Trap ducked his head, his own smile covering his face.
“Oh, boy,” Daddy said. “You better be careful with yourself, son.”
“I will, Daddy,” Trap said.
His father knew that he hadn’t really had any serious relationships in his life, so Trap wondered what he’d seen on his face in that moment before he’d ducked his head. Before he could ask, the waitress returned. They put in their orders, and Daddy started talking business.
About the time Trap finished his biscuits and gravy, his phone chimed several times close together.
He pulled it out of his pocket, thinking it might be Jason or Sawyer, his mind only catching up later when he saw Lila Mae’s name there that he’d given them their own sound, and that hadn’t been it. He frowned at the literalparagraphof text in the first message, and then the second, and then the third. He knew after two sentences that he’d messed up.
Badly.
His father set down his fork, clearly finished eating. “Everything okay?”
Trap frowned as he finished reading the last message, and then he flipped his phone over. “Not really. I don’t know. No.”
“That’s not really an answer that makes sense.” Daddy grinned at him. “Is this work or personal?”
“It’s Lila Mae,” he said, because right now she was kind of both. “I maybe ran out when I got your call. I didn’t make up the bed or say goodbye or anything.” He sighed and ran his hands through his hair. He needed a shower, and he needed to check in with Tammy to make sure he wasn’t going to miss any other appointments that day.
Most of all, he needed fifteen minutes to himself where he wasn’t panicked or drowsy or lying on Lila Mae’s lap to really think about how he felt and what he wanted.
He looked at his father. “She canceled dinner. She’s not happy.”
“Well, what do you need to do then?”
Trap looked up toward the ceiling and sighed. “The number of times I’vealreadyapologized to this woman....” He looked at his daddy, nothing more to say. He shook his head instead.
“You’ve apologized to her already? I’m sensing another story.” Dad raised his hand, and as the waitress neared, he added, “We’re going to need some more coffee over here.” Then he grinned at Trap. “I’m all ears, and I’ve got nothing but time.”
“It sure would be nice to be retired,” Trap said.
Daddy tipped his head back and laughed. “I’ll give you ten minutes to check in with Tammy and make sure you can stay here for another little bit, and then I’d be happy to listen to you talk about what’s gone on with Lila Mae and help you, if I can.” He leaned closer, his eyes suddenly blazing with that all-knowing, fatherly energy that Trap usually didn’t enjoy.
“Because I can tell you really like her, son, and if all it takes to get dinner back on your schedule is that apology, you better do it.”
Their waitress arrived with a fresh pot of coffee, and Trap pushed his cup closer so she could refill it. He so needed morecaffeine for this conversation—and the one he needed to have with Lila Mae.
“Yeah, all right. I’ll tell you everything, and you can help me figure it out.”
11
“All right, thank you, Doctor Clopton.” Lila Mae painted on her best Southern heiress smile.
“I’ll see you Monday,” the young veterinarian said. He radiated light and happiness from his face. It seemed every man in Texas wore a beard, as Dr. Clopton had one too. He was blonde, with light blue eyes, and basically the opposite of Trap.
Lila Mae clicked to end the video interview and sighed as she leaned back in her chair. “Well, you hired a veterinarian,” she told herself. She wasn’t sure if she was conducting the interviews properly or not. She’d done quite a few of them in Maryland, but always with a committee, at Dixon’s Delights. Here, Lila Mae had to make all of her own choices.
Anyone who applied for a job, came to interview with her, and had the qualifications, Lila Mae hired, including Dr. Clopton. But he came recommended by another new veterinary graduate who would be working his enormous family’s ranch. Shiloh Ridge was one of the most well-known ranches in the entire state, and Lila Mae needed a veterinarian.
If it didn’t work out, she could always find someone else. That had been her go-to motto since deciding to move to Texas and open Feline Friends.
If it didn’t work out, she could move somewhere else.
If Trap didn’t work out as a construction manager, she could hire someone else.
If her vet techs all quit, she could find someone else.
