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“No,” Reba said. “I think I’m going to get going. I’m beginning to get paranoid. Maybe I should just head out to San Antonio early.”
“You better wait until tomorrow. There’ll be hell to pay if you don’t say goodbye to Mom and Dad,” Loretta said.
“Yeah, okay. I’ll see you in the morning. I’ll take care of the check and the tip. You guys stay as long as you want.” Reba stood up and turned.
As she made her way over to the register, she saw movement out of the corner of her eye. Dr. Kilgore was smiling broadly and was walking fast toward her. Every instinct in Reba told her to run. But she calmly turned her back on him and handed her credit card to the cashier.
Hurry. Hurry.
While she waited for the credit card machine to finish processing, she risked a glance over her shoulder. He was almost upon her.
“Reba, what a coincidence,” he said, reaching out to her.
Then out of nowhere, LeAnn flew at him. She had been carrying a large bowl of chocolate pudding in both hands. There was enough pudding there for their entire family, topped with whipped cream. It was too timed, too perfect to be accidental. LeAnn tackled into him. The pudding bowl toppled into his face.
“Whoops,” LeAnn said, crashing down on Dr. Kilgore’s leg so they both hit the ground. The pudding bowl cracked open.
Kilgore thrashed and snarled.
Dylan was suddenly there, helping LeAnn to her feet. “Darling, are you all right?” he asked.
“I must have tripped on that rug,” LeAnn said with fake innocence. “I’m so sorry.” She then grabbed a napkin off a nearby table and tried to mop up the mess while Dr. Kilgore sputtered and flailed.
The cashier handed Reba back her card. She gave her sister a grateful look and walked out of the restaurant.
This was bullshit. She should walk right back in there and confront Kilgore. Tell him to fuck off and leave her alone. But it would make an even bigger scene and she’d probably have to restrain all her sisters from kicking the shit out of him after they found out what he had done.
Or Dr. Kilgore could turn the restaurant against her. After all, he was a beloved local veterinarian and she had quit his practice. He told her before that if she pressed the issue, he’d blacklist her. He no longer had that power, but it still made her want to run and hide. Reba knew her fear was irrational. If she could only convince her stupid brain to stop the fight-or-flight nonsense, she’d have a better shot of standing up to the fucker.
Chapter Five
Shane
San Antonio, TX
Shane pulled into the AT&T Center, where the San Antonio rodeo was going to take place. He was there early, but it was still a nightmare to park and then it was hurry up and wait while they told him where to drive the trailer with the bulls. It was even longer until he and his assistant, Pat, got the bulls settled in their pens along with food and water. Pat took the trailer back to the parking area while Shane finished up registering the bulls with the stock coordinator. Once all the paperwork was complete, he texted Reba.
Are we still on for dinner?
Yes. Where are you?
I’m at the bullpens. Where do you want to meet?
This place is a zoo. Meet me by expo booth #2. I’m just finishing up some livestock checks.
Good enough.
With a last look at his bulls, Shane consulted the map of the center on his phone and headed over to the expo booths. Out of the corner of his eyes, though, he saw a flash of something moving by a few trash bags that had been flung against one of the makeshift buildings.
“Probably rats,” he thought, not slowing down. But then he saw a flash of white and orange and he turned to look.
A kitten?
Walking over, he crouched down and, sure enough, there was a white and orange patched one, a black one, a white one, and a gray striped one.
“What are you guys doing here?” And then Shane saw the hole in the plastic bag where they’d ripped their way out. Some son of a bitch had thrown out kittens. Shane didn’t stop to think. He picked them up and put them inside the wide pockets of his coat, two in each. He wasn’t quite sure what he was going to do with them, but he knew he had to get them some food and water.
Good thing he was heading toward a vet.
