Page 1 of Serious Cowboy
CHAPTER ONE
Callie Blum updateda new patient’s online chart with focused efficiency. The screaming and squealing currently radiating from the waiting area right beside her was routine. Working in a pediatrician’s office had taught her the value of tuning everything else out more than any other occupation she’d ever held.
“Danny, stop pulling your sister’s hair,” came the stern reprimand of the boy’s mom. It echoed even over the constant bawling of at least two other small children. One of them, a boy of around three, had been tugging at his ear so much that the skin had turned a bright red, Callie figured he must have an earache.
She was sure Tim would deal with it. Tim, her brother, and the attending pediatrician who ran his practice out of this small-town office, had shared the place with another pediatrician when he’d first left his residency program. But after the elder pediatrician disclosed his intent to retire eight years ago, Tim welcomed the chance to buy out the lease.
A high-pitched squeal shrieked out over the rest of the insanity at ear-splitting levels, so Callie reached into her left-hand drawer, retrieved a couple of her secret weapons, and slid out from behind the counter. Catching the eyes of the pair of parents who looked like they were at their wit’s end to discreetly show them what she held, she then stepped forward after receiving two all too grateful nods.
“Hmm, I wonder if any children around here would like some animal crackers?” she asked in a singsong voice.
Once she spoke the magic word—her last word—the miserable little ones clammed right up, their damp eyes zeroing in on the favorite treats. In her palm, she held small bags of the cookies known to all children. Two chubby ruby-colored fists stretched out toward her, and she offered a bag of treats to each child as if giving them the keys to the kingdom.
The parents of the toddlers were quick to unwrap the crackers, and quiet reigned. Beautiful, blissful quiet. It might not last, but Callie knew to appreciate it while it did.
The boy, Charlie, finished his way too fast and started crying all over again, but luckily for everyone involved, he was the one called back next by Erika, the only registered nurse onsite. Julie, the LPN, was off in another exam room probably taking one of the other patient’s temperatures or something.
They had quite the full house today.
The morning continued more peacefully, especially when the other child—who thankfully didn’t begin to weep due to taking longer with her sucker—was called back. For a few precious minutes there was a lull where Callie promptly finished out therest of the new charts. She still had the remainder of her to-do list to complete, but even checking one item off felt good.
She believed in celebrating every small achievement she could.
When the door swung open and a glacial breeze from outside blasted in, Callie braced herself for yet another outburst of a sick kid. It was cold and flu season right now—as Tim loved to remind her—which meant staying busy from open to close with all things sniffly, sneezy, sore throaty, or upset tummy-related.
Yet the only sound she ended up hearing was the heavy footsteps of a tall and strapping man. She twisted around to watch him cross the waiting area and stride right past her station. He didn’t check in with her or pause long enough to ask her a question. He didn’t even bother to gaze in her general direction.
His stare simply…bypassedher.
But her stare didn’t bypass him. Her eyes were glued to this guy with his broad shoulders and intense and broody darkness. One other child who’d been delightfully silent since coming in had been by the playcenter in the middle of the room, but as the man stormed in, the girl scampered out of his way as if afraid he’d step on her like the giant fromJack and the Beanstalk.
Callie didn’t know whether said giant felt ill, was typically grouchy, or if he simply had a face that looked like he was on the edge of anger and annoyance every minute. Before she could even thing about it, she labeled him RAF in him mind. Resting Angry Face seemed to suit him for now. But she couldn’t deny how attractive he was. She stood to her feet behind the desk, and while his midnight blue eyes finally washed over her, she felt a shiver that gave her goosebumps all over.
“Can I help you?” She managed to make her mouth form real, actual syllables although it was difficult. The man seemed to generate his own gravity like a huge planet swinging into her orbit.
Still, his attention didn’t linger on her for long.
“I’m here for Tim.” That was it. All he said. He provided no further explanation.
Not exactly chatty, this guy.
“He’s with a patient at the moment. Is there something I can assist you with?”
“Give this to him?” Only then did Callie detect the toy in his hand, one about a foot long and maybe half again as high. It was a metal tractor. Her nephew Brian’s metal tractor. The green and black one that had been handed down to him from her father, Brian’s grandpa.
The man handed it over, and the second their fingers touched, hers tingled.
What had this guy done? Dragged his feet on the carpet on the way in? This was usually how she felt after being zapped with static electricity.
“How did you get this?” she blurted before she could think better of it. She was just so stunned by Mr. Resting Angry Face having possession of her nephew’s belongings. That and the effect he had on her.
“Needed fixed. So, I fixed it.” And with that cryptic statement, the man did an abrupt about-face. He abandoned the office as if he couldn’t wait to get out of there. One second he’d been there, and the next, gone.
Poof.
She felt so dazed by RAF’s sudden arrival and departure that it took her a minute to pick up on the conversation behind her. The extremelyunpleasantconversation behind her.
“Dr. Blum? Are you even listening to me?” Erika hissed at her brother. “I’ve asked you to sign off on those prescription orders five times this week. If we get behind, people will run out of their medications and?—”