Page 23 of Barry
Kathy smiled. “Usually. Some people have potlucks, and some go all out. It depends on the people.” Some couldn’t afford it, so potlucks had become popular, butrecently, there seemed to be more money in the little town.
Kate turned back to them. “You’re coming, right? You have to; you were my first client, after all.”
Barry glanced down at her. “Sure, I’ll check in with the Hollisters, but as long as we’re covered at the ranch, I don’t see why not. Right?”
“I’m free for the entire summer. Do you need help?” She knew Tegan better than she knew Kate, but all the times she’d visited with Kate, she seemed down to earth and friendly.
Her eyes got wide, and she smiled. “Yes and no.” She laughed. “I’ve talked to Gen and the ladies here. We’ve got the food taken care of, but I don’t have a clue about decorations.”
“Oh, I do! Stephanie Johnson, Zeke’s wife, is a decoration queen. She’s also Declan’s sister, and she had the first event at the community center. She saves all the decorations that are left or donated. Do you want me to talk to her about what she has? I can stop by your office and let you know what she has. I’d be happy to head up the decoration crew. I know Edna and the girls would help, right?” Kathy dipped to her right and looked directly at Edna.
The woman’s eyes went wide. “I’m sorry, Kathy. I wasn’t listening. What are you talking about?”
“Decorating the community center for Kate and Tegan. I volunteered to help and said you and the girls would probably be up to join me.”
Edna scooted out of the booth and made her way over. “Sure. Sure. We could do it on Friday, and, Kate, you could look at it after you get done seeing your patients. I think Steph has a wide assortment of decorations.”
“That’s what I said. I was going to go over there on Monday and ask her what she had. Do you want to come, too?”
“Well, Kate and I can after we have our Monday coffee and gossip meeting.” Edna smiled.
“It's the absolute best way to start the week.” Kate returned Edna’s smile. “I wouldn’t miss it. I don’t schedule anyone first thing on Monday. Kathy, why don’t you come for coffee with us and then talk to Stephanie at the same time?”
“Perfect. What time?” Kathy sipped her coffee and leaned into Barry when he put his arm around her shoulders. The support and warmth of his body felt so perfect. She smiled up at him and was gifted with a genuine smile in return. It was a rare thing, and she cherished it.
“We normally meet early. Is seven too early for you?” Kate asked.
Kathy tore her attention away from the man she loved. “No, not at all. I usually wake up at five so I can get a workout in before getting ready for school. I try to keep that schedule during the summer, so it isn’t such a shock when school starts again.”
“That’s perfect.” Kate released a big sigh and leanedagainst the booth. “Thank you so much for offering to help.”
Edna waved the thanks away. “Keeps us busy. Speaking of which, here come the ladies. We have a few things to juggle in our weekly schedule, so we better get after it. I’ll talk with you later.” She made her way back to her booth as Corrie brought Tegan and Kate’s food.
“I adore these rolls,” Kate said as Corrie put a caramel roll in front of her.
“I do, too, but I limit my intake to one a month.” Kathy laughed. “I do yoga and run a two-mile route every morning, but I’d have to run three times that distance to stay in my size if I ate any more.”
“Right?” Kate agreed. “If it weren’t for the menagerie at the ranch we care for, I’d have to stop visiting the café.”
“Menagerie?” Barry asked before he took a drink of his coffee.
Tegan turned a bit red. “I have a tendency to adopt animals,” he mumbled behind his coffee cup.
Kathy knew how shy Tegan was, so she looked at Kate. “Adopt?”
“Well, actually, he buys the animals no one else wants and gives them a home. They live their best life and, in turn, enrich our lives.” Kate leaned over and kissed Tegan’s cheek, which turned his cheeks the color of a cooked lobster.
The bells on the door tinkled, and Kathy looked over, meeting the very hostile stare of old Chester Hansen. Shesmiled at him and turned her attention back to the conversation at the table.
She heard Ken greet Chester and the old man mumbled something.
Ken stood up. “Chester, I’d appreciate it if you kept those types of comments to yourself.”
The old man straightened his spine. “It’s a free country. I can say what I want.”
Ken hitched his fingers in his gun belt. “Not when what you say is false.”
Chester pointed at their table. “Can’t prove that. Just like you won’t look hard enough to prove that bastard didn’t do the killing. You ain’t much of a sheriff.” Kathy felt Barry stiffen behind her.