Second First Kiss

Chapter 33

Jasher

When Sage’s text reply had read yes, she would be glad to meet him at the rodeo for their last scheduled date, Jasher shouldn’t have been surprised. Sage was a commitment keeper. However, last weekend at her apartment, she’d sounded pretty firm that she never wanted to see him again.

That goodbye, Jasher had sounded so final then, but hope sprang anew.

Maybe I have a chance.

Jasher hadn’t been at the hospital for the past three days, since the botched surgery, so even if she’d been at work, he wouldn’t have seen her.

However, his time off hadn’t been idle. No. He’d had a major task to accomplish. With luck, persistence, and some seriously uncomfortable conversations, he’d finally finished it this afternoon. The editing and cutting of the video had been a breeze compared to collecting the footage. Redmond had helped. Editing was his special skill.

Now, he just had to get her alone to show it to her. Fortunately, on the phone she’d seemed more than willing to meet up. Eager, almost.

This could be the best night of his life if things went the way he planned.

Your dates with Sage have never gone the way you planned.

Take, for instance, teenagers showing up at the sluice in droves. The fire at Moose Creek. The car accident after the knee-boarding. The high drama at Cherry Hill.

Nothing in his past should make him think that things with Sage today should go any better. But he refused to succumb to pessimism. This woman was vital to his well-being. To his career. To his heart. To his everything.

She just had to believe him and the message of this video he’d made for her.

“Well, well. If it isn’t Dr. Hotchkiss.” Cade Calhoun sauntered up—aided by a walker. The saunter was more in the attitude than in the actual gait. “I didn’t expect you to be gracing the rodeo grounds today. You come to make sure I obeyed doctor’s orders and kept my name off the bull riding roster?”

“That’s exactly why I’m here, Cade. You got me.”

“Then you’ll be glad to know I’m compliant.” His upper lip curled. “But I’m vertical.” It almost looked like Cade was about to thank him, but he closed his lips. A woman walked up with a couple of plastic cups.

“Come on, Cade, hon. I got us some special tickets.” She looked up at Jasher. “Ooh, doctor.” She batted her lashes. “Didn’t expect to see you here.”

Why didn’t anyone expect to see him? Were doctors like school teachers? Kids thought teachers lived in the school, and patients assumed doctors lived in the hospital.

“I’m meeting Sage Everton.”

Cade’s date’s face fell. “Everyone heard about her outlandish auction bid. She must really think highly of you.” Cade sniffed.

Great, another sore topic. Jasher excused himself to go.

“Oh, doctor,” Cade’s date hailed him again. “I’ll be watching for you at the barbecue for the auxiliary next weekend. In the park? Or the high school gym, if the weather’s not conducive—and I hear it won’t be.”

The high school gym? Nobody said anything to him about having to return there. If he’d known that fact, Jasher wouldn’t have told Inchy no, he would have said another, less polite thing.

But if I hadn’t told Inchy yes, then Sage wouldn’t have dated me, and she wouldn’t be meeting me here at the rodeo events so I can beg for my chance with her.

He ought to have thanked Inchy. He ought to have kissed the ground she walked on.

“Jasher.” Sage’s voice sailed through the early evening crowd.

He turned to see where it came from, and she was standing in front of a lemonade vendor’s stand. Her purple dress contrasted with the yellow signage, and it made her stand out like she was a tall iris in a field of daisies.

“Sage.” Her name was sweet on his lips. It had been so long since he’d seen her—only days, but they felt like an age. “You look incredible.” His body chemistry hummed at the sight of her, but so did something else—a resonance in his very soul. He walked toward her, extending his arm for her to take.

Sage accepted it, linking her arm through his, and they walked across the crushed granite of the festivities’ midway, the carnival game booths on either side of them.

“I’m glad you chose to finish out our commitment to Inchy, to Rhoda, and to the auxiliary.” Sage’s voice was sedate, the lush, warm voice he was used to.