Safe in His Hands

by Amy Ruttan

  When and if she ever did meet Mr. Right, she wanted to provide two parents for her children. Charlotte wanted to give them what she’d never had.

  “Doc Charley?” Charlotte looked up to see George standing in the doorway.

  “Yeah, what can I do for you?”

  “Closing time.” A smile spread across George’s face.

  Charlotte glanced at the clock on her computer monitor and balked. The afternoon had flown by. She had still been working on Wavell’s file, although she had pulled out the boy’s sutures earlier that day.

  “Have a good night,” she said absently.

  “It’s bingo night at the community center. You up for some B.I.N.G.O?” George asked, enunciating every letter in an annoying way.

  Charlotte shook her head. “I don’t relish going out in that storm.”

  “Storm ended hours ago, Charley,” George said, confused. “You must’ve been really engrossed in filing if you didn’t even notice the silence.”

  Charlotte shook her head. No, she hadn’t noticed the howling wind had stopped. She’d grown so accustomed to the deafening sound that she hadn’t even noticed that it had ended. Apparently she truly had zoned out, because the coffee in her cup from that morning was stone cold and the cup was still full. She dropped the file and scrubbed a hand over her face.

  “Are you all right, Charley?” George asked, concerned.

  “Fine. Just a bit tired.” She bit her lip, hoping George wouldn’t see through her lie. If he did, he didn’t say anything.

  “Come out to the community center. Everyone is coming tonight for bingo, a way to celebrate the storm being over. I’m even going to fetch Aanak and drag her in.”

  A smile tugged at the corners of her lips. “No, thanks. I think I’ll keep up with my filing. Besides, I hate bingo.”

  George shook his head. “Suit yourself. I guess it’s just me and Doc Devlyn, then.”

  “Quinn’s going?” Charlotte was stunned. Absolutely and utterly flabbergasted. Quinn was not the community-center, bingo-card-stamping type. Except for formal mixers, Quinn had never gone out with the other students, unless it had been with her.

  “Yep.” There was a twinkle to George’s eye. “He said he’s really looking forward to it.”

  Now she had to go. She wouldn’t miss seeing this for the world. “Well, I guess I can come out, seeing that Anernerk will be there and everything.”

  George grinned. “Ri-i-ight. You’re going because Aanak will be there.”

  Charlotte frowned. “What exactly are you implying? And tread carefully.”

  “Nothing. Nothing.” George held up his hands and backed out of the room. Charlotte chuckled to herself when he’d disappeared. He knew not to mess with her. He might be taller than her, but she could still give him a good noogie if she was so inclined.

  She wasn’t lying about wanting to see Anernerk, but the real show would be watching Quinn interacting with the townsfolk. He was not a natural people person. In fact, she knew he was only in the medical profession because it’d been forced on him by his parents, and she couldn’t help but wonder what his chosen profession would’ve been if he’d had the choice.

  He’d never had hobbies when they’d been together, other than traveling. He’d liked to see new places and had often talked about the trips he wanted to take. Perhaps he would’ve taken up photography.

  Was that why he was taking it up now, as a fallback because of his hand injury? Charlotte groaned, annoyed with herself for expending so much thought on Quinn Devlyn. His life, his choices were not her concern anymore. Once he did his job up here she was over 100 percent positive he’d be on the next flight to Toronto.

  Back to his job at the hospital in the big city and working as much as he could to stay at the top of his game.

  And that was a bet she could take to the bank.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  THE COMMUNITY CENTER was packed and blaring out music. Charlotte handed her coat to the young girl behind the coat check.

  “You’d better hurry up, Doc Charley. They’ve already started the first round,” the young girl said.

  “Thanks, Lizzie.”

  Charlotte hadn’t gone over with George and Quinn as she’d had to make a house call on a sick patient, the only resident in Cape Recluse, besides Mentlana and Genen, who wasn’t in attendance at bingo tonight. Besides, Charlotte was in no rush. She wanted to watch Quinn from afar to see how he interacted with the residents.

  She’d been so shocked when George had told her Quinn had agreed to go. This was one bingo night she wasn’t going to miss for the world. She lingered in the doorway of the main auditorium and easily picked out Quinn, near the back and by himself.

  His brow was furrowed as he was bent over the cards. A smile touched her lips. They’d suckered him out of at least twenty bucks because he had about four cards sprawled out in front of him and he couldn’t keep up with marking his tickets with the chips.

  “He sucks. Big time.”

  Charlotte turned to see Anernerk at the table beside the door. Anernerk was a pro at bingo. She could carry on any kind of conversation without missing a beat.

  “What do you mean?”

  Anernerk snorted. “He sucks. What more is there to say?”

  “B seven.”

  “Boo!” Anernerk shouted. “Call something good for a change.”

  Charlotte stifled a laugh. Poor George was the caller and sent his dear, sweet Aanak a withering look, but only because Anernerk was engrossed in her bingo cards.

  “You think I should go help him?” Charlotte asked.

  “Yeah, but if you win...” Anernerk sent her a brief but silent warning.

  Charlotte just grinned and made her way round to where Quinn was seated. “Having fun?”

  Quinn glanced up and then laughed. “No. I think George should’ve been an auctioneer instead of a bingo caller.”

  Charlotte took the empty seat next to him and aided Quinn in catching up. “He’s neither. He’s a paramedic. They’re trained to move quickly.”

  “Well, his training in this situation is not needed,” Quinn grumbled.

  “You wish he was slower in this case?” she teased.

  “Of course,” Quinn said, as he placed another chip. “I’m a novice. I was promised a night of cheap fun.”

  “Cheap fun? You’re in the wrong town for cheap fun.”

  Quinn grinned and then chuckled. “Well, I’m used to attending soirees where plates go for at least fifty dollars and up.”

  “It’s all relative, I guess.” Charlotte placed another chip. “There, you’ve caught up now.”

  “For now.” Quinn cursed under his breath as George called out three more numbers in rapid succession. “Drat. I’m literally all thumbs tonight.”

  “Slow it down, you!” Charlotte called out, trying not to laugh.

  George raised his eyebrows in question and then spied Charlotte. He shook his head and continued in his normal tempo of firing off numbers.

  “Hey, you heard the doctor. Slow it down or else.” This time the demand came from Anernerk and this time George dared not ignore the request.

  Quinn was stifling his laughter. “She’s a bit intense about this game.”

  “She’s competitive.”

  “I see where you got it from,” Quinn said.

  “What do you mean?”

  Quinn rolled his eyes. “Oh, come on. You were out for blood at medical school. Always had to be top in the class, win every competition and every scholarship. It was damn annoying.”

  Charlotte glared at him, but saw the mirth in his eyes and retracted her claws a bit. “All right, I’ll give you that. So, if I was so annoying, why did you pursue me?”

  She regretted the question th
e moment it had left her lips when she saw the dark, hungry glint in his eyes, a look that caused warmth to spread through her body. She almost forgot where she was. Charlotte felt like that giddy med student in anatomy class, shyly watching Quinn on the other side of the classroom.

  “G fifty-eight.”

  Quinn tore his gaze from her and set down a chip. “Damn, I think I won. Did I?”

  Charlotte leaned over. “You did. You’d better call it.”

  “Bingo!” Quinn yelled out, standing up waving his card, letting the chips scatter everywhere. “Damn.”

  “Forfeit! He dropped his chips!” Anernerk said loudly, with a hint of triumph in her voice.

  Charlotte couldn’t control her laughter, then. She got down on her knees and began to retrieve the bingo chips from the floor. Quinn got down and helped her.

  “Anernerk is right.”

  “How’s that?” Charlotte asked, setting a fistful of chips on the table.

  “I do suck.”

  * * *

  Quinn took a swig of his soda and leaned against the bar in the community center. He used the word “bar” loosely as it only served sodas, coffee and tea. He had excused himself from this round of bingo and had left Charlotte to hold down the fort.

  In spite of Anernerk’s protests, he had still won because they could track the previous numbers called.

  It surprised him how much he enjoyed the game and socializing with the people in the community. That snowstorm had lasted for what had felt like an eternity. He was Canadian and used to blizzards, but nothing of this magnitude and ferocity. But then again, he’d grown up in a city, and tall buildings did serve a good use as windbreaks against whiteouts and squalls.

  There was nothing here, no trees, just water on all sides and a mountain of rock, ice and snow behind the town. They were certainly at the mercy of the elements here. It was raw and powerful and for the first time he actually understood the reason why Charlotte loved it up here.

  Quinn shook his head and ran his fingers through his hair. Perhaps the deafening roar of that snowstorm had addled his brain.

  One thing not confusing him was how much he was enjoying his time with Charlotte. After he’d told her what had happened to him, she’d kept her distance from him. A tense silence had fallen between them and it saddened him. She ate her meals in her office and their only conversations were just cursory politenesses or talking about Mentlana’s case.

  He was used to silence, but he’d been alone for far too long. When he’d arrived in Cape Recluse he hadn’t realized how hungry for company he’d been, especially for Charlotte’s.

  He’d missed her, but he’d never really let it sink in how much. Being back in her presence reminded him of it, keenly.

  Quinn didn’t know what had changed and why the tense barrier that had fallen between them these last few days was gone, but he was thrilled. She seemed to be enjoying herself immensely, even though George told him she never usually came to bingo as she didn’t particularly enjoy it.

  Charlotte was beaming from ear to ear and she was very at ease with the people, and they with her. It was like they were family—for all intents and purposes, they were. He envied Charlotte that she really loved what she was doing.

  Here she shone like the bright star she was.

  Quinn had never seen her like this. Five years ago, in Yellowknife, he hadn’t seen any job prospects, any chance for advancement. He’d thought of Canada’s North as a dead-end career, but it wasn’t.

  He’d been so wrong.

  He’d been too hasty when he’d left.

  Watching Charlotte now, he was regretting the decisions he’d made.

  “Are you going to play the next round, Devlyn?”

  Quinn turned to see Anernerk beside him. She looked a bit frailer then when he’d first laid eyes on her a few days earlier. He hoped, for Charlotte’s sake, that nothing was seriously wrong with her, but then, the old gal was over a hundred.

  “Well, are you?” Anernerk winked at him.

  “I may,” Quinn conceded.

  “I like competition. Especially, fresh meat.”

  “I believe your grandson remarked on that the first time I met you.”

  “He knows me well.” Anernerk smiled and then picked up his bad hand. “Has it been troubling you much?”

  “No, not too much. The blizzard caused a bit of an ache.”

  Anernerk nodded. “Your hand is steady enough. I wouldn’t worry.”

  Quinn cocked an eyebrow. “I’m not. Not in the least.”

  Liar.

  “I see,” she said carefully. She released his hand and then shook her finger at him. “I’m going to get you next round. You had beginner’s luck, but I think that’s run out. I shall have victory.”

  Anernerk hobbled off and Quinn trailed after her, sitting next to Charlotte and sliding a can of ginger ale across to her.

  “Milady,” he said, giving a little flourish with his hand.

  “Thanks.” Charlotte popped the top and stuck a straw in the can.

  “How are we doing?” he asked.

  “Not well, I’m afraid.”

  “O sixty-seven.”

  “Boo!” Quinn called out. “This game is rigged.”

  Charlotte snorted and several people laughed. George was shocked, but grinned and continued with the game.

  “I’m shocked, Dr. Devlyn, by such a display,” Charlotte teased.

  “Are you thoroughly scandalized?”

  “Of course.”

  Quinn chuckled. “Perhaps we should call it quits. Besides, Anernerk warned me that she’d have victory, or else.”

  “Well, in that case, we’d better leave while the going’s good.” Charlotte finished her soda and Quinn collected up the game paraphernalia and handed it back to the ladies who had persuaded him in the first place to buy four cards.

  They retrieved their coats and headed out into the freezing night. The moment they stepped outside, a brilliant display of vibrant green aurora borealis erupted across the sky.

  “I can’t believe how I missed this during my year in Yellowknife.” Quinn wasn’t watching where he was going and lost his footing. Charlotte reached out and steadied him.

  “I think you’ve had a bit too much pop tonight,” she teased.

  “Perhaps. Or my eardrums were shattered by that raging blizzard.” He gazed at Charlotte, bundled up in her parka. All he could see was the twinkle in her eyes and the tip of her nose, and he fought the urge to lean forward and press a kiss there. Charlotte let go of her hold on him, though. The light-hearted jesting they shared at the community center had vanished, replaced once more by the uneasy tension.

  “It’s freezing out here.” Charlotte laughed nervously and stepped back, jogging the rest of the short way back to her clinic.

  Quinn followed, because it was freezing, but he didn’t know what had changed again and he was sad that it had.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  CHARLOTTE SPENT THE night tossing and turning, just like she’d spent the last several. Quinn had changed. When he’d first arrived, she hadn’t been sure that he had. He’d still seemed like the same old workaholic who’d left her.

  The Quinn who had shown himself to her now was a completely different man, a man she only caught glimpses of when they were alone together away from prying eyes. A man he never allowed out in public. There were still shadows of his former self, but she was learning more about him. More than she’d ever thought possible.

  Last night at bingo she’d thoroughly enjoyed herself.

  Charlotte gave up any pretense of trying to sleep. She got up and dragged herself to the shower, using the last bit of hot water in her heater for the morning. She got dressed in warm layers as today she had to make a visit to Mentlana
.

  Quinn was nowhere in sight when she left her bedroom. She couldn’t help but wonder where he was. He wasn’t in the guest bedroom, because the door was wide open.

  There was a pot of coffee waiting and a note from Quinn that stated he was out with George, ice fishing.

  Ice fishing?

  Charlotte pinched the bridge of her nose. Quinn had willingly gone out on the ice? With George?

  She shook her head, filled her travel mug with some coffee and collected the items she’d need for Mentlana’s checkup.

  When she headed outside she could see a few brightly colored huts out on the water and she couldn’t help but wonder which one Quinn was in. She could picture him bundled up, cursing at the stupidity of sitting out in the bitter cold, watching a hole for a bite on his pole.

  Actually, what would be even better would be if a seal ended up popping up through Quinn and George’s hole. That would certainly give him a fright. She’d be willing to endure a few hours of ice fishing just to see that.

  “Quick lollygagging and get in here!” Anernerk was hanging out the doorway.

  “What the heck are you doing here?” Charlotte asked. “More importantly, how the heck did you get here?”

  “Genen picked me up last night from bingo. I just decided to stay here for a few days. I didn’t think I was confined to my home.” Anernerk pointed at her cheek.

  Charlotte leaned over and gave her a kiss. “Well, since you’re here, maybe I’ll give you a checkup, too.”

  “Don’t you dare!” Anernerk grinned and took Charlotte’s coat. “Where’s Dr. Devlyn today?”

  “Ice fishing with George.”

  “Really? I’m impressed.”

  “What’s going on out there?” Mentlana called out.

  “You better go see her,” Anernerk said. “She’s going a bit squirrely, being on bed rest.”

  Charlotte walked down the hallway to Mentlana’s bedroom. The television had been moved into the room. Actually, it looked like most of Mentlana’s living room had been crammed into her small bedroom.

  “How are you feeling today?” Charlotte asked.