Chapter Seven

“Careful, Teddy. Watch his head.”

Charli raced ahead and wrenched open the back of the pick up truck. She yanked down the hatch, shoved some items aside and climbed up into the bed. Turning around, she reached out her hands to help as Teddy struggled to get Grant into the back.

“This guy is dead weight. Holy shit, Red, what a dumb idea this was.”

Once Charli had Grant in the truck, she took the blanket Teddy handed her and covered up the vet. “I’ll stay back here,” she said as she settled his head in her lap.

“He’s going to have one hell of a hangover tomorrow.” Teddy shook his head. “What the heck ever possessed him to do that?”

Charli chewed her bottom lip and brushed Grant’s hair off his forehead. Was he really that desperate to get away from her that he made a foolish bet hoping he could win? It was more than obvious he wasn’t used to drinking whiskey. Before they’d been an hour into the game, she’d known. She’d only been pleasantly woozy and was out on the dance floor with Buck when he crashed to the floor. Charli almost felt bad for him when the whole bar passed money around furiously as bets were called in and her arm was lifted and declared the winner.

She’d tried to revive him, tried to get him to drink some water, but he was snoring pleasantly on the floor so they’d simply moved him out of the way, tucked a few bar towels under his head and left him there while the rest of them finished their evening. When Teddy’s band closed down the bar at two, she’d helped them pack up their things and followed Teddy out to the truck.

Charli closed her eyes as the wind whipped her hair. Teddy took it slow, swerving slightly as she figured to avoid some holes in the road. She must have drifted off because they were pulling up in front of the veterinarian clinic before she knew it. Once again, Teddy hoisted the other man up on his shoulders and carried him fireman style into the house.

Charli flicked on the lamp as he dropped Grant none too gently on the couch. She reached for his shoes, pulled them off and tucked the throw pillows under his head.

Teddy moved to the door. “You coming?”

Charli flipped on the light by the stairs. She’d have to go upstairs to his room for a blanket since there wasn’t any type of afghan or throw downstairs. “Nah, I better stay here. He’s going to be pretty sick in the morning.”

“He’s a big boy, honey. I’m sure he’s been hung-over before.”

She shook her head. “He only did this because of my goading. The least I can do is hold his head.”

Teddy shrugged. “Don’t beat yourself up over his stupidity. He knew what he was getting into.”

She nodded. “I know. Goodnight.”

Teddy left.

After grabbing a blanket and pillow from his bed, she tucked Grant in for the night on the couch. “Am I really so bad that you had to try and win a bet to get me to leave you alone?”

All this time, she really thought they were simply having fun, playing cat and mouse. But tonight was different. Tonight he was dead serious about wanting to win the bet and get her to stay away from him. She flicked off the lamp.

“Then you win, Doc. No more. I’ll get you through this and then I’ll leave you alone.”

For some reason the thought of not kissing him anymore or watching his eyes narrow when she flirted was sad. She was going to miss that. But for whatever his reasons, even though she’d felt his returned attraction, he’d made up his mind that they weren’t going to happen. His choice.

Climbing the stairs to his room, she stripped down to her panties, found a T-shirt in one of his drawers and settled into bed. She set the alarm on her cell phone for a couple of hours to make certain she was up before him in order to make him her special morning-after concoction—then she’d hightail it out of there and stay away until Monday morning when she had to report for work.

His sheets and pillowcases were freshly laundered and didn’t hold his scent. Charli frowned. Flo must have stripped the beds today. Punching the pillow a few times, she snuggled down into a fitful sleep.

****

A freight train was going through his head and on board, someone played the bongos. Grant groaned and grabbed his face, nausea rising as he shifted.

“Ohhhh.” He muffled another groan when he opened his eyes. He threw his legs over the side of the bed, startled to realize he was on his couch instead. After a painful trip to the bathroom off the kitchen, he stumbled up the stairs. He had no clue what time it was, nor did he care. Last night was pure stupidity and he had no clue how he’d gotten back home. When he felt better, he’d feel guilty about that. Right now, he just wanted to crawl under a rock and sleep for the rest of the day.

He climbed into bed and moaned. He should have taken some aspirin. Too late now; there was no way he was getting up again. In fact, he wasn’t even going to move. He started to drift off again when a soft body curled into his side and a slender hand slid across his stomach. His eyes flew open and then slammed shut. Damn it hurt to have them open.

Charli was in his bed. From the feel of her bare skin against him, she wasn’t wearing much either. Her arm draped across his waist and her bare leg slid in between his as soft breasts pillowed up along his side. He hesitated for a moment and then fought the nausea to shift slightly until he had his arm around her, her head pillowed against his chest. He sighed and closed his eyes again. Something else he’d deal with in the morning.

When Grant woke up again he was alone. Had the entire night been a bad dream? It wouldn’t be the first time the redhead had been the star of his nightmares. All it took was standing up for him to be reminded that while Charli in his bed might have been a dream, attempting to drink her under the table wasn’t. The smell of coffee and bacon drifted to his nostrils. On another groan, he made his way to the bathroom and then stumbled down the stairs, holding tight to the rail.

Charli stood at the kitchen stove flipping bacon. She had on one of his T-shirts and the jeans she wore last night. She graced him with a quick glance before tending to the frying pan again.

He groaned and fell into the chair. On the table before him was a glass of something orangy-red and a bottle of aspirin. She moved from the stove, set several pieces of bacon in front of him alongside two greasy eggs and his coffee. Opening the bottle of aspirin, she flipped three out into her hand and held them out to him.

“Take these and drink that and you’ll feel better.”

“Stop shouting.” He grabbed his head and cradled it in his hands, willing the freight train to slow down.

She set the tablets on the table and walked away.

Grant picked up the pills but eyed the goopy looking drink suspiciously. “What is this?”

“An old Irish remedy for a hangover.”

“What’s in it?” He sniffed and jerked back from the foul odor.

“Don’t worry what’s in it, just drink it.”

“No thanks.”

“Then enjoy the headache.”

Grant frowned at her tone. Something was wrong. She’d barely looked at him twice and wasn’t her usual teasing, annoying self. With a tired shrug, he took the aspirin, drank half the disgusting drink, and forced it to stay down. It didn’t taste quite as bad as it smelled, but it wasn’t something he wanted to finish off either. He glanced at the plate of grease and frowned. “Were you here all night?”

“Yep.”

“Oh.”

She set a cup of coffee on the table and he noticed that there wasn’t a second place setting.

“Aren’t you eating with me?”

“No.”

He frowned at her clipped tone again. She was definitely mad. But why? She obviously won the bet. He expected her to be gloating and teasing him all over the place. He frowned again. “What’s wrong with you?”

She dried her hands on the towel, folded it neatly and set it on the counter. “Nothing. You should feel fine after you get some grease in your stomach and finish off that drink.” She started to walk away.

He wasn’t about to let her go before he figured out what was going on in that red head. “What time do you want your dinner tonight?”

She stopped in the doorway, her slender hand resting on the wood frame. It reminded him of last night when that same hand rested on his stomach while she slept. With his headache receding, his desire noticed and his pulse leaped. Charli was tousled and rumpled, making him think about hauling her upstairs back to bed. Why did he keep fighting her? In his situation, any other red-blooded male would have spent the night making love instead of making himself miserable.

Charli stared, but Grant was shocked at the coolness in her gaze. He’d never seen her look so serious before.

“Last night was a dumb game. I don’t want you to make me dinner.”

“Not even naked?”

He thought he detected a slight lifting of her lips, but she dropped her hand and walked away. “No. You lost the bet, that’s good enough for me. Let’s just leave it at that.”

He followed her into the living room, every jarring step reminding him of how much he’d drank. He watched her fold the blanket he’d used earlier. He frowned. “How did I get home?” There was no way she could have carried him.

Sliding her feet into the shoes she’d had on last night, she moved to the door. “Teddy.”

Knowing the singer was the one to get him home didn’t make him feel too proud.

Was Charli disgusted with him and his juvenile antics? Had she decided he wasn’t worth her trouble anymore? Was that what this was about? Was she naked in his bed during the night because she’d been there with Teddy while he was passed out on the couch downstairs?

Grant jerked his thoughts away from that. He knew that hadn’t happened. Not that it couldn’t happen, but he knew even Teddy had enough respect not do that in another man’s bed. At least he hoped he did. You never could tell with Teddy.

The creak of the front door brought his head up.

“You’re leaving?”

“Yes. See you Monday morning.” Charli shut the door behind her with a solid thunk.

Grant stared at it for several minutes. He knew one thing for certain, when he got up and around, Teddy would most likely be more than happy to fill him in on the events of the evening. Whether he wanted to know or not.

But there was one burning question he didn’t even think the other man could help him with. If Charli won the bet, why wasn’t she her usual triumphant self? Had he done something while he was drunk and didn’t remember?

Grant moved back to the kitchen and picked up his now cold breakfast. A quick few seconds in the microwave and the bacon sizzled again. He nibbled at it and finished off the nasty orange colored liquid, surprised that his head and stomach were at least feeling better. His conscience, however, was hurting. Trying to remember back to the night before, there must have been something he did that caused this sudden change in her behavior. Did he say something? Or embarrass her? Hard to imagine anything he could do that would embarrass the wild redhead, but maybe he did.

****

Charli paced the floor restlessly. “So I left.” She shrugged at Sara who was giving the baby a bottle while she rocked back and forth.

“How sick was he this morning?”

She smiled evilly. After all, she could admit that she enjoyed his suffering this morning. Foolish man. “It really was pretty pathetic.”

“You guys drank hard and fast.” Sara pulled her hair from her son’s grasp and stood up, handing him to Charli.

She took the chubby baby from her friend and bounced him up and down. “I was fine.”

“I can’t believe how much you can put away.”

Charli scrunched her eyebrows. “He was drinking double what I was drinking and he started before me, don’t forget. I knew enough to pace myself. He seemed determined to drink as fast as he could.”

“You can still drink.”

“I don’t think it’s a thing to be proud of.”

“I think it’s funny. Buck’s mouth was hanging open.”

Charli grinned. “Yeah, well, so was Grant’s, only he was unconscious.”

Sara moved down the hall and Charli followed with the baby.

“Do you think he threw the bet?” Sara asked. “I mean, the way he drank, he had to know he wasn’t going to win? Maybe he wanted to lose.”

“Yeah, because he really wanted to cook naked for me.”

Sara turned on the water and rinsed the baby bottle under the stream before filling it to soak. “Maybe not so much, but maybe he didn’t want you to stop chasing him either.”

“I don’t think so. I think he thought he could win and if he drank fast, I’d drink faster.”

Sara shrugged. “I would have thought you’d find this whole thing hilarious.” She turned to stare pointedly. “Yet you seem like you’re really bugged about it.”

Charli sank to the chair and glanced down at baby Beau. He shoved his chubby fist in his mouth and she smiled then frowned. “Didn’t you hear him? Didn’t you hear what he wanted if he won?”

“He said he wanted you to stop chasing him.” Sara pulled out a bottle of soda from the refrigerator.

“Exactly.”

“So?”

“What woman wants a guy to say, ‘Hey, you’re stalking me so back off?’”

“I don’t think he meant it like that. Maybe he just wants to be the one who chases.”

Charli shook her head and handed the baby back to her friend. “I think he honestly wants me to leave him alone.”

“So then, now what?”

She shrugged. “I’m going to leave him alone.”

Sara’s eyes widened. “You are?”

“Why are you shocked?”

“Because I’ve never known Charli Boyd not to get what she wanted no matter what it is.”

Charli stood up and leaned against the counter. She picked up the can of soda Sara had set out for her and took a long drink. “Maybe I don’t want him as much as I thought I did. Besides, I’m here to help out until Beth gets home. Then I’m out of here.”

Sara didn’t say anything.

When she glanced up again, Charli frowned. “What? Come on, spit it out. There’s something you’re not saying.”

Her friend shrugged. “I heard a rumor that he’s got a date this weekend.”

Charli tipped her head. “Really? There’s a real date?”

“What do you mean a real date?”

She shrugged and took another drink of her soda before setting it down. “Come on.”

Sara shook her head. “Come on? Where? What are you talking about?”

Charli grinned and walked over to the baby’s high chair where baby Beau happily chewed on a teething ring and good up at her with a big smile. “Auntie Charli feels the need to check out a book at the library.”

****

The town of Twin Oaks was twice the size of Sweet Meadow and therefore had a few more amenities such as the library and larger supermarket. Charli pulled up in front of the grocery store. “I promise it won’t take long. You and the baby walk around the grocery store and start on that list I put together. I’ll catch up with you in fifteen minutes tops.”

“Don’t take forever. I don’t want him to start fussing in there.”

Charli smirked. “He never fusses and you know it. Maybe this second baby will be a handful, then you’ll really be in trouble.”

Sara groaned and covered her still slim stomach with her hand. “Don’t even joke about wishing that on me.”

Charli dropped Sara and the baby off in front of the store then drove over to the library. Parking the truck in the small lot, she glanced around at the handful of cars. In the mirror, she checked her makeup, fluffed her hair and climbed out. Ready or not, she had to find out what Grant was up to.

The library was cool and quiet inside, but not dark. Being a weekday and early afternoon, there was only a handful of preschool age kids inside and a few moms who stood around talking softly. A few had babies on their hips and a couple had toddlers hanging off their skirts. The entire scene was one that seemed surreal to Charli as she headed to the front desk, her eyes trained on the woman behind the counter.

“Good afternoon, can I help you?” The dark- haired woman asked.

Charli studied her. Nope. Too old. Or at least she hoped so. The lines on the clerk’s face and the clothes she wore all screamed of a woman who was definitely way past fifty. “I’m wondering if Abigail is in today.”

The librarian looked in the direction of a different room. “She’s with the toddler group. Is there something I can help you with?”

Charli followed her gaze to the far end of a large room where she could just make out a woman seated in front of a group of about ten little kids. She turned back at the women behind the counter. “Actually, I was wondering if I could get information about the toddler group. My friend’s little boy is way too young right now, but I was told it was something I should look into.”

The librarian smiled, reached under the counter and brought out a yellow, tri-fold pamphlet. “This is actually a listing of all the programs we have here. The Tiny Tot reading hour is in there. Is she new to the area?”

Charli nodded. “Yes, and I thought it might be a nice way for her to get to know some other people.”

The woman handed her the paper. “It definitely is. As you can see, a lot of the moms enjoy the hour as much as the kids do.”

Just then, the reading hour must have ended because the kids came running out of the room with a smiling librarian following behind. Charli stared. She wasn’t an ugly woman, just very understated. If she’d lose the glasses and do something with her hair and makeup, it would help since she had a pretty curvy figure.

As Abigail said goodbye to the kids and approached the counter, the other librarian turned to her. “Abigail, I’d like to introduce you to someone.” She smiled back at Charli. “What did you say your name was dear?”

“Charli Boyd.”

The dark haired librarian held out her hand. “I’m Abigail Prestone, Director of the library. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

The older woman behind the counter smiled. “Ms. Boyd is interested in your program for her friend’s little boy.”

Charli smiled. “Well, he’s still an infant, but you can never plan too far ahead now can you.”

Abigail smiled and Charli watched her brown eyes sparkle behind her horrible thick glasses. “The time will fly by I’m sure. Are you new to town, Ms. Boyd?”

She nodded. “Well, I better catch up with them. I left them looking around the grocery store.” She started to leave, paused, and turned back. “Actually, I don’t know if you can answer this but my friend also has a new puppy and is looking for a good vet. Do either of you know the name of a vet she should call?”

Charli zeroed in on Abigail’s face, watching her eyes for any sign of…something. But the other librarian answered first.

“There’s a veterinarian clinic in Sweet Meadow. It’s actually located right on the Double B ranch.”

Charli frowned. “I know my friend won’t take the puppy anywhere she doesn’t trust. Are they good vets there?”

Abigail nodded. “I grew up with Beth Sampson. I’ve met her partner, Dr. Clark, but I wouldn’t say I know him. Still, if he works with Beth, he’d be trustworthy.”

There was not even a hint of familiarity, not to mention affection of any kind when Grant was mentioned. Unless she was reading this completely wrong, or Abigail was an Oscar winning actress, she’d swear the other woman barely knew him.

Unless… She glanced at Abigail’s hands. Was she married and doing everything she could to hide the affair from her coworkers and anyone else? Was her original idea true? Grant was having a fling with a married woman?

Charli tipped her head. “Do you take your pets there?”

The older librarian laughed. “Our poor Abigail is allergic to everything including gold fish!”

“Wow, that’s gotta be tough. I’m sure it’s hard on your husband and kids not to be able to have a pet, not that it’s your fault of course.”

Abigail gave her a cool look. She held up her left hand and wiggled her finger. “Fortunately, there’s only me, so no one to disappoint but myself.”

She widened her eyes and slapped a hand over her mouth. “There I go again, talking without thinking. I’m sorry, Ms. Prestone.”

The other woman smiled warmly at Abigail. “You just haven’t met the right one yet. You will.”

Abigail exchanged a look with Charli. “Grace hasn’t looked around this town at the prospects lately. Most of the men around here are either married or old bachelor cowboys.” She laughed. “The last thing I need is to find myself in love with a cowboy. I’d be covered in hives and wheezing before the first kiss.”

Charli’s head spun. None of this made sense. If she were dating a vet like Grant, this poor lady would just be setting herself up for misery with allergies like that? Did she dare push this even further?

“So you said you don’t know much about this Dr. Clark. I guess I’ll have to take a chance, although I sure wish I knew someone who knew him personally.”

Abigail and Grace both shrugged. “As I said, if Beth trusts him, that’s enough for me.”

She smiled and held up the pamphlet. “Thanks for all the information. It was very nice meeting both of you.”

“Come back and visit again. Bring your friend and her little guy with you next time,” Abigail offered.

“I’ll do that.” Charli waved as she pushed the glass doors open and headed back into the hot parking lot.

That visit certainly was interesting. So, not only was Grant not dating a married woman, if he was dating Abigail Prestone it was in his dreams because she was positive now Abigail had no clue who he even was. That also meant whatever he told Sara about having a date on Saturday night was a complete fabrication—at least as far as Abigail was concerned. She frowned. Sara had said he had a date with the librarian, right?

First he invents a girlfriend to put her off and then he gets beyond drunk. Charli turned the ignition in the truck. Should she be offended? A normal woman would be, but then again, no one had ever accused her of being normal. And she couldn’t overlook his little lying ruse.

“You’ll pay for this one, Doc. You just made things so much worse for yourself.”