Pat’s eyes filled with tears. “I am. It’s been a hard few months for her.”
Hannah gently squeezed his hand. “She knows she’s loved. How are you?”
“I’m getting old. My brain still thinks I’m in my forties, but my seventy-five-year-old body has other ideas.”
“You look amazing to me,” Hannah whispered.
“One of these days I might have to join Ida at the village, but my favorite nurse isn’t working here anymore.”
“You could always find another favorite person.”
“But she wouldn’t be you.”
Hannah smiled. “You’re still as sweet as ever. Where is your beautiful wife?”
Pat moved sideways and pointed to the next table over. “There’s my Ida. Brett is here, too.”
She looked at where Pat was pointing. Hannah had never met Brett, but she’d heard a lot of good things about him. When she’d first met Ida, her husband drove into town almost every day to see her. As Pat’s health deteriorated, he hadn’t been able to come as often. But on the weekends, when Hannah wasn’t working, he’d driven into town with the man sitting beside Ida.
Brett held a sandwich to Ida’s mouth.
Hannah could only see one side of his face, but he looked like the man who’d saved her from falling on the floor last night. She picked up her coffeepot. “Lead the way, Pat. I’ll refill your cups before the choir competition starts.”
By the time they made it to the table, the director of the retirement village was introducing the first choir.
Hannah smiled when she saw who was sitting beside Ida. “You’re Brett?” she whispered.
“And you must be Hannah, the nursing assistant Pat never stopped telling me about. Where has Santa’s elf gone?”
Hannah looked at her green dress. “She’s at the North Pole. Would you like more coffee?”
Brett picked up his cup. When that was full, he handed her Ida and Pat’s. “Thank you.”
The heat of a blush hit her cheeks. “You’re welcome. It was nice meeting you again.” And before she did something stupid like melt on the spot, she walked away from their table.
As the first notes ofSilent Nightfilled the recreation room, all Hannah could think about was Brett. She tried to remember everything Pat had told her about him. She knew he’d moved to the Double Circle Ranch when he was a teenager. A few years later he’d left to travel the world. At some point, he’d come back to Bozeman and joined Pat on the ranch.
She didn’t know much else and maybe she never would. Her sister would tell her to get her head out of the clouds and stop thinking about him. And as usual, Claire was right. Focusing on their business was more important than daydreaming about a cowboy with gray eyes. Even if he did have a wonderful smile.
