The Doctor and the Single Mum

“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.”