Page 2 of All Grown Up at Mountain Creek Ranch
The sound of Jameson’s motorcycle engine roars up the drive, breaking the peaceful silence as we watch the mother and calf together.
“Am I too late?” Jameson asks, running into the barn and skidding to a stop when he sees us.
“Where the hell were you?” I hiss, not wanting to upset Greta. She’s been through enough without having to deal with listening to me yell.
“I didn’t have my phone nearby when you called.”
“Yeah, it’s hard to hear when it’s buried in your pocket in a heap on the ground while you hook up with your latest conquest.”
“I think that’s my cue to head home.” Doc peels off the plastic sleeve and grabs her bag.
“Delaney?” Jameson asks, ignoring me. She stops. “Delaney Morgan?”
I turn to the doc and realize why she looks so familiar. Of course, it’s been quite a few years, but she’s the old doc’s daughter, but here she is standing in front of me all grown up. I look her up and down again, needing to make sure that my conclusion is correct, while simultaneously trying to memorize every dip and curve of her body.
“Del?” I ask.
2
DELANEY
I knew that he wasn’t going to remember me, but that still doesn’t keep the slight ache of disappointment from settling in my gut when no sign of recognition crossed his face when I showed up. Maybe it was for the better. It allowed me the chance to concentrate solely on Greta and pulling her calf free without any complications.
"Hey, Jameson." I turn back to Landon and catch him checking me out. I shake my head and grab my bag.
Landon is the same old guy he was back in high school. I called it. Only now, instead of looking through me, he's now looking at me like one of the girls from high school that used to throw themselves at him. Well, that's not me.
I start for the barn door. “I will send you the bill.”
“Wait,” Landon calls after me, but before he reaches me, I hear him tell Jameson. “You, I will deal with you in a minute.”
I pull open the truck door as Landon runs up to me. “Was there something else?” I ask, unable to hide my annoyance.
For a moment, he seems taken aback by my reaction to him, but he quickly recovers.
“I just wanted to say thank you. You were amazing back there.”
“Just doing my job.” I toss my medical bag onto the passenger seat and step up into the cab.
He moves to stand in front of the way, so I can’t close the door. “I hadn’t heard that you were taking over your father’s practice.”
“I haven’t.” I lean back in my seat. “It was late when I got the call about Greta and thought I’d spare him the late-night trip over here.”
"Well, I'm glad you did. It's giving us a chance to catch up."
"As fun as that trip down memory lane might be, it's almost three in the morning, and I smell like I've had my arm shoved up a cow. I'd like to get a shower and head to bed."
“Of course.” He steps back. “I didn’t mean to keep you.”
I suddenly feel bad for my frank tone when I see the look of disappointment on Landon’s face.
“Maybe we can talk more tomorrow. I’d like to come back in the afternoon and check on Greta and the calf.”
His face lights up. “That’s great. I look forward to it.”
This weird friendly side of Landon is freaking me out. We said more to each other tonight than we had in the fifteen or so years together in school. He steps back and allows me to close the door. I start the engine and pull around to head out. I can’t help but glance in the rearview mirror to check and see if he’s watching me drive off.
He is.
