Then Janie ran up and threw her arms around Docia, gasping for breath. “You’re all right. Oh, God, you’re all right. Oh, Docia, I was so worried!”
“I’m okay.” Docia’s voice sounded slightly hoarse. She patted Janie on the back. “It’s all right, Janie. Thank you so much for getting help. You saved my life.”
“I didn’t.” Janie sobbed in earnest now. “Cal did. Oh, I knew you’d find her. I knew it! Thank you, thank you, thank you!” She threw her arms around Cal’s neck, creating the possibility of nasty whiplash given that Bethany still had his waist.
“Well, thanks,” Cal stammered, “but really, you know…”
Docia was caught around the neck in another embrace as Allie began sobbing against her shoulder. “You’re all right! Oh dear God, Docia, we didn’t know what to think!” She turned and threw her arms around Cal beside Janie, as Bethany moved away. “And you saved her. You glorious hunk! Free scones for life, I promise!”
Cal started to explain once again that actually a lot of people had been involved, and he was just one of them, but the words died in his throat. He stared at Docia, who was wiping her eyes on her sleeve.
He
had
saved her. He and Pep. They’d done it, the two of them. By God, he was going to enjoy this, even if it didn’t last long!
Other people were running up the street toward them by then—Lee and Ken, Ingstrom, even a faintly bleary-eyed Biedermeier. Storeowners he knew only vaguely were thumping him on the back and kissing Docia on the cheek.
Cal blinked. Rhonda Ruckelshaus, resplendent in a bright pink smock with purple embroidery on the pocket, gave Docia a hug and kissed her on the cheek. Somewhere Cal bet Margaret Hastings was gnashing her teeth.
Wonder joined Allie, pumping Cal’s hand in a sort of confused way, as if he weren’t really used to being sincere. Then he caught sight of Pep, huddled on the asphalt beside Docia’s feet, trying to avoid being stepped on.
“Holy crap!” Wonder gasped. “Don’t tell me you took the little rat along with you for all of this?”
Docia bent down quickly and swept Pep up into her arms. “Nobody calls him a rat anymore, you hear me, Wonder? Never again!” Her voice was strident. “He’s my hero, and nobody will ever poke fun at him! Not if I have anything to say about it.”
She stared at the crowd of surprised faces with fierce green eyes, then burst into noisy tears. Cal fought the impulse to step forward and wrap his arms around her.
An amazing woman pushed her way through the crowd of gawkers. She was at least as tall as Docia, but her hair was the color of ripe wheat and teased into an elaborate updo that resembled the meringue on the pies at the Silver Spur. She was wearing a pantsuit that was the color of an August sunset with a sky blue silk shawl around her shoulders. One foot was swathed in a matching sky blue athletic bandage.
The woman put her arms around Docia, pulling her close, while Billy Kent stood frozen in front of the SUV, staring at her. Cal could hear Docia gasping in dry sobs against the woman’s chest. Caught between their two formidable bosoms, Pep whimpered softly.
“Y’all better give my baby some space now,” the woman murmured. “She’s had a rough couple of days.”
Docia’s father moved to her other side, wrapping one arm around her waist as her mother patted her on the shoulder. Cal watched as her parents walked her toward the waiting SUV without a backward glance.
He stood frozen for a long moment, aware of a score of curious gazes around the parking lot. “So long, babe,” he murmured and walked toward his truck again.
“You know I’m sorry, don’t you?” Docia asked.
“I know,” Cal mumbled.
“You know I love you, don’t you?” Docia asked.
“I know.”
“You know I’m a dream, don’t you?”
“I know.” Cal sighed.
Dream Docia morphed into Señor Pepe, brown eyes wide. “You know she stole your dog, don’t you?” He sounded slightly like Antonio Banderas.
Cal’s eyes snapped open and he fumbled for the alarm clock on the bedside table, squinting at the numbers in disbelief. He must have slept for almost twelve hours, from evening to morning. Sunlight steamed through the back window of his loft and Nico was curled on the pillow next to him, giving him an accusing look.
“Okay,” Cal muttered, “all right. I’ll feed you. With any luck, your owner should be by to pick you up sometime soon.”
He took a deep breath, closing his eyes for another moment, trying to decide if he really wanted Docia to come by. That was his brain, though. His body had already decided, if the ache in his groin was any indication.
He stumbled down the ladder from the loft and stopped dead.
Billy Kent sat in one of Cal’s kitchen chairs with an array of Allie’s scones spread on the table beside him. His
Wall Street Journal
was open on his lap, and he wore a pair of half-glasses that made him look like a cross between Benjamin Franklin and Lou Dobbs.
Cal took a deep breath. “No offense, Mr. Kent, but I thought I locked that door before I went to sleep yesterday.”
Billy looked at him over his half-glasses, a faintly smug smile curving his lips. “You need to get yourself a better lock, son. My driver took care of that one in under five minutes.”
He picked up his
Wall Street Journal
again. Cal wandered over to the kitchen table, sorting through the scones with his index finger. “Any of these peach?”
“Yeah.” Billy nodded toward a golden one on the end. “Lordy, that woman can bake up a storm. She brought these over a half hour ago. Said you’d want something when you woke up.”
Cal took the peach scone and wandered over to his coffeepot. It smelled much better than it usually did. “She brought coffee too?”
Billy nodded. “She made it when she dropped off the scones. Said it was some kind of special grind you liked.”
“Yep.” Cal poured himself a cup.
Billy’s brow furrowed. “She also said you should stop being an idiot. I’m guessing you understand what she’s talking about.”
Cal’s jaw firmed.
Terrific
. He’d been hoping for a grace period before he had to face up to the whole Docia question.
Billy peered at him over the top of his glasses. “Something going on between you and my daughter, son?”
Grace period officially over.
“You probably need to talk to Docia about that, sir.” He sat in Uncle Ollie’s rocker and took a bite of his scone.
“I’m going to talk to her,” Billy growled. “Right now I’m talking to you, though.”
Cal frowned. He wasn’t sure where Billy was headed, but he was pretty sure he didn’t want to go along for the ride. “Look, Mr. Kent, I just got off a cliff side and I’m not ready to have this conversation.”
Billy made a disgusted sound and folded up his paper. “The two of you are having trouble, right? Is this about that little pissant Donnie Branscombe? I should have ripped that bugger’s nuts off when I had the chance.”
Cal wondered momentarily what kind of chance that had been, then shrugged. “If Donnie Branscombe is her former boyfriend, then yeah, Docia has a few issues.”
“She’s not still in love with that asshole, is she?” Billy stalked to the coffeepot and refilled his cup. “I thought she was over him.”
“I don’t know how she feels, exactly. But I don’t think she wants him back.” Cal took a bite of scone.
Oh, Allie, you jewel!
“Like I say, you should talk to her, not me.”
Not my problem, Billy. Not at the moment, anyway.
Cal’s front door swung open as he took another bite. Billy was right—he definitely needed a new lock.
Docia’s mama was wearing another amazing pantsuit, this one bright green. Cal wondered briefly how she slept on that hair. Probably used a custom pillow.
“Hi, there.” She gave him a smile with wattage that could have illuminated DFW on a foggy night. “I don’t believe we’ve met. I’m Docia’s mama, Reba Kent. I thought you might like to know where she is.”
Cal turned to see Billy Kent standing beside his chair with an expression that was three-fifths wary, two-fifths delighted. “Hey, Reba. Found him, I see.”
Reba turned to him slowly, pretending she hadn’t known he was standing there until that moment. “Why, hello, Billy. What a nice surprise.” Reba switched the wattage back to Cal again. “Dr. Toleffson, is it? I believe you’re Docia’s boyfriend.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Cal mumbled. “That is, I’m Cal Toleffson, yes.”
“Docia’s still sleeping down at the Woodrose Inn. I’m sure the two of you were both pretty tired.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he repeated. He felt as if he should be scuffing his toe in the dirt and blushing.
Yes, ma’am, I’m the no good so-and-so who walked out on your innocent daughter. You two can get the horsewhip now.
“Well, good, then. I’m glad you got a good night’s sleep. Docia did too.” Reba slipped into a chair across from Billy. “Why, you’ve even got scones. How lovely.”
Cal wasn’t sure which of Docia’s parents was more disturbing, Billy with his glower or Reba with her shine. He suddenly felt like he was back in high school, confronted by Ms. McCaffrey, the absolutely terrifying principal who was his father’s boss and Cal’s worst nightmare. Whatever she wanted to know, she always managed to get Cal to tell her. He figured the Kents wanted to know what he was going to do about Docia.
Unfortunately, he didn’t have a clue. He swallowed. “Can I fix you some coffee, ma’am?”
“Oh, yes, that would be just delightful.”
Docia’s mama batted her eyes at him. Cal was pretty sure his own mother had never batted her eyes in her entire life, certainly never at him. He headed for the coffeepot, pulling a mug off the shelf.
“So you’re in partnership with Horace Rankin?” Reba’s voice sounded like warm honey, but Cal had a feeling there was vinegar underneath.
“Yes, ma’am. For a couple of months now.” Cal poured coffee and checked for cream.
“Such a sweet man, Horace,” Reba murmured.
Cal blinked at her. Horace might have been called a variety of things, but
sweet
definitely wasn’t one of them. Across the room, Billy Kent’s expression grew noticeably sour. After a moment he glanced toward Cal again.
“What’s that pay?” he snapped.
“Billy, don’t you go after him.” Reba’s mouth spread in another of her smooth-edged smiles. “I imagine it pays well enough, doesn’t it?”
Cal swallowed a sip of coffee. Trust the Kents to go straight for the money. “It’s a successful practice. Horace knows what he’s doing.”
Billy pursed his lips. “Not gonna tell us, huh?” He sat again. “You know your partner has a bid in on that property BK owns on West?”
“Yes sir, I know he’s working on it.” Cal sipped his coffee, watching Reba regard the scones longingly.
“Now you’re involved, I’ll tell the boys to cut the price.”
Cal gritted his teeth.
Forgive me, Horace.
“No sir, I don’t want you to do that. Treat us the way you would anybody else.” Reba glittered at him. Cal suddenly had the feeling he’d just won a race he hadn’t known he was in.
“Well, son, I imagine I can use my money any way I choose, but I’ll take your request under advisement.”
Billy Kent unfolded his paper once again. Reba Kent picked through the scones. Cal sighed. Apparently, he had guests for the morning, like it or not.
Docia woke to the sound of mockingbirds in the woods outside the Woodrose Inn. The air still smelled faintly of Shalimar, but the silence told her Mama had gone off somewhere.
Docia’s eyes flew open. Somewhere. Oh God, she wouldn’t!
Of course she would.
Docia jumped from the bed and rummaged quickly through the dresser drawers. At some point her mother must have gone to the apartment and picked up some of her clothes. She pulled out a navy T-shirt and clean underwear, then found a pair of khaki shorts. Sprinting toward the shower, she heard muttering from the general direction of the living room.
She darted a quick glance down the hall to see Pep planted in a patch of sunlight, wrestling with a massive rawhide chew toy. “Oh, hell,” she muttered, “along with everything else, I stole his dog.”
It took her five minutes to shower, another five to pull on her clothes, another five to coax Pep into leaving the rawhide behind. She had a distinct feeling Cal wouldn’t appreciate having an immense piece of cow skin lying around his house.
A quick check of the parking lot showed that Mama had taken the car. Docia looked down at her bruised feet. Oh, well, at least she had her running shoes this time. She pulled on her socks and shoes, tucked Pep back under her arm, and started down the road to Cal’s place.
Mama’s Mercedes was parked out in front of the barn, along with Daddy’s SUV. Docia closed her eyes, feeling her throat constrict. Things were tough enough with Cal as it was without her parents deciding now was the time to check him out. She was amazed he hadn’t tossed them out already. She only hoped they hadn’t already screwed things up before she even got there.
She limped across the yard and started up the front steps.