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.”“Not all of them, though.And you have a date, so it seems you’re bouncing back okay.”“Actually, the date is with one of Lem’s tractors.Specifically Lauren’s tractor, Bess.”“Lauren’s the girl you’re into?”Mitch handed Brock the patient roster.“I’m not into anyone.Especially not her.She lives in Texas.”“What’s wrong with Texas? Part of our training’s there.”“I have nothing against Texas.I love it, in fact.I just have a problem with being attracted to someone so far away.”Brock grinned.“Yeah, that’s what I thought.You like her.”Did he just say that?Brock tapped papers on the desk.“We have training ops the next couple weeks, but let me know if you need help after that.”“Might take you up on that.Lem added fixing Bess to my already-tight summer to-do list.I don’t mind though, and would never want him to regret asking or feel like he’s a burden.”“I hear he’s done a lot for you.”“More than I could list in a lifetime.Anyway, he says Lauren loved to ride the tractor.So he asked me to make fixing Bess my top priority.I want to oblige Lem, even though it’s another unexpected time-sucker.”“I hear ya.”“Hopefully fixing her tractor will put her in a good mood about my being at Lem’s tomorrow.”“She has a problem with it?”“Pretty much.It boils down to us both having lofty summer goals yet little time.Plus our plans clash on all fronts.”“You’re innovative.You can figure out a way for them not to.”“In theory.In reality I won’t be able to get Lem’s stuff done once the center hits full status in the fall.The way we’re getting slammed now, I only have this summer to do projects I put off due to deployment.”“I don’t get what Lauren’s problem is.”“I have to be at Lem’s to do the chores, and Lauren wants uninterrupted, undistracted time with her grandpa.”“Doesn’t sound feasible.”“It’s not.She’s struggling emotionally, so I’m giving them the space I can.But I need to be there most of my spare time or projects won’t get done.”“I can help with the time-sensitive stuff a couple days before I leave and more when I get back.What all is there?”“Might be easier to list what doesn’t need repaired.” Mitch chuckled.“I have a feeling some of it is Lem wanting me to be there when Lauren is.”“Cupid’s arrow?” Brock laughed.“Totally.Anyway, in addition to misguided matchmaking, Lem has a leaky roof, basement flooding and a rickety porch all the way around.I’m afraid the railing will give way and he’ll take a tumble.”“We’ll get that stuff knocked out when I get back.”“Awesome.Thanks, Brock.I appreciate you and your team stepping in to help.”“Keeps our paramedic skills up.I’ll call you later about helping at Lem’s.”“I owe ya one, buddy.” Mitch clapped Brock’s shoulder.With Brock being the only unmarried member of his pararescue team, he probably needed to keep busy anyway.“Nah.Just pay me back in chili.I hear Lem’s is kickin’.”Mitch laughed.“It is.Sounds good.See ya later, Brock.”Mitch twisted his watch then peered around.Where had Lauren gone? Probably with Mara, the texting teen.He really wanted to go work on Lem’s old tractor as promised so Lauren could ride it.No rest for the weary.And no romance for the wary.Cupid could kiss off.Hear that, bowhead? Abort mission.This arrow won’t fly.Mitch talked with a few PJs, signed patients off then located Lauren, quietly stocking surgical rooms.“Ready?”She didn’t meet his gaze.“Sure.”“Something wrong?” Mitch asked in the truck.She hadn’t spoken since leaving, and Lem’s place was now a few miles away.She shrugged.“Thanks for dropping me off.” She fidgeted with his dash.Nervous gesture? If so, he wished she’d get her fingers away from the bad memory bound up in the glove box.“Sorry to infringe on your date time.” What? He scrambled to remember any conversation that might’ve led to the assumption.Then it hit him.Mitch burst out laughing.“The date I mentioned is with a farm contraption named Bess.Your tractor, to be exact.”Lauren’s cheeks reddened.“Oh!”He decided neither to press nor tread.By the snarky gleam entering her eyes, her thoughts about the misunderstanding must be too caustic to mention.* * *He did not want to know what she was thinking.He’d conclude her as a cross between the ultimate curmudgeon and ambivalence at its finest.She’d completely shocked herself by experiencing disappointment that he was interested in someone.That sure came out of left field.It had so rattled her, she’d had to power-walk halls until her head had cleared.But then the saner part of her had kicked in—the part that preferred he had a date.It meant more opportunities for her to have quality time with Grandpa.Would Mitch intrude on their time all summer? The more she got to know him, the more caring he seemed.Couldn’t he see it bothered her not to have all the time she could with Lem?Time to start dropping heftier hints.“Need to stop anywhere on the way home?” Mitch asked.Home.The word startled her coming out of his mouth.The ambivalence flared both because he thought of Lem’s as home and because Mitch’s use of home put him in a sudden domestic light.“I’m dying for a cola.” Grandpa normally kept his fridge stocked with her favorite goodies.This was the first time he hadn’t.Of course she had dropped in with little notice.“I’ve taken too much for granted.”Mitch eyed her keenly.Compassion grew evident.Surely he’d be considerate of her need for time with Grandpa.She didn’t want to smite Mitch’s feelings or make him feel unwanted.She knew how that felt and didn’t want to inflict it on others.Still, he was beginning to really step on her proverbial toes.Thinking that made her wiggle her real ones, which ached from all the work they’d done.She flexed her ankles [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]