Perfect. Simply perfect.
Maddie Mays. Or, as he and his brothers called her, “Mad” Maddie. The woman had to be a day older than God himself and she put the fear in every kid who had the unfortunate idea of cutting through her property to the park. More than once Mad Maddie had wielded a rolling pin in one hand and ball bat in the other. There was no doubt the woman would’ve used both weapons if anyone stepped on her precious prize-winning flowers. Those women in the Flower Garden Club were vicious and Mad Maddie was their president. Don’t mess with a woman’s rhododendrons.
Too bad she couldn’t catch them. Maddie was as wide as she was tall and had certainly been no match for three healthy teen boys.
Eli pushed open the door and for a half second he was shocked. It seemed as though a good one hundred pounds had melted off her. And her wardrobe looked straight out of a sixteen-year-old’s closet.
Sitting on the edge of the exam table, Maddie wore hot-pink leggings and a black, fitted, off-the-shoulder sweater. Furry leopard-print boots completed her interesting look. Her cane—which looked as though it had been dipped into a vat of rhinestones—rested against the table.
“Mrs. Mays,” he greeted, closing the door for privacy.
When her eyes landed on him, he didn’t shudder beneath the gaze that seemed to study and assess him. “Eli. You’re quite a bit taller and thicker than last I saw you.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Last time she’d seen him he’d been hightailing it past her property after she’d threatened to go get her gun if he touched her pansies again. In his defense, he’d needed a bouquet of flowers for Nora and he’d thought it was dark enough to conceal him. He’d been wrong.
“I’m quite a bit older now,” he added, setting her chart on the counter so he could wash his hands in the small sink.
One perfectly penciled-in brow arched. “I hope you’ve settled down. Are you married?”
“No, ma’am.”
Maddie let out a harrumph. “Well, you’re not too settled, then.”
After drying his hands, he opened the file, more than ready to get down to the reason for her visit. “Mrs. Mays, I’m not showing any symptoms on your chart. I see where Sarah took your vitals, but nothing else.”
Eli closed the chart, setting it on the exam table beside her and pulling his stethoscope from around his neck. “Let me just listen to your heart and lungs while you tell me the reason you’re here.”
“Oh, I’m healthy as a horse, Eli.” Maddie smiled when he froze. “Thanks to my vitamins and green tea, I’m healthier now than I was thirty years ago. Of course my workouts help. I had a pole installed in my living room about five years ago after I started reading about all these pole dancers and the strenuous workouts they go through and—”
Eli held up a hand. Besides the fact the dead last thing he wanted to hear about was Maddie and her...pole...he had a more pressing issue.
“Why are you here if you aren’t sick?” he asked. “Do you need a refill on any medication?”
“No. Since I started eating healthier a few years ago I was able to get off all my medication. All that processed food will kill you.”
Eli took a deep breath, settled his stethoscope back around his shoulders and crossed his arms over his chest.
“Then what can I do for you, Mrs. Mays?”
“I just wanted to have a look-see since you’re back in town.”
He should’ve expected this. “Mrs. Mays, I have other patients I need to see. If you’re not here for a valid reason, I’ll need to get going.”
She reached into her oversize purse and pulled out a foil-wrapped package. “I made you a loaf of pumpkin mint bread.”
Pumpkin mint?
Eli took the gift, not sure if this was the norm for Maddie. “Thanks,” he said as she slid off the exam table.
Maddie clutched her cane and narrowed her eyes. “I’ll be keeping my eye on you, Eli. I’m not too comfortable with a St. John boy being my doctor, but I trust your father and he’d never let you into his practice if he didn’t think you could do the job.”
“I can do the job,” he assured her, now wondering if the odd-flavored bread was poisoned.
“Heard you got on at some big hospital in Atlanta.”
He didn’t know how she knew. And that was the crazy thing with small towns. People knew all about your business—occasionally before you did.
“Yes, ma’am.”
And if all went well, when he returned it would be to a substantial promotion.
“Well, that’s something,” she proclaimed as she made her way to the door. “I’ve been impressed with your brothers, even if they still have that I-don’t-give-a-damn attitude.”
Eli laughed. “That’s something we were born with. But I’d say Drake and Cam have done well for themselves.”
Maddie put her hand on the door and turned to smile at him. “You’re all still single. You’re not doing too well if a woman can’t keep hold of you wild boys.”
Her laughter followed her down the hall and Eli stood there staring at the empty doorway. What the hell just happened? His first patient wasn’t really a patient and in the span of five minutes he’d been given a backhanded compliment, a scary homemade present, a warning and then he was educated on geriatric pole dancing.
Maybe being back in Stonerock wasn’t so bad, after all. It certainly wasn’t boring and for the past several minutes Nora had stayed out of his mind.
* * *
Heading toward home, Nora couldn’t help but replay her doctor’s appointment. Her BP had been elevated and she was still having some cramping. Thankfully the ultrasound looked good; the baby weighed what she should and her heartbeat was right on track.
A little girl. Nora smiled. Despite the chaos in her life, today she’d been told she would be having a baby girl. For some reason knowing the sex made everything seem so...real. As if the past five months of sickness, fluctuating weight and epic crying sprees hadn’t been real enough.
Now Nora would start thinking of names, decorating a nursery, buying cutesy little clothes. Granted, she had to sell her house and find a new one before she could decorate and before the baby came.
No, she needed to go ahead and prepare for the baby. Who knew if or when her house would sell?
Nora sighed. Just the thought of packing up everything and trying to move with a newborn sounded exhausting. But somehow she would trudge on; she had no other option.
If all of that wasn’t enough to send her rushing to her freezer for Rocky Road, she also needed to find a replacement vet to fill in for her while she was off.
Was it any wonder her BP had been high? Stress, anyone?
She’d indulged by going to the store and purchasing a ton of fruit...and whipped cream. A girl had to have some guilty pleasure and she really should cut back on the ice cream. But she did pick up another gallon. For emergencies.
Nora pulled into her driveway, resisting the urge to glance over to the St. John residence, all lit up with Christmas lights, wreaths hanging from each window. Their house had always been the picture of perfection. Some families presented only a facade of happiness and togetherness, but Nora knew from experience that even when those doors were closed, that family bond was rock solid.
That’s the family life she wanted to provide for her child. Maybe being a single mother wasn’t the way she’d envisioned life, but there was no reason she and her baby girl couldn’t have their own piece of family perfection.
Smiling, Nora realized she was still staring at the St. John house, daydreaming of the future. She didn’t see Eli’s truck in the drive, but he may have pulled around back into the garage. If Eli wasn’t around, he’d be there shortly if he kept his father’s usual office hours and left at six.
And speaking of the St. Johns,
she still needed to pick up Christmas presents for her favorite family. With her lack of energy and motivation lately, more than likely she’d be ordering those gifts online.
Darkness had settled in for the night. Nora hated that about winter. It got dark so early, but at least the twinkling Christmas lights from the neighborhood lit up the street.
Of course, she hadn’t gotten around to putting up lights yet, but she had hung a pretty evergreen wreath with a bright red-and-white bow on her door and draped some garland over the railing that stretched across her porch. That would have to do for now.
The light snow they’d received the other day had all but melted, but the weatherman was calling for possibly an inch over the next couple days. Just enough to coat the ground and be pretty.
Because she was too tired to try to make multiple trips, Nora juggled her groceries toward the steps to her house.
“Seriously, Nora. Give me those.”
She turned to see Eli crossing her driveway. “Get your keys out and I’ll carry these in.”
“I’ve got them, Eli,” she argued. “I’ve been bringing in my own food for a while now.”
He jerked on the bags, giving her no choice but to relinquish her hold. Stubborn man. Did he honestly think she’d not been able to take care of herself?
“Well, I’m here and I’m cold so open the door.”
Nora resisted the urge to roll her eyes; that would be childish. But she did stomp up the steps to her door. Not the most mature behavior, but she couldn’t help it. This gorgeous man seemed to be everywhere lately...including her dreams.
What was he doing invading her subconscious? Nostalgia could only go so far. He wasn’t the man she’d loved years ago and she certainly wasn’t the same woman.
Good grief. As if she even had anything appealing to offer a man! A widowed pregnant lady with a meager income... Seriously, who wouldn’t want to get with that?
She unlocked the door and let Eli pass in ahead of her. After she flipped on the lights in the living room and kitchen, she shrugged out of her coat.
“Just throw the bags on the island,” she called over her shoulder as she went into the living room to plug in her Christmas tree. “I’ll put everything away.”
“I can help put stuff away,” he offered.
When she plugged in the tree, she spotted Kerfluffle lying on the red-and-white quilted tree skirt, napping. Her favorite spot this time of year.
She returned to the kitchen and hung her coat on the peg by the back door. She’d just started to hang her purse over the other peg when it slipped from her grasp and fell to the tile, spilling its contents.
She leveled her gaze across the room to Eli. “Really, I’ll get it all. But thanks for carrying those groceries in.”
Ignoring her subtle dismissal, Eli circled the island and squatted down to help her pick up her purse explosion.
“Eli, I can—”
She froze as he picked up the row of pictures she’d had in her purse from today’s ultrasound. The way he stared at each image, the way he slowly straightened his body to come to his full height and the way his eyes finally came to meet hers, Nora knew he wasn’t leaving anytime soon.
Chapter Five
Eli couldn’t breathe, couldn’t speak.
A baby? How the hell did he not know this? He’d been home for five days now and nothing had ever been mentioned. Of course, his father had had heart surgery and his mother was busy with his care, but seriously, he was a doctor—how did he not recognize the fact this woman was pregnant? And far enough along that she knew the sex.
The sickness at his parents’, her always hiding beneath her coat, her pale, tired face...all the signs were there.
His eyes traveled from the pictures to her eyes to her belly. With the boxy scrubs she wore at the clinic and her height, she was able to hide her bump.
“Whatever you want to say, just say it,” she told him, taking the pictures from his hands and thrusting her chin up as if she dared him to say anything at all.
He raked a hand over his stubbled jawline. “Honestly, I don’t know what to say. Congratulations? How did I not know this? Is the baby...”
Her eyes narrowed. “Thank you. Because you don’t know everything about my life, and yes, the baby is Todd’s. Whose did you think it would be?”
He hadn’t meant to say that, but damn, she’d completely caught him off guard and, with his background, that rarely happened.
“I’m sorry.” He studied her another minute, folding his arms across his wide chest and leaning back against the center island. “This is why you were so sick the other day at Mom and Dad’s?”
Nora nodded.
Anger bubbled within him. She’d been pushing herself, bending over backward to do it all and...what? To prove she could? To prove she didn’t need anybody and she could don the superwoman cape?
“What the hell were you thinking pushing yourself like that?” he demanded, unable to keep his rage fueled by fear locked inside.
“I was thinking I’d help out the two people who’ve always been like parents to me,” she yelled back. “I’m pregnant, Eli, I’m not an invalid. I was getting along fine before you came and I’ll continue to do so once you’re gone. Just because we had a past doesn’t mean you can come in here and start taking charge.”
Eli had no idea what to say to that because his anger would only make the situation worse. More than ever, he wanted to protect her, keep her safe, but this wasn’t his wife, nor was this his baby.
“Did Todd know about the pregnancy?” he asked.
Nora closed her eyes, shaking her head. “No. He was killed before I found out. I took a home test the day of the funeral.”
Eli muttered a curse at the terrible, cruel timing. The pain in her voice sliced through Eli’s heart. No wonder she’d been going full speed ahead; she was trying to push beyond the hurt, trying to stay busy so she didn’t have to think about the pain. He’d seen this tactic numerous times when he’d been overseas. “I’m sorry I yelled at you.”
When her eyes met his again and a soft smile curved her unpainted lips, Eli’s breath caught. She was stunning. Not because of the whole girl-next-door appeal she’d always had, but for her strength in all she’d endured through life. The woman before him was so different from the girl he’d left behind. This woman was a warrior.
No matter what fate threw her way, she always smiled as she marched right over any obstacles that would cause most people to give up.
“It’s okay,” she assured him. “I’m excited about the baby and I know you were shocked. I was pretty shocked, too, when I found out.”
That was an understatement, he knew. The timing couldn’t have been any worse for her. But at least she didn’t know everything about her husband. The secret Eli carried would have to remain hidden because there was no way he’d kill that light in Nora’s baby blues. She wanted this little girl, wanted a family, and that’s what she’d have. Eli would make sure she kept pleasant memories of Todd with her and passed those down to their baby.
“Did you go to the doctor’s appointment alone?” he asked.
Her brows drew together. “Well, yeah. Who else would go with me?”
That right there was the problem. She’d nearly always done things alone.
“I’ll go next time.”
Great, Eli, just charge right in and take over. Pity and attraction were a bad combination because he wanted to help her from all angles. And he absolutely hated that he felt guilty for Todd’s sins.
“I don’t need anyone to go with me, Eli,” she assured him with another soft smile. “I can handle this on my own.”
Not backing down, he moved closer, close enough she had to tip her head slightly to look up at him. He could stare into those mesmerizing eyes forever... If only he’d chose
n to stay, where would they be now?
“We’re friends, Nora. Let me be there for you while I’m here. With Todd not having any family here, you need someone.”
Her eyes widened as she licked her lips. Desire that had nothing to do with the old feelings he had for her twisted in Eli’s stomach. Those were gone, those were a lifetime ago.
This thread of attraction was for the woman she was now, the stubborn, sexy, vibrant woman who kept insisting she didn’t need anybody.
“I have friends, Eli.” She offered an innocent, sweet smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “You’re here to take care of your father and work. There’s no sense in you adding anything else to the mix.”
Unable to help himself, Eli reached out, slid a hand across her silky cheek and stroked his thumb across her lower lip.
“Maybe I want to add you to the mix,” he murmured as he stepped closer. “Maybe I want to help because you’ve always had crap thrown at you in life. And maybe I have emotions that won’t be ignored.”
Nora took a step back, causing his hand to fall away. Her eyes narrowed again and that vulnerability he’d seen only moments ago was replaced by anger.
“I don’t want you here out of pity, Eli. I don’t need help because you feel sorry for me.”
Damn, he was going about this all wrong. Could he be more of a jerk? Friends. That’s all they could and would be. The end.
“Nora, please. I’m not offering because I think you’re incompetent. I know you’re strong and resilient—you wouldn’t have gotten this far without that spine of steel you have. Why can’t you get that chip off your shoulder and admit you need someone?”
“Because I don’t,” she said, crossing her arms over her chest. “Your parents are supportive. I realize your dad had major surgery and he’ll be recovering for a while, but the moral support they provide is invaluable.”
He studied her face, her tilted, defiant chin and her hard stare. “I’m not sure why I’m banging my head against the wall trying to get through that thick head of yours.”
Harlequin Special Edition November 2014 - Box Set 2 of 2: The Maverick's Thanksgiving BabyA Celebration ChristmasDr. Daddy's Perfect Christmas Page 45