Cuffing The Law Book 2 in The Willowbrook Series

Chapter 7

Daisy

I'm so excited to be going out with the girls tonight and for our chats and karaoke. The rest of the day whizzed by. I had a couple of walk ins. One was Mr Henderson who is such a sweet elderly gentleman and visits Logan in the practice on numerous occasions mainly for his arthritis. He needed some trousers taking in which I will drop off to him on the way home this evening. I may even pop into Debs on the way back and pick him up a nice homemade cherry pie. I happen to know it is his favorite.

Mrs. Winters, one of the teachers from the school, who teaches the little ones has also popped in to place an order for a vintage tea dress to wear to the fundraising event. We've picked out a beautiful navy fabric with bluebells on it. It'll suit her auburn hair and blue eyes. Mrs. Winters has taught at the school since I was in middle grade, she has always lived in Willowbrook and is one of the nicest ladies you will ever meet.

Now time to close up and I am ready for a night out with the girls. I do drop by Debs and pick up the cherry pie and go knock on Mr Henderson's door. "Good evening, Daisy." He says as he has one hand on his cane. His grey eyes twinkle at the sight of me, it's endearing.

"Mr Henderson your trousers are ready. Any adjustments be sure to let me know and I bought you a nice cherry pie." I hand the bag to him. He places it down on the small pine table he has in his hallway, then I offer him the pie.

"That is so kind of you, Daisy. I do love cherry pie. From Bluebell's?" He asks.

"Absolutely, no other place to get it. Enjoy, Mr Henderson. Let me know if you need anything. I'll be going grocery shopping tomorrow, would you like me to pick anything up for you?" I like to help the elders in Willowbrook out where I can, one day I will be their age and I like to think that we will have people like me around on hand to help us out too. Even though we have a good community service here for the elderly.

"I don't think so. Eliza came by the other day and made sure my cupboards were stocked and the fridge."

"Okay. I will see you around in that case." I lean in and give him a little peck on the cheek which makes him smile. Bless him, he is the cutest.

My cat Bonnie is meowing when I get in, she's an adorable tux, black and white with a black smudge on her pink nose. "Hey girlie. How was your day?" I pick her up and cuddle her into my chest. She purs and leans her head in so it's under my chin. I fuss her for a few minutes then put her back down. She trots after me as I go into the kitchen and reach in one of the knotted pine cabinets on ground level to reach for her kibbles.

Happy with her treats she munches away. I kick off my shoes and pour myself a nice glass of cold wine. It's already six and I am home later than usual, since ordinarily I will close shop at around four. But having stopped at Mr Henderson's and spending the extra time with Mrs. Winters pushed my times back a bit. I don't mind.

The wine is nice and cold as it glides down my throat. Now are we all eating out? I have forgotten. I message Sage.

Did we say we're eating at Lazy's?

Yes, we'll get something there.

Perfect, I'm starving. Just got in but will be with you ladies for seven.

Great, looking forward to us all catching up. I've only just got in too. We had a few extra patients walk in from Copper Town. The expansion program over there is making us busier, not a bad thing. At this rate, Logan may need to consider hiring in another doctor.

Sounds good, sis-to-be.

We end the chat so we can both get ready. I love calling her my sis-to-be, in all honesty Sage has always been like a sister to me and when she left Willowbrook to follow her medical career in Michigan, it felt like a gaping hole had been left in my heart. I don't even want to think how it felt for Logan but he was a hot mess. That's all water under the bridge now that they've found each other again and are getting married in a few months time. It'll be a Spring wedding and I am making the gown for Sage. We're still discussing it and looking at different designs and of course Pinterest. I swear I'm addicted to that platform.

Bonnie brushes against my leg. "Come here, little one." I pick her up and walk through my open plan lounge-dining space, down the short corridor and into my bedroom. My small cottage has three bedrooms, one I use as a workout room as it has sliding doors that look out to the beautiful West Virginia mountains and forestland. It's a sight to be seen with the abundance of trees and foliage. I find it relaxing to do my yoga and Pilates in here of a morning when the sun is rising and peeking above the tops of the trees. It makes me feel so grateful for the life that I live.

Another room is my guest room and then there is my main bedroom with full bathroom en-suite.

I place Bonnie down on my large bed, covered with a beautiful white and blue patchwork quilt that my mom made for me. On each side of the bed are two side tables that my father carved for me. He's amazing with woodwork and seriously he could sell the stuff he makes, but he prefers to just treat it as a hobby. They're burnished oak and bring out the natural woods of my carved headboard and footrest on the bed. An antique I picked up when I went to Bushnell Peak some years ago, about a two hour drive from me. Thankfully, Logan didn't have any issues in making the trek out there to go pick it up for me in his large truck.

Bonnie curls up on the bed with her head resting on her front paws and keeps her eyes on me. "Yes, baby. Momma is going out again." The way she looks at me makes me feel guilty that I've left her all day and will be out for a good few hours this evening. When she was a kitten I tried her on a halter and leash but she wasn't having any of it. I loved the idea of having her come out and about with me like you see some other folk's cats go walking with them.

Half an hour later I have showered, styled my hair into loose curls with the use of my large barrel tongs and applied some peach lip-gloss and black mascara. I've dusted some bronzer over my cheekbones and the tip of my nose and consider myself ready. Now for an outfit. I'm fancying my crisp white shirt that has frills down either side of the buttons, with long puffed sleeves, since it's now cooler outside, a denim skirt and my long, tan cowgirl boots.

"How do I look, baby?" I ask Bonnie who has now closed her eyes. I sigh, so much for a cat girlfriend. I ruffle her head and grab my turquoise fake leather bag on a long chain from the back of my standalone chair in the corner of my room and go back to kiss her on the head. She moves her head slightly then dozes back off.

Outside, it's cool but not too cold so I just take my black corduroy jacket from the metal coat stand behind my gnarled wood front door and sling it over my arm.

"Daisy." I hear a sexy, gruff voice say. I know that voice, I'd know it anywhere even in dark room.

"Deacon." I say and smile at him.

"You're looking might fine this evening."

"Why thank you, Deacon. You look pretty good yourself." He does, in his tight fitting black jeans, a pale blue button down tucked in that stretches across his broad shoulders. His hips taper nicely from his waist. On his feet he is wearing beaten cowboy boots. This man is perfection with his short hair and beautiful eyes. A girl could get lost in those forever.

"Aren't you walking in the wrong direction?" I ask him. Which he is if he is heading over to Logan's for the poker game. Is he blushing? Oh my, he is and he shuffles from one foot to the other.

I grin. He gives me a shrug of those magnificent shoulders of his. "I'm heading the other direction now. Just out for a bit of a walk is all." He says.

Okay, I'm not sure that is one-hundred percent believable since Deacon's house is off the track road nestled in the forest area, not too far from Logan's. "Right." I say. Going for a walk my ass.

"I better get going." He says and starts to walk off.

"Yeah, I'll see you later, Deacon. Enjoy your night and leave the guys with some cash to take home." I chuckle. He raises his hand to wave and I shake my head. Strange. Very strange.

I'm thinking his sole purpose was to swing by. I may just be fantasizing here, just because I'd like to think that, doesn't mean it's the case. Anyway, I've got a girls night out to get to.