Free brides for brothers 03 - cowboy groom by judy christenberry Page B

smiled. “No. It means that neither Doc nor I want to take any chances with Janie. Or any of our patients. We’re just playing it safe.”
    “I’m so glad you’re here.” Megan hugged her.
    “Me too, Anna,” Red added. “I don’t know what we’d do without you.”
    Anna patted Megan on the back before releasing her and turning to Red. “You’d cope, Red, like you do with everything. Now, since I’m not going out, I believe I’ll have a second cup of coffee.”
    “And finish your eggs. You’ll need your strength to deal with Pete when you tell him about Janie.” Red’s worried expression disappeared as he anticipated that scene.
    Anna groaned and sat down to pick up her fork. Red was right.
    J ANIE HAD FALLEN asleep at once, confirming Anna’s belief that her friend had gotten too concerned about Sylvia’s visit. Anna made several trips up the stairs to check on her patient.
    Megan and Toby were watching a video in the television room. Mildred, after checking to be sure the noise wouldn’t bother Janie, was vacuuming the downstairs while Red prepared lunch. No one seemed concerned about disturbing Sylvia.
    Knowing the men would be in for lunch soon, Anna made another trip upstairs to check on Janie about eleven-thirty. She wanted to be able to present the best picture for Pete when he came in. Nothing would keep him from rushing to Janie’s side, but the less alarmed he was, the better it would be for Janie.
    Before going to Janie’s room, Anna stopped off in her own room. She wanted to take her journal—in which she recorded the details of Janie’s condition— with her.
    The door that connected to the bathroom between her room and the one given to Sylvia was closed, but Anna heard movement on the other side.
    Good. Sylvia needed to get up before noon. Anna sighed. She was being spiteful. It was none of her business if Sylvia slept until dinner.
    How many times did she need to remind herself that Brett’s engagement had nothing to do with her? Often, she guessed, since her heart beat faster when he was in the room. It was a good thing she knew he wasn’t for her. But she didn’t want him to be miserable.
    The Randall men were wealthy and powerful, things she’d always feared. But she’d also discovered that wealth and power didn’t necessarily exclude niceness, despite her experiences in the past.
    In fact, it was Anna’s theory that it was the niceness that had already cost the Randalls. While she’d scoffed at Brett’s words about Chloe, Jake’s ex-wife, she thought the Randall men were easy targets for any kind of scheming woman. Chad and Pete had gotten lucky with their wives, but Brett, even more easygoing than his brothers, was a disaster waiting to happen.
    The urge to come to his rescue had to be squashed. He was a big boy and could take care of himself. Sure, he could.
    She reached the hall just as the door to the room next to her own room opened. Sylvia, exquisitely made-up, dressed in a silk shirtwaist and heels, a cloud of expensive perfume around her, nodded at Anna and walked toward the stairs. “Would you tidy up the room before this afternoon? I may want to take a nap later.”
    She strolled down the stairs without waiting for Anna’s response. Good thing. Because Anna, in spite of all her warnings to herself, was about ready to don a white hat, mount a white horse and ride to Brett’s rescue.

Chapter Seven
    Brett discovered a curious tug-of-war within him as he approached the house for the noon meal. He’d even offered to remain with the herd at lunchtime.
    Jake, however, had insisted he come back to the house to spend time with Sylvia. And that was the problem. He didn’t want to join Sylvia. He called himself all kinds of a jerk. After all, he’d agreed to marry her. He loved her. Didn’t he?
    “Ah, Brett?” Jake called to him as he was leaving the barn.
    “Yeah?”
    “I think I owe you an apology.”
    “What for?” Brett asked, frowning at his big