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nodded, but she could see the question still in his eyes.

      “There are plenty of opportunities for physician’s assistants these days,” he said. “You could go almost anywhere.”

      “I’m happy here.” Why did he assume that just because he couldn’t wait to leave Bedford Creek, other people felt that way? “Not everyone’s destined for the medical fast track.”

      He gave her a wary look. “Is that aimed at me, by any chance?”

      She wouldn’t get anywhere by antagonizing him. “No, of course not.” She picked up a chart. “Are you ready for the first patient?”

      His gaze probed for a moment, as if he tried to see into her thoughts.

      Finally he nodded. “Bring them on. I’m ready.”

      She put Minna Dawson’s chart in Brett’s stack and showed him to an exam room. Chronic indigestion—and Minna was anxious to get back to the shop. She’d agree to see Brett if that meant moving her appointment up.

      Doc fell further behind with every patient; everyone knew that. But everyone didn’t know how tired he was. They didn’t see the little lapses she’d been vigilant at catching and correcting.

      Tension knotted her stomach. Doc had to have help, and soon. If only Doc would be honest about how much he needed Brett.

      As she took histories for the other patients, did preliminary work-ups, and moved smoothly through the morning’s routine, her brief conversation with Brett played over in her mind.

      She’d have to be careful. Brett wouldn’t respond to her trying to make him feel guilty. She knew that instinctively. Just as he seemed to know too much about her instinctively.

      If he saw through her so easily, he’d figure out what she intended before she’d even started. She couldn’t let that happen.

      Somehow Rebecca had to see to it he realized this was where he belonged.

      Please, God. Please let this work.

      Repeating her prayer silently, she went to see how Brett was doing with Minna.

      “I don’t believe it, that’s all.” Minna sat on the edge of the table, clutching the paper gown around her with both hands, a mix of anger and fear on her face. “You’re just making a big mistake!”

      The woman’s words rang in Brett’s ears. You’re making a big mistake. Those had actually been the supervising physician’s words when he found Brett following his ethics instead of the hospital rules. Brett had known in that instant that he would have to sacrifice his fellowship for his principles.

      Now he was hearing those words again, and by the look on the woman’s face, she didn’t have much trust in her new doctor.

      His jaw clenched. Whether she trusted him or not, he had to make her listen.

      “Now, Minna, you don’t mean that.” Rebecca’s calm voice cut through the tension in the small room. Just her presence seemed to take the level down miraculously.

      “Dr. Brett is a fine doctor,” she went on, “but if you’d rather see Dr. Overton, we can arrange that. I’m afraid there will be a wait, though. He’s so booked up today. It might delay your getting back to the shop.”

      The woman’s death grip on her gown relaxed a little. “I can’t have that.” She scowled. “What a mess that girl will make of things if I’m not there, and there are plenty of visitors in town today.”

      Obviously Rebecca knew just what tack to take with the woman. Of course she knew the patients well. The Bedford Creek Clinic wasn’t like a city hospital emergency room, where you treated someone and never saw him again.

      “Now, Mrs. Dawson, I just want to run a simple test,” he said. “It’ll take no time at all.” He met Rebecca’s gaze over the woman’s head. “EKG, okay?”

      He saw the flicker of doubt in her eyes, and it nettled him. Who was the doctor here?

      “Right away,” she said, calmly professional whether she doubted his judgment or not.

      “Don’t see why I have to do that.” Mrs. Dawson’s lips pressed together. “It’s worse than usual, but it must be my indigestion, see? Doc always gives me a prescription, and that fixes me right up. I don’t need any test.”

      “This is like the one we did on your husband last year,” Rebecca soothed. “You remember. It’s just a precaution.”

      He seized on the word. “Just a precaution. It’ll only take a few minutes, and then you’ll be out of here. And if you want, we’ll have Dr. Overton take a look at the results, too.”

      She nodded slowly. “Guess if Doc looks at it, it’ll be all right.”

      He suspected he knew what Rebecca was thinking. That he was being presumptuous, that he was overriding Doc’s opinions. He nodded toward the hall, and Rebecca followed him out.

      “You’re thinking it’s her heart?” Her golden-brown eyes were troubled.

      He shrugged. “I don’t like the pain she’s having, or the rapid pulse.” He tried a smile. “Could be because I was holding her hand, but I don’t think so.”

      She didn’t argue, but he could sense the reservation was still there.

      “Well, we’ll know soon enough.”

      He stayed out of the way while Rebecca went to get the EKG machine then returned to the exam room. The last thing the patient needed was any white-coat anxiety at the sight of a new doctor. Especially a new doctor she didn’t particularly trust.

      He frowned. He was more concerned about Doc’s reaction. The first patient he saw, and she’d put him in the position of contradicting his old mentor. Doc had been treating her for indigestion, not angina.

      He shook his head. At least Doc would probably be more forgiving than Dr. Barrett had been when Brett disagreed with him.

      “The woman should have been sent to the county hospital.” Dr. Barrett’s tone had been icy. “They handle the indigent cases.”

      Brett could have protested that she needed care immediately, but Barrett would have disagreed. He could have said that for the first time in a long while he was doing what God called him to do, but that argument wouldn’t have impressed Barrett. As far as Barrett was concerned, he was God in his little medical world, and no hapless resident should try to challenge him.

      So Brett had put himself on the line, insisting the woman be admitted and going over Barrett’s head when he had to. Barrett had given in, but the pay-back had come soon enough. The surgical fellowship he’d been a shoo-in for had disappeared.

      “Here it is.” Rebecca came out into the hall with the strip, just as Doc appeared. Obviously she had alerted him, and Brett felt another spurt of annoyance.

      Doc reached for the strip. “Let’s have a look.”

      His tone was neutral, but Brett’s jaw tightened. He didn’t like being in opposition to Doc, even though he was sure he was doing the only thing possible.

      Doc frowned.

      Brett’s tension edged up. “How’s it look?”

      “The EKG is definitely out of normal range.” Doc pushed his glasses into place on his nose, his hand fumbling with them. “I should have suspected it was more than indigestion before this. If I’d done an EKG last month, it might have shown something then.” He handed Brett the strip. “Mind if I talk to her? It might come better from me. She’ll have to go to the hospital for more tests on her heart.”

      He shook his head. “Of course not. She’s your patient. She’ll want to hear it from you.”

      He should feel good. He’d been right. But he couldn’t erase the stricken look from Doc’s eyes.

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