Orchard Valley Brides by Debbie Macomber Page B

a couple of minutes. It’s time for Mr. Cassidy’s enema.”
    The room cleared within seconds.
    Rowdy waited until the last reporter had left, then burst out laughing. Kincade and the other man Rowdy had referred to as Robbins were the only two who remained.
    â€œVery clever,” Kincade said with a smile.
    â€œShe isn’t any good at checkers, but she’s one heck of a nurse,” Rowdy said. He lowered himself onto the pillows and closed his eyes in exhaustion. “You’ll arrange everything for me, Robbins?” he asked hoarsely.
    â€œRight away,” the other man assured him.
    Briefly, Norah wondered if Rowdy even knew the first names of his staff members. It was Kincade and Robbins. But he’d always referred to her sister as Valerie. He knew her first name.
    She was about to comment, then noticed that Rowdy was already asleep. Without another word, she ushered the two men out of the room.
    â€œThanks,” Kincade whispered gratefully.
    She nodded. It was her job to look out for the welfare of her patients. She hadn’t done anything extraordinary. Her means might have been a little unorthodox, but effective.
    Robbins was tall and wiry and young, and Kincade was short, stocky and middle-aged. Both men were dressed in identical dark suits—the CHIPS uniforms, Norah thought wryly. She remembered her sister wearing the female version of that business suit. Though, strangely, Norah couldn’t imagine Rowdy in anything but jeans and cowboy boots.
    â€œI understand you’re Valerie’s sister,” Robbins said in a conversational tone.
    â€œThat’s right.” She’d forgotten that the two men had probably worked with Valerie.
    â€œWe all miss her.”
    But not as much as Rowdy does, Norah mused and was surprised by a sharp, fleeting pain at the thought.
    â€œRowdy’s transferring me to Portland to head up the expansion project,” Robbins said, eyeing Norah as if she had information to give. “I was hoping that once I got settled, Valerie would consider working with me.”
    â€œI don’t know,” Norah told him. “You’ll have to talk to her.”
    Robbins glanced nervously toward Rowdy’s room. “Don’t say anything to Rowdy. Valerie was by far the more logical choice, but I don’t think those two parted on amicable terms. He accepted her resignation and then gave me the assignment that same day. Personally, I’d rather stay in Texas.”
    It went without saying that Robbins would move simply because Rowdy had asked it of him. Oregon. Alaska. Anywhere. Whatever other talents Rowdy possessed, and Norah didn’t doubt there were many, he inspired loyalty among his employees.
    â€œValerie and her husband are on their honeymoon. She should be back from Hawaii sometime this week. You might have the opportunity to tell her all this yourself,” Norah said, then turned away.
    â€œMs.—Bloomfield.”
    This time it was Kincade, the corporate attorney, who addressed her. “Thanks again,” he said.
    â€œNo problem. I was happy to be of help.”
    â€œThis isn’t easy for him,” the attorney added. “Rowdy’s a physical man and being tied down to his bed, literally, is driving him to distraction. If it wasn’t for you, I don’t know what he would’ve done.”
    â€œWasn’t for me?” Norah hadn’t done much of anything. She’d provided a little entertainment with the checkers, a little nourishment with the pizza and muffins, and she’d fallen in with his schemes, like everyone else in the hospital. But that was it.
    â€œHe’s mentioned you several times. All of us at CHIPS want you to know we appreciate everything you’ve done for him.”
    Norah nodded, accepting his gratitude, but she feltuncomfortably like a fraud. Rowdy must have greatly exaggerated the small things she’d done.
    Â 
    Later that afternoon,