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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.
