Rocky Mountain Redemption by Pamela Nissen Page B

in the air, she moved toward Joseph. “Talk, talk, talk.”
    Ben pivoted, peering out a side window to his doctor’s office next door where Callie was now. He turned and followed Katie to the dining table. “I was beginning to worry.”
    â€œBeginning?” Joseph focused his sightless gaze at his wife then arched an eyebrow Ben’s way. “You started worrying the minute you left her side and came over here to wait. You’re a dead giveaway when you’re nervous, you know. Pacing and clearing your throat the way you do.”
    Ben produced a half-hearted frown. “And you are too observant for your own good.”
    With a self-satisfied grin, Joseph lifted Katie’s cloak from her shoulders and draped it over the chair. “I can’thelp it that my other senses are so sharp. I come by it naturally.”
    Ben sighed. “Katie, maybe you ought to give him a lesson in humility. Seems like he’s a little weak in that area.”
    â€œBelieve me, I don’t need her to do that. All I have to do is make an embarrassing mess of things, like last Sunday at church, and my feet are firmly planted on the ground.” Joseph raked a hand through his chestnut hair.
    â€œWhat happened this time?”
    â€œDo you really want to know?”
    â€œWell, sure I do.”
    On a heavy sigh, Joseph shook his head. “I was introducing myself to a newcomer and I reached out to shake her hand, but it wasn’t her hand I touched.”
    Ben grimaced. “You didn’t.”
    â€œI did.” Joseph pinched the bridge of his nose. “I touched her—her bosom,” he ground out. “That’s not even polite to say in mixed company. Sorry, darlin’,” he added with absolute sincerity to Katie.
    The way she looked up at Joseph with undeniable adoration was something to see. And snagged at Ben’s own yearning for the same.
    At twenty-nine, he could’ve married several times over, but after a difficult end to a relationship while he was away at school, he’d decided to bypass that aisle. And with as much as his practice had grown, he could easily distract himself from the loneliness he felt at times, by throwing himself into his work and his patients.
    Unfortunately a certain five-foot-two-inch, auburn-haired, blue-eyed patient residing in the living quartersof his office next door presented a bit of a problem. He was distracted completely by Callie’s presence.
    â€œI could’ve crawled out of the church,” Joseph finished.
    Grabbing the two empty mugs from the table, Ben couldn’t help chuckling. “So, what did you do?”
    â€œApologized. What do you think? Then held my head high and made some small talk as if nothing had happened.”
    â€œIf it’s any consolation, I don’t think she realized you were blind until…well, until that,” Katie offered, stacking the plates and bowls and setting them in the basin, too. “She looked as shocked as you did.”
    â€œThere’s the silver lining.” Ben clapped his brother on the arm. “You’ve been working hard at gauging where to aim your focus. Sounds like you’re doing a great job—at least where your eyes are concerned, anyway.”
    â€œVery funny.” Shoving his hands in his pockets, Joseph shook his head. “Next time I’ll remember to hold my hand out and let the other person do the grabbing.”
    Inwardly, Ben was thankful to see the ease with which Joseph was handling his blindness. He was adjusting well. Though he could see some dim shadows, he was pretty much dependent on his other senses. And with the help of his wife, who’d come to him as a teacher of the blind, he’d made huge strides toward independence.
    â€œSo, Callie is back in bed, right?” He swung his focus back to the conversation.
    â€œI gave her a fresh glass of water and tucked her in. Satisfied, Doctor Drake?” Katie