[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
.Mitch pushed the past aside and poured every bit of grit and skill into giving the young man the future his dad never had.Not only had the accident been life-or-limb damaging, the surgery was going to be dangerous.Did Lauren know how much so?Her hands weren’t quaking, and she wasn’t nearly as ashen as he imagined he’d been when the word motorcycle had come out of Ian’s mouth.So she’d be fine.Plus Kate was here, and another crew slept in the call room should complications arise.Thankfully, they didn’t.Mitch helped the orthopedic doctor close incisions they’d made to repair multiple fractures.“I’m confident he’ll make a full recovery,” Mitch said.“Indeed.Thankfully he had his helmet on,” the orthopedic guy replied while finishing, before meeting Mitch’s gaze with professional respect.“Fortunate for him this center was right here.Otherwise…” He trailed off when Ian shook his head in a withering motion.Mitch and Ian were close—like brothers.They had each other’s backs, both here and on the battlefield.Mitch nodded his thanks to Ian.The third doctor looked from one man to the other.Kate cleared her throat.“Mitch is the last person who needs to hear how minutes matter.His dad was in a motorcycle crash and made it to Refuge Hospital mere minutes too late.”“My apologies.” The doctor’s tone carried respect anew.Mitch nodded his acknowledgment.Gratitude overwhelmed him.Lord, thank You for leading us here.Bring capable help and funding so we can expand to meet the full needs of this community.Mitch finished the prayer as the last suture went in.The O.R.door swung open.“Don’t go anywhere.We’ve got another bone trauma en route,” the director said.The crew scrubbed out, then back in, and regowned.Lauren didn’t seem fazed, though this surgery took longer than the last.Afterward Mitch faced Lauren.“Meet me in the doctors’ lounge when you’re done?”She nodded and continued to carry out her tasks with Kate, who smiled like an elated little sister at the pair.Mitch flashed Kate a visual warning.Yet he couldn’t deny that the blush on Lauren’s cheeks above her mask drained the strain and fatigue out of his tired muscles and feet.“Orthopedic surgeries are slower than molasses,” Lauren said once in the lounge after surgery.She stretched her back.Mitch resisted the urge to rub the knots out of her neck.He was physically and mentally drained, and this room was quite secluded and dimly lit.Recipe for disaster.“Ready to go?”She nodded and gave him back his stethoscope.Which made him frown.And made her laugh.“You need it more than I do.”At least she didn’t say she’d never need it again.Progress, right?“Thanks for giving me rides home, Mitch,” Lauren said as he helped her into the truck.Mitch smiled because she’d said home.Every time before, she’d referred to it as Lem’s.Maybe her heart’s roots were deepening for Southern Illinois? That would be fine by him.Maybe by her, too, because the closer they got to Mitch dropping her off, the more she fidgeted and seemed to want to say something.Likewise, Mitch wished to draw out their time together.“Do you want to—?”“How about we—?”They both laughed at their simultaneous questions.Lauren tucked her hair behind her ear.“Want to go for coffee and feed the geese at Refuge Park?”Mitch smiled and headed to the bread store.“That sounds fun.” Right now—the way she and her sparkly eyes and gorgeous grin made him feel—she’d make a trip to the dentist for a root canal fun.They got coffee to go from the bread store, then parked near a cluster of geese.When Mitch got out of the truck with the bread bag, he was mobbed by winged critters.“Haven’t you fed them before?” Lauren asked, giggling, after rescuing him and the empty bag.He led her to a picnic table, laughing, despite having been pecked.“No.Here’s your coffee.”She took a sip and grimaced.“Gross.How can you drink this stuff? It’s pure sludge.”“I hadn’t noticed.” He peered into his half-empty cup, realizing she was right.He looked back up at her and scooted closer than a friend would.“All I noticed is how lucky I am to be in the company of someone so beautiful and brave.”“You mean, the geese?” Her cheeks tinged as she smiled and lowered her gaze.Mitch raised her face because he needed to look into her eyes to say this.“No.I mean the fearless knockout who rescued me from them.”Chapter Eleven“What gives?” Lem handed Lauren a cup of caramel mocha coffee one morning the next week after they came home from another early morning fishing excursion.“You’re all dolled up.”“Oh, nothin’.” She cleared her throat and eyed the window.“You wanted to don your war paint before Mitch got here.”Lauren glared at her grandfather, but kept silent.“Don’t worry.His smile will be worth it.” Lem chuckled.“Admit it.You think he’s cute.”Lauren sighed.“I can’t pull any kind of wool over your eyes, can I?”Grandpa chuckled.“Not in this lifetime.”“Speaking of lifetime, Grandpa, you look healthy enough to hit a hundred.” Please, God, let it be so.“I do feel smidgens better now that you’re here.”“Good.” What could she say? She wasn’t here to stay.Would he worsen after she left? Thankfully Mitch’s truck rumbled up, sparing her from guilt.Mitch stood at the door with a riveted expression.“Wow.”Lauren fumbled verbally, but no words would emerge.Mitch stepped in, canvassing her.“Glossy hair.Movie-star makeup.Outfit too dressy for a cornfield.What’s the occasion?”Grandpa grinned.“Just you, Mitch.Just you.”Heat blasted Lauren’s face.“Grandpa!” Was nothing sacred in this house? She shook her head at him.Lem’s eyes twinkled as he headed to man the stove.Mitch watched the two of them and didn’t crack a smile.She could just die of embarrassment.Thankfully Mitch spared her by picking up a drill and going to work on the deck.As soon as he was out of sight, Lauren trudged toward Grandpa.“I wish you’d cut the matchmaking already [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
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.Mitch pushed the past aside and poured every bit of grit and skill into giving the young man the future his dad never had.Not only had the accident been life-or-limb damaging, the surgery was going to be dangerous.Did Lauren know how much so?Her hands weren’t quaking, and she wasn’t nearly as ashen as he imagined he’d been when the word motorcycle had come out of Ian’s mouth.So she’d be fine.Plus Kate was here, and another crew slept in the call room should complications arise.Thankfully, they didn’t.Mitch helped the orthopedic doctor close incisions they’d made to repair multiple fractures.“I’m confident he’ll make a full recovery,” Mitch said.“Indeed.Thankfully he had his helmet on,” the orthopedic guy replied while finishing, before meeting Mitch’s gaze with professional respect.“Fortunate for him this center was right here.Otherwise…” He trailed off when Ian shook his head in a withering motion.Mitch and Ian were close—like brothers.They had each other’s backs, both here and on the battlefield.Mitch nodded his thanks to Ian.The third doctor looked from one man to the other.Kate cleared her throat.“Mitch is the last person who needs to hear how minutes matter.His dad was in a motorcycle crash and made it to Refuge Hospital mere minutes too late.”“My apologies.” The doctor’s tone carried respect anew.Mitch nodded his acknowledgment.Gratitude overwhelmed him.Lord, thank You for leading us here.Bring capable help and funding so we can expand to meet the full needs of this community.Mitch finished the prayer as the last suture went in.The O.R.door swung open.“Don’t go anywhere.We’ve got another bone trauma en route,” the director said.The crew scrubbed out, then back in, and regowned.Lauren didn’t seem fazed, though this surgery took longer than the last.Afterward Mitch faced Lauren.“Meet me in the doctors’ lounge when you’re done?”She nodded and continued to carry out her tasks with Kate, who smiled like an elated little sister at the pair.Mitch flashed Kate a visual warning.Yet he couldn’t deny that the blush on Lauren’s cheeks above her mask drained the strain and fatigue out of his tired muscles and feet.“Orthopedic surgeries are slower than molasses,” Lauren said once in the lounge after surgery.She stretched her back.Mitch resisted the urge to rub the knots out of her neck.He was physically and mentally drained, and this room was quite secluded and dimly lit.Recipe for disaster.“Ready to go?”She nodded and gave him back his stethoscope.Which made him frown.And made her laugh.“You need it more than I do.”At least she didn’t say she’d never need it again.Progress, right?“Thanks for giving me rides home, Mitch,” Lauren said as he helped her into the truck.Mitch smiled because she’d said home.Every time before, she’d referred to it as Lem’s.Maybe her heart’s roots were deepening for Southern Illinois? That would be fine by him.Maybe by her, too, because the closer they got to Mitch dropping her off, the more she fidgeted and seemed to want to say something.Likewise, Mitch wished to draw out their time together.“Do you want to—?”“How about we—?”They both laughed at their simultaneous questions.Lauren tucked her hair behind her ear.“Want to go for coffee and feed the geese at Refuge Park?”Mitch smiled and headed to the bread store.“That sounds fun.” Right now—the way she and her sparkly eyes and gorgeous grin made him feel—she’d make a trip to the dentist for a root canal fun.They got coffee to go from the bread store, then parked near a cluster of geese.When Mitch got out of the truck with the bread bag, he was mobbed by winged critters.“Haven’t you fed them before?” Lauren asked, giggling, after rescuing him and the empty bag.He led her to a picnic table, laughing, despite having been pecked.“No.Here’s your coffee.”She took a sip and grimaced.“Gross.How can you drink this stuff? It’s pure sludge.”“I hadn’t noticed.” He peered into his half-empty cup, realizing she was right.He looked back up at her and scooted closer than a friend would.“All I noticed is how lucky I am to be in the company of someone so beautiful and brave.”“You mean, the geese?” Her cheeks tinged as she smiled and lowered her gaze.Mitch raised her face because he needed to look into her eyes to say this.“No.I mean the fearless knockout who rescued me from them.”Chapter Eleven“What gives?” Lem handed Lauren a cup of caramel mocha coffee one morning the next week after they came home from another early morning fishing excursion.“You’re all dolled up.”“Oh, nothin’.” She cleared her throat and eyed the window.“You wanted to don your war paint before Mitch got here.”Lauren glared at her grandfather, but kept silent.“Don’t worry.His smile will be worth it.” Lem chuckled.“Admit it.You think he’s cute.”Lauren sighed.“I can’t pull any kind of wool over your eyes, can I?”Grandpa chuckled.“Not in this lifetime.”“Speaking of lifetime, Grandpa, you look healthy enough to hit a hundred.” Please, God, let it be so.“I do feel smidgens better now that you’re here.”“Good.” What could she say? She wasn’t here to stay.Would he worsen after she left? Thankfully Mitch’s truck rumbled up, sparing her from guilt.Mitch stood at the door with a riveted expression.“Wow.”Lauren fumbled verbally, but no words would emerge.Mitch stepped in, canvassing her.“Glossy hair.Movie-star makeup.Outfit too dressy for a cornfield.What’s the occasion?”Grandpa grinned.“Just you, Mitch.Just you.”Heat blasted Lauren’s face.“Grandpa!” Was nothing sacred in this house? She shook her head at him.Lem’s eyes twinkled as he headed to man the stove.Mitch watched the two of them and didn’t crack a smile.She could just die of embarrassment.Thankfully Mitch spared her by picking up a drill and going to work on the deck.As soon as he was out of sight, Lauren trudged toward Grandpa.“I wish you’d cut the matchmaking already [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]