Make time for friends. Make time for

DEBBIE

MACOMBER

CEDAR COVE

16 Lighthouse Road

204 Rosewood Lane

311 Pelican Court

44 Cranberry Point

50 Harbor Street

6 Rainier Drive

74 Seaside Avenue

8 Sandpiper Way

92 Pacific Boulevard

1022 Evergreen Place

1105 Yakima Street

A Merry Little Christmas

(featuring

1225 Christmas Tree Lane

and 5-B Poppy Lane)

BLOSSOM STREET

The Shop on Blossom Street

A Good Yarn

Susannah’s Garden

(previously published as

Old Boyfriends)

Back on Blossom Street

(previously published as

Wednesdays at Four)

Twenty Wishes

Summer on Blossom Street

Hannah’s List

A Turn in the Road

Thursdays at Eight

Christmas in Seattle

Falling for Christmas

A Mother’s Gift

Angels at Christmas

A Mother’s Wish

Be My Valentine

Happy Mother’ s Day

On a Snowy Night

Summer in Orchard Valley

Summer Wedding Bells

Summer Brides

This Matter of Marriage

THE MANNINGS

The Manning Sisters

The Manning Brides

The Manning Grooms

THE DAKOTAS

Dakota Born

Dakota Home

Always Dakota

The Farmer Takes a Wife

(Exclusive short story)

www.mirabooks.co.uk

Table of Contents

Cover

Title Page

Return to Promise

Dedication

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Can This Be Christmas?

Dedication

One

Two

Three

Four

Five

Six

Seven

Eight

Nine

Endpages

Copyright

Return to Promise

To Ruthanne Devlin, Bookseller Extraordinaire, for blessing my life with your friendship

Chapter One

Cal Patterson knew his wife would be furious when she learned what he’d done. Competing in the annual Labor Day rodeo, however, was worth Jane’s wrath—although very little else was.

Bull riding had always enticed him, even more than bronc riding or roping or any of the other competitions. It was the thrill that got to him, the danger of riding a fifteen-hundred-pound bull, of staying on for eight seconds and sometimes longer. He craved the illusion that for those brief moments he was in control. Cal didn’t do it for the trophy—if he was fortunate enough to take top prize—or to hear his name broadcast across the rodeo grounds. He was drawn by the challenge, pitting his will against the bull’s savage strength, and yes, the risk. Jane would never understand that; she’d been raised a city girl and trained as a doctor, and she disapproved of what she called unnecessary risk. He’d tried to explain his feelings about bull riding, but clearly he’d failed. Jane still objected fervently whenever he mentioned his desire to enter rodeo competitions. Okay, okay, so he’d busted a rib a few years back and spent several pain-filled weeks recuperating. Jane had been angry with him then, too. She’d gotten over it and she would again—but not without inducing a certain amount of guilt first.

He watched her out of the corner of his eye as she ushered their three-year-old son, Paul, into the bleachers. Cal dutifully followed behind, carrying eighteen-month-old Mary Ann, who was sound asleep in his arms. As soon as his family was settled, he’d be joining the other competitors near the arena. A few minutes later, Jane would open the program and find his name. Once she did, all hell would break loose. He sighed heavily. His brother and sister-in-law would be arriving shortly, and if he was lucky, that’d buy him a couple of minutes.

“Glen and Ellie are meeting us here, aren’t they?” Jane asked, her voice lowered so as not to disturb the baby. His daughter rested her head of soft blond curls against his shoulder, thumb in her mouth. She looked peaceful, downright angelic—which was quite a contrast to her usual energetic behavior.

“They’ll be here soon,” Cal answered, handing Mary Ann to Jane.

With two children demanding her time and attention, plus the ranch house and everything else, Jane had cut back her hours at the medical clinic to one weekend a month. Cal knew she missed practicing medicine on a more frequent basis, but she’d never complained. He considered himself a fortunate man to have married a woman so committed to family. Once the kids were in school, she’d return to full-time practice, but for now, Paul and Mary Ann were the focus of her life.

Just then, Jane reached for the schedule of rodeo events and Cal tensed, anticipating her reaction.

“Cal Patterson, you didn’t!” Her voice rose to something resembling a shriek. She turned and glared at him, her beautiful face contorted in a look of exasperated disbelief.

“Cal?” She waited, apparently hoping for an explanation.

However, he had nothing to say that he hadn’t already said dozens of times. It wouldn’t do any good to trot out his rationalizations yet again; one look told him she wouldn’t be easily appeased. His only option was to throw himself on her good graces and pray she’d forgive him quickly.

“You signed up for the bull ride?”

“Honey, now listen—”

“Are you crazy? You got hurt before! What makes you think you won’t get hurt this time, too?”

“If you’d give me a chance to—”

Jane stood, cradling Mary Ann against her. Paul stared at his parents with a puzzled frown.

“Where are you going?” he asked, trying to come up with some way to mollify her without causing a scene.

“I don’t intend to watch.”

“But, darling…”

She scowled at him. “Don’t you darling me!”

Cal stood, too, and was given a reprieve when Glen and Ellie arrived, making their way down the long, narrow row of seats. His brother paused, glancing from one to the other, and seemed to realized what was happening. “I take it Jane found out?”

“You knew?”

Ellie shook her head. “Not me! I just heard about it myself.”

“Looks like Jane’s leaving me,” Cal joked, hoping to inject some humor into the situation. His wife was overreacting. There wasn’t a single reason she should walk out now, especially when she knew how excited their three-year-old son was about seeing his first rodeo.

“That’s exactly what you deserve,” she muttered, bending to pick up her purse and the diaper bag while holding Mary Ann tightly against her shoulder.

“Mommy?”

“Gather your things,” she instructed Paul. “We’re going home.”

Paul’s lower lip started to quiver, and Cal could tell that his son was trying valiantly not to cry. “I want to see the rodeo.”

“Jane, let’s talk about this,” Cal pleaded.

Paul looked expectantly from his father to his mother, and Jane hesitated.

“Honey, please,” Cal said, hoping to talk her into forgiveness—or at least acceptance. Okay, so he’d kept the fact that he’d signed up for the bull riding a secret, but only because he’d been intent on delaying a fight.

“I don’t want Paul to see you injured,” she argued.

“Have a little faith, would you?”

His wife frowned, her anger simmering.

“I rode bulls for years without a problem. Tell her, Glen,” he said, nodding at his brother.

“Hey,” Glen said, raising both hands in a gesture of surrender. “You’re on your own with this one, big brother.”

“I don’t blame you for being mad,” Ellie said, siding with Jane. “I’d be furious, too.”

Women tended to stick together, but despite Ellie’s support, Cal could see that Jane was weakening.

“Let Paul stay for the rodeo, okay?” he cajoled. “He’s been looking forward to it all week. If you don’t want him to see me compete, I understand. Just leave when the bull riding starts. I’ll meet you at the chili cook-off once I’m finished.”

“Please, Mommy? I want to see the rodeo,” Paul said again, eyes huge with longing. The boy pleaded his case far more eloquently than he could, and Cal wasn’t fool enough to add anything more.

Jane nodded reluctantly, and with a scowl in his direction, she sat down. Cal vowed he’d make it up to her later.

“I’ll be fine,” he assured her, wanting Jane to know he loved and appreciated her. He slid his arm around her shoulders and gave a gentle squeeze. But all the while, his heart thundered with excitement at the thought of getting on the back of that bull. He couldn’t keep his gaze from wandering to the chute.

Jane might have been born and raised in the big city, but she was more than a little bit country now. Still, she’d probably never approve of certain rodeo events. Cal recognized her fears, and as a result, rarely competed anymore—hadn’t in five years. But he expected Jane to recognize the impulses that drove him, too. Compromise. Wasn’t that what kept a marriage intact?

Jane had no intention of forgetting Cal’s deceit, but now wasn’t the time or place to have it out with her husband. He knew how she felt about his competing in the rodeo. She’d made her views completely clear, even before they were married.

Still, Jane had acquiesced and held her tongue. She glanced at Cal’s brother and sister-in-law and envied them. Their kids were with a baby-sitter, since they planned to attend the dance later that evening. Jane would’ve preferred to stay herself, but when she’d mentioned it to Cal, he’d balked. Dancing wasn’t his favorite activity and he’d protested and complained until she dropped it.

Then he’d pulled this stunt. Men!

Partway through the rodeo, Paul fell asleep, leaning against her side. Cal had already left to wait down by the arena with the other amateur riders. As the time approached for him to compete, she considered leaving, but then decided to stay. Her stomach would be in knots whether she was there watching him or not. Out of sight wasn’t going to put her risk-taking husband out of her mind, and with Paul asleep, there was no reason to go now.

“Are you worried?” Ellie asked, casting her a sympathetic look.

“Damn straight. I don’t know what Cal was thinking.” He had more to lose than ever, and to risk injury for no practical purpose was beyond her comprehension.

“Who said he was thinking at all?” Ellie teased.

“Yeah—it’s the testosterone,” Jane muttered, wondering what her husband found so appealing about riding such dangerous beasts. Her nerves were shattered, and that wasn’t going to change. Not until she knew he was safe.

“I was hoping you and Cal would come to the dance.”

Ellie was obviously disappointed, but no more than Jane herself. She would have loved an evening out. Had she pressed the issue, Cal would eventually have given in, but it hadn’t seemed worth the arguments and the guilt. Besides, getting a sitter would’ve been difficult, since nearly everyone in Promise attended the annual Labor Day rodeo—and Ellie had managed to snag the services of Emma Bishop, one of the few teenagers available for baby-sitting.

“Cal didn’t want to leave the kids,” she explained. There would be other dances, other opportunities, Jane reassured herself.

“He’s up next,” Glen said.

“Go, Cal!” Ellie squealed. Despite her sister-in-law’s effort to sound sympathetic, Jane could tell she was truly excited.

Sure enough, Cal’s name was announced. Jane didn’t want to look, but she couldn’t stop herself. Cal was inside the pen, sitting astride the bull, one end of a rope wrapped around the saddle horn and the other around his hand. She held her sleeping child more tightly and bit her lower lip hard enough to draw blood. Suddenly the gate flew open and fifteen hundred pounds of angry bull charged into the arena.

Almost immediately, Glen and Ellie were on their feet, shouting. Jane remained seated, her arms around her children. “What’s happening, what’s happening?” she asked Ellie.

“Cal’s doing great!” she exclaimed. Jane could barely hear her over the noise of the crowd. Ellie clapped wildly when the buzzer went. “He stayed on!” she said proudly.

Jane nodded. How he’d managed to last those eight seconds, she had no idea.

“Whew. Glad that’s over.” Ellie sank down next to Jane.

“My brother’s got a real flair for this,” Glen said to no one in particular. “He could have gone on the circuit if…” He let the rest fade.

“If he wasn’t married,” Jane said, completing his thought. Actually Glen’s assessment wasn’t really accurate. Her husband was a long-established rancher before she’d come on the scene. He’d competed in rodeos since he was in his teens, but if he’d been interested in turning professional, he would have done so when he was much younger. She had nothing to do with that decision.

“Glen,” Ellie said, squeezing her husband’s arm, “who’s that woman over there?” Ellie was staring at a brunette standing near the fence.

“What woman?” Glen asked.

“The one talking to Cal.”

Jane glanced over, and even from this distance she could see that the other woman was lovely. Tall and slender, she looked like a model from the pages of a Western-wear catalog in her tight jeans, red cowboy boots and brightly checked shirt. It was more than just her appearance, though. Jane noticed the confidence with which she held herself, the flirtatious way she flipped back her long brown hair. This was a woman who knew she looked good—particularly to men.

“She seems familiar,” Ellie said, nudging Glen. “Don’t you think?”

“She does,” he agreed, “but I can’t place her.”

“She’s apparently got a lot to say to Cal,” Ellie added, then glanced apologetically toward Jane as though she regretted mentioning it.

Jane couldn’t help being curious. The woman wasn’t anyone she recognized. Normally she wasn’t the jealous type, wasn’t now, but she found herself wondering how this Rodeo Princess knew her husband. Even from this distance, it was clear that the woman was speaking animatedly to Cal, gesturing freely. For his part, Cal seemed more interested in what was happening with the rodeo than in listening to her.

Jane supposed she should be pleased by his lack of interest in another woman, and indeed she was. Then, as if aware of her scrutiny, her husband turned toward the bleachers and surveyed the crowd. His face broke into a wide grin when he caught her eye, and he waved. Earlier she’d been annoyed with him—in fact, she still was—but she’d never been able to resist one of Cal’s smiles. She waved in return and blew him a kiss.

An hour later, after Cal had been awarded the trophy for the amateur bull-riding competition, they decided to leave. With Mary Ann in the stroller and Paul walking between them, they made one last circuit of the grounds before heading toward the parking lot. They passed the chili cook-off tent, where the winner’s name was posted; for the first time in recent memory, it wasn’t Nell Grant. But then, Jane understood that Nell had declined to enter this year.

It was near dusk and the lights from carnival rides sparkled, delighting both Paul and Mary Ann. Cal’s arm was around Jane’s shoulder as they skirted the area set aside for the dance. The fiddle players were entertaining the audience while the rest of the musicians set up their equipment. People had gathered around, tapping their feet in anticipation.

The lively music had Jane swaying to the beat. “I wish we were staying,” she murmured, swallowing her disappointment.

“We’d better get home,” Cal said, swinging his trophy at his side. “I didn’t want to say anything before, but I’m about as sore as a man can get.”

“Your rib?” she asked.

He nodded. “Are you going to lecture me?”

“I should,” she muttered. “But I won’t. You knew the risks.”

He leaned forward and kissed her cheek. “You’re right. I did.”

What really bothered her was that he’d known—and participated, anyway. He was fully aware that he could have been badly injured, or worse. And for what? She simply didn’t understand why a man would do anything so foolish when he had so much to lose.

“I’m ready to go home,” he said. “How about you?”

Jane nodded, but glanced longingly over her shoulder at the dance floor. Maybe next year.

The phone rang, shattering the night silence. Cal bolted upright and looked at the glowing digital numbers of the clock radio, then snatched the receiver from its cradle. It went without saying that anyone phoning at 3:23 a.m. was calling with bad news.

“Pattersons’,” he barked gruffly.

“Cal? It’s Stephanie.”

Jane’s mother. Something was very wrong; he could hear it in her voice. “What’s happened?”

“It’s…it’s Harry,” she stammered.

Jane awoke and leaned across the bed to turn on the bedside lamp. “Who is it?” she asked.

He raised one hand to defer her question. “Where are you?”

“At the hospital,” Stephanie said, and rattled off the name of a medical facility in Southern California. “Harry’s fallen—he got up the way he sometimes does in the middle of the night and…and he slipped.”

“Is he all right?”

“No,” his mother-in-law answered, her voice trembling. She took a moment to compose herself. “That’s why I’m calling. His hip’s broken and apparently it’s a very bad break. He’s sedated and scheduled for surgery first thing in the morning, but…but the doctors told me it’s going to take weeks before he’s back on his feet.”

“Cal?” Jane was watching him, frowning, her hair disheveled, her face marked by sleep.

“It’s your mother,” he said, placing his hand over the mouthpiece.

“Is this about my dad?”

Cal nodded.

“Let me talk to her,” Jane demanded, instantly alert.

“Stephanie, you’d better talk to Jane yourself,” he said, and handed his wife the phone.

Cal was pretty much able to follow the conversation from that point. With her medical background, Jane was the best person to talk to in circumstances like this. She asked a number of questions concerning medication and tests that had been done, explained the kind of orthopedic surgery her dad would undergo and reassured her mother. She spoke with such confidence that Cal felt his own sense of foreboding diminish. And then she hesitated.

“I’ll need to talk to Cal about that,” she told her mother, voice dropping as though he wasn’t supposed to hear.

“Talk to me about what?” he asked after she’d replaced the receiver.

Jane paused for a moment, then took a deep breath.

“Mom wants me and the kids to fly home.”

“For how long?” The question was purely selfish; still, he needed to know. Being separated would be a hardship on them all. He understood the situation and was willing to do whatever he could, but he didn’t like the thought of their being apart for any length of time.

“I don’t know. A couple of weeks, maybe longer.”

“Two weeks?” He hated the telltale irritation in his voice, but it was too late to take back his words.

Jane said nothing. Then, as though struck by some brilliant idea, she scrambled onto her knees and a slow smile spread across her face.

“Come with us,” she said urgently.

“To California? Now?” That was out of the question, but he hated to refuse his wife—especially after this business with the rodeo. “Honey, I can’t. Glen and I are getting ready for the bull sale this week. I’m sorry, but this just isn’t a good time for me to be away.”

“Glen could handle the sale.”

What she said was true, but the prospect of spending two weeks at his inlaws’ held little appeal. Cal got along with Jane’s mother and he liked her father well enough, but Harry had a few annoying mannerisms. The two of them tended to become embroiled in ridiculous arguments that served no real purpose and usually went nowhere. Cal suspected it was more a matter of their competing for Jane’s attention. Jane was Harry’s only daughter and he doted on her. Cal figured he’d be doing Harry a favor by staying away. Besides, what would he do with himself in a place like Los Angeles?

“Don’t be so quick to say no,” she pleaded. “We could make this a family vacation. We always talk about going somewhere and it just never happens.” She knew he found it difficult to leave the Lonesome Coyote Ranch for longer than a few days, but this was as good a time as any.

“A vacation? I don’t think so, not with your father laid up and your mother as worried as she is. Besides, Stephanie doesn’t want me there.”

“That’s not true.”

“It’s not me she needs, it’s you. Having the kids around will boost your father’s spirits, and your mother’s too. Whereas I’ll just be in the way.”

Jane’s disappointment was obvious. “You’re sure?”

He nodded. “You go. A visit with you and the kids will be the best thing for both your parents, and you’ll have time to connect with your friends, too. It’ll do everyone good.”

Still Jane showed reluctance. “You’re sure you don’t mind me being gone that long?”

“I’ll hate it,” he admitted, and reached for the lamp to turn off the light. Then he lay back down and drew his wife into his arms.

Jane released a deep sigh. “I’m going to hate it, too.”

Cal closed his eyes, already experiencing a sense of loss, and Jane and the children hadn’t even left yet.

The next morning was hectic. The minute she got up, Jane arranged the flight to California and threw clothes, toiletries, toys and baby supplies into several suitcases. No sooner had she finished than Cal piled them all into the car, and drove his family to San Antonio. Paul was excited about riding in an airplane, and even Mary Ann seemed to realize there was adventure ahead.

As always, San Antonio International Airport was bustling with activity, and after checking them in with the airline, Cal quickly ushered Jane and the kids to their gate, where the flight was already boarding.

Kneeling down to meet his son at eye level, Cal put both hands on Paul’s shoulders. “You be good for Mommy, understand?”

His three-year-old nodded solemnly, then tossed his small arms around Cal’s neck, hugging him fiercely.

“I’m counting on you to be as much help to your grandma and grandpa as you can,” Cal added. He felt a wrenching in his stomach. This would be the first time he’d been apart from his children.

“I will,” Paul promised.

Cal noted that his son’s “blankey” was tucked inside his backpack, but said nothing. The blanket was badly worn. It’d been a gift from Jane’s friend Annie Porter, and a point of contention between him and Jane. Cal didn’t like the idea of the boy dragging it around, and Jane felt that Paul would give it up when he was ready.

Cal stood and scooped Mary Ann into his arms. His daughter squirmed, eager to break free and explore this wonderful new place. It was probably a good thing they didn’t have a lot of time for farewells, he reflected unhappily.

“I’ll phone often,” Jane said after he kissed her.

“Do.” Saying goodbye to his family was even more difficult than Cal had anticipated.

The four of them moved toward the jetway, slowed down by the children’s pace and Jane’s carry-on luggage.

“I’m going to miss you,” he murmured as they reached the airline representative who collected the boarding passes.

“Two weeks will go quickly.”

“Right,” Cal agreed, but at the moment those weeks loomed before him in all their emptiness.

Juggling two bags and clutching both children, Jane disappeared into the jetway. Had it been anyone else, Cal would have left then, his duty completed, but he stood at the window and waited until the plane had taxied toward the runway. The feeling of emptiness stayed with him, growing. Deep in his gut, he recognized that he’d let his wife down. He should have gone with her; it was what she’d wanted, what she’d asked of him, but he’d refused. He shook his head miserably. This wasn’t the first time he’d disappointed Jane.

As he turned toward the parking garage, Cal couldn’t shake his reaction to seeing his wife leave. He didn’t want to go to California, and yet he regretted not being on that plane with his family.

“You heard about Jane, didn’t you?” Dovie Hennessey asked her husband. Frank had just come home from the golf course, where he’d played eighteen holes with Phil Patterson, Cal’s father.

Frank, who’d retired three years earlier from his position as sheriff, nodded and made straight for the refrigerator. “According to Phil, Cal drove Jane and the kids to the airport yesterday morning.”

“I give him a week.”

Frank turned around, a pitcher of iced tea in his hand. “A week before what?”

“Before Cal heads into town.”

“Why?”

Exasperated, Dovie rolled her eyes. “Company. He’s going to rattle around that house like a lost soul.”

“Cal? No way!” Frank argued, pouring himself a tall glass of tea. “You seem to forget he was a confirmed bachelor before he met Jane. I was as surprised as anyone when he decided to marry her. Don’t get me wrong. I think it was the smartest thing he ever did….”

“But?” Dovie said.

“Cal isn’t any stranger to living alone,” Frank continued, sitting down at the kitchen table with his tea and the newspaper. “He did it for years. Now, I know he loves Jane and the kids, but my guess is he’s looking forward to two weeks of peace and quiet.”

Dovie couldn’t help herself. Peace and quiet? Frank made it sound as though Cal would welcome a vacation from his own family. She planted her hands on her hips and glared at her husband. “Frank Hennessey, what a rotten thing to say.”

He glanced up from his paper, a puzzled expression on his face. “What was so terrible about that?”

“Jane and the children are not a nuisance in Cal’s life,” she said in a firm voice. “Don’t you realize that?”

“Now, Dovie—”

“Furthermore, you seem to imply that he’s going to enjoy having them gone.”

“I said no such thing,” Frank insisted. “Cal’s going to miss Jane…of course he is. The children, too. What I was trying to say is that spending a couple of weeks without his wife might not be all that bad.” Flustered and avoiding her gaze, Frank rubbed his face. “That didn’t come out right, either.”

Dovie suppressed a smile. They’d been married long enough for her to know what he meant, but she liked giving him a hard time once in a while—partly because he made it so easy. He’d remained a bachelor for the first sixty years of his life. Like Cal, he’d grown accustomed to his own company. He and Dovie had been involved for more than ten years, but Frank had resisted marriage until Pastor Wade McMillen had offered a viable solution. They became husband and wife but kept their own residences. In the beginning, that had worked beautifully, but as time passed, Frank ended up spending more and more nights with her, until it seemed wasteful to maintain two homes. Since he’d retired, Dovie, who owned an antique store, had reduced her hours, as well. They were traveling frequently now, and with Frank taking a role in local politics and becoming active in the senior citizens’ center, why, there just weren’t enough hours in a day.

Patting her husband’s arm as she passed, Dovie said, “I thought I’d make Cal one of my chicken pot pies and we could take it out to him later this week.”

Frank nodded, apparently eager to move away from the subject. “Good idea.” Reaching for his paper, he claimed the recliner and stretched out his legs. Almost immediately, Buttons, the small black poodle they’d recently acquired, leaped into Frank’s lap and circled a couple of times before settling into a comfortable position.

“Nap time?” Dovie asked with a grin.

“Golf tires me out,” Frank said.

“You promised to drive me to the grocery store,” she reminded him, although she was perfectly capable of making the trip on her own. It was the small things they did together that she enjoyed most. The small domestic chores that were part of any marriage.

“In a while,” Frank said sleepily, lowering the newspaper to the floor.

True to his word, an hour later Frank sought her out, apparently ready to tackle a trip to the supermarket. Once they arrived, he found a convenient parking spot, mentioned her offer to make a meal for Cal and grabbed a cart. Dovie marched toward the produce aisle, with Frank close behind.

“Do you have any idea what Cal would enjoy with the pot pie?” she asked.

“I know what I’d enjoy,” Frank teased, and playfully swatted her backside.

“Frank Hennessey,” Dovie protested, but not too loudly; that would only encourage him. She didn’t really mind, though. Frank was openly affectionate, unlike her first husband. Marvin had loved her, she never doubted that, but had displayed his feelings in less obvious ways.

“Who’s that?” Frank asked, his attention on a tall brunette who stood by the oranges, examining them closely.

It took Dovie a moment to remember. “Why, that’s Nicole Nelson.”

“Nicole Nelson,” Frank repeated slowly, as though testing the name. “She’s from Promise?”

“She lived here a few years back,” Dovie said, taking a plastic bag and choosing the freshest-looking bunch of celery.

“How do I know her?” Frank asked, speaking into her ear.

Which told Dovie that Nicole had never crossed the law. Frank had perfect recall of everyone he’d encountered in his work as sheriff.

“She was a teller at the bank.”

“When?”

“Oh, my.” Dovie had to think about that one. “A number of years ago now…nine, maybe ten. She was roommates with Jennifer Healy.”

“Healy. Healy. Why is that name familiar?”

Dovie whirled around, sighing loudly. “Frank, don’t tell me you’ve forgotten Jennifer Healy!”

He stared back at her, his expression blank.

“She’s the one who dumped Cal two days before their wedding. It nearly destroyed the poor boy. I still remember how upset Mary was having to call everyone and tell them the wedding had been canceled.” She shook her head. “Nicole was supposed to be her maid of honor.”

Frank’s gaze followed the other woman as she pushed her cart toward the vegetables. “When Jennifer left town, did Nicole go with her?”

Dovie didn’t know, but it seemed to her the two girls had moved around the same time.

“Cal was pretty broken up when Jennifer dumped him,” Frank said. “Good thing she left Promise. Wonder why this one came back…”

“Mary was worried sick about Cal,” Dovie murmured, missing her dearest friend more than ever. Cal’s mother had died almost three years ago, and not a day passed that Dovie didn’t think of her in one way or another.

“I know it was painful at the time, but Jennifer’s leaving was probably a lucky break.”

Dovie agreed with him. “I’m sure Jane thinks so, too.”

Frank generally didn’t pay much attention to other women. His noticing Nicole was unusual enough, but it was the intensity of his focus that perturbed her.

She studied Nicole. Dovie had to admit that the years had been good to Jennifer’s friend. Nicole had been lovely before, but immature. Time had seasoned her beauty and given her an air of casual sophistication. Even the way she dressed had changed. Her hair, too.

“She’s a real looker,” Frank commented.

Dovie saw that her husband wasn’t the only man with his eye on this woman; half the men in the store noticed her—and Nicole was well aware of it.

“I’ll admit she looks attractive,” Dovie said with a certain reluctance.

Frank turned back to her. She didn’t realize right away that he was frowning. “What is it?” she asked.

“What she looks like to me,” he said, ushering her down the aisle, “is trouble.“

Chapter Two

Cal had lived in this ranch house his entire life, and the place had never seemed as big or as empty as it did now. Jane hadn’t been gone a week and already the silence was driving him to wander aimlessly from room to room. Exhausted from a day that had started before dawn, he’d come home and once again experienced a sharp pang of loneliness.

Normally when Cal got back to the house, Paul rushed outside to greet him. The little boy always launched himself off the porch steps into his father’s waiting arms as if he’d waited for this moment the entire day. Later, after Cal had showered and Jane dealt with getting dinner on the table, he spent time with his daughter. As young as Mary Ann was, she already had a dynamic personality and persuasive powers to match. Cal knew she was going to be a beauty when she grew up—and he’d be warding off boys. Mary Ann was like her mother in her loveliness, energy…and her stubborn nature.

Cal’s life had changed forever the day he married Jane. Marriage was more than the smartest move of his life; it was the most comfortable. Being temporarily on his own made him appreciate what he had. He’d gotten used to a great many things, most of which he hadn’t stopped to consider for a long time: shared passion, the gentle companionship of the woman he loved, a family that gave him a sense of purpose and belonging. In addition, Jane ran their household with efficiency and competence, and he’d grown used to the work she did for her family—meals, laundry, cleaning. He sighed. To say he missed Jane and the kids was an understatement.

He showered, changed clothes and dragged himself into the kitchen. His lunch had been skimpy and his stomach felt hollow, but he wasn’t in the mood to cook. Had there been time before she left, Jane would have filled the freezer with precooked dinners he could pop into the microwave. When they heard he was a temporary bachelor, Frank and Dovie had dropped off a meal, but that was long gone. The cupboards were full, the refrigerator, too, but nothing seemed easy or appealing. Because he didn’t want to bother with anything more complicated, he reached for a bag of microwave popcorn. That would take the edge off his hunger, he decided. Maybe later he’d feel like putting together a proper meal.

The scent of popped corn enticed him, but just as he was about to start eating it, the phone rang. Cal grabbed the receiver instantly, thinking it might be Jane.

“Pattersons’,” he said eagerly.

“Cal, it’s Annie.”

Annie. Cal couldn’t squelch the letdown feeling that settled over him. Annie Porter was his wife’s best friend and a woman he liked very much. She’d moved to Promise a few years back and had quickly become part of the community. The town had needed a bookstore and Annie had needed Promise. It wasn’t long before she’d married the local vet. Cal vaguely recalled Jane asking him to phone Annie. He’d forgotten.

“I just heard about Jane’s dad. What happened? Dovie was in and mentioned that Jane went to stay with her parents—she assumed I knew. I wish someone had told me.”

“That’s my fault,” Cal said. “I’m sorry, Annie. On the way to the airport, Jane asked me to call…” He let his words drift off.

“What happened?” Annie asked again, clearly upset. Cal knew she was close to Jane’s parents and considered them a second family.

Cal told her everything he could and apologized a second time for not contacting her earlier. He hoped Annie would see that the slight hadn’t been intentional; the fact was, he hated to make phone calls. Always had.

“I can’t imagine why Jane hasn’t called me herself,” she said in a worried voice.

Cal had assumed she would, too, which only went to show how hectic Jane’s days must be with her parents and the children.

“Jane will be home in a week,” Cal said, trying to sound hopeful and reassuring—although a week seemed like an eternity. He pushed the thought from his mind and forced himself to focus on their reunion. “Why don’t you give her a call?” he suggested, knowing Annie was going to want more details. “She’d love to hear from you, I’m sure.”

“I’ll do that.”

“Great… Well, it’s been good talking to you,” he said, anxious to get off the phone.

“Before we hang up, I want to ask you about Nicole Nelson.”

“Who?” Cal had no idea who she was talking about.

“You don’t know Nicole? She came into the bookstore this afternoon and applied for a job. She put you and the bank down as references.”

“Nicole Nelson,” he repeated. The name sounded vaguely familiar.

“I saw you talking to her at the rodeo,” Annie said, obviously surprised that he didn’t remember the other woman.

“Oh, yeah—her,” he said, finally recalling the incident. Then he realized how he knew Nicole. She’d been a good friend of Jennifer’s. In fact, they’d been roommates at the time he and Jennifer were engaged. “She put my name down as a job reference?” He found that hard to believe.

“She said she’s known you for a number of years,” Annie added.

“Really?” To be fair, Cal’s problem hadn’t been with Nicole but with Jennifer, who’d played him for a fool. He’d been too blinded by his first encounter with love to notice the kind of woman she was.

“Nicole said if I had any questions I should ask you.”

“It’s been years since I saw her—other than at the rodeo last week.” He did remember talking to her briefly. She’d said something about how good it was to be back in Promise, how nice to see him, that sort of thing. At the time Cal had been distracted. He’d been more interested in watching the rodeo and cheering on his friends than in having a conversation with a woman he’d had trouble recognizing. Besides, Jane was upset with him and appeasing her had been paramount. He’d barely noticed Nicole.

“Did she list any other personal references?” he asked.

“No, I told her you and the bank were the only ones I needed,” Annie continued. “So you do remember her?”

“Sure. It’s just that it was a long time ago.”

“You went out with her?”

Leave it to Annie to ask a question like that. “No, with her best friend. We almost got married.” No need to go into details. Jennifer had taught him one of the most valuable lessons of his life. The worth of that experience could be measured in the pain and embarrassment that resulted when she’d callously canceled the wedding. He could’ve lived with her breaking their engagement—but why did she have to wait till they were practically at the altar?

“I talked with Janice over at Promise First National about her job history,” Annie said, interrupting his thoughts. “She doesn’t have anything negative to say about Nicole, but if you’re uncomfortable giving her a recommendation…”

“Oh, I’m sure Nicole will do a great job for you.”

The length of Annie’s hesitation told him he hadn’t been very convincing.

“Nicole’s fine, really,” he added. He didn’t actually remember that much about her. She always seemed to be there whenever he picked up Jennifer, but he couldn’t say he knew her. Years ago she’d been a sweet kid, but that was the extent of his recollection. He couldn’t dredge up anything that would prevent her from selling books. He’d never heard that she was dishonest or rude to customers, and those were things that would definitely have stuck in his mind. It was difficult enough to attract good employees; Cal didn’t want to be responsible for Annie’s not hiring someone simply because he had negative feelings about that person’s friends.

“I was thinking of hiring her for the bookstore.”

“Do,” Cal urged.

“She seems friendly and helpful.”

“I’m sure she is,” Cal said, and glanced longingly toward the popcorn.

“Thanks, Cal, I appreciate the input.”

“No problem.” He didn’t know what it was about women and the telephone. Even Jane, who had a sensible approach to everything and hated wasting time, could spend hours chatting with her friends. Just thinking about his wife produced a powerful yearning. Nothing seemed right without her.

“I’ll give Jane a call later,” Annie was saying.

“Good plan.” He checked his watch, wondering how much longer this would take.

“Thanks again.”

“Give Nicole my best,” he said, thinking this was how to signal that he was ready to get off the phone.

“I will,” Annie promised. “Bye, now.”

Ah, success. Cal replaced the receiver, then frowned as he attempted to picture Nicole Nelson. Brown hair—or blond? He hadn’t paid much attention to her at the rodeo. And he couldn’t imagine what would bring her back to Promise. Not that she needed to justify the move, at least to him. His one hope was that he didn’t give Annie reason to regret hiring her.

Mary Ann’s squeal of delight woke Jane from a deep sleep. She rolled over and looked bleary-eyed at the clock radio and gasped. Ten o’clock. She hadn’t slept that late since she was in high school. Tossing aside the covers, she reached for her robe and headed out of the bedroom, yawning as she went.

“Mom!” she called.

“In here, sweetheart,” her mother said from the kitchen.

Jane found the children and her mother busily playing on the tile floor. Mary Ann toddled gleefully, chasing a beach ball, intent on getting to it before her brother. Because he loved his little sister, Paul was letting her reach it first, then clapping and encouraging her to throw it to him.

“You should have woken me up,” Jane said.

“Why? The children are fine.”

“But, Mom, I’m supposed to be here to help you,” she protested. The last week had been hectic. Taking Paul and Mary Ann away from home and the comfort of their normal routine had made both children difficult and irritable. That first night, Mary Ann hadn’t slept more than a few hours, then whined all the next day. Paul had grown quiet and refused to talk to either grandparent. The children had required several days to adjust to the time change, and with the stress of her father’s condition, Jane was completely exhausted.

“You needed the sleep,” her mother said.

Jane couldn’t argue with that. “But I didn’t come all this way to spend the whole morning in bed.”

“Stop fussing. Paul, Mary Ann and I are having a wonderful time. If you intend to spoil it, then I suggest you go back to bed.”

“Mother!”

“I’m the only grandma they have. Now, why don’t you let us play and get yourself some breakfast?”

“But—”

“You heard me.” Stephanie crawled toward the lower cupboards, then held on to the counter, using that as leverage to get up off the floor. “I’m not as limber as I once was,” she joked.

“Oh, Mom…” Watching her, Jane felt guilty. She gathered Mary Ann into her arms, although the child immediately wanted down. Paul looked up at her, disgruntled by the interruption.

“Your father’s resting comfortably,” her mother informed her. “He wants us to take the day for ourselves.”

“Dad said that?” He’d been demanding and impatient ever since Jane had arrived.

“He did indeed, and I intend to take him up on his offer. I promised the kids lunch at McDonald’s.”

“Dad must be feeling better.”

“He is,” her mother said. “By the way, Annie phoned earlier.”

“Annie?” Jane echoed. “Is everything all right at home?”

“Everything’s just fine. She wanted to know how your father’s doing. Apparently no one told her—”

“I asked Cal to let her know. I meant to phone her myself, but…you know how crazy it’s been this last week.”

“I explained it all, so don’t you worry. She’d already talked to Cal, who apologized profusely. She sounds well and has some news herself.”

Jane paused, waiting, although she had her suspicions.

“Annie’s pregnant again. Apparently they’re all thrilled—Annie, Lucas and the children. She’s reducing her hours at work, hiring extra help. It was great to chat with her.”

“A baby. That’s wonderful.” Annie was such a good mother, patient and intuitive. And such a good friend. Her move to Texas had been a real blessing to Jane.

Just thinking about Promise made Jane’s heart hunger for home. A smile came as she recalled how out of place she’d once felt in the small Texas town. She’d accepted a job in the medical clinic soon after she’d qualified. It wasn’t where she’d hoped to settle, and she’d only taken the assignment as a means of paying off a portion of her huge college loans. The first few months had been dreadful—until she’d become friends with Dovie, who’d introduced her to Ellie.

This was networking at its finest. Soon afterward, Ellie and Glen had arranged Jane’s first date with Cal. What a disaster that had been! Cal wasn’t the least bit interested in a blind date. Things had quickly changed, however, when Cal and his brother and Ellie had started to teach her how to think and act like a real Texan. When she’d decided to take riding lessons, Cal had volunteered to be her teacher.

Jane had never meant to fall in love with him. But they were a good match, bringing out the best in each other, and they’d both recognized that. Because of Cal, she was a better person, even a better physician, and he reminded her often how her love had enriched his life. They were married within the year.

After the children arrived, Jane felt it necessary to make her career less of a priority, but she didn’t begrudge a moment of this new experience. In fact, she enjoyed being a full-time wife and mother—for a while—and managed to keep up her medical skills with part-time work.

Annie, too, had found love and happiness in their small town. The news of this pregnancy pleased Jane.

“Have you connected with Julie and Megan yet?” her mother asked.

Along with Annie, Julie and Megan had been Jane’s best friends all through high school. Julie was married and lived just ten minutes away. Megan was a divorced single mother. Jane hadn’t seen either woman in three years—make that four. How quickly time got away from her.

“Not yet,” Jane told her.

“I want you to have lunch with your friends while you’re home.”

“Mom, that isn’t necessary. I’m not here to be entertained.”

“I don’t want you to argue with me, either.”

Jane grinned, sorely tempted to follow her mother’s suggestion. Why not? she decided. She’d love to see her friends. “I’ll try to set something up with Julie this week.”

“Good.” Her mother gently stroked Jane’s cheek. “You’re pale and exhausted.”

The comment brought tears to her eyes. She wasn’t the one suffering pain and trauma, like her father, who’d broken his hip, or her mother who’d been left to deal with the paramedics, the hospital, the surgeon and all the stress.

“I came here to help you,” Jane reiterated.

“You have, don’t you see?” Her mother hugged Paul. “It’s time with my precious grandbabies that’s helping me deal with all this. I don’t see nearly enough of them. Having the grandkids with me is a rare treat, and I fully intend to take advantage of it.”

Jane headed for the shower, looking forward to visiting with her friends. She missed Cal and Promise, but it was good to be in California, too.

The metallic whine of the can opener made Cal grit his teeth. This was the third night in a row that he’d eaten soup and crackers for dinner. The one night he’d fried himself a steak, he’d overcooked it. A few years back he’d been a pretty decent cook, but his skills had gotten rusty since his marriage. He dumped the ready-to-heat soup into the pan and stared at it, finding it utterly unappetizing.

Naturally he could always invite himself to his brother’s house for dinner. Glen and Ellie would gladly set an extra plate at their table. He’d do that when he got desperate, but he wasn’t, at least not yet. For that matter, he could call his father. Phil would welcome the company, but by the time Cal was finished with his chores on the ranch and showered, dinner had already been served at the seniors’ center.

Actually, now that he thought about it, he was in the mood for Mexican food, and no place served it better than Promise’s own Mexican Lindo. Already his mouth was watering for his favorite enchiladas, dripping with melted cheese. He could almost taste them. Needing no other incentive, he set the soup, pan and all directly inside the refrigerator and grabbed his hat.

If he hurried, he decided, he’d be back in time for Jane’s phone call. Her spirits had seemed better these past few days. Her father was improving, and today she’d met a couple of high-school friends for lunch.

Soon Harry would be released from the hospital, and once his father-in-law was home, Jane and the children would return to Texas. Cal sincerely wished Jane’s father a speedy recovery—and his good wishes weren’t entirely selfish. He liked Harry Dickinson, despite their arguments and despite his father-in-law’s reservations about Jane’s choice in a husband. He’d never come right out and said anything, but Cal knew. It was impossible not to. Still, Harry’s attitude had gotten a bit friendlier, especially after the children were born.

Promise was bustling when Cal drove up Main Street. All the activity surprised him, although it shouldn’t have. It was a Thursday night, after all, and there’d been strong economic growth in the past few years. New businesses abounded, an area on the outskirts of town had been made into a golf course, and the city park had added a year-round swimming pool. Ellie’s feed store had been remodeled, but it remained the friendly place it’d always been. She’d kept the wooden rockers out front and his own father was among the retired men who met there to talk politics or play a game of chess. The tall white steeple of the church showed prominently in the distance. Cal reflected that it’d been a long time since he’d attended services. Life just seemed to get in the way. Too bad, because he genuinely enjoyed Wade McMillen’s sermons.

The familiar tantalizing aroma of Texas barbecue from the Chili Pepper teased his nostrils, and for a moment Cal hesitated. He could do with a thick barbecue sandwich just as easily as his favorite enchiladas, but in the end he stuck with his original decision.

When he walked into the stucco-walled restaurant, he was immediately led to a booth. He’d barely had time to remove his hat before the waitress brought him a bowl of corn chips and a dish of extra-hot salsa. His mouth was full when Nicole Nelson stepped into the room, eyed him boldly and smiled. After only the slightest pause, she approached his table.

“Hello, Cal.” Her voice was low and throaty.

Cal quickly swallowed the chip, almost choking as he did so. The attractive woman standing there wasn’t the kid he’d known all those years ago. Her jeans fit her like a second skin, and unless he missed his guess, her blouse was one of those designer numbers that cost more than he took to the bank in an average month. If her tastes ran to expensive clothes like that, Cal couldn’t imagine how she intended to live on the amount of money Annie Porter could afford to pay her.

“Nicole,” he managed. “Uh, hi. How’re you doing?”

“Great, thanks.” She peered over her shoulder as though expecting to meet someone. “Do you have a couple of minutes?”

“Uh…sure.” He glanced around, grateful no one was watching.

Before he realized what she intended, Nicole slid into the booth opposite him. Her smile was bright enough to make him blink.

“I can’t tell you how good it is to see you again,” she said, sounding genuine.

“You, too,” he muttered, although if he’d passed her in the street, he probably wouldn’t have recognized her.

“I imagine you’re surprised I’m back in Promise.”

“Yeah,” he said. “What brings you to town?” He already knew she’d made the move without having a job lined up.

She reached for a chip, then shrugged. “A number of reasons. The year I lived in Promise was one of the best of my life. I really did grow to love this town. Jennifer and I got transferred here around the same time, but she never felt about Promise the way I did.”

“Jennifer,” he said aloud. Cal couldn’t help wondering what had become of his ex-fiancée. “Are you still in touch with her?”

“Oh, sure. We were best friends for a lot of years.”

“How is she?”

“Good,” Nicole told him, offering no details.

“Did she ever marry?” He was a fool for asking, but he wanted to know.

Nicole dipped the chip in his salsa and laughed lightly. “She’s been married twice.”

“Twice?” Cal could believe it. “Last I heard she was living with a computer salesman in Houston.” He’d heard that from Glen, who’d heard it from Ellie, who’d heard it from Janice at the bank.

“She married him first, but they’ve been divorced longer than they were ever married.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.” He wasn’t really, but it seemed like something he should say.

“Then she met Mick. It wasn’t his real name, but she called him that because he was from Australia.”

“Why Mick?”

“Mick Dundee.”

“Oh,” he said, and remembered that was a character in a popular movie from the 1980s.

“Jennifer thought Mick was hot stuff,” Nicole continued. “They had a whirlwind courtship, married in Vegas and divorced a year later.”

“I imagine she was upset about that,” Cal said, mainly because he didn’t know how else to comment.

“With Jennifer it’s hard to tell,” Nicole said, leaning forward.

The waitress approached the table and Nicole declined a menu, but asked for a strawberry margarita. “Actually I’m meeting someone later, but I saw you and I thought this was a good opportunity to catch up on old times.”

“Sure.” Not that they’d had any “old times.” Then, because he wasn’t sure she realized he was married, he added, “I could use the company. My wife and kids are in California with her family for the next week or so.”

“Oh…”

He might have been wrong, but Cal thought he detected a note of disappointment in her voice. Surely she’d known he was married. Annie must have said something. But then again, perhaps not.

“My boy is three and my daughter’s eighteen months.”

“Congratulations.”

“Thanks,” Cal said, feeling a bit self-conscious about dragging Jane and his kids into the conversation. But it was the right thing to do—and it wouldn’t hurt his ego if the information got back to Jennifer, either.

Nicole helped herself to another chip. “The last time Jennifer and I spoke, she said something that might interest you.” Nicole loaded the chip with salsa and took a discreet nibble. Looking up, she widened her eyes. “Jen said she’s always wondered what would’ve happened if she’d stayed in Promise and you two had gotten married.”

Cal laughed. He knew the answer, even if Nicole and Jennifer didn’t. “I simply would’ve been husband number one. Eventually she would have moved on.” In retrospect, it was easy to see Jennifer’s faults and appreciate anew the fact that they weren’t married.

“I don’t agree,” Nicole said, surprising him. “I think it might have been a different story if she’d stayed with you.”

The waitress brought her drink and Nicole smiled her thanks. She took a sip, sliding her tongue along the salty edge of the glass. “Jennifer might be my best friend,” she went on, “but when it comes to men she’s not very smart. Take you, for example. I couldn’t believe it when she told me she was calling off the wedding. Time has proved me right, too.”

Cal enjoyed hearing it, but wanted to know her reasoning. “Why’s that?”

“Well, it’s obvious, don’t you think? You were the only man strong enough to deal with her personality. I’m very fond of Jennifer, don’t get me wrong, but she likes things her own way and that includes relationships. She was an idiot to break it off with you.”

“Actually it was fortunate for both of us that she did.”

“Fortunate for you, you mean,” Nicole said with a deep sigh. “Like I said, Jennifer was a fool, and if she doesn’t realize it, I do.” After another sip, she leaned toward him, her tone confiding. “I doubt she’d admit it, but ever since she left Promise, Jennifer’s been looking for a man just like you.”

“You think so?” Her remark was a boost to his ego and superficial though that was, Cal couldn’t restrain a smile.

The waitress returned with his order, and Nicole drank more of her margarita, then said, “I’ll leave you now and let you have your dinner.”

She started to slip out of the booth, but Cal stopped her. “There’s no need to rush off.” He wasn’t in any hurry, and he had to admit he liked hearing what she had to say about Jennifer. If he missed Jane’s call, he could always phone her back.

Nicole smiled. “I wanted to thank you, too,” she murmured.

“For what?” He cut into an enchilada with his fork and glanced up.

“For giving me a recommendation at Tumbleweed Books.”

“Hey,” he said, grinning at her. “No problem.”

“Annie called me this morning and said I have the job.”

“That’s great.”

“I’m thrilled. I’ve always loved books and I look forward to working with Annie.”

He should probably mention that the bookstore owner was Jane’s best friend, and would have, but he was too busy chewing and swallowing—and after that, it was too late.

Nicole checked her watch. “I’d better be going. Like I said, I’m meeting a…friend. If you don’t mind, I’d like to buy your dinner.”

Her words took him by surprise. He couldn’t imagine what had prompted the offer.

“As a thank-you for the job reference,” she explained.

He brushed aside her offer. “It was nothing—I was glad to do it. I’ll get my own meal. But let me pay for your drink.”

She agreed, they chatted a few more minutes, and then Nicole left. She hadn’t said whom she was meeting, and although he was mildly curious, Cal didn’t ask.

He sauntered out of the restaurant not long after Nicole. He’d been dragging when he arrived, but with his belly full and his spirits high, he felt almost cocky as he walked toward his parked truck. He supposed he was sorry to hear about Jennifer’s marital troubles—but not very sorry.

As it happened, Cal did miss Jane’s phone call, but was quick to reach her once he got home and had listened to her message. She sounded disappointed, anxious, emotionally drained.

“Where were you?” she asked curtly when he returned her call.

Cal cleared his throat. “I drove into town for dinner. Is everything okay?”

“Mexican Lindo, right?” she asked, answering one question and avoiding the other.

“Right.”

“Did you eat alone?”

“Of course.” There was Nicole Nelson, but she hadn’t joined him, not technically. Not for dinner, at any rate. He’d bought her drink, but he didn’t want to go into lengthy explanations that could only lead to misunderstanding. Perhaps it was wrong not to say something about her being there, but he didn’t want to waste these precious minutes answering irrelevant questions. Jane was sure to feel slighted or suspicious, and she had no reason. At any rate, Annie would probably mention that she’d hired Nicole on his recommendation. He could deal with that later. Right now, he wanted to know why she felt upset.

“You’d better tell me what’s wrong,” Cal urged softly, dismissing the thought of Nicole as easily as if he’d never seen her. Their twenty minutes together had been trivial, essentially meaningless. Not a man-woman thing at all but a pandering to his ego. Jane was his wife, the person who mattered to him.

“Dad didn’t have a good day,” Jane said after a moment. “He’s in a lot of pain and he’s cranky with me and Mom. A few tests came back and, well, it’s too early to say, but I didn’t like what I saw.”

“He’ll be home soon?”

“I don’t know—I’d thought, no, I’d hoped…” She let the rest fade.

“Don’t worry about it, sweetheart. Take as long as you need. I’ll manage.” It wasn’t easy to make the offer, but Cal could see that his wife needed his support. These weeks apart were as hard on her as they were on him. This was the only way he could think to help.

“You want me to stay longer?” Jane demanded.

“No,” he returned emphatically. “I thought I was being noble and wonderful.”

The tension eased with her laugh. “You seem to be getting along far too well without me.”

“That isn’t true! I miss you something fierce.”

“I miss you, too,” Jane said with a deep sigh.

“How did lunch go with your friends?” he asked, thinking it might be a good idea to change the subject.

“All right,” she said with no real enthusiasm.

“You didn’t enjoy yourself?”

Jane didn’t answer immediately. “Not really. We used to be close, but that seems so long ago now. We’ve grown apart. Julie’s into this beauty-pageant thing for her daughter, and it was all she talked about. Every weekend she travels from one state to another, following the pageants.”

“Does her daughter like it?”

“I don’t know. It’s certainly not something I’d ever impose on my daughter.” She sighed again. “I don’t mean to sound judgmental, but we have so little in common anymore.”

“What about Megan?”

“She came with her twelve-year-old daughter and is terribly bitter about her divorce. At every opportunity she dragged her husband’s name into the conversation with the preface, ‘that bum I was married to.’”

“In front of her kid?” Cal was shocked that any mother could be so insensitive to her child.

“Repeatedly,” Jane murmured. “I have to admit I felt depressed after seeing them.” She paused, took a deep breath. “I can only imagine what they thought of me.”

“That concerns you?” Cal asked, thinking she was being ridiculous if it did.

“Not in the least,” Jane was quick to tell him. “Today was a vivid reminder that my home’s not in California anymore. It’s in Promise with you.“

Chapter Three

“I hate to trouble you,” Nicole said to Annie. She sat in front of the computer screen in the bookstore office, feeling flustered and impatient with herself. “But I can’t seem to find this title under the author’s name.”

“Here, let me show you how it works,” Annie said, sitting down next to Nicole.

Nicole was grateful for Annie Porter’s patience. Working in a bookstore was a whole new experience for her. She was tired of banking, tired of working in a field dominated by women but managed by men. Her last job had left her with a bitter taste—not least because she’d had an ill-advised affair with her boss—and she was eager to move on to something completely new. Thus far, she liked the bookstore and the challenge of learning new systems and skills.

Annie carefully reviewed the instructions again. It took Nicole a couple of tries to get it right. “This shouldn’t be so difficult,” she mumbled. “I mean, I’ve worked with lots of computer programs before.”

“You’re doing great,” Annie said, patting Nicole’s back.

“I hope so.”

“Hey, I can already see you’re going to be an asset to the business,” Annie said cheerfully, taking the packing slip out of a shipment of books. “Since you came on board, we’ve increased our business among young single men by two hundred percent.”

Nicole laughed and wished that was true. She’d dated a handful of times since her return to Promise, but no one interested her as much as Cal Patterson. And he was married, she reminded herself. Married, married, married.

She should have known he wouldn’t stay single long. She’d always found Cal attractive, even when he was engaged to Jennifer. However, the reason she’d given him for moving back to Promise was the truth. She had fallen in love with the town. She’d never found anywhere else that felt as comfortable. During a brief stint with the Promise bank, she’d made friends within the community. She loved the down-home feel of Frasier Feed store and the delights of Dovie’s Antiques. The bowling alley had been a kick, with the midnight Rock-and-Bowl blast every Saturday night.

Jennifer Healy had never appreciated the town or the people. Her ex-roommate had once joked that living in Promise was one step up from Mayberry RFD. The comment had angered Nicole. These people were sincere, pleasant and kind. She preferred life in a town where people cared about each other, even if Jen didn’t.

Only it wasn’t just the town that had brought her back. Everything she felt about Promise was genuine, but she had another reason. She’d returned because of Cal Patterson.

Almost ten years ago, she’d been infatuated with him, but since her best friend was engaged to him, she couldn’t very well do anything about it. Jennifer had dumped him and that would have been the perfect time to stick around and comfort him. Instead, she’d waited—and then she’d been transferred again, to a different branch in another town. Shortly after she’d left Promise, she’d had her first affair, and since then had drifted from one dead-end relationship to another. That was all about to change. This time she fully intended to claim the prize—Cal Patterson.

At the Mexican restaurant the other night, Nicole had told Cal that since breaking their engagement, Jennifer compared every man she met to him, the one she’d deserted. Nicole hadn’t a clue if that was the case or not. She was the one who’d done the comparing. In all these years she hadn’t been able to get Cal Patterson out of her mind.

So he was married. She’d guessed as much when she made the decision to return to Promise, but dating a married man wasn’t exactly unfamiliar to her. She would have preferred if he was single, but she had to admit it—his being married wasn’t a deterrent. It only made things more…interesting. More of a challenge. Almost always, the married man ended up staying with his wife, and Nicole was the one who got hurt. This was something she knew far too well, but she’d also discovered that there were ways of undermining a marriage without her having to do much of anything. And when a marriage was shaken, opportunities might present themselves….

“Nicole?”

Nicole realized Annie was staring at her. “Sorry, I got lost in my thoughts.”

“It’s time for a break.” Annie led the way into the back room. Once inside, she reached for the coffeepot and gestured toward one of two overstuffed chairs. “Sit down and relax. If Louise needs any help, she can call us.”

Nicole didn’t have to be asked twice. She’d been waiting for a chance to learn more about Cal, and she couldn’t think of a better source than Annie Porter.

Annie handed her a coffee in a thick ceramic mug, and Nicole added a teaspoon of sugar, letting it slowly dissolve as she stirred. “How do you know Cal?” she asked, deciding this was the best place to start.

“His wife. You haven’t met Jane, have you?”

Nicole shook her head. “Not yet,” she said as though she was eager to make the other woman’s acquaintance.

“We’ve been friends nearly our entire lives. Jane’s the reason I moved to Promise.”

Nicole took a cookie and nibbled daintily. Cal mentioned he has children.”

“Two.”

“That’s what he said.” The perfect little family, a boy and a girl. Except that wifey seemed to be staying away far too long. If the marriage was as wonderful as everyone suggested, she would’ve expected Cal’s wife to be home by now.

“This separation has been hard on them.”

“They’re separated?” Nicole asked, trying to sound sympathetic.

She was forced to squelch a surge of hope when Annie explained, “Oh, no, not that way. Just by distance. Jane’s father has been ill.”

“Yes, Cal had mentioned that she was in California with her family,” Nicole nodded earnestly. “She’s a doctor, right?”

“A very capable one. And the fact that she’s with her parents seems to reassure them both.”

“Oh, I’m sure she’s a big help.”

“I talked to her mom the other day, who’s so glad she’s there. I talked to Jane, too—I wanted to let her know about the baby and find out about her dad. She’s looking forward to getting home.”

“I know I’d want to be with my husband,” Nicole said, thinking if she was married to Cal, she wouldn’t be foolish enough to leave him for weeks at a time. If Jane Patterson was going to abandon her husband, then she deserved what she got.

“The problem is, her father’s not doing well,” Annie said, then sipped her coffee. She, too, reached for a cookie.

“That’s too bad.”

Annie sighed. “I’m not sure how soon Jane will to be able to come home.” She shook her head. “Cal seems at loose ends without his family.”

“Poor guy probably doesn’t know what to do with himself.” Nicole would love to show him, but she’d wait for the right moment.

“Do you like children?” Annie asked her.

“Very much. I hope to have a family one day.” Nicole knew her employer was pregnant, so she said what she figured Annie would want to hear. In reality, she herself didn’t plan to have children. Nicole was well aware that, unlike Annie, she wouldn’t make a good mother. If she was lucky enough to find a man who suited her, she’d make damn sure he didn’t have any time on his hands to think about kids—or to be lured away by another woman. Really, it was usually the wife’s own fault for not giving her husband the attention he craved.

“I understand you’re seeing Brian Longstreet,” Annie murmured.

Nicole had to pause to remember when and where she’d last seen Brian. “We had dinner the other night.” The evening hadn’t been especially memorable. It was Brian’s misfortune to meet her after she’d run into Cal at the Mexican Lindo. Afterward, Cal was all Nicole could think about.

“Do you like him?”

Nicole shrugged. “Brian’s okay.”

“A little on the dull side?”

“A little.” She’d already decided not to date the manager of the grocery store again. He was engaging enough and not unattractive, but he lacked the presence she was looking for. The strength of character. His biggest fault, Nicole readily admitted, was that he wasn’t Cal Patterson.

“What about Lane Moser?”

Nicole had dated him the first week she’d returned. She’d known him from her days at the bank. “Too old,” she muttered. She didn’t mind a few years’ difference, but Lane was eighteen years her senior and divorced. Besides, if he did any checking on her, he might learn a few things best left undiscovered. And he was just the type to check. “I’m picky,” she joked.

“You have a right to be.”

“I never seem to go for the guys who happen to be available. I don’t know what my problem is,” Nicole said, and even as she spoke she recognized this for a bald-faced lie. Her problem was easily defined. Repeatedly she fell for married men; actually she preferred them. It was the challenge, the chase, the contest. Single guys stumbled all over themselves to make an impression, whereas with married men, she was the one who had to lure them, had to work to attract their attention.

Over the years she’d gotten smart, and this time it wouldn’t be the wife who won. It would be her.

“Don’t give up,” Annie said, breaking into her thoughts.

“Give up?”

“On finding the right man. He’s out there. I was divorced when I met Lucas and I had no intention of ever marrying again. It’s all too easy to let negative experiences sour your perspective. Don’t let that happen to you.”

“I won’t,” Nicole promised, and struggled to hide a smile. “I’m sure there’s someone out there for me—only he doesn’t know it yet.” But Cal would find out soon enough.

“We’d better get back,” Annie said, glancing at her watch.

Nicole set aside her mug and stood. Cal had been on his own for nearly two weeks now, if her calculations were correct. A man could get lonely after that much time without a woman.

He hadn’t let her pay for his meal the other night. Maybe she could come up with another way to demonstrate just how grateful she was for the job recommendation.

“How long did Jane say she was going to be away?” Glen asked Cal as they drove along the fence line. The bed of the pickup was filled with posts and wire and tools; they’d been examining their fencing, doing necessary repairs, all afternoon.

Cal didn’t want to think about his wife or about their strained telephone conversations of the last few nights. Yesterday he’d hung up depressed and anxious when Jane told him she wouldn’t be home as soon as she’d hoped. Apparently Harry Dickinson’s broken hip had triggered a number of other medical concerns. Just when it seemed his hip was healing nicely, the doctors discovered a spot on his lung. It’d shown up earlier, but in the weeks since he’d been admitted, the spot had grown. All at once the big C loomed over Jane’s father. Cancer.

“I don’t know when she’ll be back,” Cal muttered, preferring not to discuss the subject with his brother. Cal blamed himself for their uncomfortable conversation. He’d tried to be helpful, reassuring, but hadn’t been able to prevent his disappointment from surfacing. He’d expected her home any day, and now it seemed she was going to be delayed yet again.

“Are you thinking of flying to California yourself?” his brother asked.

“No.” Cal’s response was flat.

“Why not?”

“I don’t see that it’d do any good.” He believed that her parents had become emotionally dependent on her, as though it was within Jane’s power to take their problems away. She loved her parents and he knew she felt torn between their needs and his. And here he was, putting pressure on her, as well.

He didn’t mean to add to her troubles, but he had.

“Do you think I’m an irrational jerk?”

“Yes,” Glen said, “so what’s your point?”

That made Cal smile. Leave it to his younger brother to say exactly what he needed to hear. “You’d be a lot more sympathetic if it was your wife.”

“Probably,” Glen agreed.

Normally Cal kept his affairs to himself, but he wasn’t sure about the current situation. After Jane had hung up, Cal had battled the urge to call her back, settle matters. They hadn’t fought, not exactly, but they were dissatisfied with each other. Cal understood how Jane felt, understood her intense desire to support her parents, guide them through this difficult time. But she wasn’t an only child—she had a brother living nearby—and even if she had been, her uncle was a doctor, too. The Dickinsons didn’t need to rely so heavily on Jane, in Cal’s opinion—and he’d made that opinion all too clear.

“What would you do?” Cal asked his brother.

Glen met his look and shrugged. “Getting tired of your own cooking, are you?”

“It’s more than that.” Cal had hoped Jane would force her brother to take on some of the responsibility.

She hadn’t.

Cal and Glen reached the top of the ridge that overlooked the ranch house. “Whose car is that?” Glen asked.

“Where?”

“Parked by the barn.”

Cal squinted, and shook his head. “Don’t have a clue.”

“We’d better find out, don’t you think?”

Cal steered the pickup toward the house. As they neared the property, Cal recognized Nicole Nelson lounging on his porch. Her again? He groaned inwardly. Their meeting at the Mexican Lindo had been innocent enough, but he didn’t want her mentioning it to his brother. Glen was sure to say something to Ellie, and his sister-in-law would inevitably have a few questions and would probably discuss it with Dovie, and…God only knew where all this would end.

“It’s Nicole Nelson,” Cal muttered.

“The girl from the rodeo?”

Glen had noticed her that day and oddly Cal hadn’t. “You’ve met her before,” he told his brother.

“I have?” Glen sounded doubtful. “When? She doesn’t look like anyone I’d forget that easily.”

“It was a few years back,” Cal said as they approached the house. “She was Jennifer Healy’s roommate. She looked different then. Younger or something.”

He parked the truck, then climbed out of the cab.

“Hi,” Nicole called, stepping down off the porch. “I thought I might have missed you.”

“Hi,” Cal returned gruffly, wanting her to know he was uncomfortable with her showing up at the ranch like this. “You remember my brother, Glen, don’t you?”

“Hello, Glen.”

Nicole sparkled with flirtatious warmth and friendliness, and it was hard not to be affected.

“Nicole.” Glen touched the rim of his hat. “Good to see you again.”

“I brought you dinner,” Nicole told Cal as she strolled casually back to her car. She looked as comfortable and nonchalant as anyone he’d ever seen. The way she acted, anyone might think she made a habit of stopping by unannounced.

Glen glanced at him and raised his eyebrows. He didn’t need to say a word; Cal knew exactly what he was thinking.

“After everything you’ve done for me, it was the least I could do,” Nicole said. “I really am grateful.”

“For what?” Glen looked sharply at Cal, then Nicole.

Nicole opened the passenger door and straightened. “Cal was kind enough to give me a job recommendation for Tumbleweed Books.”

“Annie phoned and asked if I knew her,” Cal muttered under his breath, minimizing his role.

“I hope you like taco casserole,” Nicole said, holding a glass dish with both hands. “I figured something Mexican would be a good bet, since you seem to enjoy it.”

“How’d she know that?” Glen asked, glaring at his brother.

“We met at the Mexican Lindo the other night,” Cal supplied, figuring the news was better coming from him than Nicole.

“You did, did you?” Glen said, his eyes filled with meaning.

“I tried to buy his dinner,” Nicole explained, “but Cal wouldn’t let me.”

Cal suspected his brother had misread the situation. “We didn’t have dinner together if that’s what you’re thinking,” he snapped. He was furious with Glen, as well as Nicole, for putting him in such an awkward position.

Holding the casserole, Nicole headed toward the house.

“I can take it from here,” Cal said.

“Oh, it’s no problem. I’ll put it in the oven for you and get everything started so all you need to do is serve yourself.”

She made it appear so reasonable. Unsure how to stop her, Cal stood in the doorway, arms loose at his sides. Dammit, he felt like a fool.

“There’s plenty if Glen would like to stay for dinner,” Nicole added, smiling at Cal’s brother over her shoulder.

“No, thanks,” Glen said pointedly, “I’ve got a wife and family to go home to.”

“That’s why I’m here,” Nicole said, her expression sympathetic. “Cal’s wife and children are away, and he’s left to fend for himself.”

“I don’t need anyone cooking meals for me,” Cal said, wanting to set her straight. This hadn’t been his idea. Bad enough that Nicole had brought his dinner; even worse that she’d arrived when his brother was there to witness it.

“Of course you don’t,” Nicole agreed. “This is just my way of thanking you for welcoming me home to Promise.”

“Are you actually going to let her do this?” Glen asked, following him onto the porch.

Cal hung back. “Dovie brought me some dinner recently,” he said, defending himself. “Savannah, too.”

“That’s a little different, don’t you think?”

“No,” he snapped. “Nicole’s just doing something thoughtful, the same as Dovie and Savannah.”

“Yeah, right.”

“I’m not going to stand out here and argue with you,” Cal muttered, especially since he agreed with his brother and this entire setup made him uncomfortable. If she’d asked his preference, Cal would have told Nicole to forget it. He was perfectly capable of preparing his own meals, even if he had little interest in doing so. He missed Jane’s dinners—but it was more than the food.

Cal was lonely. He’d lived by himself for several years and now he’d learned, somewhat to his dismay, that he no longer liked it. At first it’d been the little things he’d missed most—conversation over dinner, saying good-night to his children, sitting quietly with Jane in the evenings. Lately, though, it was everything.

“I’ll be leaving,” Glen said coldly, letting Cal know once again that he didn’t approve of Nicole’s being here.

“I’ll give you a call later,” Cal shouted as Glen got into his truck.

“What for?”

His brother could be mighty dense at times. “Never mind,” Cal said, and stepped into the house.

Nicole was already in the kitchen, bustling about, making herself at home. He found he resented that. “I’ve got the oven preheating to 350 degrees,” she said, facing him.

He stood stiffly in the doorway, anxious to send her on her way.

“As soon as the oven’s ready, bake it for thirty minutes.”

“Great. Thanks.”

“Oh, I nearly forgot.”

She hurried toward him and it took Cal an instant to realize she wanted out the door. He moved aside, but not quickly enough to avoid having her brush against him. The scent of her perfume reminded him of something Jane might wear. Roses, he guessed. Cal experienced a pang of longing. Not for Nicole, but for his wife. It wasn’t right that another woman should walk into their home like this. Dammit, Jane should be here, not Nicole—or anyone else.

“I left the sour cream and salsa in the car,” Nicole said breathlessly when she returned. She placed both containers on the table, checked the oven and set the glass dish inside. “Okay,” she said, rubbing her palms together. “I think that’s everything.”

Cal remained standing by the door, wanting nothing so much as to see her go.

She pointed to the oven. “Thirty minutes. Do you need me to write that down?”

He shook his head and didn’t offer her an excuse to linger.

“I’ll stay if you like and put together a salad.”

He shook his head. “I’ll be fine.”

She smiled sweetly. “In that case, enjoy.”

This time when she left, Cal knew to stand far enough aside to avoid any physical contact. He watched her walk back to her car, aware of an overwhelming sense of relief.

Life at the retirement center suited Phil Patterson. He had his own small apartment and didn’t need to worry about cooking. The monthly fee included three meals a day. He could choose to eat alone in his room or sit in the dining room if he wanted company. Adjusting to life without Mary hadn’t been easy—wasn’t easy now—but he kept active and that helped. So did staying in touch with friends. Particularly Frank Hennessey. Gordon Pawling, too. The three men played golf every week.

Frank’s wife, Dovie, and Mary had been close for many years, and in some ways Mary’s death had been as hard on Dovie as it was on Phil. At the end, when Mary was no longer able to recognize either of them, Phil had sat and wept with his wife’s dear friend. He hadn’t allowed himself to break down in front of either of his sons, but felt no such compunction when he was around Dovie. She’d cried with him, and their shared grief had meant more than any words she might have said.

Frank and Dovie had Phil to dinner at least once a month, usually on the first Monday. He thought it was a bit odd that Frank had issued an invitation that afternoon when they’d finished playing cards at the seniors’ center.

“It’s the middle of the month,” Phil protested. “I was over at your place just two weeks ago.”

“Do you want to come for dinner or not?” Frank said.

Only a fool would turn down one of Dovie’s dinners. That woman could cook unlike anyone he knew. Even Mary, who was no slouch when it came to preparing a good meal, had envied Dovie’s talent.

“I’ll be there,” Phil promised, and promptly at five-thirty, he arrived at Frank and Dovie’s, a bouquet of autumn flowers in his hand.

“You didn’t need to do that,” Dovie said when she greeted him, kissing his cheek lightly.

Phil immediately caught a whiff of something wonderful—a blend of delightful aromas. He smelled bread fresh from the oven and a cake of some sort, plus the spicy scent of one of her Cajun specialties.

Frank and Phil settled down in the living room and Dovie soon joined them, carrying an appetizer plate full of luscious little things. A man sure didn’t eat this well at the retirement center, he thought. Good thing, too, or he’d be joining the women at their weekly weight-loss group.

Phil helped himself to a shrimp, dipping it in a spicy sauce. Frank opened a bottle of red wine and brought them each a glass.

They chatted amiably for several minutes, but Phil knew something was on Dovie’s mind—the same way he always knew when Mary was worried about one thing or another. Phil had an inkling of what it was, too, and decided to break the ice and make it easier for his friends.

“It’s times like these that I miss Mary the most,” he murmured, choosing a brie-and-mushroom concoction next.

“You mean for social get-togethers and such?” Frank asked.

“Well, yes, those, too,” Phil said. “The dinners with friends and all the things we’d planned to do once we retired.”

Dovie and Frank waited.

“I wish Mary were here to talk to Cal.”

His friends exchanged glances, and Phil realized he’d been right. They’d heard about Cal and Nicole Nelson.

“You know?” Frank asked.

Phil nodded. It wasn’t as though he could avoid hearing. Promise, for all its prosperity and growth, remained a small town. The news that Nicole Nelson had delivered dinner to Cal had spread faster than last winter’s flu bug. He didn’t approve, but he wasn’t about to discuss it with Cal, either. Mary could have had a gentle word with their son, and Cal wouldn’t have taken offense. But Phil wasn’t especially adroit at that kind of conversation. He knew Cal wouldn’t appreciate the advice, nor did Phil think it was necessary. His son loved Jane, and that was all there was to it. He’d never do anything to jeopardize his marriage.

“Apparently Nicole brought him dinner—supposedly to thank Cal for some help he recently gave her,” Dovie said, her face pinched with disapproval.

“If you ask me, that young woman is trying to stir up trouble,” Frank added.

“Maybe so,” Phil agreed, but he knew his oldest son almost as well as he knew himself. Cal hadn’t sought out this other woman; she was the one who’d come chasing after him. His son would handle the situation.

“No one’s suggesting they’re romantically involved,” Frank said hastily.

“They aren’t,” Phil insisted, although he wished again that Mary could speak to Cal, warn him about the perceptions of others. That sort of conversation had been her specialty.

“Do you see Nicole Nelson as a troublemaker?” Phil directed the question to Dovie.

“I don’t know…I don’t think she is, but I do wish she’d shown a bit more discretion. She’s young yet—it’s understandable.”

Phil heard the reluctance in her response and the way she eyed Frank, as though she expected him to leap in and express his opinion.

“Annie seems to like her,” Dovie said, “but with this new pregnancy, she’s spending less and less time at the bookstore. Really, I hate to say anything….”

“I tell you, the woman’s a homewrecker,” Frank announced stiffly.

“Now, Frank.” Dovie placed her hand on her husband’s knee and shook her head.

“Dovie, give me some credit. I was in law enforcement for over thirty years. I recognized that look the minute I saw her.”

Phil frowned, now starting to feel seriously worried. “You think Nicole Nelson has set her sights on Cal?”

“I do,” Frank stated firmly.

“What an unkind thing to say.” Still, Dovie was beginning to doubt her own assessment of Nicole.

“The minute I saw her, I said to Dovie, ‘That woman’s trouble.’”

“He did,” Dovie confirmed, sighing. “He certainly did.”

“Mark my words.”

“Frank, please,” she said, “You’re talking as though Cal wasn’t a happily married man. We both know he isn’t the sort to get involved with a woman like Nicole. With any woman. He’s a good husband and father.”

“Yes,” Frank agreed.

“How did you hear about her taking dinner out to Cal?” Phil asked. It worried him that this troublemaker was apparently dropping Cal’s name into every conversation, stirring up speculation. Glen was the one who’d mentioned it to Phil—casually, but Phil wasn’t fooled. This was his youngest son’s way of letting him know he sensed trouble. Phil had weighed his options and decided his advice wasn’t necessary. But it seemed that plenty of others had heard about Nicole’s little trip to the ranch. Not from Glen and not from Ellie, which meant Nicole herself had been spreading the news. She had to be incredibly naive or just plain stupid or…Phil didn’t want to think about what else would be going on in the woman’s head. He didn’t know her well enough to even guess. Whatever the reason for her actions, if Jane heard about this, there could be problems.

“Glen told Ellie,” Dovie said, “and she was the one who mentioned it to me. Not in any gossipy way, mind you, but because she’s concerned. She asked what I knew about Nicole.” Like Dovie, Ellie didn’t want to involve Annie.

“Do you think anyone will say something to Jane?”

Dovie immediately rejected that idea. “Not unless it’s Nicole Nelson herself. To do so would be cruel and malicious. I can’t think of a single person in Promise who’d purposely hurt Jane. This town loves Dr. Texas.” Dr. Texas was what Jane had been affectionately called during her first few years at the clinic.

“The person in danger of getting hurt here is Cal,” Frank said gruffly. “Man needs his head examined.”

Phil had to grin at that. Frank could be right; perhaps it was time to step in, before things got out of hand. “Mary always was better at talking to the boys,” he muttered. “But I suppose I’d better have a word with him….”

“You want me to talk to him?” Frank offered.

“Frank!” Dovie snapped.

“Someone has to warn him he’s playing with fire,” Frank blurted, and glanced at Phil, obviously expecting him to agree.

Phil shook his head. “Listen, if anyone says anything, it’ll be me.”

“You will, won’t you?” Frank pressed.

Reluctantly Phil nodded. He would, but he wasn’t sure when. Sometimes a situation righted itself without anyone needing to say a word. This just might be one of those cases.

He sincerely hoped so.

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