His face showed his surprise. “Is that the kind of thing you always wanted to do?”

“No. Not really. It’s just a thought. To do something important appeals to me.”

“I think that what she does may be a calling, like becoming a preacher. I can’t see you in, say, Vietnam unless maybe you went on a quest to find the grave of the youngest Hatten kid.”

Cait looked at him in shock. “Why did you mention him?”

“I don’t know. Mention of Vera made me think of Vietnam and that led me to... What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. In Kansas, we take death and war very seriously.” She stood up. “Let’s finish this and get out of here.”

Coop didn’t know what he’d said wrong, but it seemed to be important and it made him curious. Was she upset at the doubt he’d cast on her and Vera Exton? Or was it the mention of Robbie Hatten that bothered her?

Whatever it was, he was going to see if he could find out.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Cait didn’t bother to knock on her father’s door before she entered his house. He was in the living room and, as he always did lately, he scurried to hide the books and papers he was looking at. If it were BC—Before Cooper—she would have asked him what he was doing. But not now. Cait had too many of her own problems to snoop into anyone else’s.

“You mind?” She had a folder full of papers the uncles had handed her and she needed to sort them.

Miguel nodded toward Cait’s favorite chair. “Go ahead. I’m, uh, reading.” Even his hesitation sparked no interest in her.

Tonight was the big party for Vera Exton. It was at the Hatten house and most of Mason was going. Why not? Free beer and the Jack Stack restaurant was catering. It was a Kansas dream come true.

Cait and her father had been invited but they’d turned it down. Miguel told Caitlyn she should go. “Your doctor will be there.”

“When isn’t he there?” she’d mumbled.

Miguel put an arm around her shoulders and gave a hug of understanding. “Hattens take whatever they want.”

Usually, when he said something like that, she disagreed. But this time she didn’t.

Since Kelly and Adam had returned from their trip, Coop had disappeared from Cait’s life. For weeks after their afternoon measuring the Fredericks house, she and Coop had become, well, almost inseparable. At least that’s what the uncles called it.

If there was one thing about Coop, it was that he didn’t give up. He wanted Cait to help him at the clinic and he didn’t quit asking until she did. Every evening, he found a reason why they should share a meal, watch a movie or discuss something he considered important.