He shrugged. “I never thought about it.”
“I’ve thought about why we get to where we are, and I think this was all planned for Sarge and his wife to find what they wanted—a way to become parents. Then you came here, and they gave you what you needed—to belong and have someone who cared about you, and who still cares. As my mother used to say, you have someone in your life who always smiles when they see you.”
Her words hung between them, and he felt as if he’d been given a piece of a puzzle to his life he’d never been able to find on his own—why he’d ended up on the ranch all those years ago. He remembered Maggie smiling when she’d see him. Sarge didn’t quite smile all the time, but he always looked happy when Seth was there. “Sarge would try to be stern with us, but there was always that kindness behind what he did. I sure remember that.”
“Memories mean so much. It’s up to us to never forget to remember, despite what’s going on in the present.”
Seth knew Quinn was speaking about Michael. Memories were all she and Sarge had left. “I guess so.” He had so many good memories of Sarge and Maggie, and he wanted as many more as he could of Sarge before they were all he had. “We’re almost to Henry’s,” he said as they approached a tall red, white and blue sign towering over the highway. Henry’s Auto Care & Restoration. He swung off onto the frontage road going south, then took the first right turn.
Henry’s place came into view, a long cement block building with a hundred feet of paved parking between it and the road. Strong commercial fencing protected the sprawling storage yard behind it and blocked its contents from sight. Seth drove off the road and across the pavement. Over by the entrance was the tow truck beside Henry’s ’66 red Mustang. The car looked perfect, probably as it had when it rolled off the assembly line years ago.
“That is an amazing car,” Quinn said.
“It’s all Henry’s handiwork.” He shut off the truck, and Quinn was out before he’d taken the key from the ignition.
When Seth caught up to her, she was cupping her hands around her eyes to look through the driver’s side window of the Mustang. “Original upholstery,” she said with the same awe as someone uttering, An authentic Rembrandt.
Seth smiled at her. “I take it you’d give the car an eleven on a scale of one to ten?”
She turned to him, her blue eyes wide. “Eleven? No, it’s at least a twenty.” Then she colored slightly. “Okay, I know I get excited over beautiful vintage cars.”
This banter was a relief after their conversation in the truck. “So, you’re a gearhead?” he teased.
“Ah, that would be a no to the tenth power, because that would mean I could actually rebuild the workings and love doing it. I can’t and don’t. I’m just a fan. Once, I got to sit in a ’56 Thunderbird convertible that had been owned by a Hollywood star. It was all original, except for a red pinstripe pattern on the top of the engine’s hood.”
“I’ve seen that T-Bird,” someone said in a deep voice.
They turned, and Henry was sauntering over to the two of them. He was average height, sturdy, with his dark brown hair caught back from his deeply tanned face in a single braid that fell halfway down his back. Wearing grease-stained gray coveralls, he grinned from ear to ear and wiped his hands on a rag as he spoke to Quinn. “Where did you see the T-Bird?”
“At a San Diego rally about four years ago. Where did you see it?”
“Bakersfield, a year ago. The guy had just bought it from that actor’s estate and had it on a flatbed. He wouldn’t let it touch the ground.” He shook his head with obvious disbelief. “He’d never even driven it.”
“What a waste,” Quinn said.
“Exactly.” Henry stepped closer, offering his hand to Seth. “Good to see you back in these parts again.” The handshake turned into a guy hug. Then Henry’s attention quickly went back to Quinn as he stuffed the rag in his coverall pocket. “I hope you approve of my work, Ma’am.”
“Quinn, please, and I approve,” she said with a smile.
He motioned to the building. “Come on inside where it’s warmer, and we’ll talk about your Beetle.”
Within minutes, they were in Henry’s office, sitting across from him at a heavy wooden desk. Seth looked around. “This has really been upgraded. Nice.”
“Gar Vega, my wife’s cousin in Cody, gave me a good deal on the work.” With that, Henry turned his attention to Quinn again. “How long have you had the Beetle?”
Quinn shrugged. “My husband had her since high school, and we drove her ever since we met in college.”
Now Seth finally understood why the car was so important to Quinn. “You never wanted to do a restoration?” Henry asked.
“We decided against it.” Seth noticed her touch the gold band on her finger, as if talking about Michael was hard for her. She obviously still loved him. Then she put her right hand over her left in her lap. “As stupid as it sounds, I just want her back the way she was before the accident.”
Henry waved that off with a flick of his hand. “That’s not stupid at all. I understand being attached to her.”
Seth looked away from Quinn and cut into the conversation. “How do you people get to the place that you assign your car a gender?”
Henry almost rolled his eyes at that. “Simply put, it’s a feeling some people get when they sit in a car for the first time.” He shifted his chair to look more directly at Quinn. “I’ll get her back to the way she looked, nothing more, nothing less. The big question is, do you want your parts to be salvaged originals or new aftermarket?”
Seth asked Henry, “If it were your car, what would you choose for parts?”
“I’m like most enthusiasts of any older car. I prefer salvaged. I work with them all the time.”
“Okay, use them,” he said.
“They take a lot of time to find, don’t they?” Quinn asked.
“Usually, but after I saw the modifications on the engine, I thought you might want originals for her. I contacted a dealer near Dallas who specializes in pre-seventy Beetles. He has everything she’ll need right now. He’s just waiting for me to call to have them shipped. It won’t affect the timeline by very much.”
Quinn finally nodded. “Okay, that would be good. Thank you.”
Henry nodded and stood. “Now, I’m sorry I’ve gotta go. I have an appointment out at the Cochran spread in half an hour for a tractor repair.”
Seth stood, too. “We’re on our way to see Boone at the clinic.”
Henry reached for a heavy jacket on a hook by the desk and put it on over his coveralls as he studied Quinn. “I’ve got to say, except for that bandage, you don’t look too bad for going off-roading in her. Do you have any more questions?”
“What’s the timeline?” she asked.
“Three weeks, if we’re lucky. I’ll put in the order on my way to Cochran’s.”
“Thank you,” Quinn said and quietly walked back outside with the two men.
Henry slipped into his Mustang as he spoke to Seth. “I like the hat. It looks like the ones Sarge always wore.”
“It is Sarge’s. He gave it to me.”
Henry grinned and gave Seth a thumbs-up. “Wow, I’m impressed. How about you two meeting me for lunch around noon, if you’re still here?”
Seth looked at Quinn. “How about it?”
“That would be great. I’d love to hear about the history of your Mustang,” she said to Henry.
He smiled up at her. “I’d be glad to fill you in on him.”
* * *
QUINN TURNED TO get into the old truck, just hoping her disappointment wasn’t showing on her face. She wasn’t sure what she’d been thinking would be the timeline to get the car back, but she obviously hadn’t considered it realistically at all. Three weeks, minimum. It hit her like a ton of bricks that she would probably be right where she was for c
lose to a month.
While they headed back toward the highway, Quinn was struggling with the idea that she had to make her extended stay work. She was slowly putting together her plan, thankful for having the opportunity to put a few truths about Michael out there for Seth, no matter how hard it was to bring up the past. Add to that Seth actually taking on an app before with great success and she was on the right track. Now was not the time to panic.
She felt uncomfortable about Seth paying more for the original parts, but he’d said it was his fault. She didn’t know about that, but it eased her mind a bit. Maybe her actions during the waiting period—sticking to her plan to help Sarge and be a good housekeeper—would help mitigate things with Seth when she finally opened up about her reason for being on the county road that day.
She had just started to feel settled when she was yanked back to hard reality.
“We’ll go to the clinic first,” Seth was saying. “Then we’ll hit Garret’s General Store before we meet up with Henry.”
Quinn almost groaned but stopped herself. The general store was owned by the cowboy in the crazy outfit who’d supposedly sent her out to interview for the job. If she walked in there with Seth, one way or another, the truth—that she’d been looking for the ranch and not for a job—would come out. The timing was awful. “What do you need at the general store?”
“Warm boots and some extra winter clothes.”
All she could do was not go into the store with Seth, so the owner wouldn’t put two and two together too easily. She’d excuse herself to play tourist and go window-shopping so she could keep out of sight until Seth was done. She glanced up as he turned off the highway and merged onto Clayton Drive. Their pace slowed almost to a crawl behind a line of leisurely drivers. Just before Garret’s General Store, he turned left onto Wylie Way for the clinic.
When they walked out of the clinic twenty minutes later, Quinn’s impromptu visit with Daniel, not Boone, was a blur. All that stood out was the good news she could finally wash her hair the old-fashioned way and she didn’t need to use a bandage any longer. She was smiling about that until they were back in the truck, turning onto the main street to park right in front of the general store. Spotting a chocolate specialty shop two doors past it, she decided that would be her target.
Undoing her seat belt, she was ready to get out and disappear, but Quinn didn’t even get to the door handle before her plan fell apart completely. There was a knock on the driver’s window. When she glanced in that direction, she froze. Farley Garret, with his thinning gray hair, weathered face and wearing an over-the-top red silk Western shirt with fringes all over it, was looking into the truck cab. Without any superpower ability to become invisible, Quinn prepared herself for that moment when everything was over.
Seth rolled down his window. “Hey, there, Farley.”
“Hey, right back at ya’.” He cocked his head to one side, studying Seth. “Does Sarge know you’re wearing that?”
“Yes, he gave it to me.”
Farley grinned. “It’s about time.” Then he glanced past Seth and saw Quinn. “Well, hello there, darlin’. Heard that Seth ran into a pretty lady but didn’t know it was you.” His eyes narrowed on her stitches. “You okay? You look pale.”
She actually felt lightheaded at the moment. “It’s just a cut, but it’s healing.”
“Well, I’m sure sorry I was the one to send you into that mess. It seems Seth ain’t no smooth operator.” He added an unneeded sly wink to that statement.
Her mind raced, then she figured a good offense was better than waiting for the first blow to hit her. “Well, I think he’s being very nice about everything. He even hired me as his housekeeper.”
“Great news.” Farley looked away from her to Seth. “So you don’t need me to send out anyone?”
“No, not anymore.”
“Well, you treat her well, you hear.”
Maybe she finally had received a break. Farley Garret didn’t seem to be a man bent on giving details or asking for them. “That’s the plan,” Seth said. “Now, I need some warm boots.”
“I’ve got you covered.” Farley stepped back when Seth opened the door to get out. “I sure miss Sarge coming into town and visiting over coffee by the stove in the back. You tell him hey from me, okay?”
“I sure will,” Seth said as he closed the door.
Farley smiled in at Quinn through the open window. “You come on back and see me, too, you hear, darlin’?”
“Yes, I will,” she said, thankful when both men turned and headed up the steps to the raised walkway. When they were inside, Quinn finally let herself exhale. She hoped, with her being out of sight, she would be out of mind for both men. She figured not following them inside to see what was being said was safer to avoid Farley’s questions completely.
Closing her eyes, Quinn tried to just breathe evenly as she fingered the warm smoothness of her wedding band. If she managed to slip past this time, she promised herself that she’d stay out at the ranch and as far away from Farley as she could. As soon as her stitches were removed, she had no reason to come into town again.
Seth was in the store for half an hour before Quinn looked up and saw him stepping out onto the raised walkway. He had two shoeboxes and a large bag with him. He came down the steps and went around to get inside the truck. “That was fast. I’m impressed,” she said as he put the bag and shoeboxes on the seat between them.
“I don’t like shopping, so it’s easy to move fast,” he said as he started the truck. He glanced at her, and he didn’t look pleased to be done, or pleased at what he’d bought.
“He didn’t have what you wanted?” she asked. He tapped the top of two boxes on the bench seat between them, one black-and-yellow hardboard, the other larger and covered in stretched suede. “Half and half,” he said.
He still looked off and her stomach knotted at the thought that he might’ve found out everything. But Farley didn’t seem to be a gossip. “What does that mean?”
“I found the boots I needed, then Farley offered me some dress boots he swore I needed, too. They’re made out of some special leather with snakeskin in the stitching and welting. I swear, Farley could sell fleas to a dog.”
He was bothered that he’d spend too much money? “You can always return them, you know.”
Seth shrugged, put the truck in gear, backed out onto the street and headed north. “I’ll think about it.”
The traffic was slow as they headed north. “We’re on our own for lunch. Henry’s stuck on the tractor repair. There’s a diner up ahead, Over the Moon Burgers, that has great food, or we can go to the restaurant at the Far Away & Back dude ranch. Terrific barbeque.”
She felt off balance with the way Seth was acting. Not that he was being rude, but he wasn’t the same. His jaw looked tight. “Whichever’s closest,” she said, wanting to get out of the truck and face Seth. If something was wrong, she wanted to know what.
CHAPTER SEVEN
WHEN QUINN WALKED into Over the Moon Burgers with Seth, she found an eclectic mixture of the Old West, the 1950s and the heavens. The tables and chairs were retro metal and plastic, with red-checked tablecloths and randomly patterned cushions. Rough plank walls held pictures in plain frames, half of them sepia-toned shots of cowboys, cattle and horses. The other half were photos of the moon and sun in various stages of eclipse.
A petite lady in jeans, a red-checked Western shirt and with feathered gray hair came out from behind the long lunch counter to their left. “Seth Reagan! It is so good to see you back here.”
“Good to see you, too, Elaine,” he said, taking off his hat.
She gave him a quick hug, then stood back. “You be sure to give Sarge my love? I really miss him.”
“I will.”
She turned her attention to Quinn and frowned at the exposed stitches. “So, you’re the lady Seth drove o
ff the road?”
“I… Well, he—” Quinn was cut off by the woman.
“I know. It was the blind curve and the mountain winds blowing through. That combination is bad.”
Quinn shifted the conversation. “Seth told me that your food’s terrific.”
“He should know. He started here in prep and cooking, and he was a pretty good server. He also redid my bookkeeping system that I still use.”
“He forgot to mention all of that.”
Elaine patted Seth on his shoulder, seemingly oblivious to a tinge of embarrassment on his face. “He’s too modest. Now, you two sit wherever you want, and I’ll be right with you.”
Moments later, they were settled at a table in a far corner of the almost-empty dining area. Quinn had her back to the wall, with a view of the restaurant ahead and the town outside the windows to her left. Seth took the chair across from her.
When Elaine came over and laid menus in front of them, Seth never even looked at his. “I’ll have the usual,” he said.
Elaine smiled at him. “You bet, but the lady might need a few minutes.”
“What’s his usual?” Quinn asked her.
“Double burger with everything plus fries and coffee.”
“Okay. I’ll take a single burger with no onions, fruit instead of fries and hot tea, if you have some.”
“I have black or green, and from my personal stash, chamomile or mint.”
“Chamomile sounds wonderful.” When Elaine left with their orders, Quinn looked over at Seth and couldn’t resist saying, “You told me all you can cook is eggs and bacon.”
He replied without a hint of a smile, “Honestly, I only cooked for a couple of shifts before Elaine put me in the office doing her daily accounting. The closest she let me get to food after that was when I filled in the one time a server didn’t show up.”
“You were that bad as a cook?”
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