Page 36 of Extreme Romancing in Idaho

Both Gabby and I let our laughter loose. Gabby unabashedly pointed at Ryan.

He shoved his phone into his pocket. “You’re in so much trouble. I am going to get you back for this, Gabby. You know how many calls I’ve gotten today? I had no idea chickens were such a hot item.”

“Admit it. I’m frickin’ hilarious,” Gabby said.

“I think so,” I added.

“I stopped telling them I don’t have a chicken, and now I take them on grand chicken stories until they hang up.” Ryan leaned over the desk and looked at Gabby. “Take the ad down.”

“Only if you cover my shift next week.” Gabby leaned against the nursing circulation desk.

“Okay. Fine. I’ll take your shift.” Ryan moved to start monitoring his babies’ vitals. “You two better send me photos from the concert. I loveImagine Dragons.” He slipped on a mask and walked to the babies in oxygen tents.

Oh, right. I’d forgotten about the concert that was in a few weeks.

I reached for the gloves. “I can’t go to the concert with you, Gabs.”

She shook her head. “Oh, no you don’t. You can’t bail on me now. We’re being spontaneous.”

“That was before Papa got worse and the planting season started. I thought I’d have more help.”

“What about that hot guy your mom hired? What was his name again?” she asked.

“Remi.” The man who was never far from my thoughts.

“Why don’t you have him cover for you?”

“He can’t even drive a tractor. How is he supposed to run a whole farm even for a few days?” I thought back on all his mishaps. How much damage could he do behind the wheel of a tractor? “Trust me. He’s not ready.”

“Why not? I don’t want to go alone with Lili. She can’t even drink right now. Teach him how.” Gabby held her hands together in front of her. “Please. For me.”

“I’ll try.” I gave in. “But I’m not making any promises. I mean the guy lives in the city. He’s clueless.” I thought about him very proficiently chopping wood. “The only reason Mama hired him was because she wants me to have his babies someday.”

Gabby grabbed a mask. “I thought we were into Smoot.”

“Yeah. Well. I am.” I sat at my laptop and scrolled through everything that had been done to my little twins on the day shift.

“I don’t care how popular dating apps are, meeting up with someone you don’t know is a big risk. And he could be a serial killer.” Gabby slipped the mask’s elastic bands over her ears.

She acted like I was a novice at online dating. “I’ve done this plenty of times—”

“Every time I get nervous,” Gabby interjected.

“He’s not a murderer. I FaceTimed with him Friday.”

“OMG. Shut up.” Gabby shoved at my shoulder. “That’s a huge step.” She sat next to me and started typing on her computer.

“Our big date is tomorrow.” I couldn’t help being a bundle of nerves about it. What if he didn’t like me in person. “What do you think?” I asked.

“What do we think about what?” Ryan walked back to the nurse’s station and removed his gloves.

“She’s meeting up with Smoot,” Gabby said.

“The guy who could be a serial killer?” Ryan rubbed his thick beard.

Gabby lifted her hands toward Ryan, enunciating her words. “That’s what I said.”

“I don’t know, Ang. My vote is to let the sexy farmhand have a go. He’s real. You know him. That’s a step up from any online dating app.” Ryan’s mask dangled from one ear as he planted his hands on the shared desk.

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