“Okay, Mr. Banks,” she said with a big grin.

He hated having her address him so formally. He frowned, wondering why. Grace put her hand around his arm and smiled up at him and he forgot everything.

“I won’t be back in today,” he added.

“No problem,” Clancey replied. “Have a good time.”

“We’re going to see a ranch where they slaughter poor calves,” Grace sighed. “I’m afraid it isn’t my idea of a good time at all.”

“I love cattle,” Clancey replied with a smile. “I wish I lived in a place where I could have some. I’d have two milk cows, so that I could always afford milk.”

“It’s cruel to milk them,” Grace said sadly. “It oppresses them.”

“Excuse me,” Clancey said earnestly, “but have you ever seen a cow who hasn’t been milked? They actually cry because the pain is so bad. Sometimes a calf can’t take all the milk. If they’re beef cattle, you can’t milk them because it’s too dangerous. But if they’re dairy cattle, or a cow you keep for milk, you can. It’s a lot crueler not to milk them. Honest.”

“How would you know that?” Grace said, and not in a truly friendly way.

“My ex-boss has a cattle ranch in Jacobs County,” Clancey said. “He keeps two milk cows.”

Grace just stared at her without speaking.

“We’d better go,” Banks said shortly. He tugged Grace along with him. “I’ll be here in the morning. If there’s anything urgent, you can text me.”

Before she could tell him that she didn’t know his cell phone number, he was up the steps and gone.

Clancey hoped the number was somewhere accessible, because if an emergency came up, she’d have to be able to contact him. It shocked her that she hadn’t asked for it before. He always called in when he was out of the office, so she’d never had to track him down. Yet, at least.

Then she remembered. Even if she didn’t have his cell phone number, Cal would have it. She could call him, for the number or for help, if she needed it.

She sat down at her desk with a long sigh. It looked as if Banks was head over heels in love with Grace. She didn’t blame him. He’d known her a long time, cared for her a long time, been alone for a long time. She wanted him to be happy. He’d been kind to her, and to Tad.