A Mistletoe Kiss for the Single Dad

by Traci Douglass

  Nick snapped his attention from Belle to Jeanette. “How bad?”

  “Not sure, but they brought him here first since it was the only clinic open in town today.” Jeanette headed back up front as the bell over the front entrance jangled.

  Damn. “Sorry.” Nick winced. “I should see what’s up.”

  He started to back away as Belle nodded. “No problem. I’ll fill you in later.”

  She walked into the exam room and closed the door behind her and for the first time since before Connor’s accident, hope flooded Nick’s system. Belle was staying. She was staying and he’d have another chance with her. One he did not intend to miss.

  But first he had another patient to treat.

  The once crowded lobby was empty now as closing time rapidly approached. Blue lights from the squad car parked at the curb flashed intermittently through the frosted front windows of the clinic. Nick walked over to help the female officer get her injured comrade inside.

  “What happened?” he asked, as they maneuvered the hurt cop into an empty exam room. The man was middle-aged and doubled over, holding his right side. Nick didn’t see any blood or signs of trauma, but he couldn’t rule out anything serious just yet. Bayside was hardly a hotbed of violent crime, but there was the occasional gunshot wound from a hunting accident.

  “We stopped to help a motorist with a flat tire out on Highway 31 and my partner slipped on the ice and fell on his shoulder,” the female cop said. “He only had surgery on it last year.”

  “Okay.” Relief spread through Nick. A possible torn rotator cuff was much easier to handle. He and the other cop got the guy into the exam room and up on the table. The injured officer scooted around awkwardly, apparently unable to use his right arm. “You’re going to be all right, Officer...?”

  “Mowbray,” the injured cop said, his voice strained, his face pale. “Stupid of me. My wife told me to wear my good boots today, but did I listen? Nope.”

  Nick scribbled down the man’s account of what had happened in the file. “Don’t worry, Officer Mowbray, I’m going to take good care of you.” He set the file aside and moved in to examine the man’s shoulder and arm more closely. “Can you slide out of your jacket and shirt for me so I can see the extent of bruising?”

  The officer did as he asked and Nick palpated the man’s shoulder joint, noting the white scars crisscrossing the area from the aforementioned surgery. Gently he tested for range of motion and extension of the patient’s arm then checked the officer’s blood pressure on his uninjured arm before allowing him to put his shirt back on.

  “Okay. Well, the good news is I don’t think it’s broken or another tear. The bad news is you should have an X-ray to be sure and we don’t have a machine here. You’ll need to go up to Manistee General to have it done. Sorry.”

  He stepped over to the counter and pulled out his cell phone, making a quick call to the hospital to see if they could fit the officer in. After getting the okay from the tech, Nick returned to his patient. “Right. The hospital says if you can get there within an hour, they’ll fit you right in. Otherwise it could be awhile, with the holiday rush and all.”

  “I’ll make sure he gets there,” the female officer said. “Safely this time.”

  “I’m fine, Ethel. Stop fussing,” Officer Mowbray said, waving off his partner. “You’re worse than my wife.”

  Nick grinned, pulling out a sling from the cabinet and fitting it over the officer’s right arm before turning back to the counter to write out two scripts, one for an NSAID pain reliever and the other to put the man off work pending the results of his X-ray and a consult with his orthopedic surgeon. He turned back to Officer Mowbray and handed him the papers. “The tech has instructions to call me with the results when they’re done. Even if everything’s okay, you’ll most likely still end up with a nasty bruise. Take it easy until you hear back from me. Got it?”

  “Got it,” Officer Mowbray said, letting his partner help him down from the exam table. “Thanks for this. Merry Christmas to me, huh?”

  “Yeah,” Nick snorted, opening the exam-room door for them. “Merry Christmas indeed.”

  He glanced over to find the exam room Belle had been working in with the Hernandez family dark and empty. Damn. He checked his watch and realized he’d been in with the cops longer than he’d anticipated. Following them up to the reception desk, he glanced at the clock on the wall. Five forty-five.

  “Drive carefully,” he said to the officers as they exited. “Happy Holidays.”

  “Same to you, Doc,” Officer Mowbray said, raising his good hand at Nick. “And Happy New Year too.”

  Once they’d gone, Nick turned to his office manager. “Where’s Belle?”

  “She left about five minutes before you finished,” Jeanette said, walking over to lock up the clinic door and flip off the lights. They were officially done. “Said she had some things she needed to take care of before Christmas.”

  Nick’s first instinct was to go after her, track her down and beg her forgiveness.

  But first he needed to get Connor. Mollie had family coming to stay with her for Christmas and she needed to get home. He tossed Officer Mowbray’s paperwork on the desk, then took off for the back of the clinic. “Thanks for your help today, Jeanette. I’ll come back and clean this place up later. Right now I need to get going. Can you lock up behind you?”

  “Sure thing, boss,” Jeanette called from behind him. “Merry Christmas!”

  “Merry Christmas,” he yelled back, as he grabbed his coat and headed for his SUV. If he could get to Belle and convince her to give him another chance, it would be a very happy holiday indeed.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  THE BAYSIDE TOWN green looked even more magical to Belle than it had the night of the tree lighting ceremony. The huge tree glowed from the center of the space, shades of pink and silver and white glimmering off the newly fallen snow on the ground. Carols were piped in from speakers attached to the nearby buildings and the area was nearly deserted as people spent the day with family and friends. Belle strolled through the winter wonderland, enjoying the peace and quiet after the controlled chaos of the clinic all day.

  Home. She was finally home. It had taken her eighteen years and reuniting with one complicated, compassionate, completely wonderful doc and his son to make her realize this was where she belonged, and now she was here, she wasn’t leaving again for a long, long time.

  Well, if you didn’t count the drive up to Manistee for little Analia’s surgery.

  She couldn’t help smiling when she recalled the conversation with the Hernandez family back at the clinic. They’d barely let her finish explaining her plans to stay in Bayside before they’d accepted her offer to take on Analia’s case free of charge to them for the chance to do the difficult but necessary surgery. There’d still be bills from the hospital, of course, but the donation of her services would help immensely. And perhaps Manistee General and the other doctors and technicians involved would get on the bandwagon, as well. Analia was such a special case and she seemed to charm everyone around her.

  Belle walked around the tree then took a seat on one of the ornate wrought-iron benches toward the back of the area. Hopefully, Nick’s last case with the police officer went well. After she’d finished with the Hernandez family, he’d still been in the exam room with his patient, so she’d gotten the rundown from Jeanette. No blood, so perhaps a fight or a fall. Whatever the injury, she prayed it wasn’t life-threatening and the officer would be home with his family for Christmas.

  Then she’d come out here to collect her thoughts before talking with Nick again.

  She blinked up at the dark sky, icy flakes melting on her cheeks. “Thank you, Aunt Marlene. Thank you for bringing me back to Bayside. Thank you for giving me another chance with Nick.”

  Even if he doesn’t want to be more than colleagues.

&nb
sp; Belle sighed and stared down at her red-mitten-covered hands in her lap. Soon she’d have to head back to the clinic and face the man she loved, explain her reasons for staying here in Bayside. She wanted nothing more than for him to sweep her off her feet and proclaim his undying love and whisk her off to happily-ever-after. Except this wasn’t some fairy tale, and she was hardly a princess in an ivory tower. She was a world-class plastic surgeon and a force to be reckoned with, both in and out of the operating room. She’d be fine, with or without Nick.

  Her heart squeezed.

  But things would be so much better with him. Him and Connor.

  The sound of a car door slamming resonated through the small park, followed by a voice.

  A very familiar voice.

  “Belle?” Nick called. “Dr. Christabelle Watson, where are you? I saw your rental car at the curb. I know you’re here somewhere. You can’t hide from me forever.”

  You could make a good life and a real difference right here in your hometown...

  “Thanks again, Aunt Marlene,” Belle whispered, then stood. Her breath hitched and her legs shook as she moved around the enormous tree to see her Marlowe guys waiting for her on the other side. Hope shimmered between them like tinsel. “Hey.”

  “Hey.” Nick moved closer. “Jeanette said you left for the night.”

  “I did.” She smiled down at Connor. “How’s your wrist today?”

  “Better, thanks.” The little boy squinted up at her. “My dad says you’re not leaving.”

  “True.” Belle crouched to be closer to his eye level. She noticed he had the bag from Santa’s Workshop in his hand. “I’m going to stay in Bayside and work here from now on.”

  “Will you operate on my friend Analia?” Excitement flared brightly in the little boy’s eyes, so like his father’s. “Help make her normal?”

  “I will. And Analia is already normal. I’m just going to make her outside better reflect the beautiful girl she is inside. I spoke to her family about it an hour ago.” She grinned at Connor then looked up at Nick. “As long as it’s acceptable to her pediatrician, of course.”

  “Of course.” Nick held out his hand to her as she straightened. “Thank you.”

  “No.” She squeezed his gloved fingers with hers, tears stinging her eyes. “Thank you. Thanks for letting me be a part of your family and your life these past two weeks. Thanks for reminding me of what I loved about Bayside and why this place still feels like home even after all these years away. Thanks for showing me I can make a real difference here.” She sniffled and shook her head, lowering her gaze. “I know you’ve got things you’re dealing with and you don’t want another relationship, and I respect that. But I hope we can at least be good friends and colleagues.”

  He tipped her chin up, forcing her to meet his gaze. The lights from the tree cast them in a rosy pink glow and the tune on the speakers switched to Aunt Marlene’s favorite carol. It all seemed too good to be true, and yet the heat of Nick’s leather-covered thumb stroking her jaw told her it was real. It was also better than a fairy tale because they’d both weathered the storms of life and survived. They’d survive the future too. Together.

  “I want to apologize for the things I said yesterday at the ice rink. I overreacted and I’m sorry. I saw Con hurt and in pain and let my emotions take over.” He looked away, shaking his head. “I’m a doctor. I should have known better, done better. I’ve been trained to be cool, calm, rational in trauma situations, but I lost it yesterday and that’s all on me. Can you forgive me?”

  She pulled his hand from her jaw closer to her chest, over her heart. “There’s nothing to forgive. Your son was in pain and injured. You acted like a father, not a physician, which is exactly what you should’ve done. We’re good.”

  “We are?”

  “Yes.” Belle nodded, doing her best to keep the flare of apprehension welling inside her from bubbling over and failing miserably. “And you’re sure you’re okay with me working on Analia’s case? I know you put a lot of time into setting things up in Detroit and—”

  He stopped her with a finger over her lips. “I’m good with it. In fact, I’m thrilled. It will make things a lot easier for Analia and her parents to be close to home during the whole process. Plus, it will save them money in the long run.” He smiled, his warm gaze igniting a wildfire inside her. “I’d love to observe and consult as needed, if you’ll let me.”

  “I wouldn’t have it any other way, Dr. Marlowe.” She turned her face slightly to smile. “We’re still partners, remember?”

  Heat sparked in his eyes as he leaned in to kiss her. “Always.”

  Nick’s lips brushed hers, softly, gently, before capturing her mouth and deepening the kiss. The hesitation inside her vanished and the tiny ball of tension in her core unfurled. This was right. This was good. This was perfect. This was...

  The clearing of a throat broke them apart.

  “Dad,” Connor said, staring up at them. “No mistletoe again.”

  “I’m sure we can find some around here,” Nick said, grinning, his arms still around Belle’s waist, holding her close, his heat warming her from the inside out. “And you’d better get used to it, son. I’ll be kissing her a lot in the future, if she’ll let me.”

  “She will,” Belle said, laughing. “Are you finally going to show us what’s in the bag, Connor?”

  “Well, it is Christmas Eve, so...” He pulled out a small wrapped gift and handed it to Belle. “Here.”

  Pulling free from Nick, she sat on the bench to open it. “For me?”

  “Yep.” Connor bounced on the toes of his snow boots. “Picked it out the day we went to the Santa Farm.”

  She carefully unwrapped the tiny box to find a pink crystal heart inside. Engraved on the front were all three of their names.

  Belle looked from Connor to Nick then back again. Nick took a seat beside her on the bench and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her into his side. Her voice shook as she said to Nick, “Did you know about this?”

  “Nope.” He put his arm around his son and pulled the little boy into his other side, hugging him tight. “But considering the weird trajectory of our relationship so far, why should our proposal be any different, eh?”

  “Our proposal?” Belle asked, glancing back and forth between father and son.

  “Yep.” Connor grinned at his dad. “We talked about it on the way over here. We want you to come live with us forever, Belle. We promise to love you always, even when my dad acts like kind of a doofus.”

  “Con,” Nick warned.

  The little boy just shrugged. “So, Belle. Will you marry us?”

  Her vision blurred with tears as she lifted the delicate object from its tissue paper nest and nodded. “It’s beautiful.”

  “You’re beautiful.” Nick leaned his forehead against hers. “Is that a yes?”

  She kissed Nick sweetly then reached over to carefully hug Connor as well, mindful of his injured wrist. She couldn’t have wished for anything more. A true home. A new family, not just for Christmas but forever. A second chance to build the life she’d always wanted. “Definitely a yes. Merry Christmas, Nick. Merry Christmas, Connor.”

  “Merry Christmas, Belle,” Nick kissed her sweetly on one cheek while Connor did the same on the other. “I love you. Always have, always will.”

  “Me too,” she said, cupping Nick’s cheek then kissing the top of Connor’s head. “I love you both too.”

  * * *

  If you enjoyed this story, check out these other great reads from Traci Douglass

  Finding Her Forever Family

  One Night with the Army Doc

  Both available now!

  Keep reading for an excerpt from From Heartache to Forever by Caroline Anderson.

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  From Heartache to Forever

  by Caroline Anderson

  CHAPTER ONE

  ‘AH, BETH, JUST the person. I’ve got a favour to ask you.’

  Her heart sank. Again?

  ‘How did I know that was coming, right at the end of my shift?’

  She turned towards James with a wry smile and then everything ground to a halt, because the man standing beside the ED’s clinical lead was painfully, gut-wrenchingly familiar.

  His strangely piercing ice blue eyes locked on hers, his mouth opening as if to speak, but James was still talking, oblivious to the tension running between them.

  ‘Beth, this is Ryan McKenna, our new locum consultant. Ryan, this is—’