Page 82 of The Doctor's Irreplaceable Love

He’d had a great weekend.After they left the bakery on Friday night, Shelley and Harper had come over for dinner and afterward, Harper had insisted that she should leave and go back to Shelley’s place.

She’d told them that she intended to take herself down to Yellowstone for the day yesterday—but Trip had drawn the line there.He appreciated that she was trying to give him and Shelley as much time as they wanted together, but they didn’t need to be alone every single minute.

So he’d suggested that he could give the two of them a tour of the park.He’d rather they got to know the place better than they would if they simply hit the major crowded tourist spots.They’d loved having what they called an insider’s view, and he’d enjoyed showing them around.

He picked up his keys from the kitchen counter.Since he’d have a few hours while Shelley and Harper were visiting with Jim, he figured he’d stop by the hospital and make sure everything was all right.He usually spent a few hours there over the course of the weekend whenever he wasn't busy—and it seemed that for the last several weekends, he'd been much busier than usual.

As he made the short drive into town, he was more focused on what he could pick up for dessert that Shelley and Harper might like than he was on his patients at the hospital.

He didn’t feel bad about it.People always told him that he gave too much of himself to his work.Now that he had more going on in his private life, he was happy to be able to focus more of his attention there.

As he passed the entrance to the small local airfield, he slowed his SUV and peered down the lane.A jet had just landed, and from the flash of the tail number that he’d seen, he thought it might be Cash.

He pulled a U-turn and went back, turning onto the short lane that led to the hangars.He grinned when he saw the plane—it was Cash.It could be Mav, but he doubted that.Mav rarely came home these days.

He parked his SUV next to the hangars and climbed out.He watched the jet taxi to the end of the runway before turning and coming all the way back to where he was standing.He grinned and waved when Bear, the pilot, spotted him and raised a hand in greeting.

A few minutes later, the steps were lowered, and Cash came down them.

“What is it, Trip?What’s wrong?”he asked.

“Relax,” Trip told him.“I’m not here waiting for you.It was pure chance that I was passing by when I saw you land—so I figured I’d come say hi.”

Cash’s features transformed, the stressed look on his face replaced by a smile.“Thank fuck for that.You had me worried for a minute there.”

Trip grasped his hand, and they leaned in to slap each other’s backs.

“Sorry, I didn’t…”

“No problem.I’m glad to see you.In fact, this works out well—or it will, if you promise not to tell anyone that you saw me.”

Trip gave him a puzzled look.“Why’s that?”

“Because we’re not staying for long.Bear needs to refuel the plane, and I’m going to run over to the hospital to pay the old bastard’s bill.”

“Are you seriously not going to let the family know you’re here?On a Sunday especially, when they’re all gathered at the ranch?”Trip asked incredulously.

Cash shrugged.“I don’t know what to tell you, bud.”

Trip narrowed his eyes at his friend.“You’re going to have to tell me something, because it’s not like you.”

Cash laughed.“Okay, you got me.If you want to know the truth, Iampushed for time, but I probably could make it down there and check in with them all if I really wanted to.”

“But you don’t want to?”Trip asked.

“That’s the trouble.I do want to—a little bit too much.”Cash let out a breath.“I used to be able to pull off a quick visit when there were only a few of them home.Now that they’re all back here, it takes more time.I can’t just knock Tanner and Tyler’s heads together, give Janey a hug, and Wade a pep talk, nod at Ford and call it good.

“When I see them, I want to check in with them all.You know, spend a little time with Shayna, make sure she’s doing okay, feeling at home.Have a chat with Laney, make sure her and Luke are good.Hang out with Janey and Rocket—” he smiled, “—and marvel at how hard the big guy has fallen for her.They all deserve some time,” he went on.“And if I spend time with one of them, I need to spend time with all of them—I’m not going to leave any of them out.”

Trip smirked.“Are you telling me that your big brother duties are getting to be too much for you?”

Cash gave him a mock scowl.“When has anything ever been too much for me?”

Trip laughed at that.

“If anything’s getting too much for me,” Cash continued, looking thoughtful, “it’s my new role as uncle.I love the uncle part; it’s theabsenteeuncle bit that I don’t like.”

His light green eyes seemed to twinkle as he said, “When I first met Mateo and Maya, I knew those little guys had wrapped themselves around my heart and weren’t ever going to let go.”He grinned at Trip.“And I love it.”