Read Online A Prescription for Love by Callie Hutton - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Callie Hutton
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rested for a minute, I will escort you home.” Michael handed her the towel to wipe her sweat-drenched face.
Heidi shook her head. “No, I’m fine now. I can return to work.”
“No, Miss Lester, it would best if you rested a bit.” The doctor got to his feet and patted her on the shoulder.
“And as your employer, I’m afraid I must insist.” Michael turned to her parents and Mrs. Manfred. “Will one of you fetch her things from the table and bring them here? I prefer not to subject her to the embarrassment of being dragged through the restaurant. We’ll leave through the back door.”
Mrs. Lester moved to leave.
“Wait a minute, Mary.” Mr. Lester took her arm and eyed Michael. “I don’t understand, sir, why you feel it’s your place, or your responsibility for that matter, to assume the care of our daughter. Is there something going on between the two of you I am unaware of? She is a betrothed woman, you know.”
Michael sighed and rubbed his eyes with his index finger and thumb. “Mr. Lester, do you have a buggy handy?”
“No. Of course not. We came up on the train.”
“Exactly. I, on the other hand, have a buggy at the livery next to my store. I can have your daughter home, and settled with a cup of tea, in less than twenty minutes.”
“You still have not answered my question, young man.”
Michael studied him for a moment. “Nor will I.” Especially since he had no idea himself what went on between him and Mr. Lester’s daughter.
Mrs. Lester raised her eyebrows at her husband and left to gather her daughter’s belongings.
Within minutes, Michael had Heidi wrapped and bundled under a warm blanket in his buggy. As the buggy proceeded down the street to her house, she placed her face in her hands and cried, her shoulders shaking with deep, wrenching sobs that tore at him.
Like most men, Michael preferred to duck a pot or pan tossed at his head than to have to deal with tears. So he kept silent, but offered her a handkerchief from his pocket.
Heidi took it, and continued to cry. Her sobs had turned to soft hiccups when Michael stopped the buggy by the side of the road a few blocks before Mrs. Wilson’s house.
Michael regarded to her. “Are you all right?”
She lifted a blotchy red face with tear-clumped eyelashes, wiped her nose with his handkerchief, and took a shuddering breath. “No. Not at all. I’m humiliated and ready to return home to Oklahoma City. They’re right. I have no reason to continue my adventure as Clarence called it.”
“Prepared to quit already?” he asked softly as he ran his knuckles over her soft, damp cheek.
She faced him, fresh tears brimming in her eyes. “I caused a fiasco in the coffee shop. My parents and my fiancé’s mother trail me around town, causing trouble everywhere I go. One night this week I can expect Clarence to pop up and berate me also. There’s nowhere for me to hide from them.” Her eyes flashed. “I asked them to allow me a month, but they won’t.”
Michael nodded. “Good.”
“Good?” Her jaw dropped. “You think it’s good they’re refusing to honor our agreement?”
“No. I think it’s good you’re feeling anger instead of self-pity.”
Heidi drew back as if slapped. “Self-pity? Is that what you think of me?”
He smiled to lighten his words. “Aren’t you doing that very thing? Feeling sorry for yourself because they won’t leave you alone? Ready to quit and return home, be the dutiful daughter and fiancée? Is that the life you truly want for yourself?”
She stared at her lap. “No.”
“Then keep the anger, Heidi. Your family has no right to control you. You’re a woman grown.” He studied her as her features changed from sadness to fear and then anger again.
“You’re right. If I want to stay here a month and try a different life, I will do it.” She lifted her chin and glared at him.
The transformation amazed him, and he’d never seen a more beautiful woman in his life. Two red
Heidi shook her head. “No, I’m fine now. I can return to work.”
“No, Miss Lester, it would best if you rested a bit.” The doctor got to his feet and patted her on the shoulder.
“And as your employer, I’m afraid I must insist.” Michael turned to her parents and Mrs. Manfred. “Will one of you fetch her things from the table and bring them here? I prefer not to subject her to the embarrassment of being dragged through the restaurant. We’ll leave through the back door.”
Mrs. Lester moved to leave.
“Wait a minute, Mary.” Mr. Lester took her arm and eyed Michael. “I don’t understand, sir, why you feel it’s your place, or your responsibility for that matter, to assume the care of our daughter. Is there something going on between the two of you I am unaware of? She is a betrothed woman, you know.”
Michael sighed and rubbed his eyes with his index finger and thumb. “Mr. Lester, do you have a buggy handy?”
“No. Of course not. We came up on the train.”
“Exactly. I, on the other hand, have a buggy at the livery next to my store. I can have your daughter home, and settled with a cup of tea, in less than twenty minutes.”
“You still have not answered my question, young man.”
Michael studied him for a moment. “Nor will I.” Especially since he had no idea himself what went on between him and Mr. Lester’s daughter.
Mrs. Lester raised her eyebrows at her husband and left to gather her daughter’s belongings.
Within minutes, Michael had Heidi wrapped and bundled under a warm blanket in his buggy. As the buggy proceeded down the street to her house, she placed her face in her hands and cried, her shoulders shaking with deep, wrenching sobs that tore at him.
Like most men, Michael preferred to duck a pot or pan tossed at his head than to have to deal with tears. So he kept silent, but offered her a handkerchief from his pocket.
Heidi took it, and continued to cry. Her sobs had turned to soft hiccups when Michael stopped the buggy by the side of the road a few blocks before Mrs. Wilson’s house.
Michael regarded to her. “Are you all right?”
She lifted a blotchy red face with tear-clumped eyelashes, wiped her nose with his handkerchief, and took a shuddering breath. “No. Not at all. I’m humiliated and ready to return home to Oklahoma City. They’re right. I have no reason to continue my adventure as Clarence called it.”
“Prepared to quit already?” he asked softly as he ran his knuckles over her soft, damp cheek.
She faced him, fresh tears brimming in her eyes. “I caused a fiasco in the coffee shop. My parents and my fiancé’s mother trail me around town, causing trouble everywhere I go. One night this week I can expect Clarence to pop up and berate me also. There’s nowhere for me to hide from them.” Her eyes flashed. “I asked them to allow me a month, but they won’t.”
Michael nodded. “Good.”
“Good?” Her jaw dropped. “You think it’s good they’re refusing to honor our agreement?”
“No. I think it’s good you’re feeling anger instead of self-pity.”
Heidi drew back as if slapped. “Self-pity? Is that what you think of me?”
He smiled to lighten his words. “Aren’t you doing that very thing? Feeling sorry for yourself because they won’t leave you alone? Ready to quit and return home, be the dutiful daughter and fiancée? Is that the life you truly want for yourself?”
She stared at her lap. “No.”
“Then keep the anger, Heidi. Your family has no right to control you. You’re a woman grown.” He studied her as her features changed from sadness to fear and then anger again.
“You’re right. If I want to stay here a month and try a different life, I will do it.” She lifted her chin and glared at him.
The transformation amazed him, and he’d never seen a more beautiful woman in his life. Two red
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