Redeeming the Rebel Doc

by Susan Carlisle

  “It won’t be all that bad. I promise.” A bell tinkled as she pushed the door open. “Come on in, be brave.”

  Rex didn’t miss the humor in her voice. “It’s not courage I lack but desire.”

  A woman with short, spiked green hair tipped in red looked away from the client she was working on and said to Tiffani, “Hey, girl, I’m almost done here. I’ll be right with you.”

  Rex gave Tiffani a speculative look. She shrugged in response. What had he gotten himself into? This place looked nothing like his barbershop. Instead of a group of balding men sitting in the back, talking and playing checkers, there was a rock station blaring on the sound system and an over-the-head hair dryer going.

  The only place to sit in the tiny place was a wicker settee with floral printed cushions.

  Tiffani settled on it. Unsure if the wicker was strong enough to hold them both or if he wanted to sit so close to her, he chose to stand.

  “She’ll be done in a sec, I’m sure,” Tiffani offered. “Estell’s the best in town.”

  Rex nodded, but really didn’t care. He just hoped one of his male colleagues didn’t see him leave the place. The jokes would never end. Had Tiffani been polite enough to ask, he’d have preferred to have gone to his regular guy. Rex’s urge to leave grew. Too much of his day off had already been wasted.

  Soon the customer was gushing over her new look and leaving.

  “I’m ready,” Estell called.

  He approached her with a tentative smile.

  “Well, hello, handsome. What can I do for you today?” Estell purred, low and throaty.

  Rex chuckled, liking the “out there” woman. It surprised him that Tiffani used her as her hairdresser. Estell seemed too eccentric to appeal. Tiffani acted so closed off and all business. Was there another side of her he’d not seen?

  While he pondered her, Tiffani said, “Estell, I was thinking cut it above the ears. A little longer on the top—”

  “I can handle this,” Rex stated in his “surgeon-in-OR” voice that tolerated no argument. “Why don’t you go get us some drinks? We’re good, aren’t we, Estell?”

  Grinning, she nodded. “Yeah, Tiffani, we’re good.”

  “I need him to look professional, clean cut.” Tiffani looked concerned, almost as if she was unsure they could be trusted to be left alone.

  “Will do,” Estell said, and returned to her cutting chair.

  Rex pulled from his pocket a few bills and handed them to Tiffani. “I’d like a soda. Get yourself one too. How about you, Estell?”

  She grinned. “Sure.”

  “Make that three,” he added.

  Tiffani stood immobile, looking rather bewildered.

  He winked. “Take your time. Estell and I might be busy a while.”

  Estell snickered. Tiffani’s eyes narrowed. She muttered as she left, “I don’t know about this.”

  Estell had just finished with his hair when Tiffani returned. With the turn of the chair he faced her as she crossed the threshold. She stopped short, gaping. Heat simmered through Rex. He knew well the pleasure of a woman’s admiration, but he’d never experienced one devouring him with her eyes. He shifted uncomfortably as hot blood-hardened parts made themselves known.

  “So, what do you think?” Estell asked from behind him.

  Tiffani blinked, appearing to struggle back to the here and now. “Uh, I wanted it...much shorter.”

  “I didn’t,” Rex announced, his gaze still locked with hers as he slipped out of the chair.

  A long second later she fluttered her eyelids. “Okay.”

  He took the plastic bag she held. Checking its contents, he pulled out a soda and tossed it to Estell, who caught it neatly. He handed Tiffani one before withdrawing and opening his.

  As if coming out of a daze, Tiffani straightened her back and glared at him. “You had me go buy these to get rid of me.”

  Shrugging his shoulders Rex set his drink down and pulled his wallet out. He paid Estell, giving her a generous tip along with a kiss on her cheek. With a wink, he said in a confidential tone Tiffani could hear, “You know what’s said at the beauty parlor stays at the beauty parlor.”

  Tiffani snorted behind him.

  Estell giggled and replied, grinning, “I had fun too. Nice to meet you, Rex.”

  “I’ll wait for you outside,” he told Tiffani as he stepped around her.

  * * *

  Tiffani wasn’t sure what had just happened. She rarely ogled men, especially not one who was her client. Or one she considered egotistically self-absorbed, not to mention argumentative. Yet she’d been literally unable to take her eyes off Rex when she’d reentered the beauty shop. He was gorgeous. All virile male at ease in a den of feminine décor. Confidence oozed from him. To make matters worse, like an idiot she hadn’t been able to put two words together.

  Estell had taken a few inches off his hair and tamed it around his face so that it complemented his rugged features. It looked healthy and free, just like he was. Tiffani had never been a big fan of men with long hair, but Rex was a definite exception. Her first instinct had been to touch it, to caress his scalp and let the strands flow through her fingers. A totally inappropriate impulse for a professional such as herself.

  The worst thing about those first agonizing moments had been his obvious relish of the effect he was having on her. Enjoying it. She mustn’t allow that to happen again. She had to remain in control of the situation, and herself, at all times around him. That was the plan.

  “Honey.” Estell shook her head as if thinking, Yum, yum, yum. “You’ve got a real man on your hands. I hope you can handle him.”

  “He’s not my man. We’re business associates.” Tiffani almost snapped, wincing at the edge of defiance she heard in her voice. She wasn’t interested in a relationship. And certainly not with someone like Rex Maxwell. Her breakup with Lou had guaranteed she’d think long and hard about allowing herself to become intimately involved with another man. Besides which she didn’t need one. Heartache was all the opposite sex offered.

  “Well, if it was me, I’d sure figure out a way to make him mine,” Estell said as she opened her drink.

  Rex was standing by a light pole when Tiffani joined him outside. Virtually every female walking by gave him a second look. Obviously, Tiffani’s reaction to the new Rex wasn’t unique. His image on the billboards would certainly captivate most women. An ambassador who was a handsome surgeon with sex appeal practically assured a positive rise in the hospital’s reputation. She was tickled. The campaign was fast becoming far more effective than she’d first hoped. The only thing that might ruin it was Rex inexplicably fighting her every step of the way.

  He shifted impatiently from one foot to another. “Is there a café or something around here?”

  “Yes, there’s one just around the corner.” She pointed up the sidewalk.

  “Would you like to join me?” Rex asked.

  “I guess so.” Tiffani didn’t make a habit of socializing with clients but she couldn’t think of a good excuse not to. She was hungry and had time for a quick meal before she had to leave to see her father. Plus, she had one more thing she needed to discuss with Rex. He’d be more receptive to it if he heard her proposal with a full stomach.

  He fell into step beside her. “The women I dine with usually sound more eager to share my company.”

  “This isn’t a date,” Tiffani retorted, a little more stiffly than intended. “And I only have time for something quick.” She felt his dark eyes on her.

  “You have a problem with dating?”

  “No,” she said slowly. “And you are my client.”

  He stopped. She did too and looked back at him. People walked around them. He said, as if choosing his words carefully, “And if I wasn’t your client? How would you feel?”

  “I don’t do busin
ess and pleasure in the same place.” She’d more than learned her lesson there.

  “That was a loaded statement. Care to elaborate?”

  “I do not. It’s too long and too ugly a story.” And too humiliating to repeat. Especially to a man who probably never had a female turn him down. “And it has nothing to do with us. The PR campaign, I mean.”

  “They say talking it out with someone makes it better.” He continued along the sidewalk.

  She couldn’t believe his arrogance. Did he really think confiding in him was going to make anything better? He was a doctor. One she didn’t trust. And definitely not a confidant she’d trust her embarrassment to.

  “I know you’re very sure of your bedside manner but do you really believe I’d spill my life story to you?”

  “Not really. But it sounds like it might be interesting.”

  She looked at her reflection in the glass front of the restaurant. “You should save your charm for the TV interviews.”

  “Now you’re trying to ruin my meal.” He opened the door to the small sixties retro café.

  They were shown to a table for two in the middle of the dining room and handed menus. After studying the menu, Rex asked, “Anything you can recommend?”

  “I’ve only been here a couple of times. The pork chop and potatoes or the spaghetti is good.”

  He nodded sagely. The waitress took their drink orders on her way to another table. After a moment he questioned, “Have you decided?”

  In principle, sharing social time with a client wasn’t a good idea, but the raw truth was that being seen with a good-looking man gave a much-needed boost to Tiffani’s damaged ego. Being told you’re not wanted by someone she’d thought had loved her had been devastating. After that catastrophe, having any male attention was like a much-needed salve.

  Against her better judgment, her mind started to chew over her past love life. Learning Lou didn’t return her love had nearly destroyed her. To make matters worse, he’d made a show of announcing to their coworkers that he wanted nothing more to do with her. Had arrogantly declared he was now available during an office meeting. Tiffani had wanted to melt under the table. She’d never been more mortified. In her despair, she’d vowed never again to share herself completely with a man. All the males in her life had always wanted more from her than they had ever been willing to give in return.

  The waitress returned with their drinks and took their orders. Tiffani settled on a salad and Rex asked for a pasta dish. With that done, Tiffani said, “I wanted to let you know that I have a photographer coming tomorrow to take pictures of you.”

  “I have surgeries planned.”

  “I know. I got your schedule from Dr. Nelson. We’ll work around it. The photographer will be at the hospital to take pictures so he can shoot you between your cases.”

  Rex thumped his fork on the table. “You have to be kidding.”

  The noise accompanying his disbelieving tone startled her. If she showed weakness now, she feared all would be lost. “Dr. Nelson said we could use a conference room to take formal portrait shots of you.”

  “You’ve got it all worked out, haven’t you?”

  She could tell by the way he clenched his jaw that he was holding back what he would like to say. “It’s my job.”

  “I don’t think much of it.” His words were heavy with contempt.

  She looked him straight in the eyes. “The feeling is mutual.”

  “How’s that?” He looked confused.

  “It doesn’t matter. We don’t have to like each other, or each other’s professions. We just have to work together long enough to repair the hospital’s public reputation.”

  Crossing his arms on the table, Rex leaned toward her. “You expect me to accept that cryptic explanation?”

  “You don’t get a choice.” She took a swallow of her drink and let the ensuing silence between them speak for itself. Thankfully the waitress brought their food in short order. They said little as they ate.

  “Someone, help!” cried a woman on the other side of the room. “She’s choking.”

  Tiffani’s eyes jerked in the direction of the desperate plea. Even as she did so, Rex shoved his chair back and hurried to the distressed woman, who was beating a child’s back, dodging tables as he went. Tiffani followed.

  “I’m a doctor. Let me have her,” Rex commanded with unquestionable authority.

  The woman stopped her movement in midair and handed the gasping child to him.

  Rex took the girl’s arm and turned her round, pressing her back against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her, clasping his fists together and positioning them under her ribs before giving her a tight squeeze.

  Nothing happened. The girl’s lips were turning bluer.

  Rex pulled the girl tight again and landed an audible blow to her abdomen. Something popped from her mouth. The child gasped, taking deep breaths. The mother descended on her, crying and pulling her from Rex’s hold into a tight hug.

  Clutching her daughter, she raised a tear-streaked face to Rex. “Thank you, thank you, thank you.”

  His smile was one of relief. “You’re welcome. What’s your name?” he asked the girl.

  “Lucy.”

  “Lucy, I’m Dr. Rex. Will you let me give you a little check just to make sure everything’s all right?”

  The elementary-school-aged girl gave her mom a questioning look. The mother nodded, her sobs subsiding.

  “Why don’t you have a seat right here?” Rex asked, pulling out a chair.

  Tiffani couldn’t deny he was good. She shouldn’t have been surprised. After all he was a charmer. It occurred to her that this was the type of stuff she couldn’t manufacture with billboards and TV interviews.

  “I’m going to sit right here.” Rex pulled up a chair in front of the girl, ignoring the other patrons crowding around them. “Why don’t you open your mouth and let me have a look?”

  The girl did as he requested.

  He unclipped his keys from the belt loop of his jeans. There was a small penlight on the ring. Turning it on, he examined the girl’s throat. “Looks good in there. I’m going to check your neck. Tell me if it hurts.”

  The girl nodded.

  “That was pretty scary, wasn’t it?” Rex said to the child as his fingers worked over the outside of her neck.

  This was PR that Tiffani couldn’t pass up. She had been terrified for the child but now that the drama was over she had to think about her job. This was perfect material. Dr. Rex, The Respectable Good Samaritan. She hurried back to their table and pulled her phone from her purse. Seconds later she was taking pictures of Rex and the girl. Maybe some of the others had gotten video of him saving her.

  He glanced up at her, his eyes narrowed, before his attention went back to the girl.

  Tiffani continued taking pictures.

  “Take a deep breath for me,” Rex said to Lucy. She inhaled and exhaled. “I think you’re going to be just fine,” he pronounced, and stood.

  The mother hugged him. “Oh, thank you. Thank you so much. I don’t know how to thank you.”

  “Just make sure she takes small bites. And pass up on the hotdogs when you can.” He smiled at Lucy. “I’m glad you’re all right.”

  Tiffani had believed all her life that doctors were only interested in themselves and how much money they could milk from someone in pain. Yet Rex Maxwell had just proved he was a doctor with a tender side and wasn’t concerned about making money in a medical emergency. Her realization somehow made her feel unsure about a lot of things. Had doctors really been at the root of her family issues? Or could it have been something else? Thrusting the uneasy feeling aside, she forced herself to center on what really mattered here. She had some perfect material she could work with to pull off this job, get the promotion and finally escape Lou’s ever-hovering presence i
n her life.

  As they returned to their table Rex said, “Are you done with your meal?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Then I’ll pay.” He picked his helmet up off a nearby chair and walked to the cash register.

  She called after him, “While you do that I’m going to see if anyone got video of what happened.”

  He stiffened and said emphatically, “Please, don’t.” His response shocked her to the point of not arguing.

  When they stepped out onto the sidewalk he glared at her. “What was that about?”

  “That was good social media material. Stuff I couldn’t have planned.” She couldn’t keep her bubbling excitement to herself.

  His face twisted in anger. “I didn’t help that child to further your pointless campaign.”

  “I know that. But that was still great PR. I didn’t start taking pictures until the girl was okay.” She really hated to pass up this opportunity. “Oh, man, I need to have the mother sign an agreement to let me use Lucy’s picture.” Tiffani swiftly spun about, intending to go back inside.

  He grabbed her phone as she turned.

  “Hey, what’re you doing?” To her horror she saw he was deleting the pictures.

  “What happened in there is off the table.”

  Tiffani stared in frustration. “I have a job to do. The girl is fine. The public would love seeing you in action.”

  “Not going to happen. I didn’t help the girl so you’d have something to put on social media,” Rex spat out. Dropping her phone into her hand, he walked away.

  By the time she reached her car, he was roaring away.

  CHAPTER THREE

  TIFFANI WAS STILL feeling the sting of Rex’s reaction to her wanting to use the café emergency when she entered the assisted living home where her father lived. Rex’s reaction had been so over the top. The girl was fine. The people in the café had seen him as a hero. They’d even applauded. She had too. So why couldn’t she use it to their mutual advantage? He was the only one who seemed to have a problem with it.