Second Time Around

by Carol Steward

  As soon as he stepped outside, Tom approached with an apology, followed by “Man, who in their right mind would run from a doctor like her?” The comment opened the gates to several bad jokes and offers among the crew to sacrifice themselves for a visit with “the doctor.”

  Kevin had been so focused on Emily, he’d not prepared himself for his crew’s razzing. He couldn’t react too strongly, or they’d be even harder to quiet. Not to mention that they’d realize the boss had his eyes on the doctor.

  “What’s your plan, boss? Playing hard to get?”

  “Don’t even go there, guys,” Kevin finally said. When that didn’t stop the crude jokes, Kevin called the entire crew together and explained that this wasn’t a typical construction company. “A little good humor is one thing, but I don’t allow trash on my sites.” To his relief, the men respected his warning, and cleaned up their conversation.

  Even so, Kevin thought he’d never hear the end of it from the crew. He was grateful when his watch hit six o’clock, and he could send the men home for two days. He hoped that when Monday came, the whole thing would be forgotten.

  Emily had seen Kevin arrive each morning and had worked hard to avoid him; especially after looking out the window of her office one afternoon to see him hugging a blonde. The two had visited for a few minutes, then climbed into his pickup and left together. Memories of the breakup rushed back, which had actually made it easier for Emily to keep her emotions under control, until his accident yesterday…

  When she heard Kevin was hurt, her attention went completely to him. She couldn’t have thought of anyone else had her own life depended upon it. What came over me? I can’t believe I ran outside after him! It went totally against her training, and she was ashamed of her lapse of professionalism. It had never happened to her before, and she’d be sure it didn’t happen again.

  Why now? she wondered. Why, when I’ve survived our split, when I’m through the pressure of school, when I have a career that I love, does the only man who could ruin everything I’ve worked for have to return?

  How was she supposed to keep herself from falling in love again when he was right in the same building all day, and haunting her dreams all night? She tried to forget the way he had flirted with her in the examination room, held her when she cried over Laura’s pregnancy, and comforted her with his tender embrace. She’d resisted him once, but knew she couldn’t survive another dose of Kevin’s charm. Her immunity just wasn’t that strong.

  She checked her watch and straightened the flowers she’d bought for the dining room table. Katarina was due to arrive anytime. The moving van had arrived the day before and had unloaded her sister’s belongings into the garage, where they would sit until Kat could find a place of her own.

  Emily started another load of laundry, then went to the basement to make sure the rooms were ready for her sister to move into. The second phone line for Kat’s business had been installed earlier in the week, and the answering machine already had several messages waiting for the owner of Kat’s Kreations.

  Though it was to be a temporary arrangement, Emily had to admit she was in no hurry for her sister to find another place. She’d moved her own belongings upstairs with welcome anticipation. Having someone else in the house would be a wonderful distraction from her daily routine—wake, walk, work and wonder. She was tired of thinking about the past, the future and the man who wanted no part of either.

  The doorbell rang, and Emily ran back up the stairs and through the house. She opened the door and lunged forward to hug Katarina.

  She stopped just short of throwing herself at Kevin. She stumbled back. “K-Kevin.”

  “I’m glad to see you, too,” he said, dimples again belying his stoic expression. Humor illuminated his bright blue eyes. “I’m awfully curious to know who that lucky person you were expecting is?”

  She felt her cheeks flush and wished her hair was loose so it would hide her embarrassment. “Well, it wasn’t you.”

  “That’s a safe bet, now, isn’t it?”

  He glanced inside and lifted one eyebrow. “Am I intruding?”

  She knew it was obvious that she was expecting a guest, and even if it was only her sister, she hoped Kevin would take the hint and leave before Katarina arrived and entertained any crazy notions of a reunion between Emily and Kevin.

  “Well, if you’re asking if I’m busy, the answer is yes. I am expecting someone.”

  “I need to talk to you.”

  “You couldn’t call?” She licked her lips nervously. “I mean, I’m sure this is strictly business, right?”

  He pushed his chin forward. “If I had your number, I would have called first. Unfortunately, it’s unlisted, and you’re not the doctor on call today.”

  “Oh.” She glanced toward the street and invited him in, praying Katarina would be late for once in her life. “Is your arm okay?”

  “Fine. Want to see?” He reached for the hem of his sleeve and pulled it above the wound.

  She couldn’t help but smile inside, relieved that he’d reached for the sleeve instead of removing the entire shirt, as she had momentarily feared he would. Noting the way his polo shirt hugged his broad shoulders, Emily took a deep breath. “It’s a bit inflamed. Be sure to clean it with hydrogen peroxide and keep a small bandage over it to help keep germs out. You should also try some warm compresses.”

  “Nah, needs some air.”

  “If that swelling doesn’t go down by Monday, you should come in and have someone look at it.”

  “Someone? Does that mean you’re not going to be my doctor from now on?”

  His doctor? She looked him in the eye. “I can’t guarantee I’ll be available,” she answered honestly. There was a long silence. Then she backed into the kitchen and dug through the junk drawer for a piece of paper. She took a pen from the mug next to the phone and wrote down her number. “I’d prefer you page me, since my hours are so irregular.”

  He looked at the note then back at her, and tore the paper up, placing the tiny bits in her hand. “I don’t want to talk to your pager any more than I want to talk to your receptionist, Doc. If you don’t want to discuss this like two adults, fine. I’ll handle it on my own.” He turned and walked out the door, greeting her sister, who was on the way in.

  “Will I see you again, Kevin?” Katarina asked cheerfully.

  “Not likely, but have a nice visit, Kat” was the gruff reply.

  Emily stepped outside, the force of his seething reply catching her off guard. Reality hit her like a sledgehammer between the eyes. If she had truly expected any less than directness from Kevin, she had underestimated him.

  And if she continued to deny her feelings for him, she underestimated herself.

  I still love him. The thought barely crossed her mind before another followed. Please. No. I can’t love him. He left me, just like my daddy. She simply couldn’t survive rejection again.

  Katarina sighed. “Things aren’t going so well, huh?”

  Chapter Eight

  Emily spent her weekend helping Katarina settle into the basement and introducing her sister to her new hometown. Together they perused the classifieds, looking for a suitable building to house Kat’s Kreations, the growing mail-order craft business that Katarina had founded right out of college.

  Emily assuaged her sister’s curiosity with a simple explanation of Kevin’s lack of desire for a family. Though it didn’t truly explain anything, it quieted Kat’s probing into a part of life Emily didn’t want to discuss with anyone, especially her Pollyanna sister.

  It was becoming more and more difficult to avoid running into Kevin at the clinic, yet she continued to try. She was not ready to deal with her unresolved feelings for the man. As it was, thoughts of him already intruded on her day. With each hit of the hammer, clang of metal and buzz of the saw, Emily wondered exactly what he was handling “on his own.”

  Monday evening, the outer door down the hall clinked shut, and Emily closed her eyes. Kevin is
finally going home. She let out a breath and set the journal aside, placing her reading glasses in the drawer.

  “Evening, Doc.”

  She jumped, surprised to see the subject of her thoughts appear before her eyes.

  When she didn’t respond, he continued, stepping inside her office as he spoke. “I think it’s time we get a few things out in the open, don’t you?”

  Kevin’s jeans were white with dust from the plaster walls they’d knocked down that afternoon. Chunks of the same clung to his blond hair. He brushed his lips with the back of his hand as if trying to rid his mouth of the chalky residue.

  The image was strong and manly, yet at the same time boyish and irresistible. It was no wonder Dr. Casanova was complaining that the nurses were more interested in the building project than their jobs. Having insider information from the females’ perspective, she realized Bob was too proud to admit that his flirtations were now falling upon deaf ears.

  “This can’t go on, Kevin. I have a job to do, and you can’t keep trying to distract me.”

  He chuckled. “Don’t flatter yourself, Doc. If I was trying to distract you, you wouldn’t stand a chance of resisting.”

  “Then if you’re not trying to distract me, you wouldn’t mind keeping your distance.” She glared, feeling anger seething behind the smile plastered on her lips. She couldn’t help but hear his cheerful greetings to patients echoing through the hall between her appointments. Not to mention the fact that the single female staff members were constantly praising “the boss” of the entire project as if he were the ultimate prize.

  She knew better. Kevin MacIntyre was human, just like her, and everyone else. He’d made his share of mistakes. He had his dark side. His own faults and failures.

  Kevin nodded. “And you wouldn’t mind parking in the other lot.”

  “Excuse me?” She popped out of the chair and leaned forward, resting her hands on the cluttered desk.

  “You heard me. You can park on the other side of the building. My work is on this side. I have no choice. I can’t unload equipment from the other side.” His stomach growled. The office had closed over an hour ago, and even Kevin’s crew had abandoned the clinic before the sun set.

  She watched his callused hand rub his midsection.

  “Why don’t we continue these negotiations over dinner.”

  She pushed aside the little voice inside that rattled off the list of questions she was too chicken to actually ask Kevin. Questions that would mean dealing with the past that, until seeing Kevin again, she’d quieted to a dull roar. Now they were blaring again. “There’s nothing to negotiate.”

  He ignored her. “I need to eat. And I’m sure you do, too. You want to ride together?”

  “No, I don’t.” Emily closed the file in front of her and set it in a stack to be returned to the records department, then reached for the next.

  She felt his gaze follow her motions, yet he remained silent. From the corner of her eye, she could see him cross one leg over the other and lean against the door frame. Not trying to distract me, my foot! His tall lean body was a distraction all by itself, even coated with plaster. She resigned herself from pretending to work any longer and cocked her head as she looked at him.

  “Why don’t we meet at the café on the corner? Better yet, why don’t we walk?”

  Emily took her purse from the file drawer and turned back to the desk. “Because I’m going home. There’s nothing else we have to say.” Emily pushed up from her chair and grabbed her coat. Kevin backed into the hallway ahead of her, waiting as she locked the door behind her. She continued outside and turned toward her car, knowing the battle wasn’t over yet.

  Kevin took hold of her arm. “Please.”

  She paused.

  He said “Please,” she thought.

  He didn’t bulldoze his way into her office and order her to listen. He had said “Please.” The tension in her jaw softened.

  She and Kevin had plenty to settle. She couldn’t avoid it forever. Maybe it was best to talk now, so she could move on with her life. She knew she wouldn’t be able to forgive and forget him until they cleared the air.

  “Fine. We’ll get this over with.” He smiled, his subtle way of letting her know he won without saying “I told you so.” She glared at him. “Just say it, Kevin. I hate it when you gloat.”

  He wiped the smile from his face. “What?”

  She walked past him, annoyed that he still made her heart beat faster. He hadn’t even touched her, yet she felt her palms get clammy, her pulse rate rise and her temper flare. How dare you come in here and make a mess of my life again, Kevin MacIntyre. How dare you walk out on me!

  Over sandwiches, they ruled out every idea they had to avoid one another. Halfway through apple pie, Emily realized the list was little more than a decoy—and worse, she was as guilty as Kevin for detaining them. She hadn’t made one attempt to walk away.

  Emily dropped her napkin on the table.

  Kevin picked it up and reached for her mouth, wiping some food from her chin. “Neither one of us can afford any distractions from our work.” His hand paused at her mouth, and he smiled. Slowly his fingers brushed her cheek, then he backed away. “We agree upon that much, right?”

  She froze, momentarily captivated by his tender touch. Don’t back down, Emily. Just pick your battles. “You asked me to park on the other side of the building. Fine, I’ll do it. My office hours are between nine and noon, and one to five, so you’ll have to arrange to stay on the other side during those hours.”

  “That’s ridiculous, I can’t do that. I’m the boss. I have to oversee the entire project.” He looked at his watch and added, “Besides, it’s well after seven, and you were still in your office. When do you want me to do my job, Doc?”

  She didn’t dare admit that she had only been here waiting for him to leave so she wouldn’t have to see him. “Oh, yes, that reminds me—would you please ask your crew to refrain from their catcalls when I’m around. I don’t appreciate the reminder of your accident.”

  He stared at her, and she wished the past eight years could be erased. “And, would you please stop flirting in the office.”

  “Flirting? I haven’t flirted with anyone at the clinic.” His eyes opened wide, and there was an “I’m innocent” look on his face.

  “And what about that blonde you were cuddling with the other day?”

  He furrowed his brows. “Blonde?”

  “Next to your truck.”

  “Elizabeth?”

  She nodded. “Yes…Elizabeth.” It dawned on her that Elizabeth was Kevin’s younger sister. “Elizabeth? That was ‘little’ Elizabeth?”

  He nodded. His voice lost its humorous tone. “This is ridiculous, Emily. Surely we can stand each other’s company for six months.”

  “S-Six months?” she stammered. No, Kevin, I can’t do it. She gathered her purse and slid out of the booth. “Just remember those boundaries, Kevin, and we’ll be just fine.”

  “Emily…” He tried to get the waitress’s attention, but finally tossed two bills on the table and ran out the door after Emily. She was at the edge of the parking lot already. He took off running, but by the time he got there, she was in the car and driving out of the driveway.

  He stood in the middle of the lane, holding his hand up, forcing her to stop. Then he strolled to her window and motioned for her to roll it down.

  “We’ve settled everything, Kevin. Just promise—no more distractions.”

  “You want to see a distraction, Emily?” Before she could answer, he leaned his head in the window and kissed her, slowly, just the way she remembered. Then he leaned his elbows on the open window, the look of confidence replaced by astonishment. “No, I definitely don’t think we’ve settled anything, Doc.” He took a deep breath. “And I’m no happier about it than you are.”

  “Move out of my way, Kevin.”

  “We’re adults, Emily. Let’s handle it—now. You’re accusing me of flirting, of inte
rfering with your life. And up until that kiss, I haven’t done one thing to try to distract you. I want to finish this discussion. Since your sister’s visiting, why don’t we go to my house, where we won’t be interrupted? Looks like someone’s come back to the office for something.”

  Emily took a deep breath and looked around, noticing a few cars left in the parking lot. True, the clinic parking lot was no place to be having this conversation. Especially after what had just happened. The last thing she needed was to have one of the other doctors see Kevin kissing her.

  “Fine, I’ll follow you there.”

  A few minutes later, Kevin pulled into the garage and met Emily at the front door. Walking inside felt like walking through a trap door. Her confidence faded, masked by confusion.

  She couldn’t believe he’d kissed her. With both hands on her hips, she confronted him. “What exactly was that about, Kevin?”

  “Why don’t you tell me, Emmy? You’re the doctor—you analyze what’s going on here.”

  Before she said anything, she tried to organize her confused emotions. He was daring her to admit the truth: that she still cared too much for him to leave the past behind them. “That was not strictly business.”

  A look of humor crept into his expression. “I’m sorry, Doc. I tried. I thought I could make it work. Then your lips asked me to kiss them, and…” His smile disappeared, and he looked at her tenderly, his gaze melting into hers. “I don’t know what to do about it, Emily. I want to see you again, but the truth is, I can’t offer you a future.”

  She paced the room like bait in a tiger’s den.

  How she hated the truth at this moment. Kevin could have lied and at least given her hope for a full recovery. He could have been the louse her mother predicted and abandoned her forever. But he didn’t, and he wasn’t. He was painfully honest, caring for her when he could just as easily have walked away. He was generous and giving, sensitive and…irresistible.

  And how she hated him right now. How she hated his honesty.

  Her lips tingled in remembrance of his touch, bringing back a flood of memories of a love that she’d thought would never die. Emily wrapped her fingers around her biceps, squeezing her arms until it hurt. These were questions she’d ignored for too long.