A Doctor For The Nanny

Ah, what was he thinking? Other than serving as the baby’s pediatrician, he didn’t want to get involved. He’d graduated high school with Ben and Grady Stillwater. They’d all been good friends, playing sports together, competing on the rodeo circuit. But Eva was a different matter entirely.

She was several years younger than he was. The twins’ tag-along cousin. In the past, Tyler had thought of her as nothing more than a baby sister. A nuisance he’d helped watch out for. After all, she’d been gangly and freckled and too silly for him to take seriously. Now for the first time, he saw her with different eyes. The years had matured her into a lovely woman he couldn’t ignore, no matter how much his heart still ached over his own recent loss.

Carrying the baby, Eva followed them outside and stood on the wide wraparound porch. Tyler had heard about her fiancé leaving her at the altar six months earlier. The whole town had been abuzz about it, but no one seemed to know why it’d happened. Eva apparently hadn’t said a word about it to anyone. They all assumed her fiancé had got cold feet. Or they’d had a fight. Or they’d realized they weren’t really in love. Lots of possible reasons, but Tyler wasn’t one to judge. After all, he’d been dumped himself, right before he’d moved to Little Horn a year earlier. His fiancée hadn’t wanted him to come here. She’d refused to understand that he had obligations and promises to keep. The local Lone Star Cowboy League had given him a hefty scholarship to go to medical school. In return he’d pledged to open a medical practice here for at least one year. It was a matter of honor for Tyler. Right or wrong, he’d given them his word and he couldn’t break it. Even if it meant losing the woman he’d planned to marry.

“Well, thanks for coming out,” Mamie said finally.

He inclined his head. “Anytime. I’m on call night or day.”

Mamie nodded and went back inside. Eva stood there holding the baby. Cody released a soft sigh of contentment, then made little sucking sounds with his rosebud lips.

Tyler met Eva’s eyes. A look of loss covered her face. A look of reluctant acceptance. As if she realized, whether she liked it or not, that Cody had chosen her. And she couldn’t turn her back on him no matter what.

“You gonna be okay?” Tyler asked her.

“Just dandy,” she said in a crisp tone.

Tyler almost smiled. He liked her spunk. She’d always been determined to do whatever he and her cousins did, sometimes with disastrous results. With no mother or siblings of her own, she’d clung to Ben and Grady like a little sister. And they’d let her. Because she was family. Because they loved her like their own.

Placing his hat on his head, Tyler stepped off the porch. “I’ll check back with you in a day or two to make sure Cody’s doing all right.”

She took a hesitant step toward him, as though she didn’t want him to leave. “Yes, please do.”

He caught a note of anxiety in her voice. She looked so sad and vulnerable, as though she wanted to be anywhere but here. But surely he imagined it. Most mature women loved holding a tiny baby. But not Eva. Not right now.

“Good night, then.” Tipping the brim of his hat, he crossed the yard and climbed into his truck, turned the key and put the vehicle into gear. As he pulled out of the gravel driveway, he knew one thing for sure. Eva did not want to be Cody’s nanny. And Tyler couldn’t help wondering why.

Chapter Two

Eva didn’t sleep much that night. Aunt Mamie helped her move her things into the bedroom adjoining the nursery, but she tossed and turned, fretting that she wouldn’t hear the baby if he woke up. But she did, her eyes popping open wide the moment he began to fuss. Snatching up her bathrobe, she skedaddled for his room.

Peering at him in the darkness, she took a deep breath and tried to settle her nerves. Okay. What should she do first? His diaper. He might be wet and need changing. She hadn’t done it before, but no big deal. With only a small lamp to see what she was doing, she retrieved a disposable diaper, then copied what she’d watched her aunt Mamie do on numerous occasions. Everything went fine until the plastic tabs got stuck on her fingers. She fought with them for a moment, finally getting the diaper sealed in the right place. Hmm. Not bad.

Until she picked up the baby and the diaper fell off. Eva groaned and tried again. Cody just cooed at her and waved his arms, as though cheering her on. Finally she got the thing attached so it would stay put.

Once Cody was re-dressed she carried him to the kitchen. They’d installed little green night-lights in the hallways so they didn’t have to turn on every light in the house and wake up everyone. Martha Rose said the baby would go back to sleep easier if he didn’t have lots of stimuli.

Padding barefoot across the cool tiled floor, Eva opened the refrigerator and squinted at the bright light. She snatched out a bottle and quickly shut the door. Thankfully, Martha Rose had made up several bottles before bed. All Eva had to do was warm up one. A simple task for anyone but her. What if she got it too hot or too cold? She’d never done this before and felt mighty uncertain. Concentrating, she tried to remember what Martha Rose had told her to do.

“A pan of hot water,” she said to Cody, moving about the dark room with ease.

Balancing the baby with one arm, she worked fast, setting the bottle in the pan of hot water and waiting several minutes while she rocked Cody and sang to him. Aunt Mamie had showed her how to test some drops of milk on her wrist to make sure the temperature was just right. But Eva’s hands shook as she picked up the bottle and offered it to little Cody. He latched on to it ferociously and she jerked in surprise. Then she chuckled.

“You sure are hungry, aren’t you, little man?” she said softly.

She walked back to his room and sat in the comfy gliding chair. He sucked greedily as she rocked him in the dim light. She hummed a lullaby, trying not to stare at his adorable chubby cheeks. But she couldn’t resist. He was the cutest, sweetest thing she’d ever seen.

Toward the end of the bottle he fell asleep and she placed him in his crib. As she stared down at his cherubic face, she couldn’t help feeling proud of her accomplishment. Nor could she fight off a feeling of absolute love as it pulsed over her in shocking waves. She’d do anything to protect this innocent baby. Anything to keep him safe. She’d promised herself never to love another man. If she didn’t love, she couldn’t be hurt. But she’d already broken that vow. And there was no sense in trying to fight it. Because she loved little Cody Stillwater like her own.

After walking back to her room, she curled beneath the warm covers, feeling happy and satisfied. Maybe if she couldn’t have kids of her own she could love other people’s children. Maybe she could do this job after all.

Early the next morning she wasn’t so sure. She was awakened by Cody’s cries. Within moments she’d pulled on her fluffy bathrobe and was standing beside his crib. Seeing her, he waved his little arms and smiled, effectively melting her heart.

“Good morning, sweetheart. Did you sleep well...?”

The question died on Eva’s lips. She stared. And swallowed hard. Reaching down, she flipped Cody’s downy blanket aside. He panted happily, completely oblivious that anything was wrong. But a horrified gasp erupted from Eva’s throat.

A rash, bright red and hot to the touch, covered the baby’s face. A quick inspection of his tiny body told her it went no further. Just his cheeks. What a relief. But she must have done something wrong. Something bad.

A gush of panic rose in her throat, bringing with it a deluge of memories. Costly mistakes she’d made recently that had taken hours of work and lots of money to repair. But Cody wasn’t a broken piece of equipment or a ruined batch of bread dough. He was a human being. A little innocent person who was depending on her to take care of him. Making an error with him could be catastrophic.

She held out her hands as if to offer reassurance. “Okay, sweetheart. Don’t worry. We can fix this. I’ll take you to the doctor. Give me just a minute to get dressed.”

She scrambled for the doorway, hurrying to pull on her clothes. She splashed water on her face, ran a toothbrush around in her mouth, then jerked a brush through her long, tangled hair.

Back in Cody’s room, she saw that he lay completely at ease, his sparkling brown eyes wide and curious. As though he had absolutely no idea that he had a problem. No doubt he’d get hungry before long. Eva raced to the kitchen and warmed up another bottle for him. Through the window she saw that the sun was barely peeking over the eastern hills. A bit early to go calling on the doctor, but she couldn’t wait. Cody was too important to her.

No one else in the house was up yet. Eva scrawled a hasty note for Aunt Mamie, then secured Cody in his car seat and scurried with him out the front door to her truck. Correction. Ben’s truck. The one he’d said she could use while she lived at Stillwater Ranch.

It took her five minutes to get the car seat buckled in tight. She couldn’t figure out the contraption and wished she had a user’s guide handy. Finally it clicked into place.

The truck engine roared as she started it. The tires spit gravel as she peeled out of the wide driveway. She tapped the brake, trying to control her speed. An accident wouldn’t help anyone.

She barely noticed the beautiful autumn morning. Russet-brown leaves were scattered across the dirt road. The sun painted the eastern horizon with streams of pink and gold haze and glimmered against the short field grass. Herds of Black Angus cattle grazed lazily on the stubby pasture lands. The crisp morning air smelled of hay and horses. Nothing seemed amiss in the world. Yet Eva’s hands were shaking like aspen leaves in the wind.

Think. What might have caused Cody’s rash? What if she’d done something wrong when she’d put him down for the night? What if she’d used too much lotion after his bath? Or fed him too much milk? It could be anything. She had no idea. Only that she had to get the baby over to Tyler. And fast.

It took fifteen minutes to drive to Tyler’s place. Thankfully the Grainger ranch was close by. Only now did Eva realize she should have called first, to ensure he wasn’t in town making early rounds at the hospital. She was happy to see his blue truck parked out front.

She glanced at the yellow frame house with white trim and an overhanging porch. A modest red barn stood off to the side. Rows of boxwoods edged one corner of the house. A pretty fall wreath hung on the front door, ornately decorated with grape twigs and leaves of burnt orange, red and yellow. Tidy flower beds trailed the serpentine walk path. Everything neat and in its place. Not surprising considering how fastidious Tyler was with everything he did. But Eva figured the wreath was his mother’s doing.

After hopping out of the truck, Eva hurried around to the passenger side, unclicked the seat belt from Cody’s car seat and lifted him out. She folded the blanket over his head, instinctively knowing the cool morning air was too much for his little lungs.

When she turned to go inside, she froze. Tyler stood beside the house. Their gazes met across the expanse of the yard. He was dressed in his work clothes and holding the handle of a bucket. As though he’d just been heading out to do his morning chores before working in his medical office.

She scurried over to him. “Oh, Tyler. I’m so glad you’re here.”

“Eva. What’s wrong?” He set down the bucket and reached out a hand to clasp her arm. His eyes creased with concern as he met her gaze.

“It’s the baby. Something’s wrong with him. I don’t know what I’ve done, but it’s bad. Please help him.”

Tyler indicated the house. “Come inside and I’ll take a look.”

Clutching the baby close against her chest, she hurried along as he led the way. Just hearing his calm, steady voice brought Eva a modicum of comfort. Knowing he was near made her think all would be well. He’d know what to do. He’d take care of Cody. Tyler could do anything. And after what she’d been through with her fiancé, she was surprised at how much she trusted this man she’d known all her life.

As he led her inside she thought how foolish she’d been to accept this new assignment as a nanny. She should have said no. Last night when Tyler had asked if she was okay, she should have told him the truth.

No. I can’t have children, and I don’t want to take care of an adorable baby because he’s a constant reminder of what I can never have.

Instead, she’d shut her mouth, the words stuck in the back of her throat. She didn’t want to confide anything to Tyler Grainger. Or any man, for that matter. The emotional cost was too high. Better to keep her deficiencies to herself. But now she had a real problem on her hands. Cody was sick. What if he had a fever? She had no idea even how to check for that. And she realized just how unprepared she was to be taking care of a young child. A combination of guilt and fear heated her face. She was in way over her head.

Tyler led her into the living area. It was a comfortable room with tall potted plants, two recliners, a sofa, throw pillows and pictures of his family. One photo in particular caught her eye. It showed Tyler and his sister, Jenny, on horseback. The picture was taken from the side. Tyler sat in front holding the reins. Jenny sat behind her older brother, her arms wrapped around his waist, her cheek pressed against his back, her face smiling with absolute adoration. Eva knew the entire family had been heartbroken when Jenny had died years earlier at the age of ten. A real tragedy.

“Come in here,” Tyler said.

Eva stepped into an examination room, complete with chairs and a wide, padded table.

Tyler washed his hands in a small sink. Then without asking permission, he scooped Cody from her arms and set him down on the table. His big, strong hands seemed infinitely gentle as he folded the blankets back to take a look. Cody latched on to one of Tyler’s large fingers and tried to pull it to his mouth. Tyler gently pulled free of Cody’s grasp. The baby sucked his own tiny fist, babbling and kicking his legs. He seemed completely oblivious that anything was wrong.

Eva’s heart pounded in her ears. Sweat broke out on her palms. Tyler reached for a stethoscope, then listened to the baby’s heart and lungs. Next he took Cody’s temperature.

“His temp is slightly elevated, but nothing that alarms me,” Tyler said without looking up.

Eva stood beside him, her gaze pinned on Cody as she gripped the edge of the table. “But what about the rash? What caused it?”

“We’ll see.” Tyler continued his examination. He lifted the baby’s arms, then checked his ears and mouth.

“Aha! Has Cody been drooling more than usual and chewing on things?” Tyler asked.

Eva shook her head. “I have no idea. I was just put in charge of him last night.”

She’d heard of babies drooling, but figured it was done all the time. And they chewed on everything, didn’t they?

“Well, I think I’ve found the problem,” Tyler said with a laugh.

Eva leaned closer, nearly beside herself with worry. “What is it?”

“Cody is teething.”

“What?”

He gently opened the baby’s mouth and pointed at his bottom gum line. “See there how the gum is red and inflamed?”

“Yes.” She stared with rapt attention, wondering how that could cause a rash on the baby’s cheeks.

“And see that little ridge of white?”

She stooped forward, catching Tyler’s scent. A mixture of spice and soap. Pleasant and masculine. “What is it?”

“A central incisor,” he said.

She stared at the erupting tooth as if it were something from outer space. “But isn’t he too young to be getting teeth already?”

Tyler shrugged. “Yes, he is. Normally, babies get their bottom central incisors at six months, but some babies start teething earlier. It appears that Cody is in that situation.”

There was so much she had yet to learn. So much she didn’t know. “Will it harm him?”

“Not at all. But once the tooth comes in, you’ll want to start brushing it with a soft bristled toothbrush on a regular basis.”

Oh, goodness. She’d had no idea.

Tyler stepped away, letting her dress Cody while he washed his hands again. She could barely snap up the baby’s sleeper, her hands were shaking so badly. She’d been scared out of her wits. Fearful that she’d done something to cause the rash. And once more she wondered if she was insane to agree to work as Cody’s nanny.

* * *

Tyler dried his hands on a paper towel. “I think Cody is just fine.”

“But what about the rash on his face? What’s causing that?” Eva asked.

“No one really knows what causes it. It could be that the baby is rubbing at his mouth an extra amount and spreading saliva across his cheeks. That would definitely cause a rash. But it’s harmless enough.”

He turned just as Eva looked up, her face pale and creased with relief.

“Well, that’s good, isn’t it?” She blinked, sending a large teardrop scurrying down her cheek. She turned away, wiping at her eyes.

Tyler’s heart gave a powerful squeeze. He stepped close and touched her arm. She glanced at him, looking embarrassed and worried at the same time.

“Eva, don’t cry. The baby’s fine.” He placed a finger beneath her chin and lifted gently, forcing her to meet his eyes. “Were you really that worried about Cody?”

Her lips trembled and she nodded. “I thought...I thought I’d done something wrong. I don’t know anything about babies. What if something bad happens and I don’t know what to do?”

Her voice cracked and so did his heart. She’d always been tenderhearted, even when they were little kids. She’d yell at the boys when they’d try to chase a cat. Or make them get down from a tree so they wouldn’t disturb a nest of sparrows. Her gentle kindness was one reason Tyler had always liked her so much. Maybe Eva couldn’t cook, but she was awfully sweet.

“No, Eva. You’ll be okay. You’ve done nothing wrong. Babies get rashes all the time. But you did the right thing by bringing him to me. I can rule out a lot of problems.” He withdrew his hand, still feeling the warmth of her skin against his fingertip.

“Like what kinds of problems?” she asked.

“Oh, roseola and scarlet fever. Those are more serious problems that can cause a rash, which I don’t believe Cody has. I think he’s just teething early.”

She bowed her head over the baby and wrapped him in his blanket. “How can I know if he’s got something seriously wrong?”

Tyler leaned his hip against the table and folded his arms. “Fever is a good warning sign. If Cody feels hotter than normal, if he’s extra fussy. Things like that are good indicators that something’s wrong.”

“Well, now that you mention it, he does spit up an awful lot. I worry that he’s not getting enough formula. I don’t know why they made me his nanny. I don’t know the first thing about taking care of him.”

He laughed, trying to ease her mind. Trying to soothe her nerves. “Yeah, babies are hard to read sometimes. But I guarantee this little guy is getting plenty to eat. He’s strong and healthy. You’re doing fine with him.”

Obviously he’d been right in thinking Eva didn’t want to take care of the baby. Now he realized it was probably due to her lack of knowledge about caring for a young child. So maybe he could help ease her mind. It was what he loved doing, after all. Helping children. But it was even more than that for him. It was his life mission to help save kids’ lives. The whole reason he’d become a pediatrician in the first place. Because he’d lost his baby sister when she was only ten years old.

“But why is he spitting up so much?” Eva asked.

He shrugged. “Babies spit up. It takes their little bodies time to adjust to the acid reflux. They burp and it comes up their esophagus. They aren’t good at controlling it yet. By about nine months, Cody will stop spitting up all the time.”

She released a deep exhalation. “Oh, good. I had no idea.” She pointed at Cody’s nose and chin. “But what about these tiny white bumps? Is that a different kind of rash?”

He barely had to glance at the baby’s face to know what she was talking about. “That’s called milia, and it’s normal, too. It’ll disappear within a few weeks. In the meantime, just wash Cody’s face with mild soap and water, and the rash should clear up soon.”

Another exhalation of relief rushed past Eva’s lips. She seemed much more relaxed now that she was no longer worried about the baby.

“Be aware that he may get diaper rash, too,” Tyler said.

Eva looked horrified. “I’ve heard about that. What can I do?”

Tyler quickly explained and discussed what she should do. He even gave her a tube of ointment with zinc oxide to use in case she needed it. And seeing her fearful eyes, he discussed bath time, immunizations and feeding schedules. Everything he could think of that might help ease her mind. And when they finished their in-depth discussion, she looked a little less worried.

“How’s Miss Mamie doing?” he finally asked.

Eva smiled. “Fine, I think. She loves this little guy.”

“She’s not getting too tired out, is she?”

A new baby could be exciting, but Mamie wasn’t a young woman anymore. And Tyler knew she also was worried about Ben being in a coma and Grady stationed in a war zone in Afghanistan. As a doctor, Tyler was concerned that the elderly lady might be overdoing things.

Eva flashed a half smile, which made her brown eyes gleam. Wow, she sure was pretty. A natural, earthy beauty that didn’t require the enhancement of makeup.

“I think she feels better now that I’m Cody’s nanny. She should have gotten a good night’s sleep at least,” Eva said.

“Good. I’m glad to hear that.”

“I understand you’re returning to Austin right after Thanksgiving,” she said.

He nodded. “Yeah, that’s right.”

“Are you going to be practicing medicine there?”

Another nod. “I’ve kept my condominium there and plan to practice with a co-op of other pediatricians. I’ll be a junior partner for a few years, but I hope to move up eventually.”

She shuddered. “I don’t know how you can stand to live in such a large city. I’d be lost there.”

Yeah, he could see how a sweet, gentle woman such as Eva would feel lost without the wide-open country around her. And he liked that about her, too.

“Living in the city has its perks,” he said.

“Like what?”

He shrugged. “There’s a lot to do there. I enjoy the action of city life. You can’t get any of that here in Little Horn.”

“True. But we’ve got the most beautiful sunsets you ever saw.” Her voice sounded impassioned.

He hadn’t thought about that. In fact, maybe he’d taken the beauty of the rolling hills and open fields for granted. But when he’d left for college he’d fallen in love with the arts, culture and the many conveniences city life provided. He was eager to return.

“I’ve also got my work,” he said. “My partners and I have been approved for a grant from the Food and Drug Administration. We’ll be doing research on children’s immunizations. I’m excited to be a part of that.”

“Well, we’ll miss you,” she said. “People need a pediatric doctor in this town, and we’ll be sad to see you go.”

“I won’t be gone forever. I’ll still be coming home now and then for holidays and such,” he said.

He smiled, but inside he felt a bit sad. He’d been practicing medicine in Little Horn for almost a year now. Once he left, the townsfolk would be forced to travel to a larger city for a pediatrician. But he couldn’t let that stop his plans.

“Won’t you miss your mom?” Eva asked.

“Yeah, but we’ll still see each other now and then.”

He hoped. He’d asked his mother to move to Austin with him, but she’d refused, saying this was her home and she’d never leave. He hoped his practice wouldn’t become so busy that he’d have difficulty getting time off work to come and visit her. But he had to go. It was his childhood dream to practice medicine in the city. It was all he’d thought about for the past year. Returning to his old life in Austin. Picking up his practice where he’d left off. And if he didn’t return, it could jeopardize the grant he and his partners had received from the FDA. But he doubted he’d ever find another woman to love. He couldn’t trust himself to that kind of heartache again.