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intend to join them.

      By the time she returned to the waiting room, Lena had awakened. She was calm, though Rachel saw the fear of an uncertain future in her eyes. When her dinner arrived, she ate a few bites, which was a good sign. After a night on insulin, she would probably wake in the morning ready to finish her entire breakfast and more. Rachel said as much to Garrett on their way back to Bisons Creek.

      â€œI’m glad to hear her appetite will improve,” Garrett said. “She’s always been slender, but I didn’t realize until today that she was losing weight. I should have noticed.”

      â€œYou wouldn’t necessarily recognize the signs,” Rachel assured him. “Unless something brought it to your attention.”

      â€œI hate leaving Lena in the hospital alone,” Justino said from the backseat. “She looked so scared.”

      Garrett blew out a breath. “I know. But she’s got the television for a diversion. She’ll probably fall asleep pretty fast.”

      â€œCan we go see her early in the morning?”

      â€œWe’ll leave after breakfast.”

      Though Rachel didn’t have her bearings yet about locations in and around Bisons Creek, she was surprised when Garrett turned onto the Circle M Ranch drive before taking her to the clinic. He stopped the truck at the house to let Justino out.

      â€œMiss Caroline will have saved you some dinner,” he told the boy. “Try to take it easy tonight and not worry too much. Lena’s being well cared for and she’s getting better.”

      â€œI hope so.”

      â€œHe doesn’t sound convinced.” Garrett drove back toward the ranch entrance. “I guess I can’t blame him.”

      â€œHe would have stayed with her all night if you had let him,” Rachel said. “They’re very close for such a young couple.” She paused for a moment. “Did you want to talk to me about something? You could have dropped me off first.”

      He shrugged one shoulder. “It occurred to me that neither of us has had lunch or dinner. I thought maybe you’d be interested in getting something to eat.”

      â€œOh.” The suggestion should have been simple enough, except for the combination of excitement and reluctance ambushing her brain. Garrett Marshall was way too appealing for her to spend a lot of time with. The last thing she wanted to do was get closer to him.

      â€œIs that a yes or a no?”

      Still, she was hungry. “Um, okay. Sure. Food sounds like a good idea.”

      â€œGreat. We’ve got a diner here in town—the only restaurant, actually—where the cooking is really excellent. You might as well get familiar with it on your first day here.”

      â€œIt is still my first day, isn’t it?” She sighed. “I haven’t even unpacked the car. Or gone to my apartment. That’s the way medicine is sometimes.”

      â€œWe appreciate your being here for what was clearly an emergency.” He pulled the truck into a parking space beside a building with the sign Kate’s Diner. Then he looked over in the dim light and grinned. “The least I can do is buy you dinner on your first night in town.”

      Alarms went off in Rachel’s head—he made it sound way too much like a date. But she could hardly retreat at this point. Maybe she could talk him into splitting the check.

      Garrett opened the door for her, a courtesy that upped her discomfort level. Then he pulled out a chair at the table and invited her to sit. Short of staging a fight, there wasn’t much she could do other than take the seat he offered.

      She met his gaze directly as he sat down across the table. “This isn’t a date.”

      His eyebrows rose. “Not technically. No.”

      That response didn’t reassure her. “Not even remotely.”

      He folded his arms on the table. “Would it be such a bad idea?”

      â€œWe aren’t a couple. Aren’t going to be a couple.”

      â€œThat’s a pretty sweeping prediction. We only met this morning. Do you dislike me so much already?”

      She had to tell the truth. “No, of course not. But the two of us are incompatible.”

      â€œI disagree. I think we’ve had a good day together.”

      A pretty, brown-haired woman came to their table. “Hey, Garrett. Long time no see.”

      â€œHi, Terri. Yeah, we’ve been pretty busy out on the ranch with the kids plus the regular chores. Let me introduce you to the newest citizen in town—this is Dr. Rachel Vale. She’ll be operating the Bisons Creek Medical Clinic.”

      Terri’s face brightened. “I heard we were getting a doctor. Welcome! It will be so great to be able to visit a clinic in town when one of the kids has an ear infection instead of driving half an hour just to get a prescription.”

      Rachel smiled. “I’m glad to be here. I look forward to helping you out when you need medical advice.”

      â€œI’ll be sure to call. But for right now, what can I get you two to drink?”

      â€œWater,” she and Garrett both said at the same time.

      â€œGot it.” Terri scribbled on her notepad. “We still have some of the special available, which is meat loaf with mashed potatoes and gravy and Kate’s slow-cooked green beans. I’ll be back in a minute to take your orders.”

      â€œSo,” Garrett said when the server had left, “you were going to tell me why we’re incompatible.”

      â€œWe have different worldviews.” Rachel clasped her hands on the table. “As a minister, you operate on the assumption that faith will make things right. But as a doctor, I use science and facts to deal with the world.”

      Terri reappeared with a glass of water for each of them. “And what will you have to eat?”

      Once they both ordered the meat loaf, Rachel resumed her explanation. “People with such opposite perspectives can’t find common ground for a relationship.”

      Laughter sparked in his blue eyes. “Are you hoping to persuade me or yourself?”

      She glared at him. “You’re awfully sure I’m attracted to you, aren’t you?”

      â€œI wasn’t, till you started trying to convince me we can’t go on a simple date.”

      â€œThere’s nothing simple about dating.”

      â€œSo you’ve had some bad experiences?”

      â€œHasn’t everybody had a bad date?”

      â€œSure. A few years ago, I went out with a woman who brought her grandmother along with us to dinner.”

      Rachel had to laugh. “You’re kidding, right?”

      â€œAt first, I figured her grandmother just wanted to check me out. But when Nana showed up for the second go-round, I decided I’d had enough of the two-for-one program.”

      â€œI’m not surprised.”

      â€œEspecially since Nana monopolized every conversation with details of her surgical adventures.”

      â€œOh, no.”

      â€œCan

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