A guttural sound bit out of her speaker. Did he just grunt? Surely not. He couldn’t be that rude.
“Uh, Peyton? Mr. Parker?” She wondered if he’d been offended that she’d called him by his first name. She hoped he wasn’t going to be difficult. “Do you by chance have wireless out there?”
It may have seemed like a frivolous thing to ask, but Stella had responsibilities she’d need to take care of, clients who’d expect her to continue managing their accounts. She’d not considered that it might even be an issue until she’d started driving today.
She’d been caught up in the possibility of losing her best friend.
“Hello?” Did she lose the connection? “Mr. Parker? Are you there?”
“Miss Fairchild, I need to make something clear. If you think you’re in for some ranch-style vacation, you’ve got the wrong idea. Corinne is–” his voice broke momentarily. As cross as Stella wanted to be, the fear in his voice subdued her response.
“I’m not. I’m coming to help. It’s just that I’ll need access to some of my work.” Uneasiness crept in at the thought of what might be expected of her. She hoped it involved cooking, a little cleaning, and caring for Misty. Oh, and keeping Corinne company. Cheering her up.
“My apologies, ma’am.” He didn’t sound very sorry at all, but she supposed it was something.
“I love Corinne.” She spoke the words honestly. “I’m gonna do whatever she needs me to do.”
“Well, then.” Again, his voice caught. “That makes two of us, three, if you count Misty. Where are you now?” His abrupt change in subject jolted her.
“I’m about twenty miles south of Grand Junction. I was calling to let Corinne know. She told me the cutoff was easy to miss. Am I getting close?”
Again, with the sigh. “You’ll never find it. Hell, Corinne still misses it sometimes.”
She heard what sounded like dishes clanking and then his voice filled her car again. “Listen, when you hit Delta, take highway ninety-two towards Hotchkiss. Call back before you get too far out of town. That way I can meet you at the Elk Canyon Little store. You can follow me from there.”
“Which store in Elk Canyon?” Stella asked.
“The little store. The only damn store in town. It’s also the only gas station and the only barber shop.”
They still had barber shops? “Okay, call you when I’m in Hotchkiss. Got it.”
And then the line went dead. She hoped it was because she was in the middle of nowhere, and not a sign of things to come.
Peyton threw thedish towel on the counter and took a few deep breaths. He still couldn’t believe it. His little sister, hell, Misty’s mama. He’d gone to the doctor with her. They planned on shooting her up with chemo and then zapping her with all kinds of radiation. Even so, the doctor wasn’t hopeful. Peyton’s heart physically hurt when he thought about it.
Which seemed to be every other second since they’d been given the news.
And now this, whatsername woman from Denver was coming to stay at the ranch. If Corinne hadn’t insisted she needed her friend around, Peyton would have found somebody local to come out to help. He clenched his fists. She’d had the audacity to ask him if they had good wireless up here. Did she think they dwelled in the nineties? This was a working ranch. He’d had satellite installed as soon as he’d taken over.
He’d seen pictures of Stella Fairchild. One in particular, of her wearing a short red dress– a very tight short red dress– and a pair of spiky looking heels. A woman like that would likely prove worthless when he needed help bringing down the herd, mending a fence, or feeding stock. All the things Corinne had been helping him do over the last few years. Hell, he wondered if Miss Fairchild even knew how to cook.
But Corinne wanted her. And she was Misty’s godmother.
He peered out the window. Corinne probably had gone into Crawford to get some groceries or something. He hated that she forgot her phone. Especially now. What if she got sick out there by herself?
He swallowed around the lump in his throat and shoved Corinne’s phone in his pocket. He’d better finish working on Big Bertha before that woman called back. Likely he wouldn’t have time tomorrow. Grabbing his hat, he then headed outside toward the main barn.
He’d just finished changing the oil when his back pocket vibrated. Hopefully Ms. Fairchild wasn’t lost.
“You in Hotchkiss?” He answered hoping she didn’t tell him she’d ended up somewhere else. On second thought, maybe they’d all be better off if she ended up in Telluride. That’s likely more up her alley.
“I am. I pulled over– decided to fill up with gas– just in case.”
She sounded a little less sure of herself this time. Peyton tightened the cap on the oil intake and then rubbed his hand on his jeans. “Okay, I’ll head out now. Wait for me at the store.”
“Did Corinne get back yet?” She did sound concerned. He’d give her that.
“Nah, she’ll be alright though. Now go. And then wait. Got it?”
