“Don’t break any rules on my account.”

“Not to worry. But there is something I plan to do on your account.”

“Don’t do me any favors.”

“Actually it’s myself I’m concerned about.” He picked up his ice cream again and started eating. “It seems the people here in town are all very protective of you. To win their hearts and minds I need to prove myself to you, earn your friendship. And that’s exactly what I intend to do.”

“Good luck with that.” She struggled for a flip attitude, but was pretty sure it didn’t work, what with her heart pounding so hard. “I’ve built up an immunity to nice, charming men.”

“Then it’s a good thing I’m not nice or charming.”

About the Author

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.

The Doctor and the Single Mum
Teresa Southwick

www.millsandboon.co.uk

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To my husband, Tom.

I love you—first, last, always.

Chapter One

“I really like what I see.”

Adam Stone wasn’t just talking about the apartment for rent. The same applied to the pretty lady renting it. Jill Beck was hot, and not just because of all that curly red hair. The thought of asking her out crossed his mind, but that wasn’t why he was here. A truck with his stuff was on the way from Dallas to Montana and he needed to find a place to live here in Blackwater Lake before it arrived.

“Isn’t this a little too small for you, Dr. Stone?” When Jill settled her brown-eyed gaze on him, he momentarily lost the power of speech.

The two of them were standing in a spacious living room. One window looked out at a dense forest of evergreen trees, and the other had a view of the wide expanse of sparkling blue water known as Blackwater Lake. Only the woman in front of him was a better view than either.

“Call me Adam.”

He glanced at the body of water that gave the town one hundred miles north of Billings, Montana, its name. Then he looked around the apartment again. It seemed like just what the doctor ordered. The unit had an eat-in kitchen plus two bedrooms and baths. The walls were painted a light olive-green and trimmed with wide white baseboards that butted up against the pinewood floor. Crown molding highlighted the nine-foot ceilings.

The stairs up to this apartment were located to the side of her front door. He’d seen her place and it was identical to this one, although her walls were painted a particularly sunny shade of yellow that was appealing. He’d thought it suited her, until he turned serious about becoming her tenant. Wariness now replaced her cheery expression.

He folded his arms over his chest and looked down at her. “I’m a single guy. How much room do you think I need?”

“I have a feeling it’s more than you can find in my upstairs.” The clouds swirling in her beautiful eyes definitely wouldn’t drop precipitation in the light-to-moderate range.

Adam could tell he was in for a hard time. A family practice doctor learned to listen, note verbal cues and read between the lines. He was a really good family practice doctor and knew her jeans were in a knot about something. Maybe when they’d climbed the stairs she’d caught him checking out her butt.

It was in his top five, hovering around one or two in the shapeliest category. He was a guy and guys were hardwired to notice girls, especially pretty ones. As far as looks, Jill Beck wasn’t in the top ten, but there was something about her. And not just her chest. Yeah, he’d noticed that, too, but had been very careful to look at her face during this conversation.

The positive part of that was appreciating the cute splash of freckles on her upturned nose. But admiring her butt and the freckles on her face wasn’t a hanging offense, so he was at a loss about what was bugging her.

Talking was the best way for him to find out. “If I was a family man instead of a family practice doctor, your upstairs would present some space challenges. But that’s not the case. I was told it’s the best place to rent and I can see why.”

“Someone at Mercy Medical Clinic told you about me?”

“Yes.” The retiring doctor he was replacing had given him the scoop. Along with two thumbs-up from the receptionist and the nurse.

“Have you looked anywhere else?” she asked.

“I have,” he admitted. “But there’s not a lot available.”

“There are a couple of houses,” she said helpfully. “And the Blackwater Lake Lodge probably has a room until you find just what you’re looking for.”

“Yeah. But the houses aren’t as convenient to town and the clinic. The lodge—” He shrugged. “I want to settle somewhere. By process of elimination, that puts this property in the lead.”

“Lucky me.” Her tone struggled for upbeat but fell way short.

Adam could feel his stubbornness kicking in, and that wasn’t necessarily a good thing. “I’d like to rent your apartment, Miss Beck.”

If she noticed he didn’t call her Jill, she didn’t say anything. She shrugged. “The lease is on my desk. I suggest you read it before making a final decision.”

There was a warning in the words, but he followed her downstairs to the computer desk tucked into a corner of her living room. This furnished twin of the upstairs apartment gave him an idea how homey it could be.

A chocolate-brown sofa sat in front of the fireplace with a flat-screen TV on the wall over it. The couch partitioned the room into work and relaxation spaces and with warm touches in both. Brass lamps with scalloped shades on tables. In framed pictures covering the walls he recognized the lake outside and the surrounding mountains. Photographs were everywhere. On the desk beside the computer was one of Jill with a little boy whose curly red hair gave a clue who his mother was. As far as he could tell, there were no photos of the boy’s father.

She handed him the paperwork. “Look it over carefully.”

Adam didn’t need a microscope or a magnifying glass to see that the terms of the agreement favored the landlady. Big-time.

“I wasn’t aware that this was the down payment on purchasing the property.”

“A landlord needs some safeguards,” she explained.

If she was a single mom, that would account for the financial safeguards stipulated in the agreement. “That’s quite a hefty security deposit.”

“But necessary.”

“And this penalty for early lease termination seems excessive in addition to spelling out that a tenant is on the hook to pay the agreed-upon rent for the duration of the contract or until an alternative renter is secured.”

“Also necessary,” she said. “The costs of cleaning and painting between renters adds up. Then I have the costs of advertising to fill the vacancy on top of the lost revenue.”

“But I’m not going to skip out on the rent.”

“That’s what they all say.” Even if the tone hadn’t given her away, skepticism was there in the expression on her face. “This covers the winter months. In spring and summer there’s a better chance of getting a tenant who sticks.”

“What makes you so sure I won’t?”

“The last doctor took off after the first snow.”

“I’m not the last doctor.”

“Right,” she said. “The clinic will replace you when you go.”

“That’s not what I meant and I’m pretty sure you know it.”

“Doesn’t make it any less true.”

He leaned a hip against her desk. “Are you trying to talk me out of renting from you?”

“Is it working?” she asked, neither confirming nor denying the accusation.

“Correct me if I’m wrong, but real estate is business. It feels like you’re making this personal.”

“It’s both. I already spelled out the business part in the contract.” Her gaze rested on the photo he’d noticed moments ago. “I’m a single woman with a child. That gives me a personal interest in who lives upstairs. It’s why I do a pretty thorough background screening before even showing the place to a prospective tenant. The town sheriff is a good friend of mine.”

He guessed that she’d hoped to turn up something that would give her a reason to tell him no. As a businesswoman she needed to show the empty apartment to everyone who didn’t have a black mark on their record. But he asked anyway. “Did I pass the test?”

Her smile seemed reluctant, but that didn’t detract from its beauty. “I usually take families’ testimonials with a grain of salt, but yours are different.”

“I’m aware of that, but why do you think so?”

“When your dad is a Nobel Prize–winning economist and your mother a nationally known biomedical engineer, not to mention your brother is one of the country’s top cardiac surgeons, that tends to carry some weight.”

“You have no idea.” The burden of being related to the gifted and geekish had finally worked in his favor.

“And you’re a family practice doctor.” There was a thoughtful expression on her face as she tucked a strand of curly red hair behind her ear. “Did your folks bring the wrong baby home from the hospital?”

“I get that a lot.” Long ago he’d learned not to take it personally. His line of work was exactly what he wanted. “I’d probably have done a DNA test except I look like my dad and I have a twin sister.”

“Is she a doctor, too?”

“Yeah. Rocket science. She works for NASA.”

“Wow. Your family has some very impressive credentials,” she commented.

“So you know my background. That doesn’t explain your hard-line rental policy.”

“If you think about it, it kind of does.”

Adam looked at her. “How?”

“I have to wonder why you’re here at all.”

“I’m not sure I understand what you’re asking.” Actually he understood exactly what was on her mind.

He’d fielded lots of endless questions about his career and life choice, especially from the overachievers in his family. The perception was that he wasn’t as good if this was the best medical specialty he could do. His ex-wife had no problem dumping him when he’d made the decision. It wasn’t flashy enough for her and Adam was still bitter enough to make Jill say straight out what he knew she was thinking.

“Blackwater Lake is a small town.”

“But growing,” he pointed out.

“Yes.” There was a sexy little dent in her chin that was more pronounced when her full lips were pulled tight. “But right now it’s not very big. Summer is winding down and winter comes early in northern Montana. You could have your pick of warm places to practice medicine.”

Someone, probably his mother, had shared information about offers he’d fielded from Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami and Dallas, where he’d been working until recently. Taking any one of them in a major metropolitan area would have gone a long way toward reassuring his family about what they considered his lack of ambition.

He’d accepted a long time ago that they would never understand why he wanted to treat the whole person, whole families, rather than be a world-renowned expert in a single body part. If the people who knew him best didn’t get it, there was no way to explain it to a woman with a chip on her shoulder.

Adam decided to try anyway. “I found out early in medical school that factors beyond disease and diagnosis affect an individual’s health. Treating the whole patient and not simply specializing in a certain organ of the body was important to me. Knowing the people in their world factors into the medical protocols. I like people.”

“That’s very noble of you.” She sounded sincere and hopefully impressed. “But why here?”

“I came to a camp in Blackwater Lake. My parents were busy and gone a lot, so keeping us kids busy and out of trouble was important. I fell in love with this place and never forgot it. Being part of a community is important to me. So, when an opening came up in the clinic, I applied.”

“I’m guessing you spent more than one summer here at camp?”

“Every one for nine years.” He nodded emphatically. “Dallas is great, but big. Seeing the contrast between there and here convinced me that small-town life was just my cup of tea. I want to live and work here in Blackwater Lake.”

“That’s easy for you to say when the weather is beautiful, like it is today. But what about when you have to fight your way to the clinic through a blizzard?” She held up a hand when he opened his mouth to protest. “I can tell you what happens. You change your mind about small-town life. You run, not walk, to the closest airport and it’s not all that close. You get on a flight to the nearest big city and guess who’s left holding the bag—or the lease. I have a family to support.”

That sounded like confirmation that there was no ex helping her out with raising her son. Someone had obviously done her wrong, so he had to sign a legal contract to give her peace of mind.

Adam didn’t react well to negative vibes, and Jill Beck had N-O with a capital N coming off her in waves. That made him want to challenge her and he could feel his stubborn streak going radioactive. It didn’t always lead to the best personal decisions, and he had the only divorce in the family to prove the point. But the obstinate side always made his life interesting.

“I still want to rent your apartment, Miss Beck.”

Her gaze narrowed on him. “You do realize what kind of money is involved?”

“In spite of my less challenging career choice, I did make it through medical school. I can do the math.” He looked around at the living room with fresh flowers and more than one oval-framed needlepoint sampler. “This is charming. And the cost is not a problem.”

“All right, Doctor—”

“If my personal check isn’t satisfactory, I’d be happy to stop at the bank for cash or a cashier’s check.” He took a pen from her desk and signed the agreement. After handing it back he said, “You’re going to be my landlady. It’s time you started calling me Adam.”

Adam.

Stone.

The name suited him, Jill thought. He was immovable like a rock. A tall, good-looking rock.

The man was her worst nightmare and he was settling in upstairs. The moving truck had brought his stuff and then rumbled away a while ago. On paper he was the perfect tenant. A doctor. Gainfully employed at Mercy Medical Clinic. He came from a prominent family. And the hefty check he’d given her had cleared the bank. Probably soared more than cleared. There was that prominent, wealthy family. But the doctor gig no doubt paid pretty well without help from the folks. That was the business part of her talking.

From Jill’s personal perspective, he couldn’t have been worse. Young. Too handsome for her own good. He reminded her of the actor who had played the most recent Captain James T. Kirk in Star Trek. She had a crush on that actor, and now his clone was living upstairs. Even worse, she liked him. He was funny and charming. Damn him.

None of that was even a problem—until he left. And he would. Like she’d told him, they all left. She should be used to men walking away from her by now, but apparently one never quite got the hang of having one’s hopes crushed into dust. It still smarted. But she was a big girl and understood what was going on. Her son was just a little boy and she wouldn’t stand by and allow a good-looking tenant to trample on C.J.’s feelings again.

Speaking of her son …

Jill pushed away from her desk and rubbed her eyes after looking at a computer screen for so long. This economics assignment for her online class had taken more time than anticipated. “C.J.?”

There was no answer and the house was too hushed and silent. He was a six-year-old boy, not a cat burglar, and quiet wasn’t hardwired into him.

“C.J., are you hiding?” She stood, then listened for the giggling, a clue there was an unannounced game under way.

The only sounds came from overhead—faint footsteps and a thump. Doctor Dazzling was putting things away. Should she offer to help? Not if she was smart.

She walked down the hall to her son’s room, which was where she’d last seen him, playing with action figures now abandoned on the beige area rug. His bed was made, the lumps and bumps in the superhero spread evidence of the small hands doing the big job. The boy attached to those hands was nowhere in sight.

“C.J.?” Jill opened the closet to make sure her mischievous little man wasn’t playing with her.

The interior looked as if a clothing and toy store had thrown up. When he was ordered to put his stuff away, this was where C.J. stashed everything. But if he were hiding in here, there would be giggling and wiggling. His skill level for holding still was on a par with keeping quiet.

Now she was starting to get concerned. He couldn’t maintain the cone of silence for very long, but sneaking out of the house without being heard was something he was pretty good at. If he’d left the premises, she knew where to find him.

She walked over to her desk, picked up the phone and hit speed dial. It rang several times before the man who worked her marina business on the lake answered. “Blackwater Lake Marina and Bait Shop.”

“Brewster? It’s Jill.”

“Hey, boss. What’s up?”

“Tell C.J. it’s time for him to come home. And he’s in big trouble.” She half sat on the edge of her desk.

“I’d be happy to except he’s not here.”

Her stomach knotted with worry. “Are you sure? Maybe he sneaked in quietly. You know how he loves to jump out and scare you.”

“That’s a fact. But I’ve been out front all afternoon straightening up. No way he could get by me.”

“Okay. Thanks.”

“You want me to look for him?”

“No. I’m sure he’s in the house somewhere. Bye, Brew.”

No need to panic. This was probably a new unannounced game, something he did frequently. But from the moment he was born she’d used all her senses to keep tabs on her little guy, and sight was the one that brought her the most comfort. Seeing him safe and sound always made her breathe a sigh of relief. She badly wanted that sigh now.

Overhead she heard more footsteps followed by another thump. Her eyes narrowed as a thought formed. “He wouldn’t dare—”

Jill walked out her front door and turned right, then went up the stairs and knocked on her new tenant’s door. Moments later he opened it and smiled. Her stomach boomeranged down to her toes and back up. It had happened the first time she saw him, but she’d been sure the reaction was a one-time deal and was now under control. Apparently it needed some more work.

“Hi,” he said. “What’s up? Do you need more money?”

“Not until next month.” In spite of the niggling guilt she smiled. Might as well be friendly. No way she could avoid dealing with him. “Are you settling in okay?”

“Yeah. Thanks for asking.” His gaze sharpened a fraction as he studied her. “Is something wrong?”

Jill figured either he was superobservant, or she should never try to improve her financial situation by playing poker.

“Actually,” she said, “I was wondering if you’d seen my son.”

“Is he about this high?” Adam put his hand about C.J.’s height. “Curly red hair? Wearing jeans, sneakers and a Spider-Man T-shirt? Looks a lot like you.”

“A perfect description. That means you’ve spotted him recently.” The knot of anxiety in her stomach loosened.

“Yeah. He’s been helping me put things away.”

“You should have sent him home.” The anxiety snapped back, but for a different reason. “He knows better than to pester our renter.”

Adam folded his arms over his chest. There was something so blatantly masculine in the movement that her mouth went dry. Until that moment, Jill hadn’t considered how long it had been since her last date. Apparently too long. Might be time to do something about that.

“By ‘knows better,’ do you mean he had specific instructions not to come upstairs?”

She nodded. “The exact words were that there would be dire consequences if he bothered you.”

“Then he’s off the hook.”

“How do you figure?” she asked.

“Because he’s not bothering me.”

Adam Stone was covering for C.J., she realized. It was protective and sweet. Unfortunately, she couldn’t afford to give in to that “aww” feeling. It would open the door for the “oh, damn” feeling when he left. She was the only one C.J. could count on. It was her job to protect him.

The sound of small sneakers running sounded just before the little guy appeared beside the big guy. “Hi, Mom. I didn’t sneak out and help Brew at the dock because I had to help Adam.”

There were so many things wrong with that statement she didn’t know where to start, but he was gone before she could say anything. And that was classic C.J. They needed to have a conversation, but before that she needed to set boundaries with Adam. When she did, it would be best if her son was out of earshot.

“He didn’t tell me where he was going,” she started.

“You were worried.”

“Of course.” It was probably an educated guess, because her background check confirmed he was a bachelor without children. He had no frame of reference to empathize with a parent.

“I should have asked if he had permission.” There was annoyance in his expression that looked to be self-directed. “It won’t happen again. You have my word.”

“That’s very much appreciated,” she said sincerely. “But here’s the thing. Probably it’s better for C.J. if you don’t encourage him to hang out with you at all.”

Adam leaned a broad shoulder against the doorjamb. “Are you telling me to stay away from him?”

“No. Not exactly.” Unable to meet his gaze, she looked down at the wood floor on the landing outside his door. “Kind of.”

“I expect you’ve got a good reason.” The deep tone dripping with sarcasm said he didn’t believe there was such a thing.

“I’m a single parent—”

“So you said.”

“And C.J. is an active, outgoing little boy.”

That made him smile. “He’s a really great kid.”

“I know.” She smiled, too. Then grew serious. “He’s a great kid who badly wants a man in his life to hang out with.”

“Just my opinion as a family practice doctor, but that’s perfectly normal.”

“It’s probably not a good idea for him to get attached to you.” She met his gaze. “That’s just my opinion as his mother.”

“Because you think I won’t stick.”

“Exactly. I just don’t want him to get his little heart broken again—” A lump of emotion lodged in her throat and it was mortifying in front of this man.

“The last doctor,” he guessed.

His parents and siblings weren’t the only smart ones in the Stone family. She was trying to be vague, but apparently he had a gift for connecting the dots. “Yeah.”

“I wouldn’t hurt him, Jill.” The tone was extraordinarily gentle.

“Not deliberately,” she said. “I know that. But it concerns me.”

“I admire your impulse to protect him and will do my best to help you out.”

Jill hadn’t realized she was spoiling for a fight until he didn’t give her one. She appreciated the compliment about her maternal instincts, and the admiration went both ways. He seemed like a good guy, but another seemingly good guy had once stood right where he was now. That guy broke his promise and her son’s heart. Jill’s had been nicked, too.

“Thanks for understanding.” What else could she say?

“I’m still not going anywhere.” Before that could be challenged, he called out, “C.J.? Your mom says it’s time to go home.”

“Do I have to?” The question was followed by the tap, tap of running sneakers. The boy stopped beside Adam. “My tummy isn’t tellin’ me it’s time for dinner yet, Mom.”

“It’s still time to go home,” she said firmly, noting the way Adam’s mouth twitched as he struggled not to laugh.

“Why?” the boy asked.

“Because you’ve bothered Adam enough for one day.”

“I didn’t bother him. Did I?” C.J. looked up, the beginnings of hero worship on his freckled face.

Adam glanced at her, caught between a rock and a hard place. Then he answered without actually answering. “Your mom has her reasons. If I were you, I’d do what she says.”

“Okay.” Then a thought chased away his disappointment. “Can Adam have dinner with us?”

“It’s Dr. Stone,” she corrected the little boy.

“He said to call him Adam,” C.J. protested.

“I did,” he confirmed. “You could take lessons.”

“Right.” Jill smiled. “How about a compromise, kiddo? What do you think of Dr. Adam?”

“I think he’s cool,” C.J. answered.

“I meant that’s what you should call him. Remember, respect for your elders.”

“Moving day is always tough,” Adam said, “but I didn’t feel quite so old until just now.”

“Can Dr. Adam have dinner with us?” the relentless child persisted.

“I don’t think so, kiddo.” She looked at Dr. Adam, and there must have been pleading in her eyes.

“Not tonight, buddy.” Adam’s expression was half amused, half regretful. “I still have a lot of boxes to unpack.”

Jill appreciated his cooperation and knew what was coming from her son. “No, you can’t help, C.J.”

“Aw, Mom—” Hope filled his brown eyes. “What about when he’s done unpacking? He might get lonesome.”

“You’re pushing it, mister. Downstairs. On the double.” She glanced over her shoulder and thought Dr. Adam might have been looking at her butt.

It was a nice thought, but a waste of his time and energy. A crush on the movie star type notwithstanding, she would never let Adam Stone be her type.

Jill walked C.J. down the stairs and when they got to the bottom she saw Brewster Smith walking up the path. He stopped in front of her, on the covered porch.

“Just came by to see if you found C.J.” The man was in his fifties and had a full head of gray hair and a beard to match. Very mountain-man-looking. He was an employee, but more important, her friend. “I see you did.”

“Yes, he was—”

“Hey, Brew,” C.J. said. “I was helpin’ Dr. Adam unpack his stuff and he’s got a lot! Mostly books. Really big, fat ones. He said they’re too heavy for me.”

Jill put a hand on her son’s small shoulder. “I’m sorry if I worried you, Brew. He neglected to tell me where he was going.”

“Figured that.” The man’s pale blue eyes narrowed. “If he had, you’d have put a stop to it.”

This man knew her better than anyone, knew how hard it had been when she’d been left behind by the doctor. He was the one who’d held her when she cried.

The door at the top of the stairs opened and heavy footsteps sounded on the wood tread behind them. There was only one person it could be.

“C.J.? You forgot these.” Adam handed over Batman and Captain America action figures. He nodded at Brew. “Hi.”

The older man’s eyes narrowed on the new guy in town. “You’re the renter.”

“Yeah.” He held out his hand. “Adam Stone.”

“Brewster Smith,” he answered, taking the offered hand.

“Nice to meet you.”

“Hope you still think that when I say what’s on my mind.”

“Okay. Shoot.”

“This woman is like a daughter to me.” Brewster’s face was all warning, no warmth. “Treat her right or I won’t be a happy man.”

“You’re already not happy,” Adam pointed out cheerfully, apparently not intimidated at all.

“If you do anything to hurt her, I’ll be a whole lot not happier. And that goes for a lot of folks in town, too.” The older man’s gaze never wavered, before he abruptly turned and walked down the front porch steps. At the bottom he headed in the direction of the marina.

“Nice guy,” Adam said. “Straightforward.”

“He’s a good friend.”

Jill was grateful for his friendship and something else, too. The town was circling the wagons around her. It wasn’t the first time this had happened, but it still made her very happy. In the case of Dr. Adam Stone it made her incredibly grateful. He’d done nothing to anesthetize her attraction and she’d need all the protection those circled wagons could give her.

Chapter Two

Adam had just seen his last patient on his first day at the clinic. He wouldn’t say this was the worst day he’d ever had as a doctor, but moving from Texas and unpacking boxes had been a piece of cake compared to cutting through the glacial attitude of the people he’d seen today. Of course none of those people had been C. J. Beck, who couldn’t have been cuter or friendlier, unlike his mom. Except for the cute part. Jill was more than cute. And that was nothing more than a guy’s appreciative take on a very pretty, very sexy woman.

The surroundings were different from any office he’d ever worked in. Mercy Medical Clinic was set up in a large Victorian house that had been donated to the town years ago. The kitchen had been turned into an outpatient lab and the spacious living room now had sofas, chairs and tables for a waiting area. Bedrooms had been converted to exam rooms, and closets held medical and office supplies. That morning he’d had the two-cent tour from nurse Virginia Irvin, who was no warmer than the patients he’d seen. She was like a glacier in scrubs.

He grabbed a cup of coffee from the break area in the small alcove near the back door that was once a mudroom, then went back down the long hallway, past the exam rooms and to his office. It was time to catch up on paperwork.

So as not to keep patients waiting too long, there hadn’t been time to do more than look at the updated medical information form he’d asked each patient to fill out and skim the chart for drug allergies. Now he wanted to look at all the information on each person he’d seen, including notes from the physicians who’d come before him. Including “the last doctor.”

Those words worked on his nerves like something in his eye that wouldn’t come out. Everyone he’d seen today had said it and in exactly the tone Jill used, the one that put him in the same slimy subspecies as the physician who’d run out on her and the rest of the town.

“There you are, Doctor.”

He looked up from the stack of charts on his desk. Mercy Medical Clinic’s nurse stood in the doorway. “Hi, Ginny.”

“It’s Virginia.”

Apparently only to him, because everyone who wasn’t gum on the bottom of her shoe called her Ginny. Somewhere in her late fifties or early sixties, she had silver hair cut in a pixie, blue eyes that missed nothing and no filter between her brain and her mouth. At least one knew where one stood with her. In his case, he was pretty sure she wished he was standing in Alaska. She was short on stature and long on attitude.

“Can I ask you something, Virginia?”

“Thought doctors knew everything. Like God.” She folded her arms over her chest, and the body language felt like a yes to his question, so he continued.

“We just pretend to know everything. It makes the patients feel better.” Maybe self-deprecation would thaw her out.

“Uh-huh.”

Maybe not so much. “As a boy I spent a lot of summers here in Blackwater Lake and folks seemed a lot friendlier.”

She looked down at him. “We’re not in the habit of being mean to kids, especially ones who are visiting.”

“So the friendly pill wears off when that kid grows up and moves here?”

“Something like that.”

He was the new guy and she knew this clinic and everyone who used it inside and out, by all accounts an excellent nurse who would be difficult to replace. So he hid his frustration when he asked, “Can you be more specific?”

The gaze she leveled at him could laser a person’s heart out. “It would help if you looked less like the good-looking actor in that space movie and more like Quasimodo.”

Huh? There was a compliment in there somewhere, but he’d need a scalpel to remove it. “I’m not sure what you mean by that.”

“Then I’ll explain.” She moved farther into the room. “If you were ugly as a mud fence and didn’t rent a place from Jill Beck, folks here in town would give you the benefit of the doubt. But that’s not the case. The last doctor—”

“Didn’t stick,” he interrupted. “Jill mentioned that.”

“She’s one of ours,” the nurse continued. “Her mother was my best friend since third grade. The last thing I said to Dottie before she died was that I’d watch out for her little girl and her grandson.”

Adam remembered what Brewster had said and figured Virginia and the patients he’d seen today were some of the folks who’d be a whole lot not happy if Jill got hurt.

“What happened to her mom?” he asked.

“Breast cancer.” The woman’s mouth pulled tight as if her lips would tremble without the control.

“I’m sorry.”

“Me, too.”

“The thing is, you don’t need to protect Jill from me,” Adam assured her.

“Uh-huh.”

The sarcastic tone said there was nothing he could say to convince her, so he wasn’t going to waste his breath trying. “Did you want something?” At her blank look, he added, “You were looking for me?”

“Right.” The puzzled expression disappeared. “You’ve got one more patient. Little boy with a fever and sore throat. His daddy sweet-talked Liz into letting him come by.”

Liz Carpenter was the clinic receptionist, a pretty young woman who apparently didn’t need protecting from the big, bad outsider.

“Is he here?” Adam asked.

“Exam room one,” the nurse answered.

“I’ll be right there.”

“He’s ready for you.” She turned and left his office.

It had been a warm, September day in Blackwater Lake, Montana, but Adam felt like digging out his winter parka before seeing the patient. He left his office and walked back down the hall. Exam one was the farthest away and the others were empty, so it wasn’t hard to do the math. New doctor hazing, with a generous dose of warning tossed in.

He pulled the chart from the plastic holder on the wall beside the door and read the patient’s name. Tyler Dixon. The last name was familiar.

Before going in he read the medical information. Tyler was six, about the same age as C. J. Beck. Not allergic to anything. An otherwise healthy boy with a sore throat and fever. His father was Cabot Dixon, and Adam grinned as he walked inside.

The dark-haired, dark-eyed little guy sitting on the exam table looked exactly like the boy his father had been when Adam had met him years ago. The Dixons owned the ranch where he’d gone to camp every summer and the two had become friends.

He held out his hand. “Cab, it’s good to see you again.”

“Adam.” The other man’s smile was sincere and friendly, a first for the day. “Heard you moved here, but didn’t think I’d have to see you in a professional way so soon.”

“Your boy’s not feeling well?”

“This is Tyler.”

“I didn’t wanna miss school, but my froat hurts,” the child informed him. “And I don’t like shots.”

“Me either.” Adam smiled as he studied the boy’s feverish eyes and flushed cheeks. “Would it be okay if I just take a peek in your throat?”

“Just look?” The boy didn’t trust him, but that had nothing to do with Jill Beck and everything to do with being six years old.

“I want to feel your neck, too, but it won’t hurt.”

“Promise?”

Adam crossed his heart and held up his palm. “Word of honor.”

“Okay.”

Beside the exam table on a metal tray, nurse Virginia had put out some things. He picked up the wooden tongue blade and the handheld light and told Tyler to say “ah.” Then he ran his fingers over the boy’s neck and asked the father, “Has he had a cough or runny nose?”

“No.”

Adam took the stethoscope from around his neck and listened to the small chest and back. “Strong heartbeat. Good bilateral breath sounds. No wheezing from upper or lower lobes of the lungs,” he said.

“What is it, Adam?”

“My guess is strep throat. It usually shows up late fall to spring, so this is early, but symptoms are classic, including yellow patches on the back of his throat. I’ll swab it and we can do a rapid strep test to confirm.”

After Cabot nodded approval, Adam promised the little guy a “good boy” toy, then rubbed a cotton swab in the back of his throat. When Virginia came into the room he asked her to do the test on the sample and Tyler went with her to pick out his reward. That gave Adam a chance to talk to the man who’d befriended him when they were boys.

“Don’t worry, Cab. It’s not serious. Strep usually goes away without treatment and only rarely turns into something more serious. I’ll give you a prescription for an antibiotic, but it’s just a precaution.”

“That’s a relief.” The rugged man clearly had a soft spot where his son was concerned, and that was as it should be. “Anything else I should do?”

“Make sure Ty gets over-the-counter meds for the fever and lots of fluids—soda in moderation, popsicles, juice and water.” But Adam wondered about Cabot’s wife. It was most often the mother who came in with a sick child. “So, when did you get married?”

“Six years, eight months ago.” There was no mistaking the anger that slid, hot and intense, into those dark eyes. “And I got divorced right after Ty was born because she walked out. Left me with an infant and no idea how to take care of him. Still, he’s the best thing she gave me and I have to thank her for him. Just an FYI, don’t bring a city girl to Blackwater Lake. If you want to be happy for the rest of your life, make a local girl your wife.”

“Had a wife once,” Adam said. “Don’t want another one, thanks.”

“Want to talk about it?”

“No. You?”

“No.” His friend smiled. “So, how’s Blackwater Lake treating you?”

“Like a leper,” he admitted.

“I heard you rented Jill Beck’s apartment.”

“Guilty. And apparently that’s a hanging offense as far as people in this town are concerned, because I haven’t even screwed up yet.”

Cabot shrugged. “You’re paying the price for the doctor who rented her place and then charmed and harmed her. Folks don’t like it when an outsider dumps on one of their own.”

“She’s safe from me,” Adam protested. “I just want to be part of the community. End of story. Honest.”

“I believe you.” The other man’s expression was amused and sympathetic. “But you’ll never belong until you prove you’re not going to ‘do Jill wrong.’”

“Tell me how to convince folks and I’ll do it.” Adam figured he’d take all the help he could get, especially from someone who knew the locals.

“You’re on your own with that.”

Before he could say more, Tyler came back into the room to show off his toy car and Adam was no closer to solving his problem. He liked Jill. He was attracted to her, but starting something was problematic. A single mom in Blackwater Lake would want promises and vows, and that was something he’d never do again.

To start anything he had no intention of following through on would make him no better than the last doctor, which would only drive the wedge deeper between him and the community. He didn’t get through medical school being stupid, so somehow he’d find a way to live under her roof and not complicate the situation by getting personal.

The best approach was to take the advice he so often gave his patients. Give it time. Unfortunately, he wasn’t patient.

Potter’s Ice Cream Parlor wasn’t busy on a weeknight now that the kids had returned to school from summer vacation. Jill was filling in for her friend Maggie and it was kind of a relief to be here as opposed to her own house where she couldn’t stop thinking about Adam Stone and the fact that only a ceiling separated them. Glancing at the display case, she made sure none of the ice cream flavors needed a refill. Beside it, all the sundae toppings, including nuts, crushed candy and fruit, were all full.

In front of the counter, all the cute little chairs with heart-shaped backs were tucked neatly under circular tables. The walls were filled with brightly colored prints of candy sprinkles, nuts and cherries. Right behind the cash register was a photo of Maggie Potter and her husband, Dan, in his Army National Guard uniform, hugging and happy on the day they’d opened this place a couple of years ago. Now her husband was dead and Maggie was dealing with everything by herself. Jill was going to help as best she could.

There wasn’t much to do, so she grabbed a damp rag and started to wipe down the stainless-steel counters. With her back to the front door she relied on the old-fashioned bell above it to alert her to a customer. When it rang she turned to see who was there.

“Hey, you two.” She smiled at Norm and Diane Schurr, friends of her mom. He was about six feet five and thin, with white hair. His blonde wife was about a foot shorter and always watching her weight. “What’ll you have?”

“Three scoops of vanilla in a cup with caramel and nuts,” Norm said.

Like the retired school teacher she was, Diane gave him a stern look. “You’re supposed to be watching your cholesterol.”

“Okay, then,” her husband said good-naturedly, “make it two scoops.”

“Oh, for goodness’ sake.” His wife laughed and shook her head. “I’ll have the nonfat cookies ’n’ cream yogurt—a small.”

“Coming right up.” While Jill worked on filling their order she asked, “What’s new?”

“Not much with us, but Brewster Smith says you filled your vacancy. Mercy Medical Clinic’s new doctor.” Diane’s gaze was full of warning.

“It’s true.” Gosh darn it.

“The doctor is very good-looking,” the woman added.

“You’ve met him?” Jill handed over Norm’s sundae above the high glass of the display case.

“Had an appointment today for my checkup,” he answered.

“We both did,” his wife said. “The thing is, sweetheart, you shouldn’t let a pretty face tempt you into letting your guard down again.”

“Don’t worry.” She turned to the yogurt dispenser and depressed the handle to let the creamy stuff make a volcano-shaped mound in the cup. “Even if I weakened, I know I can count on good friends like you to pull me back from the edge.”

“Darn right,” Norm said.

“That’ll be seven dollars and three cents,” she said.

Norm put down his cup and reached for his wallet. “It’s too bad.”

“I know, but Maggie wouldn’t make any money if the order was free,” Jill teased.

“Not that,” he said, waving away her words with a twenty-dollar bill in his hand. “It’s a shame you can’t go after the doc. He seems like a real nice young man.”

So did the last doctor, until he left. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me, Jill thought.

After handing over change, she said, “So, how did your appointment go? You guys doing okay?”

“Pretty good,” the man answered. “I’m not gettin’ any younger, but I got a strong body. Doc said it’s like a muscle car. If you put junk in the tank, you’re gonna get a junk performance.”

“So you have three scoops of ice cream,” his wife said wryly.

“Only two, dear.” His blue eyes twinkled with mischief.

“Dr. Stone told us we have the time to take care of ourselves because we’re retired. We want to enjoy it.”

“Of course you do.” Who wouldn’t? Jill thought. She just couldn’t imagine leisure time for herself. Ever.

There were bills to pay and a son to raise, plus a little bit to put away for the college fund he would need someday. She barely scraped by now and only had herself to depend on. The idea of not working was a luxury she couldn’t even think about. “But you guys are okay?”

Diane nodded. “The doctor says we’re both healthy, but to watch our cholesterol and blood pressure.”

“So Dr. Stone didn’t tell you anything you didn’t already know?” Jill asked.

“No. But he spent a lot of time doing it, not like the one who always rushed us in and out. Dr. Stone said our hearts are strong. Walking is a good exercise and he couldn’t think of a more beautiful place than Blackwater Lake to do it in. Clean air. Majestic mountains. Trees. Said a person could exercise body and soul at the same time.”

The bell over the door jangled and in walked the doctor/poet himself. Jill wondered if her own heart was strong enough to survive the pounding it took every time she saw him, and now was no exception. The Schurrs looked like twin deer caught in headlights. Or kids with their hands in the cookie jar.

“Dr. Stone,” Diane said. “Speaking of the devil. We didn’t expect to see you here.”

“Besides being the devil,” he said with a straight face and a gleam of amusement in his eyes, “I’m also the food police.”

“This is yogurt.” The older woman’s voice was only a little bit defensive. “Ask Jill.”

Apparently Adam hadn’t noticed her behind the tall glass case, because he looked surprised. “So you’re the witness for the defense?”

“Mrs. Schurr is telling the whole truth and nothing but.” She couldn’t stop a smile. “And as chief of the food police, you should deputize her. She cut Mr. Schurr back from three scoops to two.”

The doctor nodded. “Have you thought about coming out of retirement and taking on a new career in diplomatic negotiations? You’d be good at it.”

“I should be after all those years in the classroom. Girls and boys need a firm hand and the voice of reason.” She finished the last of her yogurt and looked at Jill. “Norm and I have to be going. It’s good to see you, sweetheart. Take good care.”

“Will do,” Jill answered, reading the real meaning between the lines. “Night, Mrs. Schurr. Mr. Schurr.”

The two waved, and then the bell above the door jangled before they walked out and she was alone with Adam. He was wearing worn jeans and a black T-shirt that snugly covered his broad chest like a second skin. The sleeves stretched over his biceps and drew her attention to the contour of muscle there. The devil impressed her female hormones, she thought. And it was okay to be impressed as long as that didn’t blind her to reality.

“So, you didn’t really come in here to be the food police, did you? That could put a big dent in Maggie’s income. She does a lot of business with the town’s retired demographic.”

“No, I’m not checking up.” He laughed. “I have a confession to make, though.”

Being married, having a girlfriend and leaving tomorrow were the top three declarations of guilt that popped into Jill’s mind. But all she said was, “Oh? What?”

“I can’t say no to ice cream.”

“Neither can my son, which I guess makes me the food police.”

“Good luck with that. C.J. is resourceful and could join Mrs. Schurr in diplomatic negotiations.”

“Or undiplomatic,” she added. “What can I get you?”

“I’ll have what Mr. Schurr had.” Adam folded his arms over his chest and studied her as if she were a new and exotic flavor in the display case.

She scooped the ice cream into a cup, then took the ladle to drizzle caramel over the two vanilla mounds. She was grateful to have something to do with her hands and very aware that his gaze never left her. “Is something wrong?”

“You tell me.” He took the cup she handed him. “Where’s C.J.? And what are you doing here?”

“My son is with Brewster and his wife, Hildie.” Not that it was any of his business. “And I’m here because Maggie Potter is pregnant and having contractions. Her brother drove her to the hospital.”

“The closest one is over seventy miles away. And she’s only seven months along.”

“How do you know that?”

A wry expression chased away the concern for a moment. “This isn’t my first time here in the parlor.”

“Right. Ice cream obsession.” She nodded.

He moved to the lower counter where the cash register was located and braced a hip against it as he ate. “Why did her brother take her? Where’s her husband?”

“He was in the army. Killed in Afghanistan. She found out not long ago.” And obviously hadn’t shared the information with a stranger, even if he was a doctor and a regular customer.

“Damn it. I don’t even know what to say. That …” Adam jammed his plastic spoon into the ice cream and set it down. He shook his head and the sympathy in his eyes was wrapped in an anger that looked sincere. “It just sucks.”

“I know.”

“The shock could have brought on early labor,” he said. “I hope not. Baby’s still small.”

“She’s pretty upset,” Jill confirmed.

“So you’re filling in.”

“It’s the least I can do,” she said. “Maggie and Dan built this business from scratch. I’ve known them both since we were all in kindergarten together. They were high school sweethearts. He was the love of her life and my good friend. No one can bring him back, but if there’s anything I can do to save his child, I’ll do it. And keeping this place alive is as much for him as for Maggie.”

“It’s a wonderful gesture.”

There was a hint of surprise in his voice that Jill resented. Or maybe she just took exception to him, however unfair that was. Or it could be her reaction was more about looking for a reason to keep up a robust level of mad to squash or squeeze out the stubborn attraction to him that she couldn’t seem to shake.

Whatever her motivation, there was an edge to her voice when she said, “Friends are there for each other.”

“I couldn’t agree more.” His voice had an edge, too, and the words clearly indicated he hadn’t missed the underlying meaning in her words. There was a spark of anger in his blue eyes that had nothing to do with loss from a war halfway around the world and everything to do with conflict between the two of them. “And I’ll look forward to someone being there for me when I have more than one friend in town.”

“You actually have one now?” she asked, leaning a hip on the other side of the counter.

“As a matter of fact, I do. Cabot Dixon and I go way back to my summer camp days. His father’s ranch is where my parents sent me, and we hit it off.”

“C.J. and Tyler are good buddies,” she said.

“I wondered. Cab brought the boy in and I noticed that he’s the same age.”

“Hope it was nothing serious.”

“No.” Adam shook his head. “But because of patient privacy laws I can’t say more than that.”

“Don’t break any rules on my account.”

“Not to worry. But there is something I plan to do on your account.”

“Don’t do me any favors.”

“Actually it’s me I’m concerned about.” He picked up his ice cream again and started eating. “It seems the people here in town are all very protective of you. To win their hearts and minds I need to prove myself to you, earn your friendship. And that’s exactly what I intend to do.”

“Good luck with that.” She struggled for a flip attitude but was pretty sure it didn’t work, what with her heart pounding so hard. “I’ve built up an immunity to nice, charming men.”

“Then it’s a good thing I’m not nice or charming.” He finished the last of his sundae and dropped the cup and spoon in the trash.

Suddenly Jill realized he hadn’t paid for it. “I forgot to ring up that ice cream. Some friend I am. That’s no way to mind Maggie’s store.”

He reached into his jeans pocket and slid out some folded bills. After pulling one from the wad, he put it on the counter and said, “Keep the change.” Then he met her gaze and said, “Jill?”

She couldn’t look away even if she wanted to. “What?”

“I’m really not the devil.”

She’d have to take his word on that because right now she was pretty sure he was. He tempted her just by walking in and breathing the same air. Technically he lived right above her and probably they were trading oxygen and carbon monoxide all night long. That could do a number on her if she thought about it too long.

So she wouldn’t think about it, and no way was friendship a possibility. Men and women couldn’t be friends. More often than not, it went bad. She didn’t need any more bad in her life than she’d already had.

Chapter Three

It was Saturday and Adam didn’t know what to do with his first real weekend off since moving to Blackwater Lake. He wandered around the apartment that grew on him more every day. The boxes were gone, stuff was put away and pictures were hung. They weren’t as soul-stunning as Jill’s, but he planned to take his own photos and get some shots that were wall-worthy.

His computer was hooked up and on the desk in the second bedroom he was using as a home office. Medical books and a few fiction paperbacks were stacked on the floor, and he could use some bookcases. A trip to the antiques and furniture stores in town could fill some time today.

Then he looked out the living room window with a view of the lake. There was a small wooden building nearby with a sign that read Blackwater Lake Marina and Bait Shop. It was about time he explored his new hometown, starting with what was right in his own backyard.

He grabbed his keys, locked the front door, then jogged down the stairs to the covered porch. Beside Jill’s door sat a pair of C.J.-sized muddy sneakers and a small baseball mitt. Just a guess but both probably belonged to the little guy who lived downstairs. Thoughts of the redheaded rascal made him smile and he wondered what the kid was up to on a day off from school. Hopefully hanging out with Tyler Dixon on the ranch where a kid could be a kid. Adam wouldn’t trade his time there for anything. And what C.J. did was none of his business since his redheaded, red-hot mom had warned him off.

He walked down the path and turned right, heading for the marina store. A few minutes later he stepped onto the wooden walkway outside. A few yards from the door, the dock jutted into the lake, a small number of boats tied up on either side.

He entered the store and waited for his eyes to adjust from the bright sunshine outside. Bending over a box, Jill had her back to the door and was restocking the tall, refrigerated case with bottled water. Before she straightened he had time to look his fill and conclude that she did have one terrific tush.

And that kind of thinking was to his goal what the iceberg was to the Titanic. To win over the people of Blackwater Lake, he had to be her friend, nothing more.

“Mom?” That was C.J.’s voice.

Adam moved a step farther inside and saw the kid. Racks of souvenir T-shirts had hidden him, sitting cross-legged on the floor beside the cold case. His elbows were resting on his knees, and his small, freckled face was cradled in both hands. If he was a photo, Adam would title it Boredom.

“Mom,” he said again, louder this time.

“What, kiddo?”

“Why can’t I go outside?”

“Because you’re not allowed to play by the lake when there’s no one to watch you. That’s the rule.”

“It’s a stupid rule. I know how to swim.”

“True. But better safe than sorry,” she said.

“I’m already sorry because I can’t go outside.”

Adam smothered a laugh. This kid was priceless.

“I wanna go to Ty’s house,” he said, taking a new direction.

“We’ve been through this already. I have to mind the store, so I can’t drive you.”

“I could call Ty. I bet Mr. Dixon could come and get me, Mom.”

“He’s busy running his ranch. You shouldn’t bother him,” she said.

“When’s Brew coming back?”

“A couple of hours.”

The kid let out a big sigh. “I don’t got nothin’ to do for a couple hours.”

“I don’t have anything to do,” she corrected.

“Then you can drive me to Ty’s.”

Adam cleared his throat to cover a laugh and let them know he was standing there. “Hi.”

“Dr. Adam!” C.J. jumped up and ran over.

“Hi, champ.” He made a fist and the kid did the same and bumped it. Looking at Jill, he said, “Good morning.”

“How are you?” She brushed the curly red hair off her forehead.

“Good. Enjoying a day off.”

“Must be nice,” she said wistfully.

“It is.”

He saw the dark circles under her eyes and asked, “Is there any place in town you don’t work?”

She laughed, which was a nice surprise. “Potter’s Parlor was for Maggie, but this store is mine.”

“Interesting place,” he said, glancing around.

Fishing poles were standing along one wooden wall, and above them was a divided case with lures, sinkers and bait. Another wall had cubbyholes holding hats, and beside it were stacks of ice chests. In the center space were racks of outdoor clothing—quilted vests, flannel shirts, windbreakers and light jackets.

“Brewster works for me, so I take over when he’s off.”

“Who takes over when you’re off?”

“It’s not an issue.”

The subtext was that she never had time off. But there wasn’t any trace of self-pity in her tone or expression. All he saw was strength and pride. The combination made her stunning, the kind of woman he wanted to get to know better.

He started to say something but was interrupted by the sound of heavy footsteps on the wooden walkway outside just before three men came into the store. They were all about the same age, in their late fifties or early sixties.

Jill smiled. “Welcome to Blackwater Lake.”

Adam listened to the conversation and figured out that these guys were strangers to her, new to the area and looking for fishing gear. Jill led them to the wall with rods and reels, then began answering their questions regarding the pros and cons of each type and its relation to their skill level.

While she was preoccupied with customers and a potentially lucrative sale, her son slipped outside, unnoticed by anyone but Adam. He stood in the store’s doorway and saw C.J. race down to the lake’s edge, then bend to grab a rock and throw it into the water. So much for mom’s rule. And Jill was right to worry about safety around the water.

Adam walked down the path and stopped beside the boy. He picked up a smooth stone, then flicked his wrist and watched it skip three times before disappearing.

“Cool,” C.J. said. “How did you learn to do that?”

“Tyler’s dad showed me when I was just about your age.”

The boy looked up, squinting into the sun. “Did you live here then?”

“I only visited during the summer.”

“Are you and Mr. Dixon friends?”

“Yes.” So far the only one he had in Blackwater Lake. As far as Jill was concerned, C.J. didn’t count.

“Can you teach me how to skip rocks?” he asked eagerly.

“I can show you. Then it’s just practice to get the hang of it.”

“Forget it, then. I’ll never get good.” C.J. kicked at the rocky shore with the toe of a sneaker. “I’m not s’posed to be here alone. But Mom never has time to watch me.”

“She has a lot of responsibility.” He could relate. Jill was a single mom, but Adam had two parents, and their demanding careers had left little time to spend with a boy who wanted to play. He’d been turned over to others to be supervised, then spent summers here. As an adult he understood, but thank goodness for those summers. “But I’m here now.”

“You can watch me?”

“Yeah.” He picked up another stone and demonstrated the proper way to hold it, between thumb and forefinger. “It’s all in the wrist.”

C.J. watched as he threw it and said, “Let me try.”

They worked on the skill for five minutes, which is about all the attention span a six-year-old has. After that the boy used the rocks like a depth charge, aiming for the fish darting around just below the surface.

“I’m a mighty hunter,” he said, moving so close the water almost lapped over his shoe.

Adam was ready to grab him if there was a chance he’d fall in. “Do you have a fishing pole?”

“Not yet. Mom says when I’m seven.”

“When’s that?”

“When it gets cold.”

He remembered Jill telling him that the doctor had left as soon as it turned cold. Had he been there for the kid’s birthday or skipped out before? She’d said she wouldn’t allow her son’s heart to be broken again, which meant he’d already been hurt once. That sucked.

“Does it hurt the fish when you hook ’em?”

Probably, Adam thought. But he didn’t want to tell the boy that. The crunch of footsteps behind them saved him from having to answer, but the look on Jill’s face told him he wasn’t saved from anything else.

“Uh-oh,” C.J. said. “It’s my mom.”

Uh-oh, indeed.

“I’m very disappointed in you, C.J.”

Adam knew from personal experience that the disappointment card was the biggest gun in the parental arsenal. But a safety rule had been broken.

“Are you mad, Mom?”

“Do I look mad?” Her voice was deadly quiet and calm. Shouting would have been easier to take.

C.J. studied her expression. “No?” he asked hopefully.

She shook her head. “You disobeyed a direct order right after we talked about it.”

Adam looked from her to C.J., knowing she’d just taken the “I forgot” defense out of play.

“There has to be consequences, kiddo.”

“Am I grounded?”

“I have to think about this,” she said.

“While you’re thinkin’,” he said, rubbing a finger along the side of his nose, “remember Ty’s birthday party is in a week.”

“Thank you for reminding me,” she said.

It was that quiet voice that finally got to Adam. He couldn’t just stand there and say nothing. “Look, Jill, it’s Saturday and the sun is out. Awfully tough for a guy to be cooped up indoors. I was here—”

“About that,” she said, her tone edging up. She looked at her son. “Run up to the store and get a drink of water, C.J. I need to talk to Adam.”

For just a second he teetered on the verge of argument, then just nodded. Without a word he trudged back up the path and disappeared through the door to the marina store.

“Jill, don’t take it out on him. I’m the one you’re really mad at.”

Her brown eyes darkened with anger. “I made it clear that letting him get attached to you isn’t an option. Water safety isn’t the only issue here. It’s my job to look out for him emotionally, too.”

“And I made it clear that I wouldn’t hurt him.”

“Talk is cheap.” The breeze blew a strand of hair across her eyes and she angrily brushed it away.

“I was just keeping him company—in the spirit of helping someone out,” he said.

“I don’t need that kind of help. When he gets attached to you and is left behind—”

“I’m going to be a part of this community where people look out for one another.” He hadn’t planned to defend himself, but hearing about the last doctor was getting old. “Blackwater Lake is a place where neighbors pitch in. It’s what you did for Maggie. That’s all I was doing with C.J.”

“I look out for him,” she said.

“So you can be there for a friend, but I can’t? Smacks of a double standard to me.”

“That’s because you’re not a single mom.” She nodded for emphasis, then turned away and walked back up the path after her son.

Adam watched her stiff back and not for the first time he thought she had a little too much spine. Bending a little would do her good, and he was just the guy who could outstubborn her.

That’s when it hit him that instead of diminishing his fascination for her, the arm’s length she was trying to put between them just intrigued him more. It was all kinds of bad because relationships were not his specialty. So far he’d been less than successful in staying uninvolved, and one wrong move could cost him the community approval he needed to make this career move and the life he wanted a success.

Now that he had a diagnosis, it was time to come up with the treatment. So far, he had nothing.

Potter’s Ice Cream Parlor was hosting a fundraiser for Blackwater Lake High School’s football team, and Jill had just finished her two-hour volunteer shift. She was grateful for the break because her hands ached from nonstop scooping. It was standing-room only except for Maggie Potter. Her early labor pains were under control, but she was under obstetrician’s orders to stay off her feet and was sitting at a table for two in the center of the room. Her job was to collect cash donations from folks who were watching their calories but still wanted to help out.

Jill sat in the empty chair across from her friend. “You should be at home with your feet up.”

“At least I’m off them.” Maggie was a pretty brunette, petite and fragile-looking. Her beautiful brown eyes were sad and hadn’t lost their haunted look since she’d gotten the news that her husband had died in Afghanistan. “It’s been a week since I saw the doctor, and doing nothing is driving me crazy.”

“You have to put crazy on a back burner and take care of that baby.”

“I’m doing my best. Now that Dan is gone, there’s nothing more important than this baby. I have to make sure a part of his father goes on.” She settled her palms on the baby bump. “You can put your own maternal instinct on a back burner because I called the doctor for permission. He said it’s okay to be out of the house as long as I’m taking it easy. If I get wild and end up behind the counter, Brady has orders to pick me up bodily and take me home to solitary confinement.”

Jill laughed. “So it’s your big brother’s day to watch you.”

“Every day is his day, poor guy.” The sadness in her eyes deepened. “He’s running the parlor right now, until the baby is born and I’m back on my feet.”

“He’s a really good guy.”

Jill had often wondered why she hadn’t fallen for Brady O’Keefe in high school instead of Buddy Henderson. The only good thing that jerk had left her was C.J. Other than that, it was a lot of bad memories and no desire to fall in love again. Ever. The one time she’d even thought about it, the doctor took off and she wasn’t in the mood to test the theory about third time’s the charm.

“It doesn’t hurt that Brady owns a successful business of his own. He can structure his time to give me a hand, but he’s really stretched thin.” Maggie was looking at the door. “Speaking of good-looking men …”

Jill knew by the expression on her friend’s face that she was looking at Blackwater Lake’s newest doctor. She hadn’t seen him since the incident by the lake a few days ago. Thinking about it afterward, she’d been unable to decide if he was a good, softhearted guy or an interfering jerk who wasn’t going to be around and had no emotional investment in whether or not C.J. became a responsible adult.

When her friend started to wave him over, Jill protested, “No.”

Maggie’s eyebrow rose questioningly. “Oh, really?”

“What ‘oh, really’?”

“Don’t play dumb with me. I’ve known you too long. What’s up with you and your newest tenant?”

“Who says anything is? Can’t I just not want to talk to him?”

“Not unless you have your eyesight checked and your head examined,” Maggie said, her gaze tracking him as he moved farther into the crowded room. “He’s gorgeous and seems really nice. I know everyone in town hates his guts because of what the last doctor did to you, but I believe in giving people the benefit of the doubt.”

“Only because he’s got an ice-cream obsession and is a good customer,” Jill retorted.

“That doesn’t hurt. But, for goodness’ sake, he’s a bachelor without children and is here to support the football team. That gets a check mark in the ‘pro’ column.” The sadness in her eyes deepened. “Danny loved playing football for Blackwater Lake High. It was his idea to do this annual fundraiser, and I’ll defend anyone who is here to support it.” Unexpectedly a small smile turned up the corners of her beautiful mouth. “And by the looks of it he’s not just buying for himself.”

Jill turned and followed her friend’s gaze, noting that there were four kids with Adam in line. Reading the body language, she could see that he was relaying questions and answers from volunteers behind the counter and the boys giving their orders. When each sundae was ready, he handed it over to the child.

“Wow,” Maggie said.

“What?” Jill turned back to her.

“He’s buying the Mag-nificent Mocha and the Dan-dee Delight, the two most expensive things I have.”

Jill knew her husband had created and named them after the two of them. She also knew Adam was trying to win over the community and wondered if this was a bribe or he was being extra nice to Maggie. She hated being that cynical. It would be shallow, self-centered and just plain wrong to compare what she’d experienced to Maggie’s incomprehensible loss, but something had died inside Jill, and a couple of men were responsible. Now she looked at everything involving men through a magnifying glass made of skepticism.

“I hope the kids don’t get sick,” Maggie said, watching the boys juggle their treats over to a table while the doctor paid the bill. “Now Adam is looking around for a place to sit.”

“Are you going to do a running commentary on his movements all night?”

Maggie folded her arms and rested them on her ballooning belly. “Someone took a crabby pill. Maybe you need something to sweeten your disposition.”

“If you’re suggesting ice cream, I’ve already had mine.”

“Finishing C.J.’s doesn’t count.”

Jill automatically looked for her son and saw him in a far corner with Tyler Dixon and his dad. There was a part of her that always breathed a sigh of relief when she could see him happy and healthy.

“I may have finished his, but that means we both took one for the team.” The comment made her friend smile, and that was enough to sweeten her disposition.

“Hello, ladies.”

“Adam.” Maggie’s voice was dripping with friendly and topped with welcome. “Why don’t you pull up a chair?”

Even if Maggie hadn’t announced him, Jill would know that voice anywhere. It was deep and rugged and seemed to have a direct line to her heart, kicking up the beat until surely everyone in the noisy, crowded room could hear.

Jill saw the mischievous gleam in the other woman’s eyes. It momentarily blocked out the sad, and for that she was grateful. When he moved into her view she said, “Hi, Adam. Join us.”

He glanced from one to the other. “You two looked serious about something. I don’t want to interrupt any soul-baring confessions.”

Jill was doing her level best to keep this guy from searing her soul and wanted to tell him he was absolutely interrupting them, but had a bad feeling Maggie wanted him to sit down. There was probably no way to avoid it, so she sweetened her disposition and aimed all that sugar in his direction.

“We were just chatting,” she said to him. “Nothing important. Sit with us.”

“Okay.” A faint look of surprise flitted across his face just before he grabbed a recently vacated chair from a nearby table. He pulled it over and sat. “How’s the mother-to-be?”

“Doing nothing, as ordered, and teetering on the edge of insanity,” Maggie answered.

He laughed. “Apparently the edge agrees with you. Glowing is an understatement.”

Definitely he was being extra nice to her, Jill thought. “Is that your official medical opinion, Doctor?”

“It is.” Then he studied her. “And you look like a woman who could use a day off.”

When he turned his baby blues on her, she felt the effects just short of her soul. Then the meaning of his words sank in. Tired? Bags under her eyes? She looked like something the cat yakked up?

Glancing at her best friend’s amused expression, Jill knew Maggie knew what she was thinking. Before she could decide how to sugarcoat her response, Mayor Loretta Goodson stopped beside the table.

“Hi, Jill.” Her Honor was a tall, slender, attractive woman who made the mid-forties look like the new thirty. Her shiny, shoulder-length brown hair was stylishly cut in layers and her jeans, white blouse and navy blazer struck just the right balance between friendly elected official and professional businesswoman. As far as anyone knew, she’d never been married and when she looked at the pregnant lady, there was a mirror image of sadness in her gray eyes. “You look good, Maggie.”

“I feel good.”

The mayor nodded, then extended her hand to Adam. “We haven’t met, Doctor. Mayor Loretta Goodson.”

“It’s a pleasure,” he said. “How are you settling in?”

He hesitated just a second before responding, “Making a change is always a challenge.”

Loretta nodded. “Folks in Blackwater Lake pride themselves on loyalty.”

“And they’re good at it,” he said wryly.

Jill knew it was a veiled reference to everyone in town freezing him out to protect her.

“Their attitude will change. Doing physicals at no charge for the football team helps,” the mayor said. “And it’s important for everyone to accept you. I was elected to grow the tax base here in town, and to do that we need to attract business. People work in businesses and they’ll need services, like health care.”

Now Jill felt really guilty and personally responsible for hindering town expansion. On her account Adam was being treated as if he’d already screwed up just for being a doctor who rented her apartment.

The mayor smiled at him. “It occurs to me that you might want to do a booth at the Harvest Festival next month.”

“I don’t make quilts or pickle cucumbers,” he joked.

“Health screenings were more what I had in mind.”

“Taking blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes checks. Eye exams,” he said, thinking out loud.

“We could set you up between the pumpkin pies and corn dogs,” she teased.

“That’ll make folks love me,” he said ruefully. “A terrible warning.”

Loretta laughed. “Just a healthy reminder. It would be great exposure and a good way for people to get to know you.”

“Sounds like an idea, Madam Mayor. Who should I talk to about setting it all up?”

“Calvin Johnson.” She pointed out a man across the room who had his arm draped across one of the teenage football players. “I’ll take you over there right now and make introductions.”

“I’d like that. I actually came over here to give you a donation for the team,” he said to Maggie. “Give me a couple minutes and I’ll be back with a check.” Then he looked down at Jill. “See you later.”

Speechless, Jill smiled and nodded, then watched him walk away. The information about contributing his medical expertise to the kids was new, unexpected and something the last doctor hadn’t done. She understood that the money he’d spent tonight was about buying town approval and it was for a good cause. But free physicals was time-consuming, not to mention above and beyond the call of duty. That made it awfully difficult not to respect the gesture. And like him for it.

It was a disconcerting realization. How could she hold out against the new doctor who went out of his way for the high school football team and was extra nice to a pregnant war widow? What could a girl do to put up a defense against a man like that?

Somewhere between talking to the mayor and sweetening her disposition, Jill had misplaced the hostility that was her best weapon.

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