A Marriage In Wyoming (The Marshall Brothers 3) Read online

  Lena glanced around reluctantly, as if the room had been somewhere she’d enjoyed staying and didn’t want to leave. “I guess so.”

  Once outside, she stopped and took a deep breath. “It’s nice to be in the fresh air.” Lifting her face to the sun, she grinned. “I was tired of that hospital smell.”

  “I’m not surprised.” Garrett unlocked the truck and watched as the teenagers climbed into the backseat. “Let’s make a plan not to come here again.”

  Lena giggled. “Okay.”

  Justino spoke as Garrett accelerated onto the interstate. “I’m so glad you’re coming back, Lena. I’ve missed you so much.”

  “Me, too.”

  Through the rearview mirror, Garrett saw Lena put her head on the boy’s shoulder, but after only a moment, she sat up again. “Mr. Garrett, am I going to have to eat different food from everybody else?”

  “I’ve talked with Caroline and Susannah about the meals,” he told her. “We’re going to make a few changes that the others won’t mind—less pasta and bread, more vegetables and proteins. It’ll be healthier for everybody. And then you can make good choices.”

  “What about dessert?”

  “Well, there you’re going to have to be strong. We can’t quit making dessert altogether, but we can have fruits available so you can don’t have to go without something sweet.”

  “But I love ice cream.”

  “Me, too. And homemade is the best, isn’t it?” Garrett had considered this problem all week long. “But I’ll give up ice cream if you will.”

  She met his gaze in the mirror. “Why would you do that?”

  He shrugged a shoulder. “Maybe it won’t be so hard if you aren’t suffering alone. Besides, I could stand to drop a few pounds. I’ve been eating too well these past few weeks.”

  “You’re making that up.”

  “Nope. Deal?”

  After a long pause, Lena said, “Deal.”

  As he said a silent farewell to his favorite dessert, she came up with another question. “Will Dr. Vale be there when we get to the ranch?”

  I wish. “We didn’t ask her to be there. Is something wrong?”

  “No, I just wondered if maybe she wanted to make sure I was doing things right when I got out of the hospital.”

  “I didn’t think about that.” He gave himself a mental punch. “We can call her when we get to the house.” The first of what would no doubt be many calls for Rachel’s attention.

  Not on his account, of course. When he’d encountered her at the hospital this week he had struggled to stay casual, to act uninterested. And it was an act—each time he saw her, he liked her more, was more stirred by her presence. Hiding his emotions proved a difficult task. Her concern for Lena and her attention to the girl’s condition demonstrated what a vital resource Rachel would be for the people of his little town.

  “That’s okay,” Lena said. “I don’t want to bother her. I can handle it.” Doubt colored her tone.

  Garrett dredged up more reassurance. “I’m sure you can. And I’ve been reading up. I can go over your dosage with you before you inject.”

  “Right.” It was not a vote of confidence.

  He didn’t have Rachel’s number in his cell phone, or he would have called at that moment. Whether she wanted a relationship with him or not, Lena’s situation was of primary concern. He could behave himself for her sake.

  The three people in the truck gave a mutual sigh of relief when he turned in to the drive for the Circle M. In just a few minutes the house and the barn came into sight. Lena sat forward, staring through the windshield.

  “I’m glad to be here,” she told Garrett. “I missed it.”

  “And I’m glad to hear that,” he said with a grin. “We must be doing something right.”

  When they pulled to a stop at the house, the only resident visible was Honey, the golden retriever, lying stretched out in a patch of sunshine on the front porch. As Garrett put the truck in park, the dog stood up and came down the steps to greet them.

  Lena nearly fell out of the vehicle in her rush to hug the dog. “Honey! I’m so happy to see you!” She laughed as Honey licked her face. “Yes, I love you, too.” Glancing around, she seemed disappointed. “Where is everybody?”

  Garrett suspected he’d heard a shushing noise come through the screen door from the direction of the living room.

  “I’m not sure,” he said, suppressing a grin. “Maybe we should check the house?”

  “They might be out riding,” Justino said. His dark eyes were smiling—he’d heard the whispers from inside, too.

  “Humph.” Lena got to her feet and walked to the door, opened it…and squealed. “No!”

  “Surprise!” the kids inside yelled at the tops of their voices. “Welcome back!”

  When Garrett got to the doorway, he saw a banner hung across the wall with the same message painted on it. Balloons floated near the ceiling and streamers littered the floor. Lena sat on the couch with Lizzie and Becky on either side of her, the three of them chattering simultaneously. The three boys—Nate, Thomas and Marcos—lounged nearby, trying to look bored and failing.

  Ford and Caroline stood to the side, grinning at the successful celebration. “Good job,” Garrett said, joining them. “She had no idea.”

  “It was Lizzie’s suggestion.” Caroline was obviously satisfied with her campers’ effort. “But the boys didn’t protest. I consider that a big win.”

  “And we didn’t even have to bribe them with food,” Ford added.

  “That’s a surprise.” Garrett heard Honey’s bark outside. “Are we expecting visitors?”

  “Yes, as a matter of fact.” Caroline went to open the screen door. “Hi, Rachel, come in. How are you?”

  This surprise stole Garrett’s breath for a few seconds. He couldn’t help drinking in the sight of her—the russet hair pulled to the side and then into a ponytail, the smooth cream of her cheeks and the shining blue of her eyes. Khaki shorts showed off the toned length of her legs and a sleeveless yellow shirt revealed her slender arms. His mouth went dry even as he fought to school his face into a casual—damn the word—mask.

  When she turned toward him, he didn’t offer his hand for her to shake. “Hey, Rachel. What brings you out this way?”

  “I called her,” Caroline said. “I wondered if maybe Lena would appreciate having Rachel around for her solo flight, so to speak.”

  “You’re one smart woman. Lena was actually hoping Rachel would be here.” He met the doctor’s gaze, keeping his own cool. “Thanks for making a house call.”

  “I’m glad to help.” She nodded toward the welcome banner. “This appears to be a party.”

  “A surprise party,” he agreed. “Lena was pretty thrilled.”

  “That’s great for her confidence. She must have been a little nervous returning to her friends.”

  “Try a lot nervous. But so far, all is well.”

  “We planned to have lunch down at the creek,” Caroline said. “Can you stay, Rachel? We’d love to have you.”

  “Sure,” she said, after a moment’s hesitation. “Sounds like fun.”

  Garrett didn’t believe he imagined the wariness that flashed through the doctor’s blue eyes. If Rachel were as immune to him as she claimed, why would she be reluctant to stay?

  Susannah Bradley, who had recently taken over as housekeeper and cook, brought two picnic baskets into the living room. “Who’s toting lunch today?”

  Her son, Nate, volunteered, as he usually did, but the other boys didn’t offer to help. “I can carry a basket,” Lena said. “It’s not heavy.”

  Garrett opened his mouth to protest, but then had second thoughts. He snagged Rachel’s attention. “She has to test her blood sugar and take an injection before doing anything else, especially eating.”

  Rachel nodded. “That’s right.”

  “But she’s not showing any sign that she remembers. Do I remind her, in front of her friends? Do I let her get
all the way to the creek and have to leave again to take care of her medical needs? How am I supposed to handle this?”

  The kids were preparing to exit the house and start the walk down to the creek running through the Circle M land. Lena had left her backpack sitting on the floor by the couch and picked up one of the picnic baskets. Justino stood beside her, offering to help her carry the load.

  “This is the kind of dilemma you’ll be coming up against. I think you have to remind her,” Rachel said, finally. “Either she’s pretending it doesn’t matter or she actually forgot. And Justino isn’t helping. But she can’t ignore what must be done.”

  “Right.” Taking a deep breath, Garrett crossed to the door just as Lena and Justino started to leave. “Hold up, Lena.”

  She stared up at him, and the light went out of her face. “Oh, yeah.”

  “Yeah. You’ve got something to do.”

  “Couldn’t I do it after lunch? I’m hungry.”

  “I’m glad you’re hungry. But you know that’s not how it works.”

  She sighed. “Justino, you take the basket. I’ll be there in a while.”

  “Sure.” His cheeks flushed, and he gave Garrett a guilty glance. “Sorry.”

  Rachel joined them. “Would you like me to go with you?” she asked Lena. “I can double-check your dose.”

  “Maybe,” Lena said. “Just this first time. To be sure.”

  “Lead the way,” Rachel said, following the girl through the door. On the threshold, though, she looked back into the house and gave Garrett a thumbs-up sign, plus a smile and a wink.

  Ford had come to stand beside him. “That was tricky.”

  Garrett shook his head. “This parenting stuff is not for sissies.”

  “You and the doctor make a great team.”

  “She’s another smart lady.”

  “Don’t sell yourself short, brother. You’re the one who called Lena to account, and you did it without causing a scene for her or for you. Well done.”

  “Thanks.” As always, his brother’s praise felt good.

  But it was a wink and a smile from the pretty redhead that put the big grin on his face.

  *

  RACHEL FOLLOWED LENA up the hill to a small timber-sided house with a wide front porch.

  “This is where the girls stay,” Lena said, leading the way up the front steps. “The boys are in the bunkhouse.”

  “Just like the ranch hands in the old days, hmm?”

  “I guess so.” Inside the house, Lena looked around. “Where am I supposed to do this? In the bathroom? The kitchen? The bedroom?”

  “Wherever you’re comfortable.” Even though she’d treated diabetics in the past, Rachel had never contemplated all the small details that would go into daily life. “You would have the most privacy in the bathroom, I suppose.”

  “But it’s not very big. Maybe I’ll just use the kitchen for now. We’re not cooking in here.”

  “Do you have your orders from the doctor?”

  Lena put her backpack on the counter and began pulling out materials. “They’re in there somewhere.” When she finished, a jumble of papers, books and boxes had been spread over the workspace. “Let me find them.”

  Rachel waited, and cautioned herself not to say anything about being more organized. She wasn’t the parent, and Lena would have to develop her own system. But staying quiet was a struggle.

  “Here it is.” Lena handed the sheets to Rachel. “First I have to test.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “What else—oh.” The girl nodded. “First, wash your hands.”

  “Right.”

  From there the process continued in a haphazard fashion. “Where’s the glucose meter?” Another search revealed the meter kit. “Put the strip in the meter. Put the lancet in the gun.” She glanced at Rachel with a frown. “That’s what I call it because it seems like you’re shooting yourself with that little needle.”

  Teenagers had some unique perspectives. “There is a resemblance.”

  “Then pick a finger and click.” A wince greeted the prick of the lancet. “Now catch blood on the strip and wait for the number.” Five seconds ticked by in silence. “Huh. It’s high. I barely ate any breakfast.”

  “Don’t blame yourself,” Rachel said. “Just write it down and figure out your insulin dose. You’ll be eating bread at lunch, so you want to take that into consideration.”

  “This is such a pain.” Brow furrowed, Lena studied the instruction sheet and her log book then came up with a number. “Do I have it right?”

  Rachel scanned her work. “You’ve got it. Do you want me to give you the injection? Or step out and give you privacy?”

  “Could you just make sure I’m holding the syringe right? How am I supposed to tell what a forty-five-degree angle looks like?” She picked up the insulin pen, dialed up a dose and then drew a deep breath. “Now for the bad part.”

  Lifting her shirt, Lena pinched a fold of skin on her stomach, below her waist. “Like this?” she asked, posing the needle.

  “That’s it,” Rachel told her. “Go for it.”

  With a breath hissing between her teeth, Lena pushed the needle into the fold of skin. Her thumb fumbled for the button at the end of the pen, then pushed.

  “‘Remember to pause at the bottom,’” she parodied Kim in a high-pitched voice, “‘so the last drop leaves the needle.’” She frowned. “It still hurts. Every single time.”

  “You will get used to it, honey.” She couldn’t help feeling sympathetic. “You’ve been doing this less than a week.”

  “Seems like forever already. Can we go to lunch now? I’m starved.”

  At this point, silence wasn’t an option. “Aren’t you forgetting something?”

  “What?”

  A raised eyebrow and a glance at the mess was Rachel’s answer.

  Lena sighed. “I have to clean up, I suppose.” She rushed through the process, stuffing supplies into the backpack without order while Rachel again bit her tongue. Step by step, they would get through this.

  Finally, the girl shoved her pack into the corner of the countertop. “Now can we go?”

  “Sure. Congratulations on your first solo injection.”

  “Not really solo,” Lena said as they crossed the porch. “You were here.”

  “But you handled it correctly. I just watched.”

  “Will you be here for dinner? Can you help me again?”

  Rachel hesitated. She’d already stepped beyond her usual boundaries. But Lena obviously required the support. “I’ll be here at dinner.”

  “Great! This way to the creek.”

  They crested the hill beside the big red barn and then started down the other side. Where the slope flattened out, a wooden bridge crossed the rocky stream curving along the edge of the fields beyond. On the near side, a couple of picnic tables sat under the shade of cottonwood trees, with teenagers gathered around, filling their plates. Lena ran to join them as Rachel walked over to the adults standing close by.

  “Everything went just fine,” she said in answer to Garrett’s questioning expression. “Lena got the dose right and injected herself.”

  He blew out a breath and grinned. “That’s a relief. Thanks for being here.”

  She cautioned herself not to soften in response to his concern. “I’m glad to help her set up her routine.”

  “And now you deserve some lunch as a reward,” he said, holding out a hand toward the tables. “Let me introduce you to Susannah Bradley, the chef of today’s feast. And that’s her daughter, Amber, peeking out from behind her.”

  Rachel shook hands with the pretty blonde woman. “It’s quite a task, pleasing teenagers’ appetites.” She sent a smile to the little girl, who promptly withdrew, out of sight.

  “I enjoy the challenge,” Susannah said. “My son, Nate, lets me know when I get it right.” She nodded toward one of the boys sitting by the creek. “At five years old, Amber’s not so picky. I hope you enjoy your
lunch, too.”

  “If the kids have left any food for us,” Garrett said. “They’re a ravenous bunch.”

  “That’s the nature of the beast,” Ford said. “Teenagers are always hungry.”

  “Especially when you keep them busy.” Caroline handed Rachel a bottle of water. “Which is what we try to do. We don’t usually have leftovers these days.”

  “Reminds me of when you two were growing up.” Wyatt nodded toward his brothers. “You licked the plates so clean, you barely had to wash them after dinner.”

  Caroline rolled her eyes. “Spoken like a true guy.”

  Rachel laughed. “Definitely.”

  “Dylan was the hungriest,” Garrett protested. “We could never fill him up. Still can’t.”

  A dark-haired newcomer stepped up to join them, a Marshall brother by the look of him. “Still can’t what?” he asked.

  “Just talking about your famous appetite,” Garrett told him. “Rachel, this is our youngest brother. Dylan, meet Rachel Vale, the new doctor in town.”

  “Hello, there.” Dylan offered a handshake and a sexy smile. “I’m glad to meet you. I’ll have that big sign of yours finished up in a few days.”

  “Terrific. Thanks for doing that.” Each of the brothers had a different appearance, yet the strong, handsome faces showed an undeniable resemblance. Seen all together, they were quite a striking group.

  And if she considered Garrett the most attractive of the four, well, what difference did that make anyway?

  The kids had taken their plates and found places to sit on the rocks edging the creek bed. Rachel located a boulder of her own and settled down to eat. She wasn’t sure whether to be relieved or piqued when Garrett chose a spot away some distance, near Susannah Bradley and Amber. Judging by his laughter, he enjoyed their company quite a lot. Not that Rachel was listening.

  “So what do you think of Bisons Creek so far?” Dylan sat down beside her with a plate full of sandwiches. “Not quite Seattle, is it?”

  “That’s not a bad thing,” Rachel said. “I enjoy the sunshine every day, rather than clouds and drizzle. And it’s a beautiful landscape. I love the rolling plains, the mountains and the wide sky above them.”