The Doctor Wears A Stetson (Contemporary Western Romance) (18 page)

"Aw, Grams."

"Don't 'aw, Grams' me, young lady." Ruth
smiled and gave her a quick hug. "They're raising the flag. Now
watch those nachos and don't spill anything when you stand up."

The band played the national anthem. Not
many people sang along, but a familiar voice, slightly off-key,
belted out the words to "The Star Spangled Banner". Cameron turned
toward the voice. Sure enough it was old Mr. Butler. He'd always
sung loudly at the games when Cameron was on the team.

The eerie sensation of being caught in a
time warp wove its ghostly fingers around him. The same strangling
feelings he'd felt as a kid enveloped him now, stifling and
smothering him. He broke out in a cold sweat.

Jessie laid her fingers on his arm,
squeezed, comforted. Something in her eyes and her touch calmed the
turmoil roiling inside before it almost devoured him.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

Cameron forced himself to smile. He stroked
her hand still lying on his arm, thankful for the serenity she'd
bestowed on him. "Sure. I'm okay."
Now.

He sipped his hot chocolate and tried not to
think about Jessie sitting close beside him. He especially tried
not to think about her calming effect on his restless soul. Could
Jess be the cure he'd been seeking for so long?

When she crossed her legs, her thigh brushed
against his, and desire tugged low in Cameron's stomach. Visions of
smooth bare legs tangling with his made his heart pound. His
feelings for Jessie were definitely getting out of hand. He'd been
aware of all sorts of strange emotions since he'd been home,
emotions he'd rather live without.

At half time, Jessie pointed to the gates.
"Look, they're bringing in the homecoming candidates." She opened
her pad and scratched some notes as four classic convertibles
snaked along the paved track surrounding the football field. Four
girls and four boys waved to the crowds.

Once again, time rolled back as Cameron saw
himself riding in one of those cars with Patti. The feelings of
being trapped and suffocated rose within him again.

Jessie looked at him and smiled, her eyes
holding a promise of passion and something more. Cameron took a
deep cleansing breath and smiled back. He was at a crossroads in
his life and didn't have a plan or a clue. The only thing he knew
was somehow, some way, Jessie played an important part in his
future.

****

The Bulldogs are going for the field goal
with seven seconds left in the game. Randy Garrison runs, kicks it
high . . . and it's good! Salt Fork wins: 17-14!
The voice over
the loudspeaker reverberated with excitement as the fans in the
seats went wild.

"We won! We won!" Kelsey screamed, jumping
up and down, spilling popcorn all over the place.

Jessie cheered at the top of her lungs and
turned to hug Cameron. He caught her to him and squeezed her tight.
Tilting her head back, she laughed with joy. It felt so good and so
right to be in Cameron's arms, but something was wrong, she could
sense it.

"You two are getting mighty lovey-dovey,"
Ruth said.

Jessie blushed as Cameron quickly set her
away from him. She hurriedly scribbled some last minute notes for
her story, trying to ignore the abandoned feeling in the pit of her
stomach. He was already distancing himself from her. She swallowed
a sob as she collected her things and stuffed them in her bag.

Her notepad dropped to the ground and Ruth
bent to pick it up. "I wonder why Dallas never showed up?" She
handed the pad to Jessie.

"I don't know," Austin said, gathering the
empty cups and scattered wrappers. "He's really going to be sorry
he missed the game."

Kelsey stood on the bleachers, watching the
crowd, waving to friends. "Are you taking Jessie to the dance
tonight, Uncle Cam?"

"I'm not sure . . ." He stared at Jessie in
a strange way.

She felt tension radiating from Cameron's
body, a different kind of tension. Was he having regrets? About
coming back, wanting her, making love to her? He was backing off;
he didn't want a relationship with her because she didn't fit in
with his plans. She never had.

"Hey," Kelsey said, standing on tiptoes,
craning her neck for a better look. "Uncle Dallas is coming up
here."

Jessie slung her purse over her shoulder
.
Great, just great.
Dallas never missed a chance to hassle her
about the mineral rights. She hadn't seen him since she'd given the
go ahead to lease them. She was stuck with no way to escape,
surrounded by McCades.

Dallas fought his way against the crowd, and
as he approached, Jessie knew something terrible must have
happened. A frown etched his forehead, his lips were set in a rigid
line and his eyes smoldered with anger.

Dallas McCade was an intimidating man, even
in a good mood. In a towering rage--Jessie shuddered. Luckily, he
had never lost his temper in their dealings together.

"Something's definitely up," Tyler said.
"Dallas looks madder than a hornet."

With the crowd finally behind him, the
oldest McCade brother climbed the last few steps to where Jessie
stood with his family. She wondered what had happened to make him
so angry. When he fixed his eyes on her, she instinctively stepped
closer to Cameron.

Dallas looked at his brother, then back at
Jessie. "It's too late to hide. I didn't think you'd really do it,
Jessie. Mom trusted you, but I should have known better. You're a
lying, conniving, scheming . . .
woman!
" He spat out the
last word with scathing contempt.

Cameron took a step forward, his fists
clenched by his sides. "Dallas . . ." he said warningly.

"What on earth is wrong with you?" Ruth
cried. "Why are you talking so ugly to our sweet Jessie?"

"Our
sweet
Jessie has gone behind our
backs and leased the rights on the Diamondback Ranch to Copper
River Oil Company."

"That's not true!" Jessie said.

Dallas snorted with disgust. "Copper River
is moving heavy equipment onto the north section of the ranch.
My
ranch, Jessie. They showed me the lease agreement. Your
signature is on it."

Jessie bit her lip. "I know. I signed it.
But I didn't do it behind your back. I told Ruth--"

"Oh, dear," Ruth said, sitting down
again.

Dallas' jaw dropped. "You told Mom, but
didn't tell me?"

Cameron put his arm around Jessie's
shoulder. "She told me, too."

"And no one bothered to tell me?" Dallas
yelled. "To warn me?"

Jessie looked at Ruth. "You said you would
tell Dallas. Why didn't you?"

Tears gathered in Ruth's eyes. She wiped her
nose on a napkin. "I didn't think anything would happen so soon. I
put off telling him, because I knew he'd be upset. And with Cameron
coming back for homecoming . . . I knew he was coming back to see
you, Jessie. I didn't want to spoil things for you two."

Jessie faced Dallas again. "I'm sorry. I
know I promised not to lease the mineral rights, but I was going to
lose the garage. There was no other way."

"There's always another way, Jess." Dallas
settled his Stetson on his head, turned his back on her, and
stalked down the stadium steps.

Ruth stood up. "I want to go home," she
said, her voice sounding old and fragile.

"Ruth, I'm sorry. I should have told Dallas
myself," Jessie cried. "I didn't mean for any of this to happen. I
know how all of you feel about drilling on your land. I didn't mean
to hurt you."

Ruth blew her nose on the napkin again. "Oh,
Jessie. I know you didn't. But Dallas is so angry . . ." She patted
Jessie's forearm. "We'll talk later. I need to get on home."

She hurried down the concrete steps. Tyler
and Austin followed, with Kelsey trailing behind.

Jessie was left alone with Cameron. He was
watching the cheerleaders down on the field, making a human pyramid
to celebrate the victory.

"Thanks for standing up for me," she
said.

He didn't turn to face her, but kept staring
down at the cheerleaders on the field. "Jess, I . . . Damn!"

An audible gasp rose from the crowds milling
around in the stands.

Jessie gripped his arm. ""Oh my God! They've
fallen!"

The girl who'd been on top lay still on the
ground. The other cheerleaders gathered around her.

"Cameron, you have to do something," Jessie
said. "The ambulance has already left the stadium."

"Come on!" He grabbed Jessie's hand and ran
down the concrete steps. Vaulting over the chain link fence, he
left Jessie to follow any which way she could.

Cameron sat in the back of Gussie Ferguson's
Florist Shop delivery van with Hilda Vandeford lying on the
makeshift stretcher. The girl's mother sat across from him holding
her daughter's hand. Mayor Vandeford was at the wheel, with Gussie
riding shotgun.

As soon as he'd reached the fallen
cheerleader, Cameron had gone into doctor mode, issuing orders,
focusing on what he could do to stabilize the injured girl. She'd
tumbled from the top of the human pyramid and landed in a crumpled
heap. Luckily, she'd only suffered a broken wrist and collarbone.
Maybe a slight concussion.

It could have been worse. Much worse.

The interior of the van was dark except for
the headlights streaming in from the back windows. Jessie was
following in Cameron's car. She'd wanted to ride in the van, but
there wasn't room and they'd need his Jag to return to Salt
Fork.

"Is she going to be all right?" Mrs.
Vandeford asked for the hundredth time. He couldn't blame her. She
was worried about her daughter.

He leaned over Hilda and examined her eyes
one more time, looking for signs of concussion. "I believe she'll
be fine once she gets the broken bones set."

The girl groaned and tried to adjust her
position on the stretcher. "Oh, Mama--"

"Shh, honey," said her mother. "We're almost
to the hospital."

"I hurt . . . all over."

"I know, but Dr. McCade's here. You're going
to be fine." Mrs. Vandeford smiled tremulously at Cameron. "Thank
goodness, you were in the stands. I don't know what we would have
done if you hadn't been there."

"I'm glad I could help."

The woman smoothed her daughter's forehead,
wiping wisps of hair back in place. "I wish they'd hurry up and
find a doctor for the new clinic." She hesitated. "I don't know
you, but I've heard about you. Small town gossip, you know. Have
you thought about--oh, my."

She gripped the edge of her seat as the van
lurched to a stop. The mayor jumped out and came around to open the
back doors. "We're here."

"Finally," his wife said in relief.

Cameron climbed out and stepped back as two
orderlies in green scrubs rushed out of the emergency room to help
remove the patient from the vehicle. He quickly told them what had
happened and the extent of the injuries, then watched as they
whisked Hilda into the hospital, her mother by her side.

Mayor Vandeford stayed behind to shake
Cameron's hand. "I can't thank you enough, Dr. McCade. You saved my
daughter's life--"

"It wasn't that bad--"

"No, thank God, but it could have been. I
don't know if you're aware, but Salt Fork is in dire need of a
competent, dedicated doctor. Jessie Devine has worked to get the
new clinic built, but we're still looking for a doctor. I know
Jessie was meaning to ask you to fill the position. I hope you will
seriously consider the offer."

"I don't know . . ."

"Think about it," the mayor said. "I came to
live in Salt Fork after you left town, so I don't know you
personally, but I know your family. The job is yours, if you want
it."

Cameron didn't know what to say. His first
impulse was to say yes. But he wasn't used to acting on impulse. He
was acting on gut instinct where Jess was concerned and it was
proving to be a wild ride. His life and career needed to be
carefully planned and thought out. He'd always planned everything
carefully in the past.

And look where it's gotten you.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Jessie
hurrying toward him from the parking lot. That calmness only she
could provide settled in his stomach.

For years, he'd been living according to his
well-thought out plans. But he wasn't happy or content. He lead a
hectic life, he was nursing an ulcer and he'd become someone he
didn't even like. And worst of all, he'd never conquered the damned
restlessness that had dogged his every step.

"Dr. McCade," the mayor said, "I have to go
see about my daughter. Thank you again. Please consider the clinic.
Salt Fork needs you." He turned toward the automatic glass doors
leading to the emergency room.

To hell with planning
. "Wait a
minute," Cameron said.

The mayor turned toward him. "Yes?"

It was now or never.
"I'll take the
job."

The mayor beamed a smile and walked back to
shake his hand. "Thank you, Dr. McCade. Thank you so much. Welcome
back to Salt Fork."

Jessie crossed the street just as the mayor
entered the emergency room. She was out of breath, her cheeks
glowing from the cold wind. She looked beautiful.

In that moment, Cameron knew he'd made the
right decision.

"Is Hilda going to be okay?" she asked as
soon as she reached his side.

Cameron pulled her into his arms and kissed
her hard. She felt so good, smelled so sweet, and tasted oh so
wonderful.

Jessie laughed. "I take it, she's going to
fine?"

"Yes, I think so."

"I'm glad. You were great back there. Taking
control of the situation, making sure Hilda wasn't dangerously
injured. I know the mayor and his wife are thankful you were at the
game and able to help."

"That's my job, Jess. Helping people."

"But not every person would have acted so
quickly. It was something to see you in action. I can tell you're
an excellent doctor."