Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 77730 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 389(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77730 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 389(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
Maverick hadn’t left, and he was now sitting with Bradly, Nathan, and Josh after returning from a walk with my father, who’d been going stir-crazy. It was Maverick who’d suggested the walk, picking up on Dad’s anxiety. Before that, he’d also gone out and gotten pizza, soda, and coffee for everyone.
The doctor finally entered the waiting room, and the entire family stood at once.
“Shaw family?” he asked.
“Yes. Is our mother okay?” Uncle Ty asked as he stepped forward.
“She’s more than okay. After running some tests and checking her bloodwork three times, it appears she did not have a heart attack.”
“What?” Uncle Brock said, stepping up next to Ty. “But she said her chest was hurting.”
The doctor smiled. “A great many things can cause chest pains. All the tests are indicating it was an anxiety attack. We checked her blood for different markers, and we do them at different timeframes after the initial complaint since some show up a few hours later in the blood. Everything came back normal.”
A collective sigh filled the room.
“I’ve already spoken to Mr. Shaw and asked him to make sure his wife doesn’t take on any extra stress, or really any stress at all right now.”
“That stupid fall festival,” Lincoln said. “She was put in charge of it this year, and they’ve already started hounding her about every little detail. She’s been so worried she won’t be able to get everything done.”
“Who is ‘they’?” Uncle Brock asked. I could see he was ready to tear someone apart.
“The vendors, the mayor…you name it,” my mother answered as Lincoln nodded her head.
“I’ll take over her position,” Aunt Kaylee offered. Uncle Ty grabbed her hand and kissed the back of it as he mouthed ‘I love you’.
“Thank you, Kaylee,” Dad said.
“Don’t thank me yet. I have a feeling people will be wishing they’d left Stella alone once they get a taste of me.”
A few chuckles filled the waiting room.
“Does anyone have any questions for me?” the doctor asked.
“You’re sure it wasn’t a heart attack?” I asked.
With a reassuring smile, the doctor replied, “I’m positive.”
I found myself sitting back down next to Kipton, my cousin Hunter’s wife. She reached for my hand and we both smiled in relief.
“That was scary.”
Nodding, I replied, “It was. I’m so glad she’s okay.”
Bradly walked over to us. “Hey, I’m getting a ride home with Hunter and Kipton. Are you going to ride with us or head back to the ranch with Maverick?”
“Since Maverick is going the same place I am, I’ll catch a ride with him, if he doesn’t mind.”
“You sure?” Kipton asked, standing as Hunter walked toward us.
Bradly chuckled. “You didn’t see how they were dancing in the parking lot of The Blue Moose right before I interrupted.”
Kipton raised a brow and smiled. “Oh really?”
“Thanks, Bradly.”
He bowed. “You’re more than welcome.”
Kipton giggled lightly, then sobered. “Do you think we’ll do family game night next week?”
Hunter had reached us, and he overheard. “I’m sure we will. Not sure if Grams and Granddad will be there, though.”
I looked across the waiting room and found Maverick standing at the back. I hated that he had separated himself from the rest of the family. Did he really have no idea how much he meant to my parents? To everyone in the family?
My father walked over and started talking to him. Maverick reached his hand out for my father to shake, but Dad drew him in for a quick hug instead. A feeling of warmth rushed through me as I watched the exchange.
“I’ll see you next week, then? I want all the details about this parking lot dance,” Kipton said.
Rolling my eyes, I sent a glare toward Bradly. “Yes, I’ll be there.”
I crossed the waiting room, stopping to tell my mother I was riding home with Maverick. When I finally reached him and my father, they were in what looked like a deep conversation.
Clearing my throat, I asked, “Am I interrupting?”
Maverick flashed me a grin. “Not at all.” Glancing back to my father, he said, “I’ll be sure to take care of that for you, Tanner.”
Dad gave him a good slap on the side of the arm. “Thank you, Maverick.” Turning to me, he asked, “You driving home with us?”
When Maverick looked my way, I realized I should have asked him first if it was okay that I caught a ride with him. What if he wanted to go back to The Blue Moose?
“Um…if it’s okay with Maverick, I’d like to catch a ride with him. I was schooling him on all things Taylor Swift since he’s never heard her songs before tonight.”
Dad raised a brow. “You’ve never listened to her music?”
Maverick shook his head. “Not until tonight.”
“Well, you’re looking at the number one Swiftie right here.”
“Swiftie?” he asked.
I felt my cheeks heat. “It’s what they call her fans.”