Always

by Deb Stover

  Too bad things hadn't worked out with Sue. He was crazy about her son. Ryan was without a doubt the most precocious ten-year-old in Digby since Gordon's eleventh birthday.

  Not in the stars. But she'd been right–him liking her son wasn't sufficient grounds for a marriage. At least one of them had been sane enough to recognize that fact in time.

  Damn.

  He needed to work–anything to keep his mind off magic. And Taylor. "I saw Mrs. Johnson in the waiting room."

  "Yeah, what a way to start the week." Sue shrugged and handed Gordon a stack of phone messages. "It's been slow for a Monday, but I'm sure things will pick up after lunch."

  Things have been pretty exciting already. Gordon's gaze drifted to the medical bag and his gut twisted again. He couldn't get Taylor off his mind. All through college he'd thought of her, and after returning to Digby, he kept hoping....

  "Damn."

  "So why are you late? Car trouble again?" Sue asked, clicking her tongue when he nodded. "When are you going to trade in that old thing?"

  Gordon moved toward the door and looked back over his shoulder. "I guess it's time." He swallowed hard. "But it has...sentimental value."

  "Huh. Don't I know it? You've been driving that Jeep since high school."

  "Yeah." His voice sounded peculiar even to him. After clearing his throat, he added, "Time to put the past where it belongs, I suppose." All of it.

  "Yeah, I suppose." She walked over to the corner table and lifted the medical bag.

  Changing the subject won't make the hurt go away. His reference to the past had sent Sue into her cocoon. She had a way of pulling herself inward and he knew why. Hell, he envied her ability to shield herself from the hurt, though he suspected her protection was only superficial.

  How would seeing Taylor again affect Sue?

  "Nice bag. Is it new?" she asked.

  "Yeah, but it isn't mine." Gordon clenched his teeth and drew a deep breath, holding it while Sue read the luggage tag.

  "Dr. Bowen?" Sue gasped and dropped the tag, bringing her hand up to cover her mouth. "Oh, my–"

  "She's the new doctor."

  "Taylor?"

  "Yes." Silence stretched between them as Gordon watched the fluctuating expression in Sue's eyes.

  "Well, that's good," she said, obviously trying to convince herself of that fact even more than him. "Women make the best doctors. Uh, doctors for humans, I mean." She tried to smile, but it was a poor imitation. "So you've already...seen her."

  "Yeah." Gordon gnashed his teeth. Neither of them needed to rehash history right now–or ever, for that matter. It hurt too damned much. "I don't think I should keep Mrs. Johnson and Precious waiting any longer." Gordon opened the door and walked down the hall to the waiting room, knowing Sue wasn't about to let the matter drop. Now that her memories were roused, her guilt would be as well.

  Standing in the doorway that led to his waiting room, Gordon breathed a sigh of relief. Mrs. Johnson's Precious was still his only patient. Monday mornings were usually a three-ring circus, in direct contrast to the rest of the week, when more business would've been welcome. The truth was, Digby really didn't need a full-time veterinarian. It was all Gordon could do to pay the rent on the place.

  "Good morning, Mrs. Johnson," he said, flashing her a smile. "I'm sorry I'm late this morning–car trouble."

  Mrs. Johnson gathered her aging white cat in her arms and rose. She paused to give him the once-over. "Hmm. And I suppose it must take quite a while to put all that hair in a ponytail every morning, too." With her nose pointed in the air, Mrs. Johnson marched by.

  "Yes, ma'am. It does take a few minutes." Gordon rolled his eyes heavenward. At least his day was being consistent.

  "Gordon, I'm glad I caught you," a loud male voice called above the bells jingling on the front door. "I need to talk to you. It's important."

  "Wait your turn, Tom," Mrs. Johnson called over her shoulder. "Precious is having the vapors."

  Vapors? Gordon met the mayor's gaze–the man's wide-eyed look of utter bewilderment was priceless. Mrs. Johnson must've been reading historical romances again. Month before last, she'd been convinced Precious was suffering from consumption.

  "I'll be with you in a few minutes, Tom." Gordon patted the woman on the shoulder. "Precious needs me now."

  "But she'll be here at noon," the mayor argued.

  Gordon frowned and held the door open for Mrs. Johnson and her cat. He glanced at his watch and shook his head. "No, I don't think this will take that long."

  Sue rolled her eyes and winked at Gordon on her way to the reception desk. "Mr. Mayor, what a pleasant surprise. Don't tell me your horse has colic again."

  As the door closed behind him, Gordon thanked God for cheerful, diplomatic receptionists everywhere.

  "Well," he turned to face his patient and Mrs. Johnson, "tell me about Precious and her...vapors."

  * * *

  Taylor stood on the sidewalk and stared at the sign.

  Digby Veterinary Clinic.

  The mayor had left out one rather significant word when he told her where to meet him. After she double-checked the address, she paced in front of the building for a few minutes, glancing at her watch several times before squaring her shoulders to face the mayor.

  This was too much. She couldn't practice medicine in an animal hospital.

  Correction–she wouldn't practice medicine in an animal hospital. If the people of Digby truly wanted a doctor for humans, then they could make other arrangements. This was absurd.

  Convinced she had her temper under control and her determination in place, Taylor pushed open the door and went inside. A string of small bells jingled to announce her arrival. Upon closer inspection, she realized it was a cat collar hooked to the door handle.

  Of course–what else?

  A large man rose from a chair near the receptionist's desk. His appearance matched the voice she'd heard on the phone earlier, giving new meaning to the phrase "larger than life."

  "Dr. Bowen?" he asked, extending his hand.

  "Yes, and you must be Mayor Bradshaw." She held her voice carefully under control, then watched his huge paw swallow her hand in a vigorous handshake.

  "I truly do apologize for this little inconvenience, but I'm sure we'll be able to arrange something here for a few weeks."

  "Weeks?" Taylor echoed.

  "Here?" the woman behind the desk repeated.

  Taylor turned to face the receptionist. "Do you–" Her voice froze and a loud roar began in her ears. It couldn't be.

  "Taylor."

  "You two know each other?" the mayor asked.

  Taylor looked at the floor and nodded. Why hadn't she considered the possibility of running into Gordon and Sue in Digby? It was a small town, after all.

  Of course, she'd assumed they'd probably moved away, like most of her senior class. Digby didn't have a lot to offer in the way of a job market. This entire mess was too ironic for words.

  "Yes, we...went to school together," Sue said, her voice quiet.

  Taylor filled her lungs with air, then released it very slowly. If Sue could do this, so could she. Mustering her courage, she faced the woman again. "Do you know anything about this?"

  Sue's mouth was set in a grim line and her eyes glittered. She looked as if she could burst into tears at any moment, but Taylor held her gaze and tried to make her own expression as impassive as possible.

  "No," Sue finally said. "I don't have a clue, and I'm pretty sure G–my boss doesn't either."

  Both women shifted their gazes back to the mayor. "Well?" they asked in unison.

  The big man turned crimson and tugged at his collar. His bald head broke into a sweat and he pulled a handkerchief from his breast pocket to mop away the moisture.

  With a shrug and a sheepish grin, the mayor faced Taylor. "I'm sorry, Dr. Bowen, but as I explained on the phone, the late snows and the insurance comp–"

  "Yes, I understand that." Taylor drew a deep breath, s
earching her mind for another solution. "But you can't possibly expect human patients to be seen in a clinic intended for animals."

  Taylor turned her attention, reluctantly, back to Sue. Being mature and professional was in direct conflict with the way she really wanted to behave right now. Still, the pained expression in Sue's eyes stayed her. Despite all the reasons Taylor should despise the woman, she couldn't bring herself to be deliberately cruel.

  Sue shrugged. "We keep things quite sanitary here. We have lab, x-ray, and even surgical facilities. I guess it sort of makes sense."

  Taylor looked toward the ceiling. She couldn't believe her first experience away from the hospital where she'd done her residency would take place...in an animal hospital.

  "I just don't see how we could keep things...separate." Taylor recognized and appreciated Sue's efforts to reach a viable solution to at least one mess. The other situation–the past–was irreparable. "The waiting room, for instance."

  "This is a small town, Dr. Bowen," the mayor said, his voice quieter now. Subdued. "You know these people–folks are used to going places together. We only have one church, one grocery, one hardware store...."

  "One medical clinic for all species, with or without fur?" Taylor arched an eyebrow and held up her hands. "This is far from ideal, but why couldn't I see patients in my den temporarily?"

  "Insurance." The mayor sighed, his expression forlorn. "I argued with Smith until I was blue in the face, but that son of a b–gun wouldn't budge. He's the one who thought of this place. Said it was simple to add you to this policy until the new clinic is done."

  Taylor rolled her eyes heavenward. She'd been warned about insurance companies and doctors. "So I have no choice." Now there's determination.

  "So it would seem," Sue said, tapping her pencil against her knuckles. Her face was almost as red as her hair. "But the mayor hasn't mentioned this to my boss yet. Remember him? You know, the guy who owns the building, the equipment, signs my paycheck...?"

  "Well, I'm sure once I explain the situation, he'll understand," the mayor offered, rocking back on his heels with a smug expression on his face.

  The old coot told me he'd already made other arrangements.

  Sue stood and moved to the back of the room. Turning to look directly at Taylor, she said, "Wait here–I just remembered something."

  Yeah, I'll bet. For once in her life, Taylor wished she had a bad memory–or at least a selective one. The receptionist disappeared through the doorway, then emerged a moment later with Taylor's leather medical bag.

  "How did you get my–"

  Another door opened at the opposite end of the tiled waiting room and a small gray-haired woman emerged with a white cat cradled in her arms. "Oh, but Precious hates cat food, Doctor."

  "Yes, I can tell from her weight," a man said from behind the woman.

  The male voice washed over Taylor and she suddenly felt cold all over. Oh, my God.

  "Now I want you to promise me you'll keep Precious on this new diet, Mrs. Johnson."

  "She'll starve."

  "There's no way this cat will starve herself, but she might very well eat herself into an early grave. Trust me, she'll eat this when she gets hungry enough."

  The woman and her cat stepped to the side and a tall man wearing a white coat walked out behind them.

  "Gordon," Taylor whispered. She rubbed her forehead, wondering how she managed to end up in these situations. He was a veterinarian. She should've known. It was what he'd always wanted....

  In a town the size of Digby, running into people she knew was unavoidable. Still, this had passed uncomfortable and was moving at warp-speed toward a major violation of cruel and unusual punishment.

  She shot Sue an accusing glare, but the woman's trembling chin and silent tears curbed Taylor's harsh words. Why hadn't Sue told her?

  "Not even a little tuna?" the woman pleaded.

  "Not even that."

  "Poor Precious."

  "Will be much healthier on this diet. Try it for a month, then we'll see how she's doing and discuss it again. Okay?"

  "Oh, all right."

  Gordon walked Mrs. Johnson to the door, then turned toward the reception desk. "All right, Tom," he said, taking a few steps before he froze to stare. His gaze traveled from Taylor, to the mayor, to Sue, then back to Taylor again. "Taylor?"

  "Gordon."

  "You two know each other, too?" the mayor asked, sounding disgustingly pleased with this turn of events.

  "Yes," they said simultaneously.

  "Well, this oughta make things a lot easier on all of us then." Bradshaw walked over to slap the vet on the back. "See, Gordon, the new clinic won't be finished for a few weeks, so we were–"

  "We?" Taylor asked, wanting to make certain Gordon knew she'd played no part in this torturous plan.

  The mayor shot her an apologetic look. "All right, I wondered if you'd mind sharing your clinic with Dr. Bowen until then, because Smith won't cover her anywhere else."

  "Share...my clinic?" Gordon's eyes grew round and his face darkened. "With..."

  "Dr. Bowen." The mayor chuckled and shook his head. "My secretary told me this is a homecoming for the doc. I should've realized she'd have friends here already. Now isn't this going to work out great?"

  Gordon's gaze shifted from the mayor to Taylor again. He looked trapped. Angry.

  Desperate.

  I don't believe this.

  But they were adults now–all his lies, his false promises and his betrayal had taken place over ten years ago. She was mature enough to handle this. Besides, what choice did she have? If they were going to work together, they had to at least be civil to each other.

  "She says she's only staying for the term of the contract, but I'm hoping we can change her mind." Bradshaw chuckled and winked, oblivious to the tension in the air.

  "I see." Gordon folded his arms in front of him and looked away, making Taylor squirm inwardly.

  Undaunted, the mayor continued, "Dr. Bowen here was a little worried about this being clean enough, but–"

  "Clean enough?" Gordon snapped his head around to stare at her.

  "Uh-oh." Sue ducked her auburn head, reached for a stack of files and started to sort them.

  "Well, I didn't exactly say that," Taylor began, realizing too late this was a sensitive issue.

  "When was the last time you visited a real doctor's office, Doctor?" He took another step–so close she could smell the faint hint of soap on his skin. Soap...and something else. Something more intimate.

  Gordon himself.

  "How long, Taylor?" he repeated.

  "Years." She sighed and shook her head. All her medical experience had taken place in a hospital environment. Until now.

  "I doubt most of them have operating rooms. Sterile operating rooms."

  Taylor blinked but resisted the impulse to take a backward step. She hated to admit it, but he was absolutely right. "I apologize, Dr. Lane," she said slowly, lifting the corners of her mouth in a smug smile, knowing what she had to do. "You're right and I stand corrected."

  "I am? You do?"

  Gordon's surprise at her admission left him momentarily vulnerable. For some reason–pride?–she couldn't resist the sudden need to demonstrate to him and Sue that she was completely over her broken heart. She was beyond all that now.

  "Yes, you're absolutely right. For routine medical care, I'm sure this facility will be more than adequate. Where shall I hang my stethoscope?" God, give me strength. Fast.

  Gordon arched a brow and his expression of astonishment shifted to one of mild amusement. His mouth twitched suggestively. "Follow me, Doctor." Beyond the slight twitching, his lips barely moved until he flashed her a-cat-that-ate-the-canary-grin.

  Taylor, you're in big trouble.

  Chapter 3

  They were alone.

  This wasn't at all what Taylor'd had in mind when she agreed to follow Gordon down the hall and into the back of his clinic.

  Gordon pushe
d open a door and familiar, sterile scents greeted her. "This is the operating room. Satisfactory, Doctor?"

  "Gordon, I'm sorry. I...I made an assumption." She looked inside the immaculate room. "Obviously, an erroneous one." She touched his upper arm and immediately regretted it. His warmth radiated into her hand, making her yearn to maintain the connection.

  He lowered his gaze to her hand on his arm. She saw his Adam's Apple bob up and down in his throat–a gleam of perspiration coated his forehead.

  When he looked at her again, his expression was different. The righteous indignation which had driven him a few moments ago was now curiously absent, replaced by something that snatched all the from her lungs. The passion she'd seen in his eyes this morning had returned.

  With a vengeance.

  This morning, it might have been the circumstances more than anything that made him look at her like a man who wanted something above and beyond simple conversation. Now it was more.

  Much more.

  She swallowed the lump in her throat and licked her parched lips. So many memories.

  So much pain.

  The intensity in his eyes suddenly faded. He blinked and looked at her again. "Well? Do the facilities meet with your approval?"

  His tone and his words reminded Taylor that this was his clinic and she was the intruder. "It's very professional. Besides, barring a major emergency, I'm not planning to perform surgery." She allowed her arm to fall to her side, leaving her strangely bereft.

  He closed the door and walked farther down the hall. "This is the kennel." His tone was all business now. "I don't imagine you'll have much need for this part of the clinic."

  "No, probably not." Taylor's eyes burned, but she focused on her surroundings, banishing thoughts of what had been. And what could have been. Why was she doing this to herself?

  "Hey, there, fella." He stopped at a large pen. "How are you doing today, Patches?"

  Forcing her misery into submission, Taylor turned her attention to the beautiful spaniel in the pen. "He's gorgeous."

  "Yeah, I think so."

  "Is he yours?"

  Gordon sighed and reached in to scratch the dog behind the ears. "No, Max wouldn't put up with that." Patches looked at Gordon with eyes of adoration.