Free Randall Honor by Judy Christenberry Page A

Devil to follow Snowflake and Snoopy to the top. Sounded as if he was in a damn fairy tale instead of a torture chamber.
     
    T ORI LEANED against a tree and watched Jon sleeping. They’d stopped for lunch. After he wolfed down the roast beef sandwiches, she’d suggested he lie down for a few minutes. She’d told him to use his jacket as a pillow. After he’d done so, she spread her jacket over his chest.
    Riding all day required seasoning, just as a runner didn’t start with a marathon. This was going to be a hard trip for the doctor. He was going way beyond the care most doctors offered. She didn’t want to admire the man…but she did. And if they got there to find Russ in trouble, she’d be even more grateful.
    When she got back to town, it was going to be impossible to return to the formality she’d tried to cling to. She’d better line up some women to introduce to the doctor. The brothers had intended to have a big party on the Fourth of July to celebrate the holiday, and the twins’ birthday and anniversary. Richand Russ had both married in a joint ceremony last year.
    She didn’t know what they would do now.
    If Russ was all right, they might go ahead with it. It was a tradition to have a July Fourth party. It all depended on Russ. Poor Rich and Samantha were expecting their first child in three months. Janie said Rich was watching Samantha like a hawk. They were sharing the house with his grandmother, and Rich was grateful for someone to be at home with Samantha all day.
    Toby had muttered something about not having another child. They had a baby boy born last November. He’d talked of having a houseful of children, but after Abby’s death, he’d changed his mind.
    A gentle snore interrupted her thoughts. She looked at Jon. He seemed to be a good doctor. Maybe he could reassure Rich and Toby. Toby’s boy was going to be spoiled rotten if some more babies didn’t come along fast. Of course, Samantha was due in three months. A little girl.
    Samantha was so excited. She’d had a difficult life until she met Rich. And Janie, Rich’s mother, was over the moon about a baby girl. She’d had three boys and wanted grandchildren, especially girls.
    Which only reminded Tori of the loss of Abby and her unborn child. Life could be unbelievably cruel. The family had been fortunate for a long time.
    She checked her watch. It had been half an hour. That was as long as she could give him. She stood and crossed to the grassy area where he was sleeping.He looked so young, lying there sprawled on the grass. The recurring dream of him holding her in his arms, which had bothered her since she’d spent the night at his apartment, flashed through her mind.
    Better not think of that. She bent down and shook his shoulder. “Jon? Time to go.”
    He rubbed his eyes and stared up at her. “Oh, yeah.”
    He groaned as he sat up. “Did I go to sleep?”
    “I don’t know,” she said with a grin. “Does snoring count?”
    His cheeks flushed. “Oh, sorry.”
    She wanted to hug him. He was so different from the stiff doctor she’d first met in her office. Instead, she offered him a hand up.
    “Thanks,” he said as he stood, adding a small moan. “Did you get any rest?”
    “No, but I’m more used to riding. Only about five hours left. We’ll take another break in a few hours. I brought along another snack.”
    “I think I could eat anything right now, let alone in three hours. I can’t believe my appetite.”
    “Mountain air. You might want to put on your jacket. There’s a breeze picking up and we’re higher up.”
    “Is there going to be a storm?”
    She frowned and stared to the west. “I’m not as good at knowing these things as Red, but I think it’s a possibility. Hopefully rain and not snow.”
    “You’re kidding!”
    She laughed at his amazement. “You’re going to be here four years. You’ll see.”
    They mounted up, Jon with some difficulty, and they were on the trail again. A snack in two or