Page 38 of Break My Fall

She left it where it was and went back to her patients. That worked until Lucy, all smiles and sunshine, handed it to her. “You dropped this, Dr. Quinn.”

She turned it off, and despite pulling it from her pocket multiple times, she made it until her last patient left at 4:45 before she powered it back up.

This time the only text she responded to was from Cal.

I’m ready whenever you are.

On my way in ten.

The thumbs-up told her he’d seen it. She closed everything up for the weekend and went out to her car. Where was the tracker? Did it track her location only? Or did it listen in?

Her cheeks flamed as she slid into the seat. How embarrassing would that be? She’d had Mexican a few days ago and theride home had been ... well ... it hadn’t been quiet. She had manners, but she should be free to let go in the privacy of her own car.

And then there’d been the ranting she’d done on the way home last night. She bit back a groan. If anyone was listening, she didn’t want to give them anything else to mock her with. She turned up the local Christian music station. If they were going to listen, they were going to listen to worship music from now on. Maybe they’d be convicted of their wicked ways.

When she parked in Cal’s office lot, she hopped out and met him at the door. “Do you know about my car?”

“Yes.”

“Does it listen in or just track location?”

“I’m not sure. We should assume they’re listening.” He pulled her arm through his. “I’m sorry. We’ll figure this out.” He tugged her toward her car. “Want me to drive?”

She was grouchy now, and her response was a petulant, “No.”

Cal, to his credit, laughed, climbed in, and kept a steady stream of mindless chatter until she dropped him off at his and Landry’s new home. “I’ll talk to you later. Thanks for the ride.”

She gave him a small salute and made the short trip to her parents’. Mo’s Jeep was already there. As was Gray’s Explorer. She pulled herself together, as much as she could, and walked inside.

Gray didn’t know what had happened after Meredith went home last night. He’d sat where he could see her office door. It had been over thirty minutes before she’d walked to her car. He was sure she’d been crying, and if the way her eyes looked this morning was any indication, she’d cried a lot last night.

Based on the cool reception he received from Mo when he’d walked into the Quinns’ home, he had a bad feeling that the tears had something to do with him.

He replayed their conversation. He thought the evening had been fine. Better than fine. It had been hard not to think of it as a date. Hard not to let his mind wander to what it would be like if she was his and if he could always have her to come home to after a call. And harder still not to ask her to come back to his place when she was so amped up.

He almost suggested it, but then she’d shut down and said she needed to go home. His relief had been heavily tinged with regret. But relief had won out. Meredith Quinn was an extraordinary woman, and if he was the kind of man who was looking for a partner, she would be it.

But he wasn’t that kind of man. The women he loved died. All of them. And he’d known since he was in his teens that he would be single for life.

He’d take care of the people in this town and be the best police chief he could be. But he wouldn’t be a husband. Wouldn’t be a father. He’d decided a long time ago that he didn’t want that. Even if the sight of Meredith walking straight into her father’s arms did send a pang of regret through him.

“Supper’s ready. Let’s not let it get cold.” Doug Quinn gestured them to the kitchen table. “Then we’ll talk.”

Mo and Gray sat on one side of the table, Meredith on the other, with Doug and Jacqueline on either end. Doug asked the blessing, plates were filled, and they dug in.

“Mrs. Quinn, this is phenomenal.” It wasn’t hyperbole. Gray hadn’t grown up eating chicken and dumplings, but he was pretty sure they were now his favorite food. “This is what I would request for my last meal.”

Mo and Meredith laughed. Doug gave his wife a look that was acombination of pride and adoration, and Gray suspected a whole lot of gratitude that she was here.

Jacqueline had survived an intense battle with cancer last year. There was still a hint of frailty to her physically, but the eyes that pinned him now held a mama bear’s strength. “Thank you, Gray. But, sweetheart, if you ever call me Mrs. Quinn again, I will wash your mouth out with soap.”

Gray choked down the bite he was working on. “Ma’am?” He hadn’t grown up saying ma’am, either, but after moving to Gossamer Falls, he’d learned fast.

She pointed her fork at him. “You heard me. Jacqueline or Jacque will do fine.”

He would go to great lengths to avoid addressing her directly in the future, because he wasn’t sure he could manage to call her by her first name. But what he said was, “Yes, ma’am.”

“Now that we’ve settled that, I’m glad you’re enjoying the dumplings because you’ll be taking some home. I made enough for a crowd.”

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