“As soon as we have dessert, I’ll run you out to your car,” Cal promised.
As Diane was thanking him, Jeff interrupted. “I don’t have anyone waiting at home for me, Cal. You and Jess can go home and I’ll take Diane to her car.”
Before Diane could protest, Cal thanked Jeff. Then he signaled the waitress and ordered dessert. Both men opted for carrot cake, but Jessica and Diane chose the peach cobbler layered with cream cheese and topped with ice cream.
“Your sister is the reason I can’t eat here that often,” Jessica said as she took her first bite of cobbler. “I can resist the carrot cake, though I’m in the minority, but the cobbler is just too good.”
“Katie made this?” Diane asked.
“You didn’t know? She added it to the menu almost a year ago. And sold the recipe to the holding company for all the franchises. You can get this cobbler all over Texas.”
“Oh, yes, I remember when she called and told us the news, but I’ve never eaten it.”
“Katie’s a wonderful cook,” Jeff said.
“Yeah, but Jessica’s good, too,” Cal loyally added.
“No question,” Jeff said. “I’ve never had a better steak, and Houston had a lot of good restaurants.”
“You’re from Houston?” Diane asked, as if Doc hadn’t told her earlier. She hoped she hid her envy. Her dream of settling in a big city, getting completely away from Cactus, wasn’t possible. But she found it hard to believe anyone would actually choose Cactus when they had that opportunity.
Jeff seemed to be concentrating on his cake, but he answered, “Yeah.”
“And you chose to come here? Don’t you find it, uh, dull in comparison?”
He looked up and stared at her. “No. Cactus has everything I want or need.”
Jessica frowned. “Diane, don’t you want to be in Cactus?”
Uh-oh. “Why, yes, of course, Jessica. I wouldn’t want to live away from my family.” She added a big smile to convince one of her sister’s best friends.
Jessica seemed to accept her answer, and the conversation turned to more general topics, leaving Diane time to finish her dessert.
After thanking Jessica and Cal and saying goodbye, Jeff escorted Diane to his Suburban. Then they headed down the farm-to-market road where she’d left her Volkswagen, her keys in her pocket.
Jeff said nothing, and Diane appreciated his silence. She didn’t want to share any personal conversation with the handsome man. He might be older than her, but he was young enough to stir some attraction if she let him.
And then he completely surprised her by abruptly asking, “Why don’t you want to live in Cactus?”
Chapter Three
Diane stiffened. It was one thing for old friends to question her, but she’d just met this man. Whether she wanted to live in Cactus or not was none of his business. Still, she felt compelled to answer. “You’re wrong. I’m delighted to have found a good job here in Cactus.”
“Didn’t sound like it to me,” he muttered, not looking in her direction.
“You don’t know me.”
“True, but part of a doctor’s job is to pay attention to what’s not being said.”
She stared out the window, trying to ignore him.
Which explained why she heard the sirens at once. She whipped her head around, staring over her shoulder. “That sounds like the fire truck.”
When she’d left Cactus, the town had one fire truck and a volunteer group who tried to protect the town from fire. Had Rick Astin, their local millionaire, also staffed the fire department while she was gone?
“You’re right,” Jeff agreed with a frown, checking his rearview mirror.
The flashing lights appeared behind them and Jeff pulled to the side of the road. The truck sped by.
“What could be on fire?” Jeff muttered as he pulled back onto the road.
“Might be a field,” Diane suggested. “I know we’ve had a lot of rain recently, but things are starting to dry out. A flick of a cigarette is all it would take.”
“I hope that’s it. Otherwise, there might be injuries. I’d better follow them as soon as I drop you at your car.”
Since they were almost to her car, she gathered her purse, ready to get out quickly. “Thanks for the ride.”
“I’ll wait until you’re safely in your car,” he said.
“That’s not necessary. I can—”
“Hurry,” he said, ignoring her words.
The man irritated her, but she did as he asked. Once she was safely locked in her Volkswagen, he sped down the road in the direction the fire truck had taken.
Which also happened to be the direction of her home.
She wondered which of their neighbors was having difficulties. She knew her mother and stepfather would be there offering their assistance, so she’d probably have some time alone when she got home.
The closer she got to her house, however, the more she worried. There was a red glow that indicated the fire—and it appeared to be very close to her place.
When she turned the corner and her childhood home came into view, she discovered it couldn’t be any closer. Her house was on fire.
JEFF WATCHED AS SMOKE continued to rise from the Peters’s home. He’d arrived just after the fire trucks and had soon determined that everyone seemed to have gotten out okay. The firemen, however, were still battling the fire in the back part of the house.
Jeff turned to see Diane’s car reach the house. The car jerked to a stop and she scrambled out, running toward the burning building, screaming, “Mom? Mom?”
He reached her and wrapped his arms around her. “Your family is safe. They’re over here, Diane. Come on, I’ll take you to them.”
His words seemed to work magic over her. She sagged against him, no longer fighting his hold. He led her toward the woman and teenager sitting huddled together on the back of an old pickup.
“Diane!” Margaret Ledbetter shouted as soon as she saw her daughter.
Diane ran into her arms, hugging her and her younger sister. “Mom, is everyone all right? Where’s Jack and Paul?”
“They’re over there, fighting the fire. Dear, it started in your room. All your clothes and—everything is—oh, I’m so sorry. Jack had suggested we check the wiring for the air-conditioning unit we added, but I thought— I’m so sorry.”
