"And that mess has to be cleaned up," Gramma said, without missing a beat.
"Oh no, you don't." Dusty grinned as he chased after the dog, who was dragging the towel across the floor toward the hall door. He snagged one end and pulled as the little thief tugged on the other end.
"Just let him have it."
"Can't. I won't risk you falling again." Holding onto his end, Dusty sidestepped over to the counter. He reached into the container that held the doggy snacks and stuck it out. "Wanna treat?"
Butterscotch stopped pulling and stared at the snack. Suddenly, he dropped the towel and scampered in front of Dusty and sat, looking up and licking his mouth. Dusty tossed the biscuit under the table, and as he expected, the dog chased after it. Quickly, Dusty snatched the towel off the floor and returned to pick up the rest of the trash that had fallen out. He tugged the trash bag out of the can and carried it outside, grinning and feeling like he'd won a big competition. He sure showed that ol' mutt who was boss.
Chapter Four
Lindsey tried to concentrate on her patient and not the hunk of man leaning against the kitchen wall behind her. She struggled to keep her hand from shaking as she took Shirley's pulse, knowing Dusty was watching her. "Your pulse and blood pressure are normal. That's good. Are you hurting anywhere?"
Shirley shook her head. "No. Not that I can tell anyway."
"How about your ankle? Any pain out of the ordinary?"
"No. None at all. I suppose the boot protected it."
Lindsey nodded as she put her stethoscope in her bag. She made some notes about her patient's condition and noted the date of her fall. "You may be a little sore tomorrow."
"Bah!" The older woman swatted her hand in the air. "A little sore is nothing to be concerned with at my age."
Lindsey smiled. "I'm glad you weren't injured. With pets in the house, it might be wise to check behind you if you plan to back up again."
"I'll try to remember to do that, but I can't guarantee I won't forget. Would you like some coffee or maybe a cold drink? A brownie?"
"Thank you, but I have a bottle of water in my SUV." She rose and hugged Shirley. "I'll see you next week."
"Have a nice weekend, dear." Shirley patted her shoulder.
Lindsey waved goodbye and walked toward the hall, but Dusty wasn't there. She'd expected him to be waiting with a truckload of questions. She padded through the house and left through the front door.
Dusty sat in a porch chair with his booted feet on the rail. He lowered them and stood. "So…how is she?"
"As far as I can tell, she's fine. She doesn't have a bump on her head, so she must not have hit it."
"She told me she landed on her backside." He broke their gaze and looked away.
Lindsey worked hard to not smile when the tips of his ears turned red. "What position was she in when you found her?"
"Lying on the floor."
"Hmm…"
He shrugged then focused his attention on her again. "It scared me more than any bull I've ridden to find her on the floor like that. I was about ready to take that dog of hers to the pound."
Lindsey laid her hand on his arm, relishing the strength of it. "That would have broken her heart."
He quirked his lips to one side. "I know. I settled for throwing out the dog's towel—the one Gramma tripped on. That crazy mutt dragged it all over the house. I promised Gramma I'd get him a dog bed."
"That's a good idea. Have you ever considered getting Shirley an emergency alert button? That way if she fell when you weren't here, she could get help quickly."
He looked down. "Actually, Daniel and I have talked, and we're planning to find an assisted living place for her."
She sucked in a gasp. "Why would you do that?"
"Because she's been falling and hurting herself. It's for her protection." He waved his hand in the air. "This place is way too big for her to manage, and it's not safe for her to live alone at her age."
"Isn't that part of the reason you're here?"
He frowned and crossed his arms. "No. I'm here because a rank bull crushed my leg and ruined my chances to win a second championship buckle."
Lindsey knew his grumpiness was partly due to his ongoing pain and struggle to regain his independence and partly due to the scare he'd gotten when he found his grandma on the floor. She had to admit she was glad he was here, but she wished he'd come home because Shirley needed him, and not because he had no other place to recover. At least being home had made him realize that his grandma was getting older and needed more care and her family close by.
She set her bag on the rocker, hating how Dusty often grimaced in pain when he moved. She wished she knew what to say to help him heal, both inside and out. "I believe things happen for a reason. Have you considered that maybe God wants you to be here with your grandma? She's not always going to be around, you know. And besides, she certainly was here for you and your brothers when y'all needed her all those years ago after your parents died."
Dusty frowned and looked like he might explode, but then he glanced away and sighed. "You certainly don't pull any punches."
"I believe in speaking the truth."
"Well, the truth is I'm worried about Gramma. And besides, don't you think she'd be happier in a place with other women around? She could even teach them to knit."
"She already has a place where she can do that, with friends she's known for years. If you're serious about her moving, why not consider a smaller house in town?"
"Because she'd still be alone. At a facility, she'd have people who could help her twenty-four seven, if she needs it."
"Have you talked to her about this?" Lindsey crossed her arms. She could tell by his sheepish expression that he hadn't. She probably should let the Starr family deal with their own issues, but someone had to stand up for Shirley.
"No. I'm used to seeing a problem and fixing it."
"You can't go changing a person's whole life without talking to her first." It dawned on her that that's what happened to him when that bull broke his leg. "You, better than most, should understand that."
His gaze drilled into hers, and she thought for a moment that he might toss her off the property. Her eyes were drawn to his tight lips—lips she'd once loved to kiss. She shifted her eyes to the worn porch floor.
He blew out a heavy sigh. "You're right. I need to talk to Gramma."
Her gaze zipped back to his at the unexpected acquiescence.
"I love her and want to see her settled in a safe, comfortable place. I owe her that much after all she did for my brothers and me, but I can't see her staying here alone, especially when I don't know what my future holds."
She was glad for the change of topic. "You're a talented man, Dusty. I think you could do anything you put your mind to."
"All I've ever wanted to do was ride bulls."
"I know, but you're smart enough to know you couldn't do that indefinitely. Haven't you ever thought about what you'd do once you quit riding?"
He shook his head. "Not really. I was too focused on being the best bull rider, year after year."
She leaned against the wall beside him. "It's a good thing my mom and grandma planned ahead. If they hadn't, I'd have been hard pressed to pay for both of their funerals."
"I'm glad you weren't left with that expense as well as dealing with missing them." Dusty was silent for a long moment then he sighed. "You don't think much about the future when you're in your early twenties and slaying dragons."
"I know, but we all have to consider our future sooner or later, and for you it's now. If you could do anything you wanted, what would it be?"
He shrugged. "Nothing citified like Daniel. I guess I'd like to work with horses, but there's not a lot of money in that these days unless you have a large herd or a contract with the rodeo." He waved at the rockers. "Care to sit for a bit?"
She hadn't thought about it, but standing in one spot probably made his leg hurt. "Sure. I can for a few minutes." She moved her
bag to the floor and sat while he took the chair next to hers. "If you could go back to college, what would you study?"
"Don't know. My associate degree was in liberal arts."
"That's just the basics. If you want to raise livestock, you could probably use a business degree or one in animal husbandry."
He shuddered. "I honestly can't see myself going back to college at my age."
Lindsey couldn't help snickering. "Yeah, the ripe old age of twenty-six."
He smiled at her teasing.
She missed seeing his smile, the way it made his dark eyes glimmer. She realized she was staring—and he held her gaze. Her heartbeat tripled, and she found it hard to breathe.
A yip sounded on the other side of the door, breaking the moment. Dusty pushed up, stepped in front of her, and opened the door. Butterscotch raced out and ran down the steps, disappearing around the side of the house. She wondered what would happen to Shirley's pets if her grandsons put her in a facility. Most of them had no pet policies. But it was really none of her business. She should go, but she was enjoying her time with Dusty and wanted so badly to help him find his way through this troubling time.
He dropped into his chair again, shooting a quick glance sideways. "Do you have plans on Saturday?"
Her heart, which had slowly calmed, beat ferociously again. Was he asking her on a date? "Um…nothing pressing. I was thinking of painting one of the spare bedrooms, but there's no rush."
"Yesterday, the doctor finally released me to drive. I need to buy a truck. Daniel was supposed to take me to Texarkana to shop for one, but Amy already had something lined up for them. I wondered if you might consider driving me up there. I'll buy lunch—and you might even be able to twist my arm into helping you paint when we get back."
She stared at him, gripping the arms of the rocker so tightly her knuckles hurt. Riding to Texarkana, car shopping, and then heading home would take hours. She doubted she could spend so much time with Dusty and not risk her heart. Dare she open the door that she'd closed so firmly?
"Never mind. I can wait until Dan's free." He turned away and sat with his arms on his knees.
"I didn't say no. I'm a planner—if you'll remember. I was just…thinking. I can do it. What time would you want to leave?" She leaned back in her chair, half surprised she'd agreed. She could do this for a friend.
"Really?" His eyes lit up. "Whatever time is good for you works for me."
Lindsey was glad that she hadn't disappointed him. He'd had far too much of that lately. "What about 8:30? I can fix us a quick breakfast before we go, so we won't be hungry for a while."
"That sounds great. I'll be looking forward to it."
So would she, but she didn't dare mention it. Butterscotch raced up the steps and sniffed her shoes. She reached down to pet him, glad for the diversion. "I'd better get going. I have to be at a patient's home in twenty minutes."
Lindsey pushed up, then reached for her bag at the same time as Dusty. They conked heads—hard.
"Ouch!" She rubbed hers while he did his, then they both laughed. "You always did have a hard head."
He grinned. "That's the pot calling the kettle black." He suddenly sobered and took hold of her upper arms. "Seriously, are you okay? Did I hurt you?"
She was fine—until he touched her. All she could do with him so close was nod as his gaze roamed her face.
"I've really missed you, Linds."
"Me too." She wanted to deny it, but she really had missed him.
A spark ignited in his gaze, and one side of his mouth twisted up in a soft smile. "If your head still hurts, I can kiss it and make it better."
All breath left her, and she fumbled for a response. This was the old Dusty—the one she'd loved for as long as she could remember. "Um…I really should go."
He leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead then reached down and picked up her bag. He held it out to her. "See you Saturday."
She nodded and grabbed the bag then skirted around him and hurried to the safety of her SUV. Once inside, she wrestled the key into the slot and turned the engine on, all the time aware of Dusty's gaze on her. She adjusted the air conditioner's temperature, enjoying the cooling air. She managed a quick wave, then shoved the car into gear and drove off. Was she crazy? Why had she agreed to spend half of Saturday with Dusty?
Reaching up, she touched the spot where he'd kissed her. If she were being honest with herself, she'd been disappointed he hadn't kissed her on the lips.
What was wrong with her?
Was she really going to risk her heart again?
#
Saturday afternoon, Dusty walked out of the car dealership with a big grin on his face. He'd just placed an order for a new ocean blue Silverado. His rodeo buddies would probably rag on him for not getting a Ford truck, since Ford was a sponsor of the PBR, but the Starrs had always been Chevy people.
"Well, you look proud as a cowboy off an eight-second ride."
He chuckled at Lindsey's comment. "I reckon I am. I've never owned a brand new anything before—not counting boots and clothes."
She nibbled her lip, looked at him, and glanced away. "Um…I'm curious about something, and if it's none of my business, just say so. But I'm wondering how you can afford a new truck when you're not working."
The question would have bothered him if almost anyone else had asked, but he knew Lindsey was concerned about him. "I've saved most of my winnings, so I have more than enough in the bank to pay for the Silverado and to live on until I find work."
Her tense posture relaxed. "That's good. I'm happy you don't have to worry about finances with all the other things on your mind right now."
He wondered what specific things she was referring to, but she was right—he was wrestling with a number of decisions.
Lindsey tossed her head, flicking her blond hair over her shoulder as they walked to her SUV. "How long did they say it would be before your truck arrived?"
"A week or two. If I'd wanted a red one, I could have driven it home today."
"I'm surprised you didn't want a black truck."
They reached the car, and he stopped beside her. He stared at her for a long moment. "Did you forget that blue has always been my favorite color?" Just like your eyes, he wanted to say. The ocean blue of the truck had been almost the same shade. He watched her swallow hard. "You still want me to drive?"
She cleared her throat and nodded. "I've nearly gotten caught up on my clients' paperwork."
He reached past her and opened her door, smiling to himself as she climbed in. She still reacted to his nearness, so she had to feel something for him. Dusty crossed around to the other side and slid into the driver's seat. "Sorry that took so long."
"No worries. I figured it would take a while for you to haggle things out if you found something you liked, which is why I brought some work along. I even have a book in case I got done before you did."
"You're always prepared. That's something I always liked about you." He winked, hoping to keep things easygoing.
She smiled then looked down and fingered the trim on the seat. "You know, I was sitting so close to the office you were in that I overheard most of what went on. I've got to say, I'm proud of you for not going whole hog and buying the fanciest truck you could."
He shrugged, warmed by her comment. "I may have been showy at one time in my life, but I don't need all that fancy stuff to make me happy. I needed something practical—something with a strong enough engine that it would tow a load without problems." He started the motor and backed out.
"What do you plan to tow?"
"Not sure. Probably some cows and horses at some point."
"If you decide to invest in cattle, I've got over a hundred acres that butts up next to yours. I'm not using it. You're welcome to it, if you should find yourself needing extra grazing land."
"Good to know. Thanks." He pulled out in the flow of traffic then flicked a glance at her. "You gettin' hungry?"
"Y
eah, kind of." She flipped up the mirror cover on the back of her sun visor and fiddled with her hair—probably trying to hide the bruise from when they'd butted heads. He wished he wasn't driving and could watch her. Her pretty hair had always captivated him.
"So…what sounds good?"
"I don't know—pizza or Chinese, I guess."
"Or how about a Chinese pizza?"
She laughed. "There's no such thing." Lindsey gave a shudder. "Eww…cheese and Chinese sure don't go together."
"Isn't there cheese in wontons?"
"Not the ones I like. They have little pieces of meat in them."
He scanned the shops alongside the road as he drove. "Hey, there's an oriental buffet up there. You want me to stop?"
"Sure."
Dusty whipped into the lot, parked, and hurried around to open the door for Lindsey. He held out his hand, enjoying the pink tinge to her cheeks and the softness of her palm. Instead of letting go, he held on until they were inside. They went different directions at the buffet, filling their plates with delicacies to suit their own palates.
Dusty chose a booth near the window and waited until she joined him. He reached his hand across the table. "Gramma would tan my hide if I didn't ask God's blessing for the food."
Lindsey slid her hand to his, and he muttered a quick prayer.
She cracked open a wonton first thing then frowned. "Cheese. Phooey. Looks like it's your kind." She set it on the edge of his plate.
"How many patients do you see each week?"
"It varies, but usually about twenty-five. I do a lot of driving between stops, so that takes up quite a bit of my time—and then there's all the paperwork."
He snagged an egg roll. "You know, I always figured you'd end up being a veterinarian, since you cared for every injured critter you found."
"I seriously considered it, but in the end, I decided I didn't want to go to school for so many years. I like what I'm doing. I get to meet and help lots of nice people like your grandmother."
The Bull Rider's Bride Page 4
