AN: Surprise! I contemplated holding this chapter for April's Fools Day just to make people wonder but I didn't. Hope you enjoy the chapter!
Faith hummed the following morning as she rearranged the medicines and herbal remedies on the shelves in the infirmary that were neat enough to begin with. However, it gave her something to do as she waited for her first patient of the day to arrive. Willard Westhaven, a ranch hand on the Newsome ranch, was supposed to arrive at eight a.m. to have some stitches removed. Remembering the last ranch hand that skipped an appointment, Faith knew his appearance was not a guarantee. She had even planned a ride out to the Newsome ranch if Willard didn't show.
"Well, someone is in a good mood today."
Maggie's comment brought a stop to the humming as Faith stopped her unneeded rearranging and turned in the direction of the door. Having just arrived, the nurse had stopped just inside the entrance to the infirmary.
"Someone had a date last night I do believe," the nurse continued, her tone clearly conveying her curiosity.
"A cooking lesson," Faith corrected, though even she knew that was only semantics.
"You may have received a cooking lesson, but we both know it was a date," Maggie said. "Giving the humming, I would wager to say it was a good one at that."
"It was," Faith consented. "Being with Gabriel made cooking not really feel like the chore I've always thought it was," she added, the jars on the shelf behind her already completely forgotten.
"Do you even remember what you cooked?" Maggie asked, crossing the room to stand in front of Faith, eager for whatever information the blonde doctor wanted to share.
Faith chuckled. "Chicken Alfredo noodle casserole," she said, without missing a beat. "Gabriel claims the only one who has cooked it better is his mother, but I think his opinion might be colored a bit by emotion."
"Yes, love can make a man say things he normally wouldn't," Maggie agreed. She paused a moment. "It can make a man eat things he normally wouldn't too. When I was in Boston, the lady of the house where I was serving as a governess was a horrible cook. Though I didn't take meals with the family, she had me taste test something. I tried to make it more palatable with the advice I gave her but I don't think it could have helped. Her husband swore she was the best cook ever though."
"What about the children?"
"They claimed that the midday meal, which the governess was responsible preparing for them, was their favorite meal of the day. After taste testing their mother's cooking, I always made sure what I made them was filling and plentiful," Maggie replied.
"Well, as Gabriel was helping me the whole time, I am sure the food was edible though I have a feeling he could cook just as tasty meals over an open fire while out on the trail as I managed last night," Faith confessed. "Still, it gave me hope that perhaps I can become an adequate cook."
"Or maybe you just finally found someone that you wanted to learn for?" Maggie said. There was a knowing look.
Faith felt the heat rise in her cheeks. Though it had only been a short time since she had met Brookfield's Mountie, she had to admit her feelings for him were stronger than any she had felt before. She would not deny caring for Peter and later Carson, but it had never felt like this. Just the thought of Gabriel had her understanding what people meant when they claimed they were walking on air.
"Maybe," Faith admitted.
"So, you've told me about cooking supper but what about dessert? Did you cook that as well?" Maggie asked.
Faith glanced toward the doorway. Willard could show up at anytime and she wasn't quite ready to have her account of her date with Gabriel feeding the town gossip mill. As it was, she had no doubt the fact that the town doctor and town Mountie were seeing each other was probably a topic of conversation in more than just the infirmary.
Not seeing anyone on the boardwalk outside, Faith met Maggie's gaze and answered the question. "Gabriel insisted on taking me over to the hotel for dessert. We ended up splitting a large slice of the chocolate cake over coffee."
"Bet that made for a sweet goodnight kiss," Maggie commented. Her smile faded as she said, "he did kiss you didn't he?"
"He did," Faith admitted, remembering the feel of his lips on hers after they said goodnight at her door. As nice as the kiss on the cheek had been, she had been thrilled that he hadn't repeated that gesture. "It may have tasted like frosting. I'm not sure. What I am sure of though was that it didn't last nearly long enough."
"I know that feeling well," Maggie replied as the door opening brought both women's attention away from the date and to whoever was entering the infirmary. Seeing a familiar red serge walking through the door, the nurse put a sly smile on her face as she greeted the town's constable. "Well, good morning Constable. Did you prick your finger on a thorn?" she asked lightly, spotting the two roses that he carried.
"Not yet," Gabriel replied easily, not at all phased by the nurse's teasing. "Just wanted to stop by and give something to the two ladies who give so much to this town," he told her as he held a yellow rose out of her. "A yellow rose for a nurse who brightens everyone's day."
Maggie sighed as she took the bright flower. "How sweet. Thank you," she said, giving Gabriel one of her bright smiles. "Perhaps you should drop a hint to Joe about how a woman feels about flowers. I think he's a little rusty on this whole courting thing."
Gabriel chuckled. "I will see what I can do," he promised. "I'll also not let him know you called him rusty."
"I would appreciate that," Maggie told him. Saying something about finding something to put the flowers in, the nurse walked out of the main room leaving Faith and Gabriel alone. Having crossed to where Faith was standing, Gabriel held the red rose out to her. "And a red rose for the doctor who makes my heart beat faster."
Faith took the flower. Lifting it to her nose she inhaled the sweet fragrance. "Thank you," she said. "However, I do hope your partner doesn't get upset that I'm getting the gifts and he isn't."
Gabriel reached into a pocket on his serge and pulled out a carrot. "Oh, I didn't forget Apollo."
Faith laughed as the door opened. Looking past Gabriel, she saw Willard walked in. "Just have a seat, I'll be right with you," she told the ranch hand.
Willard simply nodded and shuffled toward one of the cots. Faith turned her attention back to Gabriel.
"I'll let you attend to your patient."
Faith nodded. She didn't want him to go but she knew they both had jobs to attend to. However, she had thought of a way to be sure to see him once again. "Before you go though, I have decided to purchase a horse of my own but I would like someone who knows a bit more about horses to help me make a choice. Would you be free to go with me to the McDermott farm this afternoon?"
Gabriel nodded. "Four o'clock?"
"Yes. I can make that work."
"I'll see you then." Despite the audience, Gabriel placed a quick kiss on her cheek before headed toward the door.
Faith didn't watch him leave but instead turned her attention to Willard. "Let's get those stiches out so you can get back to work."
Maggie showed up at that moment and took the rose she still held from her. Faith headed to the sink to wash her hands before attending to the routine procedure.
Shutting the jail cell door, Gabriel rubbed his chin, which still hurt from the punch he had taken out at the Stewart ranch. Hank had come out to get him at Tess' request. She had caught one of her ranch hands, Albert, drinking on the job and fired him on the spot. As he was one that stayed in the bunk house on the ranch, he had told him to gather his stuff and leave. He had refuse, claiming she had no right to fire him as no drinking was not in his contract. The man had gone to the bunk house and laid down on his bed, refusing to go. By the time Gabriel had arrived, Tess had started packing the man's stuff herself which had irritated the drunk man. When he had walked into the bunk house, Albert was getting ready to take a swing at Tess. Trying to prevent it, Gabriel had taken the punch himself.
"How long are you planning on holding me here? Getting fired isn't a crime," Albert protested, the words slurred.
Gabriel didn't bother looking back at the man. "Punching a Mountie is. We'll chat when you're sober."
Tess had said that as long as Albert agreed to leave the area, she wouldn't be pressing charges. With or without her, Gabriel knew he had a case to keep the man in bars for a short time at least. Like Tess, if Albert was willing to get on tomorrow's stage coach and head somewhere else, the Mountie was agreeable to just letting him go. Men do stupid things when drunk, and Gabriel wasn't keen on ruining a man's life over one minor infraction.
"I'm thinking perfectly straight," the man muttered even as he stumbled and ending up landing on the cot.
"Did you forget to duck?"
The all too familiar sound of his friend's voice caused Gabriel to look in the direction of the door. Joe was standing just inside.
"No. I was being gallant and keeping a woman from being hit, though to be fair, there have been times I wanted to punch Tess Stewart myself."
Joe took a couple more steps into the office. "Can a Mountie even admit to that?"
Gabriel shrugged. "Thinking about it isn't a crime. I'm sworn to uphold the law, not be a saint."
Joe chuckled. "Fair enough. I actually came by to see if you wanted to grab lunch with me at the hotel."
Gabriel looked to the paperwork still scattered across his desk from when Hank had come get him. It wasn't like it was going anywhere. He reached up to rub his aching jaw again. He could get Grace to make him up an ice pack while he was there.
"Lunch sounds good," Gabriel said.
The two men left the office and walked across the street to the hotel. As it was a bit after the normal lunch rush, the hotel dinning room had few people in it. Spotting them, Grace waved a hand toward the mostly empty tables. "Take your pick. I'll be right back."
With that, she headed back toward the kitchen before Gabriel could ask about getting some ice. Resigned that he would just need to wait until she came to get their orders, the Mountie followed Joe to a table not only away from the door but the windows as well. Gabriel had a feeling it was more than just lunch that his friend was interested in.
"Is there something you want to talk about Joe?" Gabriel asked the question as he settled in the chair across from the store owner.
"Am I that obvious?"
Gabriel shrugged. "Reading people is part of my job. So what's up?"
Joe looked past him as he answered. "After we get our meals."
Before Gabriel could give a verbal response, Grace was at his side. "This is for the jaw."
Gabriel reached up and took the towel-wrapped package from her. From the coolness that already seeped through cloth, the Mountie surmised that she had provided ice without him having to ask. "Thank you." The two words were no sooner out of his mouth than he was pressing the pack to his aching jaw.
"You're welcome." A small smile came to Grace's face as she asked the next question. "What's the other guy look like?"
"Drunk with at least bruised knuckles. Not sure if I left more bruises on him pinning him against the wall or not"
"Maybe Dr. Carter should check you both for fractured bones," Joe said.
"Right now, Albert isn't feeling a thing and I won't take a chance of him being belligerent to either Faith or Maggie. Once he sobers up some, if he wants medical attention I'll get it for him. As for me, the jaw aches but I don't think anything is broken."
"You know Faith is going to fuss over you the second she sees you no matter what your medical opinion is, right?"
Gabriel looked up at the waitress to see her still smiling after the proclamation. "Yes, I am aware of that. I am hoping that meeting might occur without an audience."
"Good luck with that," Grace said. "Once people start getting a look at it, you are going to be the talk of the town." She switched the subject with her next question. "Coffee?"She held up the coffee put she held.
Both Joe and Gabriel nodded. Grace filled the cups, and took their orders. The two men then chatted about things going on in the community until Grace delivered their meals. She took the towel with the half-melted ice away with her as well, promising to bring him some more when he finished the meal.
"So, Joe, what is on your mind?"The question was asked casually as Gabriel cut the pork chop he had ordered.
"Well, it has been awhile since I courted Lisette. We just naturally saw one another every day and when we did do something special, it was usually spending time together in her parents' parlor under their watchful eye. Maggie and I, well we both work. The store keeps me busy and up until the new doctor arrived, Maggie was busy as well but though we have dinner on Friday nights and attend the services together on Sunday, I wonder if I should be doing more. I see you stop in at the infirmary or Faith stroll over to the Mounted Police Office and realize that Maggie and I don't do that. Or perhaps Maggie is expecting me to do that and I'm just messing this all up."
"Well, Maggie did ask me to mention to you that all women like flowers from time to time." Gabriel was struggling to keep a smile off of his face or to start laughing. He knew this was serious for Joe. Though older than him, losing his wife had closed Joe off to a relationship with another woman until Maggie had started to chip at the barriers his guilt and grief had created.
"So I am botching this whole courting thing up." Joe leaned back in his chair, his body language conveying the frustration he felt.
"Maggie is still interested in you, so you are not botching anything," Gabriel assured him. "However, like you said, you saw Lisette daily. That helped you build a relationship. You need to find ways to interact with Maggie on a regular basis. It doesn't need to be a huge chunk of time and you don't need to always bring her something, but there are wild flowers starting to bloom. Pick a few, and stop by the infirmary to give them to her. Check in with her at the end of the day. Maybe you take an early morning stroll in the direction of her cabin and when you meet up, then you ask if you can walk her the rest of the way into town. Surprise her with a treat from Pearl's. I think if you start making an effort at the little interactions, then Maggie will reciprocate."
Joe stabbed a carrot with his fork and popped it in his mouth. As he wore a contemplative look, Gabriel left him with his thoughts for a bit while he ate some of his own meal.
"What if I start dropping in too often. I don't want to be that pesky little sibling that just won't go away."
Gabriel did laugh at that. "I think my sisters thought I was that pesky sibling on more than one occasion."
Joe shot his friend an exasperated look.
"But seriously, unless you are constantly interrupting her time with other friends, or dropping by her cabin at all hours of the night, Maggie will welcome seeing you, even if all you do is stop by the infirmary and wish her a good morning or stop by as she's leaving and ask her how her day was."
Joe nodded at his friend's words. He was silent for a few moments before speaking again. "You've always made small talk look easy."
"Everyone is different, Joe. Don't try to be me. Just be yourself." Gabriel told him. He waited a moment and when there was no response from his friend he added. "But maybe pick a flower or two tomorrow."
"I don't remember it being this hard with Lisette."
Gabriel laughed. "Probably because you were young and naive. Now you are putting way too much thought into this whole process. Maybe you close the store early one afternoon and invite her on a picnic. Spontaneity can be a good thing."
"And if I show up and she doesn't want to go on a picnic?"
"Then drop by the office with the food. I'd be happy to take it off your hands." Gabriel didn't miss a beat with the light-hearted joke.
"You're lucky that jaw of yours looks painful or I'd find something to throw at you." The words were muttered but held a bit of amusement in them.
"Guess it's good for something then."
The two friends went back to easier topics as they finished their meals. As Joe paid the bill, Grace handed Gabriel another towel wrapped piece of ice, which the Mountie happily applied to his jaw.