“Maybe you haven’t met the right woman yet.”
“I’ve met you.”
“I can’t be the right woman for you, Mike. I can’t have children!” She was practically screaming by the time she finished.
“And do I understand this right? If I say I don’t care about having children, you think I’m lying?”
“Not lying,” she said carefully. “But the day will come when you’ll want children.”
“And if I married you, there would be no way to have kids? Adoptions can’t be considered? Surrogate motherhood would be impossible? My choice, according to you, would be to dump you for another body?”
She nodded, trying to look away, which was difficult since he still held her shoulders.
“Who did this to you?”
She gave him a sharp look. “What do you mean?”
“What slimeball left you because you can’t have children? And how dare you lump me in with him!”
“It wasn’t—okay, but I’d been honest and then…his nurse became pregnant. We’d been together for two years and—he had to do the right thing.” Caroline was shaking by now, as if it were all her fault.
Mike shook his head. “You come from the Randalls, where every one of the men are stand-up guys, and you fall for some lowlife who treats you like that? And he’s stupid, too, if he can use the expression ‘doing the right thing’ when he obviously has no concept of the right thing!” As if he couldn’t stand to be close to her, Mike opened his door and got out into the cold night air. He paced briskly for several minutes, clearly talking to himself. Then he turned and rounded the truck to open her door.
“Get out, Caroline.”
She did so, and stood there, waiting for what he would say next.
“I don’t know what to call our brief relationship. I know I’m very attracted to you. I know I like you. And I’ll be damned if I’ll let you compare me to this stupid man of your past. You need to get over him, and stop thinking you have nothing to offer a man. When you do, give me a call! If I’m still available.”
Without another word, he rounded the truck, got behind the wheel and drove off into the night.
CAROLINE HAD NO difficulty awakening early the next morning to meet Jon at the Sheriff’s Office. In fact, she was relieved to crawl from the torture chamber formerly called her bed. She’d tossed and turned all night long, Mike’s words playing in her mind.
She was over Don; that much she knew. But she’d accepted his behavior as condemnation of her womanhood. And she’d made Mike mad because of it. Was he right? Did life hold the possibility of a happy marriage even though she couldn’t have children?
She’d always known about the options of adoption or surrogate motherhood. But she’d felt she would be offering something second best. Randalls always went first class! Her mind was in a jumble, and facing the man who’d made her so crazy wasn’t exactly number one on her list of fun things to do.
When she was ready to go, she called Jon to see if he’d left home yet. She didn’t want to turn up at the Sheriff’s Office alone.
Jon was just about to leave.
“I’m going to stop by the clinic and pick up a scale we’re not using,” he told her. “I think they’ll need one. Then I’ll be there.”
“Okay. I’ll see you in about five minutes.”
“Right.”
She bundled up for the cold weather and waited another four minutes. She was sure Jon would be there now. Walking briskly to keep warm, she went to the Sheriff’s Office.
When she opened the door and realized her partner wasn’t there yet, she tried to back out, but Mike had come out of his office and greeted her.
“Morning, Caroline.”
“Good morning, Sheriff. Jon isn’t here yet?”
“No, but I’m sure he’ll arrive soon. Care for a cup of coffee?”
“Yes, thanks.” Maybe coffee would help her think more sharply. She needed something.
“Close the door,” he reminded her as he walked to the back where they kept the coffeepot.
She closed the door and started after him. Several of the deputies were standing around and she greeted them, relieved to see them there. At least she wasn’t alone with Mike.
When the door opened behind her, she assumed it was Jon and turned to greet him. Only Nick and Gabe Randall walked in.
She still didn’t know how to tell her twin cousins apart. She smiled. “Nick, Gabe, what are you doing here?”
Before they could answer, Mike put a mug of coffee in Caroline’s hand and greeted the two men.
“You don’t know which one of us is which, do you?” one of them asked.
Mike grinned. “Seeing the two of you together, frankly, I don’t. I hope you’re going to give me a hint so I don’t make a fool of myself.”
“I’m Gabe,” one of them said. “I look older because my wife and I have twins. They age you quickly.” He immediately pulled out pictures of two babies about eighteen months old.
Nick pulled out a picture, too. His baby boy was about nine months old. “Mine is catching up fast,” he assured them.
Caroline couldn’t help looking at Mike as he admired the pictures. He glanced up and caught her stare. “Congratulations, guys. Those are good-looking babies.” He handed back the pictures. “But it still doesn’t tell me why you’re here.”
“We’re meeting Jake and the crew here. Didn’t he tell you?” Nick asked.
Mike stared at them. Then he looked to Caroline for some explanation, but all she could do was shrug.
“What crew? To do what?” Mike asked.
Just then, the door opened and Jake and his brothers, plus Jim Randall and six other cowboys, piled into the office.
“Morning, Caro,” Jake said, hugging his daughter. “This is a bonus. I didn’t know you’d be here.”
“I’m helping Jon check out the deputies before they begin their exercise regime,” she answered.
“Hey, good thinking. Hi, Mike,” Jake said, shaking his hand as his brothers had done.
“Did I miss something?” Mike asked. “I mean, did you say last night you were coming today? And why?”
“Well, I should have called you this morning, but I was afraid you wouldn’t be up yet. Thought we’d just surprise you.” He waved at the group of men around him. “We’re here to get started on our exercise room project.”
Mike frowned. “But we’re going to clean it up and bring down the equipment I have. Then we’ll be able to tell you what we’ve got room for. I’m sorry you came all this way for that. I’m not sure when we’ll get it done.”
“Son,” Jake said, putting his hand on Mike’s shoulder, “we’re here to do some real work. Things are slow on the ranch in the winter. Toby keeps working in the arena training his horses, and two of the hands stayed with him. But the rest of us don’t have much to do. So we’re going to build you a bigger workout center.”
Mike appeared stunned. “Build a new center? But that would cost money and take a lot of time.”
Jake’s brother Chad winked at him. “Everyone’s pitching in so it won’t take so long. Besides, Jim and I, in particular, have a debt to pay.”
“No, Mr. Randall—I mean Chad—that’s not necessary.”
Pete grinned. “You just go ahead with whatever you’re doing and we’ll let you know if we run into snags.”
The men all followed Jake’s lead and walked into the storeroom, closing the door behind them.
Nick and Gabe still stood there, with grins on their faces. Gabe said, “I’m used to the way Jake and his brothers do business. Nick is still learning.”
“Yeah,” his twin agreed. “And we’d better catch up with them, because I’m the one who has building experience.”
Mike looked even more confused. “But you’re a lawyer.”
“Yeah, but every summer for seven years I built houses to earn money for college.”
Gabe smiled even more broadly. “Now, don’t you start feeling sorry for
him. His daddy had plenty of money. But he wanted his son to be well-rounded. I’m the one who grew up poor. Not old moneybags here.” Both men laughed.
Mike was confused, and it must have shown on his face because Gabe launched into an abbreviated family history. He told Mike how their widowed young mother had given up Nick for adoption to a wealthy family with the resources to correct his club foot. Gabe had been raised by their mom until she died, when he was thirteen, at which point he’d left to follow the rodeo. It wasn’t until after Nick’s adoptive parents died that he’d found his twin in Rawhide.
Even families like the Randalls had their share of hardship, Mike thought as he watched them follow Jake into the back room.
When Jon came in moments later, he looked at Caroline and then Mike. “Anything wrong?”
He was carrying a doctor’s scale. Mike reached to help him.
“Wrong? I guess not. I’ve just been invaded by Randalls.”
Jon came to an abrupt halt and stared around him. “Where are they?”
“In the storeroom. I guess you and Caroline should set up in the snack room. That will at least give you some privacy. You’ll need to start with my two night men. They’re anxious to get home.” He waved to a couple of deputies.
Caroline, delighted to move away from Mike, immediately carried her coffee to the snack room. Jon and Mike followed with the heavy scale. The two men Mike had mentioned followed.
Jon looked at the two deputies. “I’ll take one of you and Caroline the other. You’ll need to step on the scale and then unbutton your shirt.”
Both deputies looked at Caroline skeptically, but she’d seen that reaction before. “I really am a doctor, gentlemen. Think nothing of it.”
Then she turned her back to them to provide a little privacy until they adjusted to the idea.
“Boss, you gonna get checked?” one of them asked.
Caroline froze, waiting for Mike’s answer.
“Nope. I’m not starting something new. Though I guess I could get my stitches removed, couldn’t I, Doc?”
She turned to see if he was talking to her. Instead, he was looking at Jon.
“When did you get them?” Jon asked.
“The other doc put them in last Friday night.”
The other doc? Was he going to pretend they didn’t even know each other?
“What do you say, Caro?” Jon asked.
“The other doc says wait until next Monday.”
Jon shrugged his shoulders. “Sorry, Mike.”
“So I come in Monday morning?”
“If you call my office and make an appointment,” she said crisply, not looking at him.
The back door opened. “Hey, Mike,” Nick called. “Can you spare us a minute?”
“Sure, I’ll be right there.” After the door closed, he looked at Jon. “Everyone okay in here?”
“Sure,” Jon said, sparing Caroline a sideways glance. “We’re fine.”
After Mike walked away, Jon leaned over and whispered to his colleague, “Did Mike and ‘the other doctor’ have a fight?”
“Of course not,” Caroline replied. “We’re just going to approach friendship more, um, cautiously.”
“Okay,” Jon agreed, his curiosity obviously not appeased.
A few minutes later, Mike returned, another dazed expression on his face.
Jon said something to him, but Caroline didn’t pay attention. She was too busy trying not to laugh. The younger deputy had chosen to let her do his exam, and she was making bets with herself about how long he could go without breathing and letting out his gut. His endurance was impressing her.
“Now take a deep breath and hold it,” she ordered softly.
He gave her a surprised look and took a small breath, still sucking in his stomach.
Mike, obviously paying close attention, walked by and ordered, “Breathe, you idiot!”
The man turned bright red.
“Don’t pay him any heed,” Caroline said gently. “You’re doing fine.”
This time the man actually relaxed, and she quickly repeated her examination. She and Jon each did two more exams, including Willie, who had been released from the hospital with a clean bill of health, but was still sure he would die if he did any exercise.
As they were finishing, Caroline said, “Each of you will lose some weight if you do the exercises regularly. It might be a good idea to weigh in once a week and keep a chart.”
Mike answered, “Good idea, Doctor. Willie, you can make the chart today. You’ll start your schedule of exercises tomorrow, only doing half of your suggested program for the time being. We want to ease you into it.”
Willie didn’t look pleased, but at least he didn’t outright refuse.
“Did your meeting go well?” Jon asked Mike.
Mike shook his head, and Caroline was amazed at how much she’d hoped he would be pleased with her family’s efforts.
“It’s just so much more than I expected. I was hoping they’d buy us another treadmill and maybe a better set of weights. But they’re planning on building us an incredible facility.” He looked at Jon. “Can you believe it? They want to put in showers, a sauna and a dressing room, in addition to the new equipment. I’m stunned. Jake said last night they’d take care of everything, but I had no idea what he intended.”
Caroline was tired of being in the doghouse. She leaned closer and said, “All the Randall men are stand-up guys.” Then she closed her bag and walked out of the office.
Jon didn’t follow. “You and Caroline get cross with each other?”
“Not exactly.”
“That doesn’t tell me much,” Jon pointed out.
“Well, I found out her problem, but…I think that’s privileged information, even though I’d like your opinion. If she tells you, maybe we can talk.”
Jon frowned, suddenly worried. “It has to do with health?”
“Sort of.”
Mike regretted his words immediately. The worry in Jon’s eyes showed he wouldn’t let it alone. Mike understood his concern. Before Caroline had explained her problem, he’d thought she might have a terminal illness. He’d wanted to grab her up, hide her in a cave and keep her all to himself for as long as they had.
Instead, he had to walk away from the most wonderful woman he’d ever met. He had to try to forget the incredible sex they’d shared. And he had to stop falling in love. So far he was doing a hell of a poor job of that particular item.
He had to put those thoughts away as Nick came back in with a sketch for the building project. Mike was afraid the Randalls would build the Taj Mahal if he didn’t restrain them. Nick explained why they needed three showerheads, a dressing area and a sauna in addition to the weight room and the equipment to go in it.
“Nick, it isn’t that I wouldn’t like it. But don’t you think it’s going to be twice as expensive as what I asked for? How can I face everyone if I demand such a setup?”
“Open it up for the citizenry. You’ll be the most popular sheriff in the world. Then I could come over here every morning and work out, have a cup of coffee, catch up on the news, all in one trip.”
“Are you kidding?” Mike questioned.
“Nope.”
“That’s a deal, Nick. You and anyone else. There will be certain times of the day that my men will have to have first preference so they can meet their schedules, but otherwise, it’ll be open to the citizens of Rawhide.”
“That’s great. I’ve gone to the high school gym before, but this will be more convenient. And a lot nicer. Gyms always have that smell.”
Mike laughed.
“By the way,” Nick said, “you and Caroline okay? You have an argument?”
“Why would you ask that?” Mike didn’t meet Nick’s gaze.
“Jake asked me. I told him I’d ask you.”
“There’s no problem,” Mike assured him.
After Nick went back out to join the other Randalls and the cowboys, Mike tried to tell himself that. H
e and Caroline had no problems. Everything was fine.
He was actually coming to believe himself until the phone rang about two o’clock.
“Sheriff’s Office,” he said briskly.
A voice he recognized at once demanded fiercely, “What the hell did you tell Jon?”
CHAPTER NINE
Mike drew a deep breath. “I told him I knew why you wouldn’t marry.”
“You told him?” Caroline demanded, her voice going up an octave.
“I didn’t tell him the problem. I told him I knew what the problem was. Isn’t that true?”
“Yes, but I expected you to keep quiet about it!”
“That’s not easy, because one of your family questions me about our relationship every hour on the hour!” He was losing his temper. Taking a calming breath, he asked, “What did Jon say to you?”
“He wanted to give me a physical, and that’s not necessary! There’s nothing wrong with me!”
“I told you that!” Mike replied, his level of emotion rising again.
“Fine!”
“Fine!” In the silence that fell, he fought for control. “Caro, I want us to be together. Can’t we try again?”
Silence.
Finally, she said, “I don’t know. I need some time.”
“Yeah, well, let me know.”
CAROLINE KEPT HER HAND on the receiver after she’d hung up. What was she going to do?
“Caro, have you forgiven me?”
She looked up to see Jon standing in the doorway of her office. “I’m sorry I lost my temper. I didn’t expect Mike to tell anyone.” She cleared her throat. “The fact is that I can’t have children. It makes me reluctant to commit to marriage. It’s my experience that most men, even if they say they don’t want children, eventually choose to have them.”
“How do you know you can’t have children?”
With a deep sigh, Caroline again recited the medical facts.
“But they may have changed. Four years is a long time.”
Then she explained about Don.
“I’d still like to check.”
“No, Jon. When I’m sick, you’ll be the first one I’ll call. But I’m not sick.”
A Randall Returns Page 10
