Page 59 of Clara Knows Best

“Dr. Wilder had style! That’s where you get it. Are they comfortable?”

“Yes, they’re very comfortable. And warm, too.” She stood up as she spoke, and Jesse blinked to find himself at eye level with her. She smiled.

And she smelled good, so he said carelessly, “Weird. Is there coffee?”

“In the kitchen.”

“Thanks.” He stopped by Dr. Wilder’s office on his way to the kitchen to exchange his jacket for his white coat.

Yoli joined him at the coffeemaker and grabbed a mug while he poured his. “You should ask her out!” she whispered. “She doesn’t have a Valentine yet.”

“I don’t do Valentine’s Day,” he reminded her.

She frowned. “Okay, party pooper. Have it your way.”

There was a knock at the back door. Jesse walked over, coffee in hand, and threw back the dead bolt.

“Hey, Colonel. Come on in.”

“Thanks,” Clara’s father said, entering with a heart-shaped red box in one hand and a pie in the other. “My wife asked me to pick up this pie for all of you. It’s Oreo.”

“Ooh, Oreo, my favorite,” Yoli said appreciatively. “I’ll take that off your hands.”

“Nice. Thanks,” Jesse added.

“My daughter around?”

“I’m here,” Clara said eagerly, coming in. “Hey, Dad! Is that for me?”

“You know it,” he answered, handing her the box of candy. “Pound of See’s dark. Happy Valentine’s Day, princess.”

She beamed at him, hugged and kissed him, and offered him coffee.

“No, I can’t stay. You’re going out tonight, aren’t you?”

“Yeah, with Yoli. Why? You want some privacy?”

“Yes,” he said seriously. “Your mother doesn’t want to go out, so we’re celebrating at home.”

“Gross,” Clara said with a grin.

“You can stay with me,” Yoli offered. “We never got to have our movie night last weekend anyway.”

“Yeah, I’ll do that.”

“Good, thanks.” The Colonel’s dark gaze moved to Jesse.

“Don’t worry, I’ll find something to do,” he said.

“Just until eleven or so.”

“No problem.”

He turned back to his daughter. “Seen DeWitt Petty lately?”

“He was here when I got to work this morning, sitting on the porch steps. He asked me if I was free tonight.”

The Colonel’s eyes were laser-focused on her. “What did you tell him?”

---