Rowdy would remind me that consideration is the bare minimum, but Kit was far more than simply considerate. From what I knew of his relationship with his ex, and now with their son, I realized he was astill waters run deepkind of man. I had so many questions about that kiss and our hallway interaction, but I didn’t dare ask them.
Thankfully, he quickly steered our conversation to the topic of planning and growing my business. Rather than trying to impress me with his acumen, he emphasized the simple, boring things he did on a consistent basis to keep his accounts running in the right direction. I was super grateful for the thoughtful questions he asked. We agreed to let me think through andwrite down everything I thought I’d need to make my business sustainable, then go over that list together.
Since I was a nurse practitioner with a specialty in orthopedics, job one was getting sponsored by an orthopedic doctor in the area. The ortho who ran the clinic I currently PRN’d for seemed to like me, so I was going to ask her first.
“You look nervous,” Kit observed as he returned with our food.
“I’m a little worried she’ll think I’m stupid for trying to do this.”
His brows met in the middle as we opened up the various containers of smoked meats and sides. “You can’t go in with that attitude, Sky. Never assume it’s not a good idea, especially when it fills a glaring need such as this one.” He speared a piece of brisket with his plastic fork, gesturing at me with it. “Approach her with confidence in your choice, and she’ll follow suit. Even if she doesn’t want to sponsor you, I bet you anything she will point you in the right direction.”
“You think?”
He chewed thoughtfully on his brisket before continuing. “Not if you go in there doubting yourself. If you aren’t convinced this is a great idea, then not only will she say no, she’ll hesitate to send you to her friends who could be interested in your idea.”
I grimaced, picking at the always delicious German-style potato salad. “The thing that’s fucking me up is, now that I’ve thought it through, I actually kinda want it to work out.”
“Well, that’s a pretty big change from when I first suggested it,” he said, clearly happy with himself.
Smiling, I threw a balled-up napkin at him. “Shut up. Obviously, I think it’s a good idea because I’m here talking to you.” The smug twist of his lips turned to something that looked more like pride, and I ducked my chin, happy we’dsomehow become friends who could tease each other. “Anyway, it’s technically your idea.”
He shook his head as he ripped off a length of paper towel to wipe his mouth. “No. I was drunk and talking out my ass with no clue what it’d involve.” He reached out and gripped my hand. “You’re the one who has to do all the follow through.”
I tried to ignore how much I loved his hands on me, but it was a lost cause.
This man has no idea what he’s doing to me.
I let out a long breath, refocusing on the conversation at hand as I glanced to the back parking lot, where my pretty Bronco stood out among the ranch trucks and family vehicles. I’d already taken a big step.
Maybe the rest of it wouldn’t be so bad.
“Are you kidding me?This has been an issue foryears,” Dr. Kleinfeld said, her eyes lighting up. “Ilovethe idea of you going out there. Not only do these stubborn-ass motherfuckers need it, I’m kind of digging the idea that they’ll happily accept help from a queer guy.”
Dr. K was bisexual, but married to a guy, so we had lots of conversations about what it meant to be queer, queer passing, and queer hidden.
“How worried should I be about getting shot for being gay?”
She sat back in her chair, tapping her nose. “I want to say you have nothing to worry about because I grew up in the Hill Country, and most of these folks are happy to live and let live folks.”
“You want to say it, but I hear abutcoming.”
She steepled her fingers, her expression thoughtful. “I hate to say it,butyou might do well to hold back on the full glam until you get a rotation of people you’re safe and comfortable with. Not because I think it’s wrong, I just . . . We’re talking about your safety here.”
I drummed my fingers on her desk, thinking through her words. “I have friends out there I can be myself around, so if I need to tone it down during business hours, it won’t be like I’m stifling myself twenty-four-seven.”
I liked what she had to say, though, about me representing queer folks out there. Especially for the kids, who might have never seen a gay guy on their property, ever. Maybe Rowdy had managed to be a good influence on me after all.
She reached for her phone, a smile returning to her face. “I have a few people to get you started with, but I don’t think it’ll take long for word-of-mouth. The ranchers won’t be happy when their wives start booking appointments for them, but they know more than anyone else how much pain those ornery bastards are in.”
Thinking about Kit’s stubborn ass, I responded, “I’m still a little worried about getting them to come in for imaging.”
“Why do you think I try to double book my clients with imaging and their office visit on the same day? If they only have to come downtown once, I have a better shot of moving them in the right direction. And, since you’ve got the qualifications, you can have the direct conversation with the radiologist and handle it for them from soup to nuts.”
“But I can still call you in if I need your help, right?” I asked, anxiety constricting my throat.
“Of course. We’ll meet once a month, and we’ll figure it out. Things are a little different from when I first started my business, but I’m absolutely certain I can help you with the details.”
“Thank you. Some of my friends are pretty sharp, business-wise, so I think between you and them, I’ll be able to do it.”
