after all.
“Oh no.” She put her fork down. “I knew it. There’s more to this than lunch. What’s wrong?”
“No. It’s not bad. Well, kind of. No, it’s not that kind of bad.”
“What?”
“Remember the woman who got about rolled over by that steer on the first day of the fair?”
“I was there, remember? I told Mrs. Helms that Billy Ray was not ready to show that steer. He barely worked with him. Little brat. He thinks his parents can buy him into first place with a good steer and not put in the work.” Diane had strong opinions. They ran hot like that in the Bolt family.
“Diane, I’m sure you’re right, but sometimes that stuff just happens. They are animals after all.”
“I saw that one coming. Is she okay?”
“She was when she left,” he said. “Haven’t heard anything else about it.”
“Thank goodness.”
“I spent the better part of the afternoon with her. I mean, you know, just to be sure she was okay to drive after that knot on her head. She might’ve fared better if I hadn’t tackled her out of the way.”
“I doubt it. That steer outweighs you by several hundred pounds.” She took another bite and lasered a look at him. “She brings her dog in. She’s really nice.”
He sucked in a breath. “Yeah. Very nice. We built birdhouses. Had some laughs. She’s friends with Tinsley’s family, that has to say something. I mean, she’s from the city, but she seems…”
Diane put her fork down. Swallowing dramatically, her teeth showed as she grinned. “You came to get her phone number, didn’t you?” She pounded her fists on the table. “I love it.”
“Did Ruby tell you?”
Her mouth dropped open. “Ruby gave it to you?”
Ruby hadn’t told her. He stepped right into that one. “Not without some arm-twisting. All I know is she lives in Mill Creek Highlands, and has a dog named Mister.”
“And now you have her phone number. Well, good for you, little brother.” Diane raised her hand up in a high five.
“Put your hand down. People are looking. It’s not like that.”
She lowered her hand to pat his cheek. “Well, maybe it could be. Lighten up. Ryder, you’re too young to live your life alone.”
“I know the speech.”
“Well then quit making me repeat it. Trust me, I don’t like giving it over and over and over and over—”
“Okay, okay. I got it. I’m just going to call and check in on her.”
“That’s a good start.” Diane took another bite of her lunch. “You know, I’m surprised you’re willing to talk to her at all since she lives in the neighborhood. You still harbor such anger about it.”
“Not her fault she’s benefitting from our family stupidity.”
“Be nice. We were born into that family.”
“I’m just telling it like it is.” Over seven years had passed since the day Valerie and Ronnie Dwayne died in that car accident. Just the thought of calling Lorri was twisting in his gut, and reigniting guilt he thought he’d put to rest. But why? You’d think by now he’d have forgiven himself for not being with them, but that wasn’t as easy as it sounded. He couldn’t picture himself with another woman, but he had enjoyed Lorri’s company. It had felt good to laugh, and he could do with more of that.
No strings. No expectations, just two neighbors checking in once in a while. And as for that neighborhood, Joe was right—it wasn’t going anywhere, and even if Ryder and Diane hadn’t benefited directly, this town had.
If Diane wasn’t on him about dating, then she was on him about letting go of grudges. She was the second person this week to comment about his moods. Maybe he had become more bitter over the past few years.
“Well, you not holding it against her that she lives in the neighborhood has to be a step in the right direction.” She took a long slug of her tea and set the glass down. “I’ve got to run. I have a packed schedule. Thank you for lunch. This was a treat, but you know what was even better? You. Almost living again. I love you, brother.” She made a beeline for the door, not giving him the chance for a rebuttal. Not that it would have done any good.
Family. They know all your soft spots. No hiding from them.