by Merry Farmer
Nancy looked, but she wouldn’t have known one truck from another. She answered the first question instead. “I dunno, but I can tell you this. I majored in Journalism and minored in Communications because I wanted to report the news. No.” She stopped herself, frowning. “I did it because I wanted to be a part of something. The news used to bring people together, you know? Now it just rips everyone apart.”
“You should move out here,” Faith suggested, smile bright. “Culpepper is a better community than just about anything I’ve ever seen or heard of.”
“Yeah, but they don’t have a newspaper,” Nancy argued.
“Maybe you could change that.” Faith looked like she was going to say more, but her expression suddenly popped to surprise. “Wait, I know whose truck that is.” She sent Nancy a curious, almost teasing sideways glance.
Nancy ignored it and went on with a sigh. “Nope. It looks like I’m stuck out here with Stu because he wants me to write a piece about how magnificent he is and how his horse has a chance of racing in the Derby.”
“Your boss needs you to spend two weeks writing a story to make him look good?” Faith arched a dubious eyebrow.
“That’s what he says.” Nancy rolled her eyes again. One hours-long drive up from Salt Lake City and she’d rolled her eyes enough already to roll her all the way home. “He says I’m sure to find other stories while we’re here, but I have a bad, bad feeling that he has other plans.”
“Ick.” Faith wrinkled her nose, and the two of them shared a laugh.
“Believe me. I’m not letting the man cross any lines. He tried to get us two adjoining rooms in the hotel, but as soon as he had his back turned I silently pleaded with the hostess at the registration desk, and she gave us rooms on opposite sides of the building, three stories apart.”
Faith laughed. They were almost to the stable, but curiously, she slowed her pace. “Are you planning to see anyone else while you’re here?” She batted her eyelashes.
It didn’t take much for Nancy to know what she was after. “If you’re talking about Doc O’Donnell, that’s a hopeless cause.”
“Why?” Faith looked disappointed.
“I don’t know,” Nancy admitted with a shrug. “We got along so well.”
“I know you did.” Faith’s expression wavered between a teasing grin and complete confusion. “I could have sworn the two of you had been struck by Cupid’s arrow.”
“Yeah,” Nancy shrugged. “You have no idea how excited I was. I hated going home. I kept my phone practically in my hand day and night.”
“And?”
“And nothing.” She kicked a small stone as they walked. “I gave him my number, he didn’t call. What’s that they say? He’s just not that into you?”
“But he was into you,” Faith argued. “I know he was into you. I saw it, Hope says she saw it. We all saw it.” She picked up her pace as though suddenly on a mission. “We’re going to get to the bottom of this.”
“The bottom of what? How?” Nancy rushed to keep up with her. Once again, she was wearing the wrong shoes for jogging across ranchland. She should have brought her sneakers and not a pair of heeled pumps. In order to keep up with Faith she had to keep her eyes glued to the ground, watching out for every rock and tuft of weeds on the hard-packed ground. “I’m not going to go chasing after a man who won’t—”
Her protest died on her lips. Her left heel landed in a hole a few feet from the parked truck and she lost her balance. A sharp twinge of pain flashed in her ankle and she felt herself spilling.
That is, until a pair of strong arms caught her.
“Easy,” an all-too familiar voice said. A voice that was curt and cold.
He settled her on her feet, and as soon as she was stable, Nancy cringed and glanced up…
…into the eyes of Doc O’Donnell.
2
She was tiny, but had an athlete’s build. Doc had forgotten that until he had his arms around her. Sure, that was only because he’d caught her when she’d tripped, but his mind instantly flew to all the other ways he could hold her—a friendly hug, snuggling on a picnic blanket while watching summer fireworks, cuddled on the couch in the winter with hot chocolate and Netflix…
Wait. No. She’d sent him the message loud and clear back in the spring with that fake phone number. Veterinarians need not apply.
A little rougher than he should have, he set her on her feet and took a step back. “You shouldn’t wear heels on a ranch.”
“I…” She gaped at him. Was that…was that hurt in her deep brown eyes? Doc teetered on the verge of kicking himself in the butt and apologizing when her expression clouded over. She pursed her lips and crossed her arms. “I wasn’t expecting to have to walk across fields when I got dressed today. Or should I have sent you a telegram asking for advice on footwear?”
Six different kinds of sparks zipped through Doc from head to toe and a few important placed in between. His pulse beat harder and his heart squeezed tighter. He liked a little sass in a woman.
A woman who had shut him down in the lowest way possible.
“You’re a reporter, Nancy. You should have done your research,” he snapped.
Her eyes widened and her nostrils flared. “If I had, I would have checked to see if you were here first.”
“Yeah?” He crossed his arms in imitation of her…and to try to get his pounding heart under control.
“Yeah. Then I would have avoided the place entirely.”
Zing! And ouch.
“Well, good morning to you too.” Angus stepped forward. He wore a smile that was far too big. “I don’t believe we’ve met, but I’m dying to get to know you. Angus MacFarlane, ranch hand and Culpepper in-law.” He glanced to Honor as she stepped out of the stable to see what was going on.
Nancy reached for Angus’s large hand. Doc fought down a wave of jealousy. His hands were large too. Bigger than Angus’s. He knew how to do things with them, if she’d just give him a chance.
A second later, he shook his head with impatience at himself. What was he, a middle school kid competing over the popular girl?
“Nancy Tilson.” Nancy shook Angus’s hand, then Honor’s. “Pleased to meet you.”
“I’m Sly.” Sly stepped forward to shake her hand as well. The grin he wore suddenly had Doc wanting to punch the sparkly smile off of his brother’s face. “I’m new in town. And you are?”
“Oh, you’re Faith’s reporter friend.” Honor smiled, recognition dawning. “Faith’s told us all about you. And I read that article you wrote about That’s My Baby. Good work.”
“Thanks.” Nancy lowered her eyes modestly. She was as gorgeous now—in that sweet, nice girl way—as she’d been back in the spring.
Doc let out a breath, trying not to wince noticeably, especially when he caught Sly trying to hide a smirk behind his hand as he rubbed the bottom half of his face. He’d played this whole thing entirely wrong so far. What he should be doing was erasing the past and trying again. He had been so sure there was something between the two of them before. He’d struck out that time, but the game wasn’t over and he was up to bat once again.
“So what brings you out to Culpepper?” Honor asked.
“The Culpepper Stakes,” Nancy answered.
“Perfect.” Sly smiled. “Press coverage!”
“For the horse race?” Doc started in surprise.
She turned to him, eyes narrowed just a bit in suspicion. “Yeah. You got a problem with that?”
“Nope.” Doc planted his hands on his hips, working to play things casual. He might just be able to do this. He could try again and win Nancy back if he was charming. A beat later, he smiled his best smile at her.
Nancy was just in the middle of turning away. She jolted and did a double-take, then faced Honor and Angus once more.
“Louisville is big on horse racing,” she continued to explain. “I’m doing a series of features about this new race, and maybe some other stories while I’m here.”
“Maybe we could work out something for a newspaper for Culpepper,” Sly suggested.
Nancy’s brow flew up. “I didn’t think Culpepper had a newspaper.”
“We don’t. That’s why I’m wondering if we could work something out,” Sly said. “Give me a bit of time to think about it.”
“I don’t know how much time I have,” Nancy answered.
“How long are you here for?” Doc tried to be sweet—and maybe a little suggestive—as he asked the question.
“Until just after the Fourth of July,” she answered, eyeing him as if she might change her mind about him. “I tried to tell Stu I could work remotely, but he wanted me with him, and how was I supposed to pass up a chance to come back to Culpepper to see my friends.”
Doc’s heart fell. “Stu?”
Nancy stared at him for way longer than it took to ask a simple question, as if she was thinking of the best way to answer. At long last, she said. “Donald Studebaker. He’s got a horse in the race. He’s acting as the jockey too.”
Boyfriend. Crap. So much for hoping to win her back. No wonder she’d given him the fake number. And come to think of it, if she was dating this Stu back in the spring, she’d been a little too forward by flirting with him. He liked sassy girls, but not cheaters.
Although nothing about Nancy would suggest she was that kind of girl.
Disappointed beyond what he thought he should be, Doc ran a hand through his hair. “Well, it was nice to see you again,” he mumbled. “Sly and I need to get along to the Savoy ranch.” He and Sly started to walk on to the truck.
“Jesse and Valerie Savoy?” Nancy sounded a little too eager.
Doc rounded on her. “Don’t go digging around in their business. They may be celebrities, but they came here to get away from all that. So leave them alone.”
Sexy splashes of pink came to Nancy’s cheeks and her eyes flared. “I had no intention of bothering anyone. Who do you think I am?”
“A reporter?” he answered.
Even more upset, she said, “Not that kind of reporter. So I’ll thank you to keep your negativity to yourself.”
“I’m just looking out for my neighbors,” Doc defended himself.
“Then look out for them and don’t go assuming I’m going to harass them.”
“I will.” Doc nodded. “And I’ll be keeping an eye on you while you’re in town.”
“Oh, really?” She planted her hands on her hips—curvy, shapely hips that he wouldn’t mind getting his hands on—and tapped one of her feet.
Doc’s pulse ratcheted up. He took a few steps closer to her. “Yeah, so don’t go trying anything funny.”
“Like accusing innocent people of being stalkers?” She gave as good as she got.
Crap. Why did she had to have a boyfriend? Why did she have to give him a fake number? He would have loved to take her out again and find out just how sassy she could be.
“Like making sure you keep your nose in your own business,” he said.
“You keep that up and my nose will be all up in your business,” she snapped. Then she blinked, leaning back slightly as if unsure what she’d just said.
A moment of thick, electric silence passed between them before Sly said, “Uh, bro? The Savoy ranch?”
Reluctantly, Doc tore himself away from the bubble of frisson he and Nancy had been standing in. “Right.” He nodded to Angus and Honor. “Call me if Strawberry shows any more symptoms, but for now, give her a day to rest.”
“Yep,” Honor replied.
Doc had the bad feeling she was trying not to laugh.
Prickles of excitement raced across Nancy’s skin as she watched Doc and his brother climb into the truck and drive off. She had no idea what had just happened. She also had no idea why she felt as though she suddenly needed a cold shower.
“Can you believe that?” she blurted at last as dust kicked up in the wake of Doc’s truck. “That man has some nerve.”
Faith scratched her head near where her ponytail was gathered and said, “Yeah, that was unusual.”
“Unusual?” Nancy snorted. “It just proves that he wasn’t the guy I thought he was before. No wonder he never called.”
“Actually, that wasn’t like him at all,” Honor said. Her eyes glittered as she tried to stop her lips from spreading into a smile. “You two met before?”
“When I was here in the early spring,” Nancy said. A deep squiggle filled her gut. “He changed my tire when I got a flat. We went out once. I thought he was a nice guy, but…” She let the sentence drop.
Honor exchanged a look with Angus. “Well, I need to get back in there and see if Strawby needs anything.”
“I’ll help.” Angus rushed to follow her back into the stable.
Nancy let out a heavy sigh. “I’m pretty sure I just made a colossal fool of myself, but I’m not exactly sure how.”
Faith laughed. “You didn’t do anything I wouldn’t have done if I’d been in your shoes.”
Nancy glanced down at her feet. “I am wearing the wrong shoes.”
“Ignore it.” Faith strode up to give her a quick hug. “Boys are weird. Although I wouldn’t complain if I had one.” She rested her hands on her abdomen.
That was exactly what Nancy needed to push her out of the uncomfortable funk she’d fallen into. She smiled. “When are you due?”
“Just after Christmas.” Faith gave her subtle baby-bump a pat. “Same as Joy.”
“Fun. Maybe I can get some time off around the holidays to come visit.” She took Faith’s arm and started away from the stable.
“Oh. Don’t you want to see the horses?” Faith stopped her.
Nancy glanced back to the stable and shook her head. “Suddenly I’m not so keen on the whole horse thing. But I hear your sister and cousins have set up an awesome bakery. After all that, I could really, really use something chocolate.”
Faith laughed. “Chocolate always makes things better.”
“It sure does.”
The two of them changed directions and headed back across the field toward the Culpepper Confectionary Creations. She couldn’t shake the odd confrontation with Doc, though. Could she really have gotten the wrong impression of him? No, she didn’t think she could. She was good at judging people’s character. She’d had to be, after the way she was raised.
Like the Quinlan families, her parents had been part of a strict church, but she’d never bought into the whole thing. She’d had to watch her friendships carefully to guess who she could trust, especially when it came time to break ties with that part of her family and to get out. She’d made it out, and she was happier than she’d ever been now that her life was her own, but the escape hadn’t left her with many friends or people she could rely on. That’s why her Culpepper friends had become so important to her, even though they lived so far away.
“Maybe I should consider moving here,” she said. Faith would probably think the comment was out of the blue, since she couldn’t see her thoughts.
“I wouldn’t complain.” Faith laughed. “In fact, I’m all for the idea.”
“Do you think Doc’s brother—is his name really Sly?”
“It’s a nickname, or so I hear,” Faith answered. “Just like ‘Doc.’”
“Wait, ‘Doc’ is a nickname? Like, a real nickname and not just something you call him because he’s a vet? What’s his real name?” As soon as the question was asked, she shook her head. “Never mind. Do you think Sly was serious about me doing something newspaper-like in Culpepper?”
“I don’t know. Sly is new in town, so I haven’t really gotten a sense of him yet.”
Nancy hummed and mulled it over. If the man was serious, and since he was new in town, maybe she could do some sort of newsletter introducing Culpepper’s newest citizens. Sly was one. Technically the entire Quinlan-now-Culpepper-etcetera family were new too. She could—
Her phone started to ring. She had it set to the old telephone sound, and hearing that sudde
nly coming from her purse as she and Faith walked through summer-baked ranchland was jolting. She fumbled to get her phone from her purse.
“Ugh. Stu,” she said as his name flashed across the screen. With an apologetic glance to Faith, she answered. “Hello?”
“Hey, Nance. How’s it hangin’?”
Nancy winced. Stu had all the charm of a 70s Vegas lounge act. “Fine. Is there something I can do for you?”
“Baby, there are a lot of things you can do for me,” he drawled, adding a slow laugh like a snake on the end.
Nancy held her phone away from her ear and made a gagging gesture. Faith snorted and covered her mouth with both hands.
“So listen, babe, Nance,” Stu went on. “I just discovered a big old scoop for you, right here in dozy, old Culpepper.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah. It turns out that big-time Hollywood celebrities Jesse and Valerie Savoy live right here.”
Nancy grimaced. “I know. I’d heard.”
“What?” Stu balked. “And you didn’t rush to get an exclusive interview with them?”
Nancy thought back to Doc’s scolding about leaving the two celebrities alone. “I didn’t think it was any of my business. They’re here for peace and quiet, after all.”
Stu snorted and scoffed. “Nance, toots, you’re a reporter. It’s your job to bother unsuspecting celebrities. Do you realize how much money we could make off of an exclusive interview?”
“Well, I don’t think—”
“Better still, you know how many papers we could sell if we discovered something really juicy about them?”
“They’re not really the kind of people who have juicy things to discover.” Nancy sent an apologetic look Faith’s way and mouthed the word “Sorry.”
“Make something up then,” Stu told her, as if it was nothing.
“I can’t do that, Mr. Studebaker. That’s not journalism.”
“Nonsense,” Stu drawled. “They’re celebrities. Whatever you make up, it’s probably actually true and no one has discovered it yet.”
