The Patriot A Small Town Romance - Jennifer Millikin Page 0,49

wrap around my back and she hugs me tightly.

It’s not until this moment that I remember Dakota has been through this. She has felt this fear. She understands. She doesn’t tell me it will be okay, because she knows it might not be.

“Wes?” My mom’s voice comes from the front door. Dakota and I break apart and I look at my mom. She’s standing with a small bag looped over one shoulder, and her purse in her other hand. “Will you drive me to Sedona?”

I can’t remember a time when my mom has asked me to drive her anywhere. It’s general knowledge on the ranch that if you’re driving with my mom, you’re the passenger.

“Of course, Mom.” I dig into the front pocket of my jeans and come away with my keys. “Let’s go.”

Dakota backs away to her car. “Keep me updated?” she asks, pausing in the open door. I nod at her. She drives off, taillights shining.

Mom climbs in the front of my truck, Warner, Wyatt, and Jessie in the back. Gramps is staying behind with Warner’s kids.

It’s an hour drive from here to the hospital, and we’re quiet the entire way.

If I had to guess, I’d say every one of us is busy having a conversation with God.

16

Dakota

I’ve checked my phone no fewer than two dozen times since I woke up this morning. I haven’t heard from Wes. I’ve been reminding myself that no news is good news, but the prolonged silence makes me nervous.

I made it to the jobsite first. Scott, the general contractor I hired, pulled in ten minutes after me. We went over the projected timeline and drank our store-bought, extra-large coffees.

Thanks to the mostly flat landscape, the site preparation should be relatively easy. It has allowed us to rely on a skid steer to prepare the site and avoid using an excavator.

The skid steer operator was late but Scott advised me not to say anything because not everyone can operate the machine and since we’d only need him for this narrow window on a month-long job, it was best not to look at my watch anymore.

So instead of looking at my watch, I checked my phone for news on Beau. Of course, looking at the phone also informed me of the time, but I ignored it. The operator eventually arrived. He’s been working for a few hours, and making progress. So much of the land is already clear of desert debris.

A few hours later, I’m talking with Scott when my phone rings. I hold up a finger, telling him to hang on a moment, and answer. It’s an unknown number, but I’m hoping it’s Wes. He could be calling from the hospital or someone else’s phone.

“Hello?” I answer with restless anticipation.

“May I please speak with Dakota Wright?”

The air whooshes out of me. Avoiding Scott’s gaze, I reply, “You are.”

“This is a representative from a collection agency. I’m calling on behalf of City Urgent Care. Multiple attempts to collect a debt have failed, and—”

“Sorry,” I blurt. “I think you have the wrong number.” I end the call and shrug at Scott.

Scott has a knowing look on his face. “Someone named Tim must’ve had my number before me because I get calls for him constantly.”

I chuckle. “And of course it happens when I’m waiting for an important call. Anyway, what were you asking me?” I halfway listen to Scott, and the other half of my thoughts are busy with the collector’s call. Near the end of my relationship with Barrett, a quadruple sinus infection sent me to urgent care. Barrett had said he was going to pay the bill, but that pesky little situation where I found out he was married put the kibosh on that. And urgent care without insurance? Turns out it’s expensive. I got paid last Friday, so I can pay the bill, but it will leave me with so little in my account after the charity payments go through. And that’s where using my credit cards to live on comes into the depressing equation.

The rest of the afternoon passes without a word from Wes. On the bright side, the future home of The Orchard now looks like it can house more than dried desert grass and scrubby brush.

The crew knocks off for the day, and I decide not to risk my barely passable credit score by ignoring the urgent care bill any longer. I sit in my car and pay the bill on my phone, watching the crew drive out as the