No, she really didn’t have much of a social life, but she enjoyed the time with her patients as much as her friends like Elaina. It was one of the reasons she loved going out to the ranch. Besides, it seemed so serene. It was a nice change from her busy profession. Also, they were a true family who loved each other unconditionally. She just couldn’t get enough of that. Then there was Lance. Of course he was another reason.
She’d seen women come and go in his life, but he was very discreet. According to Tess, he never brought female company home. Rarely did he bring a woman to a local dance or other celebration. Again, when he did, he did not show any public display of affection no matter how they clung to him. Who could blame them though?
Lance’s eyes were a light honey brown, a Hartley brother trait. His hair really dark, almost black, and his thick dark lashes made those light eyes deeply seductive. He had the most perfect masculine mouth Tammy had ever laid eyes on. His nose was straight, autocratic, and he had a fantastic build from working the ranch when he wasn’t at his practice in town or the city. It was unreal how perfectly made he was. She’d seen plenty of men naked in her profession, but always remained professional and unaffected. She doubted that she could do the same if Lance came in to the hospital. Each of the brothers seemed to have it so easy on attaining that masculine physique when other men she knew visited the gym five days a week and still didn’t look like that. A visual popped in her mind of Lance with his shirt off and she shook her head to dispel it. She was a lovesick fool! She’d never seen him shirtless, but the fine silk of his expensive dress shirts did manage to settle very nicely on every contour of his upper body.
God, she needed a distraction.
She checked her watch as she drove on the dusty road toward the ranch. She promised Debbie, Elaina’s mother, that she would take her to town to run some errands today. It would take about an hour to get her ready, then she expected a half day in town depending how Debbie’s energy holds out. She liked to take her for lunch too. It was their time together and she enjoyed it. She’d do it for free if she could afford it because Debbie was more of a mother to her than her own. She pinched her lips together and decided not to let those thoughts enter her mind. Her mother had her reasons for being the way she was, and Elaina would do her best not judge her over it. She just didn’t need to be a part of it.
When she pulled into the long paved driveway of the ranch house, she could see Debbie sitting on the porch swing waiting for her.
She smiled and waved when she saw her.
Tammy shook her head and smiled back. It was her job to get her up in the morning, yet there she was waiting and she even had her cane. Debbie hated using it, but she did to prevent Tammy’s scolding.
She got out of the car and went up the few steps to the porch. “Let me guess. Elaina?”
“No.”
“Marie?” Marie was the Hartley’s housekeeper and cook. It couldn’t have been Elaina. She was so busy with Zane, her overactive baby, that she barely had time to eat herself. He’d just started walking in the last few weeks.
“No. Believe it or not, I did it myself.” Debbie lifted her chin in pride.
“Impressive.” Tammy lifted a single delicate brow.
“I thought so.”
Tammy chuckled and helped the older woman stand. She was glad to see Debbie more energetic. Multiple Sclerosis can go into remission and even show improvement. Debbie was one of those lucky ones. She’d been in remission for about three years now, and she’d been able to do more things in the past year than previously.
“I enjoy my time with you Tammy. This way I can spend more of it in town having some fun instead of in my room while you help me dress.”
“Either way I enjoy our time too.” Tammy responded genuinely.
Just then Colton came out holding his son who was jabbering a mile a minute in baby talk. He was about ten months old now, and as active as his father. He said a friendly hello to both of them. “Heading to town mum?”
Every time he gave Debbie that endearment she felt her eyes water. Ever since he married her only child, he’d called her mum, mother, or mom. He moved her into their house, with her daughter, paid all of their debts, and hired a nurse, Tammy, to help her out. He treated her as well as he treated everyone in the family and she never felt like a burden to any one of the Hartleys. She truly felt welcome, and if she had a son, she swears she couldn’t love him more than Colton.
“Are you two heading in for breakfast? We could meet up. I’d like to give Elaina a break. She’s just about to crack.” His sensual mouth curled up into a smirk. It was an expression that made him completely irresistible to the opposite sex. Zane squealed and laughed as if on cue, flailing his arms and legs.
Tammy smiled at him adoringly. “We’d love to meet up with you at the diner. We’ll stop at the post office first though. Debbie likes to go through her mail over breakfast.”
“Sure thing. Forty five minutes then?”
“It’s a date,” Debbie said as Tammy helped her down the steps toward the car.
Once she assisted her in the passenger side, and got in behind the wheel, Debbie spoke again.
“How old are you dear?”
“I’ll be twenty-seven this fall,” she answered without thinking too much about it. It didn’t bother her to talk about her age. She did wonder why she was bringing it up, though.
Debbie nodded toward Colt and his son while she backed the car up. “You need one of those.”
“A baby? Debbie, I would love one, but I have to have a man first unless you believe in Immaculate Conception.” She smiled. “Trust me though, I’m no saint so I don’t see that happening either.”
Debbie threw her head back and laughed. “You have a wicked sense of humor Tammy, but why don’t you just do yourself a favor and ask Lance out?”
Tammy rolled her eyes. “Yes, I’ll do that as soon as I see him again.”
