A Marriage In Wyoming (The Marshall Brothers 3) (5 page)

“And what brilliant idea was that?”

“Well, I mentioned to you that we’re trying to teach these kids responsibility, how to take care of themselves and make sound choices in their lives.”

“Right.”

“It occurred to me that one of the skills they’ll need in the future is the ability to handle minor injuries and illness. We’ve already had a couple of accidents that required first aid. On a ranch, people are always getting scrapes or burns or cuts. Not to mention colds and the flu.”

“And so...”

“And so it occurred to me how great it would be if you could come out to the ranch and give the kids some instruction in first aid and basic home health care. Isn’t that a fantastic concept?”

“Um...sure.” Garrett’s face flashed through Rachel’s mind. So much for trying to stay out of his way.

“You could even go over CPR and the Heimlich maneuver, because you never know when that kind of emergency could come up. What do you think? Doesn’t it sound terrific for the kids?”

A man’s voice said something on Caroline’s end, though Rachel couldn’t understand the words.

Her friend chuckled. “Ford wants you to know that I make use of everybody like this, that you’re not the only one I impose on. Thanks so much for the support, dear,” she told her fiancé. “So what would be good for your schedule?” she asked Rachel. “When can we start?”

Caroline’s gung-ho enthusiasm was familiar to Rachel from their college days. “I can probably come out around lunchtime, since I doubt I’ll have a flood of patients every day at the beginning. It will take a while for people to get used to having a doctor right in town.”

“I’m already used to it,” Caroline said, laughing. “I’m so glad you took the job!” They discussed details and settled on the next Monday to begin the course. “You can check on Lena while you’re here,” she added. “That will be convenient.”

Not necessarily
, Rachel thought. She preferred the structure of an office visit for seeing her patients. It helped her maintain detachment. “I’ll be sure to set her up for regular appointments when the clinic opens.”

“Perfect,” Caroline said. “Thanks so much. And we will expect you Monday for first aid, if not before.”

Rachel hung up the phone and then sat with her head in her hand, her eyes closed. Instead of staying out of Garrett’s way, she was now going to be seeing him on a daily basis, going to his home to teach first aid to his camp kids. It would have been bad enough to deal with him when Lena came to the office, but in that kind of professional setting Rachel was certain she could keep control.

On his territory, she wasn’t so sure the same would be true. The situation would be much less predictable. He would forget to keep his distance, and he’d smile. Or even flirt with her, as he was so skilled at doing. And with her attention distracted, how often would she respond in kind? This plan of Caroline’s was a personal disaster, as far as Rachel was concerned.

But she had agreed, so she would simply have to deal with the situation. Maybe Garrett wouldn’t attend the first-aid sessions—he might have ranch work to do. That would be the best-case scenario. If he did attend, she’d simply be polite but cool. Focus on the kids and what they were learning, not the handsome minister in the cowboy hat. She’d often seen patients all day after going without sleep the night before, so she could handle this kind of stress, too.

She would have to. Getting too close to Garrett Marshall posed not only a personal risk, she had come to realize, but a professional one, as well. To make a success of her medical practice, she had to be viewed as an authority figure—a knowledgeable and reliable physician. Her patients would include ranchers and laborers working in the area, some of them men like Lena’s father who didn’t easily accept the competence of a young woman. Being the local pastor’s girlfriend could weaken her in their eyes and diminish their confidence in her skills. An old codger in Idaho had once dismissed her as “that cute little girl.”

So she would keep Garrett at arm’s length as she established her practice. Maybe in the future, when the locals trusted her, there would be an opportunity for a romantic relationship. Garrett wouldn’t wait, of course—he would find a woman with similar beliefs to be his wife and give him those kids he wanted.

That surprisingly disturbing concept kept her awake far longer than she would have preferred.

Chapter Four

Two days later, Lena was doing well enough with her injections that Dr. Stevens said she could return to the ranch on Thursday. Garrett expected a joyful reaction to that bit of news.

But when he and Justino arrived at the hospital on Thursday morning, Lena was quite subdued. She sat in the chair in her room, appearing younger than her fourteen years.

“We brought your backpack,” Justino told her, “to carry your equipment.”

“Thanks.” She gave him an uncertain smile. “I hope it all fits in there.” Boxes of needles took up most of the space in the bag, along with her supply of insulin, an injection log Kim Kaiser had provided, and the books and papers Lena had been reading. The top zipper wouldn’t close.

“But you got everything in there,” Garrett said, trying for the positive perspective. “We’ll figure out how to store this stuff when we get to the Circle M. Maybe a plastic box of some kind. For now, though, are you ready to go?”

Lena glanced around reluctantly, as if the room had been somewhere she’d enjoyed staying and didn’t want to leave. “I guess so.”

Once outside, she stopped and took a deep breath. “It’s nice to be in the fresh air.” Lifting her face to the sun, she grinned. “I was tired of that hospital smell.”

“I’m not surprised.” Garrett unlocked the truck and watched as the teenagers climbed into the backseat. “Let’s make a plan not to come here again.”

Lena giggled. “Okay.”

Justino spoke as Garrett accelerated onto the interstate. “I’m so glad you’re coming back, Lena. I’ve missed you so much.”

“Me, too.”

Through the rearview mirror, Garrett saw Lena put her head on the boy’s shoulder, but after only a moment, she sat up again. “Mr. Garrett, am I going to have to eat different food from everybody else?”

“I’ve talked with Caroline and Susannah about the meals,” he told her. “We’re going to make a few changes that the others won’t mind—less pasta and bread, more vegetables and proteins. It’ll be healthier for everybody. And then you can make good choices.”

“What about dessert?”

“Well, there you’re going to have to be strong. We can’t quit making dessert altogether, but we can have fruits available so you can don’t have to go without something sweet.”

“But I love ice cream.”

“Me, too. And homemade is the best, isn’t it?” Garrett had considered this problem all week long. “But I’ll give up ice cream if you will.”

She met his gaze in the mirror. “Why would you do that?”

He shrugged a shoulder. “Maybe it won’t be so hard if you aren’t suffering alone. Besides, I could stand to drop a few pounds. I’ve been eating too well these past few weeks.”

“You’re making that up.”

“Nope. Deal?”

After a long pause, Lena said, “Deal.”

As he said a silent farewell to his favorite dessert, she came up with another question. “Will Dr. Vale be there when we get to the ranch?”

I wish.
“We didn’t ask her to be there. Is something wrong?”

“No, I just wondered if maybe she wanted to make sure I was doing things right when I got out of the hospital.”

“I didn’t think about that.” He gave himself a mental punch. “We can call her when we get to the house.” The first of what would no doubt be many calls for Rachel’s attention.

Not on his account, of course. When he’d encountered her at the hospital this week he had struggled to stay casual, to act uninterested. And it
was
an act—each time he saw her, he liked her more, was more stirred by her presence. Hiding his emotions proved a difficult task. Her concern for Lena and her attention to the girl’s condition demonstrated what a vital resource Rachel would be for the people of his little town.

“That’s okay,” Lena said. “I don’t want to bother her. I can handle it.” Doubt colored her tone.

Garrett dredged up more reassurance. “I’m sure you can. And I’ve been reading up. I can go over your dosage with you before you inject.”

“Right.” It was not a vote of confidence.

He didn’t have Rachel’s number in his cell phone, or he would have called at that moment. Whether she wanted a relationship with him or not, Lena’s situation was of primary concern. He could behave himself for her sake.

The three people in the truck gave a mutual sigh of relief when he turned in to the drive for the Circle M. In just a few minutes the house and the barn came into sight. Lena sat forward, staring through the windshield.

“I’m glad to be here,” she told Garrett. “I missed it.”

“And I’m glad to hear that,” he said with a grin. “We must be doing something right.”

When they pulled to a stop at the house, the only resident visible was Honey, the golden retriever, lying stretched out in a patch of sunshine on the front porch. As Garrett put the truck in park, the dog stood up and came down the steps to greet them.

Lena nearly fell out of the vehicle in her rush to hug the dog. “Honey! I’m so happy to see you!” She laughed as Honey licked her face. “Yes, I love you, too.” Glancing around, she seemed disappointed. “Where is everybody?”

Garrett suspected he’d heard a shushing noise come through the screen door from the direction of the living room.

“I’m not sure,” he said, suppressing a grin. “Maybe we should check the house?”

“They might be out riding,” Justino said. His dark eyes were smiling—he’d heard the whispers from inside, too.

“Humph.” Lena got to her feet and walked to the door, opened it...and squealed. “No!”

“Surprise!” the kids inside yelled at the tops of their voices. “Welcome back!”

When Garrett got to the doorway, he saw a banner hung across the wall with the same message painted on it. Balloons floated near the ceiling and streamers littered the floor. Lena sat on the couch with Lizzie and Becky on either side of her, the three of them chattering simultaneously. The three boys—Nate, Thomas and Marcos—lounged nearby, trying to look bored and failing.

Ford and Caroline stood to the side, grinning at the successful celebration. “Good job,” Garrett said, joining them. “She had no idea.”

“It was Lizzie’s suggestion.” Caroline was obviously satisfied with her campers’ effort. “But the boys didn’t protest. I consider that a big win.”

“And we didn’t even have to bribe them with food,” Ford added.

“That’s a surprise.” Garrett heard Honey’s bark outside. “Are we expecting visitors?”

“Yes, as a matter of fact.” Caroline went to open the screen door. “Hi, Rachel, come in. How are you?”

This surprise stole Garrett’s breath for a few seconds. He couldn’t help drinking in the sight of her—the russet hair pulled to the side and then into a ponytail, the smooth cream of her cheeks and the shining blue of her eyes. Khaki shorts showed off the toned length of her legs and a sleeveless yellow shirt revealed her slender arms. His mouth went dry even as he fought to school his face into a casual—damn the word—mask.

When she turned toward him, he didn’t offer his hand for her to shake. “Hey, Rachel. What brings you out this way?”

“I called her,” Caroline said. “I wondered if maybe Lena would appreciate having Rachel around for her solo flight, so to speak.”

“You’re one smart woman. Lena was actually hoping Rachel would be here.” He met the doctor’s gaze, keeping his own cool. “Thanks for making a house call.”

“I’m glad to help.” She nodded toward the welcome banner. “This appears to be a party.”

“A surprise party,” he agreed. “Lena was pretty thrilled.”

“That’s great for her confidence. She must have been a little nervous returning to her friends.”

“Try a lot nervous. But so far, all is well.”

“We planned to have lunch down at the creek,” Caroline said. “Can you stay, Rachel? We’d love to have you.”

“Sure,” she said, after a moment’s hesitation. “Sounds like fun.”

Garrett didn’t believe he imagined the wariness that flashed through the doctor’s blue eyes. If Rachel were as immune to him as she claimed, why would she be reluctant to stay?

Susannah Bradley, who had recently taken over as housekeeper and cook, brought two picnic baskets into the living room. “Who’s toting lunch today?”

Her son, Nate, volunteered, as he usually did, but the other boys didn’t offer to help. “I can carry a basket,” Lena said. “It’s not heavy.”

Garrett opened his mouth to protest, but then had second thoughts. He snagged Rachel’s attention. “She has to test her blood sugar and take an injection before doing anything else, especially eating.”

Rachel nodded. “That’s right.”

“But she’s not showing any sign that she remembers. Do I remind her, in front of her friends? Do I let her get all the way to the creek and have to leave again to take care of her medical needs? How am I supposed to handle this?”

The kids were preparing to exit the house and start the walk down to the creek running through the Circle M land. Lena had left her backpack sitting on the floor by the couch and picked up one of the picnic baskets. Justino stood beside her, offering to help her carry the load.

“This is the kind of dilemma you’ll be coming up against. I think you have to remind her,” Rachel said, finally. “Either she’s pretending it doesn’t matter or she actually forgot. And Justino isn’t helping. But she can’t ignore what must be done.”

“Right.” Taking a deep breath, Garrett crossed to the door just as Lena and Justino started to leave. “Hold up, Lena.”

She stared up at him, and the light went out of her face. “Oh, yeah.”

“Yeah. You’ve got something to do.”

“Couldn’t I do it after lunch? I’m hungry.”

“I’m glad you’re hungry. But you know that’s not how it works.”

She sighed. “Justino, you take the basket. I’ll be there in a while.”

“Sure.” His cheeks flushed, and he gave Garrett a guilty glance. “Sorry.”

Rachel joined them. “Would you like me to go with you?” she asked Lena. “I can double-check your dose.”

“Maybe,” Lena said. “Just this first time. To be sure.”

“Lead the way,” Rachel said, following the girl through the door. On the threshold, though, she looked back into the house and gave Garrett a thumbs-up sign, plus a smile and a wink.

Ford had come to stand beside him. “That was tricky.”

Garrett shook his head. “This parenting stuff is not for sissies.”

“You and the doctor make a great team.”

“She’s another smart lady.”

“Don’t sell yourself short, brother. You’re the one who called Lena to account, and you did it without causing a scene for her or for you. Well done.”

“Thanks.” As always, his brother’s praise felt good.

But it was a wink and a smile from the pretty redhead that put the big grin on his face.

* * *

R
ACHEL
FOLLOWED
L
ENA
up the hill to a small timber-sided house with a wide front porch.

“This is where the girls stay,” Lena said, leading the way up the front steps. “The boys are in the bunkhouse.”

“Just like the ranch hands in the old days, hmm?”

“I guess so.” Inside the house, Lena looked around. “Where am I supposed to do this? In the bathroom? The kitchen? The bedroom?”

“Wherever you’re comfortable.” Even though she’d treated diabetics in the past, Rachel had never contemplated all the small details that would go into daily life. “You would have the most privacy in the bathroom, I suppose.”

“But it’s not very big. Maybe I’ll just use the kitchen for now. We’re not cooking in here.”

“Do you have your orders from the doctor?”

Lena put her backpack on the counter and began pulling out materials. “They’re in there somewhere.” When she finished, a jumble of papers, books and boxes had been spread over the workspace. “Let me find them.”

Rachel waited, and cautioned herself not to say anything about being more organized. She wasn’t the parent, and Lena would have to develop her own system. But staying quiet was a struggle.

“Here it is.” Lena handed the sheets to Rachel. “First I have to test.”

“Are you sure?”

“What else—oh.” The girl nodded. “First, wash your hands.”

“Right.”

From there the process continued in a haphazard fashion. “Where’s the glucose meter?” Another search revealed the meter kit. “Put the strip in the meter. Put the lancet in the gun.” She glanced at Rachel with a frown. “That’s what I call it because it seems like you’re shooting yourself with that little needle.”

Teenagers had some unique perspectives. “There is a resemblance.”

“Then pick a finger and click.” A wince greeted the prick of the lancet. “Now catch blood on the strip and wait for the number.” Five seconds ticked by in silence. “Huh. It’s high. I barely ate any breakfast.”

“Don’t blame yourself,” Rachel said. “Just write it down and figure out your insulin dose. You’ll be eating bread at lunch, so you want to take that into consideration.”

“This is such a pain.” Brow furrowed, Lena studied the instruction sheet and her log book then came up with a number. “Do I have it right?”

Rachel scanned her work. “You’ve got it. Do you want me to give you the injection? Or step out and give you privacy?”

“Could you just make sure I’m holding the syringe right? How am I supposed to tell what a forty-five-degree angle looks like?” She picked up the insulin pen, dialed up a dose and then drew a deep breath. “Now for the bad part.”

Lifting her shirt, Lena pinched a fold of skin on her stomach, below her waist. “Like this?” she asked, posing the needle.

“That’s it,” Rachel told her. “Go for it.”

With a breath hissing between her teeth, Lena pushed the needle into the fold of skin. Her thumb fumbled for the button at the end of the pen, then pushed.

“‘Remember to pause at the bottom,’” she parodied Kim in a high-pitched voice, “‘so the last drop leaves the needle.’” She frowned. “It still hurts. Every single time.”

“You will get used to it, honey.” She couldn’t help feeling sympathetic. “You’ve been doing this less than a week.”

“Seems like forever already. Can we go to lunch now? I’m starved.”

At this point, silence wasn’t an option. “Aren’t you forgetting something?”