“Hmmph. I don’t like her.”
“She’d been there for me when I needed someone the most.” Four years ago during a breast self-exam she’d discovered a lump in her breast. After going through a battery of tests the specialist diagnosed her with a rare condition, atypical hyperplasia, and they put her on hormonal therapy. She’d recovered, but she worried that sometime in the future that could change. The condition changed the entire dynamic of relationships and had destroyed her last with her fiancé.
In the process of getting healthier, she’d learned a lot about herself—and how she and Ryan, her fiancé of two years, had nothing in common. Agreeing to go their separate ways had been a difficult choice, but a necessary one. She’d buried herself in work, helping others, and the rare times she missed him happened only when she felt sorry for herself, but ice cream was a miracle cure. And extra shifts.
“She dresses like a slut.”
“That’s not very nice of you, Aunt Lucy,” Charlotte scolded.
“Yeah, yeah.” She shrugged a bony shoulder. “Can’t say a damn thing these days without offending someone.”
“How are the eggs?”
“Good.”
“I’m moving,” she blurted.
The fork hit the plate, knocking food out onto Lucy’s lap. “Moving? Where?”
“Tarnation, Texas.”
She smacked her lips as if the words wouldn’t come. “Whatever for? Do you know the difference between a cow and a dog?”
Charlotte stood and went to the window to look out where the children kicked a ball around the unkempt courtyard.
Why did she feel a sense of guilt for leaving? She could decide for herself where she lived, what she did in life. Over the years she’d felt an overwhelming obligation to her aunt. After all, she had taken Charlotte in when otherwise she would have ended up in foster care. Lucy had never been nurturing or affectionate, but she had been the only parent Charlotte had ever really known. “I’m moving there to be closer to Betty Sue.”
Lucy’s cold laughter filled the air. “Let me guess. She’s one of your mom’s relatives.”
“Yes. My cousin.” Charlotte anticipated the negativity that would come. It always did.
The mention of her mother always did bring out the worst in Lucy. “Your mother was a bitch and your father was a bastard. The little money he had he spent on gambling and the little he won he spent on alcohol. Never kept a job longer than two weeks and screwed anything with two legs. Forget about going to Tarnation.” Her groan rattled the window. “You’re going to stay here.”
Charlotte planted a smile on her lips, not allowing her aunt to trigger more guilt. “I’ve already made arrangements. I even have a job waiting for me. I’m flying out today.”
“What?” Lucy’s lips thinned and the wrinkles around her mouth deepened into quivering trenches. “And you’re just now telling me this? Why’s the old lady always the last to know?”
“I want you to be happy for me.”
“What about Ryan?” She grabbed her vape, inhaled, which sent her into a coughing fit. She gulped the coffee.
“What about him?”
“You can’t tell me there’s not a chance you two won’t hook up again. I saw him the other day. He asked about you.”
“No. Ryan and I won’t be getting back together. Ever.” Lucy didn’t like many people, but she’d liked Ryan. She especially liked that he was a junior associate at a law firm.
“Why are you always making the wrong decisions?” Lucy moaned.
“I guess it’s just in my genes.”
The sarcasm went unpounced on.
“What about me? You know I don’t get around much these days. My feet are killing me.”
Lifting her chin and folding her arms over her waist, Charlotte said stiffly, “It’s time I did something for myself. The doctor said you needed to walk more to keep the circulation going in your feet and stop drinking. I noticed by the empty bottles in the living room that you didn’t take Dr. Kenworth’s suggestion to heart.”
As every other time when the drinking came up, Lucy changed the subject. “After all that I’ve done for you. You’re going to treat me like yesterday’s trash?”
“That’s not what I’m doing, and you know it. I’m branching out.”
“You can do it here. Stop talking foolish.”
Charlotte cleared her throat. “It’s already settled. I bought the ticket and there’s no turning back.”
“Fine,” Lucy grumbled. “Then why are you here?”
“I’ve asked our neighbor to check on you. She has agreed. You like Jamie. Maybe you two can go to Bingo and stop at that diner you really love.”
“I tolerate Jamie. That’s all. I don’t want her coming over here and checking on me and fussing.”
Going back to the bed, Charlotte sat down. “I spoke to Marvin at the market. He said he’s willing to give you your job back. He needs someone in the deli and a cashier. He promised he’ll give you another chance as long as you stop in the next few days.”
“What? I wouldn’t give that uptight twerp the time of day. After the way he treated me. Pfft. Accusing me of stealing?” She inhaled loudly, pushed the plate off her lap and stood, a little wobbly at first but quickly gained her bearings. Pieces of egg rolled off her gown and dropped to the floor. “And how dare you go behind my back and speak to that man. I don’t need you to arrange jobs for me.” Her gray eyes turned a shade darker.
“I thought you’d want to go back. You worked there for twenty years and he was a flexible boss. And for the record, he didn’t accuse you of stealing. Marvin only said that you’d made a mistake in cashing out.”
“Sorry that I had lost a couple of dollars. I was tired.” Lucy pulled on her short pink robe, brought out a full pack of cigarettes and started to light one when she met Charlotte’s accusing gaze. “Damn.” She dropped the unlit cigarette and pack back into her pocket with a disappointed groan.
“Martin said you’d been having a few rough nights there at the end.”
“And you believe him?”
“I’m not taking sides. You need the job, Lucy. I don’t mind continuing to help you out, that’s fine. I’ll send you money, but I can’t stay here. I won’t stay here.”
Her aunt’s shoulders slumped some. “Then go.” She waved her spindly hand through the air like a fairy godmother with a magic wand. “I don’t need you or your help. I’ll find my own job too, thank you very much.”
“I’m sure you’ll find one.”
“Selfish.”
“Excuse me?”
“You’re selfish. When your mom couldn’t take care of you who swept in and did the right thing? I did. I didn’t have to, but I did out of the grace of my heart and this is how I’m paid back. You get some shiny certificate and then everything here is useless. That doesn’t surprise me. Your mother was the same way. Selfish to the bone.”
Charlotte gritted her teeth, holding back the hurt that bubbled up into her chest. She’d heard this same argument so many times over the years and each one seemed to burrow deeper. Although her memories had nearly faded of the woman who people said she looked identical to, she’d held out hope that one day her mother would show up, wanting to fix the broken relationship—or maybe apologize for sucking at parenting. That never happened and after this long Charlotte guessed it never would. She had no idea where her mother had gone, if she were even still alive, but she wanted to believe that she’d turned her life around from drugs and crime. As a nurse, Charlotte had seen countless lives destroyed from bad choices.
New scenery was exactly what she needed.
Stiffening her back, Charlotte reached into her back pocket and took out the check she’d written that morning and placed it on the nightstand. She stepped toward the door and turned back only to say, “I’m sorry you feel that way, Aunt Lucy. Take care of yourself.” She walked away.
In the hallway, she started for the stairs when she heard her name.
Jamie met her in the corridor. The friendly woman wore an encouraging smile and she took Charlotte’s hand as she had so many times over the years. “Remember what I said, sweet thing. You go on and find yourself and leave your aunt to me. She’ll be fine. She won’t scare me away. I’ve learned long ago her bark is bigger than her bite.”
“How will I ever repay you?”
“For what?”
“You’ve fed me, comforted me, inspired me over the years. You were the one who came to my school functions. Attended my college graduation.”
“Honey, bite your tongue. You kept this old lady young. You make sure you stay in touch and when you’re in town you stop by.”
“I will.” Giving the woman a quick hug, Charlotte hurried down the stairs before her tears overflowed. Once she was on the sidewalk, she sniffed back the emotion and gathered her feelings. She had nothing to feel guilty about. Lucy should be proud that Charlotte wanted to expand her horizon. Maybe one day her aunt would come around.
CHAPTER TWO
Two weeks later.
Plucking a lollipop from the pocket of her scrubs, she handed it to the sweet little girl with big blue eyes and her blonde hair pulled back into two ponytails. “You were very brave, Isabelle.” The eight-year-old didn’t shed one tear during her immunizations.
“You were wonderful with her. You have such a great bedside manner.” Isabelle’s mom, a young brunette with bright eyes, shook Charlotte’s hand. “I hope you’ll stay here at the clinic. We need more caring nurses like you in this small town.”
“I love being here. I haven’t had much time to explore Tarnation, but the people I’ve met are amazing. Just like this little girl here.” She patted Isabelle on the shoulder. “I’m glad her asthma is under control but if you see any problems let us know. Dr. Healey is finished so you’re free to go.”
She waved goodbye as they left then turned to Meka who was sitting at the nurse’s station popping a raisin into her mouth.
“Patient’s like her make my job much better.” Charlotte loved that things were a slower pace here than back home in the ER. She enjoyed hearing their life stories.
“The next one won’t hurt either.” Meka smiled and handed Charlotte a chart.
Reading the name, she shrugged. “Brennan Colt? Has he been here in the clinic before?”
“He’s a walk in. He was in a ranch accident and hurt his head and leg. He’s ready and waiting.” The pretty redhead went back to typing at her computer.
Charlotte stepped over to exam room three, lightly knocked then stepped inside. “Good morning.” When she didn’t get an answer, she looked up from the notes and to the exam table where her patient was stretched out awkwardly. He was about a foot too tall for the bed and he looked like he was about to bust out of the flowered paper gown. His hat was pulled down covering his face and his arms were extended above his head, his large hands clasped. She could hear his soft snores. Not many people fell asleep here in the office.
Jetting her gaze from his whiskered jaw, over his broad chest covered in blue and pink flowered gown to his bare legs down to the dusty cowboy boots, she smiled. She guessed a cowboy never took off his boots.
People had a way of doing things around these parts. She’d heard Betty Sue explain it with “beating to their own drum”. Time didn’t seem to matter in Tarnation. People were late, and if Charlotte was a couple minutes late, it didn’t seem to matter. Back home she would have been ripped.
Clearing her throat, he didn’t move.
Stepping over to the bed, she patted his shoulder. “Mr. Colt?”
He mumbled something inaudible then grabbed his hat, swiping it off his face. He blinked several times as his eyes adjusted to the light before his gaze came to her in curiosity. He had a few blood splatters on his cheek. “Hi,” he said in a sleep raspy voice.
“Hi.” She bit back another smile. “I’m Charlotte. I’m a nurse here. I hear you’ve suffered an injury. I’m sorry I woke you.”
“Sorry, ma’am. I’ve been up since daybreak.” He pushed himself onto his elbows and rubbed the sleep from his clear blue eyes. When he smiled, he showed off deep dimples and nice teeth.
“So you were hurt?”
“Just a minor injury. I was thrown by a horse.”
“Oh, just that, huh?” In a millisecond of time she evaluated his long legs and the fresh bruising on his thigh and knee under crisp, dark hairs.
“I think we need a proper hello. Hi, I’m Brennan Colt.” He thrust out his hand.
She hesitated before finally laying her palm against his, caught by the sudden warmth and tingles that shot up her arm. The calluses on the underside of his knuckles scraped her skin, not in a repulsive way, but more of a tweaking of her nerve endings. As she’d told Isabelle’s mom, Charlotte hadn’t had the chance to get out and tour the town, but she’d met a handful of cowboys—real cowboys who worked the land from dawn to dusk and liked their boots dirty and their hands dirtier. A sweet energy rushed over her. Pulling her hand away, she cleared her throat. “Nice to meet you, Brennan. Can you tell me where you’re injured?”
The corners of his mouth lifted wider and his eyes dazzled with charm. “My left ankle and I have a little scratch on my head.”
“How’s the pain in the ankle?”
“I’ve had worse.”
“That really didn’t answer my question. Check out the chart. On a scale from one to ten, where would you place your pain?” She ran her hands down the thighs of her scrubs. The awareness remained in her arm.
“Four.”
“Can I take a look?”
“Be my guest.”
She had a feeling the cowboy had an overload of charm, but she was immune to mile-wide smiles and intriguing blue eyes. She focused on examining his leg, using the tips of her fingers to gently slide along the thick, muscular chord covered in soft hair. She paused at his knee. Nothing was broken so far. “I’ll have to take your boot off.”
“Go for it.”
As carefully and slowly as she could, she dragged the boot off. Then the white sock downward and when she got to his ankle he jerked and cursed.
She looked up at him. “Still a four?”
“I’m a bit ticklish.” There was that smile again. Too bad her nipples didn’t get the message to stay professional.
Rolling the sock off completely, she laid it next to him. “And inflamed too. I don’t think anything’s broken but I’m guessing Dr. Healey will want an X-ray.”
He gave a half shrug. “Whatever you see fit as long as I can get back to my chores this afternoon.”
“I respect your work ethic, but you’ll have to rest, at least today. I’m going to look at your head now.” He had silky, thick hair and she parted the waves as she examined the cut. “You’ll need a couple of stitches, but at least it has stopped bleeding.”
“Could have been worse, I guess.”
“I need to get your vitals.” She reached for the blood pressure cuff and he held out his arm. She wrapped the cuff around his large bicep, realizing he was still staring up at her. Concentrating on pressing the bulb and not the deep dimples bracketing his plush lips she got the reading and jotted the number in his chart.
“Am I still alive?”
“Perfect blood pressure, but let’s take a listen at your heart to make sure.” Using the stethoscope, she leaned in and pressed the chest piece over his heart. She caught a scent of leather and spice soap. She liked it. His gaze was on her, making it hard to focus. “Heart’s beating fine too.” She dragged the earpieces off and hung the stethoscope around her neck. “One more thing. Your temp.” She slid the thermometer under his tongue. “Now keep this here until it beeps.”
While the thermometer worked, she made a few notes in his chart, but none of them mentioned that she needed her own blood pressure taken.
“I feel fine. It’s just a bruise.”
She looked up at him, seeing him holding the thermometer. “You need to keep that in your mouth,
” she gently chastised.
He sighed and stuck it back under his tongue.
Once it finished, she took it and dropped off the protector cover into the trash. “It’s a bit more than a bruise, but I think you already know that.”
“Trust me. This ain’t nothing.”
“How about we wait for the X-ray to decide on how bad it is.” She smiled. “Dr. Healey will probably want some bloodwork too.”
Did his color pale some? Were there beads of sweat across his forehead?
“Is it necessary?”
“Very necessary.”
“For whom?”
“Mr. Colt—”
“Brennan.”
“Okay, Brennan. Lab work is routine. I assure. If you’re afraid of needles—”
He grimaced. “I’m not afraid.”
“Okay then. I’ll be right back. I want to speak with Dr. Healey.” She stepped out and closed the door behind her. She met Meka’s gaze who was smiling from one hoop earring to the other.
“Do you need some water? You look a little flushed.”
Charlotte did need a cold shower, but she didn’t say that to the other nurse. “He certainly is full of charm, isn’t he?” She continued into Dr. Healey’s office, asked if he wanted to see the patient or get lab work first, then she went back into the exam room.
“Dr. Healey would like to get the work up.”
“If you say so. What if I resist?”
She searched his face, seeing the teasing lines around his mouth. “Do you give every nurse a hard time like this?”
“Only the cute ones.”
Her throat constricted. She felt her bottom lip tremble and she ignored his flirting. This wouldn’t be the first time, but it certainly was the first time she felt a sexual tension between her legs. Maybe it was loneliness, or maybe she simply found the cowboy attractive. After all, she was a woman who enjoyed a man’s attention just as much as the next lady. Her career didn’t give her steel walls of resistance.
Cowboy Wilde (Cooper's Hawke Landing Book 2) Page 24