From now on, she would wear what she liked.
“Beth, darling, it was twenty years ago that we walked the building site for the clinic together. Remember?”
Of course she did. “We drew on the ground where your office would be.”
“And where yours would be. You said you were going to be a doctor like Grandpa.”
He loved taking the credit for her career choice, and she loved acknowledging it. “You put the idea in my mind. You gave me the doctor kit and pretended to be my patient.”
“Have you been sorry, darling?”
“Never. I love medicine. I wouldn’t want to do anything else.”
“It was a thrill for me, getting to introduce you today.” He patted her hand. “Call it an old man’s dream, but I’ve always wanted my children and my grandchildren to practice medicine under one roof.”
“Grandpa, you’ve wanted a medical dynasty,” she teased.
“That is what people say, isn’t it?” he asked with a chuckle.
“And I’m proud to be part of it.”
“People will always talk about us, Beth—sometimes with respect, sometimes with spite. With a family like ours, people look for every flaw. They pounce on a juicy piece of gossip and chew the living daylights out of it. After what happened today, it’s going to be worse. I think it would be better if you weren’t here for a while. The gossips would make your life miserable, and I can’t have that.”
He had to be kidding. “Dealing with gossip is part of our life. It comes and goes. You taught me that.”
He nodded. “And when this latest wave goes, you’ll begin your work here. I won’t have your first memories of working with me tainted by your mother’s mania.”
“You think I can’t handle a little gossip?”
“I’m sure you could handle anything, but I see no reason to test your endurance, not when it’s so easily avoided.”
“What about Keith Crabtree? He’s expecting me to replace him in two weeks.”
“This is Keith’s idea. You know what a private person he’s always been. He came to me, seconds after the hullabaloo. It was his idea to give you a break.”
“A ‘break’?”
“Keith has known you since you were his patient. When you did your internship in peds, he suggested you as his replacement. We want you here, but we know this place. Both of us think a delay is in order.”
She wasn’t going to have any say in this? “How do you explain this ‘break’ to all those people who just heard I was coming aboard?” she asked, standing, the better to pace the room and deal with the ball of anger forming in her stomach.
“We didn’t announce a particular date when you were to join us, so it’s no problem. Take the summer off, love. Come back in a few months, and we’ll get you started off right.”
“And what will people think when Keith doesn’t retire?”
“Nothing. No one knew he planned to retire. Not even his own staff. He wanted to leave without fanfare. The staff thinks you’re starting an office of your own. They’ll merely think you’re taking your time about it.”
“It seems the two of you have this figured out.” Technically, Grandpa was her boss and had the right to make decisions for his staff, but it felt as if he was treating her like a child.
“Beth, don’t be upset. This is for your own good. Now, tell me, where have you dreamed of going—Europe, the Orient, somewhere in the tropics? You can go anywhere. My treat. Make a dream come true.”
She only had one dream, and that was on the third floor of this building.
He stood, pulled her into his arms and patted her back. “It’s going to be fine, Beth.”
She hugged him hard, hoping he would feel how much she loved him…had always loved him.
“Let me know where you want to go. I’ll set it up. I want you to have the best time of your life.” He kept his arm around her as he walked her to the door. “We’ll see you soon.”
He shut the door, and she was alone in the hall.
No, not alone. The tall man in blue scrubs leaned against the wall—not so near the office that he could have heard what went on, but as if he might be waiting. For her? Or was he the next to see Grandpa?
Pushing off the wall, his serious face softened as he said, “Are you okay?”
She must not look it, or he wouldn’t have asked. But she wasn’t going to share her heartache with a stranger, especially not one who seemed to have everything going for him, and her own life had just fallen apart.
Tall and lean, he moved toward her with the effortless strength of an athlete, but it was his eyes that drew her to him. Intelligence shone from those brown eyes, and dark eyebrows winged across his masculine brow. There was a small scar across his cheekbone and another across his angular jaw. His nose had been quite perfect before it was broken. None of the flaws were new, nor did they take away from his good looks.
If he was aware of his appeal, she couldn’t tell it, and if she were better at trusting good-looking men, she would believe what his eyes seemed to say—that his concern was genuine, and it was all for her.
“Am I okay?” she repeated. She would be. She had to believe that. “Yes, and thanks for asking. I’m on my way out.” That was true in more ways than one.
“Can I walk you to your car?” he said, his voice naturally deep.
“Have you been waiting for me?” Why would he do that? “Did my grandfather ask you to do that, too?”
“Yes, I’ve been waiting, and no, he didn’t ask me.”
“Why did you?”
He shrugged as if he wasn’t sure and looked away.
“I could use the company,” she said. If being with him was as comforting now as it had been, she definitely could.
They walked in silence, passing staring groups. Some would have stopped her, but not with this guy beside her. He had a forbidding look that kept them at bay. What was his name?
She pointed out her car, a congratulatory gift from her parents, though her mother would have been the one to choose it. Beth thought the tan-gray color was blah. Her mother said taupe was classy and Beth had no taste.
“Nice car,” he said quietly.
He probably meant “expensive car.” The luxury convertible wasn’t her style, but then, she had no taste.
He watched her settle behind the wheel, the way a pro bodyguard would. Meeting him was the only good thing in this horrible day.
“Drive carefully,” he said, his face full of concern.
“I want to thank you…” She searched for his name again and came up blank. “I don’t know when I’ll have another chance.”
He smiled, and her heart seemed to turn over.
“I work here, Dr. Brennan. We’ll see each other soon.”
It wasn’t the Brennan way to confide family affairs, but she couldn’t help saying, “No, I won’t be returning, not any time in the foreseeable future.”
He looked shocked. “You’re not leaving because…?” He stopped as if it wasn’t his business and he’d over-stepped by saying what he had.
“Actually, I’m a little confused about the