Highland Doc's Christmas Rescue / Festive Fling With The Single Dad

“I thought you might like to know that the puppy we found last night is doing well. Esme said he’s fine except for being underweight. He should make a full recovery.”

“That’s good.” She started picking at her meal.

Cass wasn’t helping much with making conversation. Lyle made another effort. “She’s going to ask around and see if anyone claims him.”

“That’s nice.” Cass took a bite of food as if she loathed doing it.

Roger, the man sitting on the other side of her, asked her a question. Cass gave him a two-word answer. Apparently, she didn’t want to carry on a conversation with anyone. But she needed to. If he had ever seen someone badly in need of interaction, it was Cass.

He tried another approach. “I see the residents and staff have been busy in here today. It looks festive.”

Cass looked around as if she was seeing the room for the first time.

How could she not react to the greenery and red bows hanging from the chandeliers, along with the large matching centerpiece of green boughs, velvet bows, and crimson balls? Or the mantel filled with decorations? In his experience it was the kind of stuff women loved.

Other than her hesitant look at the dog beside her, she appeared unaware of everything and everyone. He’d forced Cass into noticing him, but only for an all-too-brief moment. For some reason he wanted her to initiate an interaction with him. He wanted her to like him.

Lyle transferred his attention to Alice, who sat on his other side. Maybe giving Cass space would help open her up a bit. He and Alice carried on a lively conversation about the upcoming village Christmas market beginning this weekend. They went on to discuss some of the other events planned for the festive season, like the annual Christmas festival at the castle, and the live nativity in the village.

“I was told there would be a tree lighting in the village and a parade in a few weeks.” Alice’s eyes lit up with excitement.

“There is and they even include some of the dogs from the center.”

He glanced at Cass a few times during the discussion and caught her listening. When she saw him looking, she focused on her food again. He decided to try to draw her into conversation once more. “Cass, do you like craft markets?”

Her head jerked up. “I…uh… I do.”

“Then you’ll want to be sure and catch the minibus into Cluchlochry on Saturday morning. The village has a pretty impressive one. Great place to buy Christmas presents.”

“I’ll think about it.” She pushed back her chair. “Right now I need to go for a walk before it gets dark.”

“Hey, before you go could I speak to you for a moment in private?”

Her expression said no. Yet she answered, “Okay, but just for a minute. I really want to walk.”

“I promise not to take up too much of your time.” He rose when she did and followed her into the hall. “Why don’t we go to the lounge?” With a hand he directed her down the hall. She headed that way and he joined her. They turned a corner and entered another hall. At the first doorway, Lyle opened the door to the large room with numerous sitting areas. A fire roared in the fireplace in the center of the main wall. Windows filled the opposite side.

“Why don’t we have a seat?”

“I’m starting to feel like I’m being brought into the principal’s office. You could have gotten on to me about not going to canine therapy again today in the hall outside the dining room.” Cass sat on the edge of a cushion of the closest sofa.

“I could have, but I’m more interested in finding out why you’re so resistant to the idea of canine therapy. Especially since I know your job entailed working closely with a dog. I assume you at least like animals a bit. I noticed you were slow to help with the dog we found and left the center as quickly as you could. I read in your file that you lost your partner.” He didn’t miss the stricken look that flickered in her eyes. “Is that what the problem is? I’d like to help. The staff here would like to help.”

Cass shot to her feet. “I don’t want your help or anyone else’s. If you want me to go to canine therapy, fine. I’ll be there tomorrow.”

“There you are.” Charles walking toward them stopped anything further Cass might have said.

Lyle came to his feet. “Hi, Charles. I’d like you to meet Cassandra Bellow. She’s one of our newest residents. Cass, this is Dr. Charles Ross-Wylde. Also the Laird of Heatherglen and Esme’s brother.”

Charles smiled at Cass. “It’s nice to meet you. Please call me Charles.”

“Hello. You have a lovely home…castle.” Cass’s words were tight and formal. She glanced toward the door.

Charles chuckled. “Thank you. You’re American, aren’t you?”

“I am.”

“You must be the woman who works in search and rescue?” He gave her an earnest look. “Interesting job.”

“It can be.” Cass looked toward the door again. “Why don’t I let you two talk?” She slipped away.

Lyle watched her go. He had no doubt Cass would keep her word about going to therapy. How much she would get out of it was another question. He’d just have to trust that the dog she was paired with would do what was needed to help her heal.

“Lyle.”

He looked at Charles, who was grinning at him with twinkling eyes. “What?”

“You like her, don’t you?”

“Why would you say that?” Lyle didn’t want to discuss his confused reactions to Cass Bellow. Not even with his best friend Charles.

He laughed. “Because I called your name three times before you answered!”

Lyle wanted to groan. Now Charles would ask questions every time he saw him. “Did you have something important you wanted to talk to me about?”

Charles looked at him with a knowing smile on his lips. “It isn’t as interesting as Ms. Bellow but we need to talk about Andy and his progress.”

“Ah. Why don’t we go to my office to do that?”

Cass was still stomping and swinging her arms in exasperation when she reached the main road after the long walk down the castle drive. How dared Lyle treat her as if she were a disobedient child? She was doing her physical therapy. Aware of what she needed, it wasn’t canine therapy. But he wasn’t going to give up.

She’d gone to dinner like he wanted, wasn’t that enough? She would go to the canine therapy center tomorrow all right, but her participation in the therapy would be minimal and uncooperative. That should keep him off her case.

“Be strong,” she said to the trees, and shoved her hands into her jacket pockets. When her brother had been lost, her mother and father had hugged her too tightly and had constantly reminded her they all had to remain strong. Afterwards Cass had used the mantra “Be strong” whenever she’d felt helpless. Even now, years later, she was using it to defy that feeling.

“Be strong!” she yelled to the sky.

She’d been strong when Jim had broken her heart, then soon after that when she’d learned that Rufus was gone. She’d been strong when the doctors had warned her she might never regain full use of her crushed arm and leg. She had been strong during the grueling hospital stay. During her agonizing physical therapy sessions here. Only it didn’t matter how strong she was. Nothing changed. She was alone with no one to lean on.

The sound of a vehicle coming up the road drew her attention. The driver was going too fast for the icy conditions. As it came around the curve the back end went one way and then the other. The skid landed the front end of the car in the stone wall between Cass and the road.

She hurried out the castle gate and over to the car with her heart pounding, ignoring the ache in her leg. The engine was still running even though the hood was crumpled. The hot air of the radiator hitting the cold air created stream, making it difficult to see.

Cass reached out to touch the side of the car with a shaking hand. She’d not done any rescue work or even given anyone medical attention since her last assignment. Now here she was faced with an accident without the support of her partner. Could she do it? Would she break down and cry? She inhaled deeply, bracing herself. “Stay strong.”

She ran her hand down the side of the car to keep her bearings as she worked her way to the driver’s door. Cass pulled it open. She could, would, get through this.

The driver groaned, his palm pressed to his forehead.

“Are you okay?” Her instinct and training kicked in. “Don’t move. You could have more injuries.”

“I’m fine.” His words were slurred.

She placed a hand on the man’s shoulder. “I’m an EMT. I know what I’m talking about. More help will be here soon.”

The man pulled his hand away from his head. Blood covered it.

“Don’t move,” she said firmly. “Keep your head back. I’m going to reach in and turn the engine off.” She found the ignition key and turned it. The steam dissipated.

There was a moan from the back seat. She had someone else to check on. If she only had a cellphone to call for help. Hers had been damaged in her accident and she hadn’t had time to replace it yet. Surely the driver had one. “Sir, do you have a phone? Tell me where it is, don’t try to find it yourself.”

The man gave her a weak yes and told her it was in his jacket pocket. Cass carefully reached inside his pocket and retrieved it.

Cass quickly dialed 999. When a person answered, Cass gave the call handler all the necessary information. She then stepped to the rear passenger door. Pulling it open, she found crumpled in the footwell a lady of around sixty. “You’re going to be fine. I know you’re in an uncomfortable position but try not to move.”

The woman groaned, but Cass knew from the sound she was barely conscious. Using her fingers, Cass searched for a pulse in the woman’s neck. She located one but it wasn’t strong.

A voice she recognized as Lyle’s said from behind her, “Don’t move her. She may have concussion.”

Cass said over her shoulder, “I’ve already told her that. And I’ve already called for help.”

“I know. I must have called right after you.”

She needed to get the man’s bleeding under control. “Do you have any supplies?”

“No. I was on my way home when I heard the crash.”

Cass stood. “You see about this woman and I’ll look for a first-aid kit.”

She worked her way to the front passenger door. Opening it, she searched the glove compartment for anything they could use. All she found was a stack of napkins. Those would have to do.

“Cass, we need to lay this lady down on the seat so I can examine her properly,” Lyle said.

“Okay, take these napkins and have the man hold them to his head. I’ll crawl in the back and help lift the woman up.”

Lyle accepted the napkins and applied them to the man’s head. “I need to get him to the clinic to stitch him up, but first we need to take care of this woman. She’s lost consciousness.”

Cass had been busy climbing into the backseat on her knees while he talked. Her leg rebelled at the position but she continued. She reached under the woman’s arms and locked her hands across her chest. To Lyle she said, “Ready?”

“On three. One, two, three.”

Cass pulled the woman against her chest. As the woman’s back came up on the seat, Lyle grabbed her ankles and lifted. Soon they had her lying across the seat. She moaned and her eyelids flickered.

“Will you check her pulse and heart rate while I see if she has any internal injuries?” Lyle asked, as he started pressing on the woman’s midsection.

“Her heart rate is steady but not very strong,” Cass reported.

“Okay. So far I can’t find any additional injuries.” He continued to examine the woman.

A minibus pulled out of the castle gate and drew up alongside them.

“We need to get them both up to the clinic where I can give them a thorough evaluation.” Lyle continued searching for problems.

Cass looked at the top of his head as he worked. “Shouldn’t we wait on an ambulance?”

“That’ll take too long. It has to come from Fort William. We’re the emergency care for this area.”

“Really?”

Now he met her look. “Rural area. That’s how it is.”

That made sense.

He was an impressive man to assume the responsibility for so many lives.

The staff member who had been driving the minibus joined them.

“Ron,” Lyle said, “we need to get these people to the clinic ASAP. The man should be able to sit up front. We’ll need the stretcher for the woman.”

Ron nodded and headed back to the minibus.

Lyle backed out of the car. “Cass, would you please continue to monitor her while I have a look at the man?”

“Okay.” Cass picked up the woman’s wrist and placed two fingers on the inside. It took a second but she located a pulse. Still shallow but steady.

“I’m going to get this man into the minibus,” Lyle called. “You good there?”

“Yes.” Cass remained focused on the woman, trying not to think about her own recovering leg and arm as she began to worry about the injured woman being exposed to the cold. “Bring a blanket if you’ve got one.”

“Will do.” A few minutes later Lyle returned, pushing a gurney with Ron’s help. “It’s going to take all of us to get her loaded.”

The two men positioned the gurney right outside the door.

Lyle handed her the blanket. Cass spread it over the woman. He tucked it around her legs. “Cass, if you’ll support her head and shoulders while Ron and I get on either side of her and lift her out, I think we can make it work.”

Cass wasn’t looking forward to the pain she was sure would rocket through her leg and arm from the exertion. That didn’t matter. Caring for the hurt woman was more important. Cass worked her hands under the woman’s shoulder blades and supported her head with her upper arms. “Ready.”

“Okay Ron. One, two, lift!”

Slowly the two men maneuvered the woman over the seat onto the gurney. Keeping the woman’s upper body and neck as straight and stable as possible, Cass crawled across the seat and out the other door. By then electrifying pain was coursing through every nerve of her leg. Her arms and back were convulsing under the strain. When she tried to stand, her traumatized leg gave way. She grabbed the gurney. Though it wobbled on its wheels, she managed to balance on her other leg.

“Damn,” Lyle swore as he reached for her. “I can’t believe I got so caught up in what was happening I forgot you were a recovering patient. Sit down.” He guided her to a seat of the vehicle. Giving her a stern look, Lyle ordered, “Stay there while we get this lady loaded.”

Cass hated to admit it but she was relieved to sit. Her eyes were watering from intense pain. As she took a moment, emotions swamped her. Her loss of direction, missing Rufus, the fog of her future all came down on her. Sorrow tightened her chest.

Lyle gave her a concerned look. For a second Cass feared he would question her but instead he said, “Ron, let’s get this woman strapped down and loaded.” Mere moments later he returned to her. “It’s your turn.”

Clenching her jaw, she stood. No matter how sick and unsure she felt inside, Cass refused to let it show, even if she had to struggle to do it. She feared Lyle was too perceptive and had already guessed. Cass said with more confidence than she felt, “I can walk.”

“Maybe so, but you aren’t going down on my watch.” He wrapped an arm around her waist and guided her to the back of the vehicle.

Hot awareness of his strong sturdy body zipped through Cass as Lyle held her tight. Unable to stop herself, she leaned against him. After hesitating a moment, she rested her arm around his middle back and hobbled to the minibus. She couldn’t ignore the sensations simmering in her core any more than she could ignore her agonizing leg.

Lyle held her steady until she reached for the frame of the door. Cass was climbing into the minibus when she was lifted off her feet and placed gently on the floor. She looked over her shoulder. “Thanks.”

“No problem. Have a seat and move down.” Lyle wasted no words. He was all business.

She did as she was told, scooting down to the end of the small bench seat. Lyle joined her. Their bodies touched all the way along one side. Strangely she wanted to rest her head against his shoulder but she resisted the urge. She refused to show any more weakness. What would Lyle think of her if she had given in to that impulse?

Ron close the doors. They were soon moving. Lyle’s attention remained on the woman on the gurney, which was locked to the floor with straps. She still hadn’t regained consciousness. Lyle took her pulse as they rode. He gave Cass a nod.

From what Lyle had said, Cass assumed that they were headed to the castle. By the winding of the road she could tell she was right. After making a big circle, Ron backed the minibus to a stop. Seconds later he opened the door.

Lyle climbed out with one agile move. “You stay put,” he told her. “I don’t want you to fall. Someone will be out to get you.” He didn’t wait for her response before he and Ron unhooked the gurney and rolled the woman inside.

Cass forced herself not to shake. Memories of lying in the rubble of that building flooded back. The sound of her calling Rufus’s name and him not answering. The waiting until someone could get to her. Panic rose when Lyle didn’t come. Pain throbbed through her body. She needed to get out of here.

She searched the area she could see. It was a part of the castle she wasn’t familiar with. The vehicle was backed up to a small loading dock with two double doors. Her impatience grew to be an almost living thing. She had to do something. What if Lyle needed her help? Just as she was about to rise, Ron came through the doors, leaving them swinging. He gave her a glance then hurried down the steps nearby. Her heart dipped. He must be going after the man up front.

With Ron and Lyle concentrating their energies on the injured people, it would be some time before someone would come to assist her. She decided she wasn’t in so much pain that she couldn’t get herself inside.

Giving her leg a rub, she pushed up off the bench, making sure she didn’t use her right arm. It took effort. With a tight jaw she made it to her feet. She slowly moved out of the minibus, steadying herself by pressing her hand on the side of it. Just as she was stepping off, the doors swung open again and out came Melissa, pushing a wheelchair.

She positioned the wheelchair just outside the van doors and stepped inside. “Lyle sent me out for you. He said you wouldn’t stay seated long. I guess he was right.”

Cass didn’t like Lyle thinking he knew her that well, but she couldn’t deny he was right. She took a step forward, trying to keep as much weight as possible off the leg. Cass couldn’t deny the wheelchair was welcome.

“Here, let me help.” Melissa supported Cass to the chair and assisted her into it.

With Cass secure, she pushed her inside. They entered a large emergency examination room complete with all the most up-to-date equipment. Cass was fascinated. She’d had no idea this area of the clinic existed. There were many facets to Dr. Sinclair and his “clinic”.

Lyle stood beside the older lady, who still lay on the gurney. Thankfully she was now conscious and talking to him. Ron was busy cleaning the driver’s head wound at an exam table nearby.

“What can I do to help?” Cass asked, putting her hands on the arm of the wheelchair, preparing to stand.

Lyle gave her a piercing look of reprimand. “Nothing. You’ve done enough. You need to take care of yourself.”

“Surely you need some help.” Cass looked from him to the man Ron was seeing to and back.

Another member of the nursing staff rushed in. Behind her came another.

“We have plenty of help. Melissa, please see that Cass gets to her room. I’ll let Flora know what’s happened. She may want to examine you. Melissa, Cass actually might also benefit from some time in the hot tub.” Lyle’s attention returned to his patient.

Seconds later Cass was being wheeled out of the room. It didn’t take Melissa long to get her up to her room and hot water running in the tub. Cass gratefully slipped into the whirling water, looking forward to the relief it would bring her leg and arm. She’d survived her first emergency without Rufus. It had been a sad moment but somehow an encouraging one. In a small way, Cass was moving forward.

Lyle was ready for some rest but he needed to check on Cass first. The ambulance from Fort William had arrived to take the injured woman to the hospital. Lyle had stitched the gash on the man’s forehead and sent him home with family members. After a quick check on Cass he was headed for his cottage and bed. The adrenalin spike of handling an emergency had worn him out.

He knocked lightly on Cass’s door in case she was already sleeping. After waiting a minute and getting no answer, he turned to leave. He would see her tomorrow.

The door opened a crack. “Yes?”

He could only see a sliver of her but it was enough to tell that her hair had been pushed back and her face was freshly scrubbed. She looked adorable and unsure at the same time.

What was it about her that captivated him? That pulled at him like no other woman he knew did. Was it her strength? Determination? Her vulnerability? He needed to solve the puzzle and move on. Cass wouldn’t be here long and he wasn’t going to waste his emotions on anyone he didn’t intend to keep forever. He’d already gone down that road.

The dirty street behind him was graveled with disappointment and heartache. He had vowed the lane ahead would be paved with the love and loyalty of a woman who wanted him as much as he did her. A lifelong partner. The next time he fell in love, he would get it right.

He shoved that fantasy aside and concentrated on what he was there for. “How’re you doing?”

“Better after a hot bath.”

“Good. You were impressive out there, Cass. You stayed in control. I know you must have been in pain. You should have said something. More than that, I should’ve thought.” Guilt filled him. “I’m sorry.”

She opened the door wider. “Hey, I’m an EMT. I’m trained to help.”

“True, but you’re also a patient here. I should have remembered that.” She looked cute in her T-shirt with her pink-tipped toes.

“I’m fine.” For once her eyes weren’t clouded with hidden feelings. In fact, there was a hint of a smile in them.

“I’m glad. Then I’ll let you get some rest.” He needed to go. Right now. He started down the hall.

“Hey, Lyle.”

He almost kept going, but curiosity got the better of him.

“You were pretty impressive out there too.”

He smiled. It felt good to have someone praise him, especially Cass. He was confident in his abilities, but it didn’t hurt to have others notice. His father certainly hadn’t. “Thanks. Sleep well, Cass.”

CHAPTER FOUR

CASS’S HAND SHOOK as she wrapped it around the handle of the glass door of the canine therapy center the next afternoon. She had said she’d keep her appointment and she would. But she wasn’t looking forward to it.

The thought of having anything to do with a dog made her want to break down and cry. The pain of losing Rufus was still too raw. It might be silly for a grown professional woman to feel this way, but she didn’t care. Rufus was gone. Some part of her clung to the irrational hope he would be waiting with his tail wagging when she returned home. No other dog could replace him.

She would do what she had to, then hurry to her room for a good cry.

When she jerked the door open the young man sitting behind the desk started. This was the same high-ceilinged room with the rough board walls where she and Lyle had brought the puppy a couple of nights before. He’d said it used to be the stables and she could now see that. The other night all that’d filled her mind was that she had a dog in her arms.