Page 33 of Lone Star Longing
He grinned at that. “We’ll whoop you.”
She winked and hefted her bag of washers. “We’ll just see about that.”
Chapter Nine
“I’M SORRY, MRS. CONOVER, I’m going to have to adjust my schedule next week,” Lacey said when she returned to the house on Wednesday. She missed Mrs. Conover being in town, but why spend the money when the house was livable again. “I need to go into San Angelo for my first appointment.”
“What day is that?”
“It’s Wednesday, so can I come on Thursday instead?”
Mrs. Conover harrumphed. “When will that Austin Driscoll get out of school and get back here? We’re paying for his med school so he can come back here and service this town, and he seems to be taking his sweet time about it.”
“Well, med school takes about twelve years, so it probably won’t be much longer.” She knew because she’d looked into it herself. She couldn't imagine Austin would be in any hurry to come back, though, to this town that blamed his mother for the bus accident that killed her. She bet he was sorry he ever made the arrangement to serve the town for ten years after med school in exchange for graduating with no debt.
She knew he’d done his undergrad work in two and a half years, because he hadn’t needed to work, just had to push himself through. So he was probably pretty close to being done, but she’d lost touch with him over the years, and didn't know how he was doing now.
In any case, she didn't want one of her friends becoming her ob/gyn. That would be just too weird.
“Anyway, I have an appointment next week, so I’m going to go, and I won’t be here on Wednesday.” She was having to adjust her whole schedule to accommodate the trip, especially since Poppy was going with her, and they would add shopping for maternity clothes on the list. Poppy was way more excited than Lacey.
“Fine, come Thursday, though I bet, if Beck really wanted to save money, he could learn how to take my blood pressure and test my sugars and you wouldn't have to come out here at all while he’s here.”
That threat took Lacey aback. “If that’s what you want,” she said, trying not to be stung by the threat. “I’m sure Beck can fix your meals and clean the house, too, if that’s what you want.”
“It is not what I want,” Beck said, coming in through the kitchen door. “One disruption to your schedule isn’t going to cause trouble, Mother.”
How much had he overheard? Lacey felt her face heating. Mrs. Conover noticed, too, because her tone grew sharper.
“She’s never spent such a long chunk of time out here as she’s been spending since you’ve come out,” Mrs. Conover accused. “She’s not coming here to see me. She’s coming here to see you.”
“Mrs. Conover, that’s not true.” Lacey didn't even think the accusation that she was spending more time here than usual was true. If she was, it was because the house was more chaotic with all the repairs going on. But she wasn't going to argue with the woman. She was going to do her job and head out. She needed to let her other clients, Mrs. Drexler and Mr. Dunfry, know she wouldn't be available Wednesday, either, though she didn't know if they knew she was pregnant yet. She tried to be vague about it because she didn't know who had heard the gossip and who hadn’t.
“I see the way you two look at each other, and I honestly don't know what you’re thinking, either one of you.”
“Well, then you can't say you know what’s going on, then,” Lacey clapped back. “Really, Mrs. Conover, I’m here to do my job and that’s it. So if you’d please.” She motioned to the living room. “Go rest. I don't want to take your blood pressure when you’re upset.”
