“Well, it is pretty warm here, but I like the desert, always have,” Grant said, not knowing what to say, and figuring the climate was safe to talk about without messing up.
“Yep, that’s my boy. Hasn’t seen us in years and years and he wants to talk about the weather. You know, maybe we should get you up to Hollywood, get you your own talk show. If they paid you by the word … you would starve to death,” Rex said.
Grant just fidgeted. The three women saw that he was uncomfortable.
“Yeah, Hollywood, that’s what I need,” Grant said, continuing to look like the seat had been brought in out of the desert sun. If he didn’t have to talk, he would have been content to just sit there, looking, listening to Annie, maybe for weeks. He really needed time to gain his composure, if he were going to get more than eleven words out.
Well, if he’s waiting for a break in the conversation, he could be here awhile. We all could. You take up a lot of talking space,” Kat said, smiling.
“Don’t go feeling sorry for him. Tall, cowboy-looking guy like him? He doesn’t need anyone making excuses for him. He can talk, I’ve heard him. He can cuss better than anyone I know.”
“Such a definite distinction,” Kat said.
“Well, he can. Come on hillbilly, cuss for the nice girls,” Rex said.
Grant thoughts were quickly turning towards the brilliant idea of punching Rex. He could see that Kat was trying to make things easier for him, which he appreciated. This helped his disposition, unfortunately not his diction. He was going to have to get away for a few minutes to regroup.
“I forgot something … in my room. I’ll be right back,” Grant said.
“Now look what you’ve done,” Rex said, glaring at Kat with mock-anger. “You’re scaring him off.”
“Me? I’m on his side!” Kat protested.
“How come you’re not on my side?” Rex asked.
“Is anyone ever on your side?” Kat replied.
“No!” Annie said, surprising herself by the vehemence of her exclamation.
“It would seem not,” Kat said, looking at Annie, then at Rex.
“Is everything all right?” Annie asked, looking at Grant.
“I, uh, yes. I just need to go check … you know, I just forgot something … be right back.” Grant nodded, fussed with his things and got up to leave.
Behind the bar, Isobelle hurried to where her few customers were sitting. She wanted to ask if Grant was all right, but she thought that might be too obvious. She wanted to make sure he was coming back—if not now, then later.
“Is everything….”
“I think he’s all right, he just forgot something in his room, I think. He said he would be right back,” Annie said, reassuring herself more than Isobelle.
“He just felt a little ill. His friend here probably made him sick,” Kat said, looking at Rex.
“He’s fine, probably still a little shook up from the car wreck,” Rex chuckled.
CHAPTER 5
“Car wreck?” Annie said.
The women on both sides of the bar watched as Grant walked out. Kat looked at both Annie and Isobelle, judging their responses. It looked like Isobelle was trying her best not to look disappointed, but surprisingly, so was Annie. Kat knew none of this would affect her one way or the other, but it was interesting for her to watch these relationships develop.
Kat thought this opportunity might give her a chance to learn more about Grant. Rex was watching everything in the bar except Grant, wholly unconcerned about the probability of his return.
“He’ll be back,” Rex said nonchalantly.
“Are you sure?” Isobelle asked.
Annie and Kat seemed surprised at the comment and looked at her.
“I—I mean, we want our guests to enjoy themselves at our hotel, and he seemed out of sorts” Isobelle said.
“He’s fine, he just went to get something, you know how he is. Well, Annie knows how he is, at any rate.”
“Let’s get back to the car wreck thing, what are you talking about?” Annie asked.
“He’s fine. Just a bit beat up. Some guy ran a stoplight and plowed into him on his way here.”
“Well, is he all right?” Annie asked.
“Says he is,” Rex replied calmly, not responding to the urgency in Annie’s voice.
“Did he see a doctor?” Annie persisted.
“At the hospital, yeah.” Rex said.
“At the hospital?” Annie and Kat said, almost in unison.
“Yeah, the hospital. They looked him over, let him go, said he’s OK. They wouldn’t let him go if he weren’t OK. You docs don’t do that, do you? You’re not a veterinarian, are you?” Rex asked
“Aren’t you worried?” Annie asked, paying no attention to the veterinarian question.
“No, not really. Believe me, if he weren’t all right, he’d say so,” Rex played with his bar napkin, but the others were unconvinced.
“Nice try, Rex. Grant doesn’t say anything, ever,” Annie responded, bitingly. It was apparent she was concerned, and frustrated with Rex’s apparent thoughtlessness.
“Look, Grant has been doing very well, he’s busy as hell and we were talking about the two of us working together. I mean look at the guy. He’s in perfect shape.”
“Really? He’s thinking about working with you? He must have hurt his head in the accident,” Annie said.
“Yep, we were just talking about that before you ladies came in.”
“Has he lost his mind?” Kat asked. “Maybe a second opinion on his condition is in order.”
“Maybe a long time ago, but why do you ask?” Rex asked.
“I don’t know, but it would seem that working with you would help him develop, what, his annoyance skills maybe?” Kat asked.
“Hey, you are a live one!” Rex said.
“Is he really thinking about working with you? You aren’t still in trouble, are you? And are you avoiding telling us more about this car wreck?” Annie demanded.
There was now a great deal of concern in Annie’s voice.
“Somebody ran a stoplight and plowed into him, like I said. It was just down the street
