Why does it have to be about you? Why can’t it be about him? Maybe some guys are just jerks?
Rational argument said Vic Gentry was a two-timing jerk. But in the cold light of day, her heart knew what her head denied: he hadn’t just turned to others.
He’d turned away from her. And she wasn’t at all sure she wasn’t somewhat to blame for that.
* * *
“Oh. ’Scuse me!”
A miniature version of Julia’s blue eyes under a mop of blond curls met Tanner’s eyes as they collided at Zach’s side door the next afternoon. “Whoa. I gotcha, bud.”
“Connor? Are you okay?” Julia’s voice called from somewhere inside Zach’s house.
The little boy rolled his eyes. “I’m fine! I’m going to see if Beansy’s friend had her babies yet.”
“Go across lots, not around the road.”
“Mom, I know all this stuff. I’m five! I’m not a baby.”
“Didn’t say you were, and—” Julia stopped as she got to the side door, looking surprised to see him. “Tanner. I’m sorry, I didn’t know you were here.”
“Julia.” He nodded toward the kid. “Yours?”
“On good days.” She grinned at the boy and laid her hand on top of his head. “Be good for Grandpa, okay?”
“Grandpa and me work together on weekends.” He pulled a knit hat down on his head and stood as tall and straight as a kid could while he addressed Tanner. “He’s teaching me everything about farming.”
“I expect he’s mighty pleased to have a helper like you around,” Tanner said.
“Two helpers.” Connor shoved his feet into old-fashioned rubber farm boots. “Martin’s already over there, checking on the mommy goat, but I had to practice my reading words. Which was kinda dumb because I knew them all already.” He darted a dark glance at his mother, a look she ignored completely. He raced out the door, then stopped and stuck out a little hand in Tanner’s direction.
“I’m Connor.”
“My name’s Tanner. Nice to meet you.”
“Do you like goats?”
“More than life itself,” Tanner replied with a quick side smile toward Julia.
Connor leaned in as if sharing a very big secret. “We’re going to have baby goats soon. And baby goats are called kids just like kids are called kids.”
Tanner offered the boy an exaggerated look of surprise, as if Connor’s revelation was truly amazing.
“And they’re going to get born, like, any day now. Maybe even today.” He gave Julia a miffed look. “My mom delivers babies but she says Daisy is better having her babies on her own because goats know how to do those kind of things. Do you think they do?”
He shrugged. “It makes sense, I guess.”
“Well, I hope so because I’ve been waiting for these babies a very long time.” Connor’s serious expression mirrored his words. “Every day I pray and pray for these babies, and she hasn’t had them yet.”
“Animals have been giving birth forever.” Julia’s calm tone said nature would prevail. “I expect Miss Daisy will be fine, Connor. And if there’s an emergency, I can be on call, okay?”
“Except she’s all alone at night,” the boy muttered as he pushed out the door. “So I don’t know who’s going to take care of her then and I know Grandpa’d let us bring her in the basement. Just until.”
“God will take care of her,” Julia suggested as if God could be counted on for everything.
Tanner knew better.
The boy’s scowl said he sided with Tanner. The door banged shut behind him as Julia stepped aside. “The patient awaits. Zach was excited that you were coming over.”
“You’re on nursing duty today?”
“Well, he’s out of my area of expertise, but I figured whining’s whining and he’s not all that different than the five-year-old that just scolded me on his way out the door.”
“I’m not whining.” Zach made a face as they walked into the living room. “I’m too drugged up to whine properly. Give it a week.”
“I can hardly wait.” Julia stage-whispered the words. “I can disappear and give you guys time to visit if you’ve got sensitive cop stuff you need to discuss.”
“We don’t, but thanks. Tanner, you want coffee? Tea? Piper made a pitcher of tea this morning because the long winter is getting on her nerves.”
“I’m sure it has nothing to do with the grumbling husband stuck in the living room.” Julia grinned at him from across the room and added, “I kind of love that you’re trapped. How mean is that? I can sling sisterly barbs in your direction and you’re pretty much helpless.”
Zach glowered at her, but Tanner saw the sparkle in his eyes as well, a look that said he loved his sister.
Tanner loved his sister, too. He and Neda did everything together as kids, and he’d even walked her down the aisle at her wedding. But now he shied away from her because she had two little ones. He was missing a lot of life in his self-imposed cocoon.
“Tanner. You told me you have a sister, right?” Zach asked.
“I did say that.”
“Is she a pain in the neck?”
“Definitely.”
“Does she bake you brownies with walnuts and chocolate chips?” Julia brought a plate over and set it on the small table they’d rigged next to Zach’s recliner. “And bring you the latest Sudoku puzzles to keep your mind sharp while you while away the next few months? And did she or did she not give you a gift subscription to Netflix?”
“Once I’m awake enough to watch anything, I’ll thank you.” Zach gave her a tired smile. “You know I’m grateful. Just a little grumpy and medicated.”
“Blah, blah, blah.” She leaned over and kissed Zach’s forehead, winked at Tanner and started to leave, but Zach called her back.
“Julia, sit a minute. I want to hear your plans for the clinic, and with Tanner helping—”
“Not necessary, but again, thank you for offering.” She shot a bright smile at Tanner, but he wasn’t about to be sloughed off. Helping out was something he wanted and needed to do, for his own peace of mind.
“I’m good for grunt work.” He said it mildly but made sure she knew he wasn’t about to budge. “So what’s the configuration you took to the town for approval?”
She looked trapped.
Good.
He might hate the idea of having a pregnancy center there. But he wasn’t against health care, so he’d swallow his personal misgivings and man up.
“A small reception area with about a dozen seats around the perimeter. Then a short hall with an exam room on either side, and one at the base of the hall.”
“T-shaped formation.”
“Yes. And an alcove for weigh-ins, drawing blood, entering notes into the system.”
“System?”
She nodded. “The grant covers a computer system that’s integrated with the main computer at the home office. We’ll be able to enter data from both sites.”
“Will the computers be locked up at night?”
She