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Table of Contents
Falling for Dr. Nelson
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
About the Author
Falling for Dr. Nelson
An Alpine Hospital Romance
Picture Perfect Book 1
Andrea Kate Pearson
Copyright © Andrea Kate Pearson 2022
License Notes
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return it and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
This is a work of fiction, and the views expressed herein are the sole responsibility of the author. Likewise, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are represented fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events or locales, is entirely coincidental.
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Chapter One
Jake Nelson minimized the MRI images that radiology had just sent over, then leaned back in his chair and rubbed his eyes. He’d read at least fifty MRIs that day. It was completely mind-numbing. The current patient had nothing wrong with her brain, as he’d suspected, but he’d wanted to rule everything out. She was a tired mom of five, and his heart had gone out to her. What Jake suspected she needed was something she might not get for a while—sleep. He stood and walked to the window so he could see the beautiful mountains of Alpine, Utah, where he worked in the neurology department of a hospital. He’d only been there for a week. It was his first “real” job after med school and rotations, and yes, he was grateful for it, but man, the sheer number of MRIs . . . They exceeded even the expectations his last rotation had given him.
Was this really what he was going to do for the rest of his life?
What he wantedwas to spend the majority of his time meeting with patients, especially those who suffered from concussions. He
himself had ended up in the ER after a particularly nasty run-in with a bull in his last career. After nearly losing his life, he’d had an awakening of sorts. He could continue bull riding, or he could retire after a two-year winning streak and do something positive for other people.
He’d chosen to end on a high note and find a way to help others. His time in college and med school led him to neurology, and he’d loved every minute of his rotations. But the main thing he’d done since starting at Alpine Hospital was read MRIs, and the dissatisfaction seeped through his entire being. He’d only met with an actual patient three times.
It wasn’t what he’d envisioned.
Jake’s phone rang, and he returned to his chair to answer it.
“Dr. Hanson?” a woman’s voice said, and he felt a smile spreading across his face. That had to be Dr. McKenzie, the woman who ran the radiology department. She’d called him by a different name every time she’d talked to him the past week.
“Yes, this is Dr. Nelson,” he said.
“Just sent that MRI you alerted me about. Did you get it?”
“I did, and I just finished looking at it.” He leaned forward in his chair and opened it up again, wondering if there was a way he could extend their conversation somehow. He’d never met Dr. McKenzie in person, but he’d seen her several times as he’d walked past her department, and she was an absolute beauty. The amazing and hilarious stories he’d heard about her just cemented his fascination.
“Good. In case you see anything, you really don’t. You’re imagining things or your degree is a sham and you need to go back to med school. Her brain’s clean.”
He grinned. “I know.”
That seemed to catch her off guard. “Oh.” She paused. “Well, okay then. Bye.” She ended the call.
Jake’s grin broadened, and he set his phone down. He really needed to find a way to meet her.
Someone knocked on his door, and he said, “Come in,” turning to see who it was.
Cindy, the small department’s only medical assistant, stood there. “I’ve been completely hammered today, but before I forget, Dr. McKenzie called five minutes ago to let us know she sent an MRI over. Did you see that?”
“I did, thanks.” Jake leaned back, putting his arms behind his neck. “How well do you know her?”
“Dr. McKenzie or the patient?”
“Dr. McKenzie.”
Cindy’s face softened. “She’s a sweetheart. You don’t stand a chance, though, if that’s what you’re thinking.”
Jake frowned. “Why not?”
“She’s a self-proclaimed bachelorette. And yes, she’s easily distracted, but she’s also brilliant and perceptive. You won’t be able to worm your way into her life—I’ve seen too many others try, and she figures them out quickly and sends them to the curb. That woman is determined to ignore members of the opposite sex. Even attractive ones like you.”
Jake nodded. Cindy wasn’t hitting on him—she was an older, happily married woman—but he knew where she stood on the topic of his attractiveness. One of the first things she’d said to him was that he was a “cute little thing.” He’d inwardly chuckled at that
description. He wasn’t necessarily little—he still had plenty of muscle from his bull-riding days—but he wasn’t the tallest man you’d ever meet. Most bull riders weren’t big.
Cindy’s expression was still kind. “Would you like me to find someone nice to set you up with?”
He shook his head. “No, thanks. I need to get settled in the department here first. Dating someone right now probably isn’t a great idea.”
“I don’t blame you for noticing her. Maybe when you meet her, you won’t be as impressed, though.”
“Why do you say that?”
Cindy shrugged. “I already said she’s brilliant, right? And that she’s distractible, right? Well, she came to work in her pajamas a couple of weeks ago. And once, she came wearing a bandana because she’d forgotten to shower for so long. She does odd things like that on a regular basis.” Cindy shook her head slowly, an expression on her face that told Jake she thought McKenzie’s life was a real tragedy. “Sad, really—she’s so beautiful. But any man who marries her will have a lot on his hands.”
Jake’s heart warmed even more where McKenzie was concerned. She seriously fascinated him. She sounded so wonderful.
“Well, anyway,” Cindy said, “Dr. Swanson wants to see you in his office in five minutes.” She glanced at her watch. “Now, actually. I talked too much.”
“I was the one wanting information,” Jake said. “Thanks for answering my questions.”
“Any time, sweetie.”
Cindy disappeared down the hall, and Jake shut down the MRI program and signed out of his computer. He left his office and headed to Dr. Swanson’s.
Dr. Clifford Swanson was a gruff elderly man. He was incredibly intelligent, quick on his feet, and friendly when he worked with patients, but he was tired and cranky the rest of the time. Despite being a neurosurgeon, he filled the role of head of the neurology department. With such a tiny department, he played both parts most days. He’d brought Jake on to shift more of the neurology-related things off his plate so he could focus just on his neurosurgeon duties, then retire eventually.
Jake knocked on Dr. Swanson’s door, then entered when the older man invited him to do so.
Dr. Swanson invited Jake to take a seat, then steepled his fingers together and studied his new employee.
Jake’s palms began sweating. Was he about to get fired? The expression on the man’s face was a grave one. How would Jake get a position anywhere after only a week on the job? Could Dr. Swanson tell that Jake wasn’t fully satisfied with his position? Please, givememoretime—I’lldowhateverittakes.
Dr. Swanson finally started talking. “I don’t have enough for you to stay here full-time. Unfortunately, we’re going to need to drop you to part-time.”
That was it? Relief blossomed across Jake’s chest, making him feel lightheaded. “Are you sure? I’ve been very busy the whole time I’ve been here.”
Dr. Swanson nodded. “Yes, I know. I’ve made sure of it. I had you reading MRIs from the month before you started. I wanted to
see if you’d catch things the same way I did.”
Jake blinked. Dr. Swanson had been testing him? He was both surprised and not surprised by this revelation. Surprised because he’d come with glowing referrals and recommendations from his superiors at his residency. And not surprised because . . . well, the older man was pretty cantankerous and set in his ways. He wanted to make sure anyone who called himself a doctor of neurology was fit for the position.
“Well?” Jake said. “How’d I do?”
Dr. Swanson grunted. “Fine.”
Jake couldn’t help but grin. He knew the older man well enough by now to recognize a compliment when he heard it. But then he sobered up. Part-time, when he’d expected to be full-time and assuming most of the older man’s duties? That would suck.
“I wish you had let me know before I accepted the position that it would end up only being part-time.”
Dr. Swanson let out a long breath. “I know, and I regret it. Things on my end haven’t worked out as I’d planned.” He continued. “Timp has openings—you could try there.”
Jake hadn’t been in Utah long, but he knew Dr. Swanson was referring to a hospital in Orem. It wasn’t unusual for doctors to split their time between more than one hospital, but Jake had really hoped to avoid that. He’d hated that aspect of his rotations. It prevented him from feeling like he had a true home—like he had solid ground under his feet. But maybe he’d need to adjust. Maybe he was the odd man out.
He snorted inwardly. He’d always been the odd man out. A former bull rider turned doctor? Very uncommon.
“I thought you were going to retire soon,” Jake said. “Having me drop to part-time wouldn’t help prep the department.”
Dr. Swanson nodded. “That was the plan, and like I said, things on my end haven’t gone as I thought they would. I offered you a job before seeing my retirement counselor. She recommended I wait a few more years for tax reasons. From what I understand, they tax you less if you retire later than what I was planning. As a result, I need to stick things out a bit longer. Once we’re four to six months away from my retirement, though, I’ll probably have you start taking over.”
Probably?Where was the job security in that?
When Dr. Swanson indicated that was all, Jake thanked him and left the office, returning to his own to get back to reading MRIs. He couldn’t believe he hadn’t noticed he’d been going over old images. Jake signed into his computer and opened the MRI reading program, going through some of the files he’d done recently. Many of them were new, but several had dates of even up to a month earlier.
Jake scowled at the monitor, thoroughly discouraged. This busyworkwasn’t what he wanted to be doing with his life. And after learning he’d be part-time for several years, not even the thought of taking over the department brought him as much joy as it had earlier.
His attention drifted to McKenzie. If his hours were cut, would he even get to meet her?
Chapter Two
McKenzie Andrews removed her glasses and rubbed her eyes, groaning at how bad her eye strain had gotten lately. It was giving her headaches.
“This prescription is definitely wrong,” she whispered, staring at the glasses before cleaning them and putting them back on.
To be fair, her headaches had increased even when she wasn’t wearing glasses. Either way, the peripheral vision in her left eye was especially bad. She’d need to set up an appointment with her eye doctor soon, and that wasn’t something she looked forward to. The guy didn’t have new equipment and still had to dilate eyes with drops. She hoped he’d get the machine soon that showed him everything he needed to know without the drops, but at her last appointment, it still hadn’t happened.
McKenzie grabbed a water bottle and a couple of ibuprofen tablets, downing them quickly before replacing the cap on the bottle and setting it on her desk. She got to her feet and stepped to the
door. It was almost time for her to head home—just one more appointment.
McKenzie opened her door just as Leo, her nurse, raised his hand to knock.
“Oh, hey,” he said, stepping back in surprise. “I was just coming to tell you that your next appointment canceled.”
McKenzie frowned. “Are you sure? Last I heard, his infection needed an ultrasound asap.”
Leo smiled. “That was yesterday’s appointment. Today’s was just a knee X-ray. It’s not an emergency, and the woman had something come up, so she rescheduled for tomorrow.”
“Right. Okay.”
Leo’s gaze dropped to McKenzie’s shirt, and he opened his mouth. Before he could say anything, she raised her hand. “I know, I spilled my lunch. Instead of changing, I’m going home early.”
“You don’t have anything to change into anyway. You’re already wearing your extra outfit.”
McKenzie groaned. Drat. He was right. She’d dripped yogurt from breakfast on the earlier shirt and had needed to change into her last backup.
As a rule, she kept several changes of clothes in the office for days when she spilled both breakfast and lunch. Luckily, it wasn’t a ketchup or mustard stain this time. She sighed inwardly. It wasn’t like she was accident prone or anything, but some portion of her food almost always ended up on her clothes.
Leo patted her on the shoulder. “See you tomorrow.”
“Oh! Wait a second. How’s your new girlfriend?”
He shrugged. “Non-existent.”
“She’s not your girlfriend anymore?” McKenzie shook her head. “That’s got to be a record. How long did this relationship last? Five days?”
Leo snorted. “Six, thank you very much.”
McKenzie chuckled. “Dude, you’ve got to stop jumping from girl to girl.”
“I don’t jump—I’m very mature in how I approach dating. Besides, you’re one to talk, Miss I-Don’t-Date-Ever. When was the last time you said yes when someone asked you out?”
“Let me think. At leastseven years ago.”
Leo narrowed his eyes. “Thatone doesn’t count.”
“Does too.”
He waved her off. “If you need ideas, I think the new doctor in neurology is interested. He’s walked by every day since starting.”
“Dr. Frampton?”
“Nelson.”
“Right. And no, thank you. We both know that’s a bad idea.”
Before Leo could answer, Sheena, one of the medical assistants, approached him. “Leo, can you come look at the X-ray machine? It’s on the fritz again.”
A worried expression crossed his face. “Is it? Okay, coming.”
McKenzie chuckled. She was the only one who knew his little secret—that he’d invented the software behind this particular X-ray machine. When it went on the fritz, it was like his own child was doing drugs. It seriously stressed him out.
She sighed. Her eyes and headache were still bothering her. What she needed was something different—a carefree afternoon
riding horses instead of staring at a monitor and meeting with patients.
McKenzie yearned for an afternoon like that. She hadn’t been on a horse since high school, and for the past several months, she’d wanted nothing else. She longed to ride again. Longed to feel a part of the crowd she’d forever admired from the outside looking in. Her cousins were country people, but McKenzie had always been a city girl. Even while living in Montana, not far from her cousins, she’d rarely gone riding. The thought saddened her a great deal.
As she left her department, waving at her receptionists on the way out, she considered the different people she knew who owned horses. There weren’t many of them. A neighbor or two, one of the nurses from the OR, and of course, her cousins in Montana.
There was one other person, though, and something told her not to overlook him. In reality, he was the most obvious choice. That was Uncle Ryan, a man who owned a ranch in Cedar Valley. McKenzie had played with his kids whenever the family had gone back to Montana for a visit, and though she rarely saw or talked to him now—things were far too busy—she felt he’d be open to having her ride his horses.
McKenzie would talk to him first. Hopefully, he still owned horses. She sat in her car and typed out a text to her mom, asking for his number. She hit send, then headed home.
Once there, McKenzie hung her purse from a hook in the mudroom, then wandered into the kitchen, looking for a bite to eat. Her shoulders slumped as she surveyed the place. It was a complete wreck. How had it gotten that way? When was the last time she’d
done a thorough cleaning job, anyway? From the dirty dishes on the counter, it had to have been at least a week. Drat.
Before she started cleaning, she needed to change her clothes, though. And eat. Which to do first? Definitely change. She couldn’t risk more stains on her work clothes.
Stripping as she headed toward the master bedroom, McKenzie paused at the entrance to the laundry room when a sour smell assaulted her. Dang it! She’d forgotten the load she’d started the day before. She’d need to run it again before switching it to the dryer.
McKenzie added vinegar and detergent to the washing machine, hit start, then continued to the master bedroom to change into something more comfortable. This room was also a wreck, but that didn’t bother her as much as the kitchen. She hated having a dirty kitchen. Hated, hated, hated it. She also hated having to clean every single day.
Dishes should stay clean after the first time. If she was in charge of the universe, she would have made that into law. The fact that she had to repeat the task over and over and over again drove her nuts.
It didn’t take long to don some PJs, and soon, McKenzie was in the kitchen, rummaging through the fridge and pantry in search of food. Due to a recent trip to the store, she was able to cook up something scrumptious—potatoes and a hamburger gravy recipe her mom had given her.
Thinking of her mom made her smile. The woman was clean and meticulous, something she’d passed on to all of her children except McKenzie. McKenzie wasn’t technically a slob. Slobs didn’t care that they lived in filth. She cared very much. McKenzie’s issue was
forgetfulness. She’d gotten that from her dad, bless his heart. The man lost his keys and phone every single day. If McKenzie hadn’t gotten in the habit of putting her purse in the exact same spot, she would lose hers too.
When it came to cleaning, though, she either forgot or put it off as long as she could. At least no one else would be in her house like, ever.
Thankgoodness.
Instead of the warm feeling she expected over her bachelorettehood, a sense of melancholy flitted into her heart. Wait a second. Was she lonely?
Heck, no. Not even close. Especially not after her last attempt at a relationship.
McKenzie snorted. She hadn’t attempted anything—she’d been all the way in. It was her ex who’d only sort-of committed. She was better off alone because All Men Cheat.
There—now the warmth she’d expected earlier came.
McKenzie knew her mantra wasn’t exactly true. Her dad had never once cheated on her mom, and neither of her two brothers had ever cheated on their wives. But in her case, it was true. And it made her feel better to repeat the words to herself. AllMenCheat. It helped protect her heart.
She’d never fall for “love” again.
Chapter Three
After work, Jake headed toward home, his eyes on the road, but his heart far from it. Depression had settled over him the remainder of the day, and he knew he’d need to do something about it soon if he didn’t want to be down for the next month or two.
What could he do, though? He’d been so busy the last few years that he hadn’t had time to develop any hobbies.
Jake’s eyes landed on Tractor Supply, the store he passed every day both on the way to work and on the way home, and impulsively, he turned the car around and pulled into the parking lot.
Practically frozen in place, Jake stared at the store, hands on the wheel of his Honda. Not even the vehicle he drove hinted at his former career. Had pushing that part of him aside led to his nearconstant depression? He’d struggled so hard to resist all the stores he used to frequent in his cowboy days, but would it be so bad to enter?
As he considered his thoughts, realization dawned on him. Being a cowboy was not an addiction—it was a way of life. A way that had
made him incredibly happy for most of his childhood and on up into adulthood. Shunning his past or refusing to let himself indulge in anything cowboy hadn’t done anything for him. Well, apart from making him depressed.
His mom’s words from years earlier flooded into his mind. “Jake, I’m proud of you—proud that you recognize your brains and ability to learn and serve others. But I’m also proud of you for the man you’ve become. Don’t forget your roots. Don’t abandon them.”
And what had he gone on to do? Precisely that. Or as close to it as possible. In his push to help cowboys with concussions, he’d forsaken the cowboy in himself. And it obviously wasn’t going well, if his current mood said anything.
Jake took a deep breath and released it slowly. He was not an addict. Entering the store wouldn’t force him back on a bull. Besides, he didn’t even miss riding.
What he missed were the horses. The jeans. The dirty boots. He didn’t crave them like he craved air, but being away from them was damaging his spirit. And he recognized that now.
It was time to face his past, to embrace it, to meld it with his present and future.
Jake pushed the car door open, hopped out, and walked to the store entrance.
The doors slid closed behind him, and he paused in the entryway, his eyes scanning the store as he stood there. He shook his head at the tears that almost came. My goodness. Who knew such a simple thing as entering a store would incite such a reaction?
Knowing he’d start drawing attention to himself if he stood there in scrubs, staring at the building’s interior like he was seeing a
swimsuit model for the first time, he walked to the first display. He picked up a toy horse, turning it over and over in his hands, not really seeing it.
The clerk at the checkout stand next to him welcomed a man into her line warmly, and Jake absentmindedly listened to their conversation. He wasn’t trying to eavesdrop—he just couldn’t help but overhear.
“How ya doin’, Ryan?” the woman asked.
“Good,” Ryan responded. “Life’s pretty great. Wendy is happy, so I’m happy.”
“I love hearin’ that,” the woman said with a smile in her voice. “Did you ever find that help you was lookin’ for?”
Ryan sighed. “No. Too many people want full-time employment, which is understandable. Not many are interested in going part time. With me slowing down functions at the ranch, I don’t have eight hours of work a day for them to do, and I certainly can’t pay them for that much time.”
The clerk clucked in sympathy. “Things are tough right now—for a lot of people. Do you have any more of them fliers? I’ll keep talkin’ to customers as they come through my line.”
“Oh, sure. Thank you.”
Jake glanced over and saw Ryan pull a wad of papers from his back pocket and hand them to the clerk.
Jake’s heart stirred as he watched Ryan surreptitiously. He reminded Jake of his father. Years of hard labor under the sun had lined his face and given him a permanent tan. He was built like a cowboy, but softening around the middle, and the deep lines around his eyes showed he’d spent most of his life laughing and smiling.
Just like Jake’s dad.
Oh, how Jake missed home. How he missed his family and their own ranch.
Ryan left the store, and Jake started exploring, his eyes roving over dog food, chicken feed, knickknacks for the kitchen, and country-themed toys for kids. The whole time he was there, he pondered Ryan’s predicament and his own. He’d immediately sensed a resolution to both their problems—him only working part time at Alpine Hospital, and Ryan needing a part-time employee—but was that what he wanted? Did he feel good about immersing himself back into ranch life? What would that do to his drive at the hospital? To his goals and dreams for the future?
He wasn’t sure.
But maybe if working for Ryan messed up his doctor goals, they weren’t strong or important enough. That was a sobering thought.
When Jake got to the saddle section, he had to stop and concentrate on breathing lest he start to cry. He couldn’t believe how much this aisle flooded him with both happiness and sadness.
Maybe it was time to test his mettle. To see if the last years and the vast amount of money he’d invested into his doctor career had been worth it. To see if he really was dead-set on being a neurologist and helping others who’d suffered similar injuries to his.
Or to see if he’d wasted years and money on a huge burnout phase.
He didn’t need to work full time as a neurologist—he only wanted to. Money wasn’t an issue. He’d made a lot of money as a bull rider, and he’d been very careful with that money.
More than anything, he wanted to be happy. And obviously, he wasn’t happy working just as a neurologist.
Maybe providence was on his side when Dr. Swanson informed him of the change in hours.
Wanting to buy something before asking for info on Ryan’s handout, Jake headed back to where he’d seen bird feeders and seed. He picked out a feeder that reminded him most of his mom, grabbed a big bag of seed, and walked to the cash register.
As the woman was ringing him up, he said, “I couldn’t help but overhear your conversation with Ryan. Do you have one of those fliers I could look over?”
The woman eyed him. He obviously didn’t look the part in his scrubs and without having spent a significant amount of time in the sun recently. She gave him a half shrug, reached over, and picked up a flier from the stack by her register.
“Don’t think he’ll hire you, but whatever. Worth a shot, right?”
Jake rolled his eyes inwardly, but chose not to respond. Defending himself to Ryan was far more important than wasting words on this cashier. But she was right—he hadgotten a little soft over the years. Would this really be good for him?
There was only one way to find out.
Jake returned to his car, put the bird feeder and seed on the back seat, then scanned the flier. Ryan was looking for someone to handle the more grunt-like responsibilities of running a horse ranch. Muck out stalls, repair fences, walk horses, feed chickens, etc. It wasn’t ideal—what he really wanted was an opportunity to train again—but it would get him near the animals he loved so much again. He dialed the number on the flier.
Ryan answered almost immediately.
“Hi, Ryan? I’m calling about the flier you put in Tractor Supply. I’d like to apply for your part-time position.”
“Wonderful! When would you like to come by?”
“I’m available anytime tomorrow.” Jake would prefer to go that night, but it was dinnertime, and he knew most people didn’t interview then.
“Tomorrow is going to be a pretty full day. There isn’t a chance you’re available tonight, is there?”
Jake blinked. The guy had practically read his mind. “Tonight would be great, actually.”
They decided to meet in a couple of hours, and after Ryan made sure Jake knew how to find the ranch, they ended the call.
The happiness that hit Jake straight in the chest told him this was the right choice. He couldn’t wait to get out to the ranch.
Ryan hadn’t asked for a resume, but Jake knew he’d need to type something up anyway. “Doctor” was impressive in some circles, but it wouldn’t get him far on a ranch. Especially not when he wasn’t a doctor who dealt with trauma. He could handle trauma, if pressed —everyone had been required to take basic classes—but he wasn’t comfortable with it, and he knew Ryan wouldn’t be interested in that. Jake would need to play up his childhood and bull-riding years.
He headed to his house in Saratoga Springs. He knew exactly where he wanted to put the bird feeder. Right outside his bay window so he could watch the birds up close. He couldn’t wait.
Jake’s mom had tons of baths and feeders. Thinking of the many times they’d sat and bird watched caused melancholy to flood his system.
He shoved the hook that would hold the feeder into the grass outside his window, dumped seed into the feeder, then hung it up, stepping back to admire the setup. It was perfect.
Jake went back inside and turned on his computer, checked over his resume, then decided to erase all of it except his current position and the school he’d attended. None of the rest was applicable to ranching. Then he added a large section that outlined what he’d done before retiring from bull riding. He made sure to mention the many horses he’d trained and the rodeos he’d frequented, not wanting to leave anything out. He had experience, and he wanted Ryan to recognize it.
After printing off his resume, he headed to Shadow Valley Ranch. It was on county property just north of Cedar Fort, tucked into a beautiful little canyon. Most of the roads leading to the ranch after exiting the highway were dirt, and he chuckled as he gripped his steering wheel. Civics were not compatible with off-roading. Boy, did he wish he had a truck.
There was one thing to be said about his rusty old car, though— it didn’t matter that it was getting covered with dust. He grinned wryly to himself, grateful for that much.
To the left, the entrance to the ranch came into view, and he turned that way, passing under the metal ShadowValleyRanchsign. The moment his tires hit the property, a warm feeling flooded his system. This was where he was meant to be, and he knew it. He felt like he was home. It was glorious. Whether it was because of this particular ranch or because he was finally returning to his roots, he wasn’t sure—only time would tell. But he suspected it was a combination of the two.
Jake passed several outhouses, sheds, and barns, and pulled up in front of the ranch house. The door was already opening, and Ryan, the man he’d seen in Tractor Supply, stepped onto the porch, followed by an older woman wearing an apron.
Jake grabbed his resume, hopped out of his car, and strode up to the porch, hand extended. Ryan shook it warmly, then turned and introduced his wife, Wendy. She excused herself to finish cooking dinner—promising cookies and milk later—and Ryan showed Jake into a comfortable front room, where they took seats.
“I brought my resume,” Jake said, standing and handing it to Ryan.
Ryan’s eyebrows shot up. “Well. Can’t say that’s happened before.” A skeptical expression settled onto his face as he sat back to read. That expression deepened as he saw what Jake had been up to the last few years.
“You’re a doctor?”
“Yes. Neurology.”
“Hmmm. Why?”
Jake shrugged, feeling his cheeks redden. “I’m fascinated by the brain.”
“Don’t be embarrassed by your degree—it shows determination. It also shows you aren’t afraid to be smart—something many cowboys seem to feel the need to hide.”
Jake nodded, and Ryan continued reading. “So that’s why your name was so familiar. Wendy and I saw you compete several times. You were good.”
Jake relaxed into the couch behind him. He was so grateful for his background, especially right then. Yes, he’d taken years off, but