Dr. Texas by Debbie Macomber

Author:Debbie Macomber [Macomber, Debbie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781488032998
Publisher: MIRA Books
Published: 1998-12-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 7

JANE SAW CAL EVERY DAY AFTER THEIR RAINY AFTERNOON. The riding lessons continued, but they found other reasons to be together, too. After their first date he no longer made an issue of their not becoming involved and she was glad. She particularly liked meeting him at the ranch, liked seeing him in his own world, which was new and strange and enchanting to her.

It was Sunday, two weeks after the storm. For her riding lesson that afternoon, they rode to the farthest pasture with Digger, Cal’s dog, racing along beside them. The day was glorious, a perfect autumn day with temperatures still in the mid-seventies.

Jane had become almost comfortable in the saddle. Either she’d built up calluses on that part of her anatomy, she thought wryly, or she’d gained skill. Probably a combination of both.

Jane frequently mentioned Cal in her letters and phone calls home. She’d taken a great deal of ribbing from her father about this penchant she had for horseback riding. He told her he’d thought she’d outgrown it when she was thirteen. Like many girls, she’d been horse-crazy, reading horse stories and collecting figurines. In a way, what Cal had given her was the opportunity to live a long-ago dream.

“You’re quiet this afternoon,” Cal remarked when they reached the crest of the hill.

The view of the pasture below was breathtaking. Cattle grazed there, scattered picturesquely about the fields. Cal had explained earlier that most of his herd had been sold off now, and he was wintering a relatively small number of bulls and heifers.

“I’m thinking,” she said in response to his observation.

“I hope it isn’t taxing you too much.”

“The only thing that taxes me is you.”

“Me?” He pretended to be insulted.

“You keep putting me off.”

The laughter faded from his eyes. He knew exactly what she was talking about. She hated to be a pest, but she wasn’t going to let him delay much longer. The ghost town beckoned her; she’d actually started to dream about it. Her mother had mailed her a thick book about Texas ghost towns, but Bitter End wasn’t included. It amazed her that an entire town could be tucked away in these hills and so few people knew about it.

“I spoke with Grady and Savannah this afternoon,” Cal told her.

“Why didn’t you say something sooner?” she asked. It was what she’d been waiting to hear, as Cal knew very well. Savannah had been to the town earlier in the year and apparently found the most incredible old roses blooming in the cemetery. Having visited the town fairly recently, Savannah would be able to give her and Cal directions and save them the trouble of a long search.

When Cal didn’t answer, she pressed, “Aren’t you going to tell me what they said?”

“In a little while.”

Jane was beginning to understand Cal. He didn’t like being pressured and would eventually get to the point—but he preferred to do it without coaxing from her. Her patience was usually rewarded, and considering how good he’d been to her, how generous with his time, she could wait.

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