On a scale of one to ten, with ten being the worst, the reality of sharing a bed with Jon was a fifteen.

It pushed twenty when she felt the mattress dip from his weight. And the masculine scent of his skin drifted to her, firing up her hormones even more.

“Good night.”

“‘Night.” His voice was ragged, rough.

Dawn couldn’t speak for him, but she was as tense as a bowstring and ready to snap. “Jon, I—”

He threw back the covers. “This isn’t going to work.”

She rolled over to face him. “What’s wrong?”

“I want you.” There was no mistaking the need in his voice this time. It was honest and raw. “I can’t help it. I can’t make it stop. If I touch you—” He swore under his breath. “I’m going in the other room.”

This time he didn’t say anything about sleeping. And there was no mistaking the way her heart soared in response to his declaration. He wanted her.

Before he could get out of bed she moved closer and reached for him. It was automatic, instinctive. Her hand touched his arm, the warm skin. And this time she said the word. “Stay.”

* * *

Montana Mavericks: The Baby Bonanza Meet Rust Creek Falls’ newest bundles of joy!

TERESA SOUTHWICK lives with her husband in Las Vegas, the city that reinvents itself every day. An avid fan of romance novels, she is delighted to be living out her dream of writing for Mills & Boon.

Her Maverick M.D.
Teresa Southwick

www.millsandboon.co.uk

To editor Susan Litman, who guides us through this Montana Mavericks maze with a combination of grace and humor.

It’s always a pleasure working with you.

Contents

Cover

Introduction

Title Page

About the Author

Dedication

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Epilogue

Extract

Copyright

Chapter One

Dr. Jonathan Clifton had never understood what it meant to be stopped dead in your tracks. That changed when he walked into the Rust Creek Falls Medical Clinic and saw the woman behind the reception desk. She stopped him cold—or maybe hot—with long blond hair falling past her shoulders and bluebonnet-colored eyes that could tempt a man to kiss her. Or bring him to his knees. Since he had no intention of letting that happen to him again it was strictly an observation about the very pretty receptionist he would be working with.

Moving to the open window separating her from the crowded waiting room, Jon patiently waited for her to hang up the phone. That was when he noticed her blue scrubs decorated with cartoon animals. The stethoscope draped around her neck was a clue that she probably wasn’t the receptionist. But she sounded a little frazzled, possibly fatigued and even prettier up close than she’d appeared from across the room.

When she hung up the phone, he smiled at her. “Hi. Is it always this busy in here?”

“Pretty much. But today is more crazy than usual.”

Say something brilliant, he told himself. And funny. “It’s still summer. Not even flu season yet.”

“Tell me about it,” she agreed. “Things should get really interesting in a couple months.”

“Flu shots would help. Might want to think about having a flu shot fair. Kind of like a health fair but with the focus on prevention.” When she smiled at him he nearly broke his promise to not let a woman bring him to his knees. “Just a thought.”

“It’s a good one. There are few things Rust Creek Falls likes more than a reason for a community get-together.”

“Folks here do like a gathering.”

“So you know our little slice of Montana paradise,” she said.

“Yeah.”

The woman tilted her head, studying him. “Have we met? You look familiar.”

“I’ve been here before. My brother lives just outside of town.”

“Ah, a visitor. And you’re here to see the doctor. I’m sorry you’re not feeling well. Have you signed in?”

He looked at the lined sheet attached to a clipboard. Each line was a sticky strip. When patients arrived, they signed in then the name was removed for privacy purposes. “I’m not a patient.”

“Oh?” Her expression turned appraising and a little wary. “Are you selling something?”

He was trying to sell himself—his personality, at least—because he would be working with this woman. But he’d always been more interested in doctoring than witty repartee.

And Jon could feel it coming on. The persona his brothers referenced when they’d nicknamed him Professor. The one where he turned a little formal, a little stiff and standoffish. Too analytical. But trying not to be left him a lot tongue-tied. “I’m here— The kids—”

“So you have an appointment for your child?” She glanced past him, looking for one.

“No.” That sounded abrupt. He smiled. “I don’t have kids. That I know of.”

She looked a little surprised at the lame remark. “You’re a visitor and may not know this, but thanks to Homer Gilmore’s wedding moonshine prank more than one man became a father this year without knowing. It’s not something to be cavalier about.”

“That was a bad joke,” he acknowledged.

“No problem.” Her tension eased. “Guess we’re still a little sensitive about the incident.”

“I understand. In fact my brother was a victim of the punch. He’d just closed escrow on his ranch—”

“So, you’re a cowboy.” She looked interested.

At least he thought so and really hated to tell her the truth. “I’m not a cowboy.”

“Oh.” She sounded disappointed. “The snap-front shirt and worn jeans threw me off. Sorry.”

“No problem.”

She glanced over her shoulder and smiled apologetically. “I really have to get back to work.”

And Jon wanted just a little bit longer with her. So he started talking. “A lot of people dress like this who don’t herd cows on a ranch. In fact, you’re wearing scrubs, but I didn’t jump to the conclusion that you’re a doctor. But I feel pretty confident that you’re not the receptionist.”

“Really?” The corners of her mouth curved up. “What makes you so sure?”

“You have a stethoscope around your neck. Someone who answers the phone wouldn’t need one handy.” He smiled and leaned his forearms on the wall separating them. “And this is just the process of elimination, but my next guess would be that you’re a nurse. If I’m right, it’s a waste of your education, training and experience to have you answering phones.”

“We have a receptionist. Brandy. Somewhere.” She glanced around the front office area looking a little irritated with the missing receptionist. “But since she’s not here at the moment, my job description has spontaneously been expanded to include security checkpoint because I have to ask. Since you’re not a patient, or accompanying someone who is, do you have business here?”

“Technically the clinic is my business.” Good God, he sounded like a pompous idiot. This was not the first time he’d met and talked to a pretty girl, so what was his problem? Plastering a smile on his face, he held out his hand. “I’m Jon Clifton, MD. That is—Dr. Jonathan Clifton. I met with Emmet DePaulo about joining the staff here at the clinic—”

“The new doctor.” Suddenly her tone completely lacked warmth, as if he’d revealed his alter ego was Jack the Ripper.

“Pediatrician, technically.”

“Emmet told us the new doctor would be here in a couple of days. Wow, and I just jumped to the conclusion that you were a cowboy.” As comprehension slid into her eyes her cheeks turned pink.

The color in her face made her even prettier, if possible. “You should do that more often.”

“What? Humiliate myself?”

“No. Of course not. It’s just that blushing looks good on you.”

The brief bit of vulnerability in her expression disappeared and her blue eyes darkened with what appeared to be suspicion. “Really?”

Uh-oh. Apparently he’d stepped in it there. Note to self: they’d just met. She didn’t know his sense of humor yet. There was no way to accelerate the process of learning it. Only putting in one day after another, working together in the trenches during traumas and emergencies could do that. But maybe a little information about himself could speed things up.

“I actually live in Thunder Canyon. I’ve been working at the resort there with Dr. Marshall Cates. They added a pediatric specialist to the staff because a lot of families vacation there.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. And when the word spread that Rust Creek Falls could use my specialty I decided to lend a hand. I signed a contract for a year.”

“Ah.”

Hmm. One syllable, technically not even a word. It was a signal but he wasn’t certain whether or not the meaning was an invitation for him to continue with information. As a physician he’d been trained that the more facts you obtained in order to make a diagnosis, the better.

“It’s possible you know my brother. Will Clifton. Like I said, he owns a ranch and I’m staying in his guesthouse—well, it used to be the foreman’s house but... Anyway, I was at the wedding last summer when he accidentally married Jordyn Leigh.”

Her full lips pulled tight for a moment. “You say that as if it wasn’t really an accident on her part.”

“Don’t get me wrong. I understand that alcohol lowers one’s inhibitions. But it seems unlikely that punch—even a spiked one—can make someone do anything they don’t really want to.” Some part of his brain registered that based on the way her eyes were practically shooting fire he should stop talking, but the words continued to come out of his mouth. “There were a lot of babies conceived, which means there was quite a bit of ill-advised behavior. Should people have known better?” He shrugged at the question.

“Have you ever heard the saying ‘Never judge anyone unless you’ve walked a mile in their shoes’?” she asked sweetly.

“Are you suggesting that I should try the punch?”

“If the shoe fits...” She stared at him. “And for the record, spiked punch means something was added without the knowledge of those drinking it.”

“True, but—”

“Sometimes things are more complicated than they appear.”

He didn’t just sound like a pompous idiot, he decided, he actually was one. In his defense— Who was he kidding? There was no defense.

“Let me explain—”

“No need. I have to go find Brandy and get back to work.”

There was a definite coolness in her tone now. “Look, I feel as if—”

“I’ll let Emmet know the new doctor is here.”

Before Jon could come up with anything to keep her there—like letting her know he wasn’t always such a jerk—she walked away. Clearly something he’d said had hit her the wrong way, so it was a good thing she couldn’t read his mind. Because he was thinking that she filled out those unflattering scrubs in a fairly spectacular way. She—

And that’s when he realized that he forgot to ask her name.

It was customary when you introduced yourself to get that important information from the person you were introducing yourself to. But he’d kept talking about himself. It was probably just as well that she’d left before he said more to tick her off. After that fairly spectacular crash and burn he was anxious to get to work. Kids were a much easier crowd.

Moments after the nurse disappeared the door beside the reception window opened and Emmet DePaulo stood there. The man was tall and lean, somewhere in his sixties. When Jon had heard from family who lived here that there was a need in this town for healthcare professionals, he’d contacted Emmet, who was a nurse-practitioner. They’d met for dinner and Jon had found out the older man was a Vietnam-era veteran in addition to being easygoing and bighearted. He had a neatly trimmed beard that was more silver than brown and a wide, warm smile on his weathered face.

He’d explained that Rust Creek Falls was a rural area and his advanced nursing degree and certification allowed him to see and treat patients. He’d started this small clinic some years ago and kept it going through skill and sheer guts. That deserved respect. The fact was Emmet had the trust of the people in this town and Jon was the new doctor who would do his best to earn the same. In his book that made Emmet the boss.

He held out his hand. “Welcome to Rust Creek Falls, Jon. Follow me and we can talk in my office.”

Behind the other man he walked down a long hallway with exam rooms on either side. Corridors branched off and he figured soon enough he would get a tour of the place. And somewhere here in the back office was the pretty nurse he’d somehow offended, although there was no sign of her now.

The last door on the left opened to a room with a big flat-topped desk stacked with a computer and enough charts to bring on carpal tunnel. Framed degrees and certifications lined the walls along with a couple of photos. One showed a younger Emmet DePaulo in camouflage with several other people dressed the same way and a tent with a big red cross behind them. His army days.

“Have a seat, Jon.” When Emmet sat in the cushy black leather chair behind the desk Jon took one in front of it. “I didn’t expect you until next week.”

“I got here yesterday and decided to stop by. Get a jump on orientation.”

“Bored?”

“Maybe.” Jon had been on automatic pilot at his job for a while now and was looking for a change.

“You saw the standing-room-only in the waiting area. We could sure use your help seeing patients if you’re up for starting work early.”

“Happy to help.” He sincerely meant that. “Patient overload would explain why the young woman at the front desk was so—”

“Uptight?” Emmet’s brown eyes sparkled with amusement.

“I wasn’t going to say it.” Especially since he’d just been taken to task for being judgmental. “But she did seem sort of on edge.”

“Dawn—”

“That’s her name?”

“Yes. Dawn Laramie.”

“Ah.” One syllable to hide the fact that, in his opinion, the name suited her. She was as lovely as the morning sun coming up over the mountains. That thought stopped him. He was a science and medicine guy, not a poet. Where had that come from?

“The clinic is very lucky to have her. She’s a pediatric nurse. Came from the PICU at Mountain’s Edge Hospital, the closest Level One trauma center.”

Jon whistled. “That’s quite the commute from Rust Creek Falls.”

“Over an hour,” the other man confirmed. “That’s why I was able to lure her to the clinic. And along with Callie Crawford, my other nurse-practitioner, and Brandy Walters, who handles the front office, she’s overworked.”

“I see.”

“Like I told you when we talked, Rust Creek Falls is experiencing population growth and we’re really feeling it here at the clinic. Folks don’t abuse our walk-in policy so if they show up it’s because they really need medical attention.” The older man met his gaze. “And we make it a point to see everyone who shows up.”

“Are you trying to scare me off?”

“Heaven forbid. Just want you to know what you’re getting into.”

The job at Thunder Canyon Resort was occasionally challenging, but mostly not. It was cushy and predictable. But that’s exactly what Jon had been looking for when the position was offered to him—time and space to assess his career. The call for help here had come at a point when he was restless and looking for more.

“I’m ready for whatever you’ve got.”

“Good.” Emmet leaned forward and rested his forearms on the desk. “And when you’re ready to tear your hair out, you should know that more help is on the way. Another doctor and nurse will be here shortly.”

“Okay.”

Emmet stood. “I’ll show you around and introduce you to the staff. Although you’ve already met Dawn.”

About her... Jon wished he could have a second chance at making a good first impression. But he was sure that when she got to know him, she’d put that initial skirmish behind her.

The two of them were going to get along just fine.

* * *

The new doctor.

That’s how it started when Dawn’s life had fallen apart.

She hadn’t thought this day could get any worse when Dr. Jon Clifton had shown up, but she’d been wrong. Apparently the slightest exposure to him deactivated brain function, because she had failed to process the fact that Jamie Stockton was bringing his triplets in for their monthly checkup on Dr. Dreamboat’s first day. Clifton was a pediatrician. As a nurse-practitioner Callie saw patients so Dawn was technically the clinic’s only nurse. Hence, she was going to have to be intimately involved in said checkup.

An office visit for three babies born prematurely almost six months ago was throwing the new doctor into the deep end of the pool on his first day. She could almost feel sorry for him if she didn’t already feel sorry for herself. Most nurses would be ecstatic at the opportunity to be in an exam room with the good-looking pediatrician. But most nurses hadn’t once upon a time been used and lied to by a new staff doctor. So when the guy had told her she should blush more, warning signals had gone off like a heart monitor during cardiac arrest.

But he was Emmet’s golden boy and they needed his kind of help here at the clinic. Her job was to assist him and she was all about doing a good job.

Dawn got a text on her cell phone that Jamie had just pulled into the clinic parking lot on South Lodgepole Lane. She pushed open the back exit door and headed for the rancher’s familiar vehicle. The cowboy slid out of the driver’s side and opened the rear passenger door. He was tall, a blue-eyed blond, although it was hard to tell the color of his hair because of the Stetson he always wore. There was an air of sadness about the tanned, muscular man. His wife had died in childbirth in February, nearly six months ago, and now he was working his ranch and raising triplets by himself.

He couldn’t manage three infant carriers alone so she always waited for his text, then helped bring the babies inside.

“Hi, Jamie. How are you?”

“Tired.” He sighed, looking into the backseat full of babies.

“I bet.” She reminded herself never again to whine about being exhausted. This single working father of triplets was the walking definition of exhaustion. He hadn’t had a good night’s sleep in months and had little prospect of one in the near future.

She grabbed one of the carriers and the bulging diaper bag, while Jamie took the other two and followed her into the building. All of the infants were sleeping soundly, probably soothed by the movement of the car during the drive.

“We’re going into exam room four, as always.” It was the biggest and had an infant scale. “The doctor will meet us there. Dr. Clifton is new, a pediatrician.”

“Okay.”

As it happened, the doctor didn’t meet them there—he was waiting for them. “Mr. Stockton, I’m Jonathan Clifton.”

“Nice to meet you, Doc.” Jamie put down one of the carriers to shake the other man’s hand. “Everyone calls me Jamie.”

“Okay. Please, call me Jon.” He glanced at the babies. “That’s a good-looking bunch you’ve got there. Cute kids.”

“Yeah.” That got a rare smile from the new father. “Henry, Jared and Kate. Just wait until they start crying all at once.”

“Doesn’t scare me. It means they’re healthy and that’s a good thing.” Dr. Clifton looked confident, cheerful and incredibly competent. Friendly and approachable.

Dawn thought the white lab coat over his shirt and jeans could have been sexier, but she wasn’t sure how. She’d been through this triple checkup scenario before and could have taken the lead, but decided to see how he’d deal with it. “Let me know what you want me to do, Doctor.”

He looked sincerely conflicted when he said, “It’s a shame to wake them, especially because they’re not going to like being undressed. But...” His gaze met hers. “Let’s do this assembly line style. We’ll put them on the exam table. Jamie, you ride herd and make sure no one rolls off. Dawn, you undress them down to the diaper and hand them to me. I’ll weigh and measure them.”

In the past they’d dealt with one baby at a time. This process, she had to admit, was faster and more efficient, over before the babies were fully awake and notations were made in their charts. Then came the part where things usually deteriorated even more. Dr. Clifton warmed the cold metal stethoscope between his hands before placing it on each small chest and back.

Dawn always did her best to be a health care professional, emphasis on professional. So when the sight of the doctor’s big hands handling each infant with such capable gentleness made her heart skip a beat, it was cause for alarm. On top of that, he smelled amazing—some spicy scent mixed with his particular brand of masculinity. All that and he was gorgeous. Darn it. Why couldn’t he look like a hobbit?

After examining the last baby he straightened and smiled at each of them. “Henry, Jared and Kate are perfectly healthy.”

“Good to hear.” Jamie seemed to relax a little.

“I’m sure when they were born someone explained to you that preemies begin life just a little behind the curve compared to full-term babies. But most children born early catch up and reach normal size for their age in a year or two.”

“They did tell me,” Jamie said.

“But right now we’re dealing with their adjusted age as opposed to gestational age, which would be how long they were in the womb. They’re almost six months old, but because they were eight weeks early, their adjusted age means they have the physical development of a four-month-old.”

There was the barest hint of panic in the single father’s eyes. “Is that a problem?”

“Not at all. The only reason I mention it is that a flu shot is recommended for infants at six months old.”

Clifton glanced at her, obviously remembering their friendly, almost flirty flu conversation. If she’d known then that he was the new doctor, she wouldn’t have given him a chance to be charming. And it was annoying to admit that she had been charmed by his lack of smoothness. Refreshing. But she’d learned the hard way not to trust new doctors.

“I’m not sure I understand,” Jamie said.

“For these three,” Clifton continued, “we need to wait another couple of months until their growth and development catch up. It’s not a big deal.”

“Whatever you say, Doc.”

“Something else you should be aware of...” The doctor hesitated a moment, obviously thinking about what he was going to say. “Sometimes with preemies, the lungs aren’t fully developed and a virus can be problematic. There’s a medication that can protect them from RSV—”

“What’s that?” Panic was back in Jamie’s eyes.

“It’s a very common infection that makes the rounds during flu season and presents with all the symptoms of the common cold. It isn’t a problem unless an infant is severely premature—which yours are not. Or if there’s a weakened immune system for some reason.”

“Should I be worried?” Jamie asked.

The baby closest to the doctor started to fuss and the pink elastic headband clued them in that it was Kate. Without hesitation Clifton picked her up and cuddled her close.

“It’s okay, kiddo. You and your brothers are just fine.”

At the sound of his smooth, deep voice the little girl stopped crying and just stared at him with big, wide blue eyes. Dawn wondered if all females were like that—putty in his hands. Susceptible to a handsome face that hid the heart of a self-indulgent, narcissistic snake.

He smiled reassuringly. “There’s nothing to worry about. Their lungs sound great, completely normal. New parents sometimes are critiqued for being overprotective but in your case that isn’t a bad thing. I always recommend taking steps to keep them as healthy as possible. It’s just basic common sense.” He leaned a hip against the exam table, apparently in no hurry to put the baby girl down. “Anyone who’s sick should keep their distance from the triplets. Stay away from places where people and germs tend to gather—churches, malls.”

That got another smile out of the single dad. “Not a problem there. Shopping isn’t high on my list.”

“Didn’t think so.” Clifton grinned but the amusement disappeared as quickly as it had come. “Day care centers, too.”

“Thanks to the baby chain I don’t need day care.”

“The what?” The doctor absently rubbed baby Kate’s back as he listened intently.

“It’s a group of volunteers. They’ve set up a schedule and folks come out to my place to take care of the triplets while I’m working the ranch.” He had a firm hand on each of his boys, preventing them from rolling away. His eyes had a faraway look before filling with shadows. “I always wanted a family, but I never thought it would happen like this.”

“Losing your wife must have been difficult.” When Jamie looked up he explained, “It was in the babies’ charts.” His eyes held a man-to-man expression of sympathy.

“It was hard. For a lot of reasons. And now there are three little lives depending on me. Hasn’t been an easy adjustment.” The grieving father shook his head and started to dress one of the boys. “The baby chain is a lifesaver. I honestly don’t know what I’d do without them.”

“You’ll never have to find out.” Dawn moved beside him and began dressing the other boy. “This is Rust Creek Falls and people here take care of each other.”

“It’s a lot of work now, but that will get better,” Clifton assured him. “Granted, there will be new challenges. When they’re mobile it will be like roping calves.”

“That’s something I have experience with.” Jamie secured the boys in the carrier, then looked up and grinned.

Dawn was shocked. She didn’t think she’d seen this guy ever smile and the new doctor had gotten three out of him, the last one practically a laugh, for goodness’ sake. Clifton was charming everyone around him and still holding that little girl. Kate seemed completely happy in his strong arms and Dawn felt herself melting. It was like déjà vu. She’d been taken in once by a handsome doctor, only to find out the hard way that he played fast and loose with the truth. She knew better than to go soft on Dr. Dreamboat.

The dreamboat in question handed Kate over to her father. “Right now the mission is to keep these three healthy. And I can’t stress enough the importance of hand washing. It’s a simple thing but very effective.”

“Got it, Doc.” Jamie dressed his daughter, then secured her in her carrier. “Appreciate it.”

From the desk beside him Clifton grabbed a scratch pad with a pharmaceutical logo at the top and scribbled something on it. Then he handed the paper to the other man. “This is my cell number. Call me anytime, day or night, about anything. About the babies. Or if you just want to talk.”

Jamie glanced at it, then stuck the paper in his pocket before shaking the doctor’s hand. “Thanks. See you next time.”

“I look forward to it.” He sounded very sincere.

Dawn went outside with Jamie and helped secure the triplets for the ride home. As she watched him drive out of the parking lot, she sighed. Raising three babies would be a challenge for a husband and wife together but he didn’t have a wife. What he had was the baby chain. And thank goodness for that.

Walking to the clinic door she braced herself to go inside. If only she could get the sight of the new doctor holding that sweet baby girl out of her mind. It was enough to make the average female heart beat a little too fast and Dawn’s was no exception.

She reminded herself that she had an immunity to his type, the kind of man who was shallow as a cookie sheet. Never again would she allow a man to use her. And now she was in a similar situation, but this time she knew what to do.

Be professional at work.

Ignore his charm.

And most important, never see him outside the clinic. That was nothing but trouble. But her free time was her own and keeping her distance from him away from the job should be easy.

Chapter Two

Dawn parked her hybrid compact car behind her mom’s in front of the house on South Main Street, not far from the elementary school. She’d bought the fuel-efficient vehicle for her long commute to the hospital but now her job was located two streets away. A tank of gas would last her months.

Unless she had to change jobs because of the new doctor.

She hated to be a whiner, but things had been going so well at her new job until he sashayed through the door.

But that was a problem for tomorrow. She grabbed her purse and headed up the walk that bisected the lush, neatly trimmed front grass lined with colorful flowers. Dawn didn’t know the names of the plants; her mom was the gardener.

She walked inside. “Mom?”

“In here.”

Dawn passed the unfurnished living and dining rooms on her way to the kitchen where the voice had come from. “Hey.”

Glory Laramie was sitting at the small, inexpensive dinette set in the breakfast nook. She was in her forties but looked at least ten years younger. Her strawberry blond hair was cut in a pixie style that highlighted her high cheekbones and pretty blue eyes. Folks said Dawn had her mom’s eyes and she hoped so. They were the window to the soul and Glory’s was honest, hardworking and loyal.

“There’s a plate for you in the fridge. I can microwave it.”

“I’ll do it in a little while. Right now I just want to get off my feet for a few minutes.” She sat across from her mother and noticed there were sample paint chips on the table. Glory always picked them up when she was frustrated about the length of time it was taking to accumulate enough money to do a fixer-upper project.

“You look tired. More than usual.”

Dawn chalked that up to the strain Clifton created, but she didn’t want to talk about it. “I have a rent check for you.”

Glory heaved a sigh. “It doesn’t seem right to take your money. I love having you here with me.”

“That’s what you say every month. And my response is always the same.”

“I know.” Her mom went into the shtick. “You’re a grown woman and should have your own place but there’s not a lot to choose from in this small town and the money will help me fix this place up.”

“That’s right.” Dawn glanced around the room at the new drywall that had yet to be painted. “The extra money will speed up your timetable.”

Glory nodded and smiled when she looked around. “I only feel a little guilty that someone’s misfortune made it possible for me to buy a home of my own.”

“You’re not responsible for that awful flood a couple years ago that damaged so much of the town.”

“I know.” Glory sighed. “But I hope the family who walked away from this house has a nice place to live again.”

“I’m sure they’re fine. And it’s not like this place was move-in ready when you bought it from the bank. You’ve already got a lot of sweat equity in it.”

“It had to be livable. Appliances, flooring, window coverings.”

“That you made yourself. And don’t forget the yard,” Dawn reminded her.

“You helped.”

“Oh, please. I fetched and carried while you worked magic. If I even look at a plant it threatens to shrivel up and die.”

Glory laughed, and then amusement faded. “There’s so much I want to do. But—”

“One step at a time. Right now we have a roof over our heads and walls around us. I know there’s a lot of work ahead, but it will happen. Your house-cleaning business is thriving, what with the new contract at the medical clinic. You’re a successful businesswoman.”

“Which no one thought would happen when I was eighteen, married and pregnant—not necessarily in that order.”

Dawn smiled for her mom’s benefit but she could remember her parents fighting and the night when Glory dragged Dawn and Marina, her older sister, into the local bar to confront Hank. He was drinking and flirting with a woman who worked there. After Glory divorced him he wasn’t around much but he hadn’t been even before that.

He’d stood the girls up for scheduled visitations, rarely paid child support and hardly ever showed up for holidays or birthdays. Her mom had nothing but a high school diploma and two little girls to support. She was the one who nursed them, helped with homework, taught them about being a family and encouraged them to have a career and not rely on a man for money.

Glory had no marketable skill except cleaning a house until it gleamed from top to bottom. But it was always someone else’s house. For years she’d dreamed of having a home of her own. Now she did.

Dawn reached across the table and squeezed her mother’s hand. “You should be incredibly proud of yourself and what you’ve accomplished.”

“I am.” Glory scooped her daughter’s hand into her own. “But more than that, I’m proud of my girls. Marina is a teacher. You’re a nurse. It’s so rewarding to see both of you successful.”

In her mother’s blue eyes Dawn could see maternal delight and pleasure. She never wanted to see disappointment take its place. And that’s what would happen if Glory knew the main reason she’d quit her job at the hospital and taken the one at the clinic was because of the scandal. It hadn’t been her fault but that didn’t matter. He was a doctor and she was just a nurse.

“Is everything okay, sweetie?”

“Hmm?” Dawn blinked away the painful memories and put a fake smile on her face. “Yeah. Why?”

“You look like something’s bothering you.”

“Busy day.”

“Anything exciting happen?”

Glory asked her this almost every day when she came home from work. Mostly Dawn gave a generic answer. Even if there had been something medically electrifying, privacy laws prevented her from discussing it.

But today something exciting had happened and not in a good way. It was the last thing she wanted to talk about but if she tried to dodge the question her mom would suspect something. She and Marina could never put anything over on this woman.

Dawn took a deep, cleansing breath. “The new doctor showed up today.”

“Didn’t you tell me he’s a pediatrician?”

“That’s right,” she confirmed. “Emmet seems really impressed with him.”

“What’s he like?”

Gorgeous. Cheerful. Gorgeous. Good-natured. Did she mention gorgeous? And empathetic. The babies seemed to like him, but Dawn wanted to hide in the break room. She didn’t particularly want to discuss any of that, though.

“It’s hard to know what he’s like yet.”

“What does he look like?” Glory persisted.

A movie star. A male model. He could play a doctor on TV. “He’s nice looking, I guess. Average. Probably wouldn’t have to walk down the street with a bag over his head.”

“There’s high praise.” Her mother laughed. “Is he single?”

A knot twisted in Dawn’s stomach. It was as if her mother could read her mind. She forced a nonchalance into her voice that she didn’t feel. “I don’t know. The subject didn’t come up.”

“It really must have been busy.” Glory’s tone was wry.

“Yeah.” Her mom was implying that the women of Rust Creek Falls Medical Clinic pried personal information out of people. That was probably true, but not today.

“Is something wrong, sweetie?”

Hopefully not; she wouldn’t let there be. “No. Like you said. I’m just tired.”

“It seems like more. As if something’s bothering you.”

She must look bad. That was the third time her mother mentioned it. “It was just a long day.” A change of subject would be good. “And an interesting first day for Dr. Clifton since Jamie Stockton came in with the triplets.”

And he’d handled it brilliantly, she thought.

“Those poor little motherless angels.” Glory smiled sadly. “The volunteers who help him out say that the babies are getting big and are totally adorable.”

“All true.” Dawn was relieved that her mom was distracted, as she’d intended. “Jamie is very grateful for the help.”

“It’s hard to imagine dealing with three needy infants at the same time.” Glory shook her head sympathetically. “I know how hard it is to be alone with one baby.”

“You said Hank wasn’t around much.” Dawn didn’t call him dad. He hadn’t earned it.

“That’s why I know about caring for a baby without help. But he and I were awfully young to be parents.” Suddenly her mother wouldn’t make eye contact.

“Mom?” Glory wasn’t any better at hiding things than Dawn.

“I heard from your father.”

“When?”

“I’m not sure exactly.”

“That means it’s been a while and you just didn’t say anything.” The knot in her stomach tightened. “Does Marina know?”

“Maybe.”

“Okay.” There was no need to get upset. “So based on his track record it will be months, maybe years until he surfaces again to bug you. So, no problem.”

Her mom looked up. “He’s got a handyman business in Kalispell. It’s doing really well.”

The town was about a twenty-five-minute drive south of Rust Creek Falls. That didn’t matter too much, but the building-a-business part was different. “Did he want something from you?”

“No. Only to help.” Glory tapped the paint chips on the table. “He dropped these off for me.”

“A prince of a guy.”

“I think he’s changed, Dawn.”

“Please tell me you’re not going to make the mistake of counting on him, Mom.”

“People make mistakes.”

For some men that mistake was humiliating a woman by using her to cheat on a fiancée. Dawn’s experiences with men had left an impression—a bad one. Dr. Jonathan Clifton probably had some good qualities, but she didn’t plan to take a chance on finding out for sure.

This time if she was forced to leave a job it wouldn’t mean commuting to another one. To find work in her field, she’d have to move away and leave behind everything and everyone she loved. And that was something she was not prepared to do.

* * *

Jon lowered himself into the chair behind his desk and let out a long sigh. It felt good to get off his feet. He loved being a doctor, couldn’t imagine doing anything else. But he was glad his second day was over. There’d barely been time to choke down a sandwich at lunch. How had the clinic staff managed to keep up with the patient load before he took over Pediatrics? Emmet, Callie and Dawn had been running all day, too.

Dawn.

Without her he couldn’t have done it today, but it was clear that she could do without him. And that was more than a little annoying. After his less than positive first impression, he’d made an effort to be nice to her, friendly, charming and that had made her even more standoffish.

Even though he had a bunch of sisters, no one would ever accuse him of understanding women. But this one baffled him. She’d been very friendly at first, right up until finding out he was the new doctor. Then she backed off as if he was radioactive and he didn’t know why. More often than not he got flirted with so it was possible this acute curiosity about Dawn was the result of a banged up ego. But he didn’t think so.

Maybe the time he’d worked at Thunder Canyon Resort had rusted out his ability to interact with coworkers. Although no one else at the clinic seemed to have a problem with him. It wasn’t as if he was looking for a life partner, just a work one. Friendly. Pleasant. Was that too much to ask?

He heaved another sigh and turned on his laptop, preparing to work. Before he could start there was a knock on his door.

“Come in.”

A moment later Dawn stood there. Since he’d been expecting to see anyone but her, he did a double take, closely followed by a hitch in his breathing. There was a wholesome prettiness about her that suddenly made him feel like a gawky teenager. Then the frosty expression on her face checked it. Courtesy dictated he should greet her, but all day she’d given him the “back off” vibe and he was irritated enough to let this move into the awkward zone and force her to initiate a conversation. That would be a first today.

“I’m sorry to interrupt,” she finally said. She had pieces of paper and a notepad in her hands.

“I haven’t started anything yet so technically you’re not interrupting.” He indicated the chairs in front of his desk. “Have a seat.”

“That’s okay,” she answered. “I’ll stand.”

“Okay.” That ticked him off just a little more and he waited for her to state the purpose of this unexpected visit.

“I have to return phone calls from patients. All of them involve questions about new babies from first-time mothers and Emmet said since we have a pediatrician on staff now we should ask him—I mean you. It’s all ordinary stuff but Emmet says we—I—need to know where you stand on these issues.”

So, she’d tried to get her answers in a way that didn’t involve interacting with him. Okay, then. Battle lines drawn. “Right. Ready when you are.”

She looked at one of the notes. “Chloe Thornton’s baby has a runny nose. He’s four months old and she has questions about fever.”

New parents were understandably worried and overprotective. This wasn’t his first rodeo. “She wants facts because that will make her feel more in control. Tell her if his temp is ninety-nine degrees she can give him acetaminophen to keep it stable. A hundred and one or more, she should call me. Anytime of the day or night. The clinic has an answering service, right?”

“Yes.”

He met her gaze. “Next.”

“Chelsea Dolan has red bumps on her face. She’s barely four months old and her mom read on the internet that it should be gone by now.” Dawn met his gaze.

“Of course we know that if it’s on the internet it must be true,” he said wryly. “The pimples are perfectly normal and can last longer than three months, especially in breast-fed infants. She should baby the skin, no pun intended.”

For just an instant the tension in Dawn’s expression disappeared and her lips twitched, as if she wanted to smile. “Anything else?”

“She should keep it clean and dry. No cream or lotion. Next question.”

She continued writing then looked up. “Alice Weber says her friend’s baby is sleeping through the night and has been since he was born. Her Finn is still waking up every couple hours and she wants to know if there’s something wrong or maybe she’s doing something incorrectly.”

“She’s not. It’s hard enough being a new mother without comparing your baby to someone else’s.” He sighed and rested his forearms on the desk. “Some babies wake because they’re hungry. If she feeds the baby before she goes to bed everyone gets more uninterrupted sleep.”

“Okay.”

“There’s also the pacifier.” He gave her tips for using it more successfully and watched her taking notes, trying to keep up.

Dawn flipped the page on her tablet. “Anything else?”

He couldn’t resist giving her more information than necessary, only to mess with her a little because she refused to come any closer to him. “There are a lot of quirky fixes for restless babies from putting them in a swing all night to dad driving around the block or mom sitting on the dryer and cradling her infant.”

She stopped writing and looked up, a little startled. “My sister did that with Sydney, my niece—”

He held up a hand. “I’m not judging. Next question.”

“There aren’t any more.”

“Okay. It would be nice if all the questions were this easy to answer.”

“I probably should have known this but most of my experience is in acute care. And the volume of questions seems higher but that’s probably because your specialty is children.” Her tone had a tinge of grudging respect.

“Makes sense.” Maybe that was a break in the ice. Jon stood and walked around the desk, then rested his hip on the corner. “This place was rockin’ and rollin’ today. How did you do it?”

“Do what?”

“Handle the patient load with one less person?”

She backed up a step into the open doorway. “We managed.”

“Obviously. But it can’t have been easy.”

“No.” She glanced over her shoulder. “I should go—”

“That kind of pace makes downtime even more important.” He wanted to talk to her. About something other than work. “What do people in Rust Creek Falls do for fun?”

“Fun?” Her eyes flashed just before the deep freeze set in again. “If you’ll excuse me, I have to return these phone calls, Dr. Clifton.”

“That’s so formal. Please call me Jon.”

“That’s all right. Formal works for me. Have a good evening, Dr. Clifton.”

One second she was standing there, the next she was gone. She hadn’t wanted to talk to him at all and wouldn’t have if the questions were about adults instead of kids. Apparently with her, friendly and pleasant was too much to ask. What was her deal?

Admittedly he’d always been more studious than social. He could talk to people; after all he had to communicate with his patients and their caregivers. But talking to a woman was different. Of course they were people, but there was often an undercurrent or subtext to the conversation that he didn’t get.

Jon wasn’t sure how long he’d been contemplating the mystery of Dawn Laramie but he snapped out of it when Emmet walked into his office.

Without invitation or conversation the other man sat in one of the chairs facing the desk. Why couldn’t a woman be more like a man?

“You’re just standing here, Jon. Something wrong?”

That’s what he’d been trying to figure out. “How long have you known Dawn?”

“Let me think.” The older man contemplated the question. “She lives with her mom and is a native of Rust Creek Falls so I’ve seen her from time to time. But I didn’t really get to know her until she came to work here.”

“After leaving Mountain’s Edge Hospital.”

Emmet nodded. “Like I said, the commute must have been bad because she took a cut in pay leaving that job.”

“Sometimes it’s not about the money.” If it was, Jon could have had his pick of lucrative career opportunities. Thunder Canyon Resort was what he’d needed at the time.

“Care to elaborate?”

“No. Guess my Zen just slipped out.” Jon straightened and moved behind the desk. “How well do you know her?”

Emmet thought for a moment. “We work closely together. She’s conscientious and good-natured. Her previous job was in the pediatric ICU at the hospital. Parents relate to her. Kids seem to love her. She’s efficient and knowledgeable. An invaluable asset to this place.”

“So if adults and children like her she must be pretty easygoing?”

“Real friendly. Callie and Brandy took to her right away.” Emmet studied him for a long moment. “Why?”

Jon started to say no reason but knew that wouldn’t fly, what with his interrogation. He wasn’t sure how to answer. It would sound like a complaint and that wasn’t the case. Her interaction with him had been completely professional, but all the friendliness had been surgically removed.

Finally he said, “I like to get to know my coworkers.”

“Makes sense.” Emmet nodded thoughtfully as he stood. “And it occurs to me that when the rest of the reinforcements arrive, I should get everyone on staff together socially.”

“To get to know each other better?” Jon asked.

“Yes. In a relaxed setting where we can let our hair down. A friendly office is a happy office and everything runs more smoothly.”

“Very forward looking of you, Doctor. Sounds like you’re open to suggestion.”

“Yeah,” Emmet agreed. “Why?”

Jon figured he had nothing to lose and this had been on his mind since yesterday when he walked into the clinic. “What do you think about setting up a separate waiting room for kids?”

The other man met his gaze. “Because of the wedding babies?”

“What?”

“All the infants who were born as a result of the spiked punch from the wedding last summer.” Emmet’s eyes twinkled.

Obviously he didn’t hold the adults’ behavior responsible for the population explosion. Jon wasn’t touching that topic, not after his run-in with Dawn.

“Yeah, the wedding babies,” he said. “Infectious disease control would say that a waiting room full of sick people is a breeding ground for germs and it’s especially bad when folks’ immune systems are already compromised by illness.”

“A catch-22. If they weren’t sick, they wouldn’t be there in the first place,” Emmet agreed.

“And infants shouldn’t be exposed to all of that,” Jon said.

“It’s a good idea and would probably mean some remodeling. There’s still grant money left from rebuilding this place after the flood. I’ll look into it.”

“Good.”

“Now, I’m going home. And you need to get out of here, too, Jon. Don’t want you to burn out.”

“Right.”

The other man nodded and left. When he was alone Jon thought about burnout and figured in his case it felt more like a flameout when he considered Dawn. It sure sounded as if she was friendly and easygoing with everyone but him. If that was the case, the logical assumption was that he’d said or done something to upset her.

But, for the life of him, he didn’t know how he’d managed to alienate her. Mentally he reviewed every conversation, all of it up to his innocent question about what people did for fun in this town. From her reaction, you’d have thought he’d hit on her...

Jon winced.

That hadn’t been his intention, but he could see how she might have jumped to that conclusion. Truthfully, he wouldn’t mind getting to know her. She was an attractive woman and, as much as she’d tried to hide it, they shared a similar sense of humor. But none of that meant a tinker’s damn if the workplace was hostile. Doctors were trained to take symptoms and form a diagnosis. That’s what he was going to do with Dawn.

If he didn’t find out what he was doing to put her scrubs in a twist, it was going to be a very long year.

Chapter Three

After a second day of working with Dr. Jonathan Clifton, Dawn needed to vent to someone who knew all the skeletons in her closet. Her sister, Marina, had talked her through the personal crisis that was so much of the reason she’d quit her hospital job. For two shifts now Dawn had watched the new doctor charm everyone within a two-mile radius of the clinic. Except her. Was she just being overly cautious and seeing problems where there weren’t any? Talking to Marina might give her a better perspective.

Dawn knocked on her sister’s front door and waited. It could take a while sometimes to get an answer if Marina was busy with the baby. But not tonight.

The door opened and there she was with baby Sydney in her arms. “Hi, little sister.”

Dawn was four inches taller than her petite, red-haired sibling but Marina was three years older. The tease was a running joke between them.

“Hi.” She smiled at her niece. “Hello, sweet girl. Come to Auntie Dawn?”

Sydney grinned and that was all the encouragement necessary for grabbing her up and squeezing her close. “Ooh, you feel so warm and soft and good. And you smell like a baby.”

“She is a baby.”

“Trust me. They don’t always smell like flowers.”

“Tell me about it. She got a quick bath after you called. I figured that would give us more time to visit.” With her index fingers, Marina added air quotes to the last word. Clearly she knew there was something out of the ordinary going on. “Let’s talk in the other room. Are you hungry? I can throw something together.”

“No. Thanks, though.” She carried the baby through the kitchen and into the adjacent family room where a baby gym was set up on the carpet.

“You can put her down there and let her play. She likes that toy, don’t you, sweet Sydney?”

Of course the baby didn’t answer but Dawn put her down where directed. The two women sat on the rug, watching Syd bat at all the bright-colored things that dangled and rattled.

Marina met her gaze. “So, what’s up?”

Instead of answering Dawn asked, “Do you ever think about that night?”

“The wedding and reception last July Fourth.” Her sister wasn’t asking a question. The two of them were close and somehow always on the same wavelength. “I do think about it. But I’m not sure where you’re going with this.”

“Syd was conceived that night. Along with a lot of other babies.” She met Marina’s gaze. “It seems crazy what happened.”

“It is crazy. Whatever was in that punch made a lot of people behave in ways they never would have otherwise.”

“Irresponsibly?” Dawn asked, remembering what Clifton had said.

“I suppose so. But Homer Gilmore is the one at fault for spiking the punch in the first place.” Marina’s blue eyes darkened. “They say crisis reveals character and I found that to be true. When I told Gary I was pregnant he dropped me like a hot rock. In his defense our relationship was still new when we went to the wedding together.”

“Don’t defend him. Everything he did before that night telegraphed to you that he was serious. If you hadn’t believed that you never would have slept with him, punch or no punch. He has the character of a toad and that’s an insult to toads. I’d like to punch him for not being a man and supporting you.”

Marina took her daughter’s tiny, flailing foot in her hand and smiled lovingly. “I can’t regret what happened because now I have this beautiful, precious little girl.”

“She is precious.” Dawn studied the blue-eyed, red-haired baby who was going to be a clone of her mom. “And she’s healthy.”

“I’m so thankful for it. Sometimes I forget that you see a lot of children who are sick.” Marina’s eyes filled with empathy. “That must be hard for you.”

“I just focus on what will help them get better.” She recalled how Clifton had explained the timing for the triplets’ flu shots. And how he patiently answered new parent questions, no matter how routine. There was no way she could say he wasn’t good at what he did. “And we see a lot of kids for regular checkups to chart their growth and prevent them from getting sick.”

“True.”

“In fact Jamie Stockton brought the triplets in to see Dr. Clifton yesterday.”

“The new doctor?” Her sister’s eyes grew bright with curiosity.

“Yeah. He told him—”

“What’s he like?”

That was what their mother had asked. But unlike Glory, her sibling knew the unfortunate, the bad and the ugly about the last new doctor Dawn had worked with. That was why she was here, to confide in someone who had all the facts.

“He’s really good-looking.” Gorgeous, in fact.

“Yeah. And?”

“Everyone likes him. Patients. Parents. Clinic personnel. They’re all singing his praises.”

Marina turned serious. “What do you think of him?”

“Do you want the good list or the bad?”

“You just did the good.”

Dawn shook her head. “That was general. There are specifics. Just to be fair...”

“Okay. Do specific good,” her sister encouraged.

Dawn tapped her lip as she thought over the last two days. There was a sizable amount of good specific, she realized. “He made Jamie Stockton smile.”

“Wow. Sounds like a miracle. That man doesn’t have a lot to smile about.”

“I know, right? He actually got two smiles and a full-on grin when he’d warned Jamie that it was going to get better and worse when he was wrangling three toddlers.”

Marina frowned as she looked at her little angel. “I didn’t want to know that. What’s to smile about?”

“I guess you had to be there.”

“If you say so.”

“Then there was his tips for new moms. Sensible and helpful. Like the pacifier.”

“For or against?” her sister asked.

“Neutral, but with information for the ‘for’ group.”

Marina studied her. “And? Throw me a bone here. A new mom needs all the free professional advice she can get.”

She smiled, remembering his wry comment about all things on the internet being true. During that conversation he’d made her want to smile or laugh at least three times. But she held back. “He listed pointers to promote sleep, like sitting on the dryer—”

“I did that!” Marina exclaimed.

“So I told him.”

“You didn’t.” Her sister groaned. “He probably thinks I’m a lunatic.”

“I think you’re a lunatic,” Dawn clarified. “He apparently doesn’t judge.”

“Wow.” Her sister looked awed. “Where was he when Sydney was little?”

“She’s still little. Aren’t you, sweetie pie?” Smiling at her niece, Dawn laughed when the baby smiled back and kicked her chubby legs in response. “But I know what you meant.”

“After that it’s impossible for me to believe there’s anything bad about him.”

“He made a comment about irresponsible behavior during the wedding reception.”

Marina shrugged. “It sounds that way if you weren’t there.”

“Actually he was. He’s Will Clifton’s brother and we all know Will accidentally married Jordyn Leigh.”

“And, as you said,” her sister reminded her, “if it wasn’t right for them deep down, they wouldn’t have done it. And those two are ridiculously in love.”

“Still—”

“Obviously the doctor didn’t have any punch.” The words were said in that tone a big sister used to shut the door on a disagreement.

“Why are you defending him?”

“Why are you so critical?” Marina shot back. “Could it have anything to do with the fact that he’s handsome and new? And the last time someone handsome and new walked into your life your world fell apart? Because he sweet-talked you out of your knickers after specifically telling you he was single and then his fiancée showed up and all the people you worked with treated you like a home wrecker? Could that be what’s going on with you?”

“No.” Dawn folded her arms over her chest.

Marina laughed but instantly stopped when she got the glare. “No offense.”

“None taken.”

“But seriously, I think you’ve got a thing for Dr. Clifton and because you were burned so badly, you’re making up reasons to peg him as a jerk.”

“But seriously,” Dawn said, imitating her sister’s tone. “I still think you’re a lunatic.”

“One man’s lunatic is another man’s genius.” It was annoying how unfazed this woman was. “I completely understand your instinct to protect yourself. Our father split and left mom alone to raise us, then only showed up when it was convenient for him. My baby’s father ran screaming from the room when I told him I was pregnant and never showed up again. And the new doctor you took a chance on was a lying, cheating snake who made your life a living hell.”

“Don’t sugarcoat it.” Dawn sighed. “We are pathetic. Really. The curse of the Laramie women to hook up with the wrong kind of man.”

“And by focusing on the perceived faults of the handsome new Dr. Clifton, you’re trying to break the curse.”

There was a little too much truth in those words for Dawn’s peace of mind. Time to shift the focus of this conversation. “What would you do?”

“Fortunately, I won’t ever have to find out. Sydney is the best thing that has ever happened to me and we don’t need a man to take care of us.” She picked up the little girl who’d started to fuss.

That was an interesting response because it completely didn’t answer the question. “I’m probably wrong and you’re the teacher, but I think that was a non sequitur.”

“Well, I’m not the one with the man problem.” She pointed at Dawn. “You will have to find a way to deal with the situation—because you are wildly attracted to the new doctor.”

“You’re wrong.”

At least Dawn hoped so. But she couldn’t swear to it because her sister knew her better than anyone. It was a bad sign that a conversation which should have relieved her anxiety just made her more conflicted.

* * *

“Okay, Tucker, I’m going to take a look at your knee.” Jon saw fear bordering on panic in the kid’s blue eyes.

The eleven-year-old looked at his mom, then back to Jon. “Don’t touch it.”

“I’m not going to do anything. Right now I just need to look.”

“Promise?”

Jon knew stitches would be necessary, but he needed to work up to that revelation with a skittish kid. “I’ll put my hands behind my back.”

He glanced at Dawn who was standing by. For just a moment her mouth curved into a smile, but when she noticed him looking it disappeared, and she wouldn’t glance his way again. What had put that guarded look in her eyes and, more important, how could he get her to drop it? If anything, she grew more reserved every day. She hardly spoke to him unless it was about work and walked out of any room he entered if she didn’t need to be there for a patient.

“Okay,” Tucker said.

Distracted, Jon met the boy’s gaze. “Hmm?”

“You can look, but you have to put your hands behind your back first.” His dirty, freckled face was streaked with tears and his shaggy brown hair in need of a trim fell into his eyes.

Jon held up his hands, then clasped them behind his back. “Just looking.”

“How did you get that nasty gash?” Dawn moved beside the exam table where the boy had his legs stretched out in front of him.

Jon knew that it was strictly professional because of the way she deliberately didn’t look at him. She was distracting the boy, using her pediatric nursing skill.

“Me and my friends were playing by the creek.” He shrugged. “I fell on a sharp rock.”

“Looks like it hurt.”

The laceration was about five centimeters long and deep, down to the fat, but fortunately he couldn’t see bone. Sutures were definitely necessary.

Jon straightened and folded his arms over his chest. “Okay, kid, I’m going to give it to you straight. This needs stitches.”

“No way.” Tucker folded his arms over his chest, too, as stubbornness settled on his young face.

“Well, you could choose to do nothing, but your knee will keep bleeding.”

“I don’t care.”

“I do.” Molly Hendrickson had the same freckles and brown hair as her son.

Jon met the boy’s mistrustful gaze. “I could leave it alone if that’s what you want, but before deciding there are some things you should take into consideration.”

“Like what?”

“It’s deep and will take a long time to heal. And it’s in a bad spot because you bend it and all that movement keeps the wound from closing up. On top of that, until it closes you can’t get dirt in it or you risk an infection.”

Doubt cut through the kid’s stubborn expression. “Would that hurt?”

“Yeah it would.” Jon shrugged. “Bottom line is you’ll spend what’s left of your summer in the house with your leg propped up.”

“Mom—”

“He’s the doctor, Tuck.” Molly looked sympathetic but resigned.

“How bad will stitches hurt?”

“A little. But probably not as much as when you fell.” In his experience treating children, it helped not to talk down to them. Jon believed in telling the patient exactly what was going to happen. “I’ll swab some medicine around the cut so when I give you the shot to numb the area it won’t hurt as bad. I promise you won’t feel any pain when I close up that laceration.”

“You’ll still have to keep it clean,” Dawn said. “But it won’t take as long to heal and you’ll have a little summer left to get as dirty as you want.”

“He probably appreciates permission to be grubby, but trust me, he doesn’t need it.” Molly tenderly brushed the hair off his forehead. “It is what it is. A little summer left is better than nothing. Man up, buddy.”

“Okay.” He glared. “But I’m not going to look.”

“Me, either,” Jon said.

“You have to.” Tucker saw his grin and looked sheepish. “Oh. You’re messing with me.”

“I am.” Jon saw Dawn smile, then shut it down when she glanced at him.

Jon tamped down his irritation. The way she always did that was really starting to bug him. But he couldn’t deal with it now. Soon, though.

“I’ll go get a suture kit.” She left the room.

He washed his hands at the exam room sink and in a few minutes when Dawn returned he was ready.

“Okay, Tuck, here we go. When you’re all patched up you can get your mom to take you for ice cream.”

“But it’s almost dinnertime.”

“I bet she’ll make an exception this one time,” Dawn said.

“That can be arranged.” Molly put her arm across her son’s shoulders. “Be brave, kiddo.”

“What if I cry?”

Jon took the syringe of lidocaine and prepared to inject it. “From my perspective, as long as you hold still, you can cry, scream and swear.”

“I can say bad words?” Apparently using bad language without punishment was more exciting than ice cream.

His mom was squirming now. “Do you even know any curse words?”

“I’ve heard dad say some stuff—”

“Here we go. A little pinch,” Jon said. He gently pricked the skin with the needle. “How you doing, Tuck?” Jon quickly glanced up.

“Okay. It hurt at first. But now it just feels like you’re pushing on my leg.”

“Good. That’s what should happen. It’s going to take a little time for the medicine to work, but that was the worst of it. Now we’re going to clean out the cut so it doesn’t get infected. Then I’ll do the stitches and put a big Band-Aid on it so the girls will be impressed.”

The kid made a face and looked as if he was in real pain. “I don’t like girls.”

“You don’t have to.” Give it a couple years, Jon thought. Then you might get to work with a girl who hated your guts and you had no clue why. When they were finished here he was going to find out what was going on with her.

Jon finished quickly then bandaged the knee. “You’ll need to change the dressing every day. Bring him back in a week and I’ll check to see if the stitches are ready to come out.”

“Does it hurt when you take out stitches?” Tucker wanted to know.

“Nah. And you know I would tell you if it did.”

“I know.” Tucker looked relieved.

“Thank you,” his mom said, helping her son off the exam table.

“You’re welcome. See you, buddy.”

Tucker looked up at him. “You’re a pretty good doctor.”

“You’re a pretty good patient.”

Dawn opened the door and said to the mom, “When you check out up front, Brandy will make a follow-up appointment. Remind her to give you the sheet with instructions on how to deal with the stitches.”

“Will do.”

After mother and son walked out Dawn started cleaning up the room, though she still wouldn’t look at him. This was as good a time as any to say what was on his mind.

“Dawn, I’d like to talk to you.” He slid his hands into the pockets of his white lab coat.

“All right.”

That was the appropriate response but the stubborn look in her eyes and the step back she took clearly reflected her attitude.

There was no point in beating around the bush. “You obviously have a problem with me.”

“What makes you say that?”

At least she didn’t flat out deny it. “You’re exhibiting all the symptoms. Refusing to call me by my first name. Avoiding me when possible. Remaining professional but cool.”

“I don’t see anything wrong with that.”

“Technically there’s not. But with Emmet and everyone else on staff here at the clinic you’re warm and friendly. I’m the only one you treat differently.”

“Do you have a problem with my work?” she asked.

“No. You’re an excellent nurse.”

“Then I’m not sure what to say.”

That she liked him. Thought he wasn’t bad looking. Maybe she was even a little bit attracted to him. Anything but this robotic Stepford-nurse routine.

“Look, you and I both know that working as closely together as we do, things flow more smoothly if staff gets along and has each other’s back.”

“I couldn’t agree more,” she said emphatically.

That was the first time she’d shown any real spirit to him since the day he’d walked into the clinic. “Okay, then. Let’s fix this. We’re finished for the day. Join me for a drink at the Ace in the Hole.”

“No. I don’t think that’s a very good idea.”

“I disagree.” He dragged his fingers through his hair. “Whether you admit it or not, we have a problem. And it’s like I told Tucker. You can choose to ignore it, but that will just make the situation worse. Let’s clear the air.”

“Why don’t we clear it right here?” Reluctance mixed with the obstinate expression in her eyes. “No need to go for a drink.”

“I think this conversation would be more effective on neutral ground.” He looked around the exam room. “And, I don’t know about you, but I’d like to get out of here and relax a little bit. What do you say?”

Dawn caught her bottom lip between her teeth as she studied him. “You’re not going to drop this, are you?”

“No.” He sensed her weakening and wanted to smile, but held back. A victory lap now would make her dig in and that’s the last thing he needed.

“Okay.” She nodded reluctantly. “One drink.”

She didn’t look happy, but then again she hadn’t slammed the door in his face, either. Finally, the opportunity he’d been waiting for.

Chapter Four

Dawn insisted on driving herself to the Ace in the Hole. Jon followed her. And when the heck had she started thinking of him by his first name instead of simply Clifton? Maybe she should let that go. It felt weird and unnatural anyway. She was basically a friendly person and calling him Dr. Clifton when everyone else used his first name made her look as if she had a stick up her butt. Which, of course, she did.

He parked beside her and they walked side by side to the bar’s entrance.

“Nice night,” he said.

She stared up at the dark sky awash in stars that looked like gold dust. A light breeze brushed over her skin. Perfect. “A Goldilocks night.”

“I’m sorry. What?”

Their arms bumped and she met his puzzled gaze as a sliver of awareness sliced through her. He was very cute and she should never have agreed to this drink. But he’d just asked her a question and it would be rude not to answer.

“Remember Goldilocks and the three bears? Porridge was too hot, too cold, then she found the perfect one. Same for the beds.” She looked up and sighed. “This night is—”

“Not too hot or cold.”

“Just right,” they both said together.

Dawn smiled at him and it took a couple seconds to realize she wasn’t supposed to do that. She shut the feeling down, then fixed her attention on the Ace in the Hole. Considering it was impossible to count the number of times she’d been here, the place felt like an old friend. She was going to need one.

There was a hitching post where a cowboy could tie up his horse if he was out for a ride and wanted to stop in for a cold one before heading back to the ranch. The front window had a neon beer sign that blinked on and off along with a lighted, oversize ace of hearts playing card. It was rustic and full of character.

They stepped up on the wooden porch and before she could reach for it Jon grabbed the handle on the screen door, pulling it open for her. A loud screech sounded, clearly showing that the rusty hinges could use some TLC.

Inside, across from the door, a bar ran the entire length of the wall. The mirror behind it reflected the lined up bottles of hard liquor. Circular tables big enough for six ringed a wood plank dance floor. Booths with a more intimate feel lined the room’s perimeter.

Jon pointed to an empty one and put his other hand to the small of her back. “Let’s sit over there.”

Dawn would have preferred a bar stool and less intimacy, especially because the heat of his fingers fried the rational thought circuits of her brain. By the time connections reestablished, any protest would have required an explanation and she didn’t want to go there. Besides, it was only for one drink and then she was gone.

“Okay,” she said.

It was a weeknight in early August and the place was only half-full—mostly cowboys, a few couples and ladies who hung out in groups. No one noticed them cross to the booth but Dawn couldn’t help noticing Jon behind her. And hated that she did.

After they’d barely settled in the booth, the owner of the bar walked over. Rosey Shaw Traven was somewhere in her sixties and quite a character in her own right. In her customary peasant blouse, leather vest with wide belt, jeans and boots, she could have been the captain of a pirate ship. Only her short dark hair pegged her as a contemporary heroine and her brown eyes snapped with humor and worldly wisdom. No one messed with Rosey and if they were stupid enough to try, Sam Traven, her retired navy SEAL husband, made them regret it.

“Hi, Dawn. Good to see you.” Rosey’s assessing gaze rested on her companion. “I know you’ve been in here before, but I can’t place you.”

“Jon Clifton. Will’s brother.”

“Right.” She nodded at the scrubs he still wore. “The new doctor.”

Dawn’s stomach twisted at the words that still haunted her. That was bad enough, but the way he smiled and looked so boyishly handsome added an element of heat that tipped into temptation. No matter how sternly she warned herself not to, this was the way she’d felt just before the rug was pulled out from under her. This idea was getting worse by the second.

Rosey put a hand on her curvy hip. “What can I get you two?”

“A couple of beers.” Jon looked across the table, a question in his eyes.

“I don’t really like beer.”

“What would you like?” he asked.

To run for the exit, she thought. A little bit of panic was starting to set in. She wanted to tell him he really didn’t care what she wanted, but Rosey was standing right there. “White wine, please. Chardonnay.”

“Okay. Beer, white wine. Any appetizers?”

Jon looked at her again, then made an executive decision. “Chips and salsa. I’m starving.”

“Coming right up.” The bar owner walked away, her full hips swaying.

Jon looked around. “How long has this place been around?”

She shrugged. “No idea.”

“It’s got a lot of local color. Could have been here a hundred years ago.”

“Yup.”

“Do you come here often?” he asked.

“Girls night out once in a while. With my sister, Marina, now and then.” She looked everywhere but at him.

The awkward silence was getting more awkward when Rosey arrived carrying a tray with their drinks, a basket of tortilla chips and a bowl of salsa.

“If you want to order dinner, just let me know.” She smiled at them. “I’m probably not the first one to say this, but you two make a cute couple.”

The comment shocked the words right out of Dawn, and Rosey was gone before she could set the woman straight. The new doctor didn’t seem at all bothered and held up his beer bottle.

“Let’s drink to—”

“Don’t you dare say to us,” she warned.

“Why would I?”

“It’s what guys do.”

He frowned. “Not this guy. But I get the feeling some other guy did a number on you.”

Bingo. But she had to ask, “Why do you say that?”

“Evasive answer. Interesting,” he observed.

“Not to me.” She took a sip of the cold, crisp wine and made a silent toast. Here’s to never being a fool again, she thought.

“Look, Dawn, you’ve been hostile since the day we met. And just now you made a disparaging comment about men in general.” He sipped his beer but never took his eyes off her. “This is pretty far out there, but I doubt there’s much I could say to make things any worse. So, here goes. I get along pretty well with people, try not to tick them off and it works. I’ve bent over backward to be friendly with you but every time I crash and burn. The only thing I can come up with is that I remind you of a guy who dumped you. Feel free to point and laugh at my theory.”

Dawn wasn’t laughing. Mostly she was amazed at his insight. “That’s pretty close.”

“Seriously?” He looked astonished. “I got it right? That’s what’s been bugging you?”

“Either you think I’m a psychotic victim or you’re surprised at yourself.”

“The latter. No one would peg me as someone who could figure out what a woman is thinking.” The doctor looked decidedly pleased with himself.

Dawn was not pleased and couldn’t resist a dig. “It took you long enough.”

“In my defense, you didn’t give very many clues, what with not talking to me.” He snagged a chip and dipped it in the salsa, then took a bite. After chewing he said, “So what happened?”

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