Of all days to be late.
Brianne Barrington pulled open the glass door to the Beechwood Family Practice, out of breath, nervous and in a near panic. Brushing her auburn curls from her cold cheek—early January in Wisconsin could be frigid—she wondered if Dr. Jed Sawyer could fire her for tardiness. It was his first day…and maybe her last. She’d only been working at Beechwood for six months, her first position since graduating from nursing school.
Even in her present state of rushed anxiety, the thought of missing her graduation ceremony and the reason why still brought quick tears. Blinking them away, she hurried into the building.
The waiting room, decorated in soothing tones of blue and green, was already crowded as Brianne raced through one of the two doors leading to examination rooms and offices.
Lily Garrison, her blond hair tied in a low ponytail today, stepped out of an exam room and asked, “What happened?”
“I set my alarm for p.m. instead of a.m.” Most mornings, Lily and her daughter, Megan—Brianne’s housemates—were getting ready for their day at the same time she was. But this morning, Lily had a progress-report conference with her five-year-old’s teacher.
“Dr. Sawyer’s not too happy,” Lily warned. “I’ve been preparing his patients as well as Dr. Olsen’s.”
After Dr. Olsen had hired Brianne, she’d worked with him, assisting Lily, as well as helping with any phone questions. She’d known that was temporary until the practice hired more doctors.
The thought of Dr. Sawyer’s disapproval sent a frisson of panic through her again. “I’m here now. I just have to stow my purse and put on my smock.”
The door to examination room 4 suddenly opened and a tall, raven-haired doctor with piercing green eyes stepped out. Brianne could hear a wailing child inside the exam room.
After his penetrating gaze brushed over Lily, it came to rest on Brianne. “Are you my nurse?”
For some mystifying reason, his use of the possessive “my” sent a thrill through her that she didn’t understand…and didn’t want to feel. Still, she politely extended her hand. “I’m Brianne Barrington. I’m sorry I’m late. Usually I’m a very punctual person, but—”
“Excuses don’t carry much weight with me, Miss Barrington. Now that you’re here, just do your job. I have a two-year-old in there who won’t let me get near her. Is there anything you can do about that?” His words were a direct challenge to prove herself—right here, right now.
Brianne’s breeding demanded that she be ladylike, no matter what. “I can try, Dr. Sawyer.” She gazed directly into his very green eyes.
Seconds that seemed like eons ticked by as she felt the space between them fairly crackle with…something tingly that made her terrifically aware of his very broad shoulders, his angular jaw, his imposing male presence. His demeanor showed he wouldn’t give an inch. This man didn’t back down once he took a stand.
Breaking eye contact, she murmured to Lily, “Could you put this in the office?” and handed her friend her purse. The two nurses shared an office, though each doctor had one of his own.
“No problem,” Lily said with a quick glance at Dr. Sawyer.
Then Brianne went into the exam room, checked the chart on the counter for the child’s name, and smiled at the little girl, who was sitting on the exam table with her thumb in her mouth. Tears were running down her cheeks.
Brianne greeted their small patient in a soft, friendly voice. “Hi, Cindy.”
Warily, the little girl watched her approach.
When Dr. Sawyer stepped into the room once more, Cindy took one look at him and burst into tears again.
“I’m so sorry,” the mother exclaimed, putting her arm around her daughter and giving her a tender squeeze. “The last time we were here Dr. Olsen gave her a shot. Your white coat and all reminds her—”
Cindy let out an ear-splitting wail, and Brianne knew she had to do something fast to help both the baby and the doctor. At the counter, she picked up a pen and drew faces on her thumb and forefinger.
Crossing to the child, she wiggled her fingers and said in a high, lilting voice, “We’re the doctor’s special helpers. We want to make you smile today.”
As she moved her fingers, making them look like puppets, Cindy stopped crying.
Dr. Sawyer slipped out of his lab coat, revealing a white shirt and navy tie with gray dress slacks. But something about him—maybe it was the rugged lines of his face, the over-the-collar length of his hair, and his muscular shoulders—gave Brianne the impression he’d be more comfortable in a flannel shirt and jeans.
As Brianne wiggled her fingers at Cindy, making them talk, the little girl smiled. Then Brianne introduced Dr. Jed. “He’s going to check your eyes and ears and throat.” At each mention of the body parts, her puppets floated and danced around Cindy’s eyes and ears and neck. Then Brianne explained, “Dr. Jed’s just going to look for now. I promise.”
When Jed Sawyer approached Cindy, she watched him suspiciously, but tears didn’t flow this time. Doing her part, Brianne distracted the little girl, and he managed a full examination.
Afterward he said to the mother, “She has an ear infection.” Crouching down to Cindy’s eye level, he told her in a gentle voice, “Your mommy is going to get you some medicine. It’s pink and it tastes sweet. If you take that, your ears will stop hurting and you’ll feel a whole lot better.”
“Done?” asked the toddler, only concerned about what might come next.
Jed Sawyer smiled wryly. “Yes, we’re all done.”
Crossing to the cupboard, Brianne took out a canister and offered it to Cindy. Inside were miniature rubber dogs and cats and ducks and birds. “You can pick whichever one you want and take it with you.”
Cindy looked over at her mother. The woman nodded encouragingly, “Go ahead, honey.”
Dr. Sawyer’s little patient chose a yellow cat and held it up to her mom with a grin.
With a last look at Cindy, Jed picked up his lab coat and tossed it over his arm. “Hopefully, the antibiotic will do the trick. But if she isn’t better in three days, call us.” He patted Cindy on the head. “I’ll try to make these visits as painless as possible.”
Before he turned away from the child, Brianne saw a flash of something in his eyes—something sad and tearing and deep. Then it vanished. He exited the room, leaving her questioning whether she’d seen anything at all.
After the mother and child left, Brianne picked up charts for the next three patients and went to the waiting room to fetch the first one.
Throughout the morning, she thought she and Dr. Sawyer worked with amazing efficiency, considering they’d never worked together before. Nevertheless, far too often she caught herself staring at him. Her whole body set off warning bells whenever she got near him, and her reaction to Jed Sawyer bothered her. She wasn’t in the market for a high-voltage involvement. Being kept in the dark until she was fourteen about the fact that she was adopted, as well as having the people she loved leave her, had left her cautious in more ways than one.
It was midafternoon when the receptionist, Janie Dutton, passed Brianne in the hall. Stopping, she asked, “Are you being asked as many questions about Dr. Sawyer as I am? One woman wanted to know if he was married or eligible before she made her appointment!”
Brianne didn’t know whether to be annoyed or to laugh. “I’m getting questions, but since I don’t know anything about him, I don’t have answers.”
“What kind of answers do you need?” Jed asked as he stepped out of his office.
Brianne glanced at Janie, who was obviously as embarrassed as she