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Though the young man was still pale, he’d kept quiet during the process. Now, he cleared his throat and said, “Sure, Doc. I’ll be in tomorrow.”
“I’ll bring him,” Diane added, her hands still comforting her brother.
“Do you want some pills for the pain?” Jeff asked.
Paul said no.
Diane said yes. Before her brother could argue, she added, “Just in case. You’ll feel better if you get a good night’s sleep.”
Jeff took a couple of pills out of his bag and handed them to Diane. “One every four to six hours as needed.” Then he asked, “Where are you going to sleep tonight?”
Diane and Paul looked at each other, but before either could speak, Katie had returned, carrying her daughter, Rachel. “She woke up,” Katie announced. “How’s Paul?”
“All taken care of,” Jeff assured her. “We were just talking about where they would sleep tonight.”
“With us, of course,” Katie said, as if there was no question.
“But you only have one bedroom free, Katie,” Diane said, frowning. “Mom and Jack will take that. I guess we can put Paul on the sofa, and I’ll take the big chair to keep an eye on him, but—”
“I don’t need anyone to watch me,” Paul argued. “And I can sleep here in the barn.”
“We’ll manage,” Katie insisted.
Jeff interrupted. “Look, I’ve got three bedrooms empty. You,” he said, nodding to Diane, “Paul and Susan can stay with me tonight.”
“Oh, no, we can’t—there are other—”
“I’m sure there are,” he said, agreeing with Diane’s protest, “but it’s late. Tomorrow you can make whatever arrangements you want.”
Diane was acting like he wanted them in his home, intruding into his life, which was crazy. He liked living alone. And he wanted no part of Diane in his life. He sure didn’t want to give the local matchmakers any ideas. But this was Cactus and people helped each other here.
“Are you sure you don’t mind, Jeff?” Katie asked. “I’ll admit life is hectic enough since Rachel was born, but if—”
“It will be fine. I’m not a good housekeeper, but the beds are comfortable. And Paul needs to get to bed.”
“I’m fine,” Paul insisted, but Jeff noticed he swayed as he tried to reassure his sisters.
Diane’s arm went around him. “Sure you are, but we’re not going to take any chances. We’ll follow the doctor’s orders to a T.” She started leading Paul to her car.
“I can drive him,” Jeff called.
“No, I’ll drive,” Diane insisted.
He hurriedly gave her directions to his house, since she was determined to get Paul to bed at once.
Gabe, Margaret and Jack joined the group and Katie hastily explained the sleeping arrangements. Jack offered Jeff his hand in gratitude, and Margaret hurried after Diane and Paul to check on her son.
Susan approached with another girl, explaining her friend had invited her to spend the night with her. As soon as Margaret rejoined them and gave her approval, the youngest Peters child rushed away, seemingly unaffected by the night’s events.
“Jeff, are you sure about everyone staying with you?” Katie asked once more.
“I’m sure. The only problem I have is there’s not much food in the house. I usually eat out. But I’ll go shopping in the morning and—”
“Take the food we’ve got here,” Margaret said. “Jack, can you find a sack?”
Jeff started to protest, but Margaret shushed him. “It will go to waste here, and I doubt that Katie needs it. Gabe, can you—”
“Sure, Margaret,” Gabe assured her, turning to follow Jack.
They returned quickly with two grocery bags full. Jack put them in the front of Jeff’s truck. Gabe added another bag of clothes for Paul.
“There’s bacon and eggs and bread, plenty for breakfast, and other stuff,” Jack told Jeff.
“Thanks again. I’d better head on out or Paul and Diane will get there ahead of me.” He shook Gabe and Jack’s hands and nodded to the two ladies. Then he got in and backed out onto the road. Diane had already left, her brother beside her in her car.
When he reached his house, Diane and Paul were waiting in her car. He took his medical bag and unlocked the front door, ushering them in. “We’ll have to make up the beds,” he muttered. He really wasn’t much of a housekeeper. Once a week a lady came in to clean, so it shouldn’t be too bad, but he wasn’t used to guests. “I’ll be right back. I have to bring in the food your mom sent with us so you wouldn’t starve.”
Diane had made Paul sit down at the table. After patting his shoulder, she came after Jeff. “I’ll help.”
“I can get them,” he assured her, but she ignored him and took one of the bags away from him.
Once inside, she said, “I’ll put these away if you’ll find the linens for Paul’s bed.”
He knew she’d already had a long day, but she was emptying the two bags as she spoke. Paul gave him a ragged smile, as if recognizing his confusion. The boy needed to be in bed. With a pain pill, Jeff decided, as he noted the paleness of his face.
Jeff hurried upstairs to locate clean sheets. One bedroom had a king-size bed, like his own. Since he was six foot and Paul already topped him by an inch or two, he chose that bed for the boy. Before he’d gotten half the sheet on, Diane joined him and quickly pulled the other half into place.
“Aren’t you exhausted?” he asked, staring at her.
“I’m fine. Where’s the top sheet?”
He spread it out and Diane tucked in the corners.
“The pillow cases?”
He gave her one and took the other.
“If you’ll find a lightweight blanket, I’ll go down and get Paul.”
Jeff stood there, his hands on his hips as he watched her leave the room. He felt like saluting. Then he shrugged his shoulders. She was doing what had to be done. He shouldn’t complain.
He was spreading out the blanket when Paul and Diane returned. After pulling down the covers, he turned to help them.
Paul’s cheeks flushed, which alarmed him. Was he feverish? “Are you hot, Paul?”
“No, but—but I need to, uh, use the facilities,” the boy said awkwardly.
“Oh, I should’ve thought of that,” Diane exclaimed. “Come on, I’ll—”
“Sis!” Paul protested.
“What?” she asked, staring at him.
“As efficient as you are, Diane, I think Paul can manage on his own,” Jeff said quietly.
“I’m his sister!” she snapped. “I’m afraid he’ll pass out.”
“Di, please,” Paul begged.
“Oh, all right!” she said with a huff.
“Gabe put some of your things in my car,” Jeff added. “Go ahead to the bathroom while I run get them. I’ll find you some clean underwear and a T-shirt to wear to bed.”
Paul nodded, stealing a look at his sister.
Jeff looked, too, knowing Paul’s reluctance to let his sister help him had upset Diane.
She stared at both of them, her expression grim. Then she bent over to finish tugging the blanket into place.
“Where’s the bath?” Paul asked over his shoulder.
“Next door to the right,” Jeff said. Then he hurried downstairs.
When Paul was in bed, having swallowed the pain pill with no argument, Jeff and Diane left his room.
“If you’ll show me where the rest of the linen is, I’ll make my bed,” she said.
“I’ll help,” Jeff insisted. He could see the lines of weariness in her pale face.
“No! I don’t need you to take care of me. It’s enough that you’ve taken us in and doctored Paul.”
He recognized her stubborn pride and gave in to its demand. Opening the hall closet, he took out the sheets and a blanket and then escorted her to his third bedroom. It was smaller and had a full-size bed, a dresser and one bedside table. A bare room.
“Sorry it’s not very—” He shrugged his shoulders, unable to come up with a word to describe the room.
“I’ll be fine. Thank you.”
“If you need anything, let me know.”
“I won’t need anything.”
She shut the door, managing a small smile before it closed completely.
He stood there, thinking about Diane Peters. She appeared to be a woman in control, like his wife. Only Jeff’s wife had given all her time to her work, leaving little time or attention for their marriage. Is that how Diane would be—if she ever married?
He spun on his heel and strode to his bedroom. He needed to put Diane Peters out of his head. Her tired hazel eyes, her sagging shoulders, her mussed dress that so faithfully followed her trim figure, the blond hair that added to her beauty drew Jeff, but she was going to be a career woman.
The last thing he needed.
JEFF WASN’T SURPRISED when he awoke later than usual around eight the next morning—he’d gotten up several times to check on Paul. What awakened him, however, was a surprise. The scent of fresh coffee and crisp bacon wafted up the stairs. Half awake, he imagined a picture-perfect breakfast scene, a lovely blonde standing by the stove, a dainty white apron tied around her waist. The table was set, a small vase of flowers in the center, orange juice at every plate.
In his half dream, the woman turned around and he was staring at Diane Peters. Immediately, he came fully awake, lunging upright, his eyes popping open. What was he thinking?
Chapter Four
“Good morning,” Diane said, seeing Jeff enter the kitchen. He looked a bit startled at finding her in front of the stove. “I hope you don’t mind that I started breakfast. I was hungry and I expect Paul to be up soon.”
“Of course not,” he muttered, not quite looking her in the eye.
“If you want to sit down, I can pour you a cup of coffee. The eggs will be ready in a minute.”
“I can pour the coffee for both of us,” he said, reaching for the cabinet that held the mugs. “And I’m delighted you started breakfast. I haven’t had such a nice treat in years.”
Diane brought the plate of scrambled eggs to the table and sat down. Jeff’s statement that he hadn’t had breakfast prepared for him in years had startled her.
Around their house, no one left without some sort of morning meal. After eighteen years of a good breakfast, Diane had continued to eat breakfast through her college years. A good thing, too, since she put in long days.
Jeff seemed to be enjoying his food. He looked up and caught her watching. “I had no idea you could cook. I thought you were a lawyer.”
“I am a lawyer…or will be when I pass the bar. But that doesn’t mean I don’t eat.”
“I eat, too, but it’s usually at a restaurant…or at your sister’s shop. Her sausage rolls are good.”
“Yes, they are.”
A knock on the door startled them. Before Diane could move, Jeff jumped up from his chair. “That’s probably for me. Go ahead and eat.”
She supposed he was used to being on call, but it seemed strange that someone would come to his house rather than use the phone. When Diane turned she saw Katie enter the door, carrying a pan.
“Your sister brought some of those sausage rolls we were just talking about,” Jeff explained, grinning as he followed Katie into the kitchen. “I guess she didn’t know you could cook, either.”
“I thought I’d save you the trouble,” Katie said, bending down to kiss Diane’s cheek. “How’s Paul this morning?”
“He’s still asleep,” Diane said. “He took a pain pill last night.”
“He did? He must’ve really been hurting.” Katie looked at Jeff. “You said it was minor.”
Jeff pulled out a chair for Katie and gestured for her to sit while he poured her a cup of coffee and brought it to the table. Then he resettled in his chair. “A burn is a shock to the body. While he’ll recover, it will take a while. I don’t want him doing much with that arm.”
“Poor Paul. He has a lot of plans for the summer. He needs to stay in shape. Can he exercise?” Katie asked.
Jeff shook his head. “Not at once.”
“So he’ll have to rest a lot?” Diane asked, wondering how he would do that when they didn’t even have a place to live. She started making a mental list of people they might call.
“A few days,” Jeff said.
Katie was ahead of Diane. “We’ll have to find somewhere for the two of you to stay. Will you be able to take care of him, Diane? You don’t have much planned except studying for the next few weeks, do you? Mom will worry about—”
Katie’s words reminded Diane of her decision yesterday. “The children!” she said, interrupting her sister’s question.
She could tell from the expression on Jeff’s face that he realized her problem, too.
“What children?” Katie asked.
“I was going to take care of the two children from the wreck while their mother recovers. Now I don’t have anywhere to care for them. How long before the house is livable?”
“I don’t know,” Katie confessed. “We were trying to convince Mom and Jack to rebuild instead of fixing it. The wiring is outdated and dangerous—obviously. We don’t want to go through that again.”
“No, of course not,” Diane agreed, but she was worried. If they decided to rebuild, she would have nowhere to live all summer. “I’ll start looking for something to rent.”
Jeff’s quiet voice interrupted her panic. “Until you find somewhere, you can bring the children here. While you’re watching Paul, you can watch them, too.”
Diane was stunned by his generosity and started to say something.
Jeff assured them both that it wouldn’t be a problem for him. “I’m not here that much. It will be nice to have company, especially company who cooks like Diane.”
“It was only breakfast,” she protested, embarrassed by his excessive praise.
“Are you sure, Jeff, because we can ask around. Some of the older people in town have empty rooms. We could pay them some rent and—” Katie began.
“I won’t hear of it. Besides, it will save me time by housing two of my patients. I can check the boy and Paul before I go to the office.”
Katie seemed satisfied with Jeff’s explanation, but Diane wasn’t. The man made her too…nervous. She didn’t want to spend half her summer in his house. When Katie asked to see Paul before she left, Diane offered to show her to his room while Jeff finished breakfast.
On the stairs, Diane whispered to her sister, “See if you can find a place for us, Katie. I don’t feel right staying here.”
“You don’t like Jeff?” Katie asked in surprise.
“He’s fine, but—he’s used to living alone. I don’t think he’ll enjoy having a full house.”
“I think he’ll like it,” Katie said, a smile on her lips. “I’ve been wondering what we could do for him. He seems lonely to me.”
“Katie Dawson! What are you thinking?” Diane demanded, suspicion filling her.
“Why, absolutely nothing, sis. I’m just trying to be sure everyone’s covered. I’ll ask Mabel or Florence if they have room for you, okay?”
Her promise didn’t exactly satisfy Diane. Mabel Baxter and Florence Greenfield, mother of Cal Baxter and wife of George Greenfield respectively, were known for their matchmaking. In fact, it was Florence’s bet with her friends that resulted in their sons marrying. Doc, as George Greenfield was known, had enthusiastically fallen into the trap and married Florence, too. And then there was Tuck and Spence, their friends, who’d also fallen prey to the bet.
Since then, Cactus had become a hotbed of marriages. Marriage was fine for others, but Diane had no intention of losing her independence now that she was going to finally be earning a salary that would allow her to travel.
“Katie, you tell them no matchmaking. Do you hear me?”
“I certainly do.” She opened the door Diane had stopped in front of and hurried to Paul’s bedside.
“Paul, how are you?” she asked gently.
At that moment he rolled onto his injured arm and the pain was visible on his face. “Damn!” he muttered, then immediately apologized. “I didn’t know it would hurt this much,” he said with a gasp.
“I’ll go bring you some breakfast,” Diane assured him as she left the room.
Jeff was still sitting at the table, sipping his coffee when she entered.
“How’s he doing?” he said.
“He’s in a lot of pain. Can he take another pain pill?”
“Of course. Do you have the second one from last night?” Jeff asked, getting to his feet.
“Yes. I’m taking him some breakfast. Do you have a tray?”
He found one for her. “Don’t give him coffee. I think there’s some orange juice. Try that. I’ll go up and check on him.”
She dished up the scrambled eggs, along with a few sausage rolls and the last of the bacon. Then she poured a glass of juice. After adding napkins and the pain pill she’d left in the kitchen last night, she carried the tray up the stairs.
“But I don’t want another pill,” Paul was protesting as she entered, even though his facial expression told her he was still in pain.
Jeff, who was sitting on the edge of the bed, responded, “If you like to suffer, that’s fine, but it won’t help you get well faster.”
“What do you mean?”
“The pills help your muscles relax, which means you heal faster. I don’t pass out medicine unless there’s a need, Paul. You’re not going to be too active for a few days, but if you follow orders, you might be able to start sooner.”
Paul’s unhappy expression didn’t change.
“Maybe some breakfast will sweeten him up,” Diane said with a smile for her brother. “Katie brought over some sausage rolls.”
“Thanks, sis,” Paul said, nodding to Katie who was standing beside the bed. But he also tried to pull his weight to a sitting position and moaned in pain. Jeff immediately supported him while Katie put pillows behind his back.
“Okay, okay, I’ll take the pill,” Paul said.
“Good for you,” Jeff replied.
Paul picked up a sausage roll and began eating.
“Hey, if you don’t want all that bacon, I’ll take another piece,” Jeff said. Paul nodded his head with a grin, which made Diane feel better.
“Thanks,” Jeff said as he helped himself to another strip of bacon. “Now, I’d better hit the shower. I need to check on the lady from yesterday’s wreck, and see if the children can be released.” He looked at Katie. “Can you stay with Paul while Diane goes to pick them up?”
“Yes, of course. Diane, I brought you a few clothes if you want to change. Since I had the baby, there’s a lot I can’t wear.”
“Thanks, Katie. I forgot about clothes last night,” Diane said. She’d slept in her underwear the night before, not wanting to ask the doctor for a T-shirt. She figured she’d pick up a big T-shirt at the one discount store in Cactus. She had a little money left over from her last semester in school. Not enough for an entire wardrobe, but she’d manage.
Jeff followed her out of the room and said, “I didn’t think about you having nothing, Diane. I would’ve offered you some—well, at least a T-shirt. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t worry about it. I’m not your responsibility,” she assured him as she hurried away. The thought of wearing his clothes was doing strange things to her breathing.
JEFF WATCHED HER rush away, as if he carried a disease. She didn’t seem to like him much. When he’d seen her in her dress from yesterday, he’d intended to apologize and offer her anything he had. But breakfast—and his dream—had distracted him.
With good reason.
He hurried to the shower. He was anxious to see how his surgery patient was doing. Samantha had probably already checked her, but he would drop by her room before he reassured the children.
It was going to seem strange with children in the house. He’d always wanted kids, but his wife said she had too many children in her life as it was since she was a school counselor.
Maybe he’d find out he didn’t want kids after all. That would be good. It would erase some of the regret he felt.
After he’d showered and shaved, he dressed in fresh jeans and a knit shirt. It was wrinkled because he hadn’t gotten it out of the dryer in time, but he hoped no one would notice with his white coat on top.
Of course, his white coat was at the office.
It wouldn’t be the first time. His nurses always tsked at his appearance, but he ignored them. He wasn’t there for a beauty contest.
He went back to Paul’s room when he was ready to find Diane in a snug pair of jeans and a T-shirt, her blond hair pulled back in a ponytail. He thought she looked about ten years old…except for her body. All woman.
“Are you ready, Jeff?” Katie asked, distracting him from staring at Diane.
“Uh, yeah. How about you, Diane?”
“Yes.” She told her brother and sister goodbye and hurried out of the room in front of him. Which gave him an excellent view of her backside. Definitely all woman.
At the bottom of the stairs, she paused and asked, “May I move the child seat to my car?”
“Sure, if you think there’s room,” he agreed with a frown. “I suppose I could run you back here.”
“No, I’ll drive us. I may bring Toby back here and let he and Paul watch each other while I take Janie with me and do a little shopping. Will that be okay?”
“Probably. They can call me if there’s a problem.”
“No, I’ll leave my cell phone number with them.”
“Okay. If it needs charging, you can use my charger while you’re settling them in.”
“Oh, thanks.”
He decided they needed to get away from each other before they got so polite they couldn’t communicate at all. “I’ll see you at the clinic.”
Since it was only two blocks from his house, they wouldn’t have much of a break. At least he might have enough time to concentrate his attention on his patients rather than Diane’s body.
WHEN DIANE GOT TO the room where the two children had spent the night, she discovered a nurse trying to feed Janie while Toby struggled with his left hand.
Janie wasn’t cooperating.
When she saw Diane, the little girl almost leaped out of the nurse’s hold toward her, her little arms stretched out.
“Well,” the nurse said with a sigh, “finally we’ve found something she likes. You.”
Diane lifted the little girl from the nurse’s arms and soothed her. Her gaze went to Toby’s face and she saw loneliness and fear in his gaze. “Good morning, Toby. How are you?”
“Fine,” he mumbled, but his eyes were filling with tears.
“You didn’t think I’d forgotten you, did you?”
He shook his head, but he didn’t look confident.
The nurse surrendered her chair to Diane and picked up Toby’s spoon. “Let me help you finish your breakfast, Toby. You’re doing a really good job, but this way you can eat it before it gets cold.”
“And I’ll tell you why I’m a little late,” Diane added. “You won’t believe what happened.”
“What?” Toby asked, and the nurse slipped in a bite while his mouth was open.
Diane turned the fire into an adventure instead of the disaster it had been. “So we can’t stay with my Mom.”
“Cookie?” Janie asked.
“What a smart little girl you are to remember about my mama’s cookies. But I can make cookies, too. If you eat your breakfast.”
“So we can’t stay with you?” Toby asked, his voice wavering.
“Of course you can, but not at my mother’s house. So, for a day or two, we’re going to stay with the doctor. Do you remember him? He’s taking care of your mother.”
“We haven’t seen her.”
The longing in Toby’s voice brought tears to Diane’s eyes and she fought to keep them from falling. With a smile, she said, “When Dr. Jeff comes, we’ll ask him about her, okay? But he’s a good doctor. I’m sure he’s taking good care of her.”
“I appreciate that vote of confidence,” Jeff Hausen said from the doorway.
“The kids are worried—” she started, embarrassed.
“Yeah. Hi, Toby, remember me?”
The boy sort of nodded, but Diane saw the questions in his eyes.
“I just checked on your mom, and she’s still sleeping. If she were awake, I’d take you to see her, but she needs her rest. Do you mind waiting until later to see her?”
Diane’s heart swelled with pride as the boy bravely shook his head no. He was trying so hard to be the man in the family.
“Nurse, I’ll finish feeding Toby his breakfast,” Jeff said and soon took the nurse’s place. He and the boy had a rambling conversation, covering such topics as pets, favorite foods and friends.