Page 16 of Plentywood
“You did well today, nurse.”
Her eyes narrowed as she studied me, pointing in my direction. “Right there,” she stated, wiggling her index finger. You said ‘well,’ not ‘good,’ like most humans would say. Must be that Ivy League schoolin’.”
“I think it’s called getting an education,” I corrected.
“Shit!” she exclaimed. “I almost wanted to like you.”
“There’s always tomorrow,” I replied.
“Speaking of that,” she began, still wiggling her arthritic finger in my direction. “My grandson Charlie will be in tomorrow for his physical. He doesn’t let me do them because he claims he’s modest, which he ain’t.”
“He’s an adult male. I can understand that request.”
“I’ve seen his bits since he was a diaper-filling baby. He ain’t got nothin’ I ain’t never seen.”
“You’re his grandmother,” I reminded her. “It sounds creepy.”
“Fuck that!” she exclaimed, frowning. “So, anyway, about Charlie. He’ll try to charm your pants off. Maybe even wave his pecker at you, but do not succumb to his charms. He is a loser of the first order and not worth your time. Got it?”
My eyes saucered at her description of her grandson. I’d met Charlie, or Skeeter, whatever his cornpone name was, and he was very attractive indeed. But I didn’t do cowboy, surfer-boy types. And how had he adopted a surfer vibe in Montana to begin with?
“I will not be involving myself in small-town romances while I’m here for myveryshort stay, nurse.” I began. “And certainly not with the grandson of an employee.”
Agnes laughed out loud, stopping before exiting the exam room’s office. She leaned into the door frame and studied me, shaking her head as a grin began to take shape.
“Did you see the line here today?” she asked. “Did you notice all the womenfolk in makeup and a gay sheriff all up in here sniffing around your pretty little ass? Did you notice any of that, pretty boy?”
“You are crude,” I replied. “Where did you learn that manner of speaking?”
Agnes rolled her eyes. “Screw that!” she stated. “Whatever. Half the fucking town came in today to see the poster boy from the newspaper. You have matinee idol looks, buddy boy, and this town is horny for a boy like you. So, good luck with the pious ‘I’m not romancing anyone’ bullshit.”
“I’m not,” I defended. “I plan to keep to myself and you can spread that word around town if you like.”
Her lips pursed, matching her scrunched-up eyes like she thought I was full of it. “We’ll see about that. And as for Charlie tomorrow. Don’t fall for his bullshit. He’ll rip your heart out. Your best bet is the sheriff,” she stated. “His husband dropped dead a couple years back. Nice young man, and he needs some love back in his life. Go for that one.”
“Are you done?”
“Trust me on this, kiddo. Plentywood will get under your skin. Make the right choice about your partner early on so you can save yourself the grief later,” she explained.
“Who said I was gay?” I asked.
“No one,” she answered. “There was no need to announce in the paper what’s so goddamned obvious,” she added, walking out the door.
“Obvious?” I whispered, my question dying in the room after she’d departed.
And what did she mean about Plentywood getting under your skin? This town? In the middle of nowhere? Not me. I had bigger plans for my life.
CHAPTER ELEVEN: Hunter
The grass was nearing a foot tall, and the flowerpots that Mark had always kept bright and overflowing had a few stragglers that had managed to survive the brutal winter in Montana. Unfortunately for my house, there’d be no flowers again this year.
Bella bounded through the doggy door and met me at the gate when I stepped out of the Tahoe. She was the one constant reminder that I was actually still alive. She’d been more Mark’s dog after I’d refused to replace Monte, my treasured German Shepherd. Mark brought Bella home after rescuing her from the side of the road when he was coming home from a business trip to Missoula.
“She needs you and you need her,”he’d stated, noticing my reluctance with his crossed arms.
“You can’t just replace one dog with another,”I’d argued, ignoring the bright blue eyes of the Australian Shepherd nipping at my knees.“I don’t like girl dogs.”
“You do, and you will. End of story!”Mark had exclaimed.
