“Howdy, Callahan!” Sam Garcia calls out almost immediately as I step out onto the pavement.
“Hey, Sam, how’s it going?”
“Not bad, can’t complain.”
“How’s the family?”
“All is well in our neck of the woods. Heard you been having the same issues with your cattle as the rest of the town,” he says.
“I have. I haven’t been out in town too much. You having the same issues?”
“Just a couple cattle, not like everyone else.”
“That’s good. We got hit pretty hard. Doc Sutton has it contained, though.”
“Man, she’s something else. She’s always been smart as a whip. I sure was glad to see her back in town.”
“Yeah, I’m glad she was willing to come back home to help us out.”
“Maybe we can get her to stay. Rumor has it, Doc Lucy is looking to hang up her boots.”
I cock an eyebrow at him.
This is the first I’ve heard this.
Could that be what Sutton needs to stay in Hicks Creek?
“I didn’t hear that.”
“I don’t think she’s telling many people. I think she’s been waiting for someone she trusts to take over the business.”
And that would definitely be Sutton. They’ve kept in touch all this time if Doc Lucy felt comfortable enough to have Frank call her, right?
Sutton’s no longer in danger of losing the ranch since I made the balloon payment, but this could just be something else to sweeten the pot.
I blow out a breath. Why am I convinced that she won’t stay for me? We may be a little rocky right now, but it’s nothing that we can’t fix.
I inhale slowly. I’m more worried that because the cattle seem to be better, that she’ll take off in a heartbeat if she thinks she lost the ranch. She also thinks I’m just like her dad, I think, so I’ll have to fix that ASAP.
“Hey, Wade!” Mack Marley calls out as he steps out from the back of the store. “The guys have your order all ready to go out back.”
“Perfect.”
“Just pull up to the back as usual and they’ll load it all up for you. How are things looking out there for ya? I know this sickness has been affecting everyone.”
“I was just telling Sam here that Doc Sutton seems to have gotten it all under control.”
“Thank goodness she was willing to come home when her dad called. You know it’s bad when Doc Lucy can’t figure it out.”
“Absolutely.” I smile.
“Maybe that Dr. Reed and his crew will finally leave town,” Sam adds. “There’s something about him that doesn’t sit right with me.”
“You’re not the only one to say that,” Mack replies. “He hasn’t talked to me yet; I’ve been able to avoid him as much as possible. Seems he’s sweet on Miss Turner, though.”
“What makes you say that?”
“He’s in there a lot. He was in there for almost four hours yesterday.”
