“We’re friends, Nora. Let me be there for you while I’m here.”

Her eyes widened as she licked her lips. Desire twisted in Eli’s stomach that had nothing to do with the old feelings he had for her. Those were gone, those were a lifetime ago.

This thread of attraction was for the woman she was now, the stubborn, sexy, vibrant woman who kept insisting she didn’t need anybody.

“I have friends, Eli.” She offered an innocent, sweet smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “You’re here to take care of your father and work. There’s no need for you to add anything else to the mix.”

Unable to help himself, Eli reached out, slid a hand across her silky cheek and stroked his thumb across her lower lip.

“Maybe I want to add you to the mix,” he murmured as he stepped closer.

* * *

Dr Daddy’s Perfect Christmas

Jules Bennett

www.millsandboon.co.uk

National bestselling author JULES BENNETT’S love of storytelling started when she would get in trouble as a child and would tell her parents her imaginary friends were to blame. Since then, her vivid imagination has taken her down a path she’d only dreamed of. And after twelve years of owning and working in salons, she hung up her shears to write full-time.

Jules doesn’t just write Happily Ever After—she lives it. Married to her high school sweetheart, Jules and her hubby have two little girls who keep them smiling. She loves to hear from readers! Contact her at authorjules@gmail.com, visit her website, www.julesbennett.com, where you can sign up for her newsletter, or send her a letter at PO Box 396, Minford, OH 45653, USA. You can also follow her on Twitter and join her Facebook fan page.

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Contents

Cover

Introduction

Title Page

About the Author

Dedication

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Extract

Copyright

Chapter One

Don’t look, just keep walking.

Dr. Eli St. John walked up the freshly dusted, snow-covered sidewalk toward his parents’ bungalow and refused to even glance over to their neighbor’s house.

Since he’d be calling Stonerock, Tennessee, home again for the next few months, he’d no doubt see that neighbor more often than he’d like. But on his first day back, he preferred to ease into being home, ease into knowing she was now within reaching distance. Not that he would do anything about it.

He was such a coward.

An uncomfortable weight settled in his chest at the thought of seeing his one-time love, the woman he’d never forgotten, the woman who’d married his best friend.

Eli wiped the snow off the bottom of his boots on a Santa Claus welcome mat, and before he could reach for the handle, the door swung wide open, causing an evergreen Christmas wreath to bounce in protest.

“I’m so glad you’re here. I knew we could count on you.”

Eli sank into his mother’s familiar embrace. Before he could step over the threshold of the front door, his mother, Bev, was there to greet him with a smile and love. Just like she’d done each time he’d come home from a tour of duty.

Now, the times he had sneaked in after curfew as a teen were a different story. But that hell-raiser had grown up, leaving the proverbial good times behind.

Leaving Nora Parker behind. Now that he was going to be home for a good bit of time, dodging the one woman who still owned a small portion of his heart would be nearly impossible. Not only was she his parents’ neighbor, she was a recent widow, and his parents loved her like she was the daughter they never had.

Turning his attention back to the reason for his homecoming, Eli eased back from his mother’s embrace and met her gaze.

“What’s this?” she asked, brushing her fingertip along his most recent scar.

Refusing to get into the reasons behind the scar, he shrugged. “Army injury.”

He wasn’t lying, technically. There was no way he would ever come clean about the ugly reminder of how he’d spent his last encounter with his best friend.

The last time he’d seen Todd alive, they’d gotten into a drunken fistfight. Out of character for both of them, but Eli would do it again in a heartbeat, given the reasons behind the unleashed rage.

His mother hugged him again. “I’m so proud of you for serving, but selfishly I’m glad you’re done for good.”

Bev pulled back and Eli stepped into the foyer.

“How’s Dad?”

Nodding, she started forward toward the living room. “He’s okay. You of all people know doctors make the worst patients.”

Eli laughed, thankful that he was home, but worried what he’d encounter when he saw his father. The man had always been so robust, so full of life and busy caring for others. But his father had failed a stress test earlier in the week and a heart cath showed he had some major blockage.

Eli had been a medic in the army the past several years, but since he got out six months ago, he’d been an ER doctor in Atlanta, and he’d seen his fair share of massive heart attacks. Chest pain was nothing to mess around with. Since his father hadn’t been having pain, they scheduled the surgery for tomorrow, for which Eli was thankful. The drive on his way up from Georgia had given him enough time to prepare himself.

And enough time to work on scenarios and reactions to seeing Nora. Why did he care? Shouldn’t time and distance have severed any ties he had to her? They were different people now and whatever feelings they’d had in the past were left there when he chose to walk away from her.

Hardest decision of his life, to leave her and go fight for his country.

The scar on his face proved he’d never fully gotten over her, even though they’d both moved on.

They’d each made their choices, and there was no going back.

Eli tried to slide those thoughts from his mind as he followed his mother toward the living room. He was here for his father first and foremost...not to rehash or run from emotions he’d felt years ago. He had his own life now, one he loved and was eager to get back to once his father was cleared to return to work.

Eli had seen countless patients laid up, recovering or even dying, but when your father was the one being treated, the whole scenario changed. Eli wasn’t a fan of being back home for a long period of time, but there was no way he’d leave his father or his father’s patients in a bind.

Fortunately, Eli had handled seventeen years in the military and in medical school so coming home to a disgruntled father, who was waiting on quadruple bypass surgery instead of practicing medicine himself, was nothing Eli couldn’t handle.

Eli moved through the old bungalow-style home, leaving his suitcase in the foyer. As much as he loved coming home for visits, he’d never done so with the intention of staying longer than a few days. And in those visits home, he’d managed to avoid Nora for the most part. He’d seen her and even exchanged the requisite pleasantries, but other than that, he’d kept his distance.

Now he’d be home—at a minimum—for the rest of the winter and into the spring.

Nothing like being thirty-five years old and living with Mommy and Daddy again. Of course he’d do anything for his parents, including give up his bachelor lifestyle. Family had always come first, no matter what. At least he was going to be staying in the apartment above the garage. That was still somewhat private.

Eli stepped into the living room where his father was reclined in the old, plush chair that should’ve been retired to a garbage dump about five years ago. The man was a doctor; he could afford new furniture, for heaven’s sake.

Familiar ornaments adorned the full artificial tree that occupied the corner of the space. His mother still hung all of their stockings along the edge of the mantel even though Eli and his brothers had each moved out right after they graduated. The worn-in comfort of the home, especially now at Christmas, helped ease his nerves in dealing with the inevitable reunion with Nora. He wasn’t so worried about the old feelings creeping up; he was more worried about how he could look her in the eye when he knew a truth she could never uncover.

Eli glanced from the television to his father. Remote in one hand, Dr. Mac St. John gave the television the one-fingered salute with the other.

Suppressing a chuckle, Eli stepped closer, but he knew what he’d find on the TV—sports. His father had always been a sports fanatic, namely football. Apparently this game was not to his liking. Or, more to the point, the refs’ decisions weren’t to his liking.

“Still disagreeing with their calls?” Eli asked.

His dad turned to face him and in one swift motion Mac had the footrest down and was on his feet. “Well, there’s one of my boys.”

Mac wrapped his arms around Eli’s shoulders and gave him a manly slap on the back. Eli returned his father’s embrace, welcoming the comforting touch. At one time Eli and his brothers feared the wrath of their father, but Eli now understood that the anger from his dad had only stemmed from fear and love. Eli didn’t even want to think about what he and his brothers had put their parents through.

His mother had once said that raising teenagers wasn’t for wimps. At the rate Eli was going with his career really taking root, he didn’t have time to date, let alone find a wife and have children. Besides, he’d settled pretty well into his bachelor status. Working in Atlanta with a promotion on the horizon was the main component in his life, other than his parents and brothers.

“Let me look at you.” His father eased back down into his chair, resting his hands on his knees. “You look good, son. Real good. You don’t know how much this means to me that you’re willing to fill in.”

Eli didn’t want to think about the patients at his dad’s office. More than likely they were the same judgmental people who lived here when he was a havoc-wreaking teen. He and his brothers hadn’t exactly been the town’s golden boys.

Apparently stealing street signs, racing down Main Street in dual-exhaust trucks and spray painting old buildings was frowned upon. Not that anyone could prove the St. John boys had anything to do with such shenanigans. Eli and his brothers were way too sneaky and smart to get caught.

On a sigh, Eli shook away the memories. People in small towns never forgot the person you used to be. Even worse, they never let you forget it, either. Yeah, he’d be well received as the new hometown doctor.

Eventually they’d see he had changed, but whether they did or didn’t, he was heading back to Atlanta in—hopefully—three months. Eli was already anxious to get back.

The head of the trauma unit was going to retire in a couple of months. An old army buddy had given Eli the heads-up that the position was coming available. Eli had actually only worked in the ER for a few months, but since he was already an internal doctor, he had a leg up on any outsiders vying for the position.

He couldn’t worry about that right now, but he was hopeful that he would hear something soon.

“What time is your surgery scheduled in the morning?” Eli asked, taking a seat next to his mother on the old floral sofa that belonged in the same Dumpster as the recliner.

“They’re doing it at seven,” she told him. “But they’re going to admit him this evening. We wanted to wait until you came before we left.”

Eli glanced to his watch, then over to his dad. “Are you ready to go or do we need to finish this game you’re cursing under your breath about?”

His father pointed the remote at the TV, shutting it off. “I guess we can go. Let it be known that I am not happy about having my independence taken away.”

Eli laughed. “Noted. Let it also be known we’re glad you’re having surgery so you’ll be around for a few more years.”

The doorbell chimed through the house and Eli held up his hand. “I’ll get it. You two go get whatever you need to take to the hospital.”

He figured his parents were already very well prepared to go. He also knew as the hometown doctor his father was popular and figured whoever was at the door was here to send Mac off. Eli thought it best to intercept the visitor and usher his parents on out the door before throngs of people came by.

Eli neglected to glance out the sidelights before he jerked the door open to the one woman who could make his knees weak and his gut clench.

All that rehearsing in the car did absolutely no good when he was rendered speechless.

Nora Parker, the epitome of hometown girl, stood on his parents’ porch looking all bright and fresh even as the blistery cold winds swirled about. She’d wrapped herself in a cheerful red coat and multistriped hat and matching scarf.

The girl who had won over the hearts of his parents when his youngest brother, Drake, had befriended her in junior high and brought her home after school still had a place in their lives. Shortly thereafter she’d stolen his heart and just a few years later they’d turned their backs on each other, him to pursue his dreams, her to make a life in the only place she wanted to call home.

Now, here she was, no doubt checking in on his father. Their inevitable time together was about to begin whether he was mentally prepared for it or not.

Game on.

“Eli.” With eyes wide, she pasted on a radiant smile. “I knew you were coming home, but I didn’t expect to see you here tonight. I didn’t miss Mac and Bev, did I?”

Eli forced himself to snap out of this stupefied state and stop staring like some lustful teen. Good grief, he hadn’t even invited her in from the biting cold.

“You didn’t miss them. Come on in.” He gestured, opening the door wider. “It’s freezing out there.”

Her sweet, floral perfume slid right under his nose as she passed through. Eli closed the door, turning to offer to take her coat, but, like an idiot, he became mesmerized as she started talking.

For pity’s sake, he acted like he’d never seen a female before. This wasn’t just any female. This was the one girl who’d stolen his not-so-innocent heart at the age of sixteen. This was the girl who had finally settled down four years ago with his best friend.

This was the girl who had no idea about the deceit behind her own marriage and the lies behind her late husband. Eli couldn’t tell her, though. He’d never purposely hurt Nora again. Once was enough to leave him scarred. Literally.

“So,” she said, looking around. “They’re still here?”

Oh, right. While he was fighting the urge to travel down that lane of not-so-pleasant memories, she’d been waiting for a response.

“We were just getting ready to go,” he supplied. “Come on into the living room. Do you need me to take your coat?”

“Oh, no. I can’t stay long.”

He followed her, clutching his fists the whole way. Those instant lustful feelings that had slammed into him at the sight of her standing on his parents’ porch had better just go away. How disrespectful could he be? A giant gap of years lived between them, proving nothing from the past was the same.

Eli, Nora and her late husband, Todd, had gone to the same school, grown up in this same small town. Not only that, Eli had served alongside Todd in the army up until six months earlier when Eli had gotten out for good, but Todd had reenlisted...and only a few months ago he’d been killed in action.

“I’m sorry about Todd,” he told her as she stood in the foyer. “I wasn’t able to get back for the funeral due to my work schedule, but I was thinking about you.”

Wasn’t that the story of his life? He’d thought about her too much over the years. But they’d made the mutual decision to sever their relationship and he couldn’t fault her for moving on, marrying and having a life. Even if that life had been a lie and she had no clue.

At the age of eighteen, he’d been confident and cocky that he could make the world a better place and had thought for sure Nora would come with him and share his dream. But she’d had strong reasons for wanting to stay, just as he had strong reasons for leaving. So they’d been at a stalemate, both too young and stubborn to budge, thinking love would get them through.

Nora’s misty eyes held his. “Thanks. It’s been...rough, but I’m doing okay.”

Eli noticed the second she zeroed in on the scar running from just above his brow, down and into his hairline close to his ear. She started to reach up and Eli froze, steeling himself for her touch. When her hand dropped before she could make contact, he blew out a breath.

Eli wasn’t offering an explanation, and if she asked, he’d have to be vague. That scar mocked him each day in the mirror, reminding him of the secret he still kept for a dead man.

An awkward silence settled between them, but thankfully his mother came into the room, breaking the tension. Since when didn’t he know how to handle a woman?

Nora wasn’t just any woman, though. She was special. Trying to start anything with her now, after all this time, would just be wrong. With her a recent widow and him leaving in a few months...yeah, not a good idea. So, he’d just have to put his emotions in check and do the job he came here to do.

Besides, so much time had passed; they were nowhere near the same people.

“Nora,” his mother greeted with open arms, and the two women embraced each other. “Is everything okay?”

“Everything is fine.” Nora eased back. “I just wanted to let you know that I’ll stop by the hospital to bring some lunch after work tomorrow. I know the surgery can take several hours.”

Eli stood by the door, still watching this interaction between his high school sweetheart and his mother. It was like time had stood still, only it hadn’t. Time had been cruel and had taken each of them down different paths, paths that led to heartache and deceit. Paths that led in totally opposite directions and as far apart as two people once in love could get.

And yet here they were, full circle. Eli wanted to reach out, even hug her in a friendly gesture. He’d lost that right years ago and had no one to blame but himself.

Already the ache in seeing her had settled deep in his chest. They were only on day one so how in the hell did he expect to see her nearly every day? Because he knew full well that Nora loved Mac and Bev as much as he did and she’d be around checking on them, worried about them.

Looked like he was about to pay his penance for leaving her behind.

* * *

Oh, sweet mercy. This inescapable, awkward reunion smacked her in the face and left her utterly speechless. Remaining friends with Eli’s family had once been torture when Eli had first enlisted. She adored Mac and Bev so much that even when he broke things off and joined the army, she still held on to that precious bond with his parents. They were truly the closest thing to having her own and the teen in her embraced the stability.

Nora tried, she really did, to focus on what Bev was saying, but her mind was on the man who stood just over her shoulder. The man she’d once thought to be “the one.” The man who had told her over and over that when he graduated he planned on enlisting to explore and change the world. It wasn’t the fact he was enlisting that broke them. She was proud of him for wanting to fight for freedoms. The issue was that Eli never had any intention of returning and settling down in this small town.

At one time, naively, she’d thought he’d miss her so bad he’d come crawling back. Yeah, she’d held that much hope in their relationship. When he’d been gone for enough time she knew there was no chance, she cut her losses and started dating Todd. She’d been moved around so much as a kid, she simply longed for a home and some stability. Things she thought Todd could offer.

Eli’s fresh, masculine aroma had surrounded her when she’d passed by him in the foyer. There was no way she was letting him help her with her coat because she couldn’t stay long...and she had another reason to hide behind the heavy wool.

After the shock of seeing Eli—with a fresh-looking, jagged facial scar—faded, her mind instantly went to their high school days when he’d try anything to get her to cross the “good girl” line. But as soon as that memory hit her, her mind drifted to Todd. She’d been doing so well lately with keeping her emotions in check. Maybe they hadn’t had the best or most ideal marriage, but she mourned the man who sacrificed himself for his country.

In all honesty Eli had probably spent more time with Todd than Nora had because the two had been deployed months upon months together in Iraq over the past four years. Best friends in school turned army buddies living through some of the harshest conditions.

She’d thought when she’d married Todd that he would get out of the army, but he’d decided to stay. After four years of marriage, most of them spent with him deployed, Nora had finally lost her husband for good.

Now, due to the financial strain of living on one income, she might have to sell her home. The death benefits and pension weren’t going near as far as she’d hoped.

Nora blinked back tears that were so easy to flow. Seeing Eli conjured up that part of her mind she associated with Todd and Eli together. The two men she’d loved. The two men she’d lost. She wanted to be angry at both of them for leaving her, but what good would that do?

While she knew she’d run into Eli over the next day or so, she hadn’t planned on it being after a grueling day at the clinic. Between multiple cases of worms, kennel cough and vaccinations, she was ready to prop her feet up and dig into a big bowl of Rocky Road ice cream for dinner and snuggle with her finicky cat, Kerfluffle.

Most people probably wanted hot soup on a cold day like today, but she wanted the good stuff. The fattening stuff. It’s not like her expanding waistline would suffer any more than it already had. Nora knew she smelled like dog and was covered in fur—occupational hazard—but she hadn’t expected to see Eli before she could at least shower, change from her scrubs and attempt to fix her hair...and a half-falling ponytail did not count as fixed.

Not that she was trying to get his attention, but she at least wanted to look somewhat put together and not like a bag lady.

A pregnant bag lady. This was one time in her life she was thankful for her height. At least the weight could spread out more and her belly barely had a bump. Eli didn’t know she was pregnant, as far as she knew, and it really wasn’t a topic she wanted to broach with him. While she embraced the love of her small town and the folks who’d rallied around her upon Todd’s death and her pregnancy discovery all within days of each other, the last thing she wanted was to see pity in Eli’s eyes.

She’d seen that look years ago when they’d broken things off and she hoped to God she never had to see it again.

“If you don’t mind,” Bev said.

Nora blinked and smiled. “I’m sorry. What?”

Bev patted her arm, offering a wide grin. “You’re exhausted, honey. Go home and put your feet up.”

“No, no. I’m fine. My mind wandered and I didn’t hear what you said.”

Wandered, took a hard right and ended up in la-la land. Such was the story of her life. Always daydreaming, because reality was starting to flat-out suck.

Except for the precious baby she carried. No way could Nora be upset about something so miraculous—no matter the circumstances.

“I just said it would be wonderful if you could bring lunch for us tomorrow if you didn’t mind,” Bev said, still holding on to Nora’s arm. “But only if you’re already coming down. Don’t make a special trip.”

“Oh, no. I don’t mind at all.”

Eli shuffled his feet behind her and Nora turned to see his eyes directly locked on to hers. No matter how hard she tried she couldn’t block old memories from sliding into the forefront of her mind.

Her mother may have been a drifter, but one of her boyfriends that had come and gone had lived in Stonerock. When Nora had been a teen they’d moved here and Nora knew this was the place she’d stay. Her mother had hung around for a few years, allowing Nora to actually make friends, find teen love and experience her first heartache.

Speaking of, Eli now held her gaze with those dark-as-sin eyes that used to mesmerize her. They still did.

“Bringing lunch would mean a lot to us, Nora,” he told her.

Why did she have to still find him attractive? Why did that new scar intrigue her and make her want to know all about his life since he’d left?

Stupid hormones. She did not have time for this.

“There’s my girl.”

Nora turned to see Mac coming down the hall, a huge smile on his face and arms open wide. She loved this family, she honestly did, and they’d cared for her for so long she didn’t know what she’d do without them.

They’d been there for her when Eli had gone off to the army and her mother had moved on. Mac had actually helped her with vet school, covering what financial aid hadn’t.

They’d been there when Todd was killed. Mac and Bev were the loving, doting parents she’d always longed for.

And the thought of Mac having open-heart surgery terrified her. She knew he needed it, but there was always that chance that something could go wrong. Even though she treated animals, she knew more than enough about the surgery to be worried.

“Oh, now.” Mac took her into his arms and patted her. “Don’t tear up on me, Nora. I’ll be fine and back home grumbling in no time.”

Nora sniffed and eased back in Mac’s arms. “I’m just tired, that’s all. I know you’ll be in good hands and I’ll be there to make sure your family is taken care of.”

Mac squeezed her shoulders and nodded. “I couldn’t ask for a better daughter.”

Nora’s heart squeezed. He’d often referred to her as the daughter he’d never had. Being friends with Eli’s younger brother Drake had introduced her to the family, but it wasn’t until she started dating Eli that she truly felt the family bond she’d always craved. She’d thought watching him leave was the hardest thing she’d ever face. Boy was she wrong. The past few years had been difficult, but the past several months had been a whole new level of hell. One day at a time she was crawling out, trying to get back to some sort of stability in her life before she brought a baby into this world.

“I better let you guys go.” Nora moved toward the door, careful not to touch Eli. “I’ll be praying for you, Mac, and I’ll be by the hospital after work.”

She fled the family scene before she really did something stupid like break down in full snot-and-tears mode. Who knew pregnancies could produce such a juxtaposition of emotions?

Heading to her home next door, Nora crossed the lawn, speckled with a hint of snowflakes. She knew there was no way just one pint of Rocky Road would soothe her tonight and wine was out of the question.

There was only one thing left to do: she’d have to pull out all the stops and liberate the large supreme pizza from her freezer emergency stash. And seeing Eli looking all perfectly intriguing and mysterious with his scar and demanding presence definitely constituted an emergency.

While she hated pity from others, Nora felt she was entitled to throw herself a pity party. Once she gorged herself on junk and maybe indulged in a bubble bath, she’d feel better.

She placed a hand on her bump and smiled. She had four months to regain control of her life and emotions because, no matter the turmoil, Nora would provide stability and love to this baby...even if she was alone.

Chapter Two

The surgery went beautifully and there were no complications.

Eli breathed a sigh of relief once the cardiologist confirmed the news. He also told them Mac would need to be monitored for a few hours before he could have visitors.

“Now we have to focus on getting him better and making sure he takes care of himself,” Cameron said, taking a seat back in the waiting area.

Eli nodded to his younger brother. “I agree. And doctors are such a pain to treat.”

Drake laughed, plopping right next to Eli. “Are you the pot or the kettle, Dr. St. John?”

“Boys,” Bev scolded. “I will make sure your father watches what he eats and gets more exercise.”

“Lifting the remote in his off time does not constitute as a workout,” Eli told her, reaching across to squeeze her hand. “But if I know Dad, this scared him. He may not admit it, but he’ll start being more cautious.”

A cell phone chimed and Eli jerked around to see both Cameron and Drake checking their sides. As the police captain, Cameron tended to be popular even off his shift, and as the local fire chief, Drake was always in demand, too.

Yeah, these rebel teens did all right for themselves, despite what the townsfolk may have initially thought.

Cameron came to his feet. “I’m the winner. Be right back.”

He walked through the double doors and headed out, taking his cell from his pocket. Eli was a minority in that he loved being on call. He’d been home less than twenty-four hours, but he already missed being needed, missed saving people under high-pressure circumstances.

And for the next three months, he’d be right here in Stonerock, Tennessee, treating cold and flu symptoms, random viruses and allergies, if spring hit early.

“Sorry I’m late.”

Eli glanced up to see Nora breezing in. She had on that happy gear again with the bright red coat, colorful scarf and hat. Juggling sacks of food and another sack full of bottles of water, she looked very rushed and worn as tendrils of wispy blond hair slid from her cap.

Both he and Drake came to their feet to help her.

“I had to fit in a last-minute emergency.” She handed over the drinks and food and collapsed into the nearest seat. “Have you heard anything?”

“The doctor just came out and said he did beautifully,” Bev said, taking a bottle of water from Drake.

Nora’s shoulders relaxed, her head tilted back against the chair and she sighed. “That’s such a relief. How are you all holding up? I saw Cameron out front on the phone.”

“We’re doing great now that Dad is out of surgery and food arrived,” Drake told her with a slight wink.

Eli didn’t want his youngest brother winking at Nora. The two may be old friends, but Eli was, well, he was...absolutely nothing in her life. So if Drake wanted to wink, then so be it. That didn’t mean Eli had to like it or watch.

Nora had to be exhausted because she sat stone-still, wearing her coat and hat. Apparently she wasn’t staying.

Eli unwrapped a burger and tore into it, focusing on his growling stomach and not the dark circles beneath Nora’s eyes or the way her face had slimmed down since he’d seen her the last time he’d visited.

The woman looked physically drained and it would be completely rude of him to say anything. Besides, he had no place in her personal life. Perhaps working herself like mad was her only way of coping with Todd’s death.

And even though Todd had died a hero to his country, the man didn’t deserve Nora’s tears...or Eli’s heavy dose of remorse.

“How are you feeling?” Bev asked Nora.

Nora lifted her lids and turned to smile at his mother. “I’m just tired. Thankfully the weekend is here and I have the next two days off. That is unless someone needs me, in which case they’ll call me at home or just come knocking on my door, pet carrier in hand.”

“You should consider hiring someone else to help you or getting stricter on your hours,” Bev offered.

Nora shook her head. “I’m going to have to pretty soon. I have a couple of people in mind. It will all depend on what they will accept for payment.”

Eli listened, but refused to get involved. Over and over he kept telling himself he was only here for a short time. Whatever was going on now would still be going on long after he was gone.

Five years ago, when he’d considered coming back, he’d discovered Nora and Todd had started dating. Eli knew then he’d blown his chance for a reunion. Now Eli needed to stay focused on his own goals of helping his father by working in his clinic and getting back to the potential new job when he returned to Atlanta. End of story. He wasn’t back here to do anything but to be a fill-in...and not for a late husband.

“The doctor said we could go back and see Mac, but not until later,” Bev said, pushing her silver hair behind her ears. “Why don’t you guys take a break and come back this evening.”

Cameron came striding down the hallway, sliding his cell back into the pocket of his jeans. He leaned down, placed a very innocent peck on Nora’s cheek, and Eli had to take another bite of his burger to keep from reacting.

This was a widow, for crying out loud. Not only did his brothers have no room to wink or give kisses, he sure as hell had no business getting jealous.

“Thanks for the food,” Cameron said, grabbing the last burger. “You’re an angel.”

“Your standards are low if you’re that impressed over a cheeseburger.”

The banter between his brothers and Nora took Eli back to when they were all teens, before life intervened...before he’d grown strong feelings for her and watched her marry another man.

She’d fit into his family beautifully. Everyone had thought he and Nora would end up together. Their ultimate dreams and the bigger picture just didn’t match up. But that didn’t mean he’d ever stopped caring for her...or loving her.

“I’m going to head to the clinic and check things out.” Eli came to his feet and tossed his trash in the wastebasket beside his chair. “I’d like to glance at the schedule for next week and look at some charts.”

“Don’t mess too much up in the office area,” Drake warned. “If you do, Lulu will have your head.”

Eli groaned. His father’s receptionist, real name unknown, was not a typical receptionist. In fact, she was flat-out weird and if she hadn’t been at his dad’s office for the past twenty years, he’d suggest his father hire someone else. But she knew the place inside and out and could answer any questions he had.

Eli only hoped she’d keep the flask at home, the nail files put away and her cleavage covered while she assisted him for the next few months.

“I promise not to bother any of Lulu’s things,” he stated.

Bev stood, wrapped her arms around him and kissed his cheek. “You don’t know what it means that you’re here, Eli.”

Easing back, Eli looked her in the eye and smiled. “I wouldn’t be anywhere else, Mom.”

After making sure one of his brothers would be there for their mom until he returned, he said a quick goodbye to Nora, who had also come to her feet.

“I’ll walk out with you,” she said. “If that’s okay.”

Eli nodded. This was going to be a long three months if he didn’t get over these emotions that kept sliding up and choking him. He’d managed to dodge such strong feelings before when he’d visit because the occasional “hi” as they passed in the yard didn’t resurrect too much. The thought of spending actual time with her, probably learning more about her personal life, had Eli’s mind all in a jumbled mess.

Nora walked by his side toward the double sliding glass doors leading outside. They’d passed the concrete fountain in the middle of the circular drive-up area and visitor benches before she finally broke the uncomfortable silence.

“You don’t seem happy to be back.”

Eli squinted against the afternoon sun glistening off the light dusting of snow on the grass and guided her down the sidewalk toward the visitor parking. “I’ve been nervous with Dad’s surgery. And to be honest, I’m anxious about his practice. I hope the people in town will accept me as their doctor while dad’s recovering.”

Nora’s delicate hand came up to his forearm as she stopped walking. Eli turned to look at her. The unusually bright winter sun almost created a halo effect around her colorful hat. When he noticed her squinting against the sun, too, Eli shifted his stance to cast a shadow over her.

“What I meant to say was, you seem uneasy with me,” she said, holding his gaze as if she dared him to look away.

Inwardly he smiled. He’d forgotten how she’d always been a take-charge type, never one to back down even if a topic was uncomfortable or awkward.

“I am,” he told her honestly. “I didn’t get to make it back for Todd’s funeral and I’m not quite sure what to say to you now that I’m here.”

Okay, that wasn’t a total lie, but it was just another layer to his unsettled mood.

Her hand slid from his as she pulled her coat tighter over her chest, crossing her arms. The slight breeze picked up strands of her low ponytail and sent pieces dancing around her shoulder.

“You don’t have to say anything, Eli. No words will bring him back and I won’t fall apart if you mention his name. He died doing what he loved, but I’m getting along.” She offered a tender smile. “You and I used to be so close.”

She inched closer, still holding his eyes with her own. Eli swallowed, but held her gaze. Nothing could make him turn away from such beauty. She’d always been able to captivate him with no effort on her part.

“All I need right now are friends,” she told him, her bright blue eyes searching his. “Can you handle that?”

Could he handle being her friend? He could, but there would be that secret silently settling between them, forming an invisible wedge.

Her pleading eyes tugged at his heart and he couldn’t deny her.

“I can handle that,” he told her with a brief nod.

She cupped her gloved hand over his cheek and the warmth spread throughout him. “I’m glad you’re back, even if it is for a short time.” She flashed him a knockout smile, then dropped her hand and pulled her coat back around her as if to shield herself against the chilly breeze.

Nora may act like everything was fine, but Eli’s body was still reeling from her innocent touch. Everything about her gesture had been harmless. And yet he could still feel her softness as her hand slid against his cheek—even though he hadn’t felt her bare skin.

“I’m so relieved the surgery was a success,” she told him, turning to walk again. “I’ve been a nervous wreck since we found out he’d have to have it.”

Eli kept his pace slow so she could remain by his side and in case there was a skiff of snow on the walk. He didn’t mind the cold; he would’ve walked anywhere she wanted to go if she’d just keep talking to him. He’d missed spending time with her. Because even though they’d parted ways, she’d always been so easy to talk to, so understanding and compassionate. They’d been best friends at one time and he’d yet to find anyone else he shared such a strong bond with outside of his family.

“I honestly was, too,” Eli told her. “I knew he was in good hands here, but you never know when something can go wrong.”

“How did you manage to get off work for so long?” she asked, stopping beside a small silver SUV. “That wasn’t much notice considering they told him yesterday he’d be having surgery.”

“I requested an emergency FMLA.” When she gave him a questioning look he clarified. “A family leave of absence. It’s for twelve weeks. If Dad is better before then, I can return, but that’s the limit I can be gone.”

“You like it in Atlanta?” she asked.

“I love Atlanta,” he told her without hesitation. “Even though I just settled in a few months ago, I love the hospital, the staff. I love the city itself.”

A slight smile tipped one corner of her mouth. “You were always so eager to leave.”

Yeah, he’d had it all figured out. First graduation, then the army, then seeing the world.

But his plans got a bit derailed and he’d gone back into the army before getting out and looking for a job in his field.

So far, he’d accomplished every career goal he’d ever wanted. But what about his personal life? What goals had he worked toward or even set for himself outside of his career?

“I’m not a small-town guy,” he told her. “I knew when I left I wanted something more.”

This topic was starting to venture into a territory he truly didn’t think either of them was ready for so he nodded toward the car he’d seen in her drive. “This you?”

“Yeah. I may be back later, but right now I need to go home and lie down.”

Not for the first time he noticed she was a bit pale, which only showcased those dark circles beneath her eyes even more.

“Are you feeling okay?”

She sighed and nodded. “Yeah, just tired a lot lately.”

“You’re working too hard, then.”

Nora shrugged without defending herself as most people would do. “If I don’t see you back here, I’ll see you at your parents’ house.”

“Thanks for being there for them,” he told her, holding the door open for her. “Over the years when I’ve been overseas, you’ve just...you’ve always been there and I’m not sure I ever said thank you.”

Nora’s eyes misted as she met his gaze overtop the car door. “I love your parents, Eli. Just because we stopped dating didn’t mean I loved or cared for them any less. I’m happy we have one another because, trust me, they’ve been there for me, too.”

She turned and got behind the wheel before he could question her. His mother and father rarely mentioned Nora other than in occasional conversations and then when Todd had passed. They’d never talked about her needing them or hard times. He assumed they didn’t mention it because they knew he had moved on.

Nora’s sad smile told him her life had been anything but what she’d envisioned. She was hiding something and as bad as he wanted to know what that was, he knew he had no place in her life...past or present.

Chapter Three

Nora was pretty much hugging the toilet. Not her most shining moment in life, but she had no control of certain bodily functions lately.

The second she’d opened that bathroom cleaner her stomach had revolted and all she knew was that she was thankful she’d already been in the bathroom because there was no holding it back.

Wasn’t morning sickness supposed to be in the morning and in the first trimester? Come on, life, could she get some slack cut here?

At twenty weeks’ pregnant her ob-gyn had assured her that the nausea, exhaustion and sickness were quite normal and every pregnancy was different so Nora couldn’t compare all her experiences to things she’d seen online.

The exhaustion she could handle, but the nausea that chose to hit her at random times during the day really left her helpless. Talk about awkward when she was doing an exam on an animal. So far she’d only had to leave the room twice and thankfully her clients were understanding.

Nora eased back, praying this round was over. Apparently the bathroom wasn’t going to get cleaned, not by her, anyway. She was flat-out drained and, as of this moment, didn’t even have the energy to stand, let alone scrub.

Mac was coming home today and she’d wanted to surprise them with a nice, clean house. There was no way Bev would have the time to clean with taking care of Mac. It wasn’t much, but she felt like she should do something to help them.

She also had made up a few casseroles and put them in the deep freezer in the garage so hopefully Bev wouldn’t have to worry about cooking for a while.

Nora had just reached and flushed the commode when she heard the front door close. Perking an ear, because that’s all she had the energy to perk right now, she listened for voices, but didn’t hear any. At least it wasn’t Bev and Mac.

Heavy footsteps stopped right outside the bathroom door and Nora glanced over her shoulder. Her eyes traveled up denim-clad legs, a dark gray wool coat, and landed on the most handsome face peeking from beneath a black knit cap. Dark stubble covered his jawline, and between that ruggedness and the scar peeking out of the hat, he looked even more intriguing and attractive than ever.

Eli leaned against the doorway and crossed his arms over his chest. Seeing as how she’d been cleaning, she’d left the door open to let out some of the chemical smell.

He raised a brow. “What are you doing on the floor?”

“Oh, you know, just resting.” Nora tried to smile, but she wasn’t quite sure she pulled it off. “Sorry. I was trying to help...”

The room was spinning again, but she turned her cheek to rest her face on the cool tile on the wall. She would not pass out. But if she did, at least she was still on the floor and wouldn’t have far to go down.

“Nora. Are you okay?”

Eli squatted down, resting a hand against her forehead, instantly turning into a doctor before her. Nora closed her eyes at the feel of his gentle touch, resisting the urge to lean into his strength and draw from it. How many lives had those hands healed? Did he have a clue just how powerless she was right now between her weakened state and his innocent caress?

“I’m just not feeling well,” she told him, being as honest as she could. “I wanted to clean before your mom and dad came home.”

Eli muttered something under his breath, then sighed. “Can you walk?”

She could barely hold her head up, so standing on her legs and putting one foot in front of the other was out of the question. And if the room didn’t quit spinning, she didn’t know how much longer she could go without lying down.

“Maybe in a bit.”

She lifted her lids and met his concerned gaze. Those dark eyes were always so mesmerizing. Maybe if she just focused on that, on him...

No, she had enough to focus on as it was. A baby, coming to grips with the fact she’d been married to a man who hadn’t truly loved her and now left her a pregnant widow, plus the very great possibility she’d have to find a smaller, less expensive house.

Before she knew what Eli had planned, he’d wrapped one arm around her shoulders and slid another arm beneath her knees. He came to his feet with ease and Nora rested her head against his warm shoulder. If she had more strength she’d be embarrassed he’d found her in such a humbling position, but she was too sick to care.

“I’m sorry, Eli.”

“Don’t be sorry for caring about my parents,” he told her, easing sideways down the hallway and then up the stairs. “Be sorry that you’re not listening to your body and taking it easy.”

She didn’t protest when he took her into his old bedroom.

“I’ll be fine,” she promised. “I just need to lie still for a few minutes until this nausea subsides.”

“Have you had a fever?” he asked.

“No.”

There was absolutely no way she was going to tell him about the baby. He would find out soon enough. There were only so many ways she could camouflage her belly. She just wasn’t ready to tell him—didn’t want to see the pity in his eyes, didn’t want him to feel like she was an obligation because they’d been friends and Todd had been his friend, too.

Nora didn’t have her coat as a shield today, but the yoga pants and oversize sweatshirt certainly did the trick.

“How about aches?” he asked, gently laying her down on the bed. “This is flu season.”

“No. I know it’s not the flu.”

Nora couldn’t help the sigh that escaped her as she sank into the soft, plush comforter. All she could smell was Eli’s strong, woodsy cologne and she took a deep breath, wanting to take in as much of him as she could.

Funny, that smell didn’t turn her stomach. Obviously that was a sign she should lay off cleaning for the safety of her health.

That was a pregnancy rule she could get behind.

“You don’t have a fever,” he went on. “Maybe it was just something you ate that didn’t agree with you.”

Nora glanced up at him and attempted a grin. “Must be. Just give me a minute and I’ll finish picking up.”

“Like hell you will,” he informed her. “I came back from the hospital early to get things ready for Dad. Cameron is there to bring Mom and Dad home when he’s released.”

“I have casseroles in the freezer in the garage,” she told him. “I had already washed the few dishes in the sink and put them away. I dusted and ran the sweeper. All that’s left is the bathroom downstairs, which is where I was when I got sick.”

Eli held her gaze and she couldn’t look away if she tried. Those broad shoulders filled out the dark gray wool coat that he’d yet to take off, but somewhere along the way he’d removed the hat. That dark, messy hair looked as if he’d just stepped out of his lover’s bed, and his eyes, still fixed on hers, were so dark they were nearly black.

All three brothers had those eyes, the same as their father’s. There was something about Eli’s that captivated her, held her. He was the type of man who demanded attention without saying a word. How could she not comply?

“When did you eat last?” he asked, shrugging out of his coat and laying it on the end of the bed.

She thought back to the dry toast she’d choked down with orange juice for breakfast. “About nine.”

Eli glanced to his wristwatch and glared at her. “It’s nearly three, Nora.”

“I really wasn’t hungry and I didn’t feel that great. I just wanted to clean and get back home.”

“No one expected you to tidy up the place. Not to sound ungrateful, I appreciate the gesture and so will Mom, but you have to listen to your body.”

Well, right now her body was saying to stay in this cozy bed and let someone wait on her hand and foot.

“I’m listening, Doc.” He continued to glare and Nora tapped his very toned, very chiseled biceps. “Smile. I’m fine.”

“Your color is coming back.”

“See? Told you I just needed to lie down for a bit.”

She glanced beyond his shoulder to the photos displayed on his old dresser. A picture of him in Iraq, one of him graduating from medical school, another of him in some type of surgical field. No doubt his mother had proudly put these photos into frames. Just more reminders that he wasn’t staying and his life was elsewhere. He’d worked hard to become a prominent doctor and she was so glad he’d not only chased his dream, but he’d captured it with both hands.

“Why am I in your old room?” she asked, bringing her eyes back to his.

“Because I wanted you to lie down.”

“What about the couch?”

His eyes roamed over her face, to her mouth and back up. “I thought you might need to rest and you’d be able to do that up here away from the commotion of Mom and Dad coming home in a bit.”

Nora started to sit up. “I better put a casserole in the oven. It has to bake for a while.”

Eli put his hand on her shoulder and eased her back down. “I can do it, Precious.”

She froze. He’d always called her that when they’d dated.

As if realizing what had just slipped out of his mouth, Eli cursed. With his hand still on her shoulder and their faces only inches apart, she trembled. No man had ever affected her the way Eli did.

Not even the man who’d promised to love, honor and be faithful. Her heart clenched from so much emotion. Even though Todd obviously hadn’t cared for their marriage, he was the father of this unborn baby and he didn’t deserve to die.

“Relax,” Eli whispered. “When was the last time someone looked out for you?”

Nora swallowed. “Actually, your mother dropped off a few groceries for me last week when I couldn’t get to the store.”

And that would be when she’d been hugging the toilet—her own that time. She was doing way too much of that lately.

“I meant really care for you,” he corrected. “I know you’re independent, but even you need to rest sometimes.”

Nora wanted to sink back into the bed, his bed, but she didn’t want to leave the warmth of his firm hand on her shoulder. He was right, though. She was independent. She’d always had to be between her mother and Todd, who’d been deployed most of their brief marriage.

“I don’t mind fending for myself, Eli. I’ve honestly never known any other way.”

His hand slid down her arm, leaving gooseflesh in its path even though thick fleece separated them. “That’s a sad statement. You will rest here for at least an hour, no arguments. I’ll put the casserole in the oven.”

“But you are a terrible cook,” she insisted. “I remember that Valentine’s meal you tried to cook for me that even the stray dogs turned away.”

Eli’s eyes widened a moment before he chuckled. “That was pretty bad, but you’ve already thrown the ingredients together. Surely I can pop it in the oven without causing too much damage. I do have a PhD, for pity’s sake.”

She couldn’t help but smile at his accomplishments. “I’m really proud of what you’ve done, Eli. You had a dream and went after it.”

His eyes held hers, the hand he’d slid down her arm rested atop her own. “But at what price?” he whispered.

Her heart clenched. Was he referring to her, to them? Did he regret leaving all those years ago? This was the first inclination he’d ever shown that perhaps he wasn’t 100 percent confident in his decisions.

Nora took in his thin lips, his tense shoulders and eyes filled with anguish. Obviously he had his own demons to live with and she didn’t feel it her place to say anything.

“I’m sorry I hurt you,” he murmured, looking down to their hands. “All those years ago. I never apologized.”

Okay, that was a time she did not want to revisit because from the moment he’d left, she’d been seeking happiness, only able to grasp on to meager scraps of it. But she couldn’t fully blame him. She was in charge of her own life and had made it what it was—falling into a marriage with a man who should’ve remained her friend and nothing more.

“Life happens, Eli.” She laced her fingers with his, wanting another layer of connection. “We had different goals in life. Doesn’t mean we didn’t care for each other. Besides, we were young. We might have made a mistake staying together. You would’ve probably resented being stuck here and wondered what life outside Stonerock would’ve been like.”

He squeezed her hand back. “I’ve never known a woman like you, Nora.”

She laughed, easing the intensity of the moment. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

A wide smile spread across his handsome, stubbled face. “Definitely a compliment.”

Silence surrounded them and for the first time it wasn’t strained or awkward.

“I’m really glad you’re back, Eli.”

“I’m not staying.”

He was so quick to answer, but she knew he had a life, the one he’d worked so hard for, waiting on him. Good for him for making his life everything he’d ever wanted.

“You’re here now,” she told him. “That’s all that matters.”

She didn’t want any tension while he was here. First of all, she loved his family too much to have that weighing heavily on them, and second, she couldn’t afford the emotional battle.

Even though they were different people than they once were, they could still be friends.

Couldn’t they?

Chapter Four

He’d faced the wrath of his father when he’d sneaked out of the house at age fifteen, he’d served alongside men who’d died in front of him and he’d managed to move on after a broken heart.

But nothing scared the hell out of Dr. Eli St. John more than that waiting room full of patients. Patients who remembered the teen he used to be and had no real clue as to the man he’d truly become.

Oh, he wasn’t worried about contracting some virus or cold. No, he was terrified the do-gooders of the town would peer down their nose at him and judge him for his past sins.

Eli glanced at his watch and sighed. His father’s nurse, Sarah, would start filling the rooms any minute and Eli would just have to suck it up and get this first day out of the way.

At least Sarah was young, new and professional. When he’d walked through the office earlier to speak to Lulu, she’d been filing her nails and the phone had been ringing. It had rung four times before she slammed down her file and answered.

For some reason the townsfolk liked Lulu—with her odd, sometimes rude behavior—and expected her to be sitting behind that desk when they came in. She never changed...ever. And she still sported a low-cut top with her goods on display.

Perhaps that’s why she’d always been so well received.

Regardless, Eli’s father swore she was the most organized person he’d ever worked with and he’d hired her straight out of high school. Lulu was just shy of forty, a few years older than Eli, so she wasn’t going anywhere.

Dr. St. John—the original—was home resting and recovering and depending on Eli to keep the practice afloat. Eli had no intention of letting the man down, no matter what he thought of how his dad ran the office.

Eli moved from his father’s small office and went down the narrow hallway, eyeing the closed exam room door. Pulling the chart from the tray, he glanced at the name first...then did a double take.

Perfect. Simply perfect.

Maddie Mays. Or, as he and his brothers called her, “Mad” Maddie. The woman had to be a day older than God himself and she put the fear in every kid who had the unfortunate idea of cutting through her property to the park. More than once Mad Maddie had wielded a rolling pin in one hand and ball bat in the other. There was no doubt the woman would’ve used both weapons if anyone stepped on her precious prize-winning flowers. Those women in the Flower Garden Club were vicious and Mad Maddie was their president. Don’t mess with a woman’s rhododendrons.

Too bad she couldn’t catch them. Maddie was as wide as she was tall and had certainly been no match for three healthy teen boys.

Eli pushed open the door and for a half second he was shocked. It seemed as though a good one hundred pounds had melted off her. And her wardrobe looked straight out of a sixteen-year-old’s closet.

Sitting on the edge of the exam table, Maddie wore hot-pink leggings and a black, fitted, off-the-shoulder sweater. Furry leopard-print boots completed her interesting look. Her cane—which looked as though it had been dipped into a vat of rhinestones—rested against the table.

“Mrs. Mays,” he greeted, closing the door for privacy.

When her eyes landed on him, he didn’t shudder beneath the gaze that seemed to study and assess him. “Eli. You’re quite a bit taller and thicker than last I saw you.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Last time she’d seen him he’d been hightailing it past her property after she’d threatened to go get her gun if he touched her pansies again. In his defense, he’d needed a bouquet of flowers for Nora and he’d thought it was dark enough to conceal him. He’d been wrong.

“I’m quite a bit older now,” he added, setting her chart on the counter so he could wash his hands in the small sink.

One perfectly penciled-in brow arched. “I hope you’ve settled down. Are you married?”

“No, ma’am.”

Maddie let out a harrumph. “Well, you’re not too settled, then.”

After drying his hands, he opened the file, more than ready to get down to the reason for her visit. “Mrs. Mays, I’m not showing any symptoms on your chart. I see where Sarah took your vitals, but nothing else.”

Eli closed the chart, setting it on the exam table beside her and pulling his stethoscope from around his neck. “Let me just listen to your heart and lungs while you tell me the reason you’re here.”

“Oh, I’m healthy as a horse, Eli.” Maddie smiled when he froze. “Thanks to my vitamins and green tea, I’m healthier now than I was thirty years ago. Of course my workouts help. I had a pole installed in my living room about five years ago after I started reading about all these pole dancers and the strenuous workouts they go through and—”

Eli held up a hand. Besides the fact the dead last thing he wanted to hear about was Maddie and her...pole...he had a more pressing issue.

“Why are you here if you aren’t sick?” he asked. “Do you need a refill on any medication?”

“No. Since I started eating healthier a few years ago I was able to get off all my medication. All that processed food will kill you.”

Eli took a deep breath, settled his stethoscope back around his shoulders and crossed his arms over his chest.

“Then what can I do for you, Mrs. Mays?”

“I just wanted to have a look-see since you’re back in town.”

He should’ve expected this. “Mrs. Mays, I have other patients I need to see. If you’re not here for a valid reason, I’ll need to get going.”

She reached into her oversize purse and pulled out a foil-wrapped package. “I made you a loaf of pumpkin mint bread.”

Pumpkin mint?

Eli took the gift, not sure if this was the norm for Maddie. “Thanks,” he said as she slid off the exam table.

Maddie clutched her cane and narrowed her eyes. “I’ll be keeping my eye on you, Eli. I’m not too comfortable with a St. John boy being my doctor, but I trust your father and he’d never let you into his practice if he didn’t think you could do the job.”

“I can do the job,” he assured her, now wondering if the odd-flavored bread was poisoned.

“Heard you got on at some big hospital in Atlanta.”

He didn’t know how she knew. And that was the crazy thing with small towns. People knew all about your business—occasionally before you did.

“Yes, ma’am.”

And if all went well, when he returned it would be to a substantial promotion.

“Well, that’s something,” she proclaimed as she made her way to the door. “I’ve been impressed with your brothers, even if they still have that I-don’t-give-a-damn attitude.”

Eli laughed. “That’s something we were born with. But I’d say Drake and Cam have done well for themselves.”

Maddie put her hand on the door and turned to smile at him. “You’re all still single. You’re not doing too well if a woman can’t keep hold of you wild boys.”

Her laughter followed her down the hall and Eli stood there staring at the empty doorway. What the hell just happened? His first patient wasn’t really a patient and in the span of five minutes he’d been given a backhanded compliment, a scary homemade present, a warning and then he was educated on geriatric pole dancing.

Maybe being back in Stonerock wasn’t so bad, after all. It certainly wasn’t boring and for the past several minutes Nora had stayed out of his mind.

* * *

Heading toward home, Nora couldn’t help but replay her doctor’s appointment. Her BP had been elevated and she was still having some cramping. Thankfully the ultrasound looked good; the baby weighed what she should and her heartbeat was right on track.

A little girl. Nora smiled. Despite the chaos in her life, today she’d been told she would be having a baby girl. For some reason knowing the sex made everything seem so...real. As if the past five months of sickness, fluctuating weight and epic crying sprees hadn’t been real enough.

Now Nora would start thinking of names, decorating a nursery, buying cutesy little clothes. Granted, she had to sell her house and find a new one before she could decorate and before the baby came.

No, she needed to go ahead and prepare for the baby. Who knew if or when her house would sell?

Nora sighed. Just the thought of packing up everything and trying to move with a newborn sounded exhausting. But somehow she would trudge on; she had no other option.

If all of that wasn’t enough to send her rushing to her freezer for Rocky Road, she also needed to find a replacement vet to fill in for her while she was off.

Was it any wonder her BP had been high? Stress, anyone?

She’d indulged by going to the store and purchasing a ton of fruit...and whipped cream. A girl had to have some guilty pleasure and she really should cut back on the ice cream. But she did pick up another gallon. For emergencies.

Nora pulled into her driveway, resisting the urge to glance over to the St. John residence, all lit up with Christmas lights, wreaths hanging from each window. Their house had always been the picture of perfection. Some families presented only a facade of happiness and togetherness, but Nora knew from experience that even when those doors were closed, that family bond was rock solid.

That’s the family life she wanted to provide for her child. Maybe being a single mother wasn’t the way she’d envisioned life, but there was no reason she and her baby girl couldn’t have their own piece of family perfection.

Smiling, Nora realized she was still staring at the St. John house, daydreaming of the future. She didn’t see Eli’s truck in the drive, but he may have pulled around back into the garage. If Eli wasn’t around, he’d be there shortly if he kept his father’s usual office hours and left at six.

And speaking of the St. Johns, she still needed to pick up Christmas presents for her favorite family. With her lack of energy and motivation lately, more than likely she’d be ordering those gifts online.

Darkness had settled in for the night. Nora hated that about winter. It got dark so early, but at least the twinkling Christmas lights from the neighborhood lit up the street.

Of course, she hadn’t gotten around to putting up lights yet, but she had hung a pretty evergreen wreath with a bright red-and-white bow on her door and draped some garland over the railing that stretched across her porch. That would have to do for now.

The light snow they’d received the other day had all but melted, but the weatherman was calling for possibly an inch over the next couple days. Just enough to coat the ground and be pretty.

Because she was too tired to try to make multiple trips, Nora juggled her groceries toward the steps to her house.

“Seriously, Nora. Give me those.”

She turned to see Eli crossing her driveway. “Get your keys out and I’ll carry these in.”

“I’ve got them, Eli,” she argued. “I’ve been bringing in my own food for a while now.”

He jerked on the bags, giving her no choice but to relinquish her hold. Stubborn man. Did he honestly think she’d not been able to take care of herself?

“Well, I’m here and I’m cold so open the door.”

Nora resisted the urge to roll her eyes; that would be childish. But she did stomp up the steps to her door. Not the most mature behavior, but she couldn’t help it. This gorgeous man seemed to be everywhere lately...including her dreams.

What was he doing invading her subconscious? Nostalgia could only go so far. He wasn’t the man she’d loved years ago and she certainly wasn’t the same woman.

Good grief. As if she even had anything appealing to offer a man! A widowed pregnant lady with a meager income... Seriously, who wouldn’t want to get with that?

She unlocked the door and let Eli pass in ahead of her. After she flipped on the lights in the living room and kitchen, she shrugged out of her coat.

“Just throw the bags on the island,” she called over her shoulder as she went into the living room to plug in her Christmas tree. “I’ll put everything away.”

“I can help put stuff away,” he offered.

When she plugged in the tree, she spotted Kerfluffle lying on the red-and-white quilted tree skirt, napping. Her favorite spot this time of year.

She returned to the kitchen and hung her coat on the peg by the back door. She’d just started to hang her purse over the other peg when it slipped from her grasp and fell to the tile, spilling its contents.

She leveled her gaze across the room to Eli. “Really, I’ll get it all. But thanks for carrying those groceries in.”

Ignoring her subtle dismissal, Eli circled the island and squatted down to help her pick up her purse explosion.

“Eli, I can—”

She froze as he picked up the row of pictures she’d had in her purse from today’s ultrasound. The way he stared at each image, the way he slowly straightened his body to come to his full height and the way his eyes finally came to meet hers, Nora knew he wasn’t leaving anytime soon.

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