Dixie strode in and set her bags on the counter. “I didn’t know what you would want for dinner. I do know Bill’s kitchen is a wretched mess. Miranda never should have sold you that place. Here’s the deal. I brought Doc his lunch every day, no charge. It was my pleasure to help out a man who served the community even long after he was good at serving us. You are going to be spectacular at serving us, Doc Daley.”

Lila shook her head. “I’m not a doctor.”

Dixie waved that fact off. “Deal with it. We don’t understand the whole nurse practitioning thing. I might have been too sensitive earlier. I apologize.” She shook off the emotion he’d seen in her eyes and she was back to professional, practical Dixie. “Like I said, I didn’t know what you would want so there’s a big salad. I put all the fixin’s on the side. There’s also some meatloaf, green beans, corn, a big container of red beans and rice, and both bread pudding and chocolate pie.”

Lila looked at the big bags and her lips curled up slightly. “Trying to fatten me up?”

Dixie winked her way. “You need it, girl.”

“I’m sorry, too,” Lila said, holding her hand out to the café owner. “I might not have been sensitive enough.”

Dixie shook her hand before she turned and started for the door. “All is forgiven, then. I’ll be back tomorrow with a salad and the soup of the day. If you want to change your lunch order, call one of my girls before noon and let us know. Have a nice night, Doc.”

Lila frowned, stepping in front of the bags and looking inside. “Do you think she’ll come back and take them away? That’s what Miranda did. I didn’t care that they were her second-best cookies or that she made them to insult me. I liked that they were food I didn’t have to cook myself.”

Oh, it was bad. The words were coming out of her mouth, but there was absolutely not a hint of emotion behind them.

She stopped and looked around, her eyes flaring. “Where’s Peanut?”