Brother Cupid

Chapter 1

"All right," Nick said. "Let's see if you can make it across the living room without that cane. Put it down."

Jarrod felt like a toddler. Four sets of eyes watched with anticipation as he leaned his cane up against the wall and took his first independent steps in nearly two weeks. If they cheered when he made it across the room to them, he was going to belt somebody, probably Nick since he'd never hit a woman and Heath was on crutches. But he had to admit he felt as rickety as a toddler probably did. The steps came awkwardly, but they came.

"There we go!" Heath said. On crutches for at least a few more days due to a sprained ankle, he knew this routine was waiting for him, too.

Jarrod stopped in front of Nick, Heath, Cilla his housekeeper, and Hilda the nurse. "Good as new," he said.

"Maybe not quite, but I think you can do without the cane while you're in the house," Hilda said.

"I'll take it to work with me for another day or two," Jarrod said, turned and walked back to where he'd left the cane.

Jarrod hadn't yet started back to work, but he planned to go into the office tomorrow. The effects of the concussion were just about gone. Only a bit of unsteadiness remained, and Jarrod and Hilda were convinced that would be gone completely in less than a week. Heath, on the other hand, was still hobbling with crutches. The ankle sprain was a bad one. Leaving the crutches behind too soon would only make him need them longer.

Jarrod sat down in what had become his favorite chair in this rental house. It was not as good as the chair he'd lost, but it was at least comfortable. Jarrod mourned his old chair and everything else he'd lost when his house in San Francisco exploded due to a gas leak. It was going to be a long time before he could rebuild and move into the home he owned. For now, this rental was going to have to do.

"I'm going to get dinner started," Cilla said. "Can I get anyone a drink before I do?"

"I've got it," Nick said and began to pour the drinks he knew each person would want.

"You know, we should talk about something," Hilda said as Nick handed her a glass of wine. Her eyes were on him as she spoke. "Cilla's burns are healing. She doesn't need me to help her anymore. Jarrod is just about on his feet, and Heath doesn't have very much longer before he will be, too. I feel guilty taking your money and your hospitality."

Nick knew Hilda was going to bring this up any time now, and until now he wasn't sure what he was going to say. They had been together, the five of them, for nearly two weeks, and Nick had really enjoyed it. Not that he enjoyed seeing his brothers and Cilla struggle with their injuries. What he enjoyed was helping Hilda care for them. But, he knew what she knew, and more. "Yeah, Heath and I should be heading back to Stockton, too. He can hobble along all right, and we have a ranch to run."

"So," Hilda said slowly. "I think tomorrow I should go and leave you all to get on with your lives."

The way she said that made Jarrod and Heath look at each other. They knew darned well Nick had begun to fall for Hilda, and the thought of having that just cut off like that made them ask each other wordlessly how they could keep it from happening.

Nick went back to the refreshment table and fetched drinks for Jarrod and Heath, saying, "We'll miss you, Hilda. You've been a big help."

"But it's time you all moved on on your own," Hilda said. "A nurse can be a help at first but turn into a crutch. I'm just about to become the crutch."

Nick brought drinks to Jarrod and Heath, then returned wordlessly to the refreshment table for his own. Jarrod and Heath exchanged looks again.

Then, out of the blue, Jarrod said, "Hilda, have you ever considered moving out of San Francisco?"

Everyone looked up at him, surprised.

"To Stockton," Jarrod went on. "I know it would be a change and a bit of a risk, but we don't have any nurses at all in Stockton. We have two doctors now, but no nurses. The closest thing we have is a midwife. Stockton's a growing town. Even if the doctors don't want to hire a nurse, I think you could make a pretty good living the way you do here."

"It is a cheaper place to live," Heath offered.

Hilda's mouth was open. "I – I've always lived here. I don't know about just picking up and moving all the way to Stockton. I don't know how I'd fit in there."

Heath suddenly got up, grabbed his crutches and headed for the kitchen. "I think I'll see how Cilla is doing."

As Heath hobbled off, Jarrod got to his feet and began to head upstairs. "I could stand to clean up."

Both Nick and Hilda knew exactly what the other Barkley men were up to. As soon as they were left alone, Nick kind of smirked. Hilda smiled and looked away.

"Brother Jarrod gets some pretty good ideas sometimes," Nick said.

Hilda looked back up at him. "Do you think this is a good one, or is he just playing Cupid?"

Nick laughed self-consciously. He hadn't openly told anyone that he was falling for Hilda – not even Hilda – but everyone knew. Obviously, Hilda knew. "Maybe a little bit of both," he admitted. Then he knew he had to let the cat all the way out of the bag. "I really like you, Hilda. I don't like the idea of you walking out that door tomorrow and out of our lives – out of my life."

Hilda got up from the sofa and came toward him. "I suppose, if it doesn't work out, I can always come back here."

Nick felt her close, personally close, for the first time. Somewhere, he got the courage to just kiss her, softly, touching her cheek. Then he said, "We can help you get set up in Stockton. Find a place to live, introduce you to the doctors. They get a lot of work from us, as you can probably see."

Hilda laughed a little. "You and your brothers are accident prone, I take it."

"And we have a lot of men working for us who get banged up, too," Nick said. "Let me talk to Heath about when we should be leaving. Stay with us here until we do, and come to Stockton with us, at least to check it out." Then he said, "Please."

Hilda nodded. "All right. Let's give it a try."

Heath had been standing on his crutches in the kitchen, watching Cilla cook. He knew without listening that Nick and Hilda were talking about the future, even their future together if Nick had worked up the nerve, and he admitted to himself that he wanted to have that same conversation with Cilla. She was healing well from the incident at the café where she worked, when the irate customer threw coffee in her face and Jarrod was hurt trying to catch the man. But the burns were leaving red welts on her face. Everybody knew she would have them forever. That was why Jarrod hired her as his housekeeper, because she had lost her job as a waitress and would have trouble getting any other kind of job. Or any kind of man.

But Heath was falling as quickly for Cilla as Nick was falling for Hilda. He admired the way she was handling her misfortune. Burn scars on her face could have completely destroyed her, but even though she was upset about it and afraid about the future, she was not beaten down. She was putting one foot in front of the other. She was very happy with her job as Jarrod's housekeeper. She was coping.

But she would be coping in San Francisco. Jarrod had hired her to work here. Heath knew he would have to be going back to Stockton any day now, and Cilla would be staying here. He wasn't sure how she was going to cope once they all left her alone here. He wasn't sure how HE was going to cope once he left her alone here.

Cilla looked over at him there in the doorway. "Are you eavesdropping?" she asked.

Heath smiled his crooked smile and came closer to her. "Trying not to. Nick is really falling for Hilda."

"I know," Cilla said and continued to cut up vegetables for dinner.

"Hilda thinks she ought to be leaving us tomorrow," Heath said. "You and Jarrod and me, we're all really capable of taking care of ourselves now."

Cilla looked unhappy. "You can fake it a little longer, I guess."

Heath chuckled. "No, I can't. Jarrod suggested that Hilda come to Stockton and begin a practice there. We don't have any nurses in town, and if she came to Stockton, Nick could keep seeing her."

"Jarrod's playing Cupid."

"Yeah, he is." Heath hesitated for a moment, trying to find the words he wanted to say. Cilla looked up at him, hoping he would say something like he finally did say. "Would you consider coming to Stockton with us when we go back? I mean, I know Jarrod intends for you to work for him here, but I think it would be good for you to meet the rest of the family."

Cilla nodded. "It would be, but I suppose it depends on what Jarrod wants."

"I think I can talk him into all of us going to Stockton for a spell." Heath hesitated again, then said, "Cilla – I really like you."

Cilla shook her head. "Heath, I don't think a woman with a face full of scars is for you."

"Why not?" Heath asked.

Cilla's eyes grew wet. "Do you really want other people to stare at a girl you're courting?"

"I don't care what other people do," Heath said. "I knew the minute I met you that you were a unique woman, the kind of woman I'd be proud to have on my arm."

Now Cilla shook her head. "Proud? Looking like this?"

Heath said, "As soon as I met you, I saw a woman who was hurt, but not beaten. I could see you figuring out how you were gonna cope with your injuries and not cave in to them. I see that every day, and that's why I like you as much as I do."

He moved closer to her. Cilla couldn't help but smile a little bit now. "Thank you for that. But Heath, I'm going to be working here, not in Stockton."

"Working for my brother. We'll still have a connection. And Brother Jarrod doesn't mind if I come make myself at home here now and then. Please – at least come home with us for a little while. Jarrod will be all right with it, I know. Just – stay around me for a little while longer. Let's see what happens."

When Heath leaned closer for a kiss, Cilla laughed a little. "Kiss me and you'll get ointment on your face."

Heath kissed her, and when he leaned back again, he checked his face. "See? No ointment."

Cilla smiled and finally nodded. "All right. If Jarrod says it's all right, I'll come to Stockton with all of you, at least for a little while. Then we'll have to see what my boss wants."

"Fair enough," Heath said. And he kissed Cilla again.