Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Bestselling Titles by Escape Publishing …
Chapter 1
Doctor Prita Brennan put the pot plant in the corner—there was nothing like bringing a bit of greenery from outside to brighten a waiting area—and stood back, hands on her hips, head cocked. ‘What do you think?’
‘I like it there as much as I liked it in the ten other places you’ve tried,’ Cherry Hopkins said. ‘Now stop fussing and let’s get out to help with the party.’
Prita turned to regard the over-qualified practice nurse, who she prayed every day wouldn’t suddenly realise her mistake and leave her. ‘I want everything to be perfect for tomorrow.’
The older woman, her name-sake hair glinting in the light coming through the front windows of the new Wilson’s Bend GP practice, put her hands on Prita’s shoulders and looked her firmly in the eye. ‘It’s going to be amazing. We already have nearly a full appointment schedule over the next few days, and the women’s health talk hour on Fridays are booked out for the next month.’
‘Something could still go wrong.’
Cherry shook her head. ‘I never thought you’d be a worry wart, Doctor Prita.’
Prita couldn’t help but laugh. ‘I’m not. I wonder what’s got into me?’
‘A dose of nerves is what. Which is surprising given where you’ve been and what you’ve done. Completely unnecessary though, because it’s going to be great.’
‘How do you know? There’s been so much push back.’
‘By the old doc and a couple of his dinosaur mates.’ Cherry snorted. ‘Take no notice of those misogynists. The only wisdom you need to listen to is that of James Earl Jones.’ Prita’s lips twitched, knowing what was coming as Cherry cleared her throat and quoted the line from her favourite movie in a faux-deep voice. ‘If you build it, they will come.’
‘I don’t think he was talking about a new GP clinic in Wilson’s Bend.’
‘Doesn’t matter. It stands.’ Cherry waved her hand around at the waiting room.
‘I suppose it does.’ It had all happened so fast. She’d only bought the property six weeks ago. The seller was happy to settle quickly and so she’d been able to take ownership mid-January and since then, it had been full steam ahead, Barb and her CoalCliff workforce and some of her new neighbours in Wilson’s Bend digging in to get everything ready so she could open tomorrow.
Cherry slung her arm around Prita’s shoulders as they looked at the product of their hard work. ‘It’s going to be a success. Just wait and see. You, Doctor Prita, are exactly what we’ve needed around here. You enlivened Doc Simpson’s clinic when you took over running it when he was recovering from his bypass. Silly old coot didn’t know what he had until it was gone. Now he has to suffer the consequences.’
Prita supposed she was right. The man should retire—he really wasn’t doing himself any favours by hanging on to what had been. But you couldn’t tell him that. She’d tried. Well, she’d shouted it at him and said some things she shouldn’t—stupid rash temper bursting out just when she thought she’d managed to become good at pretending to be serious and controlled. She never lost her cool when she was in doctor mode, but in her personal life, she wasn’t nearly so collected. Or organised. Or able to keep her thoughts in her head. But the man had riled her up so much. She sighed. She’d burned that bridge well and good and made some enemies in the doing. She knew there’d be backlash, but she hadn’t known it would be so severe.
If she’d been doing this for herself, she might have given up. But she wasn’t. She was here for Carter. Which was why she was so nervous now. She needed this to succeed because, if it didn’t, she wasn’t certain what to do next. She’d moved here to give him security, a calm, ordered life, and typical her, she’d managed to upset the calm orderliness by telling an old doctor that he was a stupid fossil stuck in his ways. Way to win friends and influence people, Prita.
‘What’s the way to win friends and influence people?’ Cherry asked.
Prita blinked. ‘Nothing.’ There she went again, speaking a private thought out loud. You’d think being a sensible country doctor and adoptive mother would have cured her of that little issue, but apparently not. Sighing, she shook her head and forced a smile. ‘You’re right, the plant looks good there. Everything’s perfect. It’s going to be fine.’
Cherry patted her on the shoulder. ‘Good girl. Now, let’s get out to that party. By the sounds of things, Barb and her CoalCliff mob have finished the set up and are about to kick it off.’
Cherry was right. Loud chatter wafted up the hall from outside and music was playing. ‘Okay. Let’s go.’
She patted down her simple flowing top with the spaghetti straps and put her mobile phone in the pocket of her shorts then stepped out into the hallway just behind Cherry.
A ginger, white and tabby blur jumped out of the corner near the front door and raced between Cherry’s legs, making her stumble and swear as it made a meowing sound that almost could have been a laugh, and took off down the hall.
‘That bloody cat,’ Cherry said, shaking her fist at it. ‘I swear it lies in wait to do that to me every time I walk out here.’
‘He’s playing with you,’ Prita said, laughing even though she knew she shouldn’t.
‘If Carter didn’t love the mangy thing so much, I’d—’ She made a wringing motion with her hands.
Prita shook her head, voice shaking with laughter as she said, ‘You’d do no such thing, you big softy. I saw you feed Machiavelli that leftover chicken the other day.’
‘He wouldn’t stop staring at me,’ Cherry grumbled, her hand over her heart. ‘Bloody thing just gave
