every meal for the next week, and she should get a night out first."
Jean nodded and added her two cents. "Carol deserves a break, too. And you all need to get away from the house for a while, do something pleasant for a change."
Katie looked doubtful. "But we can't leave Blue. He's still not feeling good."
Nancy glanced over at the dog, asleep on a soft blanket near the back door. "He's still so groggy he won't even know you're gone. We'll watch him carefully until you get back. If there's a problem, we'll call your dad's cell phone. How's that?"
Katie thought for a moment, then nodded. "Okay. But if he's hungry when he wakes up, you have to feed him something soft, like scrambled eggs. The vet said not to give him dog food until he's up on his feet."
Nancy smoothed a hand over Katie's hair, then gave her a hug. "I know, sweetie. We'll take good care of him, I promise."
Megan watched Logan's expressive face and knew the instant he gave in. He moved his gaze from Carol's quick smile to Katie's wide grin. "I take it you guys want to go out. Megan?"
"I think it sounds like a great idea. But what about Jake? We should invite him, too, shouldn't we? If we're going out to celebrate, we can't leave him out."
A blush bloomed across Carol's face, but she moved quickly toward the telephone. A questioning glance at Logan earned her a quick nod and she picked up the receiver and dialed.
"Where do you want to eat?" Logan asked Katie.
"The Prairie Dog Café." She looked at Megan. "They have the biggest chicken-fried steaks you've ever seen."
Half an hour later they settled into a booth at the Prairie Dog, Megan and Logan on one side of the table, Carol and Jake on the other, and Katie in a chair at the end. While Megan studied the menu, Logan and Carol chatted with the locals who stopped by to offer congratulations on Katie's safe return. Jake joined in the conversation and introduced the people Logan and Carol didn't know.
One burly man in overalls and a plaid shirt shook Logan's hand, then clapped him on the shoulder. "It sure is good to see you back home where you belong, Logan. I know your daddy must be about to bust with happiness. He's waited years for you to take over the farm."
"But, I'm not…"
"Yes sir, it's good to see a family keep the traditions going, helping each other out. Almost all of the kids who left looking for greener pastures have come back home. There's a whole new generation growing up here, working the home places just like their parents did."
"Jim, I'm only here for a little while, until we can convince Dad to sell the farm."
The big man laughed and cuffed Logan on the arm. "Yeah, that's what they all say. Then they realize this is where they belong, where they have a home. That city stuff gets old after a while, always worrying about getting mugged or robbed, worrying how to pay those credit card bills. You'll see. Once home, always home, that's what I always say." He ruffled Katie's hair and moved away, leaving Logan with a pensive expression on his face.
When the waitress stopped to take their order, Carol looked up. "Jenny! Oh my goodness, I haven't seen you in years." The two exchanged a hug, then chatted about old times for a minute before she took their orders.
Megan felt a pang of loneliness in the pit of her stomach. She couldn't remember the last time she'd seen any of her old high school friends, and couldn't think of a single one who would be so glad to see her.
Most of the mealtime conversation centered around old friends and childhood memories. Megan concentrated on her food, trying not to let on how left out she felt. She caught Jake's sympathetic glances from time to time, but she ignored him and let the conversation flow around her.
The more Logan and Carol talked about the past, the more Megan realized she had nothing in common with him. He deserved someone who shared those memories, someone who belonged in this town, who'd grown up here. He might think he belonged in Dallas,
Jean nodded and added her two cents. "Carol deserves a break, too. And you all need to get away from the house for a while, do something pleasant for a change."
Katie looked doubtful. "But we can't leave Blue. He's still not feeling good."
Nancy glanced over at the dog, asleep on a soft blanket near the back door. "He's still so groggy he won't even know you're gone. We'll watch him carefully until you get back. If there's a problem, we'll call your dad's cell phone. How's that?"
Katie thought for a moment, then nodded. "Okay. But if he's hungry when he wakes up, you have to feed him something soft, like scrambled eggs. The vet said not to give him dog food until he's up on his feet."
Nancy smoothed a hand over Katie's hair, then gave her a hug. "I know, sweetie. We'll take good care of him, I promise."
Megan watched Logan's expressive face and knew the instant he gave in. He moved his gaze from Carol's quick smile to Katie's wide grin. "I take it you guys want to go out. Megan?"
"I think it sounds like a great idea. But what about Jake? We should invite him, too, shouldn't we? If we're going out to celebrate, we can't leave him out."
A blush bloomed across Carol's face, but she moved quickly toward the telephone. A questioning glance at Logan earned her a quick nod and she picked up the receiver and dialed.
"Where do you want to eat?" Logan asked Katie.
"The Prairie Dog Café." She looked at Megan. "They have the biggest chicken-fried steaks you've ever seen."
Half an hour later they settled into a booth at the Prairie Dog, Megan and Logan on one side of the table, Carol and Jake on the other, and Katie in a chair at the end. While Megan studied the menu, Logan and Carol chatted with the locals who stopped by to offer congratulations on Katie's safe return. Jake joined in the conversation and introduced the people Logan and Carol didn't know.
One burly man in overalls and a plaid shirt shook Logan's hand, then clapped him on the shoulder. "It sure is good to see you back home where you belong, Logan. I know your daddy must be about to bust with happiness. He's waited years for you to take over the farm."
"But, I'm not…"
"Yes sir, it's good to see a family keep the traditions going, helping each other out. Almost all of the kids who left looking for greener pastures have come back home. There's a whole new generation growing up here, working the home places just like their parents did."
"Jim, I'm only here for a little while, until we can convince Dad to sell the farm."
The big man laughed and cuffed Logan on the arm. "Yeah, that's what they all say. Then they realize this is where they belong, where they have a home. That city stuff gets old after a while, always worrying about getting mugged or robbed, worrying how to pay those credit card bills. You'll see. Once home, always home, that's what I always say." He ruffled Katie's hair and moved away, leaving Logan with a pensive expression on his face.
When the waitress stopped to take their order, Carol looked up. "Jenny! Oh my goodness, I haven't seen you in years." The two exchanged a hug, then chatted about old times for a minute before she took their orders.
Megan felt a pang of loneliness in the pit of her stomach. She couldn't remember the last time she'd seen any of her old high school friends, and couldn't think of a single one who would be so glad to see her.
Most of the mealtime conversation centered around old friends and childhood memories. Megan concentrated on her food, trying not to let on how left out she felt. She caught Jake's sympathetic glances from time to time, but she ignored him and let the conversation flow around her.
The more Logan and Carol talked about the past, the more Megan realized she had nothing in common with him. He deserved someone who shared those memories, someone who belonged in this town, who'd grown up here. He might think he belonged in Dallas,
Similar Books
