Page 101 of Shared By the Mountain Men

“On it,” Marlene called, leaving the hostess stand to take the plate.

I squinted at the next chit in the queue. A number four combo, scrambled eggs, but they wanted oat milk mixed in the eggs instead of regular.

Oat milk? These fucking people.

My phone vibrated in my pocket. The longer vibration that meant a phone call, not a text. I ignored it. Both of my hands were busy, and the only people who called me these days were telemarketers and my parole officer. And I’d just spoken to Mike yesterday, so it wasn’t him.

The phone stopped vibrating. Then it rang again.

Sighing, I wiped my hand on my apron and dug out my phone. It was Jack.

“Yeah?” I barked.

He spoke.

I listened.

My hand stopped moving on the flat-top. I lowered my spatula, careless of the grease dripping onto the floor.

No.

“Yeah,” I said. “I’ll be outside in five.”

I shoved the phone back in my pocket, then tossed my apron on the hook. The eggs were starting to burn on one side, but that didn’t matter.

Only one thing mattered in the world to me, and she was currently driving out of town.

47

Noah

“Okay, hold still,” I instructed while carefully holding the circular saw. “Almost done. Just the last little part… boom!”

The saw cut through the last bit of plaster, and the arm cast opened like a clam shell.

“Whew, that stinks!” I said, waving my hand in front of my nose dramatically. “Are you sure we put this on six weeks ago, and not sixmonths?”

“It was six weeks!” Josie said with a laugh. “I’ve been counting down every day.”

“She has,” her mother said. “Trust me.”

“I know you’re eager to get back to rock climbing,” I said while wiping down the skin. “I just need to check the scans and make sure everything looks good. But I’m sure the bone knitted without any problems. I’ll be back in five minutes.” I stood and sniffed the air. “I’ve never smelled a cast that pungent!”

“Stop it!” Josie said with a giggle.

“Thanks, doctor,” her mother said.

I smiled, and left the examination room. Today was a good day. For the last six weeks, every time I’d seen Josie around town, she’s asked if it was time to get her cast off. Nothing brightened my mood more than seeing my patients healthy and happy.

Theresa poked her head into the hallway. “Doctor? Jack called twice while you were in there. He says he’s been trying your cell phone.”

“He knows my phone is on silent when I’m working,” I said without slowing down. “I’ll call him back when I’m done with Josie and the patient in room three.”

“He said it was an emergency. He sounded…”

I stopped, and turned around. Theresa was frowning.

“He sounded flustered. Or… scared? Honestly, I’ve never heard him like this before. I think something’s wrong.”

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