be home very soon.”
Dusting off her hands, Binney hiked a shoulder. “Sorry, I can’t discuss a patient’s condition. I do know he had more evaluations scheduled for this morning. You could phone him later and get an update. Uh, it’s nice to meet you, Mr. Montoya, but I won’t keep you. You may or may not see me again, depending on whether or not I become part of Mr. McNabb’s recovery team. However, let me say this is a beautiful ranch.”
Pausing, Binney let her gaze roam over the scenic valley. She pictured what it might have been like growing up here, and felt a twinge of regret she always felt when forced to remember how she’d never had a real home or family.
Waving goodbye, she called, “It definitely wouldn’t be a hardship to take an assignment here.” She left the property with a greater appreciation for Rio’s ranch than when she’d first turned off the main highway onto the lonely road.
* * *
RIO FINISHED HIS lunch of cream of tomato soup and custard, wishing again for something more substantial. But he was being promised more for supper. The orthopedic doctor had come to see him after the MRI. He said he thought the cracked vertebrae would heal by themselves if Rio minded his p’s and q’s and didn’t do anything to reinjure his neck. In fact, Darnell wrote an order to move him out of ICU into a two-bed ward later that afternoon. He planned to recheck Rio at the end of the following week, and said if nothing changed he’d discharge him, providing he use something called a TENS Unit, designed to promote faster bone repair. Darnell also said he’d have a tech order up a better-fitting neck collar.
All in all Rio was feeling pretty good. Especially since he’d also asked about cutting back the pain medication, and Dr. Darnell said they’d try less potent pills instead of shots.
His cell phone rang. Picking it up off his tray where the nurse had set it, Rio saw the call was from JJ.
“Hi, buddy. How goes everything at the ranch?”
“Funny, I’m calling to ask how it goes at the hospital.”
“Some better.” Rio launched into telling his ranch hand all he’d learned.
“So, you think you’ll get to come home next weekend? Then you’ve settled on hiring yourself a home nurse?”
“I haven’t decided. Why?”
“Well, now,” JJ drawled, “Binney Taylor came out to take a gander at the ranch. She’s some looker, boss. Tag liked her so much if she’d been a burglar he’d have invited her in and showed her the silverware.”
“Binney drove out to the ranch?”
“Drove isn’t the right term. Not only is the lady damned pretty, but she rides a Harley like a pro.”
“She what?”
“You got hearing problems? The gal showed up here astraddle of a big old hog. She won over your dog, who usually bares his teeth at strangers. Oh, and before she left she said you have a nice ranch and it wouldn’t be a hardship to work here.”
Someone came into his room and removed his lunch tray, but Rio didn’t acknowledge her. His brain had stalled out picturing the tall slender nurse with soft, soft hands and gorgeous eyes, riding a motorcycle. He then imagined her legs clamped around one of his horses. That image quickly morphed into one where, whole again, he reclined in his king bed, and those same long, luscious legs straddled his hips with just the right amount of pressure.
“Rio, you still there?” JJ whistled into the phone.
Barely managing to say “Yeah” in gruff tones, Rio reined in derelict visions he chalked up to pain and forced inactivity. “Listen, I’m gonna have to call you back later, JJ.” He hit disconnect and willed away the all-too-enjoyable snapshot lodged in his head.
Dr. Layton stopped by Rio’s hospital room and told him he’d turned over his care to the orthopedist. “My job as your surgeon is finished. Your lung remains inflated. All else are bone injuries that are Dr. Darnell’s field of expertise. I hear he’s moving you from ICU. He’ll be the one you’ll be fighting with about going into rehab.”
Rio screwed his lips to one side then said, “Since I’d rather recover at home I’m going to hire Nurse Taylor. Do you have any idea how long I may need her help? Or is that something I should ask Dr. Darnell?”
“Just judging from your initial injuries, I’d say you’ll need a month to six weeks to get you moving under your own power. Darnell can pinpoint that better after he sees follow-up X-rays of your broken wrist and clavicle.”
Layton turned to the computer and pulled up Rio’s chart. “I see he ordered a TENS Unit to help heal the vertebrae. That requires removing the cervical collar to sit with the electronic device on your neck for a specified time each day. Getting the collar off and on properly will take assistance. Frankly, I still don’t get what you have against going to rehab. They’re staffed for maximum therapies.”
Rio puffed out a disgusted sigh. “I like being in control of my life. Isn’t that true of everyone?”
“Yes, unless you’re sick or injured. I notice you listed your parents as next of kin. Can they help you at home?”
“If they weren’t on their dream trip to Australia they would be my go-to people. Worrier that my mom is, I hope they don’t hear of my accident. They’d cut their trip short. You may think I’m unreasonable. As a rule I’m not.”
“I see a lot of you cowboy types. Don’t blame me for thinking you all have more guts than sense. I do wish you luck.” The doctor closed out the computer, shook hands with Rio and then left the room.
Rio barely had time to gather his thoughts when the team scheduled to move him to a ward arrived. Two burly guys dressed in green scrubs transferred him, mattress and all, onto a gurney, while an aide gathered his personal belongings. She’d headed out when Rio called to her. “Did you pick up a business card for a private duty nurse?”
“I left it in the drawer. I heard Gertrude Murphy and Janet Valenzuela talking. I thought they said you weren’t going to hire...uh, never mind. I’ll grab the card.” She turned back and slipped past the gurney.
Rio would have liked to know what he’d said to give the ICU nurses the impression he wasn’t going to hire Binney. If word got back to her, she might take another job. He thought he’d been clear to everyone about wanting to recuperate at home, but weigh his options. As soon as he got settled in a ward he’d phone her and ask about her fees.
He did just that as soon as the transfer team left.
Binney sounded surprised to hear from him. “I charge the going daily rate for in-home nursing care unless I do household chores. There’s a greater daily charge if I do cooking, laundry or other housework.” She named both amounts.
“Which one includes taking care of a pet? I know you went out to my ranch and met my dog. JJ said you and Tag hit it off. I’m sure he was mistreated before I found him. He’s not usually trusting of strangers, so you’re an exception.”
“I hate hearing
