Second First Kiss

Chapter 32

Sage

Rodeo weekend was the busiest time of the year in all of Mendon. Twice as many people came for the carnival, parade, and cow-punching events as came for Raspberry Days. Class reunions convened, all of Main Street shut down for the classic car show, and the air smelled like a mixture of popcorn, cotton candy, and horse manure.

The worst best time to break up with someone.

Sage stared down the mirror in her bathroom, steeling herself to face the party downtown.

“You look much more human.” Kennedy came over and tugged at Sage’s hem, pulling the fold in her purple sun-dress straight. “Nice save.”

“Nice save on my apartment.” Her friend had straightened up Sage’s apartment while Sage showered. “It almost looks like a human dwelling again instead of being inhabited by wolves.”

“Are you going to see him? He’s going to flip if that’s what you’re wearing. Such a great color. Really brings out your eyes.”

“Maybe I should change into jeans.” Everyone wore jeans. It was a rodeo. Why had Sage put this dark purple stretch dress on?

Because of how Jasher looked at me when I wore my purple swimsuit. Quit lying to yourself. It’s no use.

Putting the final nail in their relationship’s coffin was going to be the hardest thing she’d ever done. Next to impossible. But for him she could do this. Save Jasher—and the clinic.

“Kennedy, can you help me with one more thing?”

“Sure.”

Sage put her on the job of finding out the asking price for Parrish Medical, while Sage finished her makeup.

Even though Sage had sworn that she’d never touch the principle from the life insurance payout from when Leo died, this was a good enough cause. With one purchase, she could buy out the clinic, save the town from the likes of Dr. Rudolph the Quack Volmer, and set Jasher free to return to Reedsville where he could do knee surgery all day long. He’d have a good life.

When Sage emerged from the bathroom fully renewed, Kennedy popped up from the sofa and beckoned her over.

“Here’s what I was able to find out.” Kennedy showed Sage a number on her phone screen.

“How did you get that?” Sage took the phone. The number fit perfectly in the ballpark of what she could afford using Leo’s death benefit from the construction company. “And so quickly. Thank you!” She hugged Kennedy and handed back the phone. “I swear, if you hadn’t been so interested in medicine, you totally should have been a detective or private investigator.”

“It’s all those mystery novels I read.” She blew on her knuckles and rubbed them on her shirt collar. “What’s this for, anyway?”

“You’ll see. I’m going to fix everything.”