by Ivy James
BRYAN LEVELED his gaze on hers and frowned. “No.”
“No?” Her chin lifted. “What about my medical history, then? Does that bother you?”
He leaned against the exam table, his temper rising because of the challenge he heard in her voice. If she didn’t want the job, fine. All the better for him. Being around her, knowing what she’d experienced, brought back too many memories. “You couldn’t have prevented Josie’s death,” he murmured, focusing on her questions and shoving the past away. “Too many factors played into her reaction to the medication, none of which were in your control. Your health, her premature birth. I imagine you and Joe will always maintain a certain feeling of guilt as Josie’s parents, but you couldn’t have done anything differently. Guilt is like that. All-consuming,” he stated knowledgeably. “And while I’m sorry your baby girl died, that’s not why I offered you the interview. As to your other question, what kind of doctor would I be if your cancer diagnosis didn’t bother me?”
“I meant—”
“But I wouldn’t not hire you because of it,” he stated firmly. “Melissa, I have a business to run and patients to care for and I can’t help but think that your experiences will give you a little more patience and empathy in comparison to some of the others I’ve interviewed.”
“I…thank you,” she murmured dazedly, blinking. “I’d like to think it would.”
“I take it the diagnosis has kept other potential employers from hiring you?”
She nodded, her teeth sinking into her lower lip, her blue eyes soft, untrusting, and yet hopeful. It was the hope that got to him. Ellen had no right to dump this—her—on him, but he only had himself to blame. For not saying no, for letting the battle-weary hope in Melissa’s eyes remind him of someone else. He should send her on her way, ignore Ellen, but he couldn’t and he knew it.
Bryan shoved himself off the exam table and kept going, conscious she followed him into the waiting area. Facing her, he indicated the front desk with a hand.
Her eyes widened at the sight of the mess.
“This isn’t an easy job. My last full-time person updated the computer system before she quit, and I’m no help at all figuring it out. Janice Reynolds is my R.N., but she only handles patients, not the phones, the files or the insurance forms that have to be filed. You’d handle those administrative responsibilities and take charge of planning a major fund-raiser that’ll require working extra hours. And you’d earn every penny I pay you and all the benefits provided. Are you interested?”
“Getting insurance for me won’t be cheap.”
“It never is.”
“What’s the fund-raiser for?”
“An urgent-care clinic. Too many people have suffered irreversible damage from their injuries during the drive to Baxter. With a clinic, they could be stabilized and then sent on to the hospital or better yet, not have to make the trip at all.”
She nibbled her lower lip. “Any estimate of cost?”
“Half a million to start.”
“You’re serious.”
“Very.” Bryan waited, torn between wanting her to refuse and recognizing Melissa might well be his only hope of getting his office under control again. During their conversation, Melissa hadn’t once sent him any coy glances, hadn’t flirted or murmured come-ons. Nothing. And her cancer?
Once again Bryan blocked the memories trying to surface, the pain that demanded he take a step back and keep Melissa as far away from him as possible. If he hired her, she would be an employee, he reminded himself. Nothing else. “Are you still interested after seeing and hearing what you’d be getting yourself into?”
“Yes.”
He wasn’t expecting that as her answer. “Then how about a trial run? A few weeks from now if this is working out for both of us, fine. If not, we’ll go our separate ways with no hard feelings and two weeks’ severance?” He added the latter for his conscience’s sake.
The muscles of Melissa’s throat worked as she swallowed. Bryan waited and watched, aware of how her eyes projected her thoughts. Her eagerness to dive in and get started on the challenge he’d just tossed out.
“The, um, position—is it hourly or salary?”
He stated the specifics and waited again.
Another blink. Her eyebrows pulled together in a frown, but then she squared her shoulders and nodded. “I’ll take it.”
Bryan smiled despite the uncertainty pouring through him. “Then I guess I’ll see you on Monday.”
CONTINUE READING MELISSA’S STORY IN HIS REDEEMING LOVE.
* * *
THE REDEEMING LOVE SERIES
HER REDEEMING LOVE
HIS REDEEMING LOVE
REDEEMING US
Ivy James Books
Contemporary Romance Novels
THE STONE GAP MOUNTAIN SERIES
THAT SOUTHERN SUMMER NIGHT
BLIND MAN’S BLUFF
HER UNWANTED PROTECTOR
REDEMPTION ROAD
THEIR SECRET SNOWBOUND CHRISTMAS
OWEN’S RETURN
THE REDEEMING LOVE SERIES
HER REDEEMING LOVE
HIS REDEEMING LOVE
REDEEMING US
OTHER BOOKS:
The Crash Before Christmas
Return to Eden
Coming soon:
MONTANA SKIES SERIES
HER MONTANA COWBOY
HER COWBOY SHERIFF
PROTECTING THE SHERIFF’S DAUGHTER
COWBOY MEETS HIS MATCH
MONTANA CHRISTMAS
SECOND CHANCE HERO
* * *
TENNESSEE TULANES SERIES
HER SNOWBOUND HERO
THE REBEL’S SECRET BARGAIN
HIS BABY PROPOSAL
THE DOCTOR’S NANNY
A HERO IN HIDING
* * *
Ivy James is the alter-ego of Kay Lyons, who now focuses on sweet/clean and wholesome contemporary women’s romance and romantic suspense. For more information about Ivy James, please visit her/Kay’s website at Ivy James Author. You can also find her at the following:
@KayLyonsAuthor (Twitter)
Kay Lyons Author (Facebook)
Author_Kay_Lyons (Instagram)
Kay Lyons, Author (Pinterest)
* * *
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AUTHOR BIO
Ivy James is the alter-ego of Kay Lyons, who now focuses on sweet/clean and wholesome contemporary romance and romantic suspense. For more information about Ivy’s slightly sexier novels (or to find Kay’s clean and wholesome versions of them as well as more new titles), please go to Ivy James Author/Kay Lyons Author. Or, find her at one of the following:
@KayLyonsAuthor (Twitter)
Kay Lyons Author (Facebook)
Author_Kay_Lyons (Instagram)
Kay Lyons, Author (Pinterest)
