The Doctor's Accidental Family. Jacqueline Diamond

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СКАЧАТЬ avoided ovens and stoves, except when she had a chance to compete with Zora. They’d both baked pies for Thanksgiving—or rather, that had been the plan. Zady’s sense of victory over her superior crust had crumbled when she discovered her sister had sent Lucky to the supermarket to buy her pecan pie.

      While her companions continued their party planning, Zady stole a peek at the handshaking ritual on the patio. Nick’s easy manner with her had changed to short nods and taut body language. Perhaps he was intimidated by the presence of bigwigs like the fertility chief and the head of the men’s program.

      With the administrator at his side, Nick moved to the next table, where the slightly less exalted staff members rose to say hello. Perfunctory greetings faded as, across the table, his cousin uncoiled to face him.

      Dr. Nick Davis and Dr. Marshall Davis had similar builds, tall and muscular. Zady noted a strong resemblance in other ways, too, from their brown hair and straight noses to their folded arms.

      “You can almost smell the testosterone, can’t you?” Lucky murmured.

      Zady grimaced. “I’m surprised Nick chose to work here, considering their antagonism.”

      “I’m fairly sure neither of them was aware they both planned to join the staff,” Karen said.

      “Where’d you hear that?” Lucky, usually the first with the gossip, sounded slightly miffed.

      “My lips are sealed.”

      “Pillow talk,” he said in disgust. “Rod heard people yakking in the operating room.”

      Karen chuckled. “It kills you that my husband picks up scoops without even trying, doesn’t it?”

      “It’s not fair,” Lucky replied. “He has nothing to do all day but stand there monitoring his equipment and eavesdropping.”

      “Maybe he’ll move on.” When both companions frowned at her, Zady clarified, “I mean Nick. Now that he’s discovered his cousin’s here, he ought to leave.”

      “Be careful what you wish for,” said her brother-in-law. “The obstetricians thanked their stars when he jumped into the job. They were taking turns delivering babies every night until he signed on.”

      “Why do you dislike him?” Karen asked Zady.

      “I don’t.” She searched for an honest response and discovered she wasn’t sure how she felt about the man, and that troubled her. “Marshall doesn’t care for him, and that’s good enough for me.”

      “You have a lot in common, though,” Lucky said.

      “Such as?”

      “You both live at the Harbor Suites.” He grinned. “I’m sure you’ll be borrowing cups of sugar back and forth. Wait—no kitchen stuff. Okay, cups of laundry detergent. And who knows where that will lead.”

      “To piles of dirty clothes, if borrowing his detergent is my only option,” Zady said. “Besides, I’m only staying at Harbor Suites until I find an apartment.”

      Which wouldn’t be easy. Rentals in the area were too expensive for her to live alone. And although the nurse who rented a room in Karen’s house had offered to move out so Zady could join her family, she’d declined. Living there would bring too much intimacy between the sisters. Way too much.

      “I’m sure he plans to rent a place, as well,” Karen said. “Once that happens, I doubt you’ll run into him much.”

      “I guess not. But Safe Harbor’s a small town.” Even smaller than Costa Mesa, just down the freeway, where Zady had grown up.

      “If it’s meant to be...” Lucky let the words trail off.

      “Don’t stop there. Keep having fun at my expense.”

      “I’m trying.” He sighed.

      Zady checked her watch. Although she hadn’t been out of the office for an hour, she’d finished eating. She could see that Marshall wasn’t done his meal, but she wanted to prep his next patients so he’d waste no time on his return.

      “Gotta go.” She finished her milk with a gulp. “Later, guys.” They chorused their farewells.

      In the corridor, she was surprised to see Nick. How had he finished eating so quickly? Perhaps he hadn’t stayed for lunch, she reflected.

      “You weren’t waiting for me, were you?” She braced for a flip response.

      “Actually, yes.” Nick showed no trace of his usual humor. “You didn’t tell me you work for my cousin.”

      “I didn’t even know you had a cousin.”

      He moved aside to let an orderly push a gurney past them. “That was last night. During our conversation earlier today, you did.” With a wave of his hand, he dismissed his own comment. “Not your fault. As I’m sure you’ve gathered, Marshall and I aren’t on good terms. It would be unfair to put you in a position of conflicting loyalties.”

      “Is that what I’m in?”

      He ignored the question. “The two of us should keep our distance.”

      But you’re the most interesting thing that’s happened since I got here. Now, where had that thought sprung from? True, Zady had lain awake last night reviewing their interaction in light of her sister’s revelation, and, a short while ago, she’d relished their verbal sparring. The guy had a quick wit and delightfully teasing manner, although until this moment, she’d considered Nick simply an attractive nuisance.

      But if he took this divided-loyalties business seriously, there was no sense arguing. “Agreed.”

      Despite the flat overhead lighting, shadows touched his eyes. He couldn’t have grabbed more than a few hours of sleep since his overnight shift. “It isn’t personal. I just prefer that we lay our cards on the table.”

      “And give them the royal flush,” she finished.

      “Apt image,” he said. “Well, see you around. Or not.” As he departed, Zady waited a few beats to avoid the awkwardness of exiting together.

      That was that. No more Nick Davis to bump into, trip over and match wits with.

      As she walked toward the staff entrance, she reluctantly acknowledged the unpleasant emotion stirring inside her.

      Disappointment.

       Chapter Three

      “You don’t have to allow relatives in the delivery room if you’d rather be alone.” Nick regarded young Mr. and Mrs. Wang sympathetically.

      The wife, seven months pregnant, sat on the examining table in a skimpy hospital gown, while her husband shifted uneasily from foot to foot. Nick would have preferred to have this discussion in a less sterile setting, but he could hardly invite them into his office, which was a former storage closet.

      In СКАЧАТЬ