Hannah Alexander - A Killing Frost

“You arranged for all this while I was talking to Dad?”

“It didn’t take much,” Jama said. “Dr. George understands what’s going on.”

“You’re pretty handy to have around sometimes.” Tyrell shot her a glance.

“There will also be a cease-fire on the marriage proposal discussion,” she said.

“I agree. This is no time to talk about love and commitment.”

“Absolutely not.”

“I may regress, though, when I think about Doriann. She was the one who’s been telling me for three years that I should marry her aunt Jama.”

“You’re such a liar.”

“I’m not lying. That’s what she-”

“You said you agreed to the cease-fire, and now you’re firing with both barrels.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Then maybe you should stop trying to distract yourself and start talking about what’s really bothering you.”

As Jama turned onto Highway 94, Tyrell stared across the flat river bottomland, seeing the face of his niece. “Anger,” he admitted.

“Of course you’re angry,” Jama said. “I’m afraid to even mention what I’d like to do to the creep who abducted her.”

“That’s the problem. Sure, I want to get my hands on whoever took her, but as much as I love my sister, I sometimes want to grab Doriann, myself, and bring her to the ranch so Mom can shower all the love and affection on her that she showered on us when we were growing up.”

“It seems to me that Renee’s already doing that.”

He nodded. Renee, the epitome of earth mother.

Jama drove in thoughtful silence for several moments while Tyrell returned his attention to the view out the side window, the flat fields dotted by houses and silos. Some houses in the middle of the floodplain had been built on stilts.

The view of the rich green fields served only as a reminder that his father was depending on him to protect the family’s livelihood. Besides the cattle, the vineyards were the main cash crop for the Mercer Ranch.

“You were good with Heather,” Jama said. “I don’t think she could have picked up your feelings on the phone.”

“Good. Now is not the time for me to comment on Doriann’s upbringing.”

“You’re a good brother.”

For some reason, that simple statement made Tyrell feel better. Jama had a knack for doing that. She knew what he was thinking just by looking at him. It was Jama, more than his siblings, who laughed at his jokes even when others didn’t catch the meaning.

It had taken his bright little niece to point out Jama’s devotion to him.

And for the first time, he’d actually paid attention to Jama’s expression when they were together. He realized Doriann was right.

Granted, Tyrell had never had a problem with self-confidence. Even after Jama refused his proposal, he didn’t doubt her love. When he took the time to consider why he had never married, he realized that he hadn’t actually loved another woman before Jama.

For some people, there was one love for a lifetime, only one match that could be right, and for him, it was Jama. It was impossible to pinpoint why he knew this to be true. She was kind, loyal, independent, and he loved those qualities in her. But he’d met plenty of women over the years who had those same qualities. She was gentle, but she wasn’t the only gentle, beautiful-inside-out woman in the world.

She was the only Jama, though.

Jama reached up and touched her ear and said, “Ruth.”

“What?”

Jama looked at him and indicated the Bluetooth earpiece. “I’m calling my director. I set up the voice recognition while we were at the hospital. Amy and I used to wear ours all the time at the hospital, even when they weren’t on. It kept people from thinking we were crazy when we talked to ourselves.”

“You did that a lot, huh?”

“Sure. We were residents, always memorizing and studying procedures, anatomy, medications and dosages. It was tough, but-” She broke off, then said, “Yes, Ruth? It’s Jama. I’m on my way back to River Dance. Will you need-”

She paused, grimaced. “Okay, I’ll see you in about twenty minutes. Maybe thirty. I need to drop Tyrell off in town to pick up his mother’s car.”

Again, the grimace.

Jama disconnected, than glanced at Tyrell. “You know, you got me into this.”

“Me? What did I do?”

“This loan from the town of River Dance was your idea.”

“It was a good one,” he said. “You needed the loan, and you wouldn’t take it from Mom and Dad. You’re so independent. Admit it, Jama, you shot yourself in the foot when you disappeared for six months with no explanation about where you had gone. I’m surprised you weren’t penalized for defaulting on your other school loans.”

“I got an extension. The loan company knew I wasn’t defaulting. The counselor knew I was recovering from the accident.”

“Yes, but when you disappeared from the face of the earth-”

“We all grieve differently. The loan companies didn’t need a play-by-play of my life. It wasn’t anyone’s business.”

“Not anyone’s business? You might have considered your worried family.”

“I told Monty and Fran I’d be okay. They trusted me to take care of myself.”

“You think they didn’t worry anyway?”

Jama gave him a “back off” look.

Tyrell resisted the strong urge to ask where she’d gone. Later, maybe, she would tell him.

“So what’s the deal with your director?” he asked. “She did seem a little put out with you this morning for leaving.”

Jama rolled her eyes. “She’s already judged me and found me wanting because our gossiping mayor filled her in on some of my…activities in high school.”

“You’ll prove to her soon enough that you’re not that kid anymore.”

“That’s one of the reasons I’ve dreaded coming back home. I’m tired of having to prove myself. She’s a grump.”

“Give it some time. Some of the grumpiest people turn out to be okay once you get to know them.”

“That’s what I’ve heard, but I’ve never actually seen proof.”

“So tell me about what just happened.”

Jama shook her head. “She’s not angry, she’s just cold. The clinic is currently swamped because of a fire at the winery. Several employees were brought to the clinic for treatment instead of being sent to Fulton or Jefferson City, and I’m not there to help. I might expect some anger, but there was nothing, just the demand I return to the clinic immediately.”

“Then you need to go straight there. Maybe you could use my help until it gets sorted out. I still have my paramedic license up-to-date. I can triage.”

“You have crops to save.”

“What’s more important, crops or people?”

“Maybe I should get there and see what’s needed first. It wouldn’t hurt Ruth to cancel interviews for the rest of the day and see to the injuries. Let’s hope she has her priorities straight.”

“Put yourself in her place. She’s a stranger in a town full of people she doesn’t know.”

“I’ll give it some thought.”

He studied the fine, tense features of Jama’s exquisite face. “Sweetheart.”

She looked at him. He lost himself for a brief moment in the depths of those beautiful blue-green eyes.

“Give Ruth some time.”

“I will.” She returned her attention to the road, but a faint flush turned her cheeks an alluring shade of pink.

“More than a day,” he said.

“Of course.”

“And give yourself some time, too. You’ve never done well with that. You’re always so impatient with yourself. I happen to know everyone in River Dance will welcome you with open arms.”

She glanced at him again, her eyes reflecting mild humor…and another emotion. Affection. More than affection. “I get it, Tyrell. Okay? Don’t worry about me. We have a lot more important things to think about today.”