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  While changing into a work shirt in his room, after a climb up the stairs made a little easier with the knee brace, and pain pills to ease what wasn’t easier, the windows shook with a loud clap of thunder. Seconds later, rain could be heard on the roof. Tucker knew Shawn would be disappointed not to be able to play ball later that day, but Tucker was secretly glad he might have a better chance to see Shawn play if the game was postponed.

  Even though he’d called the clinic early the day before to make an appointment, he’d thought he wouldn’t be able to get in when he learned that the clinic closed early on high school game days. He was finally squeezed in after the last regular appointment of the day and suspected Paige had made a small concession. He was sure she expected him to be a no-show, but he was going to prove her wrong. When he made the decision to do therapy, he’d vowed to stick with it. He wasn’t at all convinced it would do any good, but the doctor was certain there’d be improvement. No matter what he thought, he didn’t want to be a fool and pass up what might be the chance to be even a little better.

  THE SHADES WERE DRAWN at the doctor’s office downtown when Tucker walked up to the door. As he reached to pull the handle, he heard a hard metallic click and the door opened.

  “Come on in,” the nurse said when she’d opened the door. “Some people seem to think that if a game is a rain-out, the doctor will be in. We do our best to discourage that. If we didn’t, Dr. Paige would never get away.”

  Tucker nodded and stepped inside. With the shades drawn and the lights out, the waiting room was bathed in semidarkness. He followed the nurse as they made their way down a dark hallway toward the back of the clinic, past the examining rooms.

  At the end of the hallway, she tapped on a closed door and opened it. “Tucker is here, Doctor.”

  Paige, standing at a desk on the far side of the room, looked up. “Thank you, Susan,” she said with a smile.

  Susan glanced at Tucker. “Do you need me to stay?” she asked the doctor.

  “No exam today,” she answered, shaking her head. “I’ll just be showing him how to use the CPM machine and explaining what needs to be done.”

  “All right, then,” Susan answered with a nod. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

  “Watch for deep water on the way home,” Paige called to her as she left the room. After writing something in the file that lay open on the desk, she turned to Tucker and pointed to a bench across the room. “Have a seat over there.”

  Tucker did as she instructed and waited. Several minutes later, Paige left the desk and walked toward him. “Did you say something about a CPM machine?” he asked.

  Paige stopped at the examining table near him and leaned against it. “Yes, we’ll be using that for your therapy. Not only will that help with your knee, I’m hoping that in the long run, it’ll strengthen your lower leg, too. I’m sure that leg is a bit shorter than the other, but that can be improved with the right exercises.”

  Nodding, Tucker thought about it, but didn’t comment.

  “You’re in good shape,” she continued, “in spite of what you’ve been through and your reluctance to follow doctors’ orders. We’re basically starting from scratch with some challenges that aren’t the norm. We’ll know more in a couple of weeks, when I can gauge how quickly your leg and knee are responding to the therapy.”

  Was there a chance he might be a little better off than he was or that in a few months he’d be walking without a limp and without pain? He was convinced that if his injuries had been treated sooner, everything might be different, but they hadn’t been.

  “Will I be coming here every day to use the machine?” he asked, imagining how that would be. Probably not as bad as he’d first thought. The doctor was easy on the eyes, if nothing else.

  “No, you’ll be doing it on your own.”

  He stared at her. “And just how will I do that?”

  “That’s what the CPM machine is for. It’s the stiffness and swelling, although mostly the stiffness, that causes you the pain. The machine will slowly and constantly work out that stiffness, giving you more flexibility, and do it with ease. And if you follow my instructions, it should be relatively painless.”

  “That’s a plus,” he said, before he realized he’d spoken. But he was a little disappointed that he wouldn’t be working with her one-on-one. “Are you sure a more personal approach isn’t needed?”

  “Studies have shown that whether by machine or physical therapist, the outcome is the same, as well as the time it will take.”

  He hadn’t been ready to hear this, but he’d accept it. “How will I know if it’s working right?”

  “Other than it won’t take long for you to notice that your knee will bend more easily, you’ll need to come in once, maybe twice a week for measurements so I can tell how much improvement and flexibility you’ve gained.”

  “I can do that.” In fact, he thought, he almost looked forward to it. But he suspected that if he had to look into those soft brown eyes very often, he’d be finding excuses to see her more often. Not a good idea. Not for a loner like him.

  “Are you ready to take a look at the machine?” she asked. When he nodded, she moved across the room and motioned for him to join her there. As he did, she uncovered the strange-looking contraption. He stood next to her and she demonstrated how to place his leg into it and explained the length of time and how often he should use it each day.

  “It doesn’t look all that hard,” he said, when she finished.

  “It isn’t. The machine does all the work.” She also showed him some simple exercises to build muscle strength and help increase range of motion.

  He decided he hadn’t done enough research, because he wasn’t sure what was going to be happening. “So I take it home and use it there, not here?”

  “Right.” She walked to the desk and picked up the folder, then returned, handing it to him. “Everything I’ve told you and more is in there. You can always call, if you have any questions or problems.”

  “Then we’re done?”

  She nodded. “I’ll help you take it out to your…”

  “I drove the truck,” he finished. Reaching for the machine, he looked at her. “Just how heavy is this?”

  “Forty pounds or less.”

  “Not a problem.”

  She took the folder from him. “Whenever you’re ready to leave…”

  “Sure.”

  “I’ll get the door for you.”

  She followed him down the hallway, unlocking and opening the main door for him when they reached it. “It’s still raining,” she said and hurried to open the passenger side door of the pickup. “You do need to keep it dry.”

  When he’d put the machine in the truck and closed the door, he turned to her. “Do I need to make another appointment?” he asked. A part of him hoped he’d be back, but another part knew it was better to stay away from her. He couldn’t explain it, but he was drawn to her, though he knew he couldn’t be involved in a relationship, even if he wanted to have one, which he didn’t. Just one more thing he’d failed at throughout his life.

  “No appointment. Checking your flexion isn’t a physician thing.” She glanced away. “It will have to be kept off the record, so to speak. You aren’t a patient, per se.”

  “Whatever you say,” he answered, but he hoped she wouldn’t be getting into any trouble. After all, he had pushed her hard to do this. “I’ll take all responsibility. Does that help?”

  “It does,” she said, smiling. “We’ll do the first check on Tuesday evening. Meet me here about seven. It won’t take long.”

  “I’ll do that,” he said, nodding. “And… Well, thanks for all this. I know you didn’t have to do it.”

  “Just don’t give up on it,” she answered.

  He nodded and walked around the front of the truck to the driver’s side. As he opened the door, he looked up to see her standing on the sidewalk, watching him. “One more thing,” he said.

  The rain had tu
rned to a mist, and she wrapped her arms around herself. “What’s that?”

  “I’d appreciate it if you don’t mention this to anyone. Especially my family,” he added. “I don’t want them to expect miracles and be disappointed. I’ve been enough of a disappointment.”

  He started to climb in the truck, but her voice stopped him. “Tucker?”

  “Yeah?” he answered, his good right leg already in the truck.

  “You aren’t a disappointment. They care for you. A lot.”

  He wasn’t going to debate the issue with her. He knew his brother too well not to know that he’d been a sore spot to Tanner for many years. Just one more reason why he didn’t plan to hang around after Shawn graduated.

  “THANKS FOR STOPPING BY, Paige,” Jules said as they walked back to the O’Briens’ house.

  “No thanks needed,” Paige replied. “I always enjoy visiting the boys at the Bent Tree. I can’t believe how much they’ve all changed since the first of them arrived at the ranch last year.”

  “I really feel we’re helping.”

  “There’s no doubt about that,” Paige assured her. “It’s easy to see what a happy bunch they are.” She was amazed at the good things that were being done at the Bent Tree Boys Ranch. Not long after she and Jules had first met, Jules had told her about her longtime dream of providing a safe place for troubled boys who, as Jules put it, had slipped through the cracks of the system. Thanks to Tanner’s generosity, Jules’s dream had come true, and they were now helping over a dozen boys at the ranch adjacent to the O’Briens’ Rocking O Ranch.

  They reached the drive where Paige had left her car, and Jules stopped her. “Didn’t you say Garrett is out of town this weekend?”

  “He’s at a seminar in Dallas,” Paige answered. “I expect him home sometime tomorrow.”

  “Then why don’t you stay for supper? There’s no reason for you to go home to an empty house.”

  Paige laughed. “I’m used to an empty house. Garrett’s hours tend to be even later than mine. We hardly ever see each other, which is probably why we get along.”

  Jules laughed, too. “Then there really isn’t a reason for you to go home early. We’ll have plenty. Bridey’s fixing fried chicken.”

  “With all the fixings?” Paige asked, her watering mouth betraying her.

  “All of them,” Jules answered with a wicked smile.

  Paige shaded her eyes with her hand and looked toward the house. “It’s tempting,” she admitted. “Tanner’s aunt is such a wonderful cook, and it’s been a long time since I’ve had home-cooked fried chicken.” She looked at Jules. “You’re sure it’s no trouble?”

  “None at all. The men are over helping a neighbor put up fence. I don’t expect them back for quite a while, and Bridey promised to heat everything for them when they get home.”

  Knowing Tucker and the others wouldn’t be around was what made the difference. Although she and Tucker hadn’t had any problems at his appointment the day before, she hadn’t felt completely comfortable with him. She guessed he felt the same.

  “All right,” she said, “but I can’t stay late.”

  “Great! Let’s go in and see if we can help Bridey with anything, although I have a feeling she won’t allow us in the kitchen until everything is ready.”

  Paige followed her up the porch steps and then around the covered porch to the back, where they entered through double doors that led into the dining room. From there, Paige was lost. “I grew up in a big house,” she said, still following, “but how do you keep from getting lost with all the twists and turns of this one?”

  “All of the rooms fan out from the center on both floors,” Jules explained. “But I’ll admit it took some time to get used to it. The original structure was Tanner and Tucker’s childhood home. As time went by, he added to it, a little at a time.”

  “No one would know by looking at it. It appears almost new.”

  When they stepped into the kitchen, Bridey was busy cooking, just as Jules had said she would be. “Paige is joining us, Bridey,” Jules said. “Is there anything we can do to help?”

  Bridey, gathering items from a nearby cabinet, shook her head. “Other than set the table, there’s not much left to do. And it won’t be long until the food is done.”

  “There’s certainly a lot of that.” Paige looked around at various pots and pans, and the extralarge skillet from where the delicious aroma of chicken drifted to make her mouth water.

  “The O’Brien men have appetites that don’t quit,” Bridey answered.

  “But I thought—”

  “Why don’t we set the table?” Jules suggested as she began pulling plates from another cabinet.

  Paige agreed and began helping. Just as they were finishing and Bridey was putting food on the table, Paige heard a sound from outside. “Are you expecting someone?”

  Jules shook her head. “Why do you ask?”

  “I thought I heard a car. Probably my imagination.”

  “Oh, I’m sure it was.”

  But it wasn’t imagination when they heard the heavy footsteps and deep voices of men. A few moments later, Tanner walked into the dining room, followed by Rowdy, Shawn and Tucker. Paige wasn’t happy, certain Jules had known all along. But it was too late to escape, so she took her seat at the table and tried to mask her annoyance.

  Having Shawn sit next to her at the table made the meal easier to endure than it had been the week before, when she’d been seated next to Tucker.

  Had it been just over a week since they’d met? He was doing his best to ignore her, and was succeeding. Only twice during the meal did their gazes meet.

  When dinner was over—a dinner she was glad she hadn’t missed—the men wandered away, one by one, first Tucker, then Shawn and finally Tanner and Rowdy. As she helped Jules clear the table, while Bridey began cleanup in the kitchen, she decided it was time to take a stand with her friend.

  “I really enjoy the time I get to spend with your family,” she began.

  “We enjoy having you,” Jules replied.

  Paige hated to spoil the mood, but she wanted to get it over with now, instead of later. “The thing is, Jules, there’s something that bothers me.”

  “What’s that?” Jules asked.

  “It’s this matchmaking you’re doing.”

  “Matchmaking? I guess I don’t understand.”

  Paige stared at her, unable to believe Jules was serious. “The pairing off of Tucker and me,” she explained, even though she felt uneasy saying it.

  “You don’t like him?”

  “Of course I like him.” Pressing her lips together, Paige wished she had put that another way. By the smile on Jules’s face, it was clear she was pleased. “Not in that way,” Paige hurried to insist.

  Jules shrugged as she picked up two more plates. “It’s only natural to pair people off. We don’t mean anything by it.”

  “It doesn’t matter.” Paige sighed, wondering how she could explain. “It’s not like this is a big city, where I wouldn’t be running into patients at every turn. I do. Daily. And I understood that when I agreed to take over for Doc Priller. In fact, one of the things I thought ran along the lines of who was I going to date when I’m everyone’s doctor?”

  Jules set the plates on the table and placed her hand on Paige’s arm. “There’s no reason—”

  “Not dating doesn’t bother me, Jules. I’m so busy, I don’t know where I’d find the time for a relationship. And just so you understand, whether it’s because you might have this crazed notion that I can work miracles with Tucker or whether it’s simply because we’re both available, I’m not interested.” Now that she’d begun, she had to finish. “And speaking of Tucker… Well, he has more problems than I want to deal with right now. Probably ever.”

  “I admit—we all admit—he has some baggage.”

  “Some?” It was laughable enough that Paige giggled. “He has a whole boxcar of baggage.”

  “Yes, I suppose he
does,” Jules agreed with a rueful smile.

  But Paige wasn’t listening. Instead, her face was flushed with the heat of embarrassment. Tucker stood just in the doorway of the room, having obviously heard what she said.

  Chapter Five

  A boxcar full of baggage, huh? Just who did she think she was? But Tucker couldn’t move, in spite of the verbal slap in his face.

  “Tucker… I—” Clearly embarrassed, considering the shade of red her face had become, Paige glanced behind her at Jules before trying again. “I didn’t mean it like it sounded. I meant—”

  “It’s all right, Paige,” Jules said, putting an arm around her shoulders and patting her arm. “I’m sure Tucker understands that you were joking.” She gave Tucker a quick warning glance.

  But all he could do was stand there and stare at the doctor. There was no response he could give to that kind of putdown. Of course he wasn’t supposed to hear it. She wasn’t that cruel. But he had. Maybe it was better to know what she really thought. He’d put a stop to some of those ridiculous thoughts he’d been having about her.

  With nothing to say, he turned and walked away. Behind him he heard Jules call his name, but he didn’t stop. He’d been insulted by some of the best. Marine drill sergeants were at the top of that list. But he’d never felt as insulted as he had at that moment.

  He wasn’t in the mood to tangle with the stairs, so instead of going up to his room—where he should have gone to begin with—he headed for the front door. With each step he took, his anger grew. He didn’t try to stop it.

  Once outside, he bounded down the front steps, not even thinking of where he might be going, while Paige’s words continued to ring in his ears. The earth beneath his boots was spongy from the rain the day before, but it didn’t slow him as he crossed the big yard.

  Without realizing it, he found himself entering the horse barn and was instantly slammed back into a past he thought he’d forgotten. The smell of hay hit him first as he closed the side door behind him. He heard a soft whinny to his left and farther down the wide aisle. A ray of the last of the day’s sunshine fanned out through a small window nearby, and bits of dust danced as he walked through it.