by Katie Dowe
Chapter 2
“We got a female doctor to fill in for Dr. Herringbone,” Hillary made the comment to fill the silence that had settled over the dining room as soon as the two girls had left under extreme duress as they wanted to spend more time with their Uncle Tim. They'd left only after he'd promised to come up and tuck them in and possibly read them a story. He'd brought them gifts as usual: an expensive doll for Madison to add to her vast collection and several stuffed toys for Holly. He'd set up trust funds for them as soon as they were born to make sure they never lacked for anything in life. He could well afford it as he was a multi-billionaire who made money whenever he took on a project. “I was thinking that we should invite her over for dinner to welcome her to Fallen Oaks.” She glanced at her husband who nodded. “I wondered if you would come as well, Timothy.”
He spared her a brief glance, his dark blue eyes cool and appraising. Hillary McLaughlin was a beautiful woman whose black hair and wide green eyes were offset by her alabaster skin. He'd found her attractive at one point but had become suspicious when she'd started to press him about marriage after their second meeting and he'd told her he didn't want to see her again. He'd been furious when she went after his brother and had told her that if she hurt him, he wouldn't rest until he destroyed her. He had told his brother that she was a scheming ambitious bitch and he should run the other way but Malik had fallen in love with her and refused to give her up. Over the years Malik had tried to bridge the gap between his wife and his brother but had never quite managed to do so. Even though the marriage was seven years old and Hillary had given Malik two beautiful daughters, Timothy was still not convinced.
“Why?”
Hillary shifted her eyes away from his and stared down at her plate.
“Because you're the most influential person in town and should show that she's welcome here.” His brother pointed out.
Timothy looked at him in amusement, knowing what he was doing. He inclined his head as he sipped his wine. “Just tell me when so I can fit it into my schedule.”
“Thank you,” Hillary said softly. Timothy looked at her thoughtfully and felt himself wishing that he could at least like her but he couldn't shake the feeling that she was still into him and it wasn't just his ego talking.
He nodded and then turned to his brother. “We have a meeting with the board first thing Monday and I want to go over the finances before that.”
“How about now?”
“That’s a good idea. I'll go up and say goodnight to the girls before we begin.” He slid back his chair and got to his feet. “Thanks for dinner,” he told his sister-in-law coolly before striding from the room.
***
Timothy sat between the single beds, facing his nieces, one foot propped on his knee as he balanced the story book that he was reading to them. They'd already persuaded him to read two books even though he'd told them firmly that he was only going to be reading one. They knew they could get him to do anything they wanted and played on his emotions. Typical females, he thought fondly.
“Uncle Tim, I want to be a princess!” Three year old Holly told him with a wistful expression on her adorable face.
“You can't be a princess silly! Our father isn't a king,” her six year old sister said loftily, already showing signs of bossiness.
“I can too!”
“Cannot!”
“Hold up girls.” He held up his hand for peace. “I'm your uncle and I declare that both of you are already princesses as far as I'm concerned.”
Madison leveled her dark blue eyes so much like his at him. “It doesn't work like that, Uncle Tim.”
“You do believe that I'm a king in Fallen Oaks don’t you?” he asked her with a grin.
Madison nodded. “Everyone at our school says that you're the richest man in town and that you own everything,” she said gravely.
“So that makes me a king, right?” he pressed the point.
“You're not wearing a crown,” Holly murmured.
“I don’t need to wear one.” He closed the book he'd been reading and leaned forward to look at both of them. “I'm declaring that you're both princesses because I'm allowed as king to do that.”
“Really?” Holly looked skeptical.
“Really.” He rolled to his feet in one lithe movement and sat first on Holly’s bed to give her a kiss goodnight and then Madison’s.
“Why do you take so long to come and see us Uncle Tim?” Madison asked him.
“I'm busy most of the time sweetie and I do a lot of traveling,” he explained as he brushed back her hair. “But I promise to make it up to you.”
“We miss you when you're not here,” Holly murmured sleepily.
“I miss you guys too.” He got to his feet and turned the lights out. “Sweet dreams,” he whispered as he turned towards the doorway, stiffening as he saw his sister-in-law standing there.
“You're going to make a very good dad,” she murmured as she looked up at him.
“Where's my brother?”
“In the living room.” She stepped aside to allow him to pass by her.
He turned to look at her briefly before making his way along the passageway and down the stairs, leaving her standing there watching him.
***
Robyn laced her sneakers securely before straightening up to look around the room. She'd been at Fallen Oaks for a week now and had yet to unpack the boxes piled high in the living room and in the kitchen. She'd had her first patient on Sunday afternoon, a parent who had apologized profusely for interrupting her leisurely day but she'd been desperate because her daughter’s fever wasn't going down. Robyn had assured her that it was okay and had treated the child and given her something for the fever. On Monday she'd seen a steady stream of patients and realized that she was going to have to hire a receptionist to deal with the calls and appointments. It was a small town but apparently Doctor Herringbone had been a very popular doctor. His receptionist had retired and had gone off to live in Florida where she was going to take care of a sick sister. Robyn had called an agency and they would be sending someone over that morning. But first she was going for her usual run before she got down to business. She'd realized that the place was so quiet and serene that she could go for her run without being afraid of being mugged or worse. She'd grown up in a big city and was accustomed to looking around her to make sure she wasn't being followed. Here in Fallen Oaks she didn't even have to lock her doors. She put on her sweat-top over the sports bra and headed out. It was spring but the weather was still nippy and the last thing she needed was to catch a cold.
She'd gone a couple of miles when it happened. She'd noticed the tall man in front of her but was so into the music playing on the phone strapped to her arm that she didn't notice the small boulder in her path until it was too late. She cut off a scream as she went flying and was saved from landing on the cobbled path by the man in front of her who wasn't aware of what was happening until it was too late.
Robyn grabbed at his shirt instinctively as she fell against him and it took several long seconds for her to get back her bearings and move off him, feeling mortified. She waited while he struggled to his feet and realized that his knee was scraped and bleeding. “I am so sorry,” she cried as she bent over to look at his knee.
***
“You really ought to look where you're going,” Timothy began but then she straightened and he got a look at her face. The woman standing in front of him couldn't be more than five feet three inches, which made him a foot taller than her. It also meant that he towered over her. She had a fine-boned face, winged eyebrows and large dark brown eyes. Her complexion reminded him of coffee mixed with heavy cream and her thick black hair was in a ponytail with a few strands clinging to her face. He felt his heart slam inside his chest as he continued to stare at her and had to shake his head to concentrate on what she was saying.
“I didn't see the boulder.”She gestured behind them. “The medical center is two blocks away, I insist yo
u come with me and let me take care of that for you.”
“You're the new doctor?”
She nodded and held out a slender hand. “Robyn Faulkner.”
“Timothy McLaughlin.” He shook her hand and noticed that she removed her hand from his quickly.
She frowned at him a little. “You own most of the businesses in town.”
“I'm afraid so,” he said with a slight smile.
“Can you walk?”
He tested his foot and felt a twinge of pain. “I can manage.”
“Follow me please.”
He walked beside her and didn't say anything as he realized that she wasn't interested in having a conversation. He found himself staring at her every few minutes and wanting to say something but kept silent. She opened the door and he followed her into the living room, noticing the boxes still waiting to be unpacked. He waited until she opened the adjoining door that led to the small waiting area of the medical facility. “I'll just go and scrub—” she shook her head “—I mean wash my hands and come back. Just have a seat.”
Timothy looked around the waiting area curiously as he wondered what she'd done to make it different. He smiled slightly as he noticed the colorful cushions on the sofas and chairs and the freshly cut flowers in the vase on the counter of the reception area. It was very warm in the room so he supposed that accounted for the fact that she'd shed her sweat top and was only wearing the sports bra that showed inches of her flawless skin and a glimpse of her cleavage. He tried to avoid looking at her but he couldn't help himself. Even with the sheen of sweat covering her body and her hair escaping the ponytail she was one of the most beautiful women he'd ever met. Not only that, but there was something so vulnerable about her that he instinctively wanted to reach out and pull her into his arms and reassure her that everything would be okay. He shook the fanciful thought away just in time to hear her say, “I'm afraid this is going to sting a little.”
He stiffened automatically as she cleaned the wound, her touch gentle. He stared down at her bent head and couldn't help but notice the nape of her neck. She finished quickly, efficiently putting gauze over the wound after applying an antiseptic ointment. “That should do it.” She got to her feet and picked up the stuff she'd used. “I'm just going to wash up and I'll be back.”
When she came back a few minutes later he was already on his feet. “How do you like our little town?” He had a feeling that she was getting ready to tell him to leave and for some reason he wanted to prolong meeting.
She shrugged slightly. “It’s quaint.”
He gazed at her quizzically. “Is that a way of saying that it's tiny?”
She laughed at that and Timothy felt something tighten inside him as he stared at the transformation. The laughter brought his attention to her full bottom lip and the whiteness of her teeth against it, and he had to tear his gaze away. Christ! What the hell! “I was just about to pour myself a cup of coffee. Would you like some?”
He nodded and followed her out of the room and into the kitchen. It was still very early, not yet seven a.m. and he'd planned on going to the office by seven thirty to sort some things out before a meeting but he didn't want to leave just yet!
He perched on a stool at the counter and watched as she retrieved mugs from the cupboard. “How do you like it?”
“Black.” He waited until she'd handed him the cup of coffee and added cream to hers before he asked the question. “You've been here a week now?”
She nodded as she took her seat on the stool opposite to him.
“And you haven't unpacked?”
She glanced at the boxes in the corner of the room and smiled slightly. “I haven't gotten around to doing so.”
“What’s your specialty?” he asked her suddenly.
“What makes you think I have one?” she asked him, obviously surprised at the question.
“I just do.” His dark blue eyes stared at her steadily and she started to shift uneasily.
“Orthopedics.”
“And yet you're here in our small town bandaging bruises and treating ear infections.”
“I also treated a guy with a dislocated shoulder on Friday,” she said with a shuttered expression on her face, warning him that the Q & A was over. She got to her feet to prove the point and waited until he'd finished drinking the coffee. “I'm sure that there won't be any swelling from the bruises.”
“And if there is?”
“Come back and see me. It was entirely my fault so I want to make sure that there are no lingering effects.” She led the way to the front door and he followed her, turning as he reached the doorway. “My brother and sister-in-law want to invite you to dinner on Saturday to welcome you properly to the neighborhood. And my nieces, Madison and Holly, would really love to meet you as well. How about it?”
“I'll check my schedule and let you know,” she said with a slight smile. “How old are your nieces?”
“Madison is six going on sixteen and Holly is three,” he said with a gentle smile.
“I look forward to meeting them.”
“Take my number,” he suggested and after a slight hesitation she went to get her phone so he could put his number in. “Give me a call on Friday to let me know what you've decided.” He handed her back the phone and stood there staring at her for a moment before he left. Timothy stood outside on the porch for a moment before he made his way stiffly down the steps and into the yard. His knee stung a little but he was determined not to let that stop him from jogging the rest of the way to his apartment. If doing so happened to make it swell up then all the better because he would have an excuse to see her again.
***
Robyn made her choice immediately. She'd interviewed three people and had been deciding whether or not to interview anyone else when Clara Jones walked in. The large black woman with the salt and pepper hair scraped back severely from her face had a take charge attitude that was immediately apparent. A glance at her resume, which was professionally done, told Robyn that she was also a nurse practitioner, which made her decision so much easier. And Clara was easy to talk to, which Robyn discovered after only a few minutes.
“I'm afraid that the pay won't be that great,” Robyn told her after they'd finished talking.
“Honey, I don’t really need the money. My husband died and left me a sizable insurance. My kids are grown and living their own lives and I just want something to occupy my time. I'm not the type to stay home and twiddle my thumbs.”
“I'm sure you're not,” Robyn said with a smile.
“Honey, how old are you, if you don’t mind me asking?”
“I'm twenty-eight.”
“Pretty young to be a doctor, and beautiful too. You're going to get all the single guys in Fallen Oaks coming for one trumped up excuses or the other so that they can get a look at you and ask you out on dates.”
Robyn got to her feet immediately. “They would be wasting their time,” she said coolly. “I like you Clara, and I think we'll make a great team. When can you start?”
“Right away, honey,” she said with a grin.
Patients started coming in at eight and for the rest of the day there was a constant stream of them. Clara was right; younger men came in for everything from small splinters to a headache that could easily be cured by taking a few pain killers, but Robyn handled it with the professionalism that was a part of her. The fact that her heart was too battered to handle anything— including a date— made it easy for her to deflect the advances that came her way. She found several business cards left discreetly on her desk, with messages on the back for her to call, and put them away, not in the least bit interested. She filled her days with work, working later than was usual, wanting to forget the awful events that had her coming to Fallen Oaks in the first place. At night she would sit at the counter and drink her glass of wine as she contemplated her fate. She was staring at a bleak future, a far cry from the one she'd mapped out for herself. She'd planned on being married in June and had spe
nt the time when she could looking at wedding dresses. She knew that she hadn't been very accommodating when it came to finding time to be with Sean because she'd been so absorbed in her medicine but he had been as well and it hadn't been fair that because she was a woman that it should be any different for her. Robyn shook her head and looked up as a mother and her daughter came into her office. She had work to do and needed to concentrate on what she had to do!
***
Timothy stretched his leg out experimentally to relieve the stiffness. Maybe jogging on it hadn't been such a good idea after all, he thought with a grimace. His mind turned back to the diminutive doctor, his expression contemplative. A wry smile lit up his face as he realized that she hadn't been impressed by him, not one bit.
Chapter 3
Just as he'd decided to call her on Friday, she called him in the afternoon. “Mr. McLaughlin?” Her soft cultured voice sent a shiver down his spine and had him leaning back against his chair. His assistant had buzzed and told him that there was a Robyn Faulkner on the line and he'd taken the call immediately.
“I think that plowing me down on the street gives you the right to call me by my first name, don’t you think?” his voice was tinged with amusement.
“You're right, of course,” she told him with a laugh that had Timothy visualizing the way her face looked. “I hope I'm not calling too late to accept the invitation to dinner.”
“Of course not!” he told her, mentally making a note to call his sister-in-law to let her know to expect company for dinner.
“What time?”
“How about seven?”
“Seven sounds good. Could you give me the address?”
He did so and turned over in his mind something that would keep her on the phone for a little longer but she was the one who gave him what he needed to keep her talking.
“How's the knee?”
“A little stiff but otherwise healing. I've decided to stay off it for a little bit so I won't be doing any jogging until next week.”