daddy’s cheek. “I love you, Daddy.”
“I love you too. Don’t be so stubborn, and give that poor boy a shot.” He wisely moved away before his daughter could mount an argument. Lord knew she could, because she took after her mama.
It seemed that everyone felt like she should give Joel a chance. The question was…a chance at what? He told her flat out that he didn’t have relationships. So exactly what, if anything, was he interested in? Picking up her own plate, she wondered what it was that she wanted. As she piled her plate with food, she figured out it might be time to think about it and come up with an answer. Maybe Matt was her last relationship and the rest of the men she took on would simply be lovers. It seemed to be working out for Trinity, and maybe it could for her. As she studied her full plate, she realized that she had plenty going on in her life, and a lover was about all she had time for. Eyeing Joel across the room, she studied his handsome face and considered him as a candidate. He’d said clear as day that he didn’t want a relationship, and she could see now that maybe she didn’t want one either. People didn’t get blessed twice in one lifetime, and she didn’t want to waste energy thinking that they did.
***
Joel sat with Dane, Ben, and Gideon and confirmed their bets for the game. “I may have a chance of winning this year,” Joel proclaimed, as he sat back on the couch. “This could be my year to clean up.”
“You’ve not won in five years,” Dane crowed. “But a man can dream.” Following his friend’s gaze, he smirked. “I see your dream sitting over there with her friends.”
Sitting up abruptly, he scowled at the group as they all laughed together. “Maybe we should talk to Taylor and his grandfather before the game starts. It might be nice to make sure that we’re doing everything we can to ensure that Vivi’s dream survives.”
Gideon set his plate down and wiped his face carefully. “How did she take the news yesterday about the changes she was going to have to make?”
“Vivi took it as well as can be expected. She listened to everything that I had to say and said she would think about it. Nothing has been mentioned since. I’m not going to rush her, because it’s a lot to take in.”
“Did you all stay in last night, or did you venture out?” Ben inquired.
“I took Vivi out to dinner. We went to a place called the High Hat Café.”
“You all went out on a date?” Gideon sputtered. “And you two are still speaking? It’s a modern-day miracle.” Laughing hysterically, he slapped his knee.
Joel glanced at the group and shrugged. “I didn’t think it was that big of a deal.”
Dane shoved his elbow into him and snorted. “Yes, you did. I haven’t seen you smile like that in longer that I can remember.”
Staring at his boots, he remained silent. “Vivi is an interesting woman, and we had a good time. We ate fried catfish and drank Turbo Dog beers. I forgot that going out with a woman can be fun.”
“There are some other parts that are fun about having a girlfriend,” Ben stated. “But I expect it will take a while and probably another miracle for you to be enjoying those parts .” Snickering, he caught Ruby’s eye and waved. “I have a girlfriend, so I know what I’m talking about.”
Gideon studied the men before him and shook his head. “I guess it’s true what they say about Northerners.”
Uncle Buck, Mr. Stewart, and Taylor came over and joined the group, so Joel had to hold back his retort. That was okay, he would save it for later. “Gentlemen, did you come over to bet on the game?”
Uncle Buck lowered his body gently down to the sofa and studied Joel. “No, son. We came to talk to you about the clinic. Young Taylor here has some information that he’d like to share with the detective. We need to keep the ladies safe and see if we can keep that clinic open. The more I hear, the harder I think it’s going to
“I love you too. Don’t be so stubborn, and give that poor boy a shot.” He wisely moved away before his daughter could mount an argument. Lord knew she could, because she took after her mama.
It seemed that everyone felt like she should give Joel a chance. The question was…a chance at what? He told her flat out that he didn’t have relationships. So exactly what, if anything, was he interested in? Picking up her own plate, she wondered what it was that she wanted. As she piled her plate with food, she figured out it might be time to think about it and come up with an answer. Maybe Matt was her last relationship and the rest of the men she took on would simply be lovers. It seemed to be working out for Trinity, and maybe it could for her. As she studied her full plate, she realized that she had plenty going on in her life, and a lover was about all she had time for. Eyeing Joel across the room, she studied his handsome face and considered him as a candidate. He’d said clear as day that he didn’t want a relationship, and she could see now that maybe she didn’t want one either. People didn’t get blessed twice in one lifetime, and she didn’t want to waste energy thinking that they did.
***
Joel sat with Dane, Ben, and Gideon and confirmed their bets for the game. “I may have a chance of winning this year,” Joel proclaimed, as he sat back on the couch. “This could be my year to clean up.”
“You’ve not won in five years,” Dane crowed. “But a man can dream.” Following his friend’s gaze, he smirked. “I see your dream sitting over there with her friends.”
Sitting up abruptly, he scowled at the group as they all laughed together. “Maybe we should talk to Taylor and his grandfather before the game starts. It might be nice to make sure that we’re doing everything we can to ensure that Vivi’s dream survives.”
Gideon set his plate down and wiped his face carefully. “How did she take the news yesterday about the changes she was going to have to make?”
“Vivi took it as well as can be expected. She listened to everything that I had to say and said she would think about it. Nothing has been mentioned since. I’m not going to rush her, because it’s a lot to take in.”
“Did you all stay in last night, or did you venture out?” Ben inquired.
“I took Vivi out to dinner. We went to a place called the High Hat Café.”
“You all went out on a date?” Gideon sputtered. “And you two are still speaking? It’s a modern-day miracle.” Laughing hysterically, he slapped his knee.
Joel glanced at the group and shrugged. “I didn’t think it was that big of a deal.”
Dane shoved his elbow into him and snorted. “Yes, you did. I haven’t seen you smile like that in longer that I can remember.”
Staring at his boots, he remained silent. “Vivi is an interesting woman, and we had a good time. We ate fried catfish and drank Turbo Dog beers. I forgot that going out with a woman can be fun.”
“There are some other parts that are fun about having a girlfriend,” Ben stated. “But I expect it will take a while and probably another miracle for you to be enjoying those parts .” Snickering, he caught Ruby’s eye and waved. “I have a girlfriend, so I know what I’m talking about.”
Gideon studied the men before him and shook his head. “I guess it’s true what they say about Northerners.”
Uncle Buck, Mr. Stewart, and Taylor came over and joined the group, so Joel had to hold back his retort. That was okay, he would save it for later. “Gentlemen, did you come over to bet on the game?”
Uncle Buck lowered his body gently down to the sofa and studied Joel. “No, son. We came to talk to you about the clinic. Young Taylor here has some information that he’d like to share with the detective. We need to keep the ladies safe and see if we can keep that clinic open. The more I hear, the harder I think it’s going to
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