Читать книгу The Doctor's Family - Lenora Worth, Rachel Hauck - Страница 10

“I don’t have to go to college right now. I want to marry Cade,” Jasmine said. “He’s smart and he’s looking for scholarships and working on securing student loans. He’s gonna be a doctor like you. How about that?” she inhaled a tiny breath. “After we’re married, he’d going to get started in college and I’m going to work to help support us. That’s our plan.”

Arabella saw the stubborn look on Jasmine’s face. She wouldn’t abandon Cade. And she’d put his dreams ahead of hers. The girl had talked about working while Cade went to college and on to med school. But neither of them had decided whether they should stay here and commute to any of the nearby large colleges or if Cade would live on campus. Either way, it would be hard to start a marriage like that.

Jonathan relaxed a little, a tight smile playing on his lips. “I … can talk to him, answer any questions he might have.” Then he took another step. “How about you though? Don’t you want to continue your education after the wedding?”

Arabella wondered if he’d accepted that there would be a wedding or if he was just fishing.

Jasmine nodded, the motion barely there. “Yes, I’d like to go to college, too. I’ve already checked into taking some courses online. But I don’t mind working while Cade gets his medical degree.” She shrugged. “I like cooking and baking. And there’s no shame in waiting tables until I decide what I want to do.”

Her tone indicated she’d be the one doing the deciding. Arabella was used to this but had to smile at Jonathan’s poleaxed look.

Arabella touched her on the arm. “Let’s talk about all that over lunch,” she said gently. “Cade called earlier. He should be here soon. But we can go ahead and eat since it’s ready. Your favorite vegetable soup and fresh-baked wheat rolls. And I made pumpkin pie for dessert.”

Jasmine wiped at her eyes again. “Cade’s coming?”

“He said he’d be here after he did some chores for Cody.”

Jasmine glanced over at Jonathan. “He has a good job on a big ranch just outside of town. I told you he’s smart and he works hard, too.”

Jonathan focused on Arabella then glanced back at Jasmine. “I’m looking forward to meeting him.”

Arabella motioned for Jonathan. He couldn’t stand there in the parlor all day. “C’mon. Soup’s getting cold.”

He stepped across the hallway and into the dining room. The wall between the kitchen and this room had long ago been opened to form one long room that included the kitchen, a small desk and sitting area and the dining area. Arabella found it a bit disconcerting, the way Jonathan seemed to fill the space and make it smaller.

It had been a long time since she’d had company for lunch. Adult male company, that is. Why hadn’t she bothered to put on some lipstick and comb her upswept hair?

Jonathan shot a wary eye toward Jasmine then asked, “Where are the girls?”

“They attend preschool at the church three days a week,” Arabella said as she poured tea and ladled soup. “I sent them over to Mother’s Day Out for the afternoon. I let them stay there some afternoons when I need to leave them with someone I can trust.”

Jonathan took the iced tea she handed him. “You seem to have such a strong sense of community around here.”

“We do. This little town might have seen better days, but we tend to stick together through thick and thin.”

His guilty look made her wish she hadn’t said that. Did he think she was making a point with him? His next words explained that.

“I … we … grew up in a small town like this. It’s about twenty miles from here, closer to Denver.”

He didn’t mention exactly which town, however.

“We like it here,” Jasmine said, her words quiet but firm.

Jonathan smiled at Jasmine. She was busy placing bright yellow linen napkins around the table. But Arabella didn’t miss the shy look Jasmine shot toward Jonathan. The girl was getting used to the idea of having an uncle apparently.

“Let’s eat,” Arabella said. “We have a couple of hours before I pick up the girls.”

And so they sat down, the three of them. A minute of awkward silence followed, the only sounds the ticking of the grandfather clock in the foyer and the usual whines and groans of the old house.

Then Jasmine reached out a hand to both of them. “I’ll say grace.”

Arabella took the girl’s hand on one side and then, reluctantly, took Jonathan’s hand on the other. And the reaction she’d been expecting, the dread she’d felt coming since he’d shown up, settled over her like a rock slide, swift and accurate. Only now, the dread was mixed with a bit of anticipation, too. She had to inhale a breath to get her bearings.

Because she was holding the hand of a man who’d come here to mess with her carefully controlled, deliberately scheduled life. And that made him far more dangerous than she’d ever dreamed.

Jonathan took the coffee Jasmine handed him. Her tentative smile brought him a small measure of comfort. Was she warming up to him?

Jasmine placed a chunky slice of pumpkin pie in front of him. “Do you want whipped cream on top?”

“No, no,” Jonathan said, eyeing the pie. “This is plenty. I’m not used to eating like this.”

Jasmine glanced over at Arabella. “We always have plenty to eat around here. Arabella is a caterer. She bakes all the bread for the Cowboy Café and makes wedding cakes, too. She can cook for a big group, but you have to book that ahead of time. I help her. She pays me to babysit and help with the baking.”

Jonathan saw the pride in Jasmine’s eyes. He wanted her to feel that same pride about him. “Sounds as if you two have a good thing going.”

Jasmine bobbed her head. “We do. Arabella’s been good to me. She’s like … my mom.”

Bragging and making another point.

He wished he could accuse Arabella of taking advantage of his niece, but that didn’t seem to be the case. Arabella Michaels didn’t act like the type to work anyone too hard. She had a gentleness about her that belied the steel underneath. But she was a good person. He could see that from this cozy, colorful home and her unconditional love for her family.

He and his brother had never known that kind of love. Not after their mother had died when they were still boys.

Arabella wasn’t taking advantage of his niece. She’d given the girl a home and a job. That was different from working the girl too much. And it wasn’t the same—not the way his father had tried to work his brother and him, all the while making them feel somehow responsible for their mother’s death. He was thankful Jasmine had found a good place to live.

But he needed to lay his cards on the table regarding his niece. “Now that we’ve had a chance to get to know each other, Jasmine, I wanted to extend an invitation to you.”

Arabella stood straight up across the breakfast bar, the daring look in her golden-brown eyes nailing Jonathan to his chair.

“What kind of invitation?” Jasmine looked from him to Arabella. “I’d like to hear that.”

He cleared his throat. This was the moment he’d been waiting for, the reason he’d come here. “Now that I know about you and I’ve seen … your situation,” he began, hoping to make sense, “I’d like you to think about the possibility of coming to Denver.”

Jasmine looked confused. “You mean for a visit, right?”

“No, I mean for as long as you want.”

The girl pushed at her long hair. “But … you understand I’m getting married in December?”

“December?” He never dreamed the wedding would be that soon. “Isn’t that a bit rushed? You’ve only been out of high school for a little while, right?”

“I graduated last spring. Cade did, too. But we both have jobs—just until Cade can get everything lined up for college and med school. And Arabella has a room here on the back of the house that Cade and I can use until we decide. It was her grandpa’s room for a while.”

Arabella came around the counter and sat down. “I had to move my grandpa downstairs for a few months before he died. After he passed, I remodeled the room and turned it into an efficiency apartment, thinking I might rent it out. It has a bath and a small kitchen. I offered it to the kids rent-free until they get settled and decide about college.”

“So they’d stay here?” This time, Jonathan’s tone was accusatory, but he didn’t care. Maybe he’d been wrong to assume Arabella didn’t have an agenda. “You’ve thought of everything, haven’t you?”

Arabella gave him another stubborn look. “When my grandpa got so sick, all I could think about was that he didn’t want to go to a nursing home. So I brought in a contractor to do some quick remodeling. We opened up a big storage closet and made it into a bathroom for him.” She shrugged. “After he died, I thought about bringing in some extra income since my child-support checks are few and far between. So don’t go guessing that I’m trying to manipulate things for my own benefit.”

“I never suggested—” he began.

“I actually think it might be a good idea for Jasmine and Cade to consider living in Denver. Several fine universities are there and they have talked about that possibility.” She met his eyes. “Having you nearby would ease my mind, that’s for sure.”

Jasmine bobbed her head. “That’s true. It would be even better to know somebody in Denver. Especially a doctor.” She glanced at Arabella. “Cade’s mom lives there, but they’re not close. He won’t even talk about asking her to help.”

Jonathan saw the hope in Jasmine’s eyes and the encouragement in Arabella’s.

Maybe she wasn’t manipulating anything after all. But it would be hard to let her number-one helper leave. “Sorry. It just seems so convenient—wanting Jasmine and Cade to stay here with you.”

Jasmine dropped her fork, her gaze widening. “It’s a good plan—if we decide to do that. We’ll have privacy here before we decide about school. And if Cade goes on to college, I’ll have a place to stay if I need it and he can come home on weekends. You have a problem with that?”

Jonathan saw that he was caught between two forceful personalities. He knew when to back down. “No, but I still want you to consider coming to Denver.” He sent out his own challenge. “You and Cade both. As Arabella said, we have several very good universities. And I have connections.”

Arabella put her hands on her hips and gave Jonathan a challenging look. “If you’re willing to help them.”

Jonathan tried to hide his surprise, still not sure if she was being sincere or sarcastic. But before he could stop himself, he blurted out, “Seriously?”

“Seriously,” Arabella said, her expression a tad too smug. “That is, provided you’ll stick around here for a while longer and get to know Jasmine and Cade, spend some time with them, let them tell you their plans. Get my drift?”

He got it all right. This woman wouldn’t let go without a fight. That, or she was trying to call his bluff about letting them come to Denver. Well, that situation would definitely change his single lifestyle. Obviously, Arabella had already thought about that.

But he wouldn’t be bullied into any type of commitment. “I can’t stay. I have responsibilities—”

She leaned down, her hand centered near his half-eaten piece of pie. “Right now you have a responsibility to your niece. You came here to find her. Well, now you have. You can’t just swoop in and grab her up and cart her off to Denver without talking about this and thinking things through. That’s asking a lot, from us and from yourself. We both need to see if you have sticking power.”

“Yes, we do,” Jasmine said, nodding her head. “But, thanks for the offer, Uncle Jonathan.”

Jonathan knew when he was outnumbered. “I guess I could take a few more days—”

The doorbell rang, followed by Arabella’s cell phone. Jasmine rushed to the door. “Cade!” She fell into the young man’s arms. “You won’t believe this.”

Jonathan studied the young man. Muscular with dark blond hair. A nice all-American look. The kid pulled Jasmine into a tight hug.

“Are you all right?” Cade asked, holding her while he looked across the hallway and into the dining room. “Come in and I’ll tell you all about it,” Jasmine said. Oh, great. Another strong ally in their corner. Jonathan stood to greet Cade, hoping to get a handle on the kid’s nature.

But before he could extend his hand, Arabella grabbed him, her phone in her other hand. “I need you.”

Shocked and wondering what she had planned for him now, he turned toward her. “Okay.”

“No, I mean I need a doctor. Julie fell out on the playground at church and busted her forehead. They think she needs stitches. Will you come with me to check on her?” “Of course.”

He turned and gave Jasmine and Cade a shrug. “Go,” Jasmine said. “I need to explain things to Cade anyway.”

Cade looked confused, gave Jonathan a scathing look and then asked, “What’s that man doing here?”

Jonathan gave Jasmine a reassuring glance as Arabella frantically dragged him out the back door and motioned toward her minivan. “Get in.”

“I’ll drive,” he offered, seeing her agitation. “I have my medical bag in my car.”

“I can drive. I’m fine.”

Jonathan took the keys out of her hand, noticing the slight tremor. “Let me help. I don’t mind.”

She looked less than pleased, but didn’t argue.

After he grabbed his doctor’s bag and they were in her vehicle and headed toward the church, she finally took a long breath. “Thank you.”

“I won’t let you down,” Jonathan promised.

She briefly locked eyes with him, then turned to gaze out the window.

He knew this temporary truce was the best he could get for now, all things considered. At least it was something.

“No sign of trauma to her head. She’s alert and focused—no signs of shock. She’ll be fine, but she might need stitches.”

Arabella glanced from Jonathan to the curly-haired little girl clinging to her. “How many? Will there be a scar?”

Jonathan wasn’t used to distraught mothers. He was a surgeon, and he mostly worked on adults. Children weren’t his specialty. “I can’t say how many but if you don’t get stitches, she might have a tiny scar right underneath her hairline. We should get her to the hospital just to be sure.”

Arabella got up, her hand pressing a wet towel against the still-sobbing child’s head. “That’s thirty miles away. Can’t you do it?”

“Uh … I could but—”

“Look, she’s bleeding all over this towel and I’ve got two more to worry about. Jasmine’s with Cade, explaining everything, and Mother’s Day Out is closing for the day. You’re a doctor and you’re here. You’ll do in a pinch, won’t you?”

He heard the frantic worry in her voice—and the doubt and fear. But she was right. “Yes … and yes.” He could break the rules. He’d given the little girl a thorough exam, and although her cut was minor, to her mother this still seemed like an emergency. Besides, it wasn’t as if he hadn’t broken a few rules before. “I guess this is a pinch.”

Jonathan turned to where Mrs. Black sat in the big, colorful nursery with Jessie and Jamie and another helper.

When he motioned, the tall blonde came toward him, her eyes on little Julie. “I’m so sorry, Arabella. I was cleaning up my classroom when the MDO worker came running over from the playground. She thought I could calm Julie down. Poor girl turned her head for one second and Julie fell off the climbing rope and hit her head against the wooden ladder next to it.”

Arabella heaved a sigh then kissed Julie’s damp head. “It happens. We can’t always protect them.” She shot Jonathan a long look. “No matter what age they are.”

“I can stitch her up but first I have to make sure she’s in a sterile setting,” he told the distraught teacher. “I need a room with a table. And a blanket to swaddle her. Arabella, I’ll need both you and Mrs. Black to help hold her down.”

Holding Julie tight, Arabella stood up. “Let’s do it, then.”

“Go on,” the teacher said, waving them toward the room next door. “Our lunch table gets sterilized every day before we leave. I’ll grab a clean sheet and blanket.” She turned to the other worker hovering nearby. “Stay with the girls, okay?”

The young woman nodded and immediately went over to where Jesse and Jamie sat playing inside a big plastic toy house.

“Thanks.” Arabella held the towel to Julie’s swollen forehead. Then she turned to Jonathan. “Let’s go.”

Jonathan could see the fear in her eyes. “You sure about this?”

“Yes. Are you?”

“As you said, I’m a doctor.” He’d taken an oath, so why was he so afraid? He didn’t want to abandon her with a hurt child. He didn’t abandon people. He just pushed them away. He wasn’t afraid to do his job. He was afraid of failing at that job. But stitches on a preschooler? He could do that procedure in his sleep. This time, however, things felt different, as if doing this would be a test. If it meant gaining Arabella’s trust, he knew he’d have to pass with flying colors.