A Temporary Arrangement

by Roxanne Rustand

  Yet, as Keifer had pointed out with a ten-year-old's logic, this was a fair trade. Lodging in exchange for help. And in eight weeks, Keifer would leave with his mom for Minneapolis, so he could get ready for school. Abby would head to some other sort of living situation in town. And life would settle back into the same old comfortable routine.

  She cleared her throat. "So, where do you want me?"

  An unexpected—and inappropriate—image of her in his bed flashed through his head. One he immediately shelved. "One of the cabins is available until the second week in July. Or, there's a guest room off the kitchen. Less privacy but more convenient, and you wouldn't need to move to the house later."

  He'd thought she'd opt for the relative security of the house, but she didn't hesitate. "A cabin, definitely. I'd rather not be underfoot, and I'm sure you'd be more comfortable with that, as well. Right?"

  "Are you sure?"

  "Are the cabins secure?"

  "Dead-bolt locks, and each has a phone. But—"

  "How far from the house?"

  He nodded toward a stand of trees behind the toolshed. "Maybe fifty yards beyond the shed."

  "Perfect."

  "You saw the damaged padlocks down by the barn," he said carefully. "So you know that there's been a little trouble up here."

  "I'm not a timid woman, Matthews."

  "That description never crossed my mind."

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  "So," she said briskly, "let's lay out some ground rules."

  "Ground rules?"

  "What you expect of me." She had to be Scandinavian, with her pale blond hair and that delicate ivory coloring. A faint pink blush brightened her cheeks. "As far as my duties are concerned," she amended. "I'll have to leave by around seven in the morning to get to the hospital. Barring evening meetings, I should be back by six. If my time doesn't cover the full value of that cabin, I'll gladly pay the appropriate amount of rent."

  Her blush deepened, and he realized that for all of her attitude, she was actually flustered. And—God help him—she was actually sort of cute when she lost some of her professional veneer.

  "I had hired a college student, but she backed out. She was going to keep Keifer company.. .especially on evenings when I have to be gone. She was also going to help with the cooking and errands. Dusting. Nothing major."

  "That works, within the limitations of my hours at the hospital. If you write up a menu, I can certainly make supper."

  "Menu?"

  "So I know what you want me to use from your pantry and freezer. Now, about my dog. I don't think Belle should roam free because she won't realize this is her home."

  As if on cue, Belle slunk around the corner of the

  house and came over to Abby's side. At the sound of Rufus's excited barking from the toolshed at the far edge of the yard, the dog whined and leaned against Abby's leg.

  "She can stay in the fenced yard when you're gone. Otherwise, you could keep her in your cabin during the day."

  "Good." Nodding decisively, Abby scanned the surrounding forest. "Now, just tell me where this cabin is, and we'll be set."

  Ethan took a long, slow breath and reminded himself why this was such a good deal. It had seemed workable enough, until the marines actually landed. Now, the prospect of having Abby here just felt... exhausting.

  She eyed him with concern. "Are you feeling all right? Have you had any more chills? Fever?"

  "I'm fine."

  A small line formed between her brows as she tapped a finger to her lips. "You know, I'll bet we could set up your IVs and bandage changes right here. You should have—" she paused "—nine more doses of your IV medication. I'm an R.N., so we could get a doctor's order and rent the equipment. That would save you all those trips into town. I could bring everything out tomorrow after work."

  A chance to avoid those daily, forty-five-minute trips to town was the best news he'd heard in three days.

  Maybe this little arrangement wouldn't be so bad, after all.

  116 A TEMPORARY ARRANGEMENT

  Abby leaned against the door of the cabin and closed her eyes as a wave of embarrassment flooded through her. "Good one, Cahill," she muttered under her breath. "Just go ahead. Babble incessantly. Drive the man crazy—and then just see if you can find another place to live in this stupid town."

  The leering motel guy had made her skin crawl, but coming out here had probably been a bigger mistake. Before, she'd considered Ethan a stubborn, difficult patient. But now, on his own turf, he made her feel...edgy.

  There was something almost intimidating about him that couldn't have anything to do with his height or the well-muscled breadth of his chest—or his shoulders, which tapered to a very narrow waist. With that sharply sculpted, strong-jawed face and day-old stubble shadowing his jaw, it didn't take much imagination to see him dressed for a GQ advertisement, with a tux jacket hooked on a finger and slung over his shoulder, and his eyes radiating predatory sexual interest.

  Though of course he hadn't looked at her that way. Which was definitely a great relief.

  She'd always been take-charge and decisive. Growing up with an absent father and a flighty mother had taught her those skills early on, and they'd served her well.

  But tension brought out some of her more irritating flaws—ones her ex-fiance had been only too happy

  to point out. Again and again and again. She tended to take over, and then she talked entirely too much.

  Jared's voice still echoed through her brain. Yeah, right. Haul out all those ten-dollar words and see ifVm impressed. I want a wife, not a damn cold professor.

  As if she sensed Abby's distress, Belle whined and bumped her nose under Abby's hand.

  She stroked the dog's silky head. "We're quite a pair, aren't we? Two homeless gals who just don't fit in."

  At a tentative knock on the door she jerked upright and took in a sharp breath.

  "Abby? Are you in there?"

  Relieved to hear Keifer's voice, she pulled the door open and found him standing outside with a paper grocery sack in his arms.

  "Dad said I should bring this, 'cause you're prob'ly busy unpacking and don't have groceries yet. He said we won't see you at breakfast since you have to leave early."

  Surprised at Ethan's thoughtfulness, she accepted the offering and looked inside to find a quart of milk, a can of frozen orange juice, bread, a jar of peanut butter and a tub of margarine. "Thanks so much, Keifer. Would you like to come in?"

  He edged inside and pulled the screen door shut behind him. "We cleaned this cabin in case you wanted to live here instead of the house. 1 swept the floor and Dad brought the sheets and stuff. We found lots of spiders," he added with obvious relish, "but I caught 'em in ajar and turned 'em loose outside."

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  "You did a great job. I haven't seen any little visitors so far." She put the groceries away, then folded the paper bag and set it on the counter. "This place is awesome, don't you think?"

  The pine-paneled main room was divided into a small kitchen and living area by an L-shaped counter. Two cranberry overstuffed chairs and a sofa faced windows looking out on the pines, and colorful braided rugs added a cozy touch to the hardwood floor. The old TV in the corner struggled to pull in a single, fuzzy station, but there was a VCR and a stack of old movies on the shelf behind.

  It was definitely a man's sort of place, with a Pennzoil calendar on the kitchen wall and a giant, framed picture of some sort of terrifying fish over the sofa, but it would be comfortable lodging.

  And saying farewell to Hubert this evening, when she'd picked up her things before heading out of town, had filled her with an immeasurable sense of relief.

  Keifer wandered over to the small, ivory-painted table and two chairs, where she'd put some delicate blue harebells, deep pink shooting stars and a sprig of fern in an old jelly jar she'd found in the cupboard. "My mom buys flowers at a store. I like these better."

  "I found them clos
e by. Wildflowers are my favorite."

  He crouched by Belle and baby-talked to her, stroking her until she thumped her tail against the floor. "She sure doesn't have very nice fur."

  "The vet says she's malnourished. She figures someone dumped Belle in the country, so she's been foraging to stay alive."

  "That's mean."

  "Some people are ignorant. They dump animals thinking that they'll 'have a chance on their own,' but most just get hit by cars or die. Or some farmer has to shoot them because they try to go after farm animals. An animal shelter is a much better place."

  "Except they die there, too."

  "But at least the staff tries hard to find them homes, and in the meantime, the animals have food and shelter. Some aren't easy to place."

  Just this afternoon she'd written out a substantial check to the local shelter and dropped it in the mail. On her way out of town she'd seen Rae on a sidewalk by the drugstore. The girl had hesitated to reveal the name of the vet who'd saved Belle's life, so Abby gave her a quick thank-you note to pass along to him.

  Keifer stopped petting the dog and leaned closer to see the raw spot behind her left ear. "Gross!"

  "The salve makes it look worse than it is. She has a couple patches like that, but she's on good dog food now. She'll heal pretty fast."

  Keifer stood. "We ate already, but Dad said you could come up to the house if you didn't. He could put another hamburger on the grill."

  Abby's stomach growled in response. "You know what? That does sound wonderful, but I need to finish unpacking and then I might go to bed early."

  "You aren't missing much." Keifer wrinkled his nose. "Whenever I'm here, we have lots of hamburgers and hot dogs."

  "Really?" Abby hid a smile. This was certainly good news. Her culinary skills were just a tad rusty, so anything beyond Ethan's usual fare might be okay. "Tell your dad thanks for the groceries and offer of supper, okay?"

  "Yeah." He hesitated at the door, then grinned at her. "Dad didn't think you'd move out here. He says you're a 'city girl,' so you won't last. Especially 'cause you're out in a cabin by yourself. So we made a bet."

  "A bet?"

  "He said you'd be gone in a week, and I said not. So we each bet five dollars."

  Abby laughed. "Really."

  "And I think he must be afraid of losing, 'cause he's been pacing all over the house, and he's really grumpy."

  Interesting. He'd encouraged her to come here. And now he was having second thoughts? "Well, Keifer, I promise you're going to win that bet, because I'm staying until the week after you leave with your mom, just as I promised. Deal?"

  He gave her a thumbs-up. "Deal."

  She watched him run up the path toward the house, then poured herself a glass of milk and made a peanut butter sandwich.

  By tomorrow she'd have her bearings. She'd be able to function like a calm, collected adult, and

  she'd be in complete control. This would be just fine until the end of summer.

  Wolves lurking in the darkness...the isolation. . .and Ethan Matthews were a small price to pay for a temporary home.

  the Matthews place. And I admit, Ethan does look pretty hot."

  "I wouldn't know. I took one of the cabins, in exchange for helping out." Abby rubbed her temples. "Do you know how dead-quiet it is, way out there? Other than the occasional hoot of an owl, it's like a tomb."

  "I'm out in the country, too, and I love it. But with three kids, it's never quiet during the day." She rested a hand on her belly. "And with baby aerobics going on all night, I can't even imagine getting enough sleep."

  "Then come October, you'll be up with feedings. Sounds like fun."

  "Your turn will come," Erin retorted, barely suppressing a smile. "But I promise you'll love every minute."

  "Nope, I'm a career girl. And that's it." She frowned at Erin's armful of files. "Looks like you're busy."

  "I need to review bids for our hospital expansion projects, so I'll be ready for the next board meeting. I can work on this during the drive to Chicago."

  "Chicago?"

  "Dr. Edwards got us a referral to a surgeon who specializes in congenital leg deformities, in particular, Lily's Talipes Equino Varus." Erin beamed. "We're taking Lily tomorrow."

  "That's wonderful news. How's she taking it?"

  "It's scary, of course, but she can't wait to walk

  and run like other kids. She wants her surgery this summer, though I imagine his schedule is full for months. Just getting in so quickly for an evaluation was a true stroke of luck."

  The sweet little girl had been born with a clubfoot, and had been in a series of foster homes for years before Erin adopted her. Sadly, the county had failed to provide gradual corrective therapy for her as a young child. "Do you want me to watch the boys while you're gone?"

  Erin grinned as she reached across Abby 's desk to pat her hand. "That offer is above price, but you're off the hook this time. Grace and Warren are back from their honeymoon tomorrow, and they've offered to stay at our place for a few days." Abby tried not to look too relieved, but Erin laughed. "I know, it will probably be the end of both of them. They'll run away to Florida and never come back."

  "Your kids are great, honestly. I just don't have the experience to keep them entertained."

  "Just promise you won't ever take them to the animal shelter again." Erin rolled her eyes. "We're now the proud owners of two new cats and a basset, because each child fell in love with something different out there. Connor says no more'''

  "Oh, my. That means...three dogs, now?"

  "It's a big house, but he thinks four kids and five pets are enough." Erin adjusted the load in her arms. "By the way, I got a drug screen report this morning. Our new third-shift nursing applicant flunked."

  Which meant her hiring process had come to an abrupt halt. There'd be short staffing until they could hire someone else and ongoing complaints from the existing nurses.

  In addition to her administrative duties, Abby would need to help cover shifts on the floor. 'That's a shame. Until this, she seemed like such a great find."

  Erin nodded. "But one we won't ever be able to consider again."

  'Til get to the other applications first thing. And believe me, I'll be praying for some good ones."

  The phone rang.

  "Since Friday's the Fourth of July, I won't be back in the office until Monday," Erin said on her way out. "Good luck. Oh, and you can reach me on my cell if anything comes up."

  Abby picked up on the fourth ring. Her shoulders sagged as Marcia, a first shift nurse, chattered about an accident Carl had while painting his house.

  He'd suffered a severely sprained ankle...which meant someone would have to cover his shifts for perhaps a week.

  Abby glanced at the current schedule as Marcia talked, then reached for the job applicant files the moment the call ended. With luck, there'd be someone in this group. Someone who already lived nearby, who had a clean record and wanted to start soon.

  Because right now, unless other nurses were

  able to cover for Carl, Abby would need to take his three-to-eleven shifts. And that was going to make for very, very long days.

  Abby stopped outside her cabin at midnight, yawned and rested her head briefly on the steering wheel.

  It had been one heck of a long day.

  She'd done her own work until three, then she'd donned a uniform and worked Carl's nursing shift until eleven, because no one else was available. Fortunately she'd found a promising job applicant who'd be coming for an interview tomorrow.

  But it had also been a very long night, with a heart attack patient who'd been airlifted to Green Bay. A seven-year-old suffering a severe asthma attack. A car accident on the highway that brought in three inebriated teenagers with injuries ranging from broken bones to concussions.

  When the boys' parents arrived, the ER had turned into a circus, with two parents fighting with each other and assigning blame, while another mom had screamed at her son for ten
minutes—until she finally dropped into a chair, awash in tears.

  If Connor or Jill had been on call, things would have gone smoother. But tonight had been Dr. Olson's turn and the gruff, elderly physician possessed little tact or sympathy for risk-taking teens. He riled everyone up even more.

  Abby cut the lights and turned off her ignition,

  then stepped out into the damp night air wishing she'd brought a flashlight.

  At a rustling sound she whirled around with her hand at her throat, half expecting some sort of wild animal ready to pounce.

  "It's only me. Sorry if I scared you," Ethan said. He stood in a pool of moonlight that turned his hair to dark, gleaming pewter and shadowed the hollows of his face. He made her think of a vampire. Powerfully built. Masculine. Totally at ease in his surroundings.

  "Y-you didn't scare me. Not at all."

  "Right." His teeth flashed white in the darkness. "I thought you'd like your dog back. She spent the day with Rufus in the yard, and then I brought her inside after dark because she started to whine."

  Abby looked down and discovered Belle sitting quietly at his side. "I think she's afraid of the dark." She laughed as she accepted the end of the leash. "I found her on my bed last night."

  He muttered something under his breath that sounded suspiciously close to lucky dog.

  "What?"

  "I'll just wait and make sure you get inside." He cleared his throat. "Keifer was worried about you. He kept checking to see if you were back, but I finally made him go to bed at ten."

  "I should have called, but it turned into a hectic night. I'm afraid I won't be much help to you for a while, because I've got to work days and then cover second shift."

  "No problem. Though it sure doesn't seem right, you having to do two jobs."