Hannah hummed an old country tune as she finished her shift at Bozeman General. She had the next few nights off and was looking forward to spending that time with Jess and those sweet angels of hers.
“So what you got planned for the next three days, or do I even need to ask?” her partner, Jason “Tank” Hendrix, asked with a broad grin.
Hannah laughed as she closed her locker and gathered her bag. “Nah, you know exactly what I have planned, Tank. I am jonesing for some Walker kids loving. Lord, I could just squeeze the preciousness right out of those two!” Hannah giggled, thinking about little Nathaniel and Caileigh.
Those sweet little boogers were the light of her life, and she couldn’t wait to get her hands on them. “I also want to check on Jess and see how she’s doing. Morning sickness has been kicking her ass. Granny gave me a recipe for a tonic that should help with that, but it has to be brewed fresh.”
“One of these days, Hannah, I want to meet this legendary granny of yours. Think she would ever part with some of her miracle medicine tricks for an old medic like me?” Jason was far from old. He was only thirty-three and built like a tank. Hence, the nickname.
He was tall, dark, and all kinds of handsome. He retired from the army and had been Hannah’s partner for five years now.
“Oh, I think she’d give you half the reservation if you just bat those baby blues at her.”
Jason let loose a loud bark of laughter. “Well, damn, I definitely have to meet her now.”
The pair made a bit more small talk as they walked out of the ambulance bay together, waving goodbye when they reached their vehicles.
Hannah started her old Blazer and headed out for home. She was ready to relax and let the tension release from her body.
Just as she’d decided on a hot bath with lavender and chamomile, her phone rang. She didn’t recognize the number, but it was local. She often got calls from the local residents asking for a natural remedy for whatever ailment they suffered.
“Hello, Hannah Swiftfoot speaking,” she responded joyfully.
“Well, hello, Hannah Swiftfoot.” The voice on the other end was husky and sexy. “This is Cody Davenport. Jess said you were coming off your shift so I thought I would give you a call. Is this a bad time?”
“Nope, your timing is perfect.” She giggled. “What can I do for you, Cody?”
The man himself was a walking, talking woman’s wet dream with his dirty blond curls and blazing blue eyes. The fact that he had a hard, chiseled body with abs for days was only icing on the cake.
“I hope you don’t mind me calling, but I’d really like to talk to you about some alternative natural methods of healing that might help some of my more sensitive patients.”
Mhm, she’d love to help him with moving the trash if that meant she got to see his fine ass again. “I don’t mind at all, Cody. I’d be glad to do what I can.”
She looked at the time. It was only seven in the evening, but she was just coming off a thirty-six-hour shift. Oh, what the hell. You only lived once, and there was plenty of time for sleeping when she was dead. “Want to meet me at Dinah’s for some coffee?”
“I’d love to, Hannah. I’ll see you in twenty minutes?” God, the way he said her name was enough to make her lady parts sit up and take notice.
“Yep! Sounds good! See you then!” The call disconnected. She immediately called Jess.
“Did he call you?” Jess said before Hannah could get out a greeting.
“Oh yeah, he sure did.” Hannah giggled. “I’m meeting him at Dinah’s for coffee in about twenty minutes.” The girls squealed in excitement. “Whew! I’m going to have to turn on my AC he’s so hot!”
Jess laughed on the other end. Little Caileigh decided to join in. Her little baby ‘yay NaNa!’ set both women into a fit of girlish giggles, cooing at the round-cheeked cherub. Caileigh babbled on as the women encouraged her to speak. ‘Bye NaNa!’ she said, making Hannah squeal again.
“Bye, you sweet little chunky monkey! NaNa loves you!” She blew the baby a kiss and hung up. She strolled into Dinah’s, giving the owner a wave. She spotted Cody’s signature red cap and headed in his direction.
When he saw her, his blue eyes lit up. He stood up, and she couldn’t help her eyes traveling over him. The man was born to wear Wranglers. The jeans fit his thighs and ass perfectly.
“Hey there, Hannah,” he said with a big smile. He pulled her into a hug, planting a swift kiss on her cheek. She was sure her cheeks were now the color of tomatoes. Her inner fangirl was having a conniption.
“Hey, Cody,” she responded a bit breathlessly. She plopped into the booth seat across from him. “I hope you don’t mind, but I’m starving. I just came off a thirty-six-hour shift and my partner’s idea of a good meal is McDonald’s drive-through. I need real food before my arteries clog.”
Cody laughed. “Good, because I was going to say the same thing, only, I’m just hungry.”
Hannah giggled. They ordered their meal and chatted for a bit. Hannah really enjoyed spending time with the handsome army vet.
She also respected the hell out of him for the way he had helped her best friend. Thanks to Cody’s gentle coaching, Jess was getting better every day and had embraced her new life with gusto.
When their meals arrived, Hannah dug in. “Oh, this is so good,” she moaned. “A girl can only handle so many chicken nuggets. I gotta get Tank to eat better.”
Cody just watched her. He loved to see a woman with a healthy appetite, but watching Hannah devour her meal was like watching soft porn. He really wanted to be that fork as it slid in and out of her plump pink lips.
“Tank, your partner?” he asked.
She nodded and kept eating.
“How long you guys been together?”
“Five years. That’s five friggin years of chicken nuggets and greasy cheeseburgers.” Hannah rolled her eyes. “I mean, I still like their fries, especially when they are hot and salted, but not every day. He seriously needs to change up his eating repertoire. I’ve spent more time on the damn treadmill keeping those nuggets off my hips and thighs than I spend saving lives. It’s ridiculous.” She finished her last bite, leaning back with a satisfied grin.
“Well, I don’t think you need to worry too much about that,” Cody said. “I think your hips and thighs look fantastic.”
“Oh, you’re a smooth talker there, Mr. Davenport.” She laughed, secretly delighted he loved her hips and thighs. “So now that our bellies are full, let’s talk about what you’re looking for to help your patients.”
“I have a few that don’t respond to traditional manufactured medicines. One thing I want you to know is I’m not a pill pusher. They helped me when I needed them in the beginning, but it is not a long-term solution. I want a long-term solution, but the folks I’m talking about need something in addition to the talk sessions.”
His mind went back to the sage burning that night a few months back. “The night you sat in the kids’ bedroom with the sage… I can’t explain it, Hannah. Something let loose in me I didn’t realize I was still holding in. When you sat me down on the floor and smeared the soot on me…” He was at a loss for words.
She reached over and took his hand. “I get it, Cody. When my parents died, Granny did the same with me. She sat me down in a tent with the tribal elders and performed the same ceremony. After that, I was able to fully move on from my grief. I was free.”
Cody nodded his head.
“I still think about them, but it’s not with the same soul-sucking pain. I could feel that in you. I know you’ve been through hard trauma, and I don’t need the details. There was something still stuck inside you that was pulling at me to help you release it.”
“You’re incredible, Hannah,” he whispered.
She blushed furiously.
“What you did for me that night is indescribable. I’m forever in your debt.”
“You don’t owe me anything, Cody,” she said softly. “Just live in your newfound freedom. That’s all I ask.”
