City Surgeon, Small Town Miracle

Carrying a pile of plates, Terri set off towards the house. Luke ran his fingers absent-mindedly over the rounded belly of his wineglass and down the stem to the base as his eyes followed her slender figure. She moved gracefully with effortless elegance. Womanly curves, nicely proportioned. Long, long legs. He suppressed the urge to gulp. Altogether a very nice package.

‘Earth to Luke?’ He started slightly and glanced up to find his sister standing beside him, a grin on her face. ‘Have you finished with your glass?’

He handed it over silently and Megan walked after his mother and Terri.

His sister. Another member of his family under Terri’s spell. It was Megan who had sensed that Terri might help Allie. By taking her down to visit at the beach cottage, a link had been established between his daughter and the woman who had saved her life only a matter of days later. That link had set up the trust that had enabled Allie to confide her agonising guilt and set her on the road to recovery.

His father had thawed completely after Terri’s banter. Anxiety that she felt displaced by the hospital board’s decision was understandable. At least now, with concern eased, Luke would be able to get a better idea of how the man was coping psychologically after the heart attack. It was a relief because the faint ongoing hostility hadn’t been good for any of them.

They were all putty in Terri’s hands-including himself. Any way she wanted to handle him was just fine with him. Any way at all. The sooner the better for his sanity…

‘Nice girl.’ His father broke into his thoughts. ‘Something special.’

Luke swallowed and hoped the rush of heat warming his face wasn’t visible in the dusk. He yanked his thoughts back into line and looked across at the older man.

‘Terri,’ his father clarified, arching one eyebrow at him.

Luke cleared his throat. ‘Yes, she is.’

‘Allie likes her.’

‘She does.’

‘So does your mother.’

‘Mmm.’ Luke looked into his father’s interested gaze. ‘What are you getting at, Dad?’

‘Nothing. Just making an observation.’ Will brushed the leg of his shorts. ‘Your mother would like to do some travelling.’

‘Would she?’ It was a curious segue. Luke wondered what was coming next.

‘She’s been at me again to retire.’

‘Has she? How do you feel about that?’

‘I used to think it was a ridiculous idea.’ He sighed then continued after a moment, ‘But since the heart attack…’

‘You’re thinking about it seriously, then?’

‘Today, anyway.’ A wry smile curled his father’s mouth. ‘Maybe tomorrow I’ll change my mind. Anyway, I thought I’d float the idea at you, just in case. I’m sure the board would look favourably on you taking the director’s job permanently. If you wanted it.’

‘Okay. Thanks for the heads up.’

‘Would you want it?’

‘I’m not sure, Dad. I’d have to think about it. Sound Allie out. I promised her we’d only be here for a year.’

‘She seems to have settled in.’

‘She has now.’ Thanks to Terri.

There was a companionable silence for a few minutes and then his father said, ‘Well, it’s something for you to think about.’

‘Yes, it is.’

The back door opened and Terri came out with a coffee pot in hand. Allie, her faithful shadow, was beside her, holding the sugar bowl. His mother followed a few steps behind with the mugs.

Conversation meandered through various topics for another half an hour and then Terri stood.

‘I should make tracks,’ she said, turning to his mother. ‘Thank you for a wonderful evening, Vivienne.’

‘You know you are always welcome, Terri. Don’t be a stranger.’

Luke rose, too. ‘I’ll walk you home.’

‘Oh, no need.’ Terri tucked a curl behind her ear. ‘I can practically see my place from here.’

‘That’s a good idea, Luke,’ said his mother. Luke blessed her and her fondness for observing the niceties. Never mind that Terri wandered backwards and forwards between the hospital and the cottage at all hours of the night when she was on call.

Good manners would be observed. And in this case, it definitely worked to his advantage.

He smiled at Terri, who made a small grimace at him.

‘I’ll be back shortly, Allie,’ he said.

‘No worries, Dad.’ Allie beamed at him. ‘Don’t hurry. I’ll go up to bed.’ She gave a theatrical yawn. ‘You can kiss me goodnight when you come back.’

‘Er, right.’ He stared at her as she kissed her grandparents.

Confident of her welcome, Allie walked over and put her arms around Terri’s waist for a quick hug. ‘Thanks for coming shopping with us today.’

‘Thank you for asking me, Allie. I enjoyed it.’ Terri smiled, her face soft with affection as she looked at his daughter.

‘Goodnight.’ With one last fierce look at him, Allie set off towards the house.

As he crossed the grounds with Terri, Luke was aware of everything about her. The way her slim arms swung slightly at her sides, the way her hair slipped forward when she bent her head.

‘This is so silly, you walking me home.’ Her voice was light and quick.

He detected the tiniest tell-tale catch. Wicked anticipation curled through his gut. ‘It’s what a well-mannered boy does at the end of a date.’

She rolled her eyes at him. ‘This wasn’t a date. It was an invitation from your mother, I seem to recall.’

‘Ah, good point. That makes it even more significant than any ordinary date.’ He nodded sagely. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her misstep and reached out to steady her.

‘Sorry?’

‘You’ve had your feet under my parents’ dining table.’ He left his fingers curled around her arm as he expanded on his theory. ‘In dating traditions, that’s an important milestone.’

There was a small silence and then she teased, ‘Does it count when it’s outdoor furniture? Surely it’s much too casual.’

‘A table is a table. Tradition isn’t fussy.’

‘It certainly isn’t when you’re making up the rules.’ She laughed as they approached the narrow line of trees that separated the house from the lower yard.

‘Tsk. I’m starting to wonder if you’re going to renege on that other time-honoured end-of-date tradition.’ Her cottage was just ahead. Too close.

‘It depends which tradition you’re thinking of,’ she said, not backing down an inch. ‘Some traditions might earn you a slap for your trouble.’

Heat sizzled along his nerve endings as his imagination conjured a scenario that would definitely earn him a slap. He swallowed the groan that crept up his throat. Being with her like this made him want to throw caution to the winds and find out.

‘That’s not what you said the other night.’ He followed her up the front steps.

‘That was then. This is now. Besides, a gentleman wouldn’t remind a lady of her moment of weakness.’ At the door, she turned to face him.

He braced his hand on the frame and looked down at her. Her light fragrance teased his senses. He resisted the urge to lean forward and breathe deeper. ‘I’m not feeling much like a gentleman tonight.’

‘Aren’t you?’

‘Nope. Invite me in.’

‘And find out? I don’t think so.’ She flicked her hair back in a quick nervous gesture that made his pulse leap. ‘You’re in a peculiar mood.’

‘Yeah, I am,’ he murmured, reaching out to run his fingers along her jaw. ‘So how are my chances for a kiss