Always Dakota - Debbie Macomber [69]
The Doctors’ Clinic was open for business now. Joshua McKenna could be proud of that. The council president had negotiated long and hard to convince the clinic to set up a branch office in town. Hassie knew that Sarah’s troubled pregnancy had been his incentive; both he and Dennis were worried about her and the baby. The town needed a doctor, and even one on a part-time basis was better than none. At the rate Buffalo Valley was growing, it made sense to plan for a clinic that would eventually have office hours five days a week.
The Doctors’ Clinic wasn’t the only new sign on the block. Harvey Hendrickson had sold his farm, and instead of moving his family out of the area, he’d opened a hardware store. The town needed that almost as badly as it did the clinic. The entire Hendrickson family had moved into Buffalo Valley, and with six children, they had plenty of homegrown employees.
“What’s so interesting out here?” Leta asked, coming outside to stand on the sidewalk with Hassie. She wore several layers of clothes and only her nose was visible beneath the thick woolen scarf tied around her head and draped across her neck.
“I was just taking a gander at Main Street,” Hassie explained. It was a joy to look up and down the street and see new businesses popping up every few weeks.
“I heard talk that Rachel’s thinking about building a drive-in hamburger place.”
Hassie grinned. She’d heard the same rumor herself. Rachel had a good head for business; the success of The Pizza Parlor proved as much. “My guess is she’ll set it up across the street from the proposed park.”
“Ready to go in?” Leta led the way back into the warm store. “This town could use a fast-food restaurant. The teenagers would love it. Families, too. And tourists in the summer.”
“What do you think of Rachel as the new council president?” Hassie asked. The annual election was coming up, and Hassie had been giving some thought to potential candidates. Who was the best person to take this town into the future? The person who kept rising to the top of her list was Rachel Quantrill. Hassie walked to the back of the store, where she removed her coat and reached for her white pharmaceutical jacket.
“Wouldn’t Joshua take exception to that?” Leta asked, after shedding her own coat.
Hassie shook her head. “I doubt it. He’s commented a number of times that he’s ready to retire from the council. Can’t say I blame him. He’s been president nearly five years now.”
“I think she’d do a good job,” Leta said.
Hassie agreed; Rachel loved Buffalo Valley with the same passion and loyalty as Hassie. Like so many other towns across the Dakotas, Buffalo Valley had seen its share of troubles. But overall, living here had been a blessing. Even during the very worst times, a sense of community, of neighborly cooperation, had never entirely disappeared. And now…now things were looking up.
“How’s Sarah doing?” Hassie asked, knowing Leta had recently been to visit.
“Better, I think. Her mood was good.”
“Calla’s stopping by more often, is she?”
Leta nodded. “Thankfully, yes. She tries to avoid Dennis, though. Sarah said she always has a convenient excuse for coming over. Usually it’s something to do with the video store. Either she’s dropping off a movie or picking one up. Although, as I understand it, she usually doesn’t stay long.”
“Still, they’re communicating.”
Leta flashed her an easy smile. “So it seems. You know who I haven’t seen much of lately? Margaret Clemens.”
“It’s Eilers now,” Hassie reminded her.
“Right.” Her tone conveyed her lack of enthusiasm for Margaret’s choice of husband.
To be fair, Hassie had entertained her own doubts about Margaret’s marriage to the rogue rancher. The girl deserved better. Bernard had certainly been unimpressed by him. Hassie recalled a time, nearly a year ago now, when he’d sat at her soda fountain and asked Hassie her opinion of Matt Eilers. Hassie hadn’t been sure what to say. She knew who Matt was, knew his reputation, but not much more.
Most people tended to think of him as an outsider, the same way they’d looked at