Page 18 of Saddles and Snowstorms
“I’ll walk you out,” he offered when I’d finished with Caroline.
The morning had warmed considerably as we stepped out of the barn, the Texas sun burning away the last of the frost, though it was still damn cold. Colt matched his stride to mine as we walked toward my truck, our boots crunching on the gravel.
“So,” he said, his voice casual but his eyes intent, “I wasn’t just being polite about dinner. We’d really like you to come.”
“We?” I raised an eyebrow.
“Me and Eli,” he clarified. “Well, all of us actually. There’s not a lot of guys like us out here.”
“I’ll think about it,” I said, though I already knew I’d go. The prospect of spending an evening with people who understood—really understood—was too tempting to pass up. “But I can’t promise I’ll be great company.”
“Trust me, doc, you’ll be fine.” Colt’s grin was infectious. “Besides, once Eli gets going about the Dallas corporate world versus Sagebrush’s ‘cultural wasteland,’ as he calls it, you won’t have to say a word.”
We reached my truck, and I tossed my medical bag onto the passenger seat. The sun had fully risen now, bathing the ranch in golden light that made the dew-covered grass sparkle.
“Eli’s not wrong about the cultural differences,” I admitted, leaning against my truck. “Going from Austin to here was... an adjustment.”
“Yeah, but you’re adjusting.” Colt crossed his arms, biceps flexing beneath his flannel shirt. “Eli’s still fighting it. Man dresses for the boardroom to go to the post office.”
I chuckled, picturing a suited-up executive trudging through Sagebrush’s dusty streets. “Sounds like quite a sight.”
“You have no idea,” Colt said, shaking his head. “But underneath all that polish, he’s got a good heart. Just don’t tell him I said so.” He winked, then glanced back at the barn. “Caroline’s gonna work me to the bone today, so I better get back. See you at seven?”
I hesitated only briefly before nodding. “Yeah, I’ll be there.”
“Good man,” Colt said, clapping me on the shoulder. His hand lingered just a moment longer than necessary, warm and firm through my jacket. “Looking forward to it.” He took a couple of steps before he stopped. “And Doc… if the flirty thing bothers you, I can stop.”
“Honestly?” I replied with a shrug. “I’m enjoying it. As long as Eli doesn’t mind.”
“Believe me,” Colt winked. “If he was here, he’d be flirting with you too. Because…damn.”
With one last tip of his hat, he was gone. As I drove back toward town, I found myself smiling. Maybe Sagebrush wasn’t going to be as lonely as I’d feared. The ranch disappeared in my rearview mirror, but Colt’s invitation stayed with me, a warm counterpoint to the winter chill.
Chapter 7
Brooks
Iwasn’t exactly looking to make another delivery to the diner, but Dolly had insisted. She said she had a big party coming in and she wanted to make sure she had enough food for them. After my delivery the week before, it seemed impossible that she would be out already. Still, I wasn’t so rich as to turn down a special delivery of some of my best steaks. I needed the extra cash for the cattle auction coming in spring, anyway.
So, after I’d finished up the last of the chores, I went inside and got cleaned up. I didn’t have anyone to impress, but I didn’t want to give the people in town any more reason to call me a hermit. If I at least looked presentable, it would give them less reason to talk.
I pulled on my least-worn pair of jeans, a blue checkered shirt that still had all its buttons, and my good boots, the ones without manure caked in the treads. My hat was a lost cause, sweat-stained and bent out of shape, but it was as much a part of me as my own skin.
The drive into Sagebrush was quiet, just the rumble of my old pickup and the sway of prairie grass on either side of the dirt road. The late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the rolling hills, turning everything golden. It was pretty enough to make a man forget his troubles, at least for a spell.
The town was busier than usual for a Sunday. I spotted a few trucksI didn’t recognize parked outside the diner, probably the party Dolly had mentioned. I pulled around back where deliveries were made and grabbed the cooler of steaks from the truck bed.
When I pushed through the back door with my boot, Dolly was at the stove, flustered, her blonde hair escaping from its usual tight bun.
“Oh, thank the Lord, Brooks! You’re a lifesaver,” she called over her shoulder. “You wanna just drop those on the counter? I’m just about ready for them now.”
“You doin’ a private party or something?” I asked, leaning against the counter as she bustled around the kitchen. “You ain’t usually open on Sundays, right?”
“I’m doin’ a favor for some friends,” she smiled, taking the steaks from the counter. “They wanted a place to have a good night, and I didn’t have the heart to tell ‘em no.” She looked me up and down, one eyebrow quirking. That couldn’t be good. “In fact, you’re the last person to arrive.”
I felt my chest tighten. “I’m just here to deliver steaks,” I said, shaking my head.
“You think I didn’t call you out here on purpose?” she grinned. “There’s someone here I know you wanna see, so just go out and say hello, sugar.”
