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“You were right to call me. In a few more days, this could have really gotten infected. I believe a strong dose of antibiotics will clear it up, but I want you to stop training for a few days.”
Lindsey went to her bag. “I’ve looked over Dr. Hillman’s file on Whiskey. He was examined just a month ago, but I’ll give him a quick check just so I can get familiar with him.”
Tess looked relieved. “That’s fine with me.”
After the exam, Lindsey gave Whiskey a glowing report. They came out of the stall in time to see a man walking down the aisle. He was tall with a muscular build, coal-black hair and a cleft chin. Obviously another Randell.
“Luke,” Tess called, love shining in her eyes. “You’re finished with the meeting already.”
“Not exactly.” He leaned down and kissed his wife, then looked at Lindsey. “Hello, you must be Dr. Stafford. I’m Luke Randell.”
She nodded. So, another cousin to Jack’s boys. “Lindsey, please. Nice to meet you.” Oh, my, another charming Randell man. Suddenly Captain Brady Randell came into her head. Correction. Not all were charming. Some were just too damn good-looking.
Brady stood leaning against the porch post as he watched for the redheaded vet to come out of the barn. Hell, why not? How often did a pretty woman—who wasn’t a Randell—come around? It was the most excitement he’d had in days. Besides, he had nothing better to do.
That wasn’t exactly true.
He glanced toward the large house on the hill. There were several cars parked in the driveway, probably for another business meeting with Randell Corp. He’d been invited to attend, but he’d declined. He wasn’t into numbers and budgets. That was his brother’s show.
All Brady had to do was sit back and let everyone else handle things. Hadn’t that been what he’d done since he arrived here? Just sit around and heal. Isn’t that what he wanted? Silence and solitude so he could think?
He raked his fingers through his grownout regulation military cut, then across the two-day beard along his jaw. He’d let himself go to hell. Suddenly he cared, because a woman showed up here.
The sound of laughter brought him back to reality. He looked toward the barn to see Luke and Tess, escorting the pretty vet down the path toward the house.
Great. Why hadn’t he gone inside sooner. The last thing he wanted was for them to find him here. But before he could make his escape, his brother spotted him.
“Hey, Brady.” He waved and they started to the porch.
He froze. “Hey, Luke.”
They arrived all smiles and Brady suddenly felt left out. “Have you met Lindsey Stafford?”
He nodded, trying to balance his weight using the post. “We’ve met already.”
The redhead looked up at Luke and smiled. “Brady mistook me for a salesperson.”
“Really.” Luke stood there looking smug.
Brady refused to let his brother outmaneuver him. He could sweet-talk as well as the next guy. “Well, Doc, no one said our new vet would look like you. I guess you could say I was blindsided.”
Lindsey could see through Brady’s sudden charming attitude. Well, she wasn’t going to let him have the upper hand. “Believe me, it won’t happen again,” she told him, unable to understand why he seemed to dislike her so. “I should get back, Mr. Randell,” she said, then turned away to go with Tess and Luke.
Before she could make her departure, she heard a curse and a thud. She swung around to find Brady Randell lying on the porch floor.
“Brady!” Luke called. He was the first to reach him. Lindsey followed behind him.
She knelt down beside Brady, who was lying flat on his back. He tried to raise his head, his face strained in pain. “No, stay where you are,” she ordered.
He grimaced again. “Who made you the boss?”
“Are you going to fight me for the title?” She was eyeing the leg in a cast. “Did you twist your leg?”
“No, I fell on my arm, trying to catch myself,” he said, still fighting her to sit up.
Once again, she pushed him back down. “Lie still,” she ordered, then reached for his arm.
“What the hell are you doing?” He tried to pull away.
“I just can’t resist you, Mr. Randell. So lie there and enjoy the attention.”
Brady’s angry gaze went to his brother, but Luke just held up his hand in surrender. “I suggest you listen to her.”
“Then make it quick. And if you’re going to get familiar, you can drop the mister.” With a groan, he did as he was told.
Lindsey checked his arms and good leg, happy to find nothing broken. But she soon discovered a lump on the back of his head. She had him open those piercing brown eyes. Although they weren’t dilated, he could still have a concussion.
She turned to Luke. “Seems nothing is broken. Could you help me get him on his feet and inside?”
“I don’t need help, Doc,” Brady continued to argue.
“Come on, Brady,” his brother urged. “You need to listen, or I’m going to take you to the emergency room.”
Brady grumbled and finally sat up. Lindsey couldn’t help but notice his hard, flat stomach that his dark T-shirt didn’t hide when his bomber jacket fell open. His chest and arms weren’t bad, either. With Luke and Lindsey gripping his arms, they managed to get him to his feet.
Lindsey immediately felt his strength, his power and his masculinity, too. The sudden feelings he evoked surprised her. He was definitely not her type of man. Too dangerous.
Tess handed Brady his crutch, and Luke helped his brother inside the cottage. Tess and Lindsey followed behind them and into a small living room that was cluttered with newspapers and magazines but clean otherwise.
“You want to go to your room or stay out here?” Luke asked.
Brady pulled away from his brother, made his way to the sofa and sat down. “I’m fine right here. So you all can leave.”
Tess and Luke looked at Lindsey for confirmation.
“He’s got a small lump on his head,” she told them. “But his pupils aren’t dilated.”
“No concussion,” Brady said. “So go.”
Luke looked at his wife. “If you stay for thirty minutes, I can finish up the meeting and be back here.”
“But Livy’s bus is due,” she said, and glanced at her watch.
“All of you go,” Brady demanded. “I’ll be fine alone.”
“I can stay until you get back,” Lindsey offered.
“Oh, thank you, Lindsey,” Tess said. “I promise I’ll be back soon as I pick up Livy.”
“I’ll get back as soon as the meeting is over. And I’m still thinking you should get checked out,” Luke said, then followed his wife out the door.
Suddenly Lindsey was alone with this overbearing man.
“Well, now you’re stuck,” Brady said as he lifted his cast-covered leg onto the coffee table.
“I’m not stuck,” she denied. “But it would be nice if you tried to be civil.”
“Why should I? I just want to be left alone.”
“And I’m sure you will be when your family learns you’re okay. When do you see your doctor again?”
Brady started to say it was none of her business, but found he liked her being here, though not exactly under these circumstances. “In a few days.”
“Let him know what happened today. In fact you should call him and tell him.”
“Lady, that’s not going to happen.”
She gave him a stubborn look. “I’m not the enemy here, Brady. So you aren’t going to run me off. Not until I want to leave. That will be when Tess comes back.”
Brady studied her for a few minutes. Lindsey Stafford was different than most women who hung around the base. Those females were overeager to please the hotshot pilots. This woman had a take-me-as-I-am-or-not-at-all attitude.
“Maybe I’ve been a little hard on you.”
Those big eyes widened in surprise. “You think?”
“Okay, I plead guilty. Now please sit down. You’re giving me neck strain from looking up at you.”
She sank down in an overstuffed chair across from him. “That’s a switch.”
Brady felt his mouth twitch. “Get picked on for your size, huh?”
She glared. “Not since seventh grade.”
“That’s a lie,” he said as his gaze combed over her petite body. “What do you weigh? A hundred pounds?”
“One hundred and ten. I work out to build muscle. The added strength helps in my profession.”
He’d like to see those muscles. Dear Lord, he was pathetic. “Why aren’t you working with dogs and cats? It would seem easier.”
She shook her head. “I love horses. My mother and stepfather are horse breeders. I grew up around them.”
“Where are you from?”
She hesitated for a second. “North of Fort Worth. Denton. What about you? Have you always been in the military?”
He nodded. “All of my life, and we moved around a lot. Dad was career air force, so I went into the academy after high school. I always wanted to fly.”
She motioned toward his leg. “Is that how you were injured?”
He hated to think about that day. “Yeah, I had to eject from my aircraft and my landing wasn’t the best.”
“Well, it looks like you’re on the mend.”
He stiffened. “It’s taking too long. I want to get back in the air.”
Lindsey had heard some of the history of the Randell family, but Brady was a surprise to her. There was actually a Randell who wasn’t a rancher. “So you’re going back?”
“Why shouldn’t I? I’m one of the best.”
“And so humble, too.” She forced a smile. “I’m sure the doctors are doing everything possible. Are you?”
His eyes narrowed. “What does that mean? Of course I’m doing everything, and that includes a lot of rigorous physical therapy.”
“That’s good.” Just keep your mouth shut,Lindsey, she told herself as she looked around. Where is Tess?
“You don’t like me much,” he said.
“I barely know you, Captain Randell.” And she wasn’t sure she wanted to.
“You should know that I’m very good at what I do. And I plan to continue flying for the air force for a long time.” He set his injured leg on the floor. “Sitting around a ranch house isn’t for me.”
“You don’t seem to have a choice right now. So maybe you should use this time to count your blessings that you survived your accident instead of taking your anger out on every unsuspecting person who happens to cross your path.”
“How the hell do you know what I’ve gone through?”
Lindsey was going through her own personal pain, too. Her stepfather didn’t have such a rosy future.
“You’re right, I don’t, but I know you’re healthy, with a family who loves you, and all you’re doing is complaining.”
His stony look told her that she’d gone too far. “I should go,” she said. “I’m sure someone will be here shortly.”
She stood, but before she could get to the door it opened and a little girl came running in.
“Uncle Brady, Uncle Brady. Mommy said you fell down.” The little blonde went running to the stoic man on the sofa. “Are you hurt?” she cried.
“No darlin’, I’m fine. I just tripped over my big feet and bumped my head.”
The girl’s worried look didn’t leave until her uncle showed her the damage. “See, it’s just a little bump.”
The child leaned down and kissed it. “There, that will make it better.”
Then it happened. Brady Randell sat back and a big smile appeared across the handsome face. Lindsey’s heart leaped and she tried hard to remember the man with the bad attitude.
The little girl turned to her and smiled. “Mommy said you’re Whiskey’s new vet. I’m Livy Meyers Randell. My new daddy married my mommy and ’dopted me.”
Lindsey smiled. “Well, it’s nice to meet you, Livy Meyers Randell. I’m Lindsey Stafford.”
“Hi, Miss Lindsey.” A smile beamed on her cute face. “Thank you for taking care of Whiskey, and Uncle Brady.”
