Theo.” Lucas gripped his shoulder. “I’ve always thought you were a good guy. And little Amelia is a Colton. You should be raising her. Obviously, since Mimi came to you when she realized she was ill, that was her last wish for her baby girl. Amelia needs to be with her family. I work all the time, here at the clinic. I have nothing to offer her, while you...you have a rich heritage, a large family and plenty of support.”
Put that way, Theo knew Lucas was right. But how could Theo be a father? He had no idea how. His own father had been an abusive drunk, who’d only shown up when he needed something and stayed just long enough to break his young children’s hearts.
His father’s mother—Grandma Dottie—had raised all three of them, and Flint, Theo and Gemma worshipped the ground she walked on. Maybe she could help, Theo thought. Or at the very least, explain to him how a good father should act.
Still rattled, he nodded and turned to go. Lucas tightened his grip on Theo’s shoulder, stopping him.
“Theo, I swear I will find the medicine to treat this thing,” Lucas vowed. “Or a cure, if it comes to that. In the meantime, have Gemma check you out. I want you to bring Amelia by immediately if she starts showing any flu-like symptoms. Same with you or anyone in your house. We need to treat early, before symptoms become life-threatening.”
The other man’s choice of words worried Theo. “You talk like this is some new kind of disease.”
“It might be.” Lucas appeared to be choosing what he said carefully. “I’m doing everything I can to figure it out.”
“You’re a good man, Dr. Lucas Rand.” Theo moved away. “I’ll go have a word with Gemma now.”
“She’s in the back with the sick children.” Lucas frowned. “I don’t want you going back there. It’s not safe.”
“Then why is my sister there?” Theo asked sharply.
“She’s taking the proper precautions—she has on a mask and gloves. Let me page her and see if she has time to come out.”
Theo waited while Lucas did that. After a moment, Lucas’s cell phone rang. He answered, spoke a few words and hung up.
“She said she’ll call you later, once her shift is over.” A sudden weariness appeared to settle over the doctor. “Thanks for stopping by, Theo. You know the way out, right? I need to get back to work.”
Summarily dismissed, Theo took his leave. When he reached the front desk, he saw the waiting room had once again begun to fill up.
This time, he simply made his way to the door. He had a lot to think about, but most important, he needed to pick up formula and diapers.
Once that was done, he headed home.
On the drive there, he called his grandmother Dottie. If he remembered her schedule right, she should be home from church by now. Though she was seventy-five years old, she played canasta with several other widowed women once a week. She’d never remarried, but she kept busy. She ate lunch out with her church friends on Wednesday, and then went to Bible study that night. Church on Sunday, a reading group on another day—he couldn’t keep up with her schedule.
The phone rang six times before she picked up. “You’re there,” he said, relieved. “I thought I missed you and was about to disconnect the call. How are you, Gram?”
“Not too good,” she answered, surprising him. “I think I might be coming down with something.”
He felt a flash of alarm. “Promise me you’ll go to the clinic and get it checked out.”
“It’ll probably pass.” She didn’t sound too worried. “If not, I’ll have Gemma check me out. If she thinks I need to see a doctor, I will.”
Relieved, he asked her if she was sitting down.
She laughed, or attempted to. Instead she made a sound that turned into a hacking cough.
Instantly alarmed, Theo felt his stomach twist as he remembered what Gemma had told him earlier. He told Gram she needed to go to the clinic immediately and get checked out.
“Don’t be silly,” she replied, after she regained her voice. Even over the phone, Theo could tell she wasn’t well. “It’s just a cold,” she continued. “Nothing to stress about.”
“Gram, please. I’ve got enough on my plate. Don’t add having to worry about you to my list.” He knew making it be about him was the only way she’d consider doing something for herself. That was his gram Dottie. Always doing for others.
“What do you have on your plate?” she asked, instantly concerned. Of course. He chastised himself. She’d immediately pick up on that.
“A woman named Mimi Rand showed up on my doorstep yesterday morning with an infant. She claimed the baby girl is mine. And then she collapsed.” He swallowed hard, almost afraid to tell her the rest. “She was rushed to Dead River Clinic, but she passed away last night. She had a virus. That’s why I’m so worried about you. It starts out a lot like the flu. Fever, chills, body aches. A cough, sore throat, maybe even vomiting or diarrhea. Do you have any of those?”
“No.”
“I still want you to get checked out. I love you too much to lose you.”
“Fine.” She sounded grumpy, though touched, too. She knew Theo as well as he knew her. “I’ll try to go tomorrow. If I start feeling worse, I’ll call Gemma and ask her to stop by and check on me.”
“Perfect.”
“Now, Theo, tell me the truth. I know—knew—Mimi Rand. She was well dressed and well mannered and acted as if she was used to the finer things in life. Probably because she was Dr. Rand’s ex-wife. I can’t imagine...” She took a deep breath. “Dead?”
“Yes. And Gemma says no one knows what it is exactly that killed her.”
Silence while she digested this. Then she cleared her throat and spoke. “Theo, tell me the truth. Is this baby really yours?” She sounded deeply disappointed, which still had the power to crush him.
“I don’t know.” He told her the truth. “But after talking to Dr. Rand today, it’s appearing likely.”
“Well, then.” Disappointment gave way to her normal, brisk, take-charge attitude. “I’ll do whatever I can to help. I wouldn’t mind having a young’un to cuddle again. Once I get over this cold, I’ll come by and meet...what is her name?”
“Amelia. She’s really tiny.”
“Amelia. I like it.” She coughed again. “I can’t wait to meet her.”
He hung up, smiling although her cough still worried him. But she was a tough old lady and he figured she knew if she was seriously sick or not.
* * *
Ellie had always avoided cocky men who were full of themselves. A lot of cowboys were like that. But from what she’d seen of Theo Colton in the short time she’d been here at the ranch, while he had swagger, and the same rough-and-tumble sex appeal, he wasn’t conceited or arrogant.
