Rachel's Cowboy (3 page)

Vivian joined him in the library, wanting to know how Rachel was.

J.D. filled her in on everything Dr. Clayburn had said. “They’re hoping to get control of the fever by tomorrow.”

“Good. Then we can bring her home?”

“No, Vivian. Dr. Clayburn doesn’t want you or Rebecca around Rachel until she’s completely well.” J.D. already knew Vivian would protest. But he was counting on Will putting his foot down.

Vivian reacted as predicted. “That’s ridiculous! He’s an old woman! I’m sure it won’t hurt the babies.”

Will came in in time to ask questions. When he heard what the doctor had recommended, he agreed. Vivian immediately began to argue.

“I have a solution,” J.D. said loudly, stopping the argument.

“You do?” Will asked eagerly.

“Yeah. There’s plenty of peace and quiet on the ranch…and Madge was a nurse. Remember? She looked after Mom the past five years.”

“That’s right,” Vivian said. “I’d forgotten that fact, because she’s such a good housekeeper.”

“You think about it, Vivian. I promise I’ll keep my distance so Rachel will be comfortable.”

“But we shouldn’t ask you to give up your own comfort for our family,” Vivian said.

“It won’t affect me. I’m out working until dark. We’re into the calving season.”

Will offered his hand in a shake. “We’ll discuss it. You’ll be ready to sign the papers tomorrow?”

“Yes. That’s why I stopped by, to let you know I was here and ready.”

“Good timing,” Will added.

Vivian hugged him in gratitude. “Come to dinner this evening, J.D. Will and I will discuss your generous offer and we’ll talk again tonight.”

It was all J.D. could ask for at this point. He said, “I’ll be here at seven.”

B
EFORE HE RETURNED
to Vivian’s house, J.D. went to the hospital. He had a spare hour and told Vanessa to go grab a meal. She needed the break and he wanted to be alone with Rachel.

While she was sleeping, he could look his fill at the beauty who had haunted him for the past six months. He’d told himself she was just another woman, but he couldn’t forget their night together.

He would have to avoid her if he took her home to Madge. He’d called his housekeeper when he got back to the hotel. She’d been thrilled with the idea of caring for Rachel. She’d liked Rachel, and she missed nursing. Madge had immediately begun planning healthy meals.

She’d also volunteered to call Vivian and reassure her that Rachel would receive the best care.

J.D. reached out and stroked Rachel’s cheek. In spite of her illness, her skin was still soft. He was going to be in hell, having Rachel around but being unable to touch her. But he’d even suffer hell if it made her healthy again.

J.D. stayed an extra day at the hotel, spending the night after they signed the papers. The doctor promised to release Rachel after she ate some breakfast the next morning.

J.D. had breakfast with Will and Vivian. Afterward, Betty made the back seat in his double-cab truck look like a bower of sleep for Cinderella, or maybe that was Sleeping Beauty. He got confused on those fairy tales.

At the hospital, the doctor gave him lengthy details on Rachel’s care and questioned him about how he would get her to his ranch. Then he had him drive his truck to the door of the hospital, promising to have Rachel brought down in a wheelchair.

J.D. had hoped he’d be able to carry her out asleep. Vanessa assured him she’d explained the arrangements to Rachel, but J.D. figured if she was awake, she might refuse to get in his truck with him.

He saw her at once, slumped in her wheelchair in front of the hospital as he drove up. Scrambling from
the truck, he hurried around to open the door for her. Then he faced Rachel.

“Betty fixed the back seat so you’ll be comfortable,” he assured her. “Shall I lift you into the truck?”

“I think that would be the only way I could get in,” Rachel said in a whisper, glancing away. The nurse gave him a suspicious look. J.D. decided he’d better move quickly before the woman accused him of being an ax murderer.

He placed Rachel on the soft pillows Betty had put at one end so she was propped up a little, and wrapped the blankets around her. Immediately she closed her eyes and appeared to again be sleeping.

“You have all her medicines and the instructions the doctor gave you?” the nurse asked.

“Yes, I do. And she’ll be under a nurse’s care within three hours, I promise.”

“Good. She should sleep at least that long. The doctor gave her a sedative so the trip wouldn’t strain her.”

“Good thinking. Thank you.”

He closed the truck door and got in on the driver’s side. Dallas was a nice place, as cities went, but he was ready to get back to the wide-open spaces of West Texas.

Once he was on the road, the traffic demanded most of his attention. He could glance back over his shoulder and barely see her face, snug in the covers. Once he got past Fort Worth, the traffic thinned out, and he picked up his pace. If she woke before he got her home, he wouldn’t know what to do for her.

Thank God for Madge.

O
NE WOULD’VE THOUGHT
he’d rung an alarm when J.D. pulled up beside the house he’d been born and raised in. Before he could kill the engine, Madge came out of the house, followed by two cowboys carrying a stretcher between them.

“I’ve been so anxious for you to get here. How is she?” Madge asked, peering in at his own personal Sleeping Beauty.

“The doc gave her a pill to put her to sleep. I haven’t heard a peep out of her. What’s the stretcher for?”

“To get her in the house, of course.”

“We don’t need that. I can carry her.” He was determined to hold her in his arms once more. He looked at the two cowboys. “Vivian packed her a couple of bags in the back. Can you grab those?” Then he said to Madge, “Do you have her bed ready?”

“Of course I do. The cover’s even turned back, waiting for her.” Madge was always ready, no matter what he asked of her.

J.D. slid his hand under the blankets, feeling Rachel’s warmth through the soft flannel. “She may be running a fever.”

“Wouldn’t be surprised. It will be a couple of days before we get rid of the fever. Did you bring the antibiotic drips?”

“Yeah. They packed them on ice for me. They’re in the back of the truck, too.”

“I’ll get one started right away. We still have that metal tree we used for your mother. I put it beside her bed.”

He lowered Rachel to the bed after Madge had
peeled away the blankets from the truck, so Rachel would be comfortable while she slept. A sigh escaped her pale lips as she snuggled down under the coverlet, curling away from him.

Madge put a hand on his shoulder. “She’s going to be fine, J.D. You did a good job getting her here. The boys need to talk to you about a problem that came up while you were gone. They’re having coffee in the kitchen. You can leave Rachel to me.”

He didn’t want to. But he reminded himself of his promise to keep away from her. Right. He’d turn his thoughts to cows.

And later, when Madge had gone to bed, he’d check up on Rachel.

E
VERY EVENING
for the next few days, J.D. listened to Madge’s account of Rachel’s day, telling him what she’d eaten, how long she’d slept, what her temperature had been. Then, after Madge went to bed, J.D. would creep into Rachel’s room and sit in the chair by the bed, watching her sleep. He’d tell himself that he hadn’t thought about her all day, hadn’t worried about her as he went about his ranching chores. But the truth was he found himself looking forward to Madge retiring to her room after puttering in the kitchen.

Was it right that he anticipated his visit with Rachel as much as he did?

The question nagged him every night, but he never answered it.

Occasionally, he’d even permit himself to touch her cheek, just briefly, to see that she wasn’t too hot.

Until the night her eyes opened.

He jerked back, unable to look away. “Uh, I wanted to be sure you weren’t running a fever.”

To his surprise, she smiled wanly at him and closed her eyes again, as if he’d interrupted her dreams. After waiting a moment, he stood and tiptoed out of the room. The sight of her blue eyes went with him.

The next morning, Madge reported that she was going to get Rachel out of bed that day to sit for a while in the kitchen.

He looked at her sharply. “You don’t think you’re rushing things?”

“No, I don’t. We’ve finished all the antibiotic packs and she hasn’t run a fever for three days. She’s getting bored and restless in bed. I think she’ll do better for the variety.”

“I could move my television into her room.”

“That would be nice of you, J.D., but she’s not going to stay in that bedroom all day. She’s going to join me in the kitchen for lunch.”

He frowned. “Is she eating real food?”

“What did you think I was feeding her?” Madge asked with a grin.

“Soup, I guess.”

“No, she eats real food. Why?”

“I thought I’d have lunch in today. I’m going to be working close by. A warm meal and a good fire would keep me going in that cold wind this afternoon.”

“Terrific. I’m sure she’s tired of seeing only my old face all day long. Come in for lunch.”

He really had planned on joining Madge for lunch before he heard about Rachel’s getting out of bed. He told himself that over and over again. Then he got angry with himself. It was his house. He owned it now. He and the bank. If he wanted to come in for lunch, he could.

But at noontime he approached the house with trepidation. What if Rachel got upset at seeing his face? Madge would have some questions for him in that case. Using the facilities in the closed-in porch, he cleaned up before he came into the warmth of the kitchen.

“Oh, good, you’re here,” Madge said with a cheerful smile. “I told Rachel you’d carry her to the table so she could save her energy for eating.”

“And she was okay with that?”

“Of course. She’s waiting for you,” Madge assured him as she bustled around the kitchen getting their meal ready.

J.D. rapped softly on the closed door of Rachel’s room.

“Come in,” she called.

He pushed open the door and found her sitting up in bed, her hair in a neat braid and lipstick on her full lips. She looked good, and suddenly the thought of holding her body against his was making him very nervous. He should have eaten with the men. “I’m here to carry you to lunch. Ready?” Not that he was anymore.

“Yes, thank you.”

He started talking as he approached her, hoping to distract her from his nervousness. “You’ve improved a lot in one week, Rachel. I guess Madge knows what she’s doing.”

“Oh, yes, I think so.” She shoved the covers back and slid her long legs over the side of the bed. She was wearing a pink nightgown and a matching robe that complemented her lipstick.

Staring straight ahead, he slid his hands under her legs and around her shoulders and lifted her against him. “But you still haven’t gained much weight.”

At his remark, Rachel turned to give him a look, and her mouth was mere inches from his, way too close for his comfort. He whipped his head straight as she said, “I’ve been eating as much as I can.”

“Maybe I’ll start you running laps around the house to build up your appetite.”

“I wish I could,” she whispered.

“Soon, Rachel, soon.” He didn’t add that when she got that well, she’d be heading back to Dallas and her sophisticated life. But he knew it was true.

When they reached the kitchen, regret and joy warred within him. He could finally walk away from the temptation of touching her, but his arms felt lonely when he put her in the chair Madge indicated Rachel should use, the one closest to the fireplace, where a cheery blaze was flickering. “We don’t want you getting sick again, child.”

J.D. took the seat next to her. Madge raised her eyebrows but said nothing. She started them off with bowls of homemade tomato soup.

Rachel took her first spoonful and looked up in surprise. “I didn’t think I liked tomato soup, but this is delicious.”

“Thank you, Rachel. It’s my own special recipe.”
Madge passed some slices of garlic toast to go with the soup.

“I’m glad I’m not having to worry about calories right now,” Rachel said.

“You have to worry about getting enough of them,” J.D. remarked.

Madge changed the subject. “How’s the calving going?”

“Things have slacked off. It’s almost as if the cows are waiting for bad weather because they know it will cause us more problems.”

“I doubt that’s true, J.D. After all, it’s not a picnic for them, either,” Madge assured him with a chuckle.

“Have you watched the weather reports today? I feel something in the air.”

“I heard it this morning. There’s a front coming in, but they don’t think it’ll be that strong. It’ll lower the temps a few degrees, maybe produce some showers.”

“Maybe that’s what I’m sensing.”

“You can tell when a change in the weather is coming?” Rachel asked, her eyes widening.

“Not always, but there are signs. Some of the old cowboys can almost call it to the hour. They have rheumatism.”

“Oh.”

“I think he’s teasing you, dear,” Madge said.

“I’d like to hear you say that when old Bluey is within earshot.” J.D. laughed when Madge’s cheeks reddened.

She jumped up from the table. “I think our sandwiches are ready.”

Rachel watched as Madge opened the oven and took out three plates. “You cooked our lunch already on the plates?”

“Goodness, no. I just heated them up to be sure J.D. had a warm lunch before he went back outside. This is the roast beef I cooked for dinner last night. I just melted some cheese over it.”

“It sounds delicious. Now I wish I hadn’t eaten all my soup. I’m not sure I have enough room for this.” Rachel stared at the hefty sandwich in front of her.

Madge got a butcher knife and cut Rachel’s sandwich in two. “Try to eat half of it. We’ll make J.D. eat the rest.”

“You won’t mind?” Rachel asked, looking at him for the first time.

He gave her his sideways grin. “I don’t normally complain when someone gives me more food, Rachel. Especially on a day like today. That wind blows right through you.”

Rachel shivered and both he and Madge jumped, immediately trying to make sure she was warm. J.D. got up and put more wood on the fire and Madge offered to put a blanket around her shoulders.

“No, I’m fine. I was just thinking about the wind J.D. was describing.”

“If I told you about the blizzards we have, you’d be huddling before the fire,” he told her with a smile.

“You don’t really have blizzards, do you? In Texas?”

“Yeah, we do. Not too often, but the weather is much harsher here than it is in the Dallas area,” J.D. assured her. Then he turned to Madge. “When is that front coming in?”

“They said sometime tonight, but they’re not always on target.”

“That’s for sure,” J.D. agreed with a snort of laughter.

Suddenly a staticky voice interrupted their meal. “J.D., we found a bunch of mamas and babies huddled in a group. We’re starting them toward the barn.”

J.D. leaped from the table to the counter, where he picked up a walkie-talkie. “Good job. I’ll meet you halfway. Give me your location.”

When he finished the communication, he turned to Madge. “I’ve got to go.”

“I’ll wrap up the rest of your sandwich,” Madge said. She moved to the counter with his plate and began doing so. J.D. grabbed his sheepskin-lined jacket and shrugged into it.

“Don’t you have a scarf to go around your neck?” Rachel asked.

“A scarf? What do you think I am, a sissy?” J.D. asked as he buttoned up his coat. Then he took the wrapped sandwich from Madge, kissed her cheek and slammed his hat on his head before heading outside into the cold air.

After a moment of silence, Rachel shivered again. “I can’t believe it’s March and this cold.”

“Sometimes we have a warm March. You just never know. Have you finished eating?”

Rachel shrugged her shoulders. “I guess so. I don’t have any room left. But if you’ll wrap up my sandwich, I’ll have it for dinner. It’s delicious.”

“Thanks, honey. Ready to go back to bed? I think a nap would be a good thing.”

“I think you’re right,” Rachel agreed.

T
HE NEXT MORNING
, Rachel woke up around nine. She knew Madge would’ve been up for hours, hard at work. Feeling guilty, Rachel slid from bed and went to the bathroom without disturbing the woman.

When she came back to her bedroom, she found Madge waiting, a tray in her hands.

“How did you know I was up?” Rachel asked in surprise.

“I heard you. Slip back into bed and eat your breakfast.”

She did as Madge ordered, scanning the tray as it was put in her lap. “Mmm, hot chocolate. And scrambled eggs. This looks so good, Madge.”