Second Chance at Sunflower Ranch (The Ryan Family #1) - Carolyn Brown Page 0,3

this disease.”

Grady set his black leather briefcase on a side chair and stopped to kiss Addy on the cheek. “How’s my patient today?”

“I’m fine. This new trial drug seems to be helping a lot,” Sonny said.

Grady hadn’t changed all that much. His light brown hair was a little thinner, and he’d either traded his thick glasses for contact lenses or else he’d had Lasik surgery. He still had a round, baby face and he’d put on a few pounds that had collected mostly around his middle.

“Hello, Grady.” Jesse took a step forward and stuck out his hand. “Been a long time.”

“Well, hello to you, too. You weren’t supposed to arrive for a few more days. So you’re out of the service now?” Grady’s handshake was firmer than Jesse thought it would be. “It’s good to have you back home, and yes, it has been a long time. I don’t think I’ve seen you since the night we all graduated from high school.”

“That sounds about right, but it’s great to be back home.” Jesse pasted a smile on his face. “So you’re a doctor, and you make house calls?”

“Just for Sonny,” Grady answered. “I’m the head of the ER over in Paris, but I come out here once a week to check on this new trial drug that Sonny is taking, and to get a free breakfast.” He winked across the table at Jesse.

“Married? Kids?” Jesse asked.

“Was married. No kids. My wife died a while back, but I’m moving on a baby step at a time. I’m dating a really nice woman who works in pediatrics at the hospital. She can’t make biscuits and gravy like Pearl does, though.” Another wink.

Jesse almost sighed with relief. At least Grady wasn’t dating Addy.

“I’m so sorry to hear about your wife,” Jesse said.

“Thank you,” Grady replied. “You and Addy were best friends if I remember right. Bet y’all have got a lot of catching up to do.”

“Yep, we sure do.” Jesse shifted his focus over to Addy. Their eyes caught for a moment, and then she blinked and turned toward Mia.

“Before you start on the books, you should take care of your sheep and the alpacas. They’re your responsibility when you are home,” Addy said.

“I’ll start that tomorrow,” Mia said.

Her expression and tone reminded Jesse of a few recruits he’d gone through basic with—full of defiance and attitude.

“No, darlin’.” Addy smiled. “You’ll start right after breakfast.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Mia said with a head wiggle. Jesse was glad that he had never married and had kids if that was the way they acted.

Chapter Two

Addy thought she’d have another week to prepare herself before Jesse came home to Honey Grove. Seeing him there in the kitchen, with a chest that seemed to be an acre wide and his green eyes with those gold flecks, had left her speechless. She’d thought that twenty years would erase all those old feelings. But she still felt a thrill at seeing him.

Like “Delilah,” the song that Blake Shelton sang a few years ago, she thought. The lyrics said that she couldn’t blame anyone but herself because she never bothered to look at the best friend sitting right beside her. She’d been afraid to tell Jesse how she truly felt, and she’d paid the price.

Like always, Sonny said grace before they ate. As soon as he said “Amen,” Addy began to pass the food around the table.

“Jesse, I understand you were a medic in the Air Force,” Grady said as he helped himself to the scrambled eggs. “See much action?”

“Little bit,” Jesse answered.

Addy almost smiled. Jesse had never been a guy who talked a lot. He had probably exchanged more words with her than anyone else in the world. She wondered if he’d overcome the “man of few words syndrome” as she had tagged it when they were in high school.

“Any overseas? Did you ever run into Cody?” Grady asked.

“My brother and I were in different places. Haven’t seen him in almost two years now. We all made it home for Thanksgiving a couple of years ago. He couldn’t get away last fall,” Jesse answered.

Addy was surprised that he had answered with more than a simple yes or no. She could feel Jesse’s eyes on her, but she couldn’t look right at him again.

Stop it! she scolded herself. You’ve got to live on the same ranch with him, so you can’t avoid him forever.

Her hands trembled as she took a biscuit from the platter and sent them on to Sonny. “Mia and