bad shape. An invalid." She lowered her gaze because she felt the tears gathering. "I don't think he even knew who I was in the end."
The gentle touch of his hand startled her. "I'm sorry for your loss."
His touch felt comforting; his expression held sincerity. Stephanie managed to get her emotions under control. "What about you? Are your parents still living?"
"Yes," he answered.
"Do you see them much?"
"No." He glanced away from her. "Not in a while."
"Why not?"
He removed his hand from hers. "Too busy, I guess. They live in Texas."
"You should visit them as often as you can. You won't have them forever." They sat silently for a moment. "What about brothers and sisters?" Stephanie asked.
"I have a brother," he responded. "Or I did. We were together on a hunting expedition in Canada a few years back. He? he was killed."
"How horrible," she breathed. "What happened?"
Rick glanced around as if looking for someone. "I'd rather not talk about it."
She supposed she was getting too personal and tried to change the subject. "You don't strike me as the hunting type."
"I'm not," he admitted. "I went because Jason wanted us to spend time together." Betty appeared, and he looked relieved. "Great, here's our food. I'm starving."
And he evidently was, because he attacked his food only moments after the waitress set his plate in front of him. Stephanie had to glance away. She was surprised the burger wasn't still mooing. She tried to concentrate on her salad.
"You should have children."
"What?"
"Children," he repeated, taking a bite of his bloody hamburger. "You'll make a good mother."
She loved children. Once, she'd pictured herself with a husband and babies of her own. She didn't know if she could stand to love someone that much again, because she felt certain she couldn't stand to lose anyone else she loved.
"And you have arrived at this conclusion based upon? ?"
"You have a nurturing nature," he answered. "You like to take care of people."
Stephanie laughed. "For a man who hardly knows me, you assume a lot."
He lifted a brow. "You don't want children?"
A hot flush spread up her neck. She could imagine having his children. And what beautiful offspring he would produce. "Most women want children. That was an easy assumption." She moved her fork around in her salad, not looking at him. "Would you like to have children?"
When he remained silent, she glanced up. He mumbled, "I can't," then looked away.
"Oh, I'm sorry," she said, realizing she'd gotten too personal again.
Rick wiped his mouth with a napkin. "Hugh's here. Do you mind if I talk to him?"
She glanced behind her and saw the sheriff conversing with Betty. "No. Go ahead. I'll wash my hands and freshen up, then meet you at the door."
He grabbed the bill, slid across the seat, and waited for her to rise. Conversation stopped at each booth or table they passed. Stephanie felt self-conscious. She nodded at the sheriff when they reached the man, then proceeded to the restroom. Once inside, she washed her hands and splashed her face with cool water.
She found herself primping before the mirror, which wasn't at all like her. Stephanie knew she was pretty, in a natural, no-fuss sort of way. Her job didn't allow her to waste time with makeup or hot rollers. That was the bad thing about camping out. No electricity. Of course, it had never bothered her much before. But then, she'd never had a single, handsome man living near her campsite before, either.
Frowning over her silly primping, she threw the paper towel in the wastebasket and left the restroom. Rick stood at the register talking to Betty.
"Sure you can't stop by later tonight and look at my Sugar, Rick? Her appetite hasn't been at all good lately."
"You know I don't practice on small animals. You'll have to take her?"
"But Sugar doesn't like that old vet," Betty interrupted, her plump red lips forming a pout. "And it's so far over there."
He dug in his back pocket for his wallet. "Sugar doesn't like me either, remember?"
Stephanie stepped up to the register. "Who's Sugar?"
"My poodle," Betty answered, frowning over the interruption. "I wanted Rick to come over tonight and have a look at her, but I forgot, she pitches a fit anytime she comes within sniffing distance of him. He's the reason we've all had to take to penning up our pets."
"You should keep them penned up anyway," Rick said. "Confinement stops the spread of disease and keeps them from getting run over."