“California?” he prompted. “This is Saturday. Was anyone on the job there to give you an answer?” He held his breath against the pain.
“The office manager works half a day.” She folded her arms over her chest and leaned a hip against one of the ladderback chairs surrounding the table. “One of the advantages of a medical group is enough people to expand office hours and take calls without overloading anyone. Medicine is a service-oriented profession. Medical professionals need to be available twenty-four hours a day.”
Polly put a plate of lunch meat and cheese in the center of the table. “Don’t keep me in suspense, Honey, what did the office manager say?”
She sighed. “No word yet. They have a final interview, some hotshot one of the doctors is high on. After that, all the partners are going to meet and make a decision. Probably a week to ten days more.” She met his gaze. “I hope it won’t be an inconvenience for me to stay a little longer.”
Did her chin go up slightly, just a shade defensively? As if she were protecting herself in case he was of a mind to throw her out? Nothing could be further from the truth. If anything he wanted to ask her to stay permanently, give up the job in California. If they didn’t appreciate her enough to make her their number-one candidate, it was their loss.
If she stuck around, it would give them a chance to see what this attraction was between them. But, she’d made it clear her career path didn’t lead to Destiny. Hannah felt the need to give her mother what she believed in her heart she’d cost her. Considering that, she wasn’t likely to look kindly on any suggestion about giving up a profitable practice in the big city to come back home. And after what had happened with his wife, he would be an idiot to ask. If he did, he would need first aid, or better yet, a fire extinguisher. He was this close to getting burned twice.
“You’re welcome to stay as long as you need to,” he said.
“Thanks. I appreciate it.”
He met Hannah’s gaze. “So what are you ladies planning to do this afternoon?”
She rubbed the chair back with her thumb. “I need to go into town to work out some details for the health fair next weekend.”
“Then we’re going shopping,” Polly said. “A new outlet mall opened up not too far away. I want to take Hannah.”
“Can I go with you, Polly?” Ben wandered into the room just in time to hear the last part. “Hi, Hannah banana.”
“Hey, big Ben,” she said, smiling at him with genuine warmth.
Dev felt like he was on the outside looking in—cold. Living outside the fire, too far away to get burned, yet feeling the absence of beneficial warmth. The only heat he felt was hot under the collar. Since when would Ben rather go shopping than riding?
But he knew the answer. Since Hannah. He wasn’t jealous; he was worried. In spite of his efforts, the boy was getting attached to her.
“Hey, son. I thought you wanted to ride your horse this afternoon.”
“You don’t really want to go shopping,” Polly said, putting a basket of rolls and bread on the table.
“Do too.” The boy thrust out his lower lip. “I want to go with Hannah.”
She bent down to his level and took his hand. “But you’ve been waiting for your dad to watch you ride your new horse.”
“I can do that any old time. But you’re not gonna be here much longer.” A sparkle stole into his brown eyes as he slid his chubby little arm around her neck. “But maybe—”
“What?” Hannah prompted.
“I saw you kiss my daddy last night. Does that mean you’re gonna stay?”
“Really?” Polly looked from her daughter to Dev.
Well that woke up the Indians, he thought. As if he needed another complication for his son’s feelings. He forced himself to look sternly at the boy. “You should have been asleep. And to answer your question, Hannah hasn’t changed her mind. She just told me she’ll hear about her job in California real soon now.”
“I hope they fire you,” Ben said, puffing out his lip again.
Hannah laughed. “They would have to hire me before they can do that, big guy.” She looked at Dev, then her glance skittered away. “But I can promise you one thing, you won’t see me kiss your dad again.”
“If you do kiss ’im, does that mean you’ll stay?” the boy asked, clearly not giving up.
Dev sighed as he reminded himself that determination would be a positive characteristic in a man.
“No,” Dev said. “Hannah’s not staying and it’s time you got that through your head.”
He knew he sounded harsh and hated it. But he didn’t believe in encouraging false hope. There would be no third time’s the charm, and no happy ending. Dev couldn’t take a chance on Hannah. He was a grown-up and deserved the consequences of his own stupidity. But he wasn’t the only one getting attached to her. And Ben was just a kid. He wouldn’t put his son in a position to be hurt again.
The health fair was almost over but Hannah wouldn’t breathe a sigh of relief until it was. She’d kicked off the event with her talk on skin cancer prevention at the Women’s Auxiliary luncheon. Her message: sunscreen and more sunscreen. And she figured she could use a bucket of it about now. Even though her long table was set up in the shade under the overhang outside Doc Holloway’s office, it was hot and the sun kept shifting.
She’d been in demand since one o’clock when the luncheon was over and people had begun to wander over to the health fair. Sheriff O’Connor had roped off Main Street where Addie had helped her set up stations for specific medical screenings.
Her office nurse had trained Bonnie Potts on the machine to do blood pressure, pulse and temperature readings. The nurse was doing vision screenings which left Hannah with finger sticks and the glucometer for blood sugar readings.
She fixed a bandage on Ginger Applewhite’s finger. The thirty-something woman was married to the owner of Charlie’s Tractor Supply and clerked in the store.
“So do I have to give up Twinkies, Doc?” the tall brunette asked.
Hannah frowned. “Yeah, it’s on the high side, Ginger. I’d like to send you to the lab for a fasting blood sample. Why don’t you call Addie for an appointment so we can talk about it and set things up?”
The woman nodded. “Should I be worried? Am I gonna keel over between now and then?”
“This is only a screening. And it could just be that snowcone I saw you eating.”
“It hit the spot, as hot as it is,” Ginger said.
“That’s why I want to get a fasting sample.” Hannah handed her one of Doc Holloway’s business cards with the office phone number. “It’s important to rule out anything serious.”
“Okay. I’ll call on Monday.” She smiled. “Thanks Dr. Morgan.”
When Ginger walked away, an older man stepped in front of Hannah. “I can check your blood sugar,” Hannah offered.
“Nope. I’d rather paint my barn pink,” the man said. He was tall, in his early sixties, lean and white-haired with piercing blue eyes. “Addie says to give these to the doc.” He held up a piece of paper that had the results of his screenings.
“I’m Dr. Hannah Morgan,” she answered.
“The hell you say? Why, you’re just a baby.”
“Potty-trained just last week,” Hannah muttered under breath.
“Nothin’ wrong with my ears,” he said.
“I’m glad to hear it.” Hannah thought her face would crack from the smile she plastered on it. The name on the paper he’d handed her said Clovis Evans. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Evans. I’ll just take a look at your work-up sheet.”
“Nothin’ wrong with me,” he answered.
“You look like you’re in excellent health.” Hannah scanned the numbers on the paper, then frowned. “I see here that your blood pressure is high. I’d like you to go back to where Bonnie Potts is and have her repeat the reading.”
“She already did that. Told me to tell you second time said the same as the first.” Worry dueled with defiance in his
expression. “What’s wrong?”
Trying to decide how to handle the situation and how much information to give him, Hannah frowned at the sheet. She didn’t want to frighten him needlessly. At the same time, she needed to impress upon him not to disregard the screening. She met his gaze. “Mr. Evans, high blood pressure can be a serious condition.”
“How so?”
“It’s often referred to as the silent killer because it can result in a stroke or heart attack without warning.”
“I feel fine,” he insisted, and stubborn was written all over his face.
She nodded. “That’s part of the problem. If you felt like something the cat dragged in, you’d do something about it. But it’s hard to believe anything’s wrong when there are no symptoms.”
“What do I do?” he asked, rubbing a hand over the back of his neck.
“I’d like to see you in the office. We need to discuss the possibility of medication to control your blood pressure. Also diet and exercise can help.”
“Look, little lady, it’s not like I sit around the ranch all day and do nothing.”
“I’m sure you don’t. And there’s no need to worry prematurely—”
“Who says I’m worried?” he snapped. “I’m healthy as a horse.”
“Ignoring this condition could lead to a problem that’s as bad as you’re thinking. I’d like you to call for an appointment—”
“Maybe when Doc Holloway gets back—”
She straightened to her full height and still had to look up at him. “Mr. Evans, have you ever heard the expression that when you bury your head in the sand, you leave your fanny exposed?” Hannah asked.
“Look, missy—”
“Clovis, don’t start.” Addie Ledbetter walked over and put her hand on one substantial hip, then stared hard at the man. “I don’t want to see you giving Doc Morgan a hard time.”
Hannah couldn’t believe her eyes and ears. The woman who had exhibited every single symptom of perpetual PMS had actually come to her rescue like the marines to an unarmed third-world country. Certainly Addie’s attitude had softened in the weeks since Hannah had been filling in for Doc Holloway. But defending her to one of Destiny’s senior citizens was like waving the white flag. She’d turned her away from the dark side and Hannah wanted to kiss her.
Clovis Evans cleared his throat and shifted his weight from one boot to the other. “Now Addie, you got no call to get mad as a hen in a wool basket.” He darted a skeptical look in Hannah’s direction. “She doesn’t look more’n eighteen years old. And she’s a woman to boot. Why should I listen to what she’s tellin’ me?”
Because I spent hours and hours studying, Hannah wanted to say. Because I worked my tail off and learned and I know what I’m talking about.
“I’m a woman,” Addie pointed out. “I’d be careful about that sort of thing if I were you, Clovis Evans. Now as for the doc, she went to school for a lot of years and she’s sharper than a pocket full of toothpicks. I’ve seen her in action and she knows what she’s doing.” The plump redhead pointed at the crotchety man. “You listen to her, mister, because I’m telling you to. We’ll see you bright and early Monday morning.”
“Okay, Addie. If you say so.” Sheepishly, he looked at Hannah. “Thanks, Doc.”
“You’re welcome,” she said. Meeting the other woman’s gaze she asked, “Well what do you know?”
“I know you’re doing a good thing,” Addie said. “Clovis Evans will thank you and so will his family. This health fair is a fine idea, a real service to the community.”
“I wish I could take credit for it, but they’re happening everywhere. When you calculate time and money, it’s an inexpensive way to screen for medical problems. And a real service to a community.”
“A big-city idea?” Addie asked with a sly smile.
Hannah grinned back. “I’m not going there. It’s just a great opportunity to reach out in a nonthreatening way.”
The nurse surveyed the stragglers still meandering around the stations. “If we’d had more time to get the word out, we’d have had a lot more people to nonthreaten.”
Hannah laughed ruefully. “If we’d had more people, I’d have needed a whole lot more help and equipment.”
“Next year we can plan for that,” the other woman said.
“I can write up some notes for Doc Holloway in case there is a next year. But I won’t be here.”
Hannah felt a tug in the general region of her heart at the words. With profound regret, it hit her that she really was leaving Destiny. It had been a good day. She’d won over Addie Ledbetter. She had reached out to the townspeople and they had reached back. She was beginning to make friends. They had listened to her. At least most of them. Addie the enforcer had brought Clovis Evans around. But between the health fair, the trauma at the rodeo and seeing Doc’s patients for the last few weeks, she hadn’t felt so much satisfaction in her job for a long time. Was it because she’d had an opportunity to become more personally involved? Because it was a small town where everyone knew everyone else? What would it be like to practice medicine in Destiny?
With a large sigh, Addie sat down beside her and slid a stack of papers over in her direction. “Next year is three hundred and sixty-five days away. Plans have a way of changing,” she said wisely.
“Not these plans.”
“What plans are those?”
That was a question Hannah wouldn’t ordinarily have considered answering. But then she saw the sympathetic look in the other woman’s piercing blue eyes. The words came pouring out before she could stop them.
“I’m waiting to hear on a job in California. I’m going to make a lot of money and give my mom the easy life she deserves.”
“So Polly’s moving to la-la land?”
“That’s the plan.”
“Hmm.”
“What does that mean?” Hannah asked, frowning.
Large shoulders and plump arms lifted in a shrug. “Your mom might have something to say about that. She and Frank Holloway could just have different ideas.”
Hannah stared at the other woman. Her mother had never hinted at anything between herself and Doc. Before she could say more, a familiar freckle-faced four-year-old showed up in front of her. And just two steps behind was the familiar father. She found it extremely disconcerting the way her heart kicked up at the sight of the man.
“Hi, Hannah banana.”
“Hi, yourself.”
“I have to go,” Addie said. “Got company coming for dinner tonight.”
“I couldn’t have done this without you. Thanks for everything, Addie. See you Monday.”
“Count on it, Doc.”
When the redhead smiled and winked at her, Hannah was completely shocked and embarrassed at her own reaction. She wanted to cry. Fortunately with a certain cowboy and his adorable son standing in front of her she managed to pull herself together with some discreet blinking.
“What’s going on?” she asked, looking from Dev to Ben.
“I got my eyes checked,” the little boy announced proudly.
Hannah glanced to the empty station, where the vision chart was still displayed with the big E at the top. How she’d hated that as a girl. Without glasses and eventually contacts, she hadn’t been able to see much below that letter.
“And how are your pretty peepers?” she asked the child. Surely he was fine. From his bedroom window, little eagle eyes had quite clearly seen her kiss his father in the gazebo and again by the front porch.
“Boys don’t have pretty eyes,” he scoffed. “And anyway, Addie says mine aren’t so good,” he finished glumly.
“Really?” she asked, her gaze shifting to Dev’s.
Sometimes with children so young the screening was difficult because they didn’t know the alphabet. “Did you know all the letters?”
“Yeah, he did,” his father confirmed.
Dumb question. Ben showed all the signs of being very precocious, and if anyone should know it
was her. She’d skipped the grades in school and had the emotional scars to prove it. Her only excuse for forgetting was Dev’s close proximity. Her brain seemed to go into suspended animation whenever he was around. If this had happened so acutely ten years ago, her tutoring wouldn’t have helped him get through elementary math, let alone physics.
“Here’s his results,” Dev said, handing her the sheet.
“Hmm,” she said, imitating Addie.
It was such an all encompassing word. Was it a word? Maybe not. But it sounded good and bought her some time. The results showed that there was some difference in his eyes. The right was twenty/twenty which probably enabled him to compensate for the weakness in his left eye. His slightly less than perfect vision hadn’t hampered his ability to see Dev kiss her. The memory caused her heart to flutter and her pulse to skip. Her temperature shot up and her BP would probably rival Clovis Evans’s.
“Daddy, can I go see Polly?”
Dev glanced to the spot where Hannah’s mother was standing talking to Bonnie Potts in front of the Roadkill Café. “Sure, son. I’ll be there in a minute.”
Hannah studied him as he watched his son scamper over to her mother. In his expression worry, pride and love wove together in equal parts.
“This is just a screening, Dev.”
“Yeah.”
“Before he starts school, it’s good to know if there’s anything going on with his eyes.”
“Okay.”
“I suggest taking him to an ophthalmologist for a more thorough exam, preferably one who specializes in children,” she suggested.
“I’ll do that.” But his forehead was still creased with worry.
“Are you concerned about his vision, Dev?”
“I worry about everything.” He met her gaze and something in his brown eyes told her he didn’t just mean the child’s physical well-being.
She recalled a week before when the boy had said he’d seen them kissing. Dev had agreed with her that it wouldn’t happen again. Was he just not interested in her enough to bother? Or had he been protecting his son?
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