She conceded with a nod. “It was a suggestion, that’s all. You might browse those pages I printed out. Maybe the diabetes camp would be a possibility for next summer.”
“Sure.” He smiled, but it wasn’t his usual warm expression. “I appreciate your understanding. Can we still call if we have a problem?”
“Of course. I’ll assist you however I can. I want Lena to succeed with her diabetes and in the rest of her life.”
“Great.” He faced Caroline. “Then I guess we can tell Lena she’s on her own with her injections, unless she wants to ask for help. Is that the plan?” His tone was grave, his face as somber as Rachel had ever seen it.
She wanted to reassure him. “She’ll be okay, Garrett. Being on her own will make her more careful, not less.”
“I hope you’re right about that.” He took a deep breath and blew it out. “Teenagers don’t always measure up to their responsibilities. And the consequences, in this situation, are dire.”
“Equanimity,” she said, with a smile. “Remember? You’re suffering over this more than Lena is. She knows what you expect. Give her a chance to earn your trust.”
Shaking his head, he walked toward the doorway. “I can’t say I won’t worry. But I’ll try to keep it to myself. Thanks for your help, Rachel. See you later, Caroline.” His boot heels thudded on the wooden floor as he crossed the living room and the front porch.
“That,” Caroline said, “was Garrett being mad. He doesn’t lose his temper. He gets very quiet and finds a way to leave.”
Rachel relaxed against her chair. “I’m sorry he’s upset. It’s tough being responsible for a teenager with diabetes. Because of the things you can’t do for them as much as anything. Will he get over it?”
Her friend nodded. “He’ll work through it on his own. But he takes his responsibilities very seriously, whether it’s the ranch, the camp or the church.”
“So I gathered.” Which only reinforced her intention to ignore the impact of yesterday’s kisses. Garrett’s intense commitment to others meant that if she was involved with him, she’d inevitably have to be involved with his church and the lives of his parishioners, creating pressures that would surely destroy any relationship they might have.
Setting aside that dreary prospect, she glanced over at her friend. “Shall we go over the basics on diabetes? And then I can explain what Lena should be doing to manage her condition.”
Caroline straightened up. “Sure. Will there be a test?”
Rachel laughed. “Just a hundred multiple-choice questions.”
“Whew. I was worried for a second there.”
After an intense forty minutes, Rachel nodded in satisfaction. “I think you’re up to speed with this, at least enough to supervise Lena. And you can always call me if you have a question.” She gathered the papers they’d been using and stacked them neatly. “Meanwhile, in your spare time, you’re going to marry a cowboy and live happily ever after, is that right?”
Caroline’s smile lit up her face. “I am. A cowboy lawyer. And you’re going to be the small-town doctor who takes care of all our aches and pains. How are you getting along?”
They chatted about the house they shared, though Caroline hadn’t been there all week, about Rachel’s office and her plans for her practice, about the town itself and the people in it.
“Just be patient,” Caroline said as they walked to Rachel’s car. “Some of them are pretty set in their ways. It may take a while for them to get used to a new doctor. Especially a woman doctor. These gnarly old ranchers will have to hear from their neighbors that they can trust you.”
Rachel nodded. “I worked in similar communities during my residency. I’m not expecting instant acceptance.” And she didn’t intend to jeopardize her reputation by indulging in a foolish romance…no matter how tempted she might be. “Fortunately, the cost of living out here is much lower than Seattle. My savings will go farther.”
“I’m glad you’ve come.” Caroline gave her a sudden hug. “You will be such a blessing for Bisons Creek. And Bisons Creek will be so good for you.”
Drawing away, Rachel raised an eyebrow. “What do you think I need?”
“Family,” she said promptly. “Give us a chance, and we’ll adopt you the way we’ve adopted these kids.”
Laughing, Rachel climbed into the car. “Is that a Marshall brothers’ specialty? Taking in strays?” She started the engine before Caroline could answer. “Have a good day!”
As she drove toward town, she considered Caroline’s idea that she needed family. She was used to being the caretaker, not the one taken care of. Growing up with just her mom, she’d taken on responsibility at an early age. She recalled microwaving dinner for the two of them when she was in the first grade.
So while she appreciated the Marshalls’ generosity and acceptance, she wasn’t a candidate for adoption. Her independence and self-reliance had propelled her through college, med school and training. Managing on her own didn’t bother her.
Being vulnerable did.
*
STRIDING AWAY FROM the house, Garrett decided that moving hay would be the best way to work off his anger. A couple of hours spent lifting bales would wear the temper right out of him.
Rachel’s suggestion about sending Lena to a different camp really bothered him. He’d believed she understood what they were trying to do this summer and would be supportive. Instead she’d found them lacking. Of course, he wanted to do what was best for all the kids, especially Lena. Ripping her away from the people and place she’d come to depend on did not, in his opinion, qualify.
After he’d moved a hundred bales from the trailer to the barn, he was prepared to accept that Rachel was simply trying to help in a way that seemed best to her. She’d only spent a couple of hours on the ranch with the kids, not long enough to appreciate the connections they’d developed with Garrett and his brothers—especially when Thomas and Marcos had chosen her visit as the occasion for a fight.
More contact was the answer, more opportunities for her to observe them all as they shared their days and nights. The first-aid lessons next week would bring her out to the ranch daily, which would be a start. Maybe he could invite her to come one evening for ice cream or a campfire. She’d encounter the Circle M summer camp at its best. Then, he was sure, she’d understand.
With noon approaching, he caught up with Lena in the tack room as she put away her saddle. “Can we talk for a minute?”
“I didn’t forget to inject,” she protested. “I just got finished with my horse.”
He held up his hands in a gesture of surrender. “I get that. I wasn’t planning to yell at you.”
She pretended to wipe sweat off her forehead. “So what’s the problem?”
“There’s no problem. I have some good news, in fact.”
“The tests were wrong and I don’t really have diabetes?”
“Not that good.” They came out of the barn and headed down the hill toward the girls’ cabin. “I talked with Dr. Vale this morning. She says you can manage your injections on your own. Without supervision.”
Lena stopped in her tracks and stared at him. “She does?”
“She believes you understand the risks and you’re comfortable enough with the process to take care of yourself.”
“Do you agree with her?” She started walking again.
“I know you’re smart enough to handle the injections, as long as you don’t get distracted or hurry through it. What do you think?”
They reached the steps to the cabin porch and stood for a minute in silence. “I can do it,” Lena said finally, nodding. “It’s written down, so all I really have to do is follow directions.”
“I’ll still be checking on you,” Garrett warned. “Just because I’m not in the room doesn’t mean I won’t remember what you’re supposed to be doing.”
“As if I would be that lucky.” To his surprise, she smiled at him. “I might have a question sometimes. Is that okay?”
<
br /> “Sure.” He didn’t want to make a big deal of her reliance. “You’d better get going—your team is making lunch.”
She shrieked and ran up the steps. “Lizzie will kill me if I’m late!”
Her confidence was encouraging, but Garrett spent the rest of Friday and all of Saturday keeping a close eye on Lena’s behavior. At the least sign she wasn’t well, he was prepared to step in. He consulted the books Rachel had given him and memorized what to do for both low and high blood-sugar emergencies.
Those emergencies never materialized. By Saturday night, he was beginning to accept that Rachel had been right and Lena could manage her own injections. After two days of constant worry, he was fairly exhausted, and fell into bed at ten o’clock without reading through his sermon for the next morning even once.
He woke up before his alarm and arrived at the church before seven, as usual, to make sure everything was ready for the Sunday service.
As he got out of his truck, he noticed a runner coming down the street from the center of town. She didn’t have to get too close before he recognized the red hair and curvy figure, so by the time she reached the church, he was standing at the edge of the yard to greet her.
“That’s a great way to enjoy a summer morning.”
Rachel slowed and then stopped beside him, breathing only a little fast. “I’ve been jogging around town since I got here. This was the only direction I hadn’t taken.” She stared beyond him at the church. “White siding and a gray-shingled steeple. Very traditional.”
“Thanks. We try to stick to the basics—love your neighbor as yourself, do unto others…that kind of thing. You could show up again about eleven and check it out.”
One eyebrow lifted. “I’d probably get struck by lightning.”
He shook his head. “God’s more forgiving than that. You can always have a second chance. All you have to do is ask.”
“I’ll remember.” But she didn’t sound convinced. “You look quite respectable in your collar and shirt, by the way.”
“Only on Sundays. The rest of the week I’m just a cowboy preacher.”
“Among other jobs. How’s Lena doing?”
“Great. She’s taking care of her injections by herself and hasn’t seemed to have any problems.”
“Are you starting to relax yet?”
Garrett laughed. “I slept pretty well last night. But it’s been an adjustment.”
Her smile was a welcome sight on a Sunday morning. “It will get easier.”
“Equanimity. I remember.”
“Right.” Rachel glanced at the church again, and then focused on the road. “I’d better finish my run before the sun rises too high.”
“Maybe I’ll see you later,” he suggested. “You’d be welcome to come to the ranch for lunch. We usually eat at one.”
She gave him a warning glance. “Probably not.”
He grinned as he shrugged. “You can’t blame me for trying.”
“I wouldn’t be too sure about that,” she said, and then took off running before he had a chance to reply.
*
MONDAY MORNING, RACHEL officially opened her office for business.
“Not that I expect a rush of patients at first,” she said to her nurse, Allie Freedman. “But I put a flyer on the bulletin board at Kate’s Diner, the feed store and the grocery store, so I hope word will get around.”
“It was all the talk at church yesterday,” Allie said. “Caroline Donnelly and the Marshall brothers were telling folks that you’d come out to an emergency with one of the kids they’re taking care of this summer. They said you’d been checking on her all week long.”
“Oh.” She swallowed hard. “Well, good word of mouth is always useful.”
“Even Pastor Garrett was saying what a blessing it was that you arrived when you did.”
Rachel remembered Caroline using that word, as well. “One of the girls at the camp, Lena Smith, has just been diagnosed with diabetes. I urged them to call if they have questions or problems. And I want to order supplies in case of an emergency with Lena—insulin for hyperglycemia and glucagon for hypoglycemia. I’ll make a list.”
She was at her desk midmorning, going through medical catalogs, when Allie knocked on the office door. “You have a patient,” she said, with a wide smile. “Room one.”
“Terrific.” Heart beating hard, Rachel smoothed her hair, checked to be sure she had her stethoscope in the pocket of her lab coat and then made her way down the hall. Hayley Brewster was the name on the file.
Rachel knocked and entered the room. “Ms. Brewster, it’s nice to meet you.” She offered her hand. “I’m Dr. Vale. What can I do for you today?” As she shut the door, she noticed a tang of cigarette smoke tinting the air.
The woman took Rachel’s hand, although she was also shaking her head. “That’s Mrs. Brewster, thank you very much.” Tall and thin, she wore jeans and boots and a plaid shirt, with a bandanna tied around her throat. Her silver hair hung in a long braid over her shoulder. “I was married for fifty-three years and I want people to respect that.”
Rachel made a note on the record. “That’s quite an accomplishment indeed, Mrs. Brewster. Now, I don’t have your previous medical records yet, so you’ll have to fill me in on your history. I gather that you smoke.”
A flush brightened Mrs. Brewster’s cheeks. “Occasionally.”
“You should quit, you know. As soon as possible.”
A lift of one shoulder was the only reply.
So they would move on. “Are you taking any medications?”
The older woman grimaced. “Hell, no, I don’t take medicine. I’ve got too much to do to waste time being sick.”
“Then why are you here?”
“I heard there was a new doctor in town and I wanted to come check you out.” Mrs. Brewster’s eyes were a piercing gray. “You’re not from around here.”
“No, I grew up near Laramie.”
“You have family there?”
“Um, no. My mother died two years ago.” Funny, that was still so hard to say.
The stern face softened slightly. “My condolences. What made you decide to come to Bisons Creek?”
“My friend Caroline Donnelly informed me the town was searching for a doctor and it was exactly the kind of job I would enjoy.”
“That Caroline is a decent girl. Does a lot for the people hereabouts. You’ve been up at the Circle M this week, helping with those kids she’s taken on. Her and the Marshall boys. They were a handful when they were young, but they’ve grown up to be decent men.”
“That’s certainly my impression.”
“You’re not married.”
“No.”
“You could do worse than one of the Marshalls.”
Rachel laughed. “I’m not considering marriage right now, Mrs. Brewster. And if there’s nothing I can do for you—”
“We’ll be having a party,” Mrs. Brewster said. “Was talking to Pastor Garrett about it yesterday at church.” The gray gaze narrowed. “You weren’t in church.”
She didn’t hesitate. “I don’t go to church.”
“Well, at least you’re honest about it. Anyway, we’ll be having this get-together for the town to meet you. Seven p.m., Friday night, at my place.” With a nod, she walked to the door. “See you then.”
“Thanks…” Rachel said, as her patient left the room. She wasn’t sure whether to be amused or simply stunned by Hayley Brewster’s visit. She’d never expected to be the one being examined during an office call.
As for the party invitation—she detected the crafty mind of Garrett Marshall behind that plan. Using his parishioners to spread the word about her practice and then enlisting them to create an official welcome was a wily way of involving her with his church. At least Hayley Brewster hadn’t pressured her when she said she didn’t attend services. Rachel doubted she would escape so easily with all of the faithful.
She was certain Garrett meant well, though, and she wo
uld cooperate with his plan, because it suited her own ends. What better way to advertise her practice than with a pleasant Friday evening spent meeting her future patients?
As for today, however, she was supposed to be at the Circle M Ranch at noon for the teenagers’ first lesson in first aid. She had no idea what to expect from the kids—would they cooperate, or be bored by the idea? She’d tried to come up with some entertaining aspects to emergency response, but what Thomas and Marcos would consider fun was more than she could predict.
And then there was the possibility of meeting up with Garrett again. Their encounter on Sunday had stuck with her all day—he’d come across as so serious and…and faithful in his clerical shirt and collar. No less attractive, though, which was the problem. The differences between them—her in running clothes, sweaty and winded—couldn’t have been more apparent. She’d gone to Kate’s Diner for lunch, only to spend most of the meal remembering the night she’d come there with him.
“I’ll be back about two,” she told Allie as she left the office. “If there’s an emergency, of course, call me. If someone comes in, schedule an appointment for later this afternoon. All right?”
“Perfect. Have fun—I hear those kids are a handful.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of.”
“You’ll do fine.”
Watching the kids during lunch, Rachel wasn’t so sure. Caroline said they’d spent the morning cleaning saddles and bridles—nobody’s idea of fun. So they all seemed grumpy as they made their own sandwiches and sat down at the long table in the bunkhouse to eat. None of the Marshall brothers were present, and Rachel didn’t ask where Garrett was. Out of sight, out of mind…she hoped.
But since he wasn’t around, she thought she’d better keep an eye on Lena, just to be safe. “Did you test before lunch?” she asked the girl as she passed by. “Take your insulin?”
Lena rolled her eyes. “Of course.”
“Just checking,” Rachel said with a smile. “I’d probably forget constantly.”
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