by Eve Gaddy
The kids took the phone over to sit in a couple of chairs and immediately became engrossed.
“I’m impressed,” Tobi said. “I take it the kids are your niece and nephew.”
“Yes. Laurel’s kids.” He glanced at them fondly. “They’re good kids. Usually.”
“Do you take care of them often?”
“Some. We operate well on a system of bribery.”
Tobi smiled at that. “Let me take a look at your hand.”
Travis gave her his hand and while she unwrapped it he said, “The game will hold them for a while, anyway. I’m babysitting or I wouldn’t have brought them with me.”
“Don’t apologize. They’re not a problem. We have lots of kids in here.”
“What’s the verdict, Doc?”
The cut was deep, though not bad enough to need two layers of stitches. “You really did a number on yourself. It’s a good thing you came in. You definitely need stitches.”
He grimaced. “I was afraid of that. Are you sure we can’t just put on some of those strips that hold it together?”
“Not unless you want the wound to keep opening up and take forever to heal. Not to mention, the risk of infection—”
“Okay, okay,” he interrupted, laughing. “Do your worst.”
Tobi called the PA and asked her to bring in the suture kit. Meanwhile, she went to work cleaning the wound. Though deep, the tear ran in a straight line down his palm, rather than jagged and uneven. Since he’d been handling food she paid extra attention to make sure it was clean.
“I washed it, you know,” Travis said, grumbling. “With soap.”
She looked up at him and laughed. “I believe you. I’m just being careful. We wouldn’t want you to get an infection.”
He grunted and winced a few times, but he stayed still while she finished. She put a gauze pad on it while they waited.
“How did this happen?”
His eyes cut to the kids but all he said was, “I was cutting up apples and the knife slipped.”
“Katrina made him do it,” Cody announced.
“Did not!”
“Did too!”
“Remember what I said about taking the game away?”
“You said if we didn’t share. But we’re sharing.”
“No fighting either.” He rolled his eyes at Tobi and lifted his good hand in a “what can you do?” gesture.
Just then her assistant, Carla, entered with her instruments. While she set up the tray Tobi asked Travis in an undertone, “Do you mind if the kids watch TV while I stitch you up? We have a kids’ area set up.”
“No, that would be great.”
After Carla took the kids off, Tobi got down to business. “Are you allergic to any medicines?”
“No.”
“Good,” she said, drawing up a syringe. “This is lidocaine to numb it.”
A short time later she’d finished stitching up his wound and neatly bandaging it. “You can take the bandage off later, but I’d probably keep it on while you’re dealing with the kids. And remember, don’t get it wet for twenty-four hours. I’ll give you a prescription for an antibiotic, as well.”
“Will do. Before you go,” Travis said as she started to leave the room, “there’s a band I really like playing in Austin this weekend,” Travis said. “Do you want to go with me?”
Damn, she should have seen that coming. After all, Levi and Zack had both asked her out. As had a few other men she’d met.
But a date with Travis? Travis, the guy she’d had a huge crush on all those years ago? She had no doubt she’d enjoy it. Or that if she went it wouldn’t be the last time. But Tobi wasn’t ready to start another relationship. Even with Travis. Even if the thought was tempting.
“Tobi, is something wrong?”
Realizing she’d been gazing at him without saying a word, she said, “No. It’s just—” she shifted uncomfortably “—I don’t think we should date.”
He sat on the exam table swinging his leg. Tilted his head and asked, “Why not?”
Reasonable question. Because I’m afraid I’ll like you too much. I’m afraid I already do. Obviously, I can’t tell him that.
Yes, she’d gone out with Zack and Levi, but she’d known she wasn’t in any danger of falling for either of them. They were, as they’d been in high school, just her good buddies. Besides, she’d discovered each of them was hung up on another woman anyway, though both would absolutely deny it. But Travis…Travis was different.
“We’re friends. I don’t want to lose my friends. That’s what would happen if we went out together.”
“I don’t see why. But it doesn’t have to be a date. We can just hang out, take in some music.”
“Travis, I don’t—”
He held up a hand. “No, forget it. I get the picture. You don’t need to explain any more.”
“It’s not personal. But I value your friendship and—” She broke off as he simply raised an eyebrow at her.
She felt her face heat. Damn, she was making a mess of this.
“Like I said, I get it.”
He jumped down from the table and said, “Thanks for patching me up.”
He started to walk out the door. “Travis, wait.”
He stopped with the door open and looked at her.
“I really do value your friendship.”
“Right. Don’t worry about it. I’ve been rejected before.” And with that he walked out.
Well, shit. She’d really messed that up.
What did you expect? That was about the lamest thing you could have said. Other than, I have to wash my hair, that is.
Chapter Five
“The Kellys should be here in about half an hour,” Zack said Sunday afternoon. “Are you ready to show them the plans for the new hangar?”
“Yeah. I’ll show them around both existing hangars as well. The one we’re building next is basically the same as those two, only larger.”
“What did you do to your hand?” Levi asked him.
“Sliced the shit out of it when I was babysitting Cody and Katrina last night.” He shook his head. “Note to self, don’t use sharp objects when small children are playing in the same room.”
Zack and Levi laughed. “Did you go to the hospital or Urgent Care?” Zack asked.
“Urgent Care. Why?”
“Just curious. I figured you would. Was Tobi there? Did she fix you up?”
“Yes and yes.”
“Did you hit on her?”
“No, I didn’t hit on her,” he said irritably. Asking her out wasn’t hitting on her. Besides, she’d said no. And yes, she’d kissed him, but he couldn’t put too much stock in that. She’d decided not to back out on a bet, that was all. “I asked her to go to Austin to hear Tomar and the FCs this weekend but she turned me down flat. Said she didn’t think friends should date.” Which, in his opinion, was totally stupid.
“Don’t feel too bad, bro. She told me the same thing when I took her to dinner last week,” Zack said.
What the hell? “Tobi went out with you? On a date?”
“Yeah, but like I told you, she wasn’t interested in anything else.”
“Same here,” Levi put in.
Same here? “What does that mean?”
“She told me the same thing when I took her to the Harwood Inn for dinner,” Levi elaborated. “So…she wouldn’t even go out with you once? You must be losing your touch, bro. At least Zack and I got one date out of her.”
Travis shot him the bird, but luckily, the Kellys and Blues showed up so he didn’t have to hear his buddies razz him about Tobi not even giving him a chance. Trey and Wyatt Kelly, as well as their half-brothers, Nick and Xander Blue, were the owners of the biggest operation in Whiskey River and almost certainly one of the largest in the state. They owned and ran the internationally known Kelly Boots factory, manufacturing custom-made cowboy boots as well as ready-to-wear boots of all kinds. They were also in the cattle business, the oil business, and Tre
y Kelly bred horses. Not just any old horses, but Kelly’s Champs, world champion cutting horses. And those were only the businesses Travis knew about.
Travis and his partners had been in talks with the Kellys and Blues for a while now. Ever since they’d added a runway long enough for a small jet enabling locals who’d made it big, like Jamie Templeton and Logan Calloway, to land in Whiskey River. In fact, the Kellys had used the runway for one of their jets as well as temporarily hangared their plane at the airfield.
After Travis showed them around and they had pulled out the plans for the additional hangars and runways and discussed them, Trey Kelly had gotten right to the point. “Nick and I don’t use the planes as much as Wyatt and Xander, but this sounds like an excellent idea. What do you think?” he asked the others.
Wyatt rubbed his chin. “It’s a hell of a lot handier than San Antonio.”
“Our lease is up in a few months,” Xander said. “What time frame are you talking about?”
“We can accommodate one plane right now,” Zack said. “As Travis showed you, we’ve already begun construction on another runway and hangar. I think three months to completion.”
“We aren’t sure of the timing for the new terminal yet, but our architect is working on the plans,” Travis said.
Levi snorted but didn’t add anything. Travis wasn’t sure what was going on with Levi and the architect, Dana DeLong. But he had to admit Levi had reacted somewhat negatively to the news that Harlan had suggested they hire Dana to design the terminal—and that Travis and Zack had agreed.
Harlan, Travis’s brother who owned Whiskey River Construction, the firm they’d contracted to handle the renovation, was a big fan of Dana’s work. Realizing all the others involved agreed, Levi had given in. But he hadn’t liked it and from time to time he let the others know it.
Nick Blue, the retired PBR world champion, drawled, “Are we going to make a decision or talk all day? I say let’s do it.”
“Agreed,” Trey said.
“You’ve got my vote,” Xander said.
“And mine,” Wyatt added. “Looks like we have a deal.” He offered a hand and they all shook.
They signed the lease for their first plane’s hangar space right then and there, and agreed to talk details on the new hangars as they arose.
After the Kellys and Blues left, Travis mentally went over what had gone down with Levi and Zack before business had claimed their attention.
What the hell did his friends have that he didn’t? Neither one had even recognized Tobi at the Boots & Bangles gala. You’d have thought that would earn him some points.
He thought back to the party. They’d gotten along fine. She’d seemed to enjoy being with him. He couldn’t remember doing anything to piss her off. He’d had to leave early to help out a friend, so he hadn’t told her good-bye, but that shouldn’t have bothered her, especially since they hadn’t come together. If he hadn’t been going out of town immediately, he’d have called her the next day and asked her out.
Then he’d seen her at the hardware store and wound up anchoring her shelves and helping her unpack a bit. He’d enjoyed himself and thought she had too. She hadn’t acted like she was pissed or even annoyed at him. When he mentioned dinner and she said she had dinner plans he hadn’t thought anything of it. But apparently that had just been an excuse.
Whatever the reason, it appeared he’d lost his chance. Or worse, never had one.
*
Friday was the end of a long week for Tobi. Her second full week at work, it had been by turns boring and terribly hectic. Nothing like as stressful as some of the days at her previous job, thank God. The ER of a level I trauma center, where she had worked in Dallas, could be boring but it could also be overrun with desperately ill and injured people. Alternatively, it could be overrun with every person with a tummy ache at two a.m. or a hangnail at four a.m.
At least Whiskey River didn’t have a lot of crime.
At any rate, she was off duty starting tonight and, having no desire to go home to her uninspiring cupboards and refrigerator, she decided to stop in at Booze’s for a glass of wine and a burger. Tomorrow she was grocery shopping. She took a seat at the bar, watching the redheaded bartender serve her clients. She was good—fast and efficient—and she looked so familiar that Tobi wondered if she’d known her before. She looked to be close to her own age, or maybe a few years younger.
As soon as the bartender spied Tobi, she came over and slapped a cork coaster on the bar, setting a glass of water on top of it. “What can I—Wait a minute. Don’t I know you?”
Tobi laughed. “I wondered the same thing about you.” Holding out a hand, she said, “Tobi Robinson.”
Shaking hands, the bartender said, “That’s how I know you. I’m Siobhan Murphy. I was a couple of years behind you in school.”
“That’s right. I remember you.”
“Are you back in town to stay?”
“Yes, I’m the new doctor at the Urgent Care clinic.”
“I heard we were getting someone new. Well, it’s good to have you back.” She glanced over to the other end of the bar. “Be right there,” she called, then turned back to Tobi. “Let me take your order. I would love to talk more but right now I’ve got to get back to work.”
Tobi gave her the order and Siobhan went off, returning a short time later with Tobi’s wine. “Your burger will be ready in a few.”
“Thanks, I’m starving.”
After Siobhan brought her order, Tobi sat sipping wine, eating and watching the basketball game on the big-screen TV behind the bar. Not having any special plans, she wasn’t in a hurry to get home. Besides, Booze’s was a good place to relax. In fact, she found Whiskey River a relaxing place. That had been part of her reason for moving. She remembered Whiskey River as a very small town, and while it had grown since she grew up here, it wasn’t large by any means. It retained its air of small-town hospitality and slower pace.
After more than three years in Emergency Medicine at a large hospital, and two more as a resident prior to that, Tobi had been ready to slow down. So when Clint and Raleigh had offered her a partnership, she’d jumped at the chance. The hours at the Urgent Care were a lot better than what she’d been used to. And the work itself was less stressful.
Except when Travis came in. But that hadn’t been stressful due to his injury. No, it had been stressful because she kept remembering their kiss the other day. Okay, not so much stressful as it was tantalizing.
One kiss as payment for a bet. The day he’d anchored her bookshelves and helped her unpack. She’d enjoyed that day. Maybe partly because of their past friendship, she and Travis had no trouble talking or even being companionably silent.
But she couldn’t stop thinking about that kiss she’d given him to pay off the bet. What would it be like to really kiss him? To kiss him and not force herself to end it?
Good. Really good.
But she’d turned him down when he’d asked her out for this weekend. Really, what was stopping her? Fear, that’s what. She was afraid she could get involved with Travis far too easily. But now she was regretting having done it. Travis was clearly interested. Just because she went out with him didn’t mean she had to take it further. Or even if she did who said it couldn’t be a fling? She didn’t have to get involved. Maybe she was curious, that’s all. He was fan-yourself-hot, after all. And they were both unattached. Didn’t she deserve to have some fun?
“Can I get you anything else?” Siobhan asked her as she picked up her dirty dishes. “Another glass of wine?”
“No, I’m good.” She still had a little bit left, having nursed her one glass.
“All right. Holler if you need me.”
“Can I ask you a question?” Tobi asked her impulsively.
“Sure. Let me get rid of these dishes first.” She returned a few moments later. “Okay, ask away.”
“Have you ever done something you knew was stupid but it was so irresistible you did it anyway?”
“Give me context. Are we talking about men or something else?”
“Men. A man, damn it.”
Siobhan thought about that. “Yes.”
“Did you regret it?”
“No. Not really. Why, are you regretting what you did?”
“Oh, I haven’t done it yet.”
Siobhan laughed. “Now I get it. You’re thinking about it.”
“I’m trying not to think about it,” she corrected. Tobi glanced at the entrance. Travis. Of course it was Travis, wearing jeans and a leather bomber jacket, looking like the flyboy he was. Why that was so appealing given her feelings about flying, she hadn’t a clue.
Her friend turned her head, following her gaze. “How’s that working for you?”
“It’s not,” she said as Travis spotted her and started walking toward her.
Chapter Six
Tonight must be his lucky night. Just the woman he wanted to see. Miss Tobi I-don’t-want-to-date-friends herself.
“Hi, Travis,” Siobhan said as he reached the two women.
“Hey, Siobhan. Tobi. How’s it going, ladies?” He liked Siobhan. Had even toyed with asking her out once or twice, but she’d never acted at all interested so he hadn’t. To tell the truth, he’d wondered more than once if she had the hots for someone but if she did he couldn’t figure out who.
“Pretty good,” Siobhan said.
“Can’t complain,” Tobi said.
“Can I get you a drink, Travis?”
He’d been looking at Tobi but at that he turned to Siobhan and gave her his best smile. “A draft. Whatever’s your special. Would you like another, Tobi?”
“No, thanks. I’m fine.”
“One draft, coming right up. Good luck,” she said to Tobi as she left.
He wanted to ask what that was about, but it wasn’t his business. “Are you waiting for someone?” he asked her.
“No. Please, have a seat.”
“Thanks. Don’t mind if I do.” He took the barstool next to hers.
“How’s your hand?” Tobi asked.
“It’s okay.” He held it up and made a fist. “Hardly hurts.”