“New job?” Heather tilted her head and frowned.
“It’s part-time right now with a construction company, but it could turn into full-time. A friend of mine told me about it. I talked to the manager and he said he’d give me a chance.”
“Construction?” Brooke asked. “What happened to nursing?”
“I . . . I’m not ready to go back to that yet. I just—” She looked away. “I’m not sure I’ll ever want to return to medicine.”
Heather and Brooke exchanged a glance, and Heather gave a slight shrug.
“Well, are you all right financially?” Brooke asked. “Because we can help, you know.”
Gina blinked. “That’s really sweet, but no, I’d never take your money. I’m fine right now, but the money from Brad’s life insurance and the death gratuity won’t last forever, so I have to start thinking about the future and making plans.” She paused. “And . . .” She drew in a deep breath. “As part of those plans, I’m putting our house on the market.”
A small gasp slipped from Sarah, and Gina gave her a sad smile.
“I know. It may seem extreme, but I simply can’t live there without him.”
“Understandable. Where are you going to live?”
“With my parents. For now. I’ll look for something else soon, though. As much as I love them, I’m not sure how long I’ll be able to handle living with them.” Gina shoved a few stray strands of hair behind her ear.
“How long were you married?” Ava asked. “I feel like I should know this, but I don’t remember.”
“A little over a year, but we dated for two.”
“Brad was a wonderful man,” Heather said. “I always enjoyed his stops at the hospital to see you. I appreciated his humor and obvious love for you.” She shook her head. “It never should’ve happened and I’m sorry I couldn’t save him. I tried, Gina, I promise, I tried.”
“I know you did. But you and I both know it wouldn’t have mattered who his doctor was,” Gina said. “He barely lived ten minutes after he got to the hospital—and it was because of you that he had those minutes.” The ladies gathered closer around Gina, who grimaced and gave a humorless chuckle. “Well, I’m a downer, aren’t I? Let’s talk about something else.”
“Hey, Gina,” Caden said, “how about a game of chess? I bet I can beat you. I’ve been practicing.”
Gina actually laughed, her face softening as the strain of grief lifted for the moment.
“Beat me?” Gina smirked. “That’s just delusional.”
The two of them wandered over to the giant-sized chess set next to the pool, and Travis closed his eyes once more, glad to see Gina smiling.
“Cowboy, you gonna soak your skin off or come finish barbecuing these ribs? It’s my turn in the hot tub.”
Gavin’s question made Travis smile. “I’m coming.” He and Gavin had formed a friendship when they’d gone through boot camp together and stayed in touch in spite of the fact their lives had gone in different directions. Gavin had stayed in Afghanistan for a couple of years, Travis had been there for one tour, then opted out at the first possible opportunity to work as an EMT. He’d gotten bored with that and headed to the police academy. After working his way up to detective and the SWAT team, a restlessness he hadn’t been able to shrug off had made the decision for him. He’d opened his own security firm and became his own boss, hiring Gavin and Asher, who were more partners than employees.
“You’d better hurry,” Caden said with a lazy southern drawl, looking up from the game, “or someone’s liable to punch you in the other eye.”
“Don’t know what you’re talking about. It’s just allergies.” Travis ignored Asher’s and Caden’s quiet laughter—and Gina’s quizzical look—and hauled himself out of the water. He grabbed one of the robes from the hook on the wall before the chill could chase away the warmth of the soak.
Brooke and Asher treated their guests well, and he was always happy to be included in any invitation from them—especially when it involved cooking and the pool.
And Heather.
At the grill, he grabbed one of the barbecue bottles he’d brought. A light laugh rang out from the hot tub.
Heather’s.
Chills slipped up his spine. Chills that had nothing to do with the weather, but everything to do with the fact that the more he was around Heather Fontaine, the more he liked her. But something was definitely bothering the pretty surgeon and Travis wanted to know what it was.
She’d been chasing something—or someone—and the pinched look to her mouth and flare of fear in her eyes when she’d thrown that punch told him a whole lot.
He touched the bruise beneath his left eye. She hadn’t broken the skin, but based on his glance in the bathroom mirror, it was already an intriguing shade of red. Dodging the immediate questions as soon as he’d walked into the house had required some quick thinking. Allergies. Yeah. Right.
Caden’s comment during the chess match made him wonder if the man had actually witnessed the whole thing or if he was just a good guesser. No way to know without asking, and Travis didn’t plan on doing that.
Once he had the ribs slathered with another layer of his special sauce, he stepped inside to find Gavin pulling more sodas from the refrigerator. “Ribs should be done in about another fifteen minutes.”
Gavin nodded. “Thanks for bringing them.”
“Do you know how hard it was not to finish cooking those suckers and have a feast? Even my parents came over hoping to score some.”
“They could smell it from their house?”
“Them and every ranch hand on the place.” That’s what he got for living in close proximity to his entire family and the people who worked for them. And he wouldn’t change it for anything. “They hate me now, but I refused to share. Only my promise to cook them some in the near future has kept me in the will.”
Gavin smiled. “Glad you managed to protect them—and stay in the will.”
“Barely.”
“How are things on the ranch anyway? Haven’t heard you mention it much lately.”
“Not too much to mention. Things are mostly good. Some bad. Got a horse we’re going to have to put down before too much longer. It’s going to devastate my sister.”
Gavin winced. “Ouch. I hate that. That the one she’s had for a while?”
“Over twenty years.” He didn’t even want to think about it. “Dad’s doing well. He’s doing some contract work for the Marshals when he’s not taking care of the ranch. He has to stay busy or go nuts.” One would think the ranch kept him busy enough, but Travis knew the man missed his law enforcement days. “Mom just shakes her head.” He paused and glanced at his phone. “I got a request from that senator who’s getting married next month in Asheville. Are you and Asher up for it?”
“Sure.”
“Might take all of us to cover it.”
“Then it’s a good thing you brought three more people on board. We’ve needed them.”
“Thanks.” Travis sent an acceptance email that would automatically log the event on his calendar. “How’s Sarah doing?” A few short months ago, Caden’s sister, Sarah, had been kidnapped by the Taliban and held until Gavin and his team had managed to rescue her. She and Gavin were now engaged and making wedding plans.