“Bet there aren’t as many cow parsnip reactions in the city as there are here,” I quip.
“Cow parsnip? Is that like poison ivy?”
I shake my head. “It can cause burns that take weeks—sometimes months—to heal. You also shouldn’t expose it to sunlight for at least forty-eight hours after contact. I had to look that one up this morning.”
His eyes widen. “That’s athing?”
“I thought you were a doctor too, Sutton Cooper?”
“Haven’t had to do much general medicine since I’ve been here.”
I remember last Sunday when he shut down when I asked him about college. Although I’m curious, I let it slide.
“I guess it’s all about adaptin’ to the environment and the community you’re serving,” he continues. “That’s what I like about workin’ here. It’s a challenge but rewardin’ in its own way.”
I nod in agreement. “That’s one of the things I enjoy about medicine. The ability to adapt and connect with different people and their unique situations.”
“I like the fact I’m able to offer the town a service they haven’t had access to until now.”
“They didn’t offer counseling?”
“There was a general physician with psychiatric experience, but any patients with long-term needs were referred to the city,” he explains.
“Hmm.” I make a mental note to add the information to my notes. Since this has been my first week at the hospital, I’ve been focused on settling in and observing from a clinical perspective.
The plan is to take the next month to experience everything I can at the hospital before I start collating my thoughts and analyses into a document for Tabitha. I figure it’s better to start early than leave it until the end of my stay here.
“Got any plans for tonight?” he says, breaking the silence as we reach my car.
A laugh escapes me. “If you count me stopping by the diner for takeout, grabbing a bottle of wine from the grocery store, and getting acquainted with my couch for the night in front of whatever mindlessly trashy andthoroughlyentertaining TV show I can find, then yes.”
Sutton’s lips twitch. “It sounds like you’ve thought this through.”
“Yep. Between the infected big toe at three p.m. and the asthma attack at four.”
“That’s very... specific.”
“Unfortunately, it’s true,” I reply. “It’s been an exciting day in the Timber Falls ER today.”
“If you want a recommendation for the diner, order Mack’s lasagna and some of his Strawberry, Ginger, and Honey pie. You won’t regret it.”
My mouth waters just hearing about it. “OK,” I say with a small smile. “I might just do that.”
“Good. Well, don’t let me keep you. I guess I’ll see you around the ranch over the weekend.” He starts moving away and for some inexplicable reason, I feel a weird tugging in my chest at the thought of him leaving. Something similar happened the other day at the pizza lunch at the ranch.
“My plans are flexible enough to include eating inatthe diner,” I call out.
Sutton looks over his shoulder with a wry grin. “Does this newfound flexibility include me joinin’ you? We can call it a celebration dinner for survivin’ your first week in town. My treat.”
I feel a rush of excitement at his idea. That’ll be why my heart is beating just a little bit faster as I rub my chin and draw out my answer. Just as his expression starts to fall, I shoot him a grin. “Thought you’d never ask.”
Stepping into the Icebox diner, I’m immediately hit with the smell of good, stomach-sticking home-cooked food and the sound of friendly chatter filling the air. The atmosphere is relaxed and cozy, and it wraps around me like a warm blanket. That doesn’t mean I don’t feel the curious stares of the townsfolk as Sutton leads me to a booth along the long front window.
“Hope you don’t mind bein’ the new attraction in town. It happens to the best of us,” he quips, waiting for me to sit down before he slides into the seat opposite. “Don’t worry. You’re just the shiny new person. They’ll move on to their next victim–I mean, person–soon enough.”
I snicker as he grabs two menus off the table and hands one over to me, both of us going quiet as we scan the meal options, even though I already know what I’m going to order.
“So, whatdrinkdo you recommend with Mack’s famous lasagna?” I ask. “I figure I might as well go for the full Icebox experience while I’m here.”
