four years, and it would be mighty nice to bring at least one of your babies into the world.”
The nurse opened the door and handed him the lab report. He studied it thoughtfully. “Your numbers are improving, but they’re not quite where they need to be yet. Still taking your vitamins?”
“Faithfully. If I forget, Dawn reminds me. She’s a vitamin junkie. May I drive now?”
“Yes, you may drive, but no long trips by yourself. Don’t take off to El Paso or Dallas. And, I want to see you next week.” He stood and patted her on the shoulder. “I expect that in another couple of weeks I can turn you loose, but only if you keep taking care of yourself.”
“I will. Scouts honor.” She held up two fingers, frowned, and made it three. It had been too many years since she’d been a Brownie Scout to remember the pledge sign.
He walked to the door and looked back at her. “Give my best to Wade. Tell him to stub his toe or something so I can see him. If all my patients were as healthy as he is, I’d go broke.” He looked over his reading glasses and winked. “If he’s smart, he won’t let you get away.”
After Doctor Curtis left the room, Andi hurried out the back door.
Wade had lowered the back of his bucket seat and was reclining comfortably with his taupe felt hat pulled down over his eyes. She paused a few seconds, admiring the way his light green Western shirt fit his muscular torso. The day was warm, and he had rolled up his sleeves to the middle of his forearms. When she opened her door, he pushed his hat back and sat up, raising the seat back upright. “Hi, darlin’. How did it go?”
The warmth and tenderness in his eyes and smile made Andi’s heart do a funny little flip. She suddenly imagined him holding a tiny baby in his arms, their baby. Her heart began to tap dance. Blast you, Doc, for putting ideas into my head . “It went fine. Blood count is up. He said I could start driving, so looks like you’re gonna lose your wheels.”
“Fine by me. I’m glad your improving.” He glanced at his watch. “We’ve got about three hours until dinner. What do you want to do?”
“Go to the mall. I need to buy a couple of dresses for church.”
“I don’t know if I like the glint in your eye, woman. Something tells me you’re going to find more than a couple of dresses.” He started the Blazer and backed out of the parking space.
Andi laughed and put on her sunglasses. They chatted about the doctor and the way Sidell had grown until they reached the mall.
He parked in front of the main department store and warily eyed the building.
She held back a grin. “You don’t like shopping, do you?”
“I don’t mind if it doesn’t take long to find what I need.”
“Typical man. You go in, get something the right size and color, buy it, and leave. But a woman shops differently, right?”
“Right. At least Aunt Della does. Takes her forever.”
“Oh, you poor thing.” She leaned across the console between their seats and tickled his chin. “Be forewarned. I have a very large clothing budget.”
He looked down at her, his expression resigned. “So what you’re telling me is that we’re going to be here ‘til supper time. You realize you’re going to have to pay me to carry all those packages. And don’t forget my patience. That has to be added in.”
“A kiss when we’re done.”
He gave her a you’ve-got-to-be-kidding look and shook his head. “It’s going to take more Yankee dimes than that.”
Hearing the old Southern term for a kiss made her smile. “Two.”
“Nope.”
She looked at her watch. “One for every hour that we’re here.”
He considered her offer. “Not enough. I’m the bodyguard, too, remember?”
“I usually pay my bodyguard in real money.”
“I hope so. What about the guy who carries the packages?”
“One and the same. So, you shouldn’t get more because you’re doing two jobs.”
“Call it inflation. One Yankee dime for every half
The nurse opened the door and handed him the lab report. He studied it thoughtfully. “Your numbers are improving, but they’re not quite where they need to be yet. Still taking your vitamins?”
“Faithfully. If I forget, Dawn reminds me. She’s a vitamin junkie. May I drive now?”
“Yes, you may drive, but no long trips by yourself. Don’t take off to El Paso or Dallas. And, I want to see you next week.” He stood and patted her on the shoulder. “I expect that in another couple of weeks I can turn you loose, but only if you keep taking care of yourself.”
“I will. Scouts honor.” She held up two fingers, frowned, and made it three. It had been too many years since she’d been a Brownie Scout to remember the pledge sign.
He walked to the door and looked back at her. “Give my best to Wade. Tell him to stub his toe or something so I can see him. If all my patients were as healthy as he is, I’d go broke.” He looked over his reading glasses and winked. “If he’s smart, he won’t let you get away.”
After Doctor Curtis left the room, Andi hurried out the back door.
Wade had lowered the back of his bucket seat and was reclining comfortably with his taupe felt hat pulled down over his eyes. She paused a few seconds, admiring the way his light green Western shirt fit his muscular torso. The day was warm, and he had rolled up his sleeves to the middle of his forearms. When she opened her door, he pushed his hat back and sat up, raising the seat back upright. “Hi, darlin’. How did it go?”
The warmth and tenderness in his eyes and smile made Andi’s heart do a funny little flip. She suddenly imagined him holding a tiny baby in his arms, their baby. Her heart began to tap dance. Blast you, Doc, for putting ideas into my head . “It went fine. Blood count is up. He said I could start driving, so looks like you’re gonna lose your wheels.”
“Fine by me. I’m glad your improving.” He glanced at his watch. “We’ve got about three hours until dinner. What do you want to do?”
“Go to the mall. I need to buy a couple of dresses for church.”
“I don’t know if I like the glint in your eye, woman. Something tells me you’re going to find more than a couple of dresses.” He started the Blazer and backed out of the parking space.
Andi laughed and put on her sunglasses. They chatted about the doctor and the way Sidell had grown until they reached the mall.
He parked in front of the main department store and warily eyed the building.
She held back a grin. “You don’t like shopping, do you?”
“I don’t mind if it doesn’t take long to find what I need.”
“Typical man. You go in, get something the right size and color, buy it, and leave. But a woman shops differently, right?”
“Right. At least Aunt Della does. Takes her forever.”
“Oh, you poor thing.” She leaned across the console between their seats and tickled his chin. “Be forewarned. I have a very large clothing budget.”
He looked down at her, his expression resigned. “So what you’re telling me is that we’re going to be here ‘til supper time. You realize you’re going to have to pay me to carry all those packages. And don’t forget my patience. That has to be added in.”
“A kiss when we’re done.”
He gave her a you’ve-got-to-be-kidding look and shook his head. “It’s going to take more Yankee dimes than that.”
Hearing the old Southern term for a kiss made her smile. “Two.”
“Nope.”
She looked at her watch. “One for every hour that we’re here.”
He considered her offer. “Not enough. I’m the bodyguard, too, remember?”
“I usually pay my bodyguard in real money.”
“I hope so. What about the guy who carries the packages?”
“One and the same. So, you shouldn’t get more because you’re doing two jobs.”
“Call it inflation. One Yankee dime for every half
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