“Hi, Bailey. I’m Doctor Nichols. Can you tell me what you put up your nose?” According to Bailey’s chart, she was four years old and a regular at the clinic.
She looked behind to her mother. “No.”
“No you can’t, or, no you won’t?” Lydia asked.
She glanced back to her mother and reaffirmed her position. “No.”
Sage passed Lydia the Otoscope.
“Okay then.” She showed the child the instrument. “I’m going to use this little flashlight to take a peek. Can you look up for me?”
There was moment when Lydia thought Bailey would refuse. Arms crossed in front of her chest and a frown as large as a rainbow, she didn’t move at first. Seeing she was outnumbered three adults to one the little girl tilted her head and released a sigh of resignation.
Lydia peeked inside the tiny upturned nose. “What’s your favorite, Skittles or M&Ms?”
“Skittles,” she answered with enthusiasm. “I like to save the yellow ones for last.”
As the last word finished, Lydia tweezed out a sticky yellow Skittle. She put it into your gloved hand and held it out for everyone to see.
“Bailey,” her mom scolded, “I told you you’d had enough and to put them away for another time.”
Lydia turned to Mrs. Brown. “She did.” She stared back to Bailey. “These are better in your mouth than in your nose.”
Bailey smiled, plucked the yellow Skittle from Lydia’s hand then popped it inside her mouth. All jaws dropped open except for Bailey who happily devoured her treat.
When she swallowed, she opened her mouth like a hungry bird.
Sage patted her little head. “No Lifesavers today, sweetie. That’s Doctor Parker’s thing. I’m sure Doctor Nichols will come up with something all her own for your next visit.”
The disappointment on Bailey’s face was palpable. She’d just had her nose plucked, and all she got was what she’d stored inside. Lydia took the child’s hand and drew a smiley face on the top. Bailey grinned.
Mrs. Brown sucked in a breath and said, “We don’t write on our hands, Doctor Nichols, it’s a bad habit to start.”
Lydia wanted to throw back something about eating nose Skittles being worse, but she refrained. When Memorial Hospital called and said they wanted her on staff, sticky yellow candies would be the farthest thing from her mind.
Going through three rounds of interviews gave her hope that an employment offer was forthcoming. Hell, she might be out of here before the ink faded from Bailey Brown’s hand.
Sage showed them out while Lydia took a visual inventory of the clinic. It was well stocked with simple things for common occurrences like colds, cuts, and bruises. Standard equipment like oxygen tanks, IV supplies, and a sterilizer were present.
Nowhere did she see anything modern like an X-ray machine, electronic monitors, or an ultrasound.
Sage returned, pulled the paper off the table, and prepped it for the next patient.
“How can you work here?” Lydia turned in a circle and took in the lack of everything.
“What do you mean? It’s great. When was the last time you got to know the people? At Denver General, people are a number on a chart.”
“This is like working out of a field tent. I didn’t sign up for Doctor’s Without Borders.”
Lydia found herself in a classic Sage Nichols hug. One she had to bear until it was over because Sage had a super glue grip.
“It’s different. Not bad. We get cool cases like when Zachariah Tucker's moonshine still blew up.”
Lydia let out a groan. “I never imagined my life being like this. I’m not moonshine. I’m a martini girl. I was headed for great things.”
Sage stepped back. “You’re still headed for great things and the Cannon can make a killer lemon drop martini.” She rolled out fresh paper to cover the table. “Remember when Mom said, there were three things you couldn’t escape?”
“Death, taxes, and change. I remember.”
“This is change, and change isn’t always bad. I recall a year ago you told me to come here and see what Aspen Cove offered. In fact, you likened me to Matthew McConaughey in Failure to Launch. You were right. I launched, and I found my bliss. Give it a chance.”
In the distance, the bell above the door rang and Sage went to investigate.
She was back in seconds leading a man to the cold examination table. He cradled his bloody right hand to his chest. The gray, blood-soaked T-shirt stuck to his skin, outlining muscles honed from steel. More patients like this and Lydia would have to reconsider her man ban.
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Other Books by Kelly Collins
An Aspen Cove Romance Series
One Hundred Reasons
One Hundred Heartbeats
One Hundred Wishes
One Hundred Promises
The Boys of Fury Series
Redeeming Ryker
Saving Silas
Delivering Decker
The Second Chance Series
Set Free
Set Aside
Set in Stone
Set Up
Set on You
The Second Chance Series Box Set
Making the Grade Series
The Learning Curve
The Dean’s List
The Graduate
Honor Roll
Making the Grade Box Set
The Decadent Series:
Just Dessert
Brownie Points
Whipped
The Decadent Series Box Set
A Meet Me Romance Collection
Meet Me under the Full Moon
Meet Me on the Dance Floor
Meet Me in the Middle
Meet Me in Secret
A Meet Me Romance Collection Box Set
Kindle World Books:
Fated and Furroscious
Unbearable Love
Bearly a Choice
Nailed by Love
Off the Grid
Stand-Alone Novels and Novellas
True North
Tempo
Blue Ribbon Summer
Billion-Dollar Smile
Lucky in Rio
Holiday Novels: Cole for Christmas
The Trouble with Tinsel
Wrapped around My Heart
Cole for Christmas
Mistletoe and Millionaires
Acknowledgments
I started out with book one of the Aspen Cove Series with the goal of writing a heartwarming small town romance. I had a series in mind but didn’t know if readers would love my small town full of quirky people.
Boy was I glad you do because I love writing about this town.
None of this would be as good without an editor. Thanks to Karen Boston for her work on this manuscript.
Thanks to the ladies who proofread this book. Judy, Sabrina, Melissa and Tammy, what would I do without your keen eyes?
Thank you to Victoria Cooper for the amazing cover which is photographed by Darren Birks of Darren Birks Photography. He made the perfect Dalton and Catherine made the perfect Samantha.
Last but never least, I thank you the reader for being loyal fans. I hope you enjoy your time in Aspen Cove. There’s so much more to come.
About the Author
International bestselling author of more than thirty novels, Kelly Collins writes with the intention of keeping the love alive. Always a romantic, she blends real-life events with her vivid imagination to create characters and stories that lovers of contemporary romance, new adult, and romantic suspense will return to again and again.
Kelly lives in Colorado at the base of the Rocky Mountains with her husband of twenty-seven years, their two dogs, and a bird that hates her. She has three amazing children, whom she loves to distraction.
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For More Information
www.authorkellycollins.com
kelly@authorkellycollin
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