“No, ma’am. Is it hard?” Shawn asked.
“I’m sure Fisher will have you bowling like a pro in no time. He’s really good,” Tandy offered.
He’d mentioned taking them bowling? To his family? Why? And why did it make her so...happy? She tried not to be. She tried not to think about Fisher’s laugh or the way the corners of his eyes crinkled when he smiled. And his smile—her heart thudded. She swallowed. She didn’t want her heart reacting to any man.
“Dr. Fisher’s good at everything, isn’t he?” Shawn asked.
“Don’t let him hear you say that,” Renata said with a laugh. “He’s already got a big head on his shoulders.”
“Well, they are pretty big shoulders,” Tandy added.
Yes, they were. Big, broad and powerful. With one punch, he’d put George Carson out. And yet she knew he was just as capable of kindness—she’d seen it in his eyes on more than one occasion. Green eyes that always seemed to find her...and really see her. Her heart thudded again, sending a shudder through her chest.
“What else are you looking for?” Renata as
ked, startling her.
She glanced at Renata, all too aware of the way the woman was watching her. It was a friendly look, one that put Kylee at ease. “Clothes for him,” Kylee nodded at Shawn. “And shoes.” Then she had to get ready for work.
Renata pointed out the best booths for boys’ attire and footwear. “It was nice chatting with you both. Hope to see you Monday,” Renata said, waving them off.
“What are you thinking?” Kylee asked as they walked away.
“About camp. And Eli. And dinner at the Boones’ place.” Shawn paused. “I like Dr. Fisher, too, Kylee. Think I’d be a good veterinarian? And the hospital.” Shawn shrugged. “Sometimes all this feels like a dream. I’ll wake up and it’ll be gone.” He glanced at her. “That would suck. A lot.”
Kylee nodded.
“Can we volunteer again?” Shawn asked. “At the hospital, I mean. Did you turn in your application for that job yet?”
She paused. “You want me to?”
Shawn looked at her like she was crazy. “Yes. Definitely. I want to be a volunteer, too.”
Kylee nodded, but didn’t say anything. They’d had a lot of fun feeding the kittens—even if Fisher had been called into an emergency surgery as soon as they’d arrived. Cutter had ended up coming to take them home, but that hadn’t deterred Shawn’s hero worship one bit. Nope, her little brother thought Fisher was the coolest guy ever. So far, Kylee couldn’t disagree.
In no time, Shawn had three pairs of jeans, some shorts, swim trunks, six shirts, tennis shoes and a pair of worn but good-quality cowboy boots. At sixty-eight dollars, they’d done well. But it was still hard to hand over the money.
They headed slowly back through the tables, lingering over odds and ends, laughing out loud over a strange miniature of a gnome riding a turtle. “We should buy that,” Shawn giggled. “For the apartment.”
Kylee shook her head, still giggling.
But when Shawn paused at a booth full of books, Kylee went back for it. She loved to hear her little brother laugh. She paid quickly, keeping her eye on her brother and shoving the little statue among her newly acquired clothing before returning to his side. “Find something?”
He jumped, so engrossed in the book that he hadn’t heard her approach. “Yeah. This kid’s going to become a warrior to defeat an invading alien race.” He held up the book. “Guess it’s a series.” He nodded at the box with three more books inside.
The dollar sticker read Award-Winning Children’s Literature on it so Kylee said, “We’ll get the series, but you have to write a book report on each of them for me, okay?”
Shawn’s eyes went round.
“If you agree to the book report?”
He nodded. “Yeah, sure.”
Their final purchases included an army cot, a sleeping bag and a small oscillating fan. Kylee knew she’d spent too much money. But Shawn’s excitement over having his own room made it all worth it. For the first time in a long time, she felt...safe.
* * *
FISHER BROUGHT HIS new surgical resident, Brook Marcus, to Shots. It was one of the best places to meet locals—and Kylee would be there. He’d played two games of pool and danced with half of the elderly widow’s group that had come to hear the live country band, but there was still no sign of Kylee. It had been a long week made longer by missing her. And Shawn, too. He was curious to see what pictures the boy had added to his sketchbook.