The Doctor and the Cowboy

Stranded at single father Dan Gallagher’s ranch during a Colorado blizzard, Dr. Beth Rogers is counting the days till the roads are clear. She can’t wait to leave for her exciting new life in New York. But suddenly the big-city doctor is delivering babies in log cabins, helping to feed newborn calves and teaching Dan’s little girl to play hymns on the piano. No-nonsense Beth even throws a snowball or two at the handsome, love-shy cowboy. She thought she had her heart set on leaving, so why does she dream of Dan asking her to stay forever?

“Nice work,” Dan commented.

“Thank you,” she murmured.

“You need to ask my mother to teach you to needlepoint. You’re a natural.”

She chuckled and their eyes met and held. Her face warmed.

“So this is what your rescue team is all about,” Beth said quietly to Dan.

“Not always such happy endings. We could use someone like you on the team,” Dan murmured.

Beth met his gaze and paused. His smile caught her and she lost focus, lured for a brief reckless moment into considering a future outside of her carefully laid plans.

Dan Gallagher stirred something in her that she wasn’t familiar with. For the very first time in her entire life, she was tempted to consider acting on her feelings instead of using her head.

She averted her gaze and rational thought once again took over.

Paradise was, after all, merely a stop on the road to her tomorrow. Dan Gallagher, a pleasant detour.

That was the reality she had to cling to.

TINA RADCLIFFE

has been dreaming and scribbling for years. Originally from Western, New York, she left home for a tour of duty with the Army Security Agency stationed in Augsburg, Germany, and ended up in Tulsa, Oklahoma. While living in Tulsa she spent ten years as a certified oncology RN. A former library cataloger, she now works for a large mail-order pharmacy. Tina currently resides in the foothills of Colorado, where she writes heartwarming romance. You can reach her at www.tinaradcliffe.com.

Stranded with the Rancher

Tina Radcliffe

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

—Philippians 3:13–14

While it’s true that it always takes a village, this book took several villages.

I am indebted to rancher Ivan Connealy and his wife, Western inspirational author (romantic comedy with cowboys) Mary Connealy for answering my endless questions on cows and ranches and farming. I don’t know how you do it.

Thank you to Karen Robinson, CPM, RM, President of the Colorado Midwives Association (www.coloradomidwives.org) for her generosity with answers and quick response to my questions.

Many thanks to Rich from Vickery Motorsports in Denver, Colorado, for taking time from his workday to talk to me on the phone about snowmobiles.

Thank you, Vince Mooney, for beta-reading my proposal with a reader’s eagle eye for detail.

My emergency medical expert was Tom Radcliffe, former EMT who works for Rural Metro Ambulance and also is my best reader.

All errors are wholly mine.

Thank you to my agent, Meredith Bernstein, the woman in my corner who believes in me.

There’s a special place in heaven for deadline buddies. A shout-out to R.B., M.V.M and M.T. Thank you for your support.

Finally, thank you to assistant editor Giselle Regus, who helped me find the jewels in my prose and brought this book to delivery.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Introduction

About the Author

Title Page

Bible Verse

Dedication

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Epilogue

Dear Reader

Questions for Discussion

Extract

Copyright

Chapter One

“Small towns always look best from my rearview mirror,” Elizabeth Rogers said. She tugged on her coat and turned to look at her cousin.

“Beth, you aren’t even giving Paradise a chance,” Ben Rogers returned.

“Sure I am. I had lunch and a tour of the hospital and clinic with the medical director. Did I mention how much I like your new clinic?” Beth paused. “But I’m not really interested in the position.”

“Uh-huh. I’m thinking you can’t see anything but New York City.”

“I won’t deny that I’m excited about New York.” Beth reached out to touch Ben’s arm. “But you know I’m glad you found happiness with Sara here in Paradise, right?” She smiled. “This place is perfect for you—just not for me. I guess I’m a city girl at heart.”

“Not always. Remember when we lived in that little town near the Four Corners?”

“That wasn’t a town. It was a gas station and half a grocery story. It reminded me of the truck stop where my mother dumped me.”

Ben winced. “Ah, Beth. I’m sorry.” He ran a hand through his hair. “I didn’t mean to bring up bad memories.”

She raised a palm. “No worries. I was very grateful that your parents took me in, but I’ve never quite forgiven them for moving us there.”

“Rural medicine. You know that’s their life.”

“Is it okay to admit I’m relieved those days are over?”

“Not for me,” he said. “God and Paradise changed that.”

“You made a choice, Ben. And I’m trying to do the same. I don’t want to ever be in a position where I have to choose between two evils again.”

Ben shook his head.

He didn’t get it. Beth sighed. No one did. Time to change the subject.

“I really love this house.” She shoved her mittens and wool scarf into her soft leather, oversize tote and then looked around the guest room of the quaint Craftsman bungalow.

“Thank you,” he replied.

“Too bad it’s not somewhere else.”

Ben chuckled. “Do you have everything?” he asked.

Beth walked around the large four-poster bed. “Aha! Cell phone charger. I would have been very unhappy if I’d left this behind.” After unplugging the cord, she straightened, her gaze moving to the window. “It’s really snowing now. We’d better go.”

“Your flight isn’t until two.” He glanced at his watch. “The airport is less than forty-five minutes away. That puts you there more than three hours early.”

“And that’s fine with me.”

“Okay. Okay. Let’s tell Sara we’re leaving. I think she’s with the babies.”

He picked up Beth’s suitcase and she followed him down the stairwell to the first floor. His wife, Sara, stood in the living room between two baby swings. She was talking to a tall man in a black ski jacket with a black Stetson on his head, while simultaneously rocking identical babies in their swings.

“Dan. What are you doing here?” Ben called.

“Hey, Doc.” The cowboy grinned, his glance moving to Beth.

“Dan Gallagher, this is my cousin, Dr. Elizabeth Rogers.”

The cowboy removed his hat and nodded politely before putting the hat back on. “Nice to meet you, ma’am.”

Beth shot him a distracted smile, her gaze pulled to the window, where enormous snowflakes obliterated the view. She needed to leave. Now.

Sara turned to Ben. “Dan brought the twins’ antibiotics. The pharmacy is closing early due to the forecast.”

“Much appreciated,” Ben said. “This is their second ear infection in six months and none of us are happy about it.”

As they chatted, Beth chewed her lip. She wasn’t going to panic. Relax. Just relax. She repeated the mantra.

“Maybe we’d better get going, Ben,” she suggested in her calmest voice.

“Ma’am, I don’t think you’re going anywhere for a while.”

Beth inhaled and avoided looking at Dan Gallagher, as though she could erase what he’d just said by ignoring it. “I have to go,” she finally stated.

“Weather report has recently upgraded the storm. Conditions are ripe for this to be the worst one of the season. The roads are closing as fast as that snow is moving in.”

“But it’s the end of March,” Beth quickly countered. “It’ll be April in a couple of days.”

“Welcome to Colorado,” Dan said.

“Ben?” she pleaded.

“Beth, I know. I get it. But I can’t control Mother Nature. If this storm is coming in as fast as Dan says it is, then there won’t be any airplanes going anywhere.”

“I’ve got to be in New York by Monday.” She tamped down a bubble of panic, searching for a rational thought. “Surely things will clear up by morning?”

“That could happen,” Sara commented. She reached out to pat Beth’s arm. “Sometimes our mountain storms hit quickly and then leave.”

Dan gave a shake of his head, indicating he doubted that was going to be the case today. “I’m making a delivery in Gunbarrel,” he said. “I’d be happy to take you that far. You can reevaluate the situation tomorrow. They’ve got a small hotel with an airport shuttle. At least you’d be halfway to the airport.”

Beth brightened at the suggestion. “Yes, that would be great. Thank you.”

“I thought you were on call tonight,” Ben said, looking at Dan.

“On call?” Beth asked.

“Dan’s a key member of our Paradise Clinic Snowmobile Rescue Team,” Ben said.

Dan shrugged at the words. “I traded shifts. My brother is out of town for a prosthesis fitting and left me in charge of the ranch.”

“What are you doing in town then?” Ben asked.

“With this weather we were short staffed at the pharmacy as well, so I came in for a bit.”

“You left the cows alone?” Ben said the words with a laugh.

“Oh, you know. The whole family pitches in. My mother can handle things in a pinch.”

He nodded. “How is Joe doing?”

“One step forward and two steps back.”

“We’re praying,” Sara said.

“Thanks.” Dan’s gaze met Beth’s. “Well, we’d better get moving.”

She turned and hugged first Ben and then Sara. “Thank you for a lovely visit.” Beth patted baby Carolyn and her twin, Amanda, on their soft heads and smiled wistfully at them. A pang of longing filled her as she allowed herself to imagine what it would be like to be married and happy like her cousin. To have a child.

“They are so beautiful,” she murmured.

“Give them five minutes. They both just ate and forgot they have ear infections in progress. You won’t want to be here tonight when they remember again,” Sara said.

“I’ll be back. As soon as my schedule permits,” Beth said.

Dan Gallagher’s hand covered hers as they reached for the suitcase at the same time.

She froze, embarrassed.

“I’ve got it,” he said. Following her, he carried the bag into the small anteroom and then closed the door behind them before staring out the front door at the blizzard, which had risen out of nowhere in less than an hour’s time.

A big silver pickup truck was parked in front of the house. The tarp that covered a snowmobile in the flatbed strained against its ties, while the edges of the blue fabric flapped furiously.

“That’s quite a wind,” Beth said. She wrapped her wool scarf around her neck.

Dan nodded as he pulled on a pair of dark leather gloves and picked up her suitcase again. “Ready?” he asked.

“Yes.”

When he opened the door a gust of wind rushed past and slammed into her, bringing stinging flakes along as well.

Heads down, they dashed through the nearly ankle-deep snow to the curb. Yanking open the passenger door, Dan carefully helped her up and into the vehicle. Chivalry was still alive in Paradise, Beth mused.

He adjusted his Stetson against the snow before he slid the suitcase into the backseat and then came around the truck to the driver’s side and got in. The man was well over six feet tall and the space inside the cab seemed to noticeably shrink as he settled in his seat. For the first time Beth really looked at him.

Beneath the brim of the Stetson his black hair was trimmed short, and the shadow of a beard accented his square jaw. When he turned slightly and his gaze met hers, Beth found herself staring into calm, slate-colored eyes. She turned away, embarrassed to be caught.

She cleared her throat. “I, ah, I really appreciate this.” She brushed the snow off her hair and reached for her seat belt.

“Not a problem.” He pulled on his own seat belt.

“What would you be doing if I wasn’t tagging along?”

“I was heading home. This is just another day for me. Winter in Paradise means that some days getting home requires a bit more patience than other days.”

“Where is it you live?” she asked.

“Outside of Paradise.”

“And where is Gunbarrel?”

“A little bit farther down the road,” Dan said.

“You’re sure we can get there?”

“Ma’am, I’m only sure of a few things in life. But I can tell you this—if I can’t get through then no one can.”

The CB radio crackled as the truck roared like a wakening lion. A moment later the massive windshield wipers began to slowly shovel the snow away in large wedges. The big blades moved with a thumping rhythm.

You won’t make it. You won’t make it. They chanted the words over and over again.

Biting her lower lip, Beth ignored the mocking and focused on trying to see the road ahead. She had to make it to New York. She’d spent too many years working her way out of her circumstances to once again be at the mercy of something she couldn’t control.

* * *

“What’s in New York?” Dan finally asked. They’d driven in companionable silence for several miles, and though the driving was slow, they were well past the outskirts of town.

“I have a locum tenens position that starts on Monday,” Beth answered.

“Locum tenens? You’re a temp doctor?” He couldn’t help the surprise in his voice.

“Yes.”

Dan cocked his head and shot her a glance. “If you don’t mind my asking, why would you want to be a temp doc instead of having your own practice?”

“I like traveling. New cities. New adventures.”

“Ah, you’re one of those.” His gaze again left the road for a moment and met her cool blue eyes.

“Excuse me?” Annoyance laced her voice as she pushed strands of toffee-brown hair away from her face and stared at him.

“I just mean you’re a wanderer.”

“A wanderer?” She paused briefly, considering his words. “You’re implying I’m lost?”

Dan held back a chuckle, recalling the Tolkien quote, “Not all who wander are lost.” Another glance at Dr. Elizabeth Rogers told him she wouldn’t be amused by the reference.

“No, ma’am,” he finally returned.

As if reading his mind, she exhaled sharply, obviously more than a little defensive. “You know, there’s nothing wrong with—”

Her voice trailed off when the vehicle suddenly lurched forward.

From habit Dan reached out an arm to protect his passenger.

When the truck jerked to the left he gripped the steering wheel tightly with both hands, struggling to maintain control.

Something didn’t feel right with the steering. Too much play. He’d noticed the same thing earlier in the week, but had dismissed it as his imagination. Now he chastised himself for not taking the truck in to be checked.

“You okay?” he asked as the vehicle slowed.

She nodded. “That was scary.”

“Yeah. Sorry, patch of ice.”

“The temperatures are dropping already?”

“There’s a sheet of ice on the roads from that snow-rain mix that was coming down first,” Dan said.

“Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea. I’ve put you at risk.”

“Naw. I told you I’d be out on the roads anyway, to get home.” Dan turned up the defroster, hoping to clear the clouded window. “But it might be a good idea to call ahead to the Gunbarrel Hotel and let them know you’re coming.”

Beth pulled off her gloves and dug a cell phone out of her tote. “No reception.”

“Once we get to the other side of that hill you should get something.”

“What hill?” She narrowed her eyes as she peered through the windshield. “All I can see are pine trees and those tall poles.”

“Snow poles. But trust me, we’re almost past the hill. I’ve pretty much got this road memorized. I spend a lot of time back and forth, making deliveries.”

“Deliveries?” Beth asked as she put the phone away.

“I’m a pharmacist.”

“A pharmacist who makes deliveries?”

“Why not?” Dan smiled, amused at her reaction. “Fact is, sometimes it’s the only way I can get things to my patients.”

She glanced out the back window toward the flatbed. “And you’re on a snowmobile rescue team?”

He nodded. “Yeah. So I know this area inside and out.”

“What do you do as a volunteer?”

“Whatever Dr. Rogers tells me to do.” He grinned.

“Ben is your boss?”

“Dr. Sara and Dr. Ben are. Ben manages the unit and Sara is his backup. There are six of us and each member has their own area of expertise. I’m an AIFLP.”

Beth stared blankly at him.

“Advanced interfacility life support paramedic.”

“You’re a critical care paramedic?” she asked.

“The state of Colorado doesn’t have critical care paramedics...yet. Approval is tied up in government red tape.”

“I’m still impressed. That’s quite a specialty out in the field.”

Dan shrugged. “I guess so, but I’m basically in it for the perks.”

“Perks?”

“Occasionally they let me ride in the helicopter.”

A smile parted her lips and her blue eyes sparkled, transforming her reserved expression. Dan was caught off guard when dimples appeared. Apparently Dr. Rogers’s good humor had been restored.

He made a mental note not to annoy her again. They were in for a long day and he didn’t need to be at odds with his passenger in the confining space of the truck cab. Besides, he liked it when she smiled. Elizabeth Rogers was easy on the eyes.

“Have we passed your place?” she asked.

“No, at the snail’s pace we’re going, it’ll be a bit. I’m off the beaten path to the east. Small ranch at the base of the mountains.”

“You’re a rancher, as well?” she asked.

“Not me. My brother. He runs about two hundred head of cattle.”

They rounded a bend in the road and Dan nodded toward the phone in her lap. “Why don’t you check for signal strength again?”

Beth picked up her phone. “Yes. Got it.”

“Great. Use my phone.” He pulled a cell from his jacket pocket. “I have the sheriff’s office on speed dial. Dispatch can connect you to the Gunbarrel Hotel.”

She shook her head. “It’s a recording.”

“What’s it say?”

“Call 9-1-1 if it’s an emergency. Due to a heavy volume of calls, unable to...” Beth released a breath. “What now?”

“When is your flight?” he asked.

“It’s not until two, but it’s the last Alamosa-to-Denver flight until Monday. Then I still have to connect to New York.” Turning to the window, she hid her expression.

“You think they’re going to hold a blizzard against you?”

“I think it’s likely I won’t get the position. They need a physician now, not later.”

“If you don’t mind my asking, what’s so important about a temp position?”

She looked at him. “This particular medical group auditions all candidates for their practice by allowing them to work as a locum tenens first. It’s the only way you get in.”

“I take it the competition is stiff.”

“There were over one hundred applicants. In the end, only two of us were chosen. If either of us is a good match for their team we’ll be offered a permanent job.”

“What’s the catch?”

“The catch?”

“You could get a job anywhere. Why this practice? What makes it so special?”

“It’s been my dream for as long as I can remember.”

“What? Big city and big bucks?” The words spilled out before he could consider how bitter he sounded for a man who thought he was long over his past.

When her eyes flashed, he knew he’d irritated her again. So much for his good intentions.

Before he could correct his misstep the truck began to vibrate with the fierce stuttering of the antilock brake system kicking in. Dan grabbed the wheel firmly. “Hold on. We’re sliding.”

The big truck continued to skid right, until it suddenly fishtailed and changed direction.

They were both jolted sideways as metal scraped against metal, the sound raw and screeching as the vehicle crashed through a guardrail and headed straight for an enormous conifer.

“Lord,” he said beneath his breath. “We could use a little help.”

Bracing himself, Dan again instinctively shot an arm out to protect his passenger from hitting the dash. He effectively held her shoulders back against the leather seat.

Time was suspended as the truck was shoved against the tree, which struck the left front tire and bumper before settling against the driver’s side door.

The pickup shifted and finally was still.

The only sounds were the swish of the wipers and their ragged breathing.

* * *

“Are you okay?” Dan finally asked.

“Yes. Are you?”

“Yeah.” He released a low whistle. “That was close.”

“Why didn’t the air bags deploy?” she asked.

“Not a frontal impact. The side impact wasn’t enough to deploy them.”

She nodded and looked around. “What are we going to do?”

“First, I’m going to assess the damage and then we’ll figure out exactly where we are.”

“Do you want help?”

“No, thanks. Best if you stay in the truck.” Dan shouldered the door, which resisted. Shoving all his weight against it, he was finally able to wedge it open enough to squeeze his way out and through the branches of the tree the truck had nestled against.

Beth grabbed her phone from the floor and checked the GPS app. No signal. She tried the compass application before it occurred to her she couldn’t read a compass, anyhow.

Was she completely useless outside of a medical clinic? Why hadn’t she become a Girl Scout? A little voice answered, Because you never lived in one place long enough.

A knock at her window made her jump.

Dan.

Beth opened her door.

He shook the snow off his hat and coat before he ducked his head inside the truck. Only inches away, she breathed in the scent of pine and man as he moved even closer, out of the wind. Tiny crystals of snow clung to his lashes, and Beth stared, mesmerized.

“Compass?” he asked, with a glance at her phone.

“Yes. But I can’t figure it out.”

“That’s okay. I’ve got a better idea.”

She raised her brows in question.

“The truck’s not going anywhere. Rim and tire are a mess. No telling what else got damaged in the crash. It’s snowing too hard to find the mile markers, so I’m going to take the snowmobile out and verify our location.”

“You’re leaving me?” Beth clutched his sleeve. Suddenly the job in New York seemed the least of her concerns.

“I’ll be back.”

“No,” she whispered adamantly. “Take me with you.” She’d been reduced to pleading like a child. But she didn’t care. He wasn’t going to leave her.

“Elizabeth.” Dan’s voice was steady, firm and reassuring, talking her down from the ledge of fear she had climbed. “I’ll be right back.”

“Beth. I’m just Beth.” The words were hollow. She stared at the snow accumulating on the windshield. Flake upon flake piled up, like a smothering blanket, until she could barely see daylight through the glass.

“Beth.”

Turning, she met his gaze. Dan Gallagher had kind eyes.

“We’re going to be fine.” His lips curved into a gentle smile. “Okay?”

“Okay.” A single word to rest her future on.

“Here are the truck keys. If you absolutely have to, start the engine and run the heater. Keep the emergency brake on.”

“You said you’re coming right back.”

“That’s right.” He nodded, but continued talking. “I’ve got a first aid kit and crash cart supplies in the backseat in those two tackle boxes. The portable defibrillator is under the seat. There’s also emergency food and water in that red box. If you have to get out of the vehicle, stay away from the trees. We’re way too close to the ravine.”

“We could have gone into the ravine?”

“Those trees stopped us.”

Stunned, she was silent for a moment. “I’d prefer not to die today if you don’t mind.”

“I’ll try to remember that.” He stared deeply into her eyes as if searching for something. “Do you pray?” Dan asked.

“What?”

“Do you pray?”

“I used to,” Beth murmured.

“Now would be a good time to start again.” He tossed his Stetson in the backseat, turned up his collar and gently shut the door.

The truck jostled as he lowered the liftgate and slid the snowmobile off the flatbed. The engine roared to life and a moment later the snowmobile’s headlight illuminated the truck and moved past. Barely a second later he was gone; swallowed up by the swirling snow.

Beth closed her eyes and did what she always did when she was afraid. She began to count backward from one hundred, taking calming breaths.

He’ll be back.

Still the suffocating terror pressed in. That’s what your mother said. And she never came back.

“Eighty-eight. Eighty-seven.”

It had been a very long time since she had prayed. She’d spent her entire adult life focused on her goals, so she would never be in that place of desperation again. That vulnerable point, where God was her only hope.

Yet here she was in the middle of nowhere. Lost. Her shot at the job she’d been waiting her entire career for was slipping through her fingers, and a cowboy pharmacist was out there risking his life on her behalf.

“Sixty-four.”

How had everything spun out of her careful control?

Beth glanced around the truck cab. Exhaling, she watched a puff of breath appear like a small cloud, then evaporate.

Pray, Dan had said.

Did God even remember her?

Lord, this is Bethy Rogers. I really need Your help.

Chapter Two

Beth exhaled. Her panicked breaths were accomplishing nothing more than creating a veil of condensation on the windshield. She wiped at the moisture with a gloved hand and then unbuttoned her wool coat. Then she checked her phone yet again.

Dan had been gone thirty minutes.

Her mind continued to race back and forth between worst-case scenarios.

When the CB gave a static squawk Beth glanced down at the black box mounted between the passenger and driver seats. Maybe she should try to call someone on the radio to send help. Who would she contact? Ben? No, she didn’t want Ben or Sara out here risking their lives.

Yet Dan Gallagher was. For her. Did he have family waiting for him?

Beth swallowed hard, considering the implications of her dogged decision to get to Gunbarrel.

Calm down.

Dan’s job is dealing with snow emergencies. He’ll be fine. He’ll be back soon.

Right?

She leaned against the seat and stared at the ceiling of the cab. “Please, Lord, keep Dan safe.”

Twice in one day she’d called upon the Lord. The realization stunned her. It had no doubt stunned Him, as well.

Moments later the distant rumble of a snowmobile engine broke the silence.

Apparently He was still listening.

She whispered a thank-you and shoved open the door of the truck.

The moment her booted foot pushed through the deep snow and made contact with the ground, she realized her error. Six inches of March snow covered a slick surface.

Her feet scissored back and forth in a crazed dance as she made a frantic attempt to gain traction on the slippery ground.

“Oomph.”

Beth landed unceremoniously on her left side. Who knew snow could hurt so much? She rolled to her back and lay there, regrouping, as the snowflakes continued to fall on her.

The hint of gas fumes tickled her nose a moment before Dan appeared. She barely knew the man, but as he towered above her, dressed all in black, with the helmet on and his goggles around his neck, she dared to release a small smile.

Oh, he looked good. Very good.

“You okay?” he asked.

Beth met his concerned gaze. “I’ll be fine,” she murmured, as she struggled to a sitting position and then wiped the snow from her face.

“How do you know?”

“Because I’m a doctor and doctors don’t lie.” She arched a brow. “Hippocratic oath.”

Dan chuckled, a wry smile curling his full lips before he suddenly sobered. “Loose translation. Besides, I wasn’t doubting your integrity. I was assessing you. No pain in the arm or shoulder? You landed awfully hard on that left side.”

“You saw me fall?”

“Yeah. Sorry.”

She sighed and blew strands of hair out of her eyes. Her last attempt at dignity disappeared like the vaporous clouds she exhaled each time she spoke.

“Let me help you up.”

“No, I can—”

Before she could continue her protest, he crouched down, wrapped an arm around her waist and heaved her to a standing position, all in one swift and heroic movement.

“You sure you’re okay?” he asked again.

Beth gave a tight little nod and then scooted inches away from him until her backside was flat against the passenger seat of the open cab. He was close, much too close. Close enough that the heat from the tall cowboy reached out to warm her.

The fall she could handle. The genuine concern in Dan’s eyes, combined with the unexpected comfort and strength of his arm... Well, that was another matter. She brushed ineffectually at her limp, wet jeans.

Oblivious to the fact that he was right in the middle of her personal space, Dan leaned against the inside of the door, his broad shoulders shielding her from the weather.

“Do you want the good news first or the bad news?”

“Bad new first. Always.”

“We’re not going to make it to Gunbarrel tonight.”

“Okay,” she said.

“Really? You’re okay with that?” Confused, he rubbed a hand over his face.

“Let’s just say my priorities have shifted considerably.”

He shook his head as if he understood. “Okay, then, well, the good news is we’re about ten miles outside of Paradise. Closer to the ranch than anywhere else.”

“The ranch.” She nodded. “And your wife, she won’t mind that you’re bringing home a strange woman?”

“Are you strange?”

Beth fought the urge to laugh.

“I’m not married.” He stared at a spot above her head. “Well, not anymore,” he murmured. “We’re going to head to my mother’s. She has a big, old house with lots of room. Now that the family is grown, it’s only her, and my daughter, who stays with her after school.”

“You have a daughter?’

Dan’s face lit up. “Yeah. She’s six.”

“You’re sure that your mother won’t mind the intrusion?”

“Oh, you know how mothers are.”

“Not really.”

Dan narrowed his eyes at her comment. “I can tell you that my mother likes nothing more than feeding people and clucking over them. She’s out of practice, with an empty house.”

“If you say so. What about your cows? I thought you had cows to take care of.”

“The cows are at the ranch.”

Beth blinked, confused.

“My mother lives in the main house at the ranch. My brother and I have our own cabins nearby.”

“Your entire family lives in the same place?”

“Yeah.” He paused, obviously taken aback. “But you make it sound like we should be on a reality TV show or something.”

Beth bit her lip and barely resisted a laugh. “No, I’m sorry. It’s me who’s behaving oddly. Not you. I’m not accustomed to all this familial closeness.”

“I take it you don’t live near your family?”

“Ben and his parents are my only relatives. Plus Sara and the girls now, too, I guess.” And that was enough sharing. She glanced at the backseat. “May I bring my suitcase?”

“I’ll come back for your bag.”

“I need my clothes.”

“Could you shove a few things in your tote bag? I’ve got to take the portable defibrillator with us. Too expensive a toy to leave out here. The snowmobile doesn’t have much storage space, and the defibrillator will take up a lot of it.”

“Sure. Okay, I can do that.”

Dan opened the backseat and Beth leaned in to unzip the side of her suitcase.

“Do you mind turning your head?” she asked.

“Turn my head?” He narrowed his eyes.

“This is rather embarrassing. I have, um, personal items.”

“And I have two sisters.”

“That’s nice, but I’m an only child. So turn your head, please.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

He laughed and the sound—rich, deep and warm—caught her off guard.

Beth smiled as she grabbed her flannel pajamas and a change of clothes. With a quick peek to be sure he really wasn’t looking, she shoved in a few more things.

“Ready?”

“Yes.”

“We should hurry. The storm is getting worse.”

“How can you tell?”

Dan looked up at the dark gray sky. “See how the wind is kicking up again?”

She tilted her head back. The clouds were moving quickly and the aspens had begun to wave, whipping snow that looked like white dust into the air.

“We won’t be able to go anywhere in whiteout conditions.”

He was besting her worst-case scenario list without even trying.

“And I’m guessing pitching a tent in the middle of a blizzard isn’t on your list of fun and adventurous things to do,” Dan added.

“You’re not serious.”

“Oh, yeah. I am. The snowmobile has an emergency survival kit in the extra storage bin.” Dan moved closer and Beth stepped back, nearly slipping again.

“Whoa.” He grabbed her by the shoulders, keeping her upright.

“Oh!” A cry of pain ripped from her lips.

“You did hurt yourself.” His words were a warm whisper against her hair.

“I’m fine. Possibly a sprain, if anything.”

“We’ll check it out at the ranch.”

Beth frowned. Not likely.

“Okay. Bundle up. It’ll be cold. And wrap that scarf so it covers your mouth.”

Ben lifted the backseat of the snowmobile and pulled out another pair of goggles from a storage space before he put the small portable defibrillator and her tote bag inside the compartment.

He breathed onto the goggle lenses before handing them to her.

“I want you to pay close attention to how I move on the machine. If I lean forward, you lean forward. If I stand, you stand.”

Beth nodded.

“Just follow my lead. It’s a lot like a motorcycle for the passenger,” he said with a shrug.

“I’ve never ridden a motorcycle,” Beth admitted as she adjusted the goggles.

Dan raised a brow, but didn’t utter a word of surprise, and was kind enough not to mention her previous claims of seeking adventure.

“One last thing,” he said. “If there are any problems and it looks like I’m going to have to roll the machine and then jump off, I want you to jump away and uphill, as far from the snowmobile as you can.”

Beth gulped. Her gaze met his.

“Stay alert and keep your hands on me at all times. Understand?”

Again she gave a nod of understanding, this time accompanied by a smile of false bravado.

Reaching into the flatbed, he pulled out a black helmet identical to his.

When he handed it to her, Beth slipped it on her head.

Dan yanked off his gloves. “I’m going to adjust the strap. Don’t be in a rush to step away from me again or you might fall.”

Beth stood still, her cheeks tingling with embarrassment as she stared straight ahead at the dark stubble on his jaw and the patch of skin visible where his jacket met his neck. She feigned composure as his warm fingers brushed against her chin.

Finally, she dared to meet his eyes.

They reflected only compassion. “It really is going to be all right,” he said softly.

The man was intuitive.

As a physician, Beth was accustomed to being the one doing the reassuring, but somehow things had gotten turned around. Dan had told her everything was going to be all right, and she believed him. Believed him, though she’d missed her flight, her shoulder was probably sprained and she was headed to a destination unknown. Yet an unlikely peace had settled over her. How could that be?

Possibly the altitude.

“Okay,” Dan said as he pulled his gloves back on. “I’m going to get on first.” He inclined his head toward the snowmobile before smoothly sliding onto the machine.

On her second awkward attempt, Beth finally landed in the seat. She sat stiffly behind him.

“Put your arms around me,” he called over his shoulder. “And don’t let go.”

Don’t let go. Beth loosely wrapped her arms around his waist. Her helmet was inches from his back.

The engine revved and then the machine moved forward, propelling her backward with force.

Beth tightened her hold on Dan, gripping his jacket fiercely. She tucked her face behind his broad back, hiding from the stinging moisture of the rapidly falling snow.

Hypervigilant, Beth monitored the nuances of the engine and the man, adjusting herself to his movements. When he stood slightly and leaned forward as the snowmobile moved up an incline in the road, she did the same. They moved over the terrain, occasionally bouncing. Tension kept her rigid and silently praying that the machine wouldn’t capsize, and that the weather wouldn’t become severe enough to force them to stop.

Overhead, heavy gray clouds loomed ominously, while the wind chased them over an endless white vista.

As the minutes passed, Beth dared to relax, leaning back a tad to take in the snowy blur of the Colorado landscape. The air was crisp with the scent of pine and fresh snow. A small buzz of exhilaration thrummed through her as the wind rushed past, whipping her long hair into a frenzy.

Dan was right. Beth had lived all over, but “all over” looked like the same medical clinic and temporary housing in an endless stream of different cities.

Today’s adventure had made one thing clear. She hadn’t really experienced life at all.

Finally, the engine slowed and Dan signaled a left turn with his arm. Beth peeked around his shoulder, scanning the snowy horizon. The tension eased from her grip when she saw the hazy glow of lights ahead. Like a muted lighthouse beacon, they beckoned winter travelers up a long conifer-lined drive. Wherever they were, they had obviously arrived.

As they pulled up in front of a charming, two-story brick-and-clapboard house, Dan turned off the engine.

“We’re home,” he called over his shoulder.

Home? Beth released a nervous breath, along with a tiny smile of anticipation.

* * *

Thank You, Lord, for leading us home again to Gallagher Ranch.

Dan stared at the house for a moment, allowing the tension of the white-knuckle drive through the storm to slip from his body. The hundred-year-old farmhouse had weathered every storm the Sangre de Cristo Mountains had tossed its way. This particular system would be no exception. He came from a long line of Colorado pioneers and they had bred the same can-do spirit into him.

They knew how to handle winter in the mountains. There were backup generators, wood for the fireplace and enough canned goods to see them through six storms. Yeah, it was good to be home.

He got off the snowmobile and offered Beth a hand, easing her off the backseat.

Though her grip on his waist had been viselike, it was definitely not unpleasant to have her riding tandem. He’d expected the city girl would be a diva, but so far, well, she’d definitely proved him wrong.

Raising his arms overhead, Dan stretched his spine and then rotated his neck. “I’m going to open the garage,” he said. “Be right back.”

The echoing crunch of his boots as he crossed the yard filled the silence. Snow continued to fall like crystals into the night, but the pink glow of the mercury lights on the oversize storage building that served as a garage guided his way. He pulled open the big double doors, and they creaked in response. Inside, his mother’s mini pickup was parked next to his brother’s beat-up utility truck and the ranch ATV. Joe’s personal truck was in the corner, covered with a tarp, waiting for his return.

Dan maneuvered the snowmobile in, then grabbed Beth’s tote and the defibrillator. He plugged in the defibrillator to charge the machine before closing the garage door. Walking to Beth, he nodded toward the house.

The front walkway and the wooden porch steps had recently been shoveled and sprinkled with snow melt, though the precipitation was quickly re-accumulating. On the porch a battered red shovel stood neatly next to the door, along with his daughter’s small pink plastic shovel. Such an insignificant thing, but little Amy’s imprint on his life never failed to make Dan smile.

He turned to Beth, and placed a finger to his lips before slowly opening the screen, then the front door. The loud, discordant plunking and banging of a piano greeted them.

Dan pulled off his helmet and goggles. Beth did the same.

She whispered to him, “May I use your restroom? I need to change into dry pants.”

He pointed straight ahead. “First door on your left.”

“Why are we whispering?” she asked.

“I don’t want Millie to know we’re home.”

“Your daughter?”

“No, my dog.”

Her eyes rounded. “Oh.”

Beth slipped off her boots and put her helmet and goggles on the bright multicolored rag rug in front of the door. Taking her tote bag from Dan, she tiptoed down the hall.

He set his helmet next to hers and shut the door. The piano had stopped and the click of the door closing sounded in the room.

As if it had been a starting line gunshot, he prepared for the chaos to ensue. Barking erupted as Millie rushed from the back of the house to the front hall like a locomotive. Dan heard her well before he saw her. The lean black lab raced into the room, her nails clicking on the hardwood floor a minute before she leaped into the air and accosted him. Dan staggered back as the dog alternated between enthusiastic slobbering and mad barking.

“Down, Millie.” He rubbed the good-natured animal’s head and backside briskly. “Yeah, I missed you, too, girl.”

Millie released a loud whine in dogspeak as she moved her paws to the floor and pranced in joyous circles at her master’s return.

“Daddy, can we build a snowman?”

His six-year-old daughter waved a ruler through the air. Her round, gray eyes were serious as she peered up at him through oversize, red-framed plastic glasses minus the lenses. She’d been giving imaginary piano lessons to her dolls again.

“Not today, Pumpkin.” Dan tweaked an inky black braid and gently tossed it over her shoulder. “You’d get buried in this storm.”

“Tomorrow?”

“We’ll see.”

Amy didn’t miss a beat, launching into her next request. “Can I watch TV?”

“May I.” Elsie Gallagher bustled into the front entry, a basket of laundry in her arms. Her short black curls were peppered with gray and she wore her usual jeans and the sweatshirt du jour. Today’s boasted a large bumblebee and the words Bee Cool. His mother the trendsetter.

“May I?” Amy repeated. “I already did my spelling.”

“Joe called. He’s stuck in Denver,” Elsie continued. “He wants to be sure you’re keeping a close eye on those cows. Says they might calve early.”

“Big brother Joe thinks I’m a rookie. I already moved the cattle this morning. I’ll check on them again after I eat. Mom, I should tell you I—”

His explanation was cut off by the sound of a door closing. All heads turned to look behind them as Elizabeth Rogers walked down the hall.

Beth had fixed her helmet hair, and her caramel-colored tresses tumbled around her shoulders from a side part, framing her heart-shaped face. Her skin glowed from the outdoors. Objectively speaking, the woman was a complete knockout.

His mother’s jaw slackened, before she grinned as though she was privy to a huge secret.

And then Millie charged. “Whoa, whoa, Millie. No.” Dan barely managed to latch his hands onto the lab’s collar and hold her back. “Sit.”

Beth froze, blue eyes wide as Millie wriggled in a hearty attempt to properly greet their guest.

“Who are you?” Amy asked, her voice hushed and wondrous, as if she’d just stumbled upon a princess.

Dan couldn’t resist a smile. He’d have to agree with his daughter. Beth Rogers did look like a princess. She was the prettiest thing to walk in their front door in a very long time.

Confusion crossed Beth’s face as her gaze met his. “I’m Beth.”

“Why, Daniel Davis Gallagher, you brought home a guest.” His mother’s words registered her stunned surprise. She set the laundry basket on the floor and straightened her sweatshirt.

“I’ve brought guests home before,” Dan returned.

“Have you?” his mother replied.

“Do dogs count?” he asked.

Elsie laughed.

“Mom, this is Dr. Elizabeth Rogers. Beth, this is my mother, Elsie Gallagher, and this...is Pumpkin.”

“Daddy!”

“I mean Amy.” He grinned at his daughter.

“Rogers?” Elsie said. “Like Dr. Ben and Dr. Sara?”

Beth nodded. “Ben is my cousin.”

“You’re pretty,” Amy gushed. She pulled down her faux glasses for a better inspection as she inched toward Beth ever so slowly.

“Thank you,” Beth said. “I like your glasses.”

Amy smiled and tucked her face shyly into her shoulder.

Dan observed the interaction with interest.

“So how did you two meet?” his mother asked, her gaze moving from Dan to Beth, a knowing grin on her face.

He blinked and stepped back.

Oh, no.

No.

Surely his mother wasn’t going to go down that road. “Docs Rogers’s house. I offered to take Beth to Gunbarrel, but the storm derailed us.” He looked at his mom. “When did you say Joe was getting back?”

His mother chuckled, reading his mind as usual. “You’re out of luck, Danny boy.”

Maybe bringing Beth to the house wasn’t such a good idea, after all. His mother was a matchmaker. And she was good. Really good. She’d orchestrated his sisters’ romances straight to the altar.

Dan held his own when Joe was around. Joe was the oldest and he protected his little brother. He shook his head. The odds were distinctly not in his favor.

Beth stood in the hallway, biting her lip in concentration as she attempted to sort out the dynamics. Good luck with that. He chuckled. The Gallagher house was always a little eccentric and the hormone-charged atmosphere changed as quickly as the Colorado weather.

He observed Beth for a moment. Any other lifetime and he’d be tripping over himself to get to know someone like her. Smart, beautiful and brave. Obviously not without some issues of her own, but seemingly capable of handling them with humor and grace. Yet, for today at least, the bottom line remained the same. Elizabeth Rogers was a woman passing through Paradise. A city girl to boot.

Like Amy’s momma.

He and his mother were going to have to have a little chat, because he sure wasn’t going to step into the same cow patty twice in one lifetime.

Chapter Three

Beth was alert the moment Dan’s large hand gently touched her elbow. That worried her. She didn’t like that she looked forward to the touch of a man she’d only just met.

“Careful. That floor is slick,” he murmured.

She nodded, looking down at her stocking feet as she padded across the polished wood to the kitchen.

The closer they got, the stronger the enticing aromas grew. Yeasty warm bread and some sort of stew.

They entered the room and it was everything Beth would have imagined a farm kitchen should be. A humongous oval table with a cheery cotton tablecloth dominated the space. It was a table where a big family could gather and share meals, laughter and love.

The stove was modern, a stainless steel professional grade, and the double-door, brushed stainless steel refrigerator looked new. A braided rug in tones of burgundy and green covered the floor beneath the table and drew the colors of the room together.

Elsie pulled out a chair. “Have a seat, dear. You must be starving. It’s been a long time since breakfast.”

“GG, I want to sit next to Dr. Beth,” Amy said.

“GG?” Beth asked.

“Oh, that’s what Amy calls me. Grandma Gallagher is a mouthful, so she came up with that as soon as she learned the alphabet.”

“GG and Pumpkin,” Dan said.

Amy shot her father a tolerant glance.

“I’m saving this seat for you, Amy,” Elsie said. She turned to Beth. “Coffee or tea? Or maybe hot cocoa?”

“Coffee would be lovely. Black. What can I do to help?”

“Sit, sit,” Elsie said. “Everything is ready. You, too, Dan.”

When he grabbed a chair at the other end of the table, his mother stopped him. “I’m sitting there. Do you mind? You can sit next to your guest.”

The corners of Dan’s mouth pulled upward slightly.

“Amy, you want to set the table?” Elsie asked as she slid steaming mugs of coffee in front of Beth and Dan.

“Sure, GG.”

Elsie handed Amy burgundy quilted place mats and cloth napkins, along with silverware. Then she placed matching pottery plates and bowls in a stack on the table.

Amy concentrated on setting the table, a determined set to her little mouth.

“Nice job, Pumpkin,” Dan said when she was done. He looked at Beth and winked. “Our Amy is the best table setter in the valley.”

His daughter beamed at his praise. Dan was obviously a devoted father.

A father’s love was instrumental in forming a young girl’s sense of self-worth. Beth had learned that bit of information from a college psych class and she’d never forgotten the professor’s words. It explained a lot, since in her case all she could remember were a couple of foster fathers who’d looked right through her with disinterest.

Elsie sat and gave a nod. Amy placed her tiny hand in Beth’s left one and Dan took Beth’s right hand in his large one. They all bowed their heads and Beth followed their motions.

Beth hadn’t prayed over a meal since she’d been a senior in high school, living with Ben and his family. Yet this seemed so natural, so right. How could that be?

“Daniel, please lead us in prayer,” Elsie said.

“Dear Lord, we thank You for the safety of this home. We ask You to take care of everyone out in the weather. We are thankful for this meal and ask You to bless this food to our bodies. Amen.”

“Amen,” Beth murmured.

Elsie jumped up after the prayer and ladled out the stew. When she offered Beth the basket of bread, Beth lifted her arm to reach for it, and grimaced.

“We need to check that shoulder,” Dan said.

“It’s not a big deal,” she replied as she smoothed her napkin on her lap. “Hardly hurts at all now.”

He raised a brow.

“Really. Besides, I heal extremely fast.”

He laughed. “I bet you do. But you still need some ibuprofen and ice, Wonder Woman.”

Beth arched a brow. She’d known the man four hours and already he knew how to push her buttons.

“Is Dr. Beth really Wonder Woman?” Amy asked, eyes wide.

“Daddy is kidding,” Elsie answered, her lips twitching. “Right, Daddy?”

“Right.”

“What happened to your shoulder?” Elsie asked.

“She fell,” Dan explained.

“It’s nothing,” Beth insisted.

Dan raised his eyes from his meal to meet hers in a silent challenge.

“You really should have that checked, dear,” Elsie admonished. “I’ll get you an ice pack and some ibuprofen after we eat.”

“Did I mention that Dr. Mom trumps a medical degree?” Dan said.

Beth suppressed a laugh.

“How’s your stew?” Elsie asked.

“Delicious, thank you.” Beth took another bite. It was good, savory and filling. Real food, not from a can, as was her usual fare.

“You’re welcome. The beef is from our own ranch.” Elsie looked at her. “Are you from Colorado?”

“I was born here, and I’m licensed in Colorado, but I haven’t lived here in a very long time.”

“And you’re on your way to Gunbarrel,” Elsie mused, as she buttered her bread and placed it on her plate. “Not much in Gunbarrel.”

“It’s halfway to the airport,” Dan answered.

Elsie immediately looked up. “You’re leaving? In the middle of a blizzard?” she exclaimed. “The weatherman says it’s not going to stop snowing for another forty-eight hours. There’s a second storm system moving in after midnight. Some sort of freak meteorological conditions. Why, they’re saying we’re going to break records.”

“The weatherman has been known to be wrong,” Dan stated.

Beth swallowed past the lump in her throat.

“Oh, I sincerely doubt it in this case,” Elsie said.

Beth glanced at Dan, not missing the irony of the exchange. Hours ago he had made the same practical observation about the weather as his mother, but now he was offering Beth a tiny glimmer of hope. The gesture was kind, considering the reality she was faced with. Appetite waning, she stared unseeing at the remaining stew in the pottery bowl.

“Beth? Are you all right, dear?” Elsie probed gently.

“Yes. I’m sorry. I was supposed to start a new job Monday—that’s why I needed to make my flight.”

“Where is this job?” Elsie asked.

“A clinic in New York City.”

“Oh, my. That’s not good,” she said. “Shall we pray about it? I know the good Lord is aware of the situation and has a solution in mind for you.”

Beth had trouble meeting the older woman’s eyes. “No, but thank you.” She doubted the Lord cared about her job interview. He was busy taking care of important things, like people stranded in this blizzard.

“We’ve got a landline,” Elsie added. “Perhaps you should try to leave a message for that clinic in New York soon, in case we lose the phones in the storm.”

“That’s a good idea. Thank you,” Beth said.

“By the way, I called Ben and Sara to let them know you’re safe, and staying here with us,” Dan interjected. “But I bet they’d like to hear from you.”

Beth nodded and met his eyes. He was a thoughtful man and he was right, of course. She should have thought of calling Ben, but she wasn’t accustomed to checking in with anyone.

“You look exhausted,” Elsie observed. “I’ll wrap up your stew and we’ll save it for later. Okay?” She looked to her son. “Show Beth the guest room, won’t you, Dan?”

After stopping in the hall to grab her tote bag and coat, Dan led her to the other side of the big house. The Gallagher home was warm and friendly and it seemed to have been updated recently. The paint was fresh and the furniture new. Comfortable oak pieces filled the living room, and the burgundy-and-green color palette ran through the house. It was a no-fuss place that welcomed friends, family, children, grandchildren and very enthusiastic dogs.

“I want to apologize for my behavior this morning,” Beth said as she followed Dan down the hall.

“What behavior?” he asked, moving her tote from one hand to the other.

“Are you kidding? I was freaking out.”

“Totally normal.”

“Not for me. Not ever,” she said.

“Look, you can lose control with me anytime.”

They both stopped in their tracks.

Dan’s ears were red as he slowly turned around, and she could see the appalled expression on his face.

Beth couldn’t help herself. She burst out laughing. The humor of the situation eased the tension she’d been wearing like a heavy coat all day. For the first time in hours, she relaxed.

“You know what I mean,” he said firmly.

“I do.” She smiled. “Thank you for getting me to your house, and for trusting me to meet your family.”

He nodded, and despite his stern expression, the corners of his mouth threatened to curve into a grin and his eyes sparkled with humor.

“Dan, the CB is going off. You’ll want to see to that,” Elsie called out as she came down the hall with a medicine bottle and an ice pack. “I’ll get Beth settled in.”

“Thanks.” He turned to Beth and gave a nod. “I’ll leave you in the good hands of Dr. Mom.”

Beth continued to smile as she watched him walk away, then she hurried her steps to catch up with Elsie.

Elsie opened a door at the end of the hall. “There are three bedrooms upstairs and this is the only one downstairs. When the kids were living at home they shared. My husband always said that sharing a room builds character. My kids are characters, so I suppose he was right.” She chuckled at her own words.

Before Beth could respond, Elsie turned on the light and then handed her the ibuprofen and ice pack. “Here we go.”

An antique, wrought-iron bed occupied most of the space. A thick duvet in a peach-and-rose-colored paisley covered it.

“What a welcoming room,” Beth said.

“Yes. Nice and toasty, being on the ground floor. Though not as quiet as upstairs.” Elsie walked directly across the hall. “Private bathroom. Plenty of towels and anything else you might need in the closet. I just stocked the drawers for you with shampoo and whatnot.” She grinned. “Girlie stuff. I keep a supply of it for when my daughters come home.”

“Thank you, so much,” Beth said, truly touched by the kind gestures.

“Oh, no problem. It’s fun to have company, and especially nice to have another woman around.”

“Thank you.”

Elsie looked at Beth, her expression sympathetic. “I’m so sorry about your job. But I will be sure to add you to my prayer list during my prayer time in the morning. And I want you to remember that God has a plan for you, Beth.”

“I hope so,” she murmured.

“No hoping about God. Trust me on this. After all, you don’t raise four children and bury a husband without learning a bit about the nature of the good Lord. He loves you so much He gathers your sorrows and collects your tears. Did you know that?”

“No, I didn’t.” Beth pondered the words, finding herself intrigued by the comment.

Elsie smiled. “Absolutely true. Now, you help yourself to anything you want. The refrigerator is open 24/7. I’m working on a quilt in the sewing room, other side of the kitchen. If you need anything feel free to come and find me.”

“Okay.” She paused. “Mrs. Gallagher?”

“Yes?”

“Thanks very much.”

Elsie cocked her head. “For what, dear?”

“Welcoming me into your home,” Beth said.

“You’re very welcome. And you can call me Elsie.”

Beth nodded and slowly closed the door behind Dan’s mother. She sank into the peach Parsons chair next to the dresser and dug in her tote for her phone, punching in her cousin’s number.

“Hey, Beth. Dan called to let us know what happened. He said you’re staying at his mother’s.”

“Yes.”

“Elsie is a hoot, isn’t she?”

“She is.” Beth released a short laugh “Actually, all of the Gallaghers that I’ve met are nice. I like them.”

“They’re good folk.”

“So, is everything okay at your place?” Beth asked.

“Yeah. We lost power, but I have a couple backup generators. That snow plays havoc on the trees and then they hit those wires, so we’re used to dealing with it.”

“Could that happen here?”

“Elsie has generators, too. Everyone does up here. You’re safe.”

Beth glanced around the cozy room. Safe.

“Are you okay, Beth?” Ben asked. “You sound...off.”

“Yes. I’m fine.”

“Remember, everything is going to work out.”

“Do you think so?”

“I do. Beth, this storm is huge. It’s on all the national news channels. Storm of the year, they’re calling it. That practice in New York will realize soon enough that there was nothing you could do to get there.”

“I hope you’re right. I’ll leave a message with them and then try to reach someone through the answering service in the morning.”

“Good.” He paused. “And, Beth, Dan is a good guy. You can trust him.”

“Will I need to?”

“You have to trust someone.”

“I’ll give that some thought. Thanks, Ben. I’ll check in with you tomorrow. Tell Sara and the babies hello.”

“I will.”

Beth punched in the number of the clinic. The out-of-office voice mail message droned in her ear, advising her that the clinic was closed and offering her the number for the emergency doctor on call.

Frustrated, she put the phone down, then plugged in the charger and turned off the volume. She’d call again later. Leaning back against the soft padding of the chair, she stared out the window at the still-falling snow.

Her glance moved to the worn leather Bible on the oak bureau. She got up and put the book on the bed, flipping through the pages. What had Elsie said?

God has a plan for you.

“I certainly hope He’ll let me in on the plan soon.”

* * *

Dan looked up as one of the garage’s big doors swung open, blowing in a gust of wind and snow flurries along with his mother.

“Everything okay?” he asked.

Elsie shut the door and then pushed off her hood. “Yes. Your guest is resting.” She stomped the snow from her boots. “Amy is coloring. I gave her the walkie-talkie.”

He nodded. “Quiet is good, right?”

“Mmm-hmm,” she replied.

Dan continued his task of checking supplies in the storage compartments of the snowmobile and restocking his emergency medical tackle box. It was routine to have everything ready to go for the next emergency call.

Elsie walked around the building, stopping to examine the vehicles. She lifted the tarp on Joe’s brand-new oversize pickup. The truck had been put away since the accident. Joe couldn’t handle the gearshift after he lost his right arm.

“Will Joe be able to change gears in his truck with the prosthesis?” Elsie asked.

“Sure. He’ll learn how. Remember, he’s going to have occupational therapy. Until then he can use his old automatic truck.”

“Think he’ll follow through with therapy?”

“I think Joe will do anything he has to, in order to get his life back to normal.”

“I hope you’re right.”

She wandered over to examine the on-call calendar tacked to the wall.

“Need anything in particular?” Dan asked.

“No. Just came out to chat.”

Dan’s ears perked up. He sensed trouble coming. “Chat” was code for his mother trying to ferret out information he was not interested in dispensing.

“So,” Elsie continued. “Beth certainly is a surprise, isn’t she?”

Dan froze for a moment before he raised the brim of his hat to better assess his mother. Yep. She was on a mission. “A surprise?” he slowly asked, keeping his voice void of emotion.

“I just mean she’s such a sweet girl. And so pretty. Did you notice?”

Did he notice? A mental picture of Beth’s dimples and soft blue eyes distracted him from his mother’s words for a moment. He shook his head, bringing himself back to reality. That reality was that he liked his life just the way it was.

“She’s on her way to New York,” he said flatly.

“Oh, I know.” His mother’s tone was musing and Dan shivered.

Silence stretched.

“It’s been six years and you haven’t even been on a date,” Elsie observed.

Dan sighed. Okay, well at least now they were on familiar ground. The same old story he heard week in and week out. “I have a daughter to think about.”

“Oh, pooh, Amy isn’t the issue here.”

“What is the issue here?” he returned.

“You.”

Dan said nothing for a long moment. He didn’t think he was gun-shy. Sure, he’d made a mistake six years ago, but he’d learned plenty since then. He’d like nothing more than to settle down in Paradise with someone special. That someone special just hadn’t come along yet.

His mother meant well, but he didn’t have the energy or desire for a debate. “I’m thinking that if you want to fix someone you should take care of Joe. He’s got a chip on his shoulder bigger than the valley.”

His mother paused and tilted her head, eyes narrowing. “True. One project at a time.”

Dan bent down for a final check of the supplies, and then stood and dusted off his hands.

“What’s next?” Elsie asked.

“I’ve already looked in on the cattle and brought a few pregnant heifers into the barn.”

“Problems?”

“I don’t know, but they were acting strange, so I want to keep a closer eye on them. I’ll check them again during the night.”

“What’s the feed situation?”

“I’m about to put out the hay and feed cakes.”

“I can help.”

“You’ve covered for me all morning. Take a break, Mom.”

“I merely fed the chickens and the herd dogs. Even Amy can handle that.”

“That’s one less thing for me to do.”

“I’ll help with the cattle,” she said.

Dan exhaled and faced his mother. “You don’t trust me to do Joe’s job?”

“Of course I do. All I’m saying is that ranch work is safer in pairs. Everyone knows that. Look at your brother. If he’d only waited for you...” His mother’s lips thinned, and for a brief moment her shoulders sagged with grief for her eldest son.

Dan couldn’t deny her logic there. If Joe had waited for him to help with that tractor repair he might not have lost his arm. But Dan wasn’t going there. Not today. He’d just end up feeling guilty over something that wasn’t his fault. Joe was stubborn and that wasn’t going to change anytime soon.

He moved to his mother’s side and gave her a long hug. “Look, I promise to call the house when I need help.”

“Thank you,” she whispered.

The landline began to ring and Dan reached for the receiver, grateful for the interruption.

“Hey, Ben. Okay, got the situation covered. Yeah, no problem. I’ll keep you in the loop and we’ll be praying.”

His mother raised her brows, concern on her face.

“Ben’s at the Paradise Hospital. Deke Andrews’s dad fell on the ice and broke a hip.”

“Oh, no. What’s the situation?”

“On his way into surgery. Maybe you better call the Paradise Ladies Auxiliary and tell them to start the prayer chain.”

“Yes. Yes. I’ll do that.” She frowned. “So does that mean you’re on call again?”

“Deke was covering for me. Now call duty is mine again. You can add the ranch to your prayer list, as well, because if those cows start calving early and I get called out on a medical emergency you might find yourself helping out with more than you signed on for.”

Elsie merely grinned, excited as a kid. “Just like the old days. I used to help your father when calving season began.”

“I’m glad you’re happy, because I keep thinking about all the potentials for disaster. Every cow counts, as Joe always says, and he’s not going to understand if I leave the ranch to tend to a mere human when his precious cows are calving.”

“You can only do your best.”

“I hope my best is good enough. Joe’s been through enough. I don’t want to let him down now.”

“I’m proud of you, Dan, and I know Joe will be, as well. Just remember you aren’t in this alone. The Lord is on your side, and so am I.”

Dan shook his head as his mother’s words sank in. “You’re right, Mom. I’m not alone.” He smiled. “How’d you get to be so smart?”

Elsie merely grinned.

Chapter Four

The house was quiet as Dan tucked his flannel shirt into his jeans and crossed the living room toward the kitchen. Barely 6:00 a.m. The sun wouldn’t rise for another hour, but there was way too much to do and he was restless.

He started the coffee, and as the brewer gurgled and then hissed, he pulled two muffins out of the fridge and began a mental list of the day’s chores. His gaze drifted to the big picture window. Snow continued to fall; now forming drifts that hugged the barn and the garage. The moonlight illuminated the sky, and he could make out the dark humps that were actually cattle huddled together in the feeding pen.

“Coffee.” The whispered word was as earnest as a prayer.

Dan turned to see Beth in the doorway. She barely acknowledged him as she sank into a kitchen chair.

“Addiction problem?” he murmured.

“Yes. My only vice.”

“Only one vice?”

The corner of her mouth quirked, but her eyelids remained at half-mast. “That I will readily admit to.”

“Ah.” He nodded. “Don’t like it fancy, I hope.”

“No. Just strong.”

“That I can do.” Dan pulled two stoneware mugs from the cupboard and set them on the counter.

“What about you?” she asked.

He raised his brows.

“No vices?”

“Salted caramels.”

Her eyes opened and her brows rose in surprise before she released a short laugh.

“Those soft, melt-in-your-mouth ones that are sprinkled with sea salt,” Dan explained.

“I would have never guessed.”

“Now you know my secret. I hope I can count on your discretion.”

Beth crossed her heart with a finger and nodded.

Dan smiled and couldn’t help appraising the city girl. Today her hair was swept back, away from her face in a no-fuss ponytail, low on her neck. He didn’t know much about makeup, but her face didn’t look to be made up.

She wore plain, ordinary jeans, not even the skinny kind, and a bulky forest-green sweater that fell to her hips and concealed her figure. Obviously, she was more comfort-focused than fashion conscious.

Points for her.

“How’s your shoulder?” he asked.

“The patient is much improved.”

“Hmm” was his muttered response.

She pinned him with her gaze. “Do I sense doubt at my qualified medical opinion?”

“Full range of motion?” he countered, ignoring her comment.

“Partial, and the pain is significantly diminished.”

Dan nodded and poured the coffee. “Black, right?”

“Yes. Thanks.”

“Did you get a call through to New York?” he asked as he slid into a chair across from her.

“Interesting segue,” she said as she took a sip of coffee.

Dan smiled and wrapped his hands around his mug, waiting.

“I did get in touch with the on-call physician after a few tries, and he was very understanding. I’ve rescheduled my flight for Thursday afternoon. That will give me some time to relax before the Friday morning interview.”

“That’s positive thinking.”

She blinked. “You don’t think I can get to New York by Thursday night?”

“The truth?”

“Always.”

“Could be, but you might have saved yourself some stress by making it for the following Monday.”

“No. They’d have replaced me for certain if I couldn’t get there before then.”

“Do you honestly want an employer who values you so little they’ll hold the weather against you?”

Beth didn’t answer. She stared down at her coffee, finally lifting the mug and taking another sip.

“You said you wanted the truth,” he murmured.

“And you’re very good at that,” Beth returned with a tight smile.

“Muffin?” Dan offered. He slid a plate with a plump, golden muffin across the table, along with a napkin.

“Peace offering?” she asked.

Taken off guard by her response, Dan laughed and shook his head. “Maybe.”

Beth peeled the paper off her muffin and broke it in half. “What are these?”

“My mother calls them kitchen sink muffins. Fruit, nuts and seeds. They stick to you, that’s for sure.”

She took a bite. “Good stuff.”

He noted her long, slim fingers as she picked up crumbs from the table. No rings, and while her nails were polished, they were short and practical. Even the color, a pale pink, was simple and subdued.

The woman was a puzzle. She gave away very little, yet her panic in the truck had been very real and didn’t mesh with the no-nonsense, controlled woman with the quirky sense of humor who sat across from him. He pondered that as he ate his own muffin.

There was an intimacy in the quiet meal they shared. It was pleasant, and he couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like to share breakfast each day with someone like Beth.

Her gaze met his and she quickly looked away, her face coloring and her lashes fluttering in apparent confusion. Her attention quickly moved to the view outside the window.

Was she having the same thoughts?

Dan studied her profile, admiring the smooth column of her neck visible above the sweater’s rolled collar. A few tendrils of hair had escaped her ponytail and rested on her ear.

Yes, she was beautiful, but what did he really know about Beth Rogers? Experience had taught him the hard way that you didn’t really get to know someone when things were going fine. Reality poked up its head when you least expected it—usually when your guard was down. When the going was rough. Yeah, that was when you really discovered a person’s mettle.

The wall phone began to ring and Dan grabbed it before the sound woke the entire household.

“Gallagher.” He paused. “Okay. Tell Abel to relax, I’m on my way.” Dan shook his head and put the receiver back in the cradle.

“Everything okay?”

“Looks like I’m going to deliver a baby today. Midwife can’t get through.”

“Have you ever delivered a baby?” Beth asked.

He shrugged. “Naw, but there’s no better time to learn than the present. Besides, Ben is the doctor on call. He’ll meet me there.”

“Why bother Ben when I’m sitting around doing nothing?”

“You want to go?”

Beth nodded.

Elsie strolled into the kitchen, her eyes curious. A pleased smile crossed her face when she spotted Beth and Dan. Today his mother’s sweatshirt was buttercup-yellow and bore the words I May Be Wrong, But I Doubt It.

“Go where?” she asked.

“Home birth and Emily can’t get through.”

“You’ll have to take Beth. She’s a doctor and you’ve never delivered a baby.”

Dan barely resisted groaning. Thank you, Mother. He could count on Elsie to reduce him to the youngest child in a heartbeat.

Beth’s eyes met his and she bit her lip as though undecided as to whether she should weigh in on the discussion. “I’m happy to assist,” she finally said. “Your decision.”

“I can do the ranch chores while you’re gone,” Elsie added as she poured herself a cup of coffee.

“What about Amy?” Dan asked.

“Amy and Millie can go with me, and I’ll bring her back when she’s tired.” Elsie’s eyes widened and she smiled. “Oh, and I’ll take Joe’s new truck. It’ll get through the snow on the ranch road.”

Dan grimaced.

“Now who’s having trust issues?” his mother said with an appraising glance.

“I’m just saying, you know how Joe is about that truck.”

“Pshaw. Now, what do you want us to do?”

“Check the cows and lay out the hay and feed. Oh, and Joe’s herd dogs are in the barn. They’ll want some exercise. And my horses. Stalls need attention, too.” Again Dan looked out the window. “Sure you’re up to this?”

Elsie put her hands on her hips. “Who do you think did the chores when there were no kids around here?”

“Uh, Dad?” he offered.

“Why is it so hard for you to believe that your father and I did them together? We were a team.”

Dan did the math. Joe was the eldest and he was thirty-two. Probably not a good idea to remind his mother that she was talking about thirty odd years ago. Instead, he cleared his throat and looked at Beth, effectively changing the subject. “What’s your specialty?”

“Internal medicine.”

“Delivered any babies?”

“Not since medical school. I let the OB docs do that.”

“Isn’t it just like riding a bike?” Elsie countered.

“Ah, not quite,” Beth answered.

“Better eat up,” Dan told her. “I’ve got a few more supplies to load in the snowmobile and then we’re heading out. There’s no telling when we’ll be back.”

“How far away is it?” she asked.

“Short stroll up the road.”

Beth’s lips parted and then she paused, a confused frown on her face.

“What?” Dan asked, nearly laughing out loud.

“I’m having a difficult time translating ‘up the road’ and ‘not far.’ Apparently they don’t mean the same thing to you as they do to me.”

“You’ve got that right.” Elsie’s laughter trilled out.

“Can I go?” a pajama-clad Amy asked from the doorway. Millie stood at her side, eagerly inspecting the floor. The mutt lived in the hope that crumbs would appear.

“May I.” Elsie corrected. “Sorry, sweetie, but there’s only room for two on the snowmobile. Daddy certainly isn’t going to let Dr. Beth walk in this weather.”

“I was kidding about the stroll.” Dan pulled out a chair for his daughter and brushed her hair out of her face. “Amy, what are you doing up so early?” He glanced around. “What are you all doing up so early?”

“The phone woke me,” Amy said.

“I’ve been awake for hours, just praying,” Elsie stated, gazing out the window at the cows. “My joints ache when the barometer drops.” She turned to Beth. “They say that the low barometric pressure makes the cows drop calves early, too.”

“I didn’t know that,” she said.

“Am I right, Dan?” his mother asked.

Dan glanced at the wall clock and then back to the room full of females. Beth, his mother, Amy, and even Millie were all looking at him.

“You are right as always, Mother. Now, I think that Dr. Rogers and I have a baby to deliver, and we had better get going. You could start praying that the barometer doesn’t affect those heifers while I’m gone, or we’re going to be in big trouble.”

* * *

Beth swiped at the wet flakes on her goggles with a gloved hand. Snow continued to fall as Dan led the snowmobile to their destination “up the road,” which took nearly an hour. But despite the weather, she didn’t mind the long trip. Riding the snowmobile was no longer scary, and if pushed, she might even admit she enjoyed riding tandem with the tall cowboy.

When they arrived at the log cabin deep in the woods, above the town of Paradise, another snowmobile was already there. A huge, cherry-red snowmobile with flame detailing along the sides.

A tall, blond and bearded mountain of a man greeted them at the door.

“Abel,” Dan said as he grabbed the tackle box and approached the house. “This is Dr. Rogers.”

The big man frowned, his bushy eyebrows knit in confusion. “Another Dr. Rogers?”

Dan laughed. “Yeah.”

“Nice to meet you, ma’am.” The giant stuck out a hand. “I’m Abel Frank.”

“Nice to meet you, too,” Beth returned. Her small hand was swallowed whole in a gentle grip.

Dan glanced at the snowmobile parked next to his own. “Deke? I thought his father was in the hospital.”

“He is. Emily Robbs made it in on his machine.”

Dan’s eyes widened and he sputtered. “He lent Big Red to Emily?”

“Tell me about it.” Abel shrugged. “Apparently Deke’s sweet on Emily.”

Dan shook his head. “Unbelievable.”

Seriously? They sounded like sixteen-year-olds instead of grown men. Beth cleared her throat.

Both Dan and Abel turned, their expressions sheepish, before they looked back at each other.

Dan opened his mouth, then closed it again.

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