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Colt hid his smirk behind his coffee cup. The year before his mother had decided what their ranch needed was baby goats. She was going to open up goat yoga at the ranch and make a killing. But the goats had caused more mischief than they were worth. They’d figured out how to open the pens and let the horses out, and they liked to sneak in through the dog door and help themselves to the food in the kitchen.
“Well, the dog has a good home now,” Colt said. “They’ll be good company for each other. I think they’re both lonely.”
“And what do you think about her?” Anne asked, arching a brow.
“I think she’s my patient,” Colt said. “And that she has a concussion.”
“Raven said she was beautiful,” Anne said. “And that she’s freshly divorced.”
“Fascinating,” Colt said, his eyes wide. “And what else did the local gossips say? You know that’s a sin, right? I’m going to tell Reverend Hughes you and Simone are at the center of a major gossip ring, and I bet he’ll make a whole sermon about you like that time when Joe Donnelly was cheating on his wife and he called him out right in the middle of service.”
“Hmm,” Anne said primly. “It’s not gossip when you’re looking out for your favorite next to youngest son’s future. I’m just saying, maybe don’t count her out because she’s your patient. You’re not getting any younger you know.”
“Count her out for what?” he asked, pinning her down.
She rapped him lightly on the side of the head and said, “For a wife, fool. You’re too old to keep dating those sorority girls and nitwits.”
“You’re the second person today to tell me what you think about the women I’ve dated,” he said, narrowing his eyes.
“Well then, it must be true,” she said sweetly. “Maybe this woman is exactly what you need. My only desire is that all my children are happy and healthy. The desires of your heart are the desires of my heart.”
She took his hand and squeezed it gently. His parents had always been a stable constant in his life. They’d nurtured, loved, corrected, laughed, and released him and his four brothers into adulthood knowing they would always have the support of the O’Hara family behind them. And they’d always given him and his brothers the room to make mistakes and learn from them.
“Well,” he said, his voice husky. “It just so happens I’ve already come to that conclusion. And I think you’ll like her very much. She’s stubborn and has a quick wit, and she’s not afraid to tell you what she thinks. And I have every intention of taking a shower and then taking this lasagna over to her place to see how my patient is holding up.”
“And maybe this time she won’t throw up on your shoes,” Anne said, winking. She took his empty cup and rinsed them both in the sink before she put them in the dishwasher.
“It’s scary how fast word travels,” he said, shaking his head. “You and Simone should be ashamed of yourselves, making Mac one of your informants. It’s bad enough you have Raven at the boutique, Dylan at the mechanic shop, and Hattie at the sporting goods store. Do you really need to bring a kid into your nefarious ring of busybodies?”
“Oh, stop it,” she said, laughing. “It’s not my fault everyone is so well placed in the community. They’re just there, going about their business, and things happen right in front of them. That’s no one’s fault. Besides, we’re a founding family. It’s our duty to stay informed so we can care for those in the community.”
“Mmmhmm,” he said. “That’s a nice spin. You should stick with that one.”
“Thank you,” Anne said. “Well, my work here is done. You need to take care of yourself. You’re working too much and too hard. And call your brothers. They’re all worried about you.”
“Yes, that sounds like them,” Colt said, laughing. “But I’ll be there for dinner after church on Sunday.”
Anne smiled, pleased with the announcement, and then she gave him a hug and let herself out. No doubt to go share what she’d learned with Aunt Simone. Colt laughed and headed to the shower. Maybe he could talk Zoe into Sunday dinner.
Chapter Six
Colt didn’t know why he felt so nervous. He was never nervous around women. One of his gifts was that he was good with people—it’s one of the reasons he felt called to be a family doctor instead of taking the surgeon’s position he’d been offered after his residency.
His way with people who needed medical care wasn’t his only gift. He’d been using his ability to sense moods and the subtle nuances of women since his teenage years. He’d never had a challenge where a woman was concerned, not that he was necessarily looking for one, but his father had always said that the right woman wouldn’t make things so easy. And that’s how he’d know she was the right one.
Colt pressed the button that led to the top floor of the building and waited impatiently as music played softly on the ride up. He’d told her he was coming back and that he’d bring dinner with him. He was a doctor and she was a patient.
Besides, the state of her kitchen was pitiful. And maybe he could help her unpack. Having boxes stacked about would have driven him crazy. His apartment was ruthlessly organized and neat. He’d learned that emergencies didn’t wait for the doctor to find his car keys or shoes. It was best to always know where everything was.
He knocked and heard several barks followed by laughter. His brow furrowed. Why did he hear laughter? Jealousy gripped at his stomach, but he shook it off quickly. That wasn’t like him at all, and he didn’t know where the feeling had come from.
Be logical, he thought. She didn’t have any friends or family in Laurel Valley, and it certainly hadn’t been male laughter he’d heard. Then the door opened and the puzzle pieces fell into place.
“Mac,” Colt said, arching a brow. “Fancy seeing you here.”
She’d changed out of her work clothes and she looked freshly scrubbed. Her hair was still damp from her shower but pulled up in a tight bun on top of her head.
“Does your mom know you go out in public in your pajamas?” he asked, looking at the plaid pajama pants and tank top she wore.
