“Okay. Linc, you need to make sure you have something close by that is high in glucose in case Marisol’s blood glucose level dips. And it’s a good idea to have something by the bed as well.”
“Already got that covered.” Linc drew out a couple of hard candies from his pocket. “Been carrying these in the pocket of whatever jeans I’m wearing since she told me.”
He had? Damn, that was so sweet. It hit her then, full force just how serious he was about taking care of her.
And she knew there would be no leaving once any danger to her was over. No way she could ever walk away from him. Not that she’d been seriously contemplating it anyway.
“I usually have my bag beside the bed, it has glucose tabs in it,” she told Doc.
“Good. Getting a good night’s sleep is always important. For everyone. Do you get off to sleep okay?”
“Um, not really,” she admitted. “I tend to read at night until I drop off to sleep from exhaustion.”
“That’s not good,” Linc commented. “You didn’t have to do that last night.”
She blushed at the memory of how many times she’d come last night. He’d exhausted her.
Doc snorted, obviously figuring out what had happened. “That’s one way to do it. Having a good bedtime routine will help you get to sleep. Go to bed at the same time each night. Dinner. Relaxing with TV or reading or however else you like to relax,” he gave Linc a knowing look which had her biting her lip, “bath time, small snack, then to bed. No devices or working right before bed.”
“Got it,” Linc said.
“Right, Marisol. Can you hop up on the table for me, please? Linc will help you. It’s kind of high.”
Doc got up and washed and dried his hands. She rose, still holding Linc’s hand as he led her to the table. Then he lifted her up so her legs dangled over the edge.
“Don’t I have to put on one of those scratchy gowns?” she asked.
“I try to avoid making my patients wear scratchy gowns,” Doc replied dryly. “Although Linc can wear one for his next examination. Punishment for being late.”
Linc just rolled his eyes. Then she watched as he grabbed a blood glucose monitor. He loaded a new lancet into the finger pricking device. Then he put set up the monitor with a new test strip. She took the lancer when he handed it over to prick her finger so he could test her blood glucose level.
“Good,” he commented, putting everything away.
To her surprise, Linc didn’t leave her side as Doc started his examination, feeling her glands and looking in her throat and ears.
“You could stand a few feet away,” Doc told him with a glare.
Linc crossed his arms over his chest and took one step back. Doc started muttering under his breath about overbearing cowboys.
“Let’s take your temperature now that you’re no longer roasting under ten layers of clothing.”
Linc just snorted.
Doc used an ear thermometer. It beeped and he looked at it. “It’s good. You ever had your temperature taken with a rectal thermometer, Linc?”
“No,” Linc growled.
Doc turned and grinned at him. “Something to look forward to then.”
She gasped. But then Doc turned back to her and gave her a wink. She dropped her head to hide her smile.
“I usually only use them with sick Littles, but I think from now on whenever someone is late, they’ll get them at their next check-up.”
“If you think that scares me, you don’t know me that well,” Linc replied.
Doc finished up the rest of the exam. “Right, Marisol, everything looks good. But I want to take some blood. Okay?”
“All right.”
Even though she was used to needles and pricking herself, she just hated having blood drawn. It was something about seeing the blood squirt into the tube.
“Hey, you’ve gone all pale,” Linc crooned. “Want to sit on my lap while Doc takes your blood?”
She nodded.
Linc helped her down then led her to the chairs. He sat with her on his lap. Maybe she should have felt silly, being in this position. But as he guided her to bury her face in his neck, she just felt protected.
“That’s it, teeny. Doc’s just going to take a small bit of blood and then you’ll get a Band-Aid.”
“I’ve got different Band-Aids for each of my girls,” Doc told her. Each of his girls? Did he mean all the Littles?
“Let me see, there’s bumblebee ones for Caley. Bears for Ellie. Rabbit ones for Abby. Charlie has mermaid ones. Daisies for Daisy. Eden just likes pale blue ones and Ari has these pretty gold, glittery ones. We tried to find koala ones for Gigi, but that proved a bit hard. So she likes the princess ones. Want any of those?”
“I’d like the princess one please.”
“Good. That’s all done. Linc, hold that there for me and apply pressure.”
She moved her face away from Linc’s neck and looked down at her arm in amazement. “It’s done? I didn’t even feel it.”
“All done.”
Linc removed his hand as Doc put the Band-Aid on. She looked down at the princess Band-Aid with a smile. Doc moved back around his desk and sat.
“When are you going to come into the twenty-first century and use technology?” Linc teased Doc who wrote on a pad.
“Bite me,” Doc replied.
“Now, Doc, I thought you’d never ask.”
Doc shook his head. “All I get around here is insolence. I need to ask Kent for a raise. Anything else you want to mention, Marisol?”
“Umm, no, I don’t think so.”
“Linc, can you go get us some cookies from the kitchen?”
Linc sighed. “Why am I fetching cookies?”
“Don’t you want any?” Doc replied.
“What flavor are they? They’re not bran and raisin or something like that, are they?” Linc asked suspiciously.
“Chocolate chip. Go.”
Linc turned to her. “That okay with you?”
She nodded. “It’s fine.”
“I’ll bring her to you safe and sound in a few minutes.” Doc waited until Linc deposited her in her own chair then got up and left, closing the door behind him.
“Chocolate chip cookies are my favorite,” she said sadly.
“There aren’t any.”
“What?”
“There aren’t any cookies. Well, not where he’ll find them anyway. But I figured it would keep him busy for a few minutes. Wanted to talk to you alone.”
“Oh. What about?”
“Just wanted to check there wasn’t anything you wanted to talk to me about that you couldn’t say in front of Linc. I know that you were attacked recently.”
She swallowed heavily. Right. That’s what he wanted to talk about.
“I noticed the bruises on your neck.”
She raised her hand. “They’re much better.”
“Linc said he strangled you. Threatened you. He do anything else?” There was a softness to his face even if his words sounded abrupt.
“No.”
He watched her for a long moment. “You wouldn’t lie to me?”
She shook her head. “I’m not. Really. He didn’t assault me or anything. He didn’t get that chance.”
“But he threatened to. That can be terrifying.”
“It was.”
“If you want someone to talk to, I know a passably good therapist.”
“You’re recommending a passably good therapist?” she asked with surprise.
“It’s my brother. I can’t give him too much praise. His head is big enough as it is and I have to live with him. For some reason, Caley loves him.”
She had to bite back a grin. “Can I think about it?”
He gave an abrupt nod. “You’re happy staying with Linc? I don’t think he’d pressure you into anything . . .”
“He hasn’t,” she said quickly. “He’d never do that.”
“Good,” he said softly. “Is there anything else?�
�
“No, I don’t think so.”
“Are you on birth control? Would you like to talk about options?”
“I’m not . . . I haven’t . . . yes, maybe,” she changed direction quickly, thinking it over. It would be the sensible thing to do.
“Do you notice that your blood sugars fluctuate more around your period?”
She nodded.
“Let’s talk through your options then you can have a think about it. All right?”
They spent the next ten minutes discussing everything.
“Any more questions?” Doc asked her.
“No. Thank you.”
“Good. We’re finished here,” Doc said abruptly. He stood. “Let’s go find Linc. Think he’s gotten lost looking for imaginary cookies.”
Oh, he was terrible.
He strode from the office but she took a bit longer and by the time she stepped out of the waiting room and into the hallway, he had disappeared.
“Urgh! This is so annoying!”
Marisol watched in shock as a gorgeous, blonde-haired woman stomped into the hallway. Recognizing her instantly, she froze.
CJ Bennett.
Okay, so she’d already met her. But she hadn’t known who she was. This was her favorite author. Her idol. And she currently had her forehead pressed to the wall of the hallway, her fists slamming against the walls.
“It’s a terrible story, with a horrible plot. Everyone is going to hate it! This is going to be the end of my career.”
“I’m sure it’s not,” Marisol said quietly. She felt like she had to say something. How could Caley think her book would be terrible when Marisol devoured every word she wrote as though they were water drops and she was dying of thirst?
“What?” Caley whirled, her feet stumbling over nothing as her arms wind-milled in the air. “Ohh.”
Marisol jumped for her, but it was too late, she fell to the floor with a thump.
“Ouch.”
“Oh God! I’m so sorry. This is all my fault. I shouldn’t have frightened you and made you fall. Are you hurt? What can I do?” Marisol crouched down beside her, her breath coming in sharp pants.
“Whoa. First of all, honey, take a breath. I’m fine. I just fell on my butt. Happens all the time. Basically a daily occurrence.”
“It is,” a deep voice agreed from behind Marisol. She turned to find a tall man with chestnut-colored hair had walked through the door from the waiting room and she hadn’t even noticed. “What did you trip over this time, poppet?”
“My own feet,” Caley said dryly. “As per usual. You’re home early. Finished with your head doctoring?” The man stepped around Marisol then leaned down, effortlessly picked Caley up and set her on her feet.
Marisol scrambled up as well.
“Archer, this is Marisol. Remember, I told you about her, she came from the spa to do our nails for Charlie’s bridal shower? And now she’s staying with Linc.”
“Ahh, yes. Nice to meet you, Marisol.” Archer had kind eyes and a warm handshake. After he let her hand go, he glanced down at Caley. “How sore is your butt? Does it need a rub? Maybe a magic kiss? Perhaps I should inspect it and see.”
Caley rolled her eyes. “Don’t mind him, he thinks he’s a comedian.”
But she could see Archer was rubbing Caley’s bottom for her. Caley sighed, leaning into him.
“You stopping for the day, poppet?” Archer asked.
“My book is terrible,” Caley wailed. “I can’t make any of it work. At this stage, I’m never going to get it ready in time to send it to Daisy. It’s just one, giant crappy mess. I’m going to be up all night trying to fix it.”
“You’ll be going to bed at your usual time,” a familiar bark came from down the hall. Marisol peered round to find Doc walking towards them with a frown. Linc was behind him. He sent her a wink.
“No cookies. Doc lied,” he told her with a sigh.
“And now all the cookies are gone!” Caley wailed, throwing her hands up in the air. “Will the blows never stop coming?”
“Hush,” Doc told her, walking close and grabbing one of her hands gently, looking it over. “There’s still some cookies left. I just told Linc there were none because I didn’t want him eating them all.”
“Jeez, Doc. I feel so loved.” Linc shook his head.
“You’re not loved. I love Caley. She gets a cookie. You don’t.”
Archer sighed. “It’s hard to be your brother sometimes.”
“Just sometimes?” Linc asked dryly.
“What about Marisol? Does Marisol get a cookie?” Caley asked. “She looks like she could use one.”
“I think I’ve got some sugar free ones she can have,” Doc replied.
“You don’t eat sugar, Marisol?” Caley asked with interest.
“I’m diabetic,” Marisol explained shyly, wishing she could kind of disappear now. Even if it was fascinating watching Caley with her two Docs.
“Really? That’s great!”
“Um, it is?”
“Argh, Caley, think about what you just said.” Archer nodded over at Marisol.
“Oh no, I’m such an idiot.” Caley reached for her with the hand that Doc wasn’t holding. “I didn’t mean it like that. I’m so sorry. It’s just the character in my story has diabetes and I’m having trouble figuring everything out. I can’t believe I said that. Forgive me?”
“It’s okay,” Marisol told her.
“Oh good. So would you mind?”
“Um, mind what?” It was hard to keep up with Caley.
“Would you mind answering some questions for me? Or maybe even reading through the story to make sure what I’ve written is accurate? Do you like reading?”
“M-mind? I would love to! I love your books. I’ve read all of them. Several times.”
“She got nervous about coming here when I told her your pen name,” Linc explained.
“Nervous? To meet me? You don’t have to be nervous. I’m just Caley.”
“Just Caley is beautiful and smart and sweet,” Archer told her. Wow, he was so sweet.
“Your hands are swollen,” Doc snapped. “You need to sit with some heat packs on. Have you not been using your dictation?”
And Doc was so grumbly. She guessed they evened each other out.
Caley looked instantly guilty. “The words aren’t coming, so I switched to typing.”
“Caley,” Doc growled in a disapproving voice. “That’s going on your chart.”
With a sigh, Caley pouted up at Doc. “My characters aren’t behaving. What was I supposed to do?”
“Once your hands start hurting, you’re supposed to stop,” he told her.
“You’re not winning this one,” Archer told her with a soft pat on her ass. “Come on, let’s go find some cookies and get your heating pad ready. You can talk to Marisol while you sit.”
Caley looked over at Marisol. “But I need to take notes.”
“I can do that. I don’t mind,” Marisol offered. “Or I could write things out as I’m reading your story.”
“Oh, I couldn’t ask you to do that.”
“Please. I’d love to help. I just . . . your books have helped me when things haven’t been so great in my life. I’d lose myself in them. I’ve read them several times. To help you in any way, would be amazing.”
“I think that’s one of the nicest things anyone has ever said to me.” Caley slipped her hand around Marisol’s arm. “Marisol, I think you are my new best friend.”
24
Marisol was riding a high as they drove home.
“Can you believe Caley wants my help? Mine? And she’s sending her manuscript to me so I can beta read for her?” She jumped up and down in the seat.
“Whoa. No jumping around while I’m driving.” Linc shot his arm out to hold her against the seat, shooting her a firm look.
She sighed at him. “Daddy, we’re not even on the road. I don’t even need to wear a seatbelt.”
“You most certa
inly do. I catch you without one and you’ll get a spanking every night for a week.”
Uh-huh. She didn’t think so. Linc could never spank her that much. And she could barely feel the one she’d had this morning.
“You think I won’t do it? I will. And before you tell me that one this morning didn’t hurt that bad, that was just a light reminder. It wasn’t a proper spanking.”
It wasn’t?
Hmm.
“Sit in your seat. Seems I do need to order the full car seat for you.”
“You do not!” Bad enough she was getting a booster, but a proper seat with harness was not going to happen. Was it? She shot him a sideways glance.
Damn, he looked pretty serious.
He parked outside their cabin. She couldn’t believe how today had gone. Not only was she getting help with managing her diabetes, but she now got to beta read for CJ Bennett. She’d taken notes as Caley asked questions, both of them eating a cookie, hers was sugar-free, with milk while the men all drank coffee.
Linc jumped out then adjusted the front seat for some reason. “Time to do the ‘is Mari too short to drive Daddy’s truck’ test. Although I still don’t think I’m going to let you drive it anyway.”
“Daddy,” she sighed. It was all too easy to call him that now. In fact, she couldn’t imagine calling him anything else. She might have to watch out in public that she didn’t slip.
“Don’t Daddy me.” He waggled a finger at her. “It’s too big for you.”
He helped her out of the truck and led her around to his side, lifting her in.
Crap. She shifted forward in the seat, reaching for the pedals. There! She turned and gave Linc a triumphant look.
“See, Daddy? I can totally drive this.”
“Sure, if you don’t need to see where you’re going,” a deep voice said, startling her.
She gave a gasp, twisting to see a big man standing behind Linc. He was several inches taller than Linc and broader. Thick with muscle, he had blond hair and a fair complexion. His beard was blond interspersed with red. Blue eyes watched her coldly.
Linc turned. Obviously, he hadn’t heard the other man approach either. “Zander!”
Zander? That name sounded vaguely familiar. He didn’t look like a ranch hand. Could this guy even ride a horse without it collapsing beneath him? Although he’d probably just terrify the cattle into doing what he wanted anyway.
Daddy in Cowboy Boots (Montana Daddies Book 9) Page 23