He could sense her hesitation. “Whatever you do is your business, Rafe. But new discoveries happen every day in medicine. Please, try not to settle for anything less than a full recovery.”
Rafe nodded his agreement and turned to head out to the barn.
He didn’t plan to settle for anything less. And that meant having Alexa. But for the moment, he would keep his little secret to himself.
RAFE COOLED ESPERANZA down after she traversed the barrels numerous times without bumping any of them. He’d stalled ending her session as he waited for Alexa to bring Tano out. Twenty minutes or so ago she’d gone into the wild-animal barn. He knew the fox kits were eating on their own, so Rafe wasn’t sure what was keeping her. He’d heard her go in and out. Maybe she was cleaning cages. He’d been here long enough to know Alexa did that when she wanted to avoid him.
At last she brought Tano into the corral. “I thought you’d be done,” she said abruptly. “I left you a sprout and tomato sandwich in the fridge for lunch. I’ll eat after I’m through working Tano.”“Is it lunchtime?” Rafe led the mare over to join Alexa at the barn entrance. Rafe had one hand on Esperanza’s muzzle and could feel the horses rub noses in greeting.
“It’s one o’clock,” Alexa said. “Actually, it’s almost fifteen past.”
Their exchange was interrupted by the sound of auto tires crunching down Alexa’s private lane.
“You have a visitor,” Rafe noted, lifting his head and straining to listen. “More than one vehicle would be my guess. Are you expecting company?”
“No. But you’re right. There are two vehicles. The lead one looks like Sierra’s van. Did you ask her to pick you up today?”
“No. I told you, I want my acupuncture treatment Friday. Hmm. Sierra’s not one to travel this far from home during the week when Curt and Chloe are in kindergarten. I hope nothing’s wrong with anyone in the family.” Rafe’s shoulders tensed. Doug’s job as a border patrol agent was dangerous at times.
“I hope not, too,” Alexa murmured. “It is Sierra,” she clarified a moment later. “She doesn’t appear panicked. She’s walking back to a white compact that pulled in behind her. An older woman is in that car. I think Sierra spotted you, Rafe. Why don’t I take Esperanza to her stall for you?”
Rafe tightened his hold on the mare’s halter. “Is the other woman short and dark-haired? It might be Doug’s mother. I call her Tía Maria. The Martinezes were our closest neighbors.”
“The woman’s not Hispanic. She’s tall and has gray hair and she’s wearing a blue suit. She’s getting out a…briefcase from the car.”
“Doesn’t sound like anyone I know,” Rafe said, frowning.
“They’ve opened the corral gate and are heading this way.” Alexa relieved Rafe of the mare’s reins. “I’ll stall both horses, and be right back. No doubt they want to see you, Rafe.”
He headed toward the house. Sierra hurried over to meet him, giving him a quick hug. “Rafe, this is Ms. Holmes. She’s from the VA.”
There was a note of panic in Sierra’s voice but Rafe couldn’t ask her about it with the other woman there.
Ms. Holmes spoke with a nasal twang. “Our department doesn’t make a habit of hunting down wayward patients, Major Eaglefeather. But after I spoke to your sister, my supervisor made an exception in your case.”
“I’m doing fine,” Rafe said. “Sierra should have given you my cell number. We could have handled any questions you have via the phone.”
“You’ve missed two counseling appointments and a post-surgery checkup,” the woman said. “But when Mrs. Martinez informed me you’d placed yourself under the care of a local healer…” Rafe couldn’t miss the disapproval in her voice. “I wrote down the information. Luckily, my assistant recognized Dr. Robinson’s name. It’s obvious neither you, Major, nor your sister are aware she closed her practice in Houston…after she killed a patient by the name of Bobby Duval through gross negligence.”
“I swear I heard only good things about the doctor from park rangers and border patrol agents, including my husband,” Sierra objected. “Rafe, you have to come home with me today. If you suffer a single ill effect from anything she…the doctor did, I’ll never forgive myself.”
“Stop it, Sierra. Do I look worse off?” Rafe couldn’t believe what he was hearing.
“N-no. I think you’ve put on some much needed weight. And—”
“Well, then,” Rafe interrupted gruffly.
“I suggest when you two get home, Mrs. Martinez, that you look up the newspaper accounts from the Houston paper’s archives,” Ms. Holmes said. “Now, we should get you rescheduled, Major Eaglefeather. I can make an appointment at the VA in San Antonio or Houston for next week.”
Sierra squeezed his arm. “Rafe…?”
For an awkward moment, Rafe vacillated. He’d planned to leave when Sierra came for him on Saturday, but he had every intention of coming back. He wanted a different kind of relationship with Alexa, but he hadn’t figured out the details yet. This morning as he put Esperanza through her paces, he pictured staying here with Alexa—forever. But he wasn’t ready to lay that one on her yet, especially in front of others. One thing he did know beyond a shadow of doubt was that Ms. Holmes was flat-assed wrong. Alexa couldn’t have killed anyone. Yet with those ugly accusations, how could he walk away from her now? “I’m not going back to the VA,” he said. “That much I know. They can take a flying leap, Sierra.”
“I’ve packed your duffel, Rafe.” It was Alexa. How much had she overheard? She forced the bag into his hands. “You should take Ms. Holmes’s advice and use every service the VA has to offer. Now, if you’ll all excuse me,” she said, her voice quivering with tension, “I have a great horned owl to release into the wild.”
With a snap of her fingers, she commanded Compadre to her side. Rafe could hear her march off down the path toward the wild-animal barn. Why hadn’t she defended herself? It was all he could do not to go after her. But Rafe realized he needed to be away from here to figure out what his next move should be.
No way would he blow his chances with Alexa. There were still a lot of uncertainties in his life, but he knew one thing for sure. The only future he wanted would be shared with Alexa.
ALEXA WATCHED THE VEHICLES head down the lane. Compadre barked sharply. He left her side and loped a few yards down the path, then stopped and swung his head around to look at her. Trotting back to her, the collie flopped on his belly and whined deep in his throat before burying his nose in his paws.
“Don’t look at me with those cow eyes,” Alexa said, mopping her own tears. She crouched down beside him. “I’m sorry, Compadre. I’m going to miss Rafe, too.”It was the truth. Alexa had known for a while that Rafe meant more to her than a patient should. But there was no way she would go after him and bring him back.
“It’s best for him to leave.” Alexa gave the dog a final pat and stood up, tucking her hands in her back pockets. “Maybe when he’s examined by new doctors, they’ll discover something that was missed. Something to get Rafe’s sight back.”
Watching Rafe leave had been so hard. But if she’d bared her soul to him, told her side of the story about Bobby, he would have felt obligated to stay out of pity. That was the kind of caring man she’d learned he was. And the last thing she wanted from Rafe was pity. “I want him to stay out of trust. Or…or out of…love,” she murmured aloud to Compadre.
What a mess she’d gotten herself into. Yes, Rafe wanted to sleep with her. But, did he care about her? About Alexa Robinson the woman. Or was it just their shared proximity of the past few weeks and the fact she’d set him on the road to healing that had made the sexual attraction flare?
She couldn’t face releasing the great-horned owl today. What if freedom led to his death in the wild? She’d come to love that bird and needed to be strong when she set him free. And she wasn’t strong today. She’d already lost too much.
RAFE SAID NEXT TO NOTHING on the drive to his sister’s place. He s
hut his eyes and leaned against the headrest. The twins kept asking their mother what was wrong with their Uncle Rafe, but Sierra shushed them.
At last they stopped at the school to pick up Curt and Chloe from kindergarten.When they reached the house, Sierra told Rafe that little had changed. “Doug’s working a lot of overtime,” Sierra said, “so he hasn’t done much on the addition.”
All four kids raced outside to play. “Rafe, I put your duffel in the hall closet where it was before. I’ll make the sofa bed up after supper.” He could sense her hesitation. “Rafe, I take full responsibility for sending you to Dr. Robinson. I am so, so sorry.”
Rafe slashed out a hand, putting an end to Sierra’s words. “I don’t know what happened in Houston with Alexa’s practice, but I’m damned sure it wasn’t her fault.”
“Then…I don’t get it, Rafe.” Sierra sounded confused. “Don’t you want to be here? But…we’re your family, Rafe.”
He buried his balled fists in his front pockets. “The day after I got there, Alexa made me pick up a chair I knocked over. She taught me to count steps so I could get around inside and out without bumping into stuff. I rode a horse by myself, and I helped train one. I told you—after one acupuncture treatment I can see shadows. I just don’t believe she killed anyone by being negligent. She’s a pro, and I’ve never met a more compassionate woman.”
“Ah.” Sierra hooked her arm through Rafe’s and steered him to the kitchen. “I think I’m beginning to clue in here. So just when did you fall in love with Dr. Robinson, Rafe?”
His sister’s blunt statement poleaxed Rafe. He stuttered and stammered, but couldn’t come up with a word to say.
Sierra dragged him into the kitchen. “Sit here, and I’ll put on a pot of coffee. Then we’ll have a real heart-to-heart.”
Rafe had learned as a kid it was futile to argue with his sister. Sierra had the tenacity of a mongoose.
When the coffee finished dripping and she’d poured each of them a cup, she took her usual seat opposite Rafe. Reaching across the table, she directed his hand to his mug. “Okay, give it up. I’d ask if Alexa took advantage of you, but everything you said a minute ago tells me that’s wrong thinking.”
“It was the opposite.” Rafe blew on his coffee. “I was the one who tried to make a move on Alexa, but she threw up the doctor-patient roadblock. I’m pretty sure she didn’t want to object—that it was only on principle. I think we’d be good together, Sierra. Alexa gave me confidence to want to live again.”
“Are you sure she was interested that way, Rafe? Maybe she just considers herself your doctor? I figured she’d be the one to hit on you. I mean, losing your sight hasn’t made you less a man than you were when you won bronc riding championships. You’re a handsome guy, Rafe, and you’ve got a great heart. I won’t stand for her or anyone else rejecting you or hurting you.”
Rafe grinned. “You’re too protective of me, Sierra.” Rafe took a swig of his beverage.
“You’re the only little brother I have. I’ll always fight for what’s best for you.”
“I’m not so little anymore,” Rafe said gently. “You don’t have to fight my battles.”
“But…but she might break your heart.”
“Or I might break hers. You know, I don’t even know what Alexa looks like. Not that it matters to me.”
“She’s pretty. Blonde. Her hair is shoulder length. I remember thinking she has the bluest eyes of anyone I’ve ever met. She’s taller than me. Almost as tall as you. A lot skinnier than me, too,” Sierra concluded ruefully.
Recalling earlier conversations he’d had with Alexa, Rafe suddenly asked, “If you compared her to a movie star, who would it be?”
“Oh, gosh.” Sierra paused a minute. “I’d say Cameron Diaz off the top of my head.” Reaching out, she poked Rafe in acknowledgment of the slow smile spreading across his face. “Okay, so now you know your doctor is a babe, how do you propose to get back into her life? She didn’t exactly stop you from leaving—almost shoved you out the door.”
“That’s the problem, Sierra…I can’t go back there as Alexa’s patient. But it just occurred to me…maybe I could convince her to take me back as a ranch hand. Do you think Doug can drive me back there tomorrow?”
“He’s down south on patrol for a few days. How about next week? That’s if you still feel the same then. Rafe…I think we should find out more about that Bobby Duval guy. I bet I can use the church computer.”
“No,” Rafe said emphatically. “If Alexa wants to tell me, fine. Otherwise we’ll leave it be. Lord knows I’m not guilt-free.”
“You didn’t kill anyone.”
He wrapped both hands tightly around his cup.
His sister’s voice was low but determined. “War is different, Rafe.”
“I said leave it, Sierra.” She didn’t have a chance to reply because at that moment he snapped the handle off his cup.
ALEXA MOPED ABOUT her ranch all weekend. The weather had turned foul on Saturday. Dark gray clouds hung low, threatening to rain. So once again she delayed releasing the owl. His wing seemed healed, but after Ms. Holmes’s reminder, Alexa wasn’t sure she had the expertise to heal anyone, human or animal.
Sunday night she had trouble sleeping. The November wind picked up and something banged against the house. Restless, she knew the power could go out, but still she got out of bed and booted up her computer. It was a good night to research whether any new information on blindness had come out in the monthly medical journals.Turning up nothing of interest, Alexa clicked through a few military medical sites and found an article posted by the navy about a study that Rafe might qualify for. The lights flickered and she hurriedly shut down her computer. The truth was, Rafe was no longer her patient. He was back under the VA’s care. If his doctors thought it beneficial, they’d see he got considered for the study. It was time for her to step back.
EARLY MONDAY, ALEXA went out to pick up limbs brought down by the night’s storm. At this time of year storms blew in and out capriciously. She found the source of the banging and righted the empty feed barrel.
Compadre dug into a fresh gopher hole, but all he got for his effort was a dirty snout. Alexa brushed his nose clean, and he followed her into the horse barn. She was in the middle of measuring out grain when she heard a vehicle pull in. A ripple of excitement ran through her. Could it be Rafe coming back?She ran out of the barn, Compadre at her heels. It was a letdown to see a white pickup with a forestry insignia on the driver’s door.
Alexa steeled herself for another run-in with Paul Goodman. But the man who climbed out of the pickup was Carl Dobbins, the ranger who had brought her the mountain cats.
He hailed her and they met on the path. “Howdy, Alexa. I finally found a home for the cats with a reputable zoo. Had to cut through red tape. How are the little buggers?”
“They’ve grown. I wondered if you planned to return them to the wild. I’ve tried not to get cozy with them, but it was hard. They were so cuddly.”
“I didn’t think they’d survive a winter in the high country being hand-fed.”
“I agree. You can go on into the wild-animal barn. I’ll shut my dog up until you load the cats.”
He nodded and continued on to the smaller barn.
“Sorry, Compadre. Carl doesn’t need you barking and stirring up the cats.”
The dog always acted as if he was being punished whenever she closed him in the barn and left him. Alexa suspected he’d been mistreated in the past. Because of that she took the time to scratch his ears and pet him. “I’ll only be gone a minute,” she promised.
“You’re not kidding these guys have grown,” Dobbins said as Alexa joined him at the cages. He hefted one, and Alexa picked up the other. “Can you manage that alone?” he asked.
“I load and unload hay bales that weigh more than this, Carl.”
They headed outside together. As he put his cage in the back of his pickup, Carl said, “I heard a rumor you’d hired an ex-soldier
to help out. Somebody said he was disabled. Blind. But you know how rumors get out of hand.”
Alexa stiffened. “I didn’t hire him. His sister hoped alternative medical treatments might restore his sight. He helped me train horses while he was here, and really had a knack. Probably because he used to be on the rodeo circuit before he was a soldier. A grand national bronc riding champion, in fact.”
“You don’t mean Rafe Eaglefeather?”
“Yes. Do you know him?”
“Know of him. Saw him ride a number of times. I recall reading in the Lajitas newspaper that he’d joined the army. A group of rodeo cowboys did. I’m sorry as hell to hear Eaglefeather came home wounded. Any chance he’ll ever see again?”
“I don’t know, Carl. That will be up to VA doctors.”
“From all the stories I’ve read about our returning heroes, too many are falling through the cracks. If you see him again, tell him an old rodeo fan wishes him well.”
Because Alexa found it hard to swallow, she just nodded.
Carl closed and latched his tailgate. “I’d better hit the road with these guys. It’s a long drive to Houston.”
Alexa watched the dual-wheeled pickup turn around. She remained standing in the same spot until it disappeared from sight.
She didn’t want Rafe falling through any cracks. A fear that he would not return to the VA stole over her.
What if he never heard about the new study being done in San Antonio? If there was one chance in a million of Rafe seeing again, Alexa wanted that chance for him. She cared, dammit!
She walked back to the horse barn. “Come on, Compadre,” she said, letting the dog out. “You and I are going to find the Martinez house. I have to make sure Rafe’s getting the help he needs.”
The collie barked and ran in circles at the sound of Rafe’s name.
CHAPTER EIGHT
The Cowboy Soldier Page 11