Page 43 of An Unfinished Memory

“It can be, and then you do it anyway. Andsometimes you want to do it again.” Vienne tipped the pitcher of beer to top off her mug. “I had a C-section with Catherine after twenty hours of labor, and I would’ve had a second kid, but my ex announced he was done before my maternity leave was over.”

Jennings walked by and tipped his hat toward me. I gave him a tight smile. I didn’t intend to invite him over, but he veered toward the table. “How’s it going tonight, ladies?”

Aggie and Tova murmured hellos and exchanged amused glances. Vienne swatted him on the shoulder. “We’re talking babies, Jennings. Labor, specifically.”

His good-natured laugh echoed through the bar. “I can’t join in, I’m afraid, but my mom would happily tell you about her experience with me and my brother. We were each eleven pounds.”

“That would’ve been like two Catherines at the same time.” Vienne shuddered. “What a woman.”

Jennings focused on me. The hair on the back of my neck prickled. Was it the slight concern in his gaze? “Missed you at the street dance last Friday. I thought about giving you a call.”

“Oh.” Shit. I’d had darts with the girls Thursday and had stayed home to shower and shave all the good parts for Wilder’s arrival. “I was all danced out.”

The corner of his mouth tipped up. “You danced for hours straight last time. Hey, I talked to Ryan Kranz yesterday.”

My heart stuttered, and I coughed on my next breath.Stop talking.

“He said you were out last weekend.”

“Yes. How’s his cow?” I had checked in on Monday. The cowwas fine.

“Good. He said?—”

“I really like working with him. I appreciate him and his business. How about you? Working cattle soon?” We had to get off the topic of me at the Kranzes’. Wilder told me Ryan had figured out who he was. Had Ryan and Sheldon told many people Dr. Sutton showed up at the crack of dawn with her ex?

Jennings rattled off details about working cattle and how his brother and his family came out to help. His teenage nieces loved dressing up and being cowgirls for the weekend.

He dropped his gaze at the end of the story, almost shy. “Mind if I grab you for a minute, Sutton?”

Dread pooled in my stomach. I stuffed the paranoia that he knew about Wilder away and nodded. “Be right back.”

Aggie’s small smile was supportive. I might be looking too hard and seeing a glint of sadness. Tova toasted me with her can of ginger ale. Vienne took a huge pull of beer, but I caught the grin she was fighting off.

With leaden feet, I followed him toward the entry to the bar. Fewer patrons sat by the door, and the noise didn’t echo as bad.

“What’s up?” I asked brightly.Please have a question about vaccines or the best brand of mineral.Anything but the guy I was with at the Kranzes’.

He shifted from boot to boot. “I was just, uh, wondering if you’d like to meet up sometime. We could come here or find out where a band’s playing.”

I did not want to dance with Jennings again. Wilder ruined the dance floor experience for me. “I meant it, Jennings. I’m danced out for now.”

“We don’t need to find a band. We can just go…out.”

Oh.Oh. He was asking me on a date. He didn’t want a sure-thing partner on the dance floor who wouldn’t get stolen from him. “I’m busy, you know, with work.” I defaulted to my standard rejection that was never really the truth. “I’m still getting established, and my schedule’s heavier until I bring on more help.”

He ducked his head. “Sure, sure. Another time maybe?”

“Maybe.” I smiled to take the edge off. My life would be so much easier if I was attracted to him instead of figuring out how to let him down easy.

“Nice to see you tonight, Sutton.” His smile had a touch of regret. He paused, opening the door. “Another time.”

He slipped out, and I watched the door close.

Another time.

He was going to try again. Not many new single women came through Crocus Valley, and Jennings had set his sights on me.

Jennings was my Carla. A less insulting version. I had confronted Wilder about not firmly shutting down Carla, yet I’d done the same because it was easier, and I planned to keep saying no until he figured out there’d never be yes.

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