Page 33 of Clara Knows Best

Dr. Wilder was bundled up but looked happy. When she spoke her breath was visible. “It’s okay for a few minutes with a hot drink. How do you like my car?”

“It’s all right,” he said, unlocking the Maserati with the fob. “Kinda flashy.”

“What do you drive in Austin?”

“A Toyota.”

She laughed into her coffee.

“What time does she leave?” he asked in consternation, seeing that Clara’s car was gone. “I thoughtIwas running early today.”

“All of my children are obsessed with punctuality. I blame their father.”

“Clara won’t be rushed,” the Colonel said mildly. “An early start is her only hope.”

Jesse didn’t even want to know how many stepsherhygiene routine had. “Well, see ya.”

“Have a good day,” Grace Wilder said with a smile.

“It doesn’t matter if I have a good day or not,” he said, distrusting the smile. “It won’t change anything.”

She chuckled into her coffee cup again.

He gave her a hard look before sliding into the front seat and shutting his door.

Once on the highway, he called Clara.

“Hey, Jesse,” came her voice, pleasant and wide awake.

“Hey, what’s a good place to get breakfast around here?”

“Home.”

“I already left. Where else?”

“Daily Bread has bagels and muffins. Otherwise, there’s Mexican, the diner, smoothies, or fast food.”

“You want a burrito?”

Silence on the line.

“Never eating carne asada again? You want to meet me at the diner in about fifteen minutes?”

“Okay,” she said uncertainly.

“What’s the matter?”

“Are you trying to buy me breakfast because I gave you a facial? You don’t have to pay me back for that.”

He was surprised. “I wasn’t thinking about that.”

“So…are you asking me out?”

“What? No. Of course not.”

“Oh. Okay. Well, I already ate.”

“All right, fine,” he said in annoyance.

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