Page 7 of Samuel

Christ. The most stunning woman he’d ever seen in his life showed up on his ranch that morning, and Sam thought it was a gift from the universe. Her curves had made his heart step into overdrive as he shook her hand for the first time, but it was the way she smiled that had his stomach doing fucking flips like he’d won the lottery.

Not even an hour later, everything came crashing down. He should have known.

Pregnant. She was pregnant. And there wasn’t a ring on her finger. There wasn’t a man making sure she was safe, making sure she didn’t die in that rust bucket she drove all the way down from Wisconsin. What the fuck kind of dirt bag knocked someone up and just let them go?

A more sinister thought soured in Sam’s belly. What if they hadn’t let her go? What if she was running away?

He needed to get a grip.

Her confession to Daisy wasn’t meant to be overheard by anyone else, but he had. And he’d reacted. Or over-reacted, if Daisy’s scowl was any indication. He couldn’t help it. Thatwas who he was. If someone needed something, Sam was there, ready to help. If there was something to worry over, Sam was there, ready to problem solve.

But this. This was the worst possible outcome for hiring a stranger to come work, and fucking live, on the ranch with him. How the hell was he going to mitigate every possible risk to her and her baby? The tightness in his chest returned as he fidgeted on the examination table, the paper crinkling loudly with each movement.

“Sam, are you listening?”

“Sorry, Doc. Got a lot on my mind.”

“Look, I’m glad you are listening to your body, and that you came in to get checked out. I want you to hear me when I say this next part, okay?”

“Yeah, I’m listening.”

“Good. Your heart is perfectly fine. Your tests have all come back well within the normal range. The ICD is functioning exactly how we would expect it to.”

Sam rubbed the spot in his chest where the implantable cardioverter defibrillator sat. No one would ever know it was there, except for a small scar that reminded him daily of the device stuck inside him.

“All that to say, I think it’s time that you processed through what happened to you with a professional.”

“You want me to see a shrink?” he grumbled.

“Atherapist, yes. You’ve come in twice now in the past month with symptoms of anxiety. Having your body betray you… dying and then coming back after heroic efforts… it’s not unexpected that you would have some lingering anxieties surrounding your health.”

“I’m not worried about my health. I just wish everyone else would stop worrying.”

“Sam, I’m going to get you a list of local providers. Lookinto it. You don’t want to let this grow into a bigger problem than it already is.”

“Yeah, okay. Thanks, Doc. I gotta get back to the ranch though.”

“I’ve already printed out the list while we were chatting. I’ll have my nurse bring it in here along with a few pamphlets on stress relief and ways to reduce your anxiety levels.”

Just what every cowboy wanted to hear. First his heart failed him, now his fucking mind was. He’d known the panic attacks were getting worse, but the way he’d felt after nearly firing his new office manager had him feeling like the grim reaper was breathing down his neck again.

Probably shouldn’t have driven yourself to the hospital then, asshole.

“Where’s Mom and Katy? I thought I’d be giving some piggy-back rides the second I got here.” Sam kicked off his work boots by the front door of his sister’s house.

Abby laughed, waving him in from the kitchen. “She’s out back making fairy crowns with Mom.”

“And John?”

“What time is it?” She looked at the clock. “Oh, he’ll be home any minute.”

Sam walked into the kitchen, taking a soda from the fridge. He leaned back against the counter, acutely aware of the way his sister was staring at him.

“So?” Abby waved a wooden spoon at him. “What’s she like?”

“What do you mean?”

“I want to hear all aboutEvelyn Williams.Daisy told me the two of you have already had a pretty contentiousargument, but she wouldn’t spill the beans about what it was over. I’m dying to hear about it.”

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