A Nanny for the Cowboy

by Roxann Delaney

  Within seconds, Luke heard Paige’s voice. “What’s going on with Brayden, Luke?”

  “Sorry to call you so late,” he said, trying to keep the worry from his voice. He explained about Brayden’s past seizure, current temperature and how they’d given him something to bring it down, but that it hadn’t, at least so far. “Since Hayley is a nurse, she knew what to do, but she also said I should call you.”

  “A nurse? I wasn’t aware of that,” Paige answered. “It sounds like it might be a good idea if I have a look at him. Bring him in right away. I’ll meet you at the clinic. Just park behind the building and come to the back door.”

  Having reached Brayden’s room, where Hayley stood watching and listening, he nodded. “Okay. We’ll be right there. And thanks.” He turned to Hayley. “We’re to take him in now.”

  Hayley nodded. “Wrap him loosely in the blanket, so he doesn’t catch a chill, while I get my shoes and a jacket.”

  She left the room, and he turned to look at his son. Why hadn’t he noticed that his son wasn’t feeling well? Instead, he’d just been glad Brayden hadn’t demanded a lot of his attention, especially when Dylan had given him the news that he would soon be leaving again.

  It sure hadn’t been a good day, he thought, as he carried Brayden down the stairs. He found Hayley in the kitchen, refilling the juice cup.

  “Ready?” she asked, coming around the counter, cup in one hand as she struggled with putting on her jacket.

  He immediately moved to help her, noticing how dark her eyes were. She was as worried as he was.

  Following her out to the garage, he thought about how calm she’d been, how she’d taken over so easily the moment she walked in from her class. He hadn’t realized until now how really competent she was, especially in a crisis.

  “Let’s take my car,” she said. “You can drive.”

  Nodding, he settled his son in the backseat of her car. It took some adjusting to make the harness fit around Brayden and the blanket, but Luke finally had his son secured in the child safety seat. Brayden immediately began to whimper.

  “I’ll sit in the back with him,” Hayley said, handing Luke her car keys.

  He took them and climbed in behind the wheel, while she slipped into the back with Brayden. Inserting the key into the ignition, he realized his hands were shaking. Why not? His son was sick, very sick, and he was taking him to see the doctor in the middle of the night. What parent wouldn’t be worried?

  “It’s okay, Brayden,” Hayley said from the back of the car.

  Luke glanced in the rearview mirror. “We’re going to visit your favorite doctor. I bet you’ll get a sucker and everything.”

  “A sucker!” Hayley exclaimed, obviously trying to distract Brayden, who continued to whimper.

  He could hear Hayley’s soothing voice, calming Brayden, and it wasn’t long before it was quiet in the car. Quiet enough that he could worry again.

  “What do you think it is?” he asked her.

  “It could be anything. More than likely, some kind of virus.”

  “Then they can give him some medicine or something.”

  “For the symptoms, yes. But if it’s a virus, those usually have to run their course,” she explained. “Hopefully, if this is a virus, it’s easy to treat.”

  His hands tightened on the steering wheel. “If I’d been watching him, I would’ve noticed that—”

  “Don’t blame yourself,” she said, silencing him. “Kids get sick. Besides, it isn’t any more your fault than mine. There’s no telling where he might have picked up something.”

  “If anything happens—”

  “Luke.” Her voice held a warning. “This probably isn’t as serious as you seem to think it is.”

  “But the high fever and dehydration—”

  “Aren’t all that uncommon. But that doesn’t mean we should ignore the symptoms. We need to deal with them first. Taking him to see a doctor is the best thing we can do for him. If this is something other than a virus, the doctor can give him something. If it is a virus, at least you’ll be assured that he’s being taken care of by a professional.”

  “But you’re a nurse,” he pointed out.

  “I’m also very close to him. Even doctors get another opinion when it comes to family. Stop worrying. We’re doing the right thing.”

  Nodding in the darkness, he hoped she was right. He didn’t know what he’d do if anything happened to his son.

  * * *

  LUKE PARKED THE CAR behind the one-story, brick building of the local doctor’s office and carried Brayden to the door, where a single, protected lightbulb shone over the heavy metal door. While they waited for the doctor to open the building for them, Hayley tucked the blanket tighter around the little boy. The air held more of a chill than she’d anticipated, and she didn’t want to expose him to the cool, night air.

  She heard the sound of the doorknob turning and stepped back to stay out of the way. But Luke moved aside. “Go on in,” he said, as the door swung open.

  Smiling at the woman who held open the door, she walked into the building, and then waited while Luke entered with Brayden. They followed the woman down the dim hallway and into a small but brightly lit examining room. Hayley blinked at the light as she moved to an out-of-the-way spot and watched Luke try to settle a very unhappy Brayden on the examining table.

  His face drawn and worried, Luke spoke over his shoulder to the woman. “Paige, this is Hayley Brooks, Brayden’s nanny.”

  “I’m Dr. O’Brien,” she said, offering her hand to Hayley, who took it. “Kate and Trish mentioned they’d met you. Welcome to Desperation. I wish we weren’t meeting under these circumstances.”

  Hayley thanked her as the doctor turned to wash her hands in the tiny sink. She was surprised she hadn’t known until that moment that the doctor was a woman. Not that it mattered.

  “It’s all right, Brayden,” the doctor said, drying her hands. “We’re going to help you feel better.” After picking up an otoscope and tongue depressor from the top of a small, metal cabinet, she turned back to Luke. “Tell me what’s been going on.”

  He glanced at Hayley, before answering. “Well, to be honest, I didn’t really notice he was sick. He was grumpy earlier, but we had a full day. I thought he was tired and sent him to bed. I didn’t realize he was sick until a few minutes before Hayley came home from her class. I was getting ready to call you then.”

  When the doctor turned to her for answers, Hayley didn’t have many answers. “I wasn’t with him much,” she admitted. “Luke—Mr. Walker—gave me the day off, so I spent most of it in my room, studying. The one time I stepped out for a few minutes, Brayden was playing quietly with his toys. It wasn’t until later in the evening, when I was leaving for class that I had much contact with him.”

  “He wasn’t rubbing his ear or anything?” the doctor asked, checking Brayden’s ears and throat.

  “Not that I noticed.”

  “Tummy ache?”

  “He didn’t appear to have one.”

  “Luke?” the doctor said. “Did you notice anything?”

  “Not at the time. But now that I think about it, he was quiet. All day. Just played by himself, mostly. We went into Edmond and picked up a pizza, but he didn’t seem sick, just quiet.” He ducked his head before continuing. “Dylan and I have been pretty busy, so he’s spent most of his time with Hayley. It wasn’t until Hayley started to leave this evening that Brayden... Well, h
e had a tantrum.”

  “He was clingy,” Hayley explained, “and he felt warmer than usual, but I thought it was because he was upset. You know? I was running late and didn’t think too much of it, until I was pulling into the parking lot for class at OU.”

  “I had a devil of a time giving him a bath,” Luke continued, “but I finally got him into bed. It was maybe twenty minutes or so later when I went in to check on him. That was when I noticed he was hot. Real hot.”

  All the while they were describing the events of the day, the doctor was doing a thorough examination. “When did you take his temperature?” she asked.

  “Hayley did. When she got back from her class, she went to check on him. I should have noticed sooner that something was wrong, but—”

  “It’s not your fault,” Hayley replied, not wanting him to take the blame for something that couldn’t be blamed on anyone. “I missed it earlier, too.”

  “We’re lucky,” he told the doctor. “She’s studying to be a doctor’s assistant. I figured she knew what she was doing.”

  “A doctor’s assistant?” The doctor turned to Hayley. “As in a PA?”

  “I hope to finish my masters this spring and graduate.”

  “And you’re working, too?”

  Hayley nodded and smiled, knowing what was going through the doctor’s mind. “I know, it’s frowned upon, especially during these last few months, but I took a long, hard look at what working and finishing my degree would involve, and I feel I can do it without endangering my education.”

  The tiny lines between the doctor’s eyes deepened, but she didn’t try to argue or point out the hazards. Instead, she turned back to listen to Brayden’s chest with her stethoscope. Hayley could tell she wasn’t convinced, but she already knew those hazards well.

  Even knowing them, she’d had two reasons for taking the job her aunt’s friend had suggested. First, she needed money to help defray her student loans and also to pay for a place to live. And second, she’d believed that being the nanny for a two-year-old boy wouldn’t keep her from her studies. The first wasn’t debatable, the second was, and she’d been right. The job wasn’t a problem. It was her growing feelings for and attraction to her boss that were proving to be trouble.

  “What was Brayden’s temperature when you took it?” the doctor asked, while taking it again.

  “One hundred three point seven,” Hayley quickly answered. “That was about ten-thirty, and I gave him the recommended dose of acetaminophen. Then we removed his blankets, hoping that would help cool him.”

  “You didn’t sponge him?”

  “A little, and we tried to get him to drink some apple juice. He barely sipped it.”

  Dr. O’Brien checked her watch. “His temperature should be down by now, but it isn’t.”

  “That’s why I called you,” Luke said.

  “I’m glad you did. Fevers aren’t abnormal. They’re an indication of illness, of the body fighting an infection or virus. But when they get too high, especially in children, there are times they can result in convulsions. That’s why we’re especially watchful and try to keep fevers down as much as possible. And because Brayden has experienced a febrile seizure in the past, he’s at risk for another.”

  “I guess I’m lucky Hayley knows what she’s doing,” Luke admitted.

  Hayley felt her face grow warm. “I’m glad I could help.”

  “Did you notice anything else, Hayley?” Dr. O’Brien asked.

  Hayley glanced at Luke before answering. “I thought he might be a little dehydrated, so with the fever not responding to the acetaminophen, and the history of seizure, I thought a doctor should see him. I also listened to his chest and suspected there might be a problem, so I told Luke to call you.”

  The doctor nodded. “I heard the same. It was wise to insist he bring Brayden in tonight.” She moved to the sink to wash her hands again. “Luke,” she said over her shoulder, “would you help Brayden button his pajama top?” When she finished, she settled on a metal stool and looked up at Hayley. “I don’t know if you might be interested, but there’s a strong possibility that we’ll be expanding the clinic in the very near future. Maybe even more, depending on what the county and state have to say. I’m sure we’ll have some openings, if, after you finish school, you want to join us.”

  Hayley smiled at the doctor’s offer, pleased at her thoughtfulness. “That’s very nice of you, but I haven’t decided yet what I’ll do after graduation. I’ve had an offer in Oklahoma City, although I haven’t accepted it. But I’ll certainly keep you and Desperation in mind.”

  Her attention was immediately claimed by Brayden’s loud protests, as Luke attempted to keep him distracted, and she moved to help. But her thoughts were on the doctor’s offer. The one she’d spoken of in Oklahoma City wasn’t official, but she held out hope that it was. Two of the doctors there had been integral in her dad’s recovery from the stroke he’d suffered shortly after she’d taken a break from college to plan the wedding that never happened. It had been one of those doctors who’d mentioned that she might look into becoming a PA. Staying in Desperation had never been part of her plan. Once graduation was over, she wanted to find a position in the city. By then, she hoped a spot would open for Brayden in one of the two day care facilities in Desperation.

  Calming words whispered to Brayden quickly began to soothe him, and she focused her attention on what the doctor was saying to Luke. She’d suspected they wouldn’t be going directly home, and the doctor’s instructions to Luke proved her right.

  * * *

  “TO BE SAFE, I’D LIKE him to go to the hospital for a short stay,” Paige told Luke. “If all goes well, I don’t expect him to be there for more than a day or two. There’s some congestion in his chest that could be a sign of pneumonia. It may be nothing, but I’d rather be safe than sorry.”

  Not a fan of hospitals, he frowned. “There’s no chance Hayley could take care of him at home?”

  “Luke,” Hayley said, still holding Brayden’s hand, “he’ll be much better off and get well much faster if he’s where he can be given everything he needs. And to be honest, I wouldn’t feel comfortable caring for him at home, no matter what.”

  Paige pressed a hand to his arm. “It’s the best thing for him. And for you. This way the dehydration can be watched and taken care of, and he’ll be treated for anything else, should there be a need.”

  “All right,” he conceded. “If you both think that’s the best thing.”

  When Paige gave instructions to take Brayden to a hospital in Oklahoma City, Luke questioned the decision. “Why not the county hospital over at—”

  “I’m afraid not,” Paige answered with a shake of her head, while writing in what Luke guessed was Brayden’s chart. “I had word today that they’re at half staff there, due to funding cuts. That should change soon, but for now they’re shorthanded.”

  He had no choice but to give in. “Okay. Whatever you say. You’re the doctor.”

  Paige smiled before going back to the paper. “Let me finish this, and then I’ll call and let the hospital know you’re coming.”

  “Will you be coming, too?”

  “I can if you think I need to.”

  Again, he looked to Hayley, who shrugged one shoulder. “I’m sure he’ll do fine with the staff there,” she told him. “I know some of the nurses and have no doubt he’ll get great care.”

  Stuffing his hands in the pockets of his blue jeans, he waited.
He’d never given much thought to what might happen if Brayden got sick. He guessed he’d put that one time out of his mind and expected his son to be as healthy as he was.

  And now he was getting ready to take his little guy to the hospital. But if Paige said it was the right thing to do and Hayley agreed, then that’s what he’d do.

  Paige closed the folder she’d been writing in and picked it up. “If you’ll all wait right here for a few minutes, I’ll go call the hospital and let them know you’re coming.”

  Luke nodded, but said nothing and checked his watch. At some point, he’d need to call Dylan and let him know what was going on. There was no telling how long Brayden might have to stay in the hospital, so his brother might just have to delay his plans to leave, at least for a while.

  “I hate to admit it,” he said, “but I’m worried.”

  “Anyone would be in your situation,” Hayley replied. “But I don’t think there’s reason to be overly concerned. Brayden’s normally a healthy little boy.”

  “That’s exactly what worries me.”

  “And worrying never solved anything.”

  Luke immediately stiffened, but although Hayley’s words had scolded, the concern on her face was proof that she hadn’t been trying to brush off his feelings. She understood. And she was right. He could worry until the cows came home, as the old saying went, but it wouldn’t make Brayden any better.

  “You’re right,” he said. “He’ll get the care he needs and be home in no time, healthy and happy.”

  Her smile was soft and understanding. “Brayden will be fine.”

  “Yeah, he will.”

  The door opened and Paige walked in. “The hospital is expecting him, so you can be on your way. I’ve given them instructions, and I’ll stop in to see him tomorrow, unless you’d rather I checked on him tonight.”

  He looked at Hayley, who gave another noncommittal shrug. She wasn’t going to help him with this. He didn’t like any of it, but he did believe they knew what they were doing. Maybe it was time to trust them.