Page 19 of A Cowboy's Claim
Perhaps with enough time at High Water, Logan would find his confidence.
“You heading back to camp right away?”
The kid’s head dipped rapidly. “Oh, Jinx wanted a different halter. I should grab that.”
Declan gestured toward the tack room, easing back to give the young man room. “How is Jinx?”
“She’s awesome.” Logan stumbled for a moment, his face beet red when he met Declan’s gaze again. “I mean, she’s doing well. Not as good with the horses as Sasha, but she’s having fun. Ithinkshe’s having fun.”
God save him from the embarrassment of twenty-year-olds. “Good to hear. I’m gonna get back to my chores. Say hello to Jinx for me.”
“Will do.” Logan darted into the tack room as if eager to vanish from sight.
Strange kid. Still a mystery. But maybe that’s why High Water mattered—because people like Logan needed a place to figure things out. A place to recover from whatever it was that happened in his past.
Declan finished his chores and was halfway back to his rooms when he realized he hadn’t heard Logan leave. The kid had moved like a ghost, taking off without Declan being aware.
For some reason, the realization didn’t sit well.
5
Tuesday morning at eight a.m., Sydney let herself into the clinic, prepared for anything.
“Hello, boss. Looks as if this week won’t feature as much chaos and mayhem as usual,” Edison Whorlen teased.
Sydney paced past the clinic’s registered nurse, headed for the staff room. “Did everybody who had an appointment suddenly cancel?”
“No, but the new physician is here.”
It wasn’t that she’d forgotten about Lexie’s arrival. Sydney expected the woman to ride shotgun for a week before taking over, which didn’t make for less work.
“I did warn you she was on her way.” Sydney stepped into the staff room toward the earnest blue-eyed woman in her early forties. “And by warn, I mean, hallelujah and thank God.” She held out a hand. “Sydney Jeremiah. My grandfather spoke highly of you.”
The woman shook her hand firmly. Her dark brown hair was pulled back into a ponytail high on her head, and the glint in her eyes said she was comfortable, even in this new setting. “Lexie Jacobson. I’m glad to hear that. I’m excited to join the practice. The experience and the hours are much appreciated.”
“It’s small-town doctoring,” Edison warned. “We get everything from farm accidents to helicopter parents worried about the sniffles to actual emergencies.”
Lexie looked pleased. “Even better.” She waited until Sydney had hung up her coat and grabbed her clinic lab jacket. “Edison has shown me around. The clinic is small, but it looks as if you have everything we need.”
“For anything that requires more than nickel-and-dime surgery, we have access privileges at Diamond Valley Hospital just over an hour up the road. We’ll have to make sure your credentials are added to the slate so you won’t have to jump through any hoops when you’re in a hurry.” Sydney poured herself a cup of coffee then indicated for Lexie to take a seat at the table. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to ask a few questions. Just to make sure I know your history, anything you excel at, or any areas where you’re not comfortable. Edison, if you could listen in and take notes, please. Then you can be sure to brief Lexie before any patient visit in case I’m not here.”
“Of course.” Edison grabbed a notepad and settled to Sydney’s side. “Our receptionist, Jenny, arrives just after nine. She drops her kids at school before coming in, which is why we open at nine thirty.”
“We are looking for a second receptionist,” Sydney admitted, “but there aren’t a lot of available applicants.”
“I understand. I was working at Toronto General, but I did my internship in a small community in rural Ontario.”
Interesting. “My brother works at TGH.”
Lexie studied the contents of her coffee cup. “I’ve met him. He’s very talented.”
Edison snickered. “Please. You’re talking about the Jeremiah family. There isn’t one of them who isn’t talented to the nth degree.”
“Hush,” Sydney mock ordered. “You start bowing to me again like I’m a deity, and I’ll put you in quarantine the next time you have a date lined up with Kevin.”
“Meany,” Edison complained before glancing at Lexie. “Sydney delights in tormenting me regarding my blooming romance with a wonderful gentleman from one of the local ranches.”
“Blooming romances are a good thing.” Lexie smiled at him before turning her attention back to Sydney. “There seems to be a lot of romantically minded people in this town. My new landlady informed me there’s speed dating at the local pub tonight, and she said if I was interested, she could get me an introduction to the organizer.”
