Jackie Draws A Straight: The Journey Series Book 5 Read Online Free Page A

and Jackie quickly took a step back. It wouldn't do to have the older woman see her standing too close to their employer.
    The door opened and Willa stuck her graying head into the office, looking around with bright, curious eyes. "Mrs. Greely is in a treatment room, Doctor. And your next appointment is in the waiting room."
    All professional demeanor and cool calm, Pete nodded. "Thank you, Willa."
    Willa didn't turn away, but stood staring from the doorway.
    "Ahem," the doctor said, sounding a trifle irritated as he turned toward Jackie. "Jackie, you need to go do the vitals."
    She nodded, curiously unhappy about walking away from him. "Yes, Doctor."
    "And, Miss Journey…"
    Jackie turned back. "Yes, sir?"
    "Don't be tardy again."
    She gave him the tiniest of smiles. "No, sir. I won't."
    He nodded toward the door and Jackie followed Willa out and started doing what she had planned to do at the office. She started nursing.
     
     
    * * *
     
    By noon, they were finished with the office visits and ready to have a quick lunch and start the house calls.
    They loaded some supplies into Pete's SUV and headed onto the highway toward their first call. Pete turned on the satellite radio and shot Jackie a grin. It was a very appealing grin, too. She sent one back his way, and watched him tap his palm against the steering wheel as he rocked out to something old and metallic.
    "So tell me about being Jackie Journey," he said, his eyes back on the road.
    "Um…there's not much to tell."
    "Oh come on. You must have some hobbies, some interests. This is going to be a long afternoon if we don't talk a little."
    "Yeah, that's true. Well , you know all the professional stuff."
    He nodded. "I'm more interested in the other stuff. Though, of course, if it makes you uncomfortable, we don't have to talk about it."
    Jackie wracked her brain trying to think of something interesting to say. She realized that aside from school and shopping, she didn't really do much that was worthy of conversation. "I'm pretty boring."
    "Okay," he said. "Well, tell me about your family."
    That was a fine idea. She had a big family, always something going on with them. " Hmm. I have three brothers and a sister. They're all older than me. Ace, Deuce, Queenie, and Trey, are their names."
    "Cards! That's wild."
    She nodded, catching herself when she realized he was looking at the road, not her. "Yeah, it's kinda neat. Our mother was a professional poker player. She named us."
    "She must be a fun woman."
    "She died when I was two."
    He gave her a somber look. "I'm sorry."
    "What about you?"
    Shrugging, he answered succinctly. "Lots of schoolwork and long hours studying, in my past. It's hard to get into medical school without really high grades. There aren't as many slots as there should be, so they're picky."
    "Do you have brothers and sisters?"
    "I have all younger siblings. Two brothers, Case and James, and a sister, Penny. My parents immigrated to the US from Poland a few years before I was born."
    "Poland! That's so cool. I've never been out of the US."
    He shot her a glance. "You're young. You'll travel."
    "Maybe. I hate being so young, sometimes." She tried not to pout, but she knew she wasn't particularly successful. "Everyone is older than me."
    "Nonsense. You have your whole—"
    "Life ahead of me. Yeah, I know. That's what they tell me all the time. But there are things I want to have now."
    "Oh? Like what?"
    There was a part of her that thought about Pete as a possible suitor, as inappropriate as that was, and that part didn't want to scare him away. On the other hand, if she told him about her goal to have a husband and kids soon , she 'd quickly find out if he qualified for her candidate list . A list of one, she reminded herself. The men in school had been too young and immature for that kind of commitment. A man Pete's age would be so much better. Maybe he had an available friend?
    That idea didn't appeal either. Pete's friends wouldn't be Pete.
    "Oh," she