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

hat. She’d often seen patients all day after going without sleep the night before, so she could handle this kind of stress, too.
    She would have to. Getting too close to Garrett Marshall posed not only a personal risk, she had come to realize, but a professional one, as well. To make a success of her medical practice, she had to be viewed as an authority figure—a knowledgeable and reliable physician. Her patients would include ranchers and laborers working in the area, some of them men like Lena’s father who didn’t easily accept the competence of a young woman. Being the local pastor’s girlfriend could weaken her in their eyes and diminish their confidence in her skills. An old codger in Idaho had once dismissed her as “that cute little girl.”
    So she would keep Garrett at arm’s length as she established her practice. Maybe in the future, when the locals trusted her, there would be an opportunity for a romantic relationship. Garrett wouldn’t wait, of course—he would find a woman with similar beliefs to be his wife and give him those kids he wanted.
    That surprisingly disturbing concept kept her awake far longer than she would have preferred.

Chapter Four
    Two days later, Lena was doing well enough with her injections that Dr. Stevens said she could return to the ranch on Thursday. Garrett expected a joyful reaction to that bit of news.
    But when he and Justino arrived at the hospital on Thursday morning, Lena was quite subdued. She sat in the chair in her room, appearing younger than her fourteen years.
    “We brought your backpack,” Justino told her, “to carry your equipment.”
    “Thanks.” She gave him an uncertain smile. “I hope it all fits in there.” Boxes of needles took up most of the space in the bag, along with her supply of insulin, an injection log Kim Kaiser had provided, and the books and papers Lena had been reading. The top zipper wouldn’t close.
    “But you got everything in there,” Garrett said, trying for the positive perspective. “We’ll figure out how to store this stuff when we get to the Circle M. Maybe a plastic box of some kind. For now, though, are you ready to go?”
    Lena glanced around reluctantly, as if the room had been somewhere she’d enjoyed staying and didn’t want to leave. “I guess so.”
    Once outside, she stopped and took a deep breath. “It’s nice to be in the fresh air.” Lifting her face to the sun, she grinned. “I was tired of that hospital smell.”
    “I’m not surprised.” Garrett unlocked the truck and watched as the teenagers climbed into the backseat. “Let’s make a plan not to come here again.”
    Lena giggled. “Okay.”
    Justino spoke as Garrett accelerated onto the interstate. “I’m so glad you’re coming back, Lena. I’ve missed you so much.”
    “Me, too.”
    Through the rearview mirror, Garrett saw Lena put her head on the boy’s shoulder, but after only a moment, she sat up again. “Mr. Garrett, am I going to have to eat different food from everybody else?”
    “I’ve talked with Caroline and Susannah about the meals,” he told her. “We’re going to make a few changes that the others won’t mind—less pasta and bread, more vegetables and proteins. It’ll be healthier for everybody. And then you can make good choices.”
    “What about dessert?”
    “Well, there you’re going to have to be strong. We can’t quit making dessert altogether, but we can have fruits available so you can don’t have to go without something sweet.”
    “But I love ice cream.”
    “Me, too. And homemade is the best, isn’t it?” Garrett had considered this problem all week long. “But I’ll give up ice cream if you will.”
    She met his gaze in the mirror. “Why would you do that?”
    He shrugged a shoulder. “Maybe it won’t be so hard if you aren’t suffering alone. Besides, I could stand to drop a few pounds. I’ve been eating too well these past few weeks.”
    “You’re making that up.”
    “Nope.