Chapter 2

Elizabeth came through the door caring a tray full of incredible smelling foods. As she placed the tray before Victoria, she asked Jamie to help her set up. No, the last thing he needed was to touch this woman again, but he knew without an explanation there was no way out.

“Jamie why don’t you grab another tray and join us?” His mother asked.

Again, he wanted to scream no but like a good son; he did as he was asked. He watched as Elizabeth fed Victoria and how smoothly it already worked but just as he was about to make that comment Victoria started to cry.

“Honey what’s wrong?” Elizabeth asked.

“I feel so helpless. I can’t let you feed me like a child. I can’t stay here and impose like this. Just look at how I have disrupted all your lives.”

That was the most she had spoken to them, which was a good sign, but she was talking about leaving.

“Nonsense. You are not a child and we don’t mind helping out someone who needs it. You are not disrupting anything.” Jamie was saying as the doorbell rang. Jamie rose and came back a few minutes later to introduce Dr. Riley.

After introductions were passed around, Dr Riley smiled at Victoria and said, “Let me guess, you must be my new patient?”

“Yes, Dr Riley I am and excuse me for not getting up.” She said patting her cast.

“Good, very good. You have a sense of humor. I like that.”

“And you must be her daughter,” He said to Elizabeth taking her hand in his.

“Now look who has a sense of humor.” Elizabeth said smiling.

Jamie had noticed that his mother was in no hurry to withdrawal her hand from Dr Riley’s and he was still smiling at her.

“If you will all excuse me, I will go get the dessert and after Dr Riley examines Victoria then maybe I can get her up to bed.” Those words stung on his lips and the color all drain from his face at the mere image of those words, but no one else seemed to notice.

When he returned to the living room the doctor was examining Victoria and had them all laughing. Jamie poured coffee for everyone and waited for the doctor to finish the exam.

“How is she doc?” Jamie asked.

“She’s fine. This little lady has some work ahead of her, but she will be good as new.”

Jamie offered the doctor a piece of pie and took one for Victoria. Sitting beside her, he fed her every bite on the plate. She smiled and seemed to enjoy this sudden attention from him.

“When the doctor is finished and you’re ready we’ll get you up to your room and you can get some real rest.” Jamie was saying as he fed her the last bite.

“Oh, I am finished.” Dr Riley said. “I really just stopped by to say hi and meet you all. I will be out a couple times a week to check in and if you have any problems don’t hesitate to call me.”

“Well that sure is nice of you.” Elizabeth was saying as she stood to take the tray to the kitchen.

“Here let me help you with that.” He said taking the tray from her and following her to the kitchen.

“If you don’t mind Mr. Way, I think I would really like to go to my room for a while, I had no idea this medicine would make me so sleepy.”

“Of course, I don’t mind and it’s Jamie.”

“Then thank you Jamie.” She said with a smile.

As he scooped her into his arms again, she laid snuggly against him. She was not a heavy load but with the cast on her leg she was awkward, so he was pleased when they reached her bed. As he laid her on it the urge to run, washed over him. This woman made him feel things that he had never felt before, things he didn’t want to feel. She had worn home the hospital gown and robe they had given her, and it was a very unattractive set but still, he had these feelings. Just then Dr Riley and Elizabeth came into the room.

“I just wanted to say goodbye Victoria and I’ll see you Tuesday.” Dr Riley said.

“Ok, thank you.”

“And I just wanted to make sure you were comfortable up here and if you need anything right now.” Elizabeth offered.

“No thank you, I’m fine just really sleepy.”

“Ok then sweet dreams.” Elizabeth said as they left the room, but Jamie just stood there.

She smiled at him and he just smiled back.

“Jamie?”

“Oh, yes I’m sorry, I just wanted to let you know that the house has an intercom system but since we were not sure if you could reach it, I left this bell for you. If you need something and no one is around just ring it and one of us will come running.”

“Oh, that is so sweet, thanks.”

Jamie slowly backed out of the room and headed toward the kitchen. He wanted to discuss this new doctor with his mother. He wanted to know if she thought he would be ok or if they should get someone else out here but when he opened the kitchen door, he had his answer. There sat his mother with Dr Riley at the kitchen table and if he didn’t know better, he would think she was flirting.

His mother had never so much as even smiled that way at another man since his father had died. He had worried that she was too young to be alone, but she said she knew she would never be attracted to another man like his dad again, and she was ok with that. But now, there she sat smiling brightly at a man she just met. Oh, sure she had gone to dinner with a couple of men from town but just once or twice and it was as friends. He had never seen her act this way. They needed to talk as soon as this guy left.

“Oh, Billy that is the funniest story I think I’ve ever heard.” She was saying as Jamie walked into the kitchen.

“Boy doc you like to keep women laughing, don’t you?” Jamie said knowing it sounded bad.

“Well son, when you deal with sickness and death the way I do you are just always looking for a smile. And by the way you can call me Billy, everyone does.”

“Jamie, Billy is from New York and pretty new to the area, I think we should do what we can to make him feel welcome.” Elizabeth said in an attempt to smooth over Jamie’s comment.

“Well yes of course, and so do I. Do you have any suggestions?”

“Jamie, that is enough, what has gotten into you? Dr Riley is a guest in our home and here to help Victoria. You are being rude.” Elizabeth said standing.

“It’s ok Elizabeth, I think I understand, and I really should be going now. Thanks again for the pie and coffee and I will be back on Tuesday.” Although that was a perfectly normal statement Jamie got the impression it was directed at him. At least the I’ll be back Tuesday part.

Elizabeth walked Dr Riley out to his car and waved goodbye, Jamie watched from the kitchen window.

“We won’t talk about this, but it had better never happen again.” Elizabeth said coming in to the kitchen again.

“Mom!”

“No! I am not discussing this with you right now and you need to apologize to Billy.”

“Like Hell!” Jamie said as he stomped out and slammed the kitchen door.

Hours later while mending yet another fence Jamie had to laugh. He hadn’t acted like that since he was about six years old. He never raised his voice to his mother and normally would never be rude to a guest but his mother’s attraction to this man really bothered him. He was still out in the hills when he heard the dinner bell at the bunkhouse ringing. How had it gotten so late? He wanted to go in early today, shower and clean up so he was presentable at Victoria’s first dinner with them. Well it was too late now but as he rode Santa Fe up to the stables, he realized how much he wanted to see Victoria. Thank goodness Rolly was in his office.

“Hi Rolly.” Jamie said slipping off Santa Fe, “Would you mind taking care of Fe tonight, I lost all track of time and I know mother will need help with Victoria at dinner.”

“No problem Jamie, I’ll treat him as if he were my own.”

“Thanks, Rolly. By the way, how’s dinner tonight?” Jamie asked.

That statement was more or less a joke, because Rolly was married to Paula and the joke was that her cooking was why he married her. But Jamie knew different. He had seen the look in Rolly’s eyes the first time he met Paula. He would have moved heaven and earth to get her, but as luck would have it, she felt the same about him. They were married only three months after meeting. Paula and Rolly always ate dinner together and before everyone else so they could have time together.

“Mighty fine, Jamie. But you know anything my little darlin makes is mighty fine.”

“I sure do.” Jamie said as he left the stables, “Thanks again.”

Jamie came in through the back of the house, so he could stop in the mudroom and wash up. He was also trying to avoid his mother. After the way he acted at lunch, he knew she was mad, but laughter pulled him past the mudroom and straight in to the living room.

Victoria was sitting on the sofa by the window again and was laughing at something Paula and Elizabeth had said. He stood quietly watching. Then it dawned on him, how had she gotten back down stairs?

“Hello ladies.” He finally said.

“Oh, good Jamie is back, we’ve been holding dinner for you.” Paula said heading to the kitchen.

As Jamie moved closer, he noticed that things in the room had been rearranged. The sofa was pushed back a little and the round porch table had been placed in front of it. There were a few chairs around it, and it was set for dinner.

“What’s all this?” He asked.

“Well I decided that since Victoria can’t yet get to the dinner table with this leg that we would create a new dinner table and look how great it works. We can all eat together and have plenty of room.” Elizabeth said smiling.

“I asked your mother not to go to any trouble but obviously I couldn’t stop her.” Victoria said and then both women burst out laughing.

“What is so funny and how did you get her back downstairs? You aren’t trying to walk on that cast, are you?” Jamie asked in a very angry tone.

Victoria’s eyes filled with tears. They had been having such a pleasant afternoon and now this big bully had ruined everything.

Before Elizabeth could say anything, Jamie knelt before her.

“Victoria, I am so sorry. I didn’t mean to sound so angry, but I was worried, I don’t want to see you get hurt again.” He gently touched her cheek and the sad look changed to one of fear. “I’m really very sorry.” And then he moved away.

When his touch left her face and he moved away she smiled up at him.

“But seriously mom, how did you get her down here and who moved all this furniture. You should have called me.”

“I did call you, but you didn’t answer, you must have turned off your walkie talkie and I found your cell phone on the counter in the kitchen.” Elizabeth curtly responded.

Jamie looked at the walkie-talkie on his belt, the button was off. “Ok mom, I’m sorry, but tell me you didn’t do all this?”

“No of course not, Hank did. He moved all this furniture and then brought Victoria down. That was hours ago, and we have been getting to know each other ever since.”

For just a moment Jamie was outraged. What business was this of Hanks? He and Hank had been friends for years. When they were little they acted like brothers, why would he be mad that Hank had helped out? As he stood there silently mulling over these thoughts, Victoria moved and moaned. There it was, the reason that he was so upset. Hank had carried Victoria downstairs. Worse yet he had gone into her bedroom and scooped her out of her bed. She had probably put one arm around his neck as she had when he carried her up. So? Get a grip; you don’t even know this woman. You haven’t even seen her face; how can you have feelings for someone you can’t see. Feelings? What was wrong with him, he never had these kinds of thoughts. For God sake he was a cowboy, a rancher, a man’s man. Really, men have feelings too he heard echoing in his head. Oh, dear God, he had to get this woman out of this house before he went insane. On that note Paula came in carrying a large tray of food.