A Marriage In Wyoming (The Marshall Brothers 3) by Lynnette Kent

once Lena leaves the hospital.”
    “In that case...” She reached into her purse and brought out a few of the business cards she had ordered. “This is the number. Take enough cards to put in various places you might call from—the kitchen, the place Lena sleeps, the barn, even. And keep your cell phone close by.”
    “Our cell reception is sketchy out on the ranch, but we have landlines in all those places you mentioned, so I should be able to get in touch.” His mouth relaxed into a smile. “Thanks for your help.”
    The jump in her pulse as their eyes met was a reminder of why she should keep Garrett Marshall at a distance. She was just too susceptible to his charm. “No problem. That’s what I’m in Bisons Creek to do.”
    There was a moment of silence, as he absorbed what she’d said. “Right. You’re the town doctor. It’s your job.” Then he leaned through the doorway into Lena’s room. “We’d better hit the road, Justino. Don’t want to miss dinner again. Lena, we will see you tomorrow morning. Have a good night.”
    With the boy dragging reluctantly behind him, Garrett headed toward the elevator, giving Rachel a two-fingered salute off his hat brim as he passed.
    Rachel realized she’d hurt his feelings, but what else could she do? He imagined possibilities where she saw only obstacles, and encouraging him would be unkind. She was absolutely convinced they would both be better off never letting anything emotional develop between them. Garrett would understand one day. If she just held firm.
    She went in and sat with Lena for a little while, encouraged to note that she’d regained some appetite and had eaten a good portion of her dinner. Soon enough, though, texts to and from Justino were taking most of the girl’s attention, so Rachel stood up from the chair by the bed. “I’ll leave for the night. But I’ll stop by tomorrow to check on how you’re getting along.”
    Lena gave her a sweet smile. “Thank you for being here. It helps to have you and Mr. Garrett to explain things.”
    “I’m glad. We’ll do what we can to make this new life as easy as possible for you. You’re old enough to be able to take care of yourself—you just have to learn how.”
    Her phone buzzed again, but Lena didn’t immediately read the text. “My dad expects me to take care of my brothers when I’m home.”
    “We’ll work on your schedule so that’s possible. And maybe we can get your dad to recognize the challenges you’re facing so he’ll lighten your load.”
    But Lena shook her head. “That will never happen.” Another buzz on her phone distracted her. “Night,” she said, and shifted her focus.
    “Good night.”
    After leaving the hospital, Rachel stopped by the grocery store in Buffalo so she could stock the refrigerator and pantry in her new kitchen. The drive home showed her a breathtaking sunset as the clouds streaking the western sky glowed red and gold over the peaks of the Big Horn Mountains. Purple twilight shadowed the rolling plains at the base of the mountain range, adding to the rich palette of colors.
    Coming back to Wyoming was a terrific choice. All the years away, she’d missed the spectacular views in her home state.
    As long as she kept her distance from Garrett Marshall.
    Unloading the shopping bags and fixing something to eat kept her occupied until full dark. She unpacked some of her personal books onto the shelves in the living room, reconnecting with old favorites she hadn’t enjoyed in years. She’d just chosen one to read for the night when her phone rang.
    “Rachel, it’s Caroline. How are you settling in?”
    They chatted about the apartment for a few minutes, and Rachel reported her assessment of Lena’s progress. “It’s a big change for a teenager,” she told her friend. “Teens think they’re immortal, and finding out they have this demanding disease can really knock them for a loop. But she’s going to pull it off. She’s a smart