With the car hoisted up at an angle, she could see Ashley’s pink car seat peeking up from the backseat, and her stomach clenched. This accident could have been a whole lot worse.
Grace left Lynette and Ashley with the rescue squad and walked toward Clay. Lynette was sipping from a paper cup while seated at the open back door of the ambulance. Jamie hovered nearby, holding the leash of a fluffy, medium-sized dog that looked like Toto’s cousin, only about twice the size. Ashley was kneeling next to the dog, hugging its neck.
“Is Lynette okay?”
“Just shaken up.” Grace braced her hands on her utility belt and surveyed Lynette’s car. “Thank goodness she was in a pocket of cell service here, otherwise it might have taken a lot longer for someone to spot the car.”
“Who’s dog?”
“That’s Petunia, the newest member of our law enforcement team.”
“No kidding?”
“She’s a drug-sniffing dog.”
“Right now she’s doing an amazing impersonation of a teddy bear.” Clay tipped her head in Ashley’s direction, her arms wrapped around Petunia.
“Emergencies call for all sorts of first responders.” Grace smiled.
“Should I wait?”
“No, you can take off. We’re almost finished with the accident report, and then I’ll drive Lynette to her sister’s house.”
Clay reached for the door to climb in.
“Oh, and sorry I ruined your breakfast date with River.” Grace smirked over her shoulder as she strode back toward the accident scene.
Clay scowled after Grace. Why did everyone keep calling it a date?
She planted one boot on the runner board and launched herself into the truck. This truck started life as a one-ton dual axle pickup truck. But then her grandpa added a state-of-the-art hydraulics package, steel plating, and a large capacity hoisting arm. This truck demanded respect on the road, and on frequent occasions awarded Clay hero status.
In a driver’s hour of need, she came to the rescue. Being someone’s hero, being anyone’s hero, was pretty damn fulfilling while she figured out what to do with the rest of her life.
* * *
The downtown market was well underway by the time River parked about a block off Main Street. It was around five thirty, maybe closer to six, and she hadn’t really had a proper lunch so the smell of grilled edibles from several nearby food vendors made her stomach growl.
She’d attempted to get some work done on her gallery’s quarterly taxes but had been interrupted twice by calls from Natalie wanting to show the house to prospective buyers. Since she was anxious to get things moving and return to New York, there was no other option than to accommodate the tours through her aunt’s house.
It wasn’t as if she’d been close to her aunt, but even still, having strangers walk through and comment on items in the house felt invasive. River found herself feeling protective of a woman she’d never really known. Maybe it was Clay’s connection to her aunt that made her feel some kinship.
Clay had lurked around the edges of her mind all day. Running into Clay at the bakery that morning would have been, could have been, the perfect chance to clear the air a bit, but then Grace had shown up with some emergency and Clay left so quickly that River didn’t get to explain. What would she have said anyway? Sorry, I meant to kiss you for real but I missed?
This was one of those instances when actions would speak louder than words. She needed to see Clay and simply show her how she felt. How did she feel? Maybe she should sort out the answer to that question first.
Attraction? Check.
Intellectual connection? Check.
Available? Hmm, unknown.
Yes, Clay was single, but was she truly emotionally available? River wasn’t quite sure. Clay was willing to make the first move last night so at least that meant she was open to some sort of physical connection, probably. River wasn’t going to be in town that much longer anyway, so did it really matter if Clay was emotionally available or not? It wasn’t as if River was looking for some serious thing with someone who lived eight hundred miles away from New York.
“Hey, River!”
She’d been lost in thought when someone called her name. She scanned the crowd for a few seconds before she saw Trip waving her over to a cluster of tables surrounded by folding chairs. River smiled and waved.
“Hi, Trip.”
“I’m happy to see you’re checking out our local culture.” Trip stood near her half-eaten plate of food, and offered River a chair.
“My Realtor suggested I investigate the downtown market. Something smells good.” River surveyed the food vendors nearby.
“I recommend the barbecue from Willis’s truck right there.” Trip pointed toward a bright red food truck several yards away.
“Okay, I’ll take your advice.”
“Wait, you sit. Let me buy you dinner.”
“No, really—”
“I insist. Please, sit…I’ll get something for you.”
Trip was definitely chivalrous; River would have to give her points for that. She nodded. “Okay, if you insist.”
“I insist. You can’t go back to New York until you’ve tasted Willis’s pulled pork.”
A few moments later, Trip returned with a heaping plate that included slaw, hush puppies, and pickles on the side. There was no way she’d be able to eat such a heaping portion, but she accepted the plate gratefully and dug in. Trip was right; the meat was succulent and delicious. Several people stopped by to speak with Trip as they ate. It was obvious that she was well liked in this community.
“You’re so popular,” River teased her.
“Well, the residents of Pine Cone love their show horses and livestock. And I love taking good care of their animals. So, it’s sort of like we’re family, connected through a myriad of four-legged friends.”
“I’m not convinced it’s simply about the animal care. I think you have a fan club, Dr. Beaumont.”
“Thank you. You’re sweet to say that.” Trip smiled. “Hey, listen, I’m having a cookout at my house tomorrow. You should come.”
“Oh, I don’t know—”
“Absolutely, I won’t take no for an answer. It’ll just be a lot of locals. Clay will be there…and Grace…you’ll know a few people for sure. You should come.”
“Really?” River wasn’t so sure.
“Yes, really.” She handed River her phone. “Put your number in there, and I’ll text you the address so you’ll have it.”
“Shall I bring something?”
“Just yourself…it’s open bar with lots of craft beer and mixed drinks. The wine will be pretty stock, so you might want to bring your own if you’re a connoisseur.” Trip folded her hands on the table as River entered her phone number.
River wondered if the invitation was simply a ploy to get her phone number, but Trip’s invitation seemed more friendly than flirtatious. And the chance to see Clay in a relaxed social setting was appealing enough to be worth the risk. Plus, she’d completely forgotten to ask Clay about keeping the truck a little longer. It wasn’t her fault, Clay was more than a little distracting.
“I usually crank the grill up around four o’clock. Come any time after that.”
“Thanks for the invitation.”
Music had started to drift in their direction from the gazebo in the center of the main square. A band was playing covers of classic seventies music, and quite a few couples had drifted to the gazebo to dance.
“Do you like to dance?”
“Sure, I love to dance.”
“Want to?”
The question caught River off guard. “Dance? Now?”
“I mean, unless you’re going to eat the plate too.”
River looked down and laughed, realizing she’d eaten every bite of the heaped BBQ. Maybe she should dance before she ended up licking the plate clean.
“Yes, I think I’m finished. I’d love to dance.”
Trip held out her arm and th
ey wound through onlookers until they found an open space. River wondered if anyone would take issue with two women dancing together, but no one seemed to pay them any attention. She relaxed and allowed herself to enjoy the music. The tune the band was playing reminded her of a seventies-themed party her sorority had hosted when she was in college. The memory made her smile.
Chapter Sixteen
Clay forgot it was Wednesday and realized too late that Main Street was blocked off for the market all around the central downtown square. Well, she might as well park the bike and get some food. She probably had something at her place if she was in the mood to eat breakfast for dinner, but scrambled eggs didn’t sound appealing and she didn’t really feel like cooking.
She spotted Grace managing crowd control. Grace had a real gift for appearing nonchalant while at the same time commanding respect. It was one of the things Clay liked about Grace. She was as sweet as she could be, but you didn’t disrespect her authority or your ass would be in a sling for sure.
“How’s it going?” Clay sauntered up just as Grace signaled for a teenage boy to get off his skateboard.
“Good. The usual. Just keeping an eye on rowdy teenagers and free-range children.” Grace stepped a few feet away. “I said, get that skateboard off the sidewalk, and I don’t mean later, I mean right now.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He picked up his board and shuffled off with his friends.
“Don’t ma’am me,” Grace muttered. “I really hate being called ma’am. Do I look that old?”
“I don’t think it’s an age thing, I think it’s the firearm and the uniform.”
“Well, it sounds old.” Grace crossed her arms and stood scanning the slowly milling crowd. “What are you up to?”
“I was going home but thought I’d pick up food first.”
“Good call. I had something earlier.”
“Okay, well, I’ll catch you later.” Clay started walking toward a cluster of food trucks on the next block.
“Hey, are you going to Trip’s cookout tomorrow?”
“I was planning on it.”
“Okay then, I’ll see you there. You should invite River.”
“Maybe.”
Grace shook her head.
Clay hadn’t really talked to Grace or Trip since she’d spent the evening with River and gotten the brush-off. Rescuing Lynette from her banged up Chevy was more important than deciphering a kiss on the cheek. Besides, once she opened that door she’d never hear the end of it from Grace. In all likelihood she would not be inviting River.
Clay opted for a chicken teriyaki bowl so that she could easily walk around the art and craft booths while she ate. She’d slowly ambled down an entire block of white tent covered booths and was almost at the edge of the square when she saw them.
River and Trip, dancing.
She froze like a deer who’d just heard a rifle shot, food half chewed and packed into her cheek like a chipmunk, fork midair.
River was laughing and dancing with Clay’s best friend.
This was one of those moments when rational thought might have informed Clay that this situation was harmless. That Trip had no designs on River and that they were simply having a friendly dance. But rational thought had vacated the premises. Rational thought had left the building for a beer run, leaving irrational thought alone in the house to make bad choices.
Jealousy flamed out of nowhere catching Clay by surprise. She swallowed the food she no longer had a taste for just as Trip turned her way.
Clay looked away charting her escape, but Trip waved her over. It was too late now anyway, because River had seen her too.
“Hey, man, your timing is perfect. I need you to cut in so I can give my bum knee a rest.” Trip patted Clay on the shoulder.
That was a tall tale. Trip was in top shape, probably better than Clay even, but every time she wanted to talk Clay into doing something, she’d blame an old college basketball injury that seemed to flare up conveniently.
Clay didn’t respond. She just stood there staring mutely between River and Trip.
“Here, I’ll finish that for you so your hands are free.” Trip took the almost empty bowl of rice and chicken out of Clay’s hand and good-naturedly shoved her toward the spot where she’d been standing next to River.
“We can take a break.” River seemed to be offering Clay an out.
Clay’s mouth was open, the words were on the tip of her tongue, but Trip jumped in.
“No way. Clay loves to dance.” Trip wacked her on the back. “Right?”
Clay frowned at her.
“I’ll just go sit over here and rest my knee.” Trip pointed toward a chair. She smiled at Clay. They’d been best friends forever so Clay knew good and well that Trip understood every nuance of her nonverbal communication and was choosing to ignore them all. Especially when River was around. She watched Trip fake limp to a folding chair.
Clay wasn’t sure dancing with River was a good idea, but now she was stuck. Very pleasantly stuck, but stuck nonetheless. As luck would have it, the moment she turned to face River, the band transitioned to a slow song. Clay tried to get her heart to settle; it was thumping so loud that she was certain River would be able to hear it above the music.
River casually stepped closer, taking Clay’s hand and draping her arm around Clay’s shoulder. That did it. Nerve receptors hummed, shifted into overdrive, and the tingling sensation rippled through Clay’s entire body. River looked up, and those eyes…those eyes vaulted past all her defenses. She had trouble remembering what she was defending in the first place. As the vanilla scent of River’s skin invaded her senses, she wanted nothing more than to tear down all the walls and let her in.
River sensed it the instant Clay relaxed. She’d initially taken River’s hand stiffly, and just now she loosened her grip. Noticing the change, River glanced up. There was something different in the way Clay looked at her too. Molten warmth spread through her chest and eased down to her core. This was all she’d hoped for all day. A chance to be close to Clay and make things right.
There was hardly any space between their bodies, but hers reacted to Clay’s nearness. Every subtle brush of contact as they swayed to the music echoed in her chest, her heart ratcheting up a little with each touch. She closed her eyes allowing the sensations to wash over her.
“Clay!”
River was startled by the sound of a woman’s voice. Clay seemed to know her. She took a step back and dropped River’s hand just as the woman captured Clay in a hug. River moved away to avoid an elbow. The exuberant woman seemed oblivious to her presence.
“Thank you, thank you! Clay, you saved my life today.” The woman looked like Jessica Simpson’s version of Daisy Duke, and she was practically climbing Clay’s long frame.
“Lynette, I’m just glad you’re okay.” Clay tried to gently pry Lynette’s arms from around her neck. She gave River a sideways look as if she wanted to apologize for the abrupt interruption. “Lynette, this is River.”
“Do you know this woman saved my life today?” Lynette looked briefly at River but refused to release Clay and instead held Clay’s face in her hands and kissed her. It was a quick kiss on the lips, like a reward or something, but it still didn’t sit well with River and she wasn’t sure exactly what to do about it. It was clear that this woman knew Clay, probably too well.
“Uh, no, I didn’t know.” River tried her best not to sound annoyed.
“Well, she did.”
“Lynette, it wasn’t that big of a deal.” This time Clay succeeded in separating herself from Lynette’s effusive display. “Lynette’s car went off the road this morning. That was why Grace stopped by the bakery to get me.”
At least part of the picture started to make sense to River.
“It was a big deal, and I plan to make it up to you. You just name the date.” Lynette flirtatiously twirled a lock of her hair with one manicured finger and touched the center of Clay’s chest with another. Clay didn’t respond as Lyn
ette turned to go. She looked back, smiling. “Nice to meet you, River.”
Whatever had been happening during their first dance had gotten completely derailed by a tornado of hair, cleavage, and barely-there cutoff shorts. River looked down and couldn’t help feeling as if her tasteful sleeveless top and linen shorts had been completely overwhelmed by Lynette’s tsunami of boobs and hair. She sighed as Lynette was swallowed up by the crowd.
“Let’s get out of here.”
“What?” The pace of the next song had picked up along with the volume. River wasn’t sure she’d heard what Clay said.
“Do you want to get out of here?” Clay’s focus was intense. Her gaze created a thread of current that rippled through River’s stomach.
“Yes, I’d like that very much.”
Clay took her hand as they wound toward the crowd.
“Where’d you park?”
“Oh, um, down there, past the burrito truck. About a block away.” River realized she still had Clay’s truck, and because of that, Clay was relegated to two-wheeled transportation. She wouldn’t have said no to a spin on Clay’s bike, but it seemed Clay wasn’t offering that up.
They reached the truck and Clay held out her hand for the key. Clay opened the driver’s side door and waited for River to slide in. River stayed close, in the middle of the bench seat, as Clay turned the truck around and headed toward the sunset.
“Did you really save Lynette’s life today?” River couldn’t help wondering what else Clay may have done for Lynette.
“That was a bit of an exaggeration.”
“Not from her perspective.”
Clay looked over and smiled, but didn’t respond.
“Where are we going?”
“I thought it’d be nice to drive out a ways and watch the sunset.” Clay slowed and made a right turn just at the edge of town. “I just wanted to pick up something at my place first.”
Take My Hand Page 11
