A Maverick's Heart (8 page)

“Hmm...probably. I’m sorry, but you’ll have to direct me to the doctor’s clinic.”

She told him where to turn then eyed him warily. “You’ve become real handy for my daughter.”

In his peripheral vision Seth saw her frown. “Lila juggles a lot of chores, as do you,” he said. “Is my chipping in a problem?”

“Depends.”

“On?” Seth asked. “Do you have something against me?”

“It’s nothing personal, but I’ve seen a lot of men come and go around here. Life’s already handed Lila enough lemons. I’m just saying...”

The local clinic came into view and Seth spotted the Emergency entrance. He certainly got Doreen’s message, but didn’t know how to respond. “I’ll pull up to the door, come around and help you out. I’ll park while you check in. I can help if you need me to fill out any forms.”

“Why are you being so nice? I just accused you of being a lemon in my daughter’s life.”

“Zeke, Myra and Lila all tell me this is a neighbor-helping-neighbor town. My time is my own at the moment,” Seth said, guiding the woman out. Holding her purse, he walked her through the sliding doors. “This way you didn’t have to wait on a cab. And it frees Lila up to open the café on time.” Smiling, he draped her purse strap over her good arm.

Afraid it was going to be a long, tedious morning in Doreen’s company, Seth nevertheless hurried to park. His phone rang before he could enter the building.

“How is she?” Lila asked.

“I let her out at Emergency, parked and now I’m headed in to fill out papers. She injured her right arm. I’ll call you or have her do it after she sees a doctor. Try not to worry.”

“Her right arm. Oh, geez. You probably think we should’ve covered this base in advance since she and I rely so heavily on each other. It’s never been necessary. We’ve both been in excellent health, don’t take vacations and work holidays. Unfortunately we both run our operations on a shoestring.”

From the wobble in her voice Seth imagined she barely held back tears. “You have friends I’m sure you can call on. But let’s get a report first, okay?”

“I do have friends. Jewell leaves for DC soon and has her work piled up until she leaves. Myra’s car is in the shop. Tawana’s in the Wolf Point hospital scheduled for emergency gall bladder surgery. In fact, I’m supposed to check on her and take her flowers today from the Artsy Ladies because Shelley and Mindy can’t.” Her voice held a modicum of hysteria. “Now, I don’t know how I can do that. Perhaps I can have them delivered. But that’s so impersonal.”

Seth paused at the ER door. “Tawana’s having surgery? Hunter had big plans to show her and Jewell around DC. Do you think someone will call him? Or will she still be able to go with Jewell?”

“I don’t know. Shall I add that to my growing out-of-control to-do list?”

“I’ll call him later. The guys all gave me their numbers in case work took me in their directions. Listen, I see your mom talking to a receptionist who just handed her a clipboard. Need to go. I’ve got this end, Lila. I can probably take Tawana flowers. Stay cool, okay?”

“I think you’re an angel in disguise,” she said, followed by a quick “G’bye.”

Smiling, Seth pocketed his phone and went inside.

Doreen met him. “I’ve never been helpless like this. Why are you grinning? Do you think this is funny?”

“No, ma’am. Lila just phoned. I’m smiling because I think...hope I calmed her concerns. Shall we sit? I’ll write if you tell me what to say.”

“I hate a stranger knowing my private business,” she grumbled.

“In ten minutes I’ll have forgotten it all.” He let her choose a chair then sat beside her. Only one other man sat in the waiting room. “Okay, they start by asking insurance info. Do you have a card or know the numbers off the top of your head?”

She dug in her purse and removed a wallet. “You’ll have to find my card. It may be behind my business license.”

Seth retrieved the card and swiftly worked through the general health questions.

“You have nice handwriting for a man,” Doreen said. “My husband’s writing looked like turkey tracks. But he started to work in the mines at sixteen and never finished high school.”

Secretly Seth thought that was sad. But in countries where he hunted gems, kids even younger than that frequently did difficult jobs. He completed the four forms. “Do you feel like returning this to the clerk or shall I?”

“Do you mind? Strangely how I’m sitting causes less pain to my neck and shoulder.”

“Then stay. They may want to run a copy of your insurance card. I’ll bring it right back.” He stood and went to the counter.

The receptionist scanned each sheet. “Everything’s in order. I don’t need the card.” She handed it back. “A nurse will take your mother to X-ray now.”

“I’m a family friend,” Seth said. “I’ll wait over there.” He pointed. He’d barely sat and returned the card to her wallet when a nurse came over with a wheelchair.

“I can walk,” Doreen declared.

“House rules,” the nurse said and glanced at Seth. “The clerk tells me you aren’t a relative, so please wait here.”

“Good.” Seth sank back in his chair. He took out his phone and texted Zeke, bringing him up-to-date. His twin texted right back saying Myra would have her car the next afternoon and could help Lila at home or at the café.

Seth phoned Hunter Wright to let him know about Tawana.

“Thanks, but I spoke to her last night. We’re both sorry she won’t be able to come to DC, but she’s ignored prior attacks. Now tests indicate her gall bladder may be gangrenous. So if one of the ladies in their group visits her I’d appreciate knowing that she’s following doctor’s orders. I sense she’s super independent.”

“That description fits several of the women in their group. I may take her flowers from them today.” He went on to explain about Lila’s mother and the other women’s problems tying them down. “How are you? Have they given you a new prosthetic?”

“I just had another surgery. Hopefully I’ll get the new leg soon. When are you leaving Snowy Owl Crossing?”

“I don’t know,” Seth murmured, picturing Lila as they’d played ball with Rory. “I’m following up on the sapphires Gavin mentioned. Tomorrow I may take a look at one of the mines. I applied for a permit to hunt gems, but it’ll take time for the state to consider my request.”

“So, hey. If you strike it rich you may still be around when I whip this leg into shape and come back there.”

“Maybe. Odd how many of Zeke’s groomsmen like it here. Hey, Hunter, I’m in a hospital waiting room and the receptionist is giving me the stink eye.” The men signed off. Expecting a long wait, Seth sorted through the magazines. Most were old. They ranged from farm news to hunting and fishing, to a couple of dated women’s magazines. He closed his eyes thinking he’d grab a nap. And he did nod off until voices jarred him awake.

A doctor in a white lab coat was speaking with Doreen, whose right arm was in a sling.

Seth didn’t see a cast and she wore a smile. Rising, he checked to make sure his shirt was tucked in before he walked toward them.

The doctor tore a prescription off a pad and handed it to Doreen. She resisted taking it, but the doc tucked it in her purse.

“I recommend filling it to have on hand.”

“I thought I could use ice. You said I have a high tolerance for pain.”

“You do, but you gave the elbow quite a whack. It’ll hurt to flex.”

She thanked him and turned to Seth.

“So, you got good news?” He took out his key and stepped aside to let her exit first.

“Nothing’s broken. I hit squarely on my crazy bone. The fatty tissue swelled. That’s why I couldn’t feel my fingers. My shoulder and upper arm are bruised. It caused the pain to radiate into my neck. But, basically, I lucked out.”

“Great. Once we get in the car I’ll ring Lila on my cell so you can ease her mind.”

“I’m not sure how eased she’ll be. The doctor said I can’t stir or lift anything over two pounds for a week. I’ll be able to carry plates, one at a time, to customers, but Lila will need to cook.”

Seth unlocked the car and helped her in, wondering how Lila could add that to running the B and B. Shouldn’t her mother see that?

Going around the hood to get in, he clipped her seat belt and followed through on his promise to dial Lila.

“This won’t take long,” Doreen said, taking the phone. “She’ll be busy with the breakfast crowd. I’ll let her know we’ll be there in a few minutes. When the crowd thins, I can fill her in.”

True to her word, she announced they were on their way then said goodbye.

“Do we need to find a pharmacy to fill your script?”

“It’s a painkiller. I’m not filling it. Every one I’ve ever had messed with my head. All I need is to miss a step and fall down my stairs.”

“It’s your call. I prefer to go with something over-the-counter myself.”

“Do you get hurt a lot hunting gems?”

“Some. Rocks slide.” Seth was reluctant to bring up the dangers of climbing in or out of old mine shafts, since both Doreen’s and Lila’s husbands had died in them.

Seth drove slowly toward the café. He thought he might have to double park to drop her close to the café, but it was his lucky day. A car very near the front door pulled out, leaving him the perfect spot.

“You don’t need to go in with me,” she said when Seth turned off the motor. “Thanks for driving me to the hospital, but I’m sure you have other things to do.”

Her tone sounded dismissive to Seth, making his response a tad sharp. “Yes, I do have things to do. One is to run an errand for Lila. Jewell asked her to take flowers to Tawana. But maybe you weren’t aware that she had gall bladder surgery today.”

Doreen frowned. “Why is Lila in charge of flowers? And why would she ask you to buy them and not one of the other women in her craft group?”

He ticked through the reasons keeping the other Artsy Ladies from going. “So I’ll walk in with you and see what kind of a bouquet she has in mind. And ask if she needs anything else done at the B and B while she’s busy filling your shoes.” But as he circled the car and opened the passenger door, he saw how hard it was for Lila’s mother to protect her arm and climb from the vehicle. He underwent a pang of regret over his tone. She didn’t know him, after all.

Suddenly solicitous of her condition and what had to be concern for her only child, Seth settled Doreen’s handbag on her uninjured shoulder and rushed to open the café door.

At once customers left their tables and gathered around her, commiserating over her injury and asking about her prognosis.

Seth slipped past them and went into the kitchen, where Lila hovered over a hot grill sizzling with bacon, pancakes and fried potatoes. She wore a too-big apron tied with a sagging bow in the back, and her pretty dark hair was covered by a tan net affair. Even viewing her slender frame from behind spread warmth through Seth’s body. Tendrils of her hair, which had escaped their confines, moved him to loosely span her waist with his hands and brush a kiss on the exposed flesh below her ear.

She yelped, spun around and almost decapitated him with a large, greasy spatula. “Seth! You scared me half to death. Did you kiss me? Why? And where’s Mom?”

Smiling indulgently, Seth released her. “I kissed you because you look so kissable in that getup. But you’d better see to someone’s food before it burns. Your mom got waylaid by customers. I expect she’ll be here soon.”

Lila turned immediately to dish up the breakfast items. “Do you know Joe Watson? About your age but beefier. Black hair. I think he’s wearing a red-plaid shirt. Could you deliver this and freshen his coffee? His brother just came in, stuck his head in the window and ordered the same thing but with double bacon.”

Because she was obviously frazzled, and he still tingled from the kiss, Seth took the plate, grabbed the coffeepot off the warmer and found the man he had met once at his brother’s wedding. “Joe, Lila sends this and hot coffee. She’s starting on your brother’s meal.” Seth set the plate down in front of the surprised man and deftly topped up his coffee.

“You’re Zeke Maxwell’s twin,” Mark Watson exclaimed and held up his cup for more java. “Waiting tables is a far cry from roofing Zeke’s barn.”

“Yeah. Guess I’m a jack-of-all-trades. Truthfully—Zeke’s helping someone brand calves. I’m staying at Lila’s B and B and offered to help when her mom slipped and fell this morning. You’re lucky she didn’t ask me to open the café. I’m the world’s worst cook.”

Lila stuck her head out the opening and called to Seth, “Can you give Mark his plate since you’re out there?”

“I wonder what she did before I showed up,” he joked at large.

“She called customers to the window to pick up their plates. I can get mine,” the younger Watson said and did just that.

Seth filled coffee cups on his meandering return to the kitchen.

Doreen had managed to break away from her sympathizers. She entered the kitchen ahead of Seth and, because it appeared Lila had a lull in orders, launched into relaying what the doctor had found. She wound down saying, “I can only wait tables for a week, but I’ll only be able to carry one plate at a time. You’ll have to cook and handle cleanup, honey. We’re lucky I didn’t break anything.”

Lila looked aghast. “Mom, I have four fishermen booked next week for the steelhead contest. They’ve rented from me the past two years and expect breakfast and boxed lunches, and like their rooms cleaned daily. Plus, Rory has his heart set on playing on a Little League team and practice starts soon.”

Seth watched Lila rub her temples, and he wanted to ease her tension. But both women seemed to have forgotten he was there until he spoke. “Is your high school student available? Can she help wait and bus tables? Cooking, though? I don’t have any suggestion for that.”

“This is something for Lila and me to work out. Weren’t you taking Tawana flowers?” Doreen said pointedly.

“Geez. I totally forgot about that.” Lila retrieved her purse from a cabinet. “I need to give you money, Seth, for flowers and for the ball equipment you bought Rory. Oh, I hate to ask, but can you go by the Owl’s Nest and unlock Ghost’s doggy door so he has the run of our enclosed yard? I lock the door at night to keep him in and away from the risk of wild animals. I flew out so fast this morning, I forgot. My bad.”