Page 54 of Tumbleweed Temptation
“I have no idea what he’s talking about. If it had been my dad’s, first of all, how did he afford it, and second of all, why didn't my mom try to sell it or something after he died? She worked two jobs to keep food on the table. If she had that option, she would have sold it and it would have made her life easier.” He looked at Ginny. “Have you heard anything about that?”
“No, but I don't get too involved in town politics. I don't go to town meetings. But that would be good, wouldn't it?”
“You need to look into it when we get back into town,” Javi said. “Talk to Mr. Davila. He’s on the town council. He’d know.”
“Yeah, I will. But man, that place is a mess. Even if it does belong to me, which I can’t imagine why it would, no one is going to want to buy it in the shape it’s in. Real estate in Broken Wheel can’t be in high demand anyway.”
“No. But maybe you could do something with it,” Sofia said.
“What could you do?” Poppy asked. “You wouldn't want to start a bar and compete against Hailey. Or a restaurant and go against Janine.”
“I’m not going to open a business,” Austin said. “I don't have time for that anyway. Or the money.”
“Yeah, well, it needs to be cleaned up in any case,” Poppy said. “I guess people didn't want to trespass or whatever. But it’s dangerous the way it is.”
“Wait, why don't you have money? Aren’t you getting paid? And you’re not paying for the apartment you live in?” Poppy asked.
“Yeah, but I need to get some more equipment that we don't have, and I am trying to save money to move to Houston when my time here is up.”
“Dude, you barely got here,” Javi pointed out.
“I know.” He glanced over at Ginny, held her gaze for a minute, then turned his attention back to the road. “Where do y’all want to go eat?”
“What about something new and different?” Sofia suggested. “Pho or Chinese or Korean?”
“How are you that adventurous?” Poppy countered. “How about a place where we can all get something we like?”
“Pull up restaurants on your phone, see what sounds good,” Austin urged Ginny.
“I didn't bring my phone.” She didn't need it at work on Saturdays, they were so busy. She hadn’t actually missed it until this moment. Okay, maybe she still didn't miss it.
He stared at her a moment, then switched his request to Javi.
They ended up at a brew pub that was kind of overwhelming in its choices at first, but after everyone found a beer that appealed to them—there was some trading of orders—they ordered food and settled in to watch the Longhorns playing on the screen.
Everyone except Austin and Ginny had a second beer with their food. Ginny knew if she did, she’d start drowsing. As game time approached, Austin ushered them to the Jeep.
The game was not as evenly matched as advertised, and Angelo State got their butts handed to them, but sitting in the stadium with thousands of others, cheering and jeering and watching the sunset from high up in the bleachers was a fun way to spend a Saturday, the most fun Ginny had had in a long time.
When they got back to the Jeep, she started to get into the front seat again, but decided to let Javi have the honors. Sofia fell asleep on her shoulder on the ride back, and Ginny let the soft sounds of the road soothe her. She couldn't hear the conversation in the front seat so well, but she liked the sound of Austin and Javi’s low voices. She leaned her forehead against the window and looked up at the stars. The drive home was a lot prettier than the ride up.
Austin offered to drive everyone home, but since everyone but Javi lived within walking distance of the town square, he dropped off Javi, then parked in front of his place, and everyone else piled out of the back seat. Ginny had to admit to a little reluctance to leave, and if rumors weren’t already rampant, she would have lingered with Austin a little longer.
“So he likes you,” Poppy said without preamble when they reached the park, and Ginny automatically glanced over her shoulder to make sure Austin had gone in and couldn't hear Poppy, since she wasn't exactly being quiet.
“We’re friends,” Ginny said automatically, though she admitted to getting a little zing from being near him today.
“Gin. He asked about fifty times if you liked football before we came to get you. He saved you the passenger seat. He sat next to you at dinner and at the game. What more do you want?”
“I don't want anything. He doesn't like it here. He doesn’t want to stay. He’s serving his time and that’s it.”
“Well, maybe he could learn to love this place. Seven years is a long time.”
*****
MELISSA CAME IN TOwork Monday morning, a little bit before their first patient. She didn't sit behind the desk, though, and held onto her purse as she faced Austin.
“I am really sorry about doing this this morning, but Matt doesn’t want me working here anymore.”
