by Judy Duarte
As he disconnected the line, Tammy asked, “What’s wrong?”
“Melanie Snyder’s water broke. She’s still nearly five weeks early, so she’s worried. She miscarried a couple of times, and this is her first baby. So even though there’ll be an obstetrician who can handle things, I need to go. Her husband isn’t around, and I’d like to be there—at least, until he arrives.”
“Didn’t we drive out to the Snyder ranch to see about Slim and Pete, the hands who fell through the barn roof?” she asked.
“Yes, it’s the same ranch.”
Tammy thought so. Mike had mentioned something to her about the woman that day. “Could I ride along with you?”
“It might take a while. Granite Falls is more than an hour’s drive from here.”
“I don’t mind.”
He waited a beat, as if giving it serious consideration, then smiled. “Sure. Why not?”
As they headed for Mike’s truck, Tammy couldn’t still a rush of excitement. She liked knowing that she and Mike had become a team, that he wanted her to be with him.
Sure, she’d been disappointed that their romantic evening had ended so abruptly, but that was merely a temporary inconvenience. Next time, Tammy promised herself, they would make it all the way to the bedroom.
She’d make sure of it.
* * *
Tammy and Mike arrived at the small hospital in Granite Falls at a quarter to nine. After leaving Tammy in the waiting room, Mike took off to find Melanie Snyder, who’d been admitted and sent to the maternity ward.
As soon as he was gone, Tammy dug through a stack of magazines, finding one. Then she settled into a seat, prepared to wait for hours.
But as luck would have it, Mike returned in less than two.
“How’d it go?” she asked, setting down a crossword puzzle booklet someone had left behind. “Are Melanie and her baby going to be okay?”
“Yes, they’re going to be fine. Brian just arrived, so she’s got his support now. She’s also under the care of the resident obstetrician, who’s monitoring the baby. Everything appears to be going well. The doctor was very reassuring, so she’s feeling much better. He also told her that at the rate she’s going, she’d be holding her son by morning.”
“I’m so happy to hear that.”
“Me, too. Brian and Melanie are two of the nicest people you’ll ever meet.” Mike reached out and took her by the hand. “Come on. Let’s get out of here.”
They left the hospital and headed for the parking lot, still holding hands. A real couple. Teammates.
Imagine that. Never had Tammy been so happy.
“I can drive you back to the ranch,” Mike said, as they neared the spot where he’d parked his pickup. “Or, if you’d rather, we can go back to my place and...take up where we left off.”
Goodness. She didn’t want to sound too eager, too pleased with the suggestion. “I’ll stay with you in town. That way, you won’t have to drive me all the way back to the Flying B. By the time you got home, you wouldn’t get much time to sleep.”
“I might not, anyway.” He gave her hand a gentle squeeze. “But you won’t hear any complaints from me.”
Moments later, they were in his truck, heading back to Buckshot Hills. Because of the late hour, there was little traffic on the road, so they made good time. Yet it was still after midnight when they reached city limits.
As they approached the Buckshot Hills Motor Inn and Connie’s Country Kitchen, the all-night diner, Tammy realized not everyone in town had turned in. A pink neon no vacancy sign flashed below the motel’s sign. And the diner, which sat across the shared parking lot, appeared to be hopping, in spite of the hour. Two sedans, a pickup and a motorcycle were parked in front. And an eighteen-wheeler was parked in the back.
“Are you hungry?” Mike asked.
“No, I’m fine.” She was also eager to get to his place—and to pick up where they’d left off.
They’d no more than passed the diner, when Mike slowed and turned on his blinker. Then he made a right-hand turn onto a tree-lined street. He came to a stop in front of a small, white clapboard house, where a white sedan was parked in the drive, the dome light on.
“I wonder who that is,” he said, as he parked at the curb. Before he could shut off the headlights, a tall, shapely redhead got out of the sedan.
Tammy didn’t think anything of it—until Mike swore under his breath.
“Do you know her?” she asked.
“Her name’s Katrina. And apparently, she decided to surprise me with a visit.” Mike blew out a sigh, then raked a hand through his hair. “Do you mind waiting here, Tammy? I need to talk to her privately.”
Without waiting for her response, he pulled the keys from the ignition, opened the driver’s door and got out of the truck. Then he strode toward the woman.
Tammy had no idea who Katrina was. But by the look on the well-dressed woman’s face, she wasn’t at all happy to see Mike.
Or rather, to see that he hadn’t come home alone.
Chapter Eleven
Katrina nodded her head toward the cab of Mike’s pickup. “Who’s that woman? And what’s she doing with you?”
Mike didn’t need to glance over his shoulder to know that Katrina was talking about Tammy, who was waiting in the truck. Or that Tammy was undoubtedly wondering the same thing about her.
“She’s the granddaughter of one of my patients,” he told his former fiancée.
Katrina lifted her hand, flashing the diamond engagement ring she still wore. The one she’d told Mike she was going to return, yet she hadn’t quite gotten around to it.
Apparently she’d decided the engagement was back on. And even though she’d implied as much during their past few phone conversations, Mike certainly hadn’t agreed to that.
For all intents and purposes, he and Katrina had split up before he’d even left Philadelphia. For that reason, he didn’t feel the least bit guilty about coming so close to making love with Tammy earlier this evening.
Of course, he was feeling pretty damned guilty right now, especially since Tammy had been inadvertently drawn into a touchy situation she hadn’t deserved.
“It’s so late,” Katrina said. “It’s after midnight. If, as you say, that woman is related to one of your patients, why did you bring her home with you?”
Mike wasn’t sure what he owed Katrina—if anything. But he certainly didn’t have anything to explain.
“We’ve been at the hospital all evening,” he said. “And I was giving her a ride home.” He didn’t mention that they’d decided it was his “home” that she’d be going to, especially when a change of plans was clearly in order now.
Katrina crossed her arms, skepticism splashed across her pretty face. “Are you sleeping with her?”
“Listen, Kat. I’m not even going to answer that question. And as a side note, as far as our engagement goes, we broke up before I came to Texas. And while we’ve had a few telephone conversations, things haven’t really changed between us.”
She stiffened. “So you’re more than friends with that woman you claim is your patient’s granddaughter.”
“If you want to discuss our engagement, the breakup and any second thoughts you might be having, I’ll be happy to talk about it—after I get back from running Tammy home. But for the record, my life and my friendships in Buckshot Hills are none of your concern—especially since it was my temporary move here that caused you to call it quits.”
Katrina released a weary sigh. “You’re right, Mike. And I’m sorry—about the breakup, about not being more supportive of you, about being hard-headed and selfish. I really do want to talk things over with you, so I’ll wait for you to get back.” Her shoulders slumped, and she leaned against the rental car. “It’s been a long day. So if yo
u don’t mind, I’ll probably shower and fix something to eat while you’re gone.”
“Now, wait just one minute, Kat. You can’t just show up on my doorstep and expect to camp at my place.”
“Actually, that wasn’t my plan until I tried to check into that no-tell motel down the street.”
“I knew you wouldn’t find anything in Buckshot Hills that was up to your standards. That was one of the reasons I told you not to bother coming here in the first place.”
There were others, of course. The fact that she was used to five-star hotels, turn-down service and mints on the pillow was a big one, though.
“Besides the fact that the place was so seedy and run-down, it was also full. So if you don’t mind, I’d like to stay here for the night. The lady at the motel suggested I come back tomorrow, after twelve.”
This time, Mike couldn’t help glancing over his shoulder at Tammy.
“Dammit,” Katrina said. “You’re not going to put me out on the street, are you? I’ve been up since five. And I’ve had a missed connection, and a two-hour drive just to get here.”
He couldn’t tell her no. He’d just have to explain to Tammy, to tell her he’d make tonight up to her somehow.
Using the house key that was attached to the fob in his hands, he opened his front door for her and turned on a light.
Katrina, who’d reached into the car and had taken out her suitcase, followed him inside.
“Make yourself at home,” he said. “I’ll be back in an hour or so.”
As Katrina set her suitcase on the hardwood floor, next to the sofa, Mike returned to his pickup. God only knew what Tammy was thinking.
What a fix he was in. He had two women, both deserving a heart-to-heart. And he’d be damned if he knew what to say to either of them.
Yet the one he was most worried about, most invested in, was Tammy.
* * *
All the while Mike had been talking to the redhead, Tammy’s tummy had tossed and turned. Finally, when he opened the front door and let her carry a suitcase inside, her gut clenched.
Now, as he approached the pickup, his expression solemn, she feared she’d throw up and embarrass herself.
She had no idea why she was so unsettled, when she didn’t know who the woman was, but Mike obviously knew her well enough to let her stay with him. And that meant his and Tammy’s plans for the rest of the night were out.
Unless, of course, he planned to leave the redhead here and stay on the Flying B with Tammy. But something told her not to count on that happening.
And, if truth be told, she wasn’t so sure she wanted it to.
“I’m sorry,” he said, as he opened the driver’s door. “Katrina used to be my fiancée. She showed up unexpectedly, and apparently, she’d like to patch things up between us. But it’s not that simple.”
His fiancée?
“The motel is full, and she had nowhere else to go, so she’ll stay here until morning. She and I need to have a talk, so I’ll have to drive you back to the ranch.”
Just like that? Katrina was in, and Tammy was out?
Everything they’d shared tonight, everything she’d planned, was over.
Tammy’s heart began to pound so hard it throbbed in her ears. She wanted to scream, to cuss, to pitch a real fit. But she held her temper and sucked back her tears.
“I’m sorry to drag you into this,” Mike said.
Not as sorry as she was. For the first time in her life she had a female rival.
Or was that even the case? After all, Tammy couldn’t very well compete for a man who’d never really been up for grabs. And even if she could, the woman—Katrina—had obviously come all the way to Buckshot Hills to patch things up. The two of them had a history—and chemistry, no doubt. So where did that leave Tammy?
Out in the cold, her nose pressed against the locked, fogged-up window to her dreams.
As reality settled over her, her heart ached in a way it never had before. The man she loved belonged to another. And yes, she did love Mike. If she didn’t, it wouldn’t hurt so badly to lose him.
Okay, so she’d never really had him. The belief that she might win his heart had merely been wishful thinking on her part.
And on his part? She’d been a salve to soothe his broken heart, a transitional relationship to help him move on.
Of course, who said he was moving on after his breakup with Katrina? From the looks of it, he was going to be back in her arms by morning.
Just thinking about the two of them together was enough to squeeze the tears right out of her.
Mike reached across the seat and took her hand. “Are you okay?”
Heck no, she wasn’t okay. What did he expect from her?
But it wasn’t in her nature to show weakness, so she feigned a smile. “Of course. Why wouldn’t I be?”
He gave her fingers a gentle squeeze. “Thanks for being so patient. Just give me a few more minutes. I need to get Katrina settled, then I’ll take you home.”
He needed to get her settled?
Hell’s bells. It sounded as if Katrina was going to be staying with Mike for God only knew how long.
Emotion balled up in Tammy’s throat, threatening to choke the living daylights out of her if she didn’t scream out in anger and frustration. But she did her best to swallow it down and to feign a casual smile.
“Thanks for understanding,” Mike added. “I won’t be long.”
The phony smile lingered on her lips. “Take all the time you need, Mike.”
Yet in spite of her gracious response, she had absolutely no intention of waiting around for him to tell her that all her dreams of love and romance had just gone up in smoke.
Nor would she just sit in his pickup, twiddling her thumbs until he came back outside and drove her back to the Flying B. She had more pride than that.
She also had cash in her purse.
And she knew right where she’d go. At the diner, she could call a cab. Or she could hire someone to drive her back to the Flying B.
* * *
“You take the bed,” Mike told Katrina, as he pulled fresh sheets and towels from the linen closet. “I’ll camp out on the sofa when I get back.”
“I understand your reluctance to jump into anything right away,” she said. “But I’d hoped we could just kiss and make up.”
“It’s not that simple, Kat.” He handed her the bedding, as well as a washcloth and towel.
“Would you rather I slept in the car?”
“Don’t be ridiculous.” He shot another gaze her way.
Her eyes had a glossy sheen, as if she was just one blink away from tears. “I’m sorry for just showing up like this. But I couldn’t help it. We weren’t making much headway over the telephone, and I wanted to talk to you face-to-face.”
Mike paused for a beat, then agreed. “You’ve got a point, Kat. A discussion is long overdue. But it’ll have to wait until I get back.”
“All right. But I want you to know that Daddy called in some favors. And Riverview Medical Group is going to hold a spot open for you.”
Mike tensed. Before leaving for Texas, he’d talked to the RMG director, Dr. David Goldman, himself. David hadn’t made any promises, but he hoped they’d be able to hold the position for Mike, based upon his credentials and letters of recommendation. And while it was nice of Katrina’s father to go to bat for him, it felt more like interference than help.
That in itself helped to diffuse some of his frustration and resentment—although just a bit.
“Can I fix something for you to eat while you’re gone?” Katrina asked. “I’m not sure what you have for me to work with, but I’ll figure out something—even if it’s an omelet or canned soup.”
Mike wasn’t hungry, although it had bee
n a while since he’d had dinner. “Don’t go out of your way for me. But if you decide to heat something, the igniter on the stove isn’t working. The gas turns on, but you’ll need to light the flame. I’ve got a box of matches in the drawer to the right of the kitchen sink.”
He pointed out the cupboard where he kept his pots and pans, as well as the pantry, which didn’t have much food in it. “I’d planned to pick up a few groceries in the morning.”
“I don’t suppose you have any tea,” she said.
He’d always kept a variety for her at his place, back in Philly. But he hadn’t seen any point in stocking up on her food preferences or her favorite drinks here. Why would he? He’d never expected her to make the trip to Texas in the first place.
“No, I’m afraid I don’t,” he said. “But I have coffee in the pantry. Creamer, too.” He glanced at his watch, eager to get back to the truck. He hated keeping Tammy waiting.
Before he could excuse himself, his cell phone rang. And for a moment, he welcomed the interruption—even though the late-night hour suggested it might be an emergency.
How was that for luck? Just what he needed tonight, another fire to put out.
“This is Dr. Sanchez,” he said, upon answering.
“Doc, it’s Tina at the Flying B. Tex has taken a turn for the worse. Can you come out here?”
“Of course. I’ll be there as soon as I can.” When he disconnected the line, he turned to Katrina. “I need to go.”
“So what’s the matter? Did she call you and ask you to hurry up?”
“Excuse me?”
“The woman in the truck,” Katrina said, crossing her arms. “Is she getting tired of waiting for you?”
Mike chuffed. “That call wasn’t from the woman in my truck. Actually, I just got word that one of my patients is dying. So I need to go.”
Katrina didn’t appear to be buying his story, even though it was the truth.
“I don’t have time for this,” Mike said, as he headed for the door.
