Blind Love by Kelly Elliott
I nodded. “I knew that.”
“I guess when Doc was opening up this clinic in Oak Springs, he borrowed money from his brother or something along those lines. Doc says he paid his brother off, but the brother is saying that isn’t the full story and that Doc Harris had no right to sell to Harley. He’s trying to take the vet clinic away from her. Said that he was the rightful owner and that he intends on taking over and booting Harley out.”
Anger raced through my veins. “Where was this guy all those years Doc was running the clinic? Has he put any additional money into it?”
She shook her head.
“Any major decisions he was a part of?”
“The brother? Not that I know of. Might be they just haven’t found out yet.”
I nodded. “What’s Pete’s game plan?”
Giving me a shrug, she replied, “I don’t know. Pete has set up a meeting with the brother’s lawyer and a mediator.”
I dropped back in my seat. Damn it. Pete wasn’t going to be able to help Harley like I could. He wasn’t that great at this type of thing.
“There is a bit of information I got that you might also be interested in.”
“What’s that?” I asked, knowing the second the words were out of my mouth I would regret it. I never let myself get caught up in gossip.
“Harley had dinner with Toby two nights in a row.”
My brow lifted. Okay…maybe just this once. “Why do you think I would be interested in that? I have a girlfriend. Harley and I are old news.”
Karen tilted her head. “Really? So then what’s the reason you can’t focus on your work?”
“What?” I nearly shouted.
“You’ve been staring at this deposition for hours, Tripp. I’ve worked with you long enough to know your mind is somewhere else.”
“It’s on the race.”
Her left brow raised like it always did when she was calling me on my bullshit. “The race?”
“As in the mayoral race?”
“The one that hasn’t started yet? Planning out your strategy on a race that isn’t on anyone’s radar for months, at least? That one?”
If I could have shot daggers out of my hands I would have aimed right for her.
“By the way, I can’t believe you sent Mallory into my office when I was in with Harley.”
She looked at me like I was insane. “What do you mean? I told her you were in there with Harley, and that when she came out Mallory could go straight in. When I left, she was sitting in the waiting room.”
Why the fuck would Mallory lie about that? Did she purposely come into my office and drop her coat because she knew Harley was there? What the fuck?
Before I had a chance to question Karen any more, Cord walked in.
“It’s Wednesday! That means banana nut bread day!” he declared.
Karen stood. “Hello there, Cord. Sorry, no banana bread today.”
Cord’s face fell. “W-what? But…Wednesday is banana nut bread day.”
She shrugged. “I had to do a favor last night for your brother and it took longer than I thought, so blame him. I’ll leave you boys be.”
Karen turned to walk out of my office. When she looked back to us, she grinned. “I guess you wouldn’t be interested to know that I also overheard Harley telling Maebh something worth knowing. By the way, those two seem to have struck up a friendship. They’ve had lunch together the last two days.”
“Karen!” I warned.
With an innocent look, she went on. “What? I was just gonna say I overheard them saying they were going on a double-date this Friday.”
I scoffed. “Well, good for them.”
A smile moved over her face as she gave us the evil eye. “I do think they’re lucky. Both girls going out with such handsome firefighters.”
“What the hell?” Cord said as his eyes bounced from me back to Karen.
“Did you know there’s talk of a calendar that those boys are gonna do to help the senior center’s annual fundraiser? I’d pay good money to see our local firefighters with no shirts on.”
I knew for sure Cord was about to blow a gasket. “It’s not just the firefighters! Trevor and I were asked to do it, as well.”
My head jerked, and I glared at him. “What!”
Wiggling her eyebrows, Karen let out a chuckle. “Now that is something I could go to sleep with every night.”
I nearly gagged. “Seriously? I just threw up in my mouth, Karen.”
Cord, on the other hand, puffed out his damn chest.
“I’m just saying, two beautiful women like that up for grabs. It’s no wonder those boys are moving in fast.”
“Who’s moving in fast?” Cord’s head jerked over toward Karen, almost in disbelief.
“Nobody,” I mumbled.
“Toby and Jackson. They’re the ones going on the dates with the girls.”
“Jackson? Maebh is going out with him?” Cord asked with a fake-as-hell laugh. I knew it pissed him off because I’d seen the way he couldn’t tear his eyes off of Maebh when she came into the bar with the girls. It wasn’t lost on me that my sisters were up to something with both Maebh and Harley, but what exactly, I didn’t know.
Karen glared at Cord. “Well, at least those boys know what they want and aren’t afraid to go for it. Unlike some men in this town.” She eyed both of us before spinning on her heel and marching out. She slammed my office door behind her.
“What the hell did she mean by that?” Cord asked.
“I’ve stopped trying to figure out years ago what that woman is trying to say to me.”
Staring at my door, I shook my head. Here I had thought Karen was Team Mallory. It appeared she’d switched sides, and I wanted to know why.
“Well, since I’m here, you want to grab lunch? There’s a new food truck in the parking lot of Hank’s Hardware. Joe’s BBQ.”
“Joe? As in Joe Maynard?”
Cord smiled big. “Yep. He’s finally gone off and done it. I guess enough people told him his ribs were the best in Texas, and he decided to take the leap.”
I stood. “Well, I’m happy to know he followed a dream. I had seen an application to sell food had been presented to the city council a few months back, but I didn’t pay attention to it. Heard rumors that the food trucks were making their way to our little town.”
Following me out of the office, Cord slapped my back. “Looks like our sleepy little town is growing. You sure you still want to be mayor?”
My chest tightened at Cord’s question. I had no idea what in the hell I wanted anymore. For as long as I could remember, I’d wanted to run for mayor. It was all I ever thought about and had been one of my long-term goals I had set for myself my senior year of high school. Among other long-term goals. Some which were coming true. Lately I was feeling like the most important ones were not.
I found Karen typing away at her desk.
“Hey, give me a few seconds. I need to talk to Karen about something.”
With a nod, Cord tipped his cowboy hat to Karen. “Have a good one, Karen.”
She lifted her head slightly to give him a smile. “I will. You do the same, Cord.”
After Cord walked out the door, I stood in front of her desk, but she ignored me. “Karen?”
“Yes?” she answered while she kept typing.
“May I ask you a question?”
When she stopped, she shot her eyes up to mine. “You may. I, however, may choose not to answer it.”
I frowned. “What the hell does that mean?”
She half-shrugged. “I’m upset with you, Tripp Parker.”
“I see that. Why?”
Standing, her hands went to her hips. “You’re stupid. Blind. Unforgiving. Stubborn. Ignorant.” Her brows lifted, and she gave me that look that all southern women have perfected. That one that says she’s going to speak her mind and you should pay close attention cuz shit’s about to go down. “And a man. I don’t think I need to say anything else.”
“Fine. I’m all those things. You want to tell me why you’re all of a sudden on Harley’s side?”
“Sides? Oh, are we pickin’ sides now?” Her Texas accent hit full force. It always did when she was angry.
I rolled my eyes. “No, we are not picking sides. It’s just before you were pretty clear you liked Mallory. Now you seem to…like Harley a bit more.”
Her arms folded across her chest and her chin lifted.
Fuck. I pissed her off. Now I won’t hear the end of it for a week.
“Tripp Parker, let me tell you something. I am not pro or con about either one of those girls. They’re both nice. I thought Harley had done you wrong, but from what I’ve heard, she has apologized to you, and you have not accepted.”
“What! How in the hell do you know that?”
“I have my verified sources which I will not disclose.”
I narrowed my eyes at her. One of the Parker women was behind this. No one else could possibly know that information.
“I take it, though, you do not deny it.”
Letting out a frustrated sigh, I scrubbed my hands down my face. “That is none of your damn business!”
She huffed. “Fine. Then I won’t tell you what I know about Mallory that has knocked her down a few pegs in my graces.”
My eyes widened, and I was pretty sure my jaw dropped to the floor.
“Mallory? You have information on Mallory?” I laughed. “What could you possibly have on her?”
The woman stared like we were in a pissing contest, and she was hell-bent on lasting longer. She finally broke the stare.
“I need to get back to work. If you want to find about the young man who visited her house and stayed for hours before leaving, you’ll have to ask her yourself.”
My stomach dropped. “What? When was this?”
She shrugged. “My memory seems to be strugglin’ on that bit of information.”
I pointed to her and was about to demand she tell me, when she glared.
My hand dropped, and I stormed outside and past Cord.
“What’s wrong with you?” he asked, attempting to keep up with me.
“Women. That’s what’s wrong with me.”
I walked up the porch steps and took a breath before knocking on my sister’s door.
Three taps and I stepped back. The door opened. Waylynn was holding her daughter, Liberty, in her arms.
“Hey, Tripp! What brings you by on this fine April day?”
I smiled and took my cowboy hat off as I followed Waylynn into the house.
“Hadn’t seen Liberty in a week or so and wanted to stop by. How is my sweet little niece doing?”
Waylynn beamed with happiness. “She’s amazing. Can you believe she’s a month old?”
“No,” I replied with a light-hearted chuckle.
“Hey there, Tripp!”
I turned to find Corina standing there. My eyes immediately went to her stomach. She had gotten bigger in the last week.
“Hey, you.” I kissed her on the cheek and pointed to her stomach. “May I say hi?”
She giggled. “Yes! The baby is super active today.”
My hands gently touched her six-month pregnant belly. Leaning closer, I started talking to the baby.
“Hey there, baby Parker. How are you today?”
Instantly, I felt a kick.
“Wow!” I said with a laugh.
“I know. Baby Parker is for sure an active one.”
Moving my hand on her stomach, I felt another kick. “That’s incredible. Still not finding out the sex of the baby?”
“Nope. Keeping it a surprise.
“I love that y’all are doing that,” Waylynn added.
After a few more seconds of baby talk with Corina’s stomach, I stepped away. The ache in my chest was pretty clear as I looked at both of them.
I wanted kids. For the first time ever, the urge was strong and the pain in my chest very real.
“Have you talked to Liberty Senior lately?” I asked Waylynn as I took my niece out of her mother’s arms. Liberty Senior was Liberty’s birth mother, who she was named after.
“I have. She’s doing amazing and only has a few weeks of school left in the semester.”
“She still working for Mick and Wanda?” I asked.
“Yep. They have taken her under their wing and are treating her like their own daughter.”
Corina smiled. “That doesn’t surprise me in the least bit. They are such amazing people.”
As I gazed down at my niece, I couldn’t help but wonder what things would have been like if Harley and I hadn’t gone down the paths we did. Would we have kids by now? If so, how many would we have wanted? Would I still be wanting to run for mayor, or would I be content with my job?
“You’re deep in thought, little brother. What are you thinking about? The kid bug hitting you?”
Corina and Waylynn both laughed, but when I looked up at them, their smiles faded.
“Oh. My. God. It is.”
I laughed. “I guess it is, Waylynn.”
“Are you and Mallory…um…are y’all talking about kids?”
“What?” I asked as my gaze bounced between the two of them. “Why would you think that?”
They looked at each other and shrugged. “People talk,” Waylynn stated.
“People talk? Who’s talking and what are they saying?”
“Nothing,” both of them said at once.
I shook my head. “I think I’ve heard enough small town talk for a while. I got an earful from Karen yesterday.”
Turning, I headed over to the living room and planted myself in the rocker. Liberty was staring up at me, those big blue eyes gazing into mine.
“What do you think about all of this?” I asked her in a sing-song voice.
Her mouth rose into a smile.
“Waylynn! She’s smiling at me!” I softly yelled.
“It’s gas, Tripp. Just gas.”
Corina chuckled.
Running my finger along Liberty’s cheek, I smiled bigger. “That wasn’t no gas, was it, baby girl? You love your favorite uncle, don’t you?”
Liberty smiled again. This time it was followed by a rumble in her diaper.
“Oh, dang girl. What are you trying to say?”
I sat there for another few minutes until it was clear to my nose that my precious little niece had just shit in her diaper.
Heading back into the kitchen, I cleared my throat. “I believe your child needs a diaper change.”
Corina plugged her nose. “Whew! Man, oh man, can that kid stink up a room.”
Waylynn chuckled as she took Liberty from my arms. “Come on, you can help me change her.”
“Hard pass,” I stated.
Rolling her eyes, Waylynn walked off.
I stepped farther into the kitchen, grabbed a grape and popped it into my mouth.
“How are you feeling, Corina?”
Her cheeks flushed and an adorable smile appeared on her face. My brother, Mitchell, was a lucky son-of-a-bitch. His wife was so incredibly sweet and loved my brother like he was the reason the sun rose and set each day.
“I feel amazing, Tripp. I honestly do. I don’t think I’ve ever felt so happy.”
A rush of happiness for her and Mitchell ran through my body. Even though we once dated, I always knew we were better at the friend’s thing. “I know Mitchell feels the same. Every time I see him he looks even happier.”
She bit her lip. “He’s so happy working at your folks’ ranch. I was worried he would regret his decision to leave the Texas Rangers. I know he also loved being a cop.”
“All’s well in that department?” I asked, knowing the answer already. Mitchell didn’t have a single regret. His life was the ranch and Corina—and not in that order.
“Yes. He’s helped out on a few cases that were still open that he was investigating, but other than tha
I nodded while picking up a strawberry. “I know he does. That ranch is in all of our blood. There’s something about working on it that seems to soothe the soul.”
“Maybe you should stop by and give them a hand sometime. Lately, you look like your soul could use some soothing.”
I let out a gruff laugh. “You hit that on the head.”
“Anything you want to talk about?”
Glancing at the floor, I took in a deep breath and blew it out before catching her eyes.
“I guess I’m just a bit confused.”
“Mallory and Harley?”
With a nod, I sank onto one of the stools at the kitchen island.
“Well, it seemed pretty clear to everyone the other night at Cord’s that Mallory and you are an item. Especially to Harley.”
A lump instantly formed in my throat. “What?”
“Well, I mean, it’s pretty obvious you don’t intend on forgiving Harley and that you told her you were moving on. I think she saw that the other night at Cord’s Place. We were hoping by forcing her to go out that y’all might run into each other, but our plan sort of backfired when we saw you with Mallory.”
Giving her the stink eye, I said, “I knew y’all were up to something. What do you mean your plan backfired?”
“I can answer that one,” Waylynn stated.
She handed me a clean Liberty whom I gladly accepted. I glanced down at the baby and my heart melted once again. I lifted her and took in a deep breath of her smell. There was something about the way babies smelled. It was like a happy pill.
“We had this grand plan to get y’all together and I thought maybe we could make you a little jealous. I introduced Harley to Toby, and well…now they seem to be hitting it off. They’ve gone out a few times.”
“Yeah, and Maebh has gone out with Jackson a few times, as well. So much for getting Cord to notice her,” Corina added.
“Trust me, Cord has noticed Maebh and is not too happy about her and Jackson.”
Waylynn looked at me with a dumbfounded look. “Then why doesn’t he ask her out?”
I shrugged. “Cause he’s Cord.”
She shook her head. “I don’t understand men. Especially my brothers.”
Clearing my throat, I asked, “So Harley and Toby are dating? As in exclusively?”