The Family Plan. Cathy McDavid

some of the missing light in his daughter’s eyes. Dottie had also, as promised, not said one word to Mandy about her mother’s affair with Steven.

      “I saw Jolyn at the dance recital.” Aunt Susan removed a stack of paper plates from the cupboard. “She looks good.”

      Pulling one of the chairs away from the table, Chase dropped down into it. “She does.”

      “Except for the limp, you’d never know what she’s been through the last year. I heard she had to learn to walk all over again.”

      “I heard she almost lost her leg,” Hannah said.

      “Imagine taking up a profession where you spend half your time outdoors and on your feet after something like that.” Susan shook her head in amazement. “She’s one strong gal.”

      Chase thought of Jolyn while his aunt and cousin set the table. He’d forgotten about her limp. He’d been too busy noticing other things about her, like the long, smooth line of her legs and the hands that looked too soft and delicate to bang a hammer or saw wood.

      Never one to hem and haw, Hannah asked, “Did she give you the bid for your clinic?”

      “Yeah. We went over it after the recital.”

      “And…”

      Both his cousin and aunt stopped what they were doing to stare at him expectantly.

      “And her price is almost fifteen percent under the next lowest bid.”

      Hannah whistled. “That’s a lot of money.”

      “It’s not just the money. She included several items in her bid the other two contractors missed.”

      Jolyn had impressed Chase with her attention to detail. Unlike the other two contractors he’d dealt with, she’d patiently explained all the components of the bid in everyday terms he could understand.

      “Money’s not everything,” Aunt Susan cautioned. “There’s experience and reputation to consider. She doesn’t have much of either, I’m guessing.”

      “You’re right. She did provide me with several references, though, including the Wild and Wooly West manager and her former boss at the commercial contractor in Dallas. I called both of them earlier. They gave her glowing recommendations.”

      “That’s to be expected.” Aunt Susan removed a pitcher of iced tea from the refrigerator. “A person doesn’t give out names of people who won’t talk them up.”

      “True. But I did ask a lot of questions, described exactly what I’m building. Both men expressed their confidence in her abilities.”

      Aunt Susan sat in the chair across from Chase. “I have no right interfering in your life, so feel free to tell me to butt out.” She lowered her voice and directed her gaze to the family room. Mandy continued to entertain her great uncle, who was trying his best to watch her and the six o’clock news at the same time. “I know Jolyn is your friend, but she’s also Dottie’s daughter. Working closely with her could lead to trouble. Big trouble.”

      “Believe me, I know.” Chase rubbed the back of his neck, massaging the kinks loose. “But Jolyn supports me where Mandy is concerned. She always has.”

      “Are you absolutely sure? Family ties are strong.”

      “Pretty sure,” Chase answered honestly.

      “Dottie could try and use Jolyn to get to you without Jolyn realizing it.”

      “Jolyn’s aware of her mother’s goals and I think she’s savvy enough to not let herself be manipulated.”

      “In my opinion,” Hannah said, “you’re safe using Jolyn. She needs this job if she wants her business to succeed, and she won’t do anything to screw it up. Neither will Dottie.”

      Hannah looked at her mother as if challenging her to disagree. Susan gave a noncommittal shrug.

      “I like that she’s here in town.” Chase leaned back and stretched out his cramped legs. He wasn’t used to sitting as much as he had this afternoon. “The other two contractors admitted that while workers may be on the job every day, they would only make the trip from Pineville two or three times a week. If something were to go wrong, Jolyn would be five minutes away.”

      “It’s cool you’re giving a woman a shot at this. And the money you’d save…” Hannah rubbed her thumb and first two fingers together. “You can do a lot with all that extra green stuff.”

      Chase quickly added some numbers in his head. “I can pay for the holding kennels, waiting room furniture and a three-year lease on an X-ray machine.”

      Susan rose from the table. “Sounds like you’ve decided.” The tiny hint of disapproval in her tone was unmistakable.

      “Not yet,” Chase said. “I’m going to sleep on it tonight. See how I feel tomorrow.”

      “I’m glad you’re taking your time deciding.”

      From outside came the sounds of tires on gravel and the Raintrees’ pet dog, Biscuit, barking. Gage and Aubrey had arrived with the pizza.

      Hannah grinned knowingly at Chase and said too softly for her mother to hear, “When are you going to tell Jolyn she has the job?”

      “In the morning.” He grinned back at her. “She’s bringing Sinbad by early to have his sutures removed.”

      She jumped up to give her mother a hand with dinner and patted Chase’s shoulder as she walked by. “You’ve made the right decision, cuz.”

      Chase thought so, too. There were any number of reasons why he shouldn’t award the job to Sutherland Construction Company and an equal number of reasons why he should. Granted, he might be taking a chance, but his gut told him to hire Jolyn.

      And besides, he rather liked the idea of working with her. It felt right, and nothing had felt right for Chase in a long, long time.

      JOLYN PULLED BACK on Sinbad’s reins, squeezed gently with her legs and commanded him to walk in a firm voice. He obeyed and slowed from a fast trot, but not willingly. She didn’t blame him. Between the trip from Dallas and his latest injury, two weeks had passed since she’d last ridden him.

      Sinbad disliked confinement. He was an athletic animal, taking pleasure in racing from one end of the arena to the other or leaping over obstacles most horses would refuse. Advancing age had affected his ability somewhat, but not his desire. If Jolyn were to give him his head, he’d gallop the entire half mile to Chase’s house.

      Instead, they walked. Because of her, not him.

      Jolyn hadn’t raced or jumped or done anything more demanding than a controlled lope around the bullpen since the accident. She hadn’t ridden Sinbad at all until four months ago and then she’d done it against doctor’s orders. But if she hadn’t climbed onto Sinbad’s back soon, she might never have gotten on a horse again.

      Sometimes, Jolyn dreamed about the fall. In her dreams, she and Sinbad were flying over the wagon, just as they’d done in every performance for nine straight years. The crowd held their breath in collective anticipation.

      Suddenly, the silence was shattered by the sharp thwack of Sinbad’s hoof hitting the side of the wagon. She felt his broad body shift beneath her as he was thrown off balance, saw the ground rush up to meet her, heard the sickening crunch when she hit and her own low “Oomph.”

      Agonizing pain shot up her leg, so fierce it literally blinded her. She had no time to recover before Sinbad toppled like a giant oak tree and rolled on top of her, pinning her beneath a thousand pounds of thrashing, terrified horse.

      She was told later that in clawing his way to his feet, Sinbad had injured her further. Broken ribs, a separated shoulder and torn ligaments were only a few of the injuries she’d suffered. Jolyn didn’t remember. She’d lost consciousness well before then.

      She’d