Healing the Forest Ranger. Leigh Bale

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СКАЧАТЬ They needed him. Maybe even more than Dal had needed him after he’d lost his leg.

      “When you feel the resistance of the prosthetic toe, you tend to want to avoid it rather than learning to work with it. Believe in your prosthesis. Make it work for you. Trust it to be there,” Cade advised.

      “But it hurts.” Kristen cringed.

      “That’s a different matter. You need a better-fitting socket. I can give you some extra thick socks to wear over your stump, but I think this socket is too loose. You have a bony prominence that needs a flexible area around it so it won’t cause you pain.”

      “I knew something was wrong.” Lyn sighed.

      “We’re gonna take care of that for you,” Cade promised. “We’ll get you fitted for a new prosthesis. I also want to give you some new exercises I think will strengthen your balance, abdomen and thighs.”

      He continued working with the child, learning her range of motion, strength and coordination. “You’re quite limber and strong. I don’t want you to lose that, so exercise every day. You just need more confidence.”

      A bit of hope filled Kristen’s eyes. “Maybe when I get my new socket, I can play soccer with the other kids.”

      Lyn shook her head hard. “No, honey. You could get hurt doing that.”

      “Ahh,” the girl groaned. “Dad would want me to try.”

      “Well, Dad isn’t here.” An unyielding edge of sternness laced Lyn’s voice.

      Definitely overprotective.

      Cade stood silently, listening to this exchange. What had happened to Kristen’s father? Why wasn’t the guy here with his family?

      “Kristen’s father was killed in the accident when she lost her leg,” Lyn explained as if she could read his thoughts.

      From the sadness filling her eyes, Cade realized she’d divulged something very personal. Right now, she didn’t look like the proficient forest ranger he’d met last week in Secret Valley. Now she just looked like a worried mom. Vulnerable and exposed. And that made him feel strangely protective of her.

      No! He shook his head. The last thing he wanted was to feel sentimental toward this woman and her child. He was Kristen’s doctor, nothing more. He must remain neutral. With all his patients.

      Cade cleared his voice. “I’m sorry to hear that. But with a running prosthesis, I don’t see why Kristen couldn’t play soccer. Staying active will help her retain her range of motion.”

      He looked at Lyn, keeping his gaze insistent and unwavering.

      Lyn’s mouth tightened. “A running prosthesis won’t be necessary. I doubt I can afford it anyway.”

      “We can talk about the cost later, but don’t worry. We’ll find a way to make it happen.”

      Why did he say that? Getting Kristen a running prosthesis at little or no cost would mean that he had to call in some huge favors. But if it meant she could run and play with the other children, he didn’t mind going out of his way for this little girl.

      Lyn tilted her head and gave him a stern look as she enunciated her next words. “No. I don’t want Kristen hurt again.”

      Okay, he got it. In a way, Cade couldn’t blame Lyn. Her husband had been killed and her daughter had lost her leg in a bad accident. No doubt Lyn didn’t want to lose any more. He didn’t argue the point, but their situation troubled him. Kristen’s psychological needs were just as important as her physical needs. Being overprotective wasn’t good if Kristen was to ever develop enough self-confidence and autonomy to lead a fairly independent life.

      Cade would treat Kristen the best he could and keep his distance from them otherwise. He and Lyn would never be friends. Nothing more than acquaintances. And for some odd reason, that made Cade feel strangely sad inside.

      Chapter Three

      “I like Dr. Baldwin.” Kristen glanced at her mother as Lyn drove them home an hour later.

      The girl rolled her car window down halfway, and the afternoon breeze teased golden wisps of hair that framed her oval face. A tangy smell hung in the air, and Lyn hoped it might rain up in the mountains. The wildlife sure needed the moisture.

      “You do, huh?” Lyn kind of liked Cade, too, even if he didn’t like her. The way he’d put Kristen at ease had impressed Lyn. It’d been a long time since she’d seen Kristen actually try to do what her doctor suggested. It wasn’t that the girl was contrary, but rather, she seemed to have given up hope of ever walking normally again.

      Truth be told, Lyn had almost given up, too.

      “Yeah, he’s a lot different from Dr. Fletcher.”

      Lyn silently agreed, but kept up the small talk, delighted to see her daughter smile again. “How so?”

      “Dr. Fletcher is so...old.”

      Lyn laughed. “There’s nothing wrong with old age as long as you get there, hon. Dr. Fletcher was always nice and helpful.”

      “Yeah, but Dr. Baldwin is handsome, and he smells nice. He’s lots different,” Kristen repeated.

      Lyn laughed. Cade definitely smelled good. But he was unusual in other ways, too. His dark, gleaming eyes, his gentle frankness as he showed Kristen how to walk properly, his solid good looks. Lyn just hoped she could trust him to do what was best for her child.

      “We’ve been too busy and gone way too long without you seeing a doctor,” Lyn said. “Now that we’re settled in, I’ll get you to physical therapy every week.”

      “With Dr. Baldwin, that’ll be nice,” Kristen said.

      Hmm. Maybe Kristen had a small crush on the attractive doctor.

      As they ate dinner that evening, then prepared for bed, Kristen talked nonstop about Cade. Today had been a great start, and Lyn felt an inkling of optimism for the first time since Rob’s death. Perhaps Cade was just what Kristen needed.

      * * *

      The last thing Lyn expected the following morning was Cade showing up unannounced at her ranger’s office. Looking up from a pile of paperwork stacked on her desk, she found his tall silhouette outlined in the doorway and inhaled a sharp breath. He’d appeared silently out of nowhere, and she wondered how long he’d been watching her work.

      “Cade! You startled me.” She glanced behind him, speculating on where Cindy, her office manager, was and how he’d gotten past her without interception.

      He gave a lazy shrug. “Sorry. I had an idea and decided to stop by to see if you might be amenable.”

      He didn’t smile, but his gentle eyes betrayed his inner feelings. He wanted something. From her.

      “You got a minute?” he asked, his thumbs hanging casually through the belt loops of his blue jeans.

      She stood and indicated a chair across СКАЧАТЬ