“All right?” Tyler began crossing to the bed.
“All right, I’ll give it my best. As long as you promise to do the same with finding the love of your life.”
Tyler nodded. “You have a deal.”
Dad stuck out his hand. “Let’s shake on it.”
Tyler stopped at the end of the bed and hesitated. “Should we hash out a few terms first?”
“Like what?”
“Like you have to accept my ideas for your health care.”
“Then you have to accept my ideas for finding your love.”
“Fair enough.”
“I’ll take to heart your advice, and you’ll take to heart mine.”
“Okay.” The bargain seemed harmless enough. After all, Dad didn’t know that many young women. In fact, from what Tyler knew about the history of the area, the men always had outnumbered the women.
Tyler reached out and clasped his dad’s hand in a firm shake.
Dad squeezed hard, then grinned. “Excellent. Already I feel better.”
Kinsey flicked a finger at the syringe as she squeezed out the last of the medicine into the IV. “It’s a good thing Tyler’s such a charmer.” She couldn’t keep the sarcasm from her voice. “He’ll be married in the blink of an eye.”
Dad’s gaze swung to Kinsey, his eyes rounding in surprise, then filling with mirth. “Sounds like you already know Tyler well.”
“It didn’t take long to figure him out.” She softened her words with a half grin.
“He has a lot of growl but no bite.”
“Are you comparing me to a dog?” Tyler stuffed both hands into his pockets, suddenly self-conscious but not sure why.
“More like a bear.” Dad was watching Kinsey now as she retrieved a thermometer and wiped it down. “On the outside, you act like a grizzly, but on the inside, you’re a big teddy.”
Tyler scoffed.
Before he could answer, Dad spoke again to Kinsey. “So, darlin’, do you have a fellow yet?”
Tyler bit back a sigh at Dad’s not-so-subtle attempt at matchmaking. “Really, Dad?”
“What?” Dad turned innocent eyes upon him. Innocent but tired. The conversation was wearing him out.
“Time for you to get some rest.” Tyler backed up several steps, half hoping Kinsey would answer Dad’s question about whether she already had afellow.
But she was busy typing notes on a tablet.
“And time for me to get some work done,” Tyler added, although reluctantly. He’d worked virtually the past few weeks while he’d been with Dad at the Mayo Clinic, and he’d kept up with the most pressing issues.
However, a whole heap of work had piled up for him—decisions on expansion projects and renovations, a meeting with the accountant, the purchase of the new mares, and most recently, a case where the state was questioning their family’s right to own the hot springs.
Normally he thrived on the problems, tackling each one as it arose as if it were a wild mustang that needed taming. Lately, the problems were galloping all over him, so that he’d had more headaches in the past few weeks than he’d had in the past year.
“Believe it or not,” Kinsey said without pausing or looking up from her notetaking, “your dad won’t go to pieces without you here.”
Dad chuckled, even as he closed his eyes. “I like you, Kinsey.”
