Chapter Ten #3
Chloe wondered if Joe was trying to avoid being with her or if he was reluctant to bombard his brain with too many memories all at once.
But she hated to confront the issue head-on right now.
They’d probably both feel better about discussing it later this evening—before bed, when it would be impossible to avoid asking him what their next step should be.
Ten minutes later, after changing her clothes, she grabbed her purse, climbed into Ol’ Greenie and drove to the Sheltering Arms.
She stopped in the lobby, where Christmas music played softly in the background—the toe-tapping tune of “Jingle Bell Rock.” She took a moment to appreciate the holiday decor and the faint scent of pine.
Then she continued on her way to the elevator, humming along with the spunky beat and thinking that December was, indeed, a “swell time.”
When the doors opened, she rode up to the third floor, where Merrilee Turner was manning the nurse’s desk again. She smiled when she spotted Chloe. “You’re back. It’s good to see you.”
“Thanks. I stopped by to visit Sam and Ethel.”
“Sam is in his room, watching TV. But Ethel is probably sleeping. At least, she was the last time I stopped by her room. She’s picked up a cold and has a nasty cough.”
“That’s too bad. Does Sarah know?”
“I mentioned it to her, and she said she’d put a call in to the doctor.”
“That’s good.” Chloe just hoped Sarah hadn’t forgotten. The woman was often scattered and forgetful—not a good trait for the third-floor nurse to have. But she had other habits and traits that Chloe found even more troublesome.
When Chloe had worked at the Stagecoach Inn, she’d often seen Sarah partying with her friends and throwing back quite a few beers, keeping late hours on nights when she was supposed to be at work early the next day.
It wasn’t like she would call in sick, but she’d often come in late and hungover.
And she had a tendency to snap at the aides, as well as the patients.
But since Merrilee was the one who’d picked up on Ethel’s illness, at least it had been noted. So Chloe wouldn’t stress too much about it.
“If Ethel is resting,” Chloe said, “I’ll let her have a few more minutes to sleep.”
“Good idea.”
Chloe’s first stop was Sam Darnell’s room, where the retired cowboy lay in bed, his head propped up with pillows, his lunch still on the portable bedside table.
“Hey,” she said, peering at the food he’d yet to touch. “What are you doing? Having a late meal?”
“Nope. I’m done. They just haven’t come in to haul the dishes away.”
“But you’ve hardly eaten a thing.”
“I wasn’t hungry. A fella doesn’t burn up too many calories when he’s laid up in bed.”
She glanced at an untouched slice of three-layer cake with gooey frosting. “I can’t believe you didn’t eat your dessert. You love chocolate. And you never sent sweets back to the kitchen when I worked here.”
“That’s because you used to force me to eat, and I didn’t have the heart or the energy to wrestle with you.”
Chloe laughed. “I did no such thing.”
They made small talk for a while, then Chloe told him about the offer she’d received for the hundred head of cattle.
Sam clucked his tongue. “Don’t take it. That price is way too low. The guy might as well come onto the ranch in the middle of the night and rustle the entire herd.”
“I had a feeling he was trying to take advantage of me.”
“A lot of folks will do just that if you don’t stand up for yourself.”
Sam had said as much to her before, so she gave him the same response. “You know that I don’t really like confrontations.”
“But sometimes you gotta stand up for what’s right.”
“I know. And I will.” After a beat, she added, “I don’t suppose you’d come out to the Rocking C with me and negotiate that deal.”
Sam brightened. “I’d be happy to. But do you think you can spring me from this place?”
Chloe crossed her arms. “I’m not sure. Do you think you can eat your lunch?”
“You drive a hard bargain, missy. How ’bout I just eat that cake?”
Chloe laughed. “Are you sure you don’t want to come out of retirement? The Rocking C could sure use your help. And I could, too.”
Sam let out a harrumph, but his tired eyes sparked and glistened in a way she hadn’t seen since his wife passed away.
“You don’t want me,” he said. “I’ll be eighty-two on my next birthday. You’d be better off with a younger man.”
“I already have one. But Tomas told me himself that he’s not foreman material, and while I like him a lot, I’d have to agree. Besides, I need someone who’s savvy about things like this, someone I can trust.”
He seemed to consider her suggestion. “I couldn’t give you a full day’s work anymore, but I wouldn’t mind coming out to the ranch and having a little look-see. And I’d actually like to talk to that cattle buyer. I’d let him know that he ain’t messing with a fool greenhorn.”
Chloe smiled. “I’d like that, Sam. Let me see what I can do about getting you out of here in the next day or so.”
“Call my nephew. He’ll give the okay. He’s also a fancy city lawyer who likes to throw his weight around.”
“I’ll do that.” Chloe watched Sam dig into the cake. And when he’d swallowed the last bite, he chugged down his milk.
Maybe all he needed was to feel useful again. She’d have to keep that in mind.
After saying goodbye and promising to come back, she headed down the hall to check on Ethel, only to find the frail, silver-haired lady dozing, the blankets pulled up to her chest.
Her arms were uncovered, her hands at her side. She wore a long sleeve flannel gown, but her wrists were in plain sight—and completely bare.
Apparently her allergy alert bracelet, which was supposed to be on order, hadn’t come in yet.
Not wanting to disturb her dear friend, especially if she was sick and needed her rest, Chloe remained in the doorway a minute longer. Then she turned away and left the room.
As she walked to the elevator, she spotted Sarah Poston at the nurse’s desk, standing over Merrilee and complaining about something.
“I take it that Ethel’s allergy alert bracelet hasn’t come in,” Chloe said.
Sarah crossed her arms and shifted her weight to one foot. “It should be here any day. Besides, like I told you, her allergy is noted in her chart.”
If Chloe still worked here, she’d peek at Ethel’s chart herself. But she’d been let go, terminated unfairly for speaking her mind about Sarah’s disregard for protocol and her attitude toward certain patients.
Too bad Ethel didn’t have a family to insist that she get the best quality care possible. For a couple of beats, Chloe considered her options at this point.
One came to the forefront. Sometimes you gotta stand up for what’s right.
Yes, but how far did she want to go in challenging Sarah? Did she want to take it up with the administrator—again?
She really didn’t have any solid evidence against the woman. Was she prepared for the fallout if her accusation didn’t prove true?
Chloe hated confrontations, especially those she didn’t think she could win. Besides, there was another confrontation awaiting her at home—one she was dreading, but one that had to be faced.
Because she and Joe needed to talk about the sexual turn their relationship had taken last night.