might be able to give you an idea about where to go from here.”
“Great. Thanks, Rose.”
She stood and walked toward the door, then hesitated. “Does she ever talk about me?”
“She asks about you all the time. It’s killing her to know that you’re here writing a book but not to know the details. Plus, she wants to know if you’ve heard any more from Connor the Cartoon.”
“Cartoonist,” Rose corrected, a smile playing at her lips. “Actually, I have. Good-bye, Colt. Have a nice afternoon.”
She was out of the door and headed down the stairs before he could pry any more information out of her. As he walked back to his desk, he fished his phone from his pocket and checked his email. Finding the message Rose had promised, he sat and picked up the land line, then noted the number and made the call. As it connected, his gaze drifted toward the empty doorway. The Anderson girls were two special women. Frustrating, but extraordinary.
The call proved to be a quick one, as the doctor he asked for was away from the office. He left a message and hung up as he heard the sound of paws on the staircase. Lori Reese was delivering Shadow back to the office following their daily run.
When the girl and his dog walked into his office, he said, “You’re back early.”
“I cut our run short,” Lori replied. “Chase is only working half a day today, and we’re going to go up to Heartache Falls for a picnic with some friends.”
Now that Chase Timberlake was back for a second season as a trail rider at the Double R, he and Lori had begun seeing each other again. “That sounds fun. Thanks for exercising my dog today.”
“He exercises me. This puppy has more energy than any other dog I’ve known.” She unsnapped the leash and Shadow came running to Colt to say hello.
“Tell me about it.” Colt scratched the dog behind his ears and wrestled with him for a moment. “Nic says he’ll calm down in a few months. I hope she’s right.”
“When it comes to animals, she’s always right,” Lori replied. “I hope I’ll be as great a veterinarian as she is.”
“There’s not a doubt in my mind.”
They spoke about college for a few minutes, then when his office phone rang, Lori said good-bye and left. Lifting the receiver, he said, “Colt Rafferty.”
“Hello, Mr. Rafferty. My name is Cynthia Watkins. I’m returning your call.”
He leaned back in his chair. “Dr. Watkins, I’m so glad you did. Let me explain my problem.”
EIGHTEEN
A little after four, Sage returned to Eternity Springs with her long list of errands for the most part accomplished. Snowdrop sported a new haircut and a darling red, white, and blue bow on her head. It would look so cute with the outfit Sage had planned for her to wear on the Fourth of July. Colt would be so disgusted. Sage couldn’t wait.
Their bickering over the dogs was one of the few areas of their relationship she felt confident about. Being in love with the likes of Colt Rafferty was not easy. The man was always pushing. He did it subtly, she’d give him that, but he never stopped. He believed that he could chase away her shadows. Sage had her doubts, and that uncertainty was holding her back.
She stopped by Vistas to check with her summer intern, Dorian, who was an art student at UCLA. “What did I miss?”
“We had a lot of lookers, but only one buyer. A couple from Southern California were very interested in the Bret Austin watercolors, and I suspect they’ll be back. The wife really wanted them.”
“Excellent. What did we sell?”
“Another one of Mr. Burnes’ photographs. The mountain lion.”
Sage nodded. “He’s done phenomenally well with that series. Good job, Dorian.”
“Thanks.” The pretty brunette beamed. “You know, I was thrilled to get this internship because I thought working with you would help my art. I never expected to enjoy the selling part of the job this much.”
“I know. The most fun is the first time you sell a new artist. I get almost as excited as they do. So, anything else interesting happen while I was gone?”
“Dr. Rafferty came in. He left a note for you in your office. Sarah Reese called to let you know that the Patchwork Angels meeting for tonight has been cancelled.”
“Oh? Did she say why?”
The girl checked her notes. “Too many member conflicts. Someone has suggested suspending meetings for the rest of the summer since