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There was a moment’s pause and then he said, “My patient is demanding to see you. Seems you’re his favorite doctor and he won’t trust me to treat him unless you’re here. I tried to explain—”
“Who’s the patient?” Nicolette interrupted him again.
“Dan Nelson. He’s—”
Dan Nelson was ninety-one years old and had worked as a wrangler for the Sandbur until he was in his mideighties. He was a prickly pear of an old man, but she adored him. “Yes, yes, I know the man. I’ll be there in twenty minutes.”
“Wait, Nicolette. Driving to the hospital might not be necessary. Talking to him over the phone might work,” Ridge told her.
“He’s more important to me than that,” she said curtly.
There was another short pause and then he said, “All right, I appreciate your help. And by the way, I’m at the county hospital.”
“I’ll find you.”
Nicolette dropped the phone on its hook and scurried from the bed.
As she hastily grabbed clothes from the closet, she groaned out loud. Meeting Ridge Garroway in the middle of the night was the last thing she wanted to do. But Dan needed her and she was a medical provider first, a woman second.
As long as she could keep that fact in the back of her mind, she could meet the new doctor head-on and never suffer the slightest heart murmur.
Twenty minutes later Nicolette wheeled her car into the hospital parking lot and hurried inside. At the double elevators, she smashed the up button, and as she waited for a door to open, she hurriedly jerked a white lab coat over her shirt and jeans and fastened the buttons.
Once she reached the third floor, where most of the internal medicine patients were located, she hurried toward the nurses’ station, where several women were clustered behind a tall counter.
Bess, an older nurse sitting at a computer located directly behind the counter, looked up at Nicolette with faint surprise. “P.A. Saddler, is that you?”
Nicolette unconsciously lifted a hand to her long hair. She’d not taken the time to fasten it with a barrette or even a rubber band and now it was flying around her shoulders. Her face was bare of makeup and she realized she must look very pale and very unprofessional, but her appearance was the last thing she was worried about at the moment.
“It’s me, Bess, I’m looking for Dr. Garroway. Is he on the floor?”
Bess nodded. “Last I saw he was down at room 301 with a Mr.—” she glanced at a clipboard with a list of patients’ names “—Mr. Nelson.”
“Thanks.”
From the nurses’ station Nicolette made a quick turn to the left, which would take her down an east wing. She was almost to the private room when Dr. Garroway suddenly stepped out in the corridor.
He smiled and waved. Nicolette swallowed hard and hurried toward him.
“How is he?” she asked before he had a chance to say a word.
The apprehension on her face caused the doctor’s brows to lift. “Are you close to Mr. Nelson?”
“I’ve known him since I was a very small girl. He worked for my family for more than fifty years. Of course I’m close to him. I love him.”
He placed a hand on her shoulder. Nicolette had not been asking for any comfort from the man, but she realized the strength of his touch was very steadying and, at the moment, very welcome.
“Relax. I think Mr. Nelson is going to be fine. That is, if he’ll allow me to treat him. He needs a shot of diuretics to reduce the fluid in his lungs, but he won’t agree to let me or the nurse give it to him.”
A sigh of relief rushed past Nicolette’s lips. “I know his heart isn’t the best in the world. I was afraid he’d suffered an attack.”
“No. Nothing like that. Right now this is mainly a pulmonary problem.”
Nodding that she understood, Nicolette grimaced. “Years of unfiltered cigarettes,” she explained, then added, “I’ll see what I can do. He’s usually good for me.”
“I’d appreciate that,” Ridge said, then gestured toward the closed door.
Nicolette knocked lightly and stepped into the small room. One fluorescent light burned over the head of Dan’s bed, illuminating the older man’s wrinkled face. At the moment, his faded blue eyes were closed, but when she spoke they flew wide open.
“Dan? It’s me, Nicci,” she said softly. “How are you feeling?”
He held his hand out to her and motioned her to his side. Nicci hurried to him and clasped the bony hand between hers.
“Nicci, honey, I thought you’d never get here.”
She rubbed his arm and then passed her fingers over his damp forehead. “Well, I’m here now. Tell me what’s wrong.”
“Nothin’s wrong! I’m just havin’ a little trouble breathin’. That damned old woman who thinks she’s my keeper thought I needed to come to the hospital. I’ve already told her I’m gonna fire her for this,” he muttered. “All I need is a good shot of bourbon. But she wouldn’t give it to me!”
In spite of the situation, Nicci had to hide her smile. “You’re talking about Opal? The lady that keeps house for you?”
“That’s her. Nosiest female I’ve ever seen.” He snorted, then pointed over her shoulder to where Ridge stood just inside the door. “And that young whippersnapper over there wants to jab me with a needle. He don’t know what I need. He’s still wet behind the ears!”
Nicolette rubbed her hand gently across Dan’s chest. “Dan, Doctor Garroway is trying to help you. And he does know what he’s doing. The shot will help your lungs.”
“Hmmp. Well, that stuff will make me go to the bathroom all night long. Nope—I won’t take it.”
The old man stubbornly shook his head, and Nicolette turned a stern look on him. “You will take it or I’ll get Mother in here after you,” she warned. “And you know she won’t be nearly as sweet with you as I’m being.”
He studied her through squinted eyes, then gave her a weak grin. “Honey child, you always were my little sweetheart. I guess if you say I need the shot, then I’ll just have to take it. I won’t like it, mind you, but I’ll take it. For you.”
“That’s my guy,” she said happily, then leaned down and kissed his forehead. “I want you to get well. That’s why you’re going to do everything Dr. Garroway tells you. Okay?”
He nodded and she placed one last kiss on his cheek before she straightened to her full height and motioned for Ridge to join her.
“If you have the diuretic with you, I’ll give it to him,” she told the doctor.
“The nurse took it back to the station.” He picked up the call button and quickly ordered the medicine back to Dan’s room. Once the RN returned with the prepared shot, Ridge instructed her to leave it with Nicolette.
Quickly, before the old wrangler had a change of heart, Nicolette injected him with the medicine and promised him she would be just outside the door if he needed her.
She and Dr. Garroway left the room and walked a short distance down the hall. Since it was long past regular visiting hours, the lights in the corridor had been dimmed and the hospital wing was quiet. Once they were far enough away from Dan’s door, Ridge paused and turned a grateful look on her.
“Thank you, Nicolette, for all this trouble you’ve taken. It’s ruined your night and I feel badly about that. But Mr. Nelson will get well much more quickly now. I could have badgered him into taking the shot, but I didn’t want to put added stress on the man. And I’m not too proud to ask for help when help is needed,” he added with a grin.
Apparently not, Nicolette thought, and the fact surprised her very much indeed. She’d figured that at his age, he would be a doctor who thought he walked on water and never needed help from anyone, especially from a mere physician’s assistant. It was nice to learn she’d been wrong.
“Don’t worry about it,” she assured him. “Dan pretends to be grouchy, but he really has a heart as soft as a marshmallow. I don’t think he’ll give you any more problems about medication now.”
He smiled, and even in the semidarkness, Nicolette could feel the punch of his charm. There was something sparkling and vibrant about the man, as though he loved life and wanted everyone around him to do the same.
“Actually the old man is in good shape for his age. He may eventually need a pacemaker, but we’ll deal with that when the time comes. Uh, you say he worked for your family…what did he do?”
Apparently he either didn’t know about the Sandbur or he didn’t associate her with the families who ran it. The idea that he was unaware she was a rich, ranching heiress was rather nice.
“Ranch wrangler. You couldn’t find a better cowboy in Texas. He’s spent more hours in the saddle than you’ve been alive,” Nicolette told him.
His brows lifted and he chuckled. “Come on now, pretty lady, I’m not that young.”
And she wasn’t supposed to be a pretty lady. At least not to him. He was a professional, a colleague; he should be behaving appropriately.
“Dan might argue that point,” she said briskly, then glanced pointedly at her watch. “I think I’ll go down to the cafeteria and wait around until the diuretic takes affect, just to make sure he begins to improve.”
A grin dimpled Ridge’s cheeks. “You can go on home and go to bed, Nicolette. I’ll make sure Mr. Nelson is taken care of.”
She was exhausted and needed to be resting, but she knew if she went home now she’d only toss worriedly in her bed. Doctors like him made diagnoses, ordered medicines and left the rest up to the nurses while they went on their merry way.
Nicolette started walking toward the nearest elevator. “The nurses here are good, but I want to check on him myself.”
He strode along beside her and Nicolette was intensely aware of his tall, muscular frame only inches from her and the faint masculine cologne drifting to her nostrils. For that one brief moment, she realized with a measure of disgust, she was no different from the nurses at the clinic; she would love to see all those hard muscles that must be hidden by his shirt and chinos.
“Nurses. What about me?” he asked.
Surprise caused Nicolette to miss a step. “Aren’t you going home now?”
He looked at her with disappointment. “You really don’t think much of me, do you?”
Whipping her attention to the end of the corridor, she grimaced. “I expect you’re going to have a busy practice, Dr. Garroway. You can’t stay up all night at the hospital and expect to give them expert care.”
“Well, I’m glad to hear that you understand I’m human. Young, but human,” he said teasingly.
From the corner of her eye, she could see that he was smiling again. Obviously, he was not a man who angered easily. Another positive in his corner, she thought, and wondered why the fact only irritated her.
By now they’d reached the nurses’ station. To the left of the long counter was an elevator. Nicolette could see Bess eyeing the two of them as they waited for the door to open. No doubt the old nurse was wondering what the new cardiologist was doing stuck to Nicolette’s side. Tomorrow there would probably be rumors about them all over the hospital, she thought grimly. Oh well, it wouldn’t be the first time she’d been discussed among the nurses. She didn’t date or socialize with the staff and she kept her personal life to herself. Nicolette realized that that in itself made her fodder for gossip.
In the elevator, Ridge stood at Nicolette’s shoulder and covertly studied her appearance. He’d been surprised, no shocked was more like it, when he’d spotted her flying up the hallway toward Dan Nelson’s room. Even though she was wearing a starched prim lab coat with her name embroidered across the left breast, he could easily see that underneath she was wearing jeans and cowboy boots. Her long shiny hair had been flying loose around her head and she’d looked like a different woman from the staunch professional she’d projected this morning. She’d looked as sexy as hell in a dress and high heels, but she was even more attractive like this. With her beautiful face bare of makeup and her hair tousled, she looked like a sensual, touchable woman. And Ridge realized he very much wanted to touch.
“You have patients on the bottom floor?” she asked, when he didn’t punch a different floor.
“No. I’m going with you to the cafeteria. That is, if you don’t mind,” he added slyly.
She looked at him with arched brows. “Why?”
One corner of his mouth curled upward. “Because I need to kill some time while the medication works on Mr. Nelson. And I thought you’d be good company.”
Her lips pressed together. Now was the time to discourage him, she told herself, to get across to him that men, even one like him, weren’t a part of her life. “I’m not good company at anytime, much less in the middle of the night. You’d be better off going back up and visiting with Bess while you wait.”
“Bess doesn’t intrigue me.”
Her head jerked up and an annoyed scowl wrinkled her forehead. “Look—uh, Ridge, I’m not interested in your…flirting!”
He raised his palms in an innocent gesture. “Flirting! Who said I was flirting? I was merely making a statement that I find you more interesting than Bess. And far more attractive.”
She should have been angry with him for being so forward, but instead her heart thumped at the idea that he found her attractive. She’d not thought of herself in that way for years and now a very young man like him taking a second look at her was very flattering.
“Is this the way you behave with all female doctors?”
“You’re a physician’s assistant.” His smile was broad and just wicked enough to send a spurt of color to her cheeks. “Actually, no,” he added. “You seem to be doing something to me.”
The door to the elevator slid open. As Nicolette stepped out, she said over her shoulder, “Then you’d better make a quick diagnosis and treat yourself.”
Chuckling, he quickly caught up to her as she stalked down a hallway that led to the cafeteria. “Nicolette, you can make a joke! I’m surprised!”
Knowing she was enjoying this banter with him too much, she stopped and whirled toward him. “Look, for your information, I didn’t drive to the hospital in the middle of the night just to be your—company! I’m only here because of Dan.”
He appeared to be offended. A frown of irritation creased his forehead and twisted his lips. “I didn’t ask you here for your company. Since we have the same goal, I thought sharing a few minutes would be the natural thing to do.”
Her eyes widened. “Goal?” she asked inanely.
“Yes. Mr. Nelson’s well-being. That is why we’re both here, isn’t it?”
Nicolette felt like an idiot and she looked away from him as she tried to gather her thoughts. She didn’t know what it was about this man, but he had the ability to make her feel about sixteen years old.
Drawing in a deep breath, she glanced up at him. “Sorry. I-I’m rather tired and edgy tonight. Please, join me in the cafeteria?”
He smiled then and cupped his hand around her elbow, urging her toward the dining area. “I’d be delighted. Although, I’m afraid everything looks closed at this hour.”
“We can use the vending machines,” she told him. “And the coffeepot should be going.”
“Sounds good enough to me.”
They walked to the machines and loaded them with what change they had between them. Ridge purchased a sandwich and Nicolette settled for a package of cheese and crackers. They added foam cups of coffee to the food, then found a small round table near a wall of plate glass.
Except for the two of them, the dining area was empty and so quiet Nicolette could practically hear her own heart pounding in her ears. As she tore into the package of crackers, she told herself she was reacting to the man in a juvenile way. If she were smart, she would treat his flirting with indifference and give him the message that he wasn’t affecting her in the slightest way. But she’d never been a good actress.
Across from her, Ridge bit into the roast beef sandwich and grimaced at its dryness. “Not the best in the world, but at least it’s filling.”
“Did you eat dinner tonight?”
He shook his head. “I had two emergencies earlier this evening. Once I took care of them I drove home and had barely gotten in the house when the phone rang again. That call was Mr. Nelson, and I’ve been dealing with him ever since.”
Nicolette suddenly felt very guilty for thinking he would be one of those doctors who called in orders and expected the nurses to care for his patients. Maybe she had misjudged him, especially about his dedication to his patients. Yet she was sure she hadn’t misconstrued his brashness. He’d probably learned to charm women even before he headed to kindergarten.
“Sounds like you’re getting off to a busy start. You might wish you’d never moved to this area,” she suggested.
He shook his head. “I won’t do that. I really like it around here. I’ve already bought a place west of the city. Busy or not, this is where my roots are sinking.”
Curious, she studied him as he wolfed down the sandwich. “Do you have family in the area?”
