Page 14 of Clara Knows Best

“I’m…not sure,” he admitted, starting the car.

“I didn’t ever cook when I lived in the city. Didn’t have to. It was great.”

“You lived in El Paso?” That wasn’t surprising. A lot of kids from his high school class had gravitated toward the closest real city.

“No, Austin,” she explained. “Loved it. Worked at Versace in the Domain. Then to New York to work for corporate. Killer job. My parents were proud of me, and I think no one knew I could get a killer job like that. Betyoudidn’t know that, Jesse Lu.”

He skipped over the nickname he hadn’t heard in ten years. “Austin?”

“Uh, huh. I moved there after high school. The boys, too. I know you didn’t want to see us because you were going through stuff with your dad, but Nash and I sent you flowers on your twenty-seventh birthday. To the hospital.Anonymously.” She said the word slowly, with care.

Nash was her youngest brother. “Those were from you guys,” he said slowly.

“Those were from us!” she said happily, giving his arm a light whack. “I’m glad you got them. Anyway, what was I saying?”

“Uh—you had a killer job in New York.”

“Yeah, but I had to live with Hart. That was fine, though. Living in New York made me realize that it doesn’t matter if you live in a city or a small town. The only thing that matters is the circle of people that you interact with on a regular basis. Right? If the circle is good, you can live anywhere.”

“Uh, huh.” Had he ever heard that his little foster siblings were moving to Austin? He didn’t remember hearing that, but maybe it had happened after Dr. Wilder had burned the bridge. He liked to think he wouldn’t have shunned all of them on purpose; the Wilder kids were pretty great, and the three boys had always treated him like a cool older brother.

Clara put her feet up on the dashboard. “My New York circle wasn’t good. Especially after Hart moved away and I had to get a cheaper place with a weird roommate. So here I am, back in Rinky-Dink, Texas, where there’s nothing to do and nowhere to eat.” She yawned. “And I really miss Chipotle. Ugh, don’t get me started on Five Guys! Why’s that so expensive? Why are their grilled onions so good?”

“I’ve never eaten there.”

“Good. Don’t. It’s like, would you rather have a burger or a new blouse?”

He figured that was rhetorical.

Clara had said her say; she slept the rest of the way back to her parents’ house, but woke when he opened her door and unbuckled her. He saved her from falling as she got to her feet, and again as she stumbled up the front steps.

In the foyer he sat her on the bench and pulled off her shoes before removing his own. The Colonel appeared, silent as a shadow, looked them over, and disappeared down the hall again.

Some fathers, Jesse thought bitterly, would have taken over their daughter’s care at that point instead of leaving the task to a virtual stranger.

He ordered Clara up once more and steered her to the staircase, where he bent and lifted her.

“I can walk,” Clara complained, but she was limp in his arms and he wasn’t convinced.

“And fall down, and knock me down, too. No, thanks.”

He put her on her bed, and froze when she took hold of his shirtfront.

“Doctor,” she murmured. Their eyes met. Her gaze was sleepy and playful and utterly without embarrassment. “You could give me a saline drip?”

He gently freed himself and straightened. “Kid, you’d a hundred percent wet the bed.”

That started her laughing.

“’Night, Clara.”

“I don’t get it,” she yawned. “I never get drunk at karaoke. One margarita!”

“The waitress kept refilling your drink.”

“Ohhh. How stupid of me!”

“Yeah,” he agreed shortly, and hit the light switch on his way out.

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