Chapter 2
Monday morning, Ben walked into the clinic, and was surprised to see Meghan behind the counter. Odd. He usually beat everyone in. “Hello, Meghan.”
“Hey there, doc.”
“You’re early.”
“I wanted to talk with you before things got busy.”
“Okay. Give me a minute and then meet in my office.” He was more than a little curious about what she wanted to discuss.
He set his lunch in the mini fridge and powered on his laptop. A rap on the doorjamb drew his attention. “Come in. Have a seat.” He motioned her to the chair directly in front of him.
Meghan pushed the chair closer to the desk and sat. “Thanks.” She wore jeans and a forest-green clinic T-shirt he’d had made for the assistants when they weren’t wearing standard scrubs.
He had never before noticed how the shirt set off her eyes, but wow. He cleared his throat. “What did you want to talk with me about?”
“Well, um. Hmm. I didn’t think this would be so awkward.” Her cheeks turned pink and she looked like she’d rather be anyplace but his office. “The thing is this. I’d like to help you.”
“I don’t understand.” Pete’s assistant had always been a little odd. She was nosy to a fault, and she often blurted things out without thinking, but this came out of left field.
“What I mean to say is, you’re a handsome man and...” The color in her cheeks deepened, and she stared past his shoulder. She trilled a nervous laugh. “The thing is, you’re single and not getting any younger. I dabble in matchmaking. I thought maybe—”
“No.” He raised his hand to stop her speaking.
She pursed her lips. “A man at your age should be thinking about settling down. Wait. That didn’t come out right.”
So now he was old? Irritated, he shook his head. “My age and my love life are not your concern.” He kept his voice firm, hoping she’d heed his words.
She grinned wide. “Rest easy, Dr. Young. I will find you the woman of your dreams or my name isn’t Matchmaker Meghan.”
“Your personnel file lists your name as Meghan Black.”
“Of course it does. I just made that up. I think it has a nice ring to it.” She waved a hand in front of her face and stood. “No worries, you’re in good hands.” She rushed out of his office.
“I don’t want to be in your hands!” This had to be a joke, but the woman seemed serious.
A short while later, Emma tapped on the door. “Good morning. According to the schedule, we have a light day today. How’d it go on Friday?”
“Let’s just say, you were missed. How’re you feeling?”
“Much better. It must’ve been a flu bug.” A dog barked and she looked to her right. “Guess that’s my cue.”
“Hold on for a second?”
Emma raised her brows.
He motioned her farther into his office. “Close the door.”
She followed his instructions and crossed her arms. “Did I do something wrong?”
“No. Nothing like that. I was wondering what you could tell me about Dr. Harding’s assistant, Meghan. For some reason, she has it in her head that my love life needs help.”
Emma snickered then sobered. “Sorry. I shouldn’t laugh.” She clucked her tongue, seeming to debate something. “Meghan’s always interested in other people’s lives. Personally, I think she’s lonely. Don’t worry about her, Dr. Young. She’s harmless and really quite sweet once you get to know her.”
“I’ll take your word on that, I guess.” Because he had no intention of getting to know Meghan, at least not as long as she had her mind set on messing with his love life, or lack thereof. “Thanks.”
Emma flashed a smile then left.
A few minutes later, Ben stepped into the hallway. He heard Meghan talking to Pete and frowned. Somehow, he’d need to avoid the woman who had quickly made life at work uncomfortable.
* * *
Meghan stared at the computer on the clinic’s reception desk pondering her conversation with Dr. Young. To say it had gone badly was being kind. She’d blown it in a big way. He probably thought she was a nut case. Maybe he was right. The man obviously wasn’t interested in her assistance, but she couldn’t help herself. He deserved to find love, and if he wasn’t going to put in the effort, then it was up to her to find the perfect woman for him. Besides, she’d never back out of a dare.
She frowned. The only problem was she didn’t have a clue what kind of woman would be a good fit for him, and she’d never actually succeeded in setting anyone up. Oh, there had been a few almost success stories, but none that had made it past the first month of dating. This time would be different.
Emma sat beside her with a contemplative look on her face.
Meghan’s stomach tightened. Was Dr. Young’s assistant still sick? “How’re you feeling? We sure missed you on Friday.” She’d hate for her coworker to miss another day. Not because she couldn’t handle it, but Emma needed the money. Her family depended on that income since Emma’s husband was currently unemployed.
“Better, thanks for asking. I heard it was pretty busy.”
“Yes, it was.” Meghan glanced over her shoulder at Dr. Young’s office door. “Hey, I was wondering about your boss. What can you tell me about him?”
Emma sighed. “Not much. I don’t socialize with him. All I can tell you is that he’s a good boss, fair, punctual, loves animals and people alike, and would do anything to help someone if he could. He takes wonderful care of his parents, and has a horrible diet.” She lowered her voice. “He told me you’re meddling in his love life. Don’t worry, I didn’t tell him about the dare, but if you want to back out I’d understand.”
“No way. I’ll see this through to the end.”
Emma grinned. “Then for what it’s worth, I say go girl. The man needs a woman.”
She squeezed Emma’s shoulder then stood and turned, smacking into a hard chest. “Oh. Hi, Dr. Young. I’m on my way out.”
“Um-hmm.” He stepped aside allowing her to pass.
She shot Emma a look, concerned he’d heard their conversation, but her coworker didn’t seem alarmed, so all must be okay. Good thing, too, because she didn’t want to get on the man’s bad side.
His twinkling baby-blue eyes flashed in her mind. She couldn’t wait to get started in her search.
At closing time, Meghan piddled about until everyone left and then shot back to the front desk and turned on the computer. She went straight to Facebook. Maybe a few of her friends would be a good match for Dr. Young.
She scanned through her friends list, which included people from as far away as Spokane and Seattle, but she couldn’t find a single woman who seemed right for him. How could none of her friends be a good match? What he needed was someone who loved animals as much as he did, and the only person she knew like that was herself, but she wasn’t an option.
She opened the appointment schedule for the next day and spotted a few possible candidates. She’d try and chat with the single women who brought their pets in.
Satisfied, she shut off the computer, grabbed her coat and purse and headed for the door, ready for a quiet evening with her girlfriends. Five minutes later, she pulled into a parking space and noted several cars in the guest spots outside her condo. It looked like her friends had beaten her here. Oh well, as long as they didn’t start the movie without her.
She tromped inside. Giggling drifted from the kitchen, and the smell of Mexican food tickled her nose. The girls must still be working on dinner. Good, she was starved. She poked her head into the room and waved. “Be right back after I change.”
“You’re late.” Cassie followed her down the hall. “Everything okay?”
“Yes. I lost track of time.”
Cassie sat on the edge of Meghan’
s bed and crossed her legs. “What were you doing?”
Meghan changed into sweats, a clean T-shirt and her favorite extra soft and chunky socks. Ah, this was the perfect way to spend the evening.
“I was on Facebook trying to see if any of my friends would be a good match for Dr. Young.”
Cassie frowned. “Any luck?”
“Nope.” She grabbed her roomie’s arm and pulled. “Come on. If we don’t start the movie soon we’ll be awake half the night.”
They dashed into the kitchen where their friends were munching on nachos.
“Sorry I’m late.” Meghan piled chips on her plate then sprinkled on seasoned ground beef, spicy beans and cheese. “What are we watching tonight?”
Cassie held up a DVD case.
Meghan grinned. “You’re kidding me.”
“What? There’s nothing wrong with Cinderella. In fact, it’s playing on Broadway.”
Meghan shrugged at the dreamy look in her friend’s eyes. It was no secret that Cassie loved anything to do with Broadway. It was a wonder she hadn’t moved to New York and pursued an acting career, but Cassie would never leave her hometown, and for whatever reason, she’d never gotten involved with the local theater.
Meghan carried her plate into the front room and snuggled into her favorite recliner. It fit her short frame perfectly. Cassie, Sidney and Allison filtered into the room and settled into their usual spots. Meghan always looked forward to Monday night. For the past six months, they had been having a movie night every Monday. They’d fallen into a fun and relaxing routine.
She popped a chip into her mouth. Even though she wouldn’t have chosen this movie, it was perfect in light of her current goal: to find Dr. Young his soul mate. Who knows, maybe it would inspire her matchmaking—and she could use all the inspiration possible.
Chapter 3
Ben sat on the top step of his porch and tied the laces of his running shoes. He stood and stretched one arm over his head and to the side. He squinted into bright sunlight then slipped his sunglasses into place, continuing to stretch. The early morning train whistle floated through the mountain air, letting him know he was right on schedule.
He started off at a slow jog along Ski Hill Drive and spotted a doe and her fawn feeding in the grassy field. Though tempted to stop and watch the pair, he kept his pace and gradually increased his speed as his muscles warmed. He breathed through his nose. Not pushing too hard, but enough to get his blood flowing.
A car passed him down the center of the two-lane country road. He waved and continued on. There was nothing like a run to get the day started off right. Meghan’s beaming smile flashed into his mind. He hoped she would forget all about finding his perfect match, but if her tenacity meant anything at all, she might succeed where he’d failed, repeatedly. Huh. Maybe her interference into his personal life wasn’t such a bad thing. He wasn’t getting any younger.
He’d dated plenty in his twenties, but he hadn’t been in the right place to settle down. Now things were different.
He shook off the thought and focused on his morning devotion. Proverbs 3:5, 6. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” A timely verse considering the sudden twist his life had taken with regard to Meghan. He needed to trust God and not worry about Meghan and her matchmaking. Besides, God was well aware of his schedule and commitments. He’d provided at just the right time when the clinic had grown too big for one vet and his parents had been about to lose their house. Pete had offered to buy half the clinic, which had enabled Ben to help his parents financially. Yes, God had been good.
As much as Ben would like to settle down, many things demanded his time, and adding a woman to the mix wouldn’t be easy. However, it wouldn’t be impossible, either. A smile settled on his face as he kept his pace steady.
* * *
Meghan stretched and kicked off her bedsheets. Light streamed in through the holes in the mini blinds. It looked to be a sunny day. Good. Regardless of the temperature, sunshine made her feel good, but she was ready for warm weather anytime. Of course, it was only April. Anything could still happen.
Her cell phone vibrated on the bedside table. “Hello?”
“Hey, sweetie. It’s Laura.”
“Hey, coz. How are you?”
“That’s why I’m calling. Josh has to go out of town last minute and invited me along. I tried to get his sister Susan to take the boys, but she can’t. Any chance you could take them for the night?”
Meghan had always admired her cousin’s marriage and would do about anything for the couple, but this... “I have to work. What would I do with the boys?”
“They can hang out at the clinic with you after school. Please say yes. Josh and I never get away, not just the two of us.”
Meghan stamped down her frustration. She wanted to help, but didn’t like the idea of having the boys at work. Then again, it wasn’t like Laura asked her for favors all the time, and this was kind of romantic. “It’s only for tonight?”
“Yes. All you have to do is make sure they get to school in the morning.”
Meghan sighed. “Okay.” Surely Dr. Harding would understand and not mind having the boys hanging around for a few hours.
“Thanks! I’ll have a friend drop them at the clinic after school. I owe you.”
“Count on me collecting. Should we stay at your house?”
“That might be easiest.”
“Okay. I’ll bring an overnight bag to work so we can go straight there.” They firmed up the details then Meghan rushed to get ready for work and pack. Even though Laura was a few years older, they’d always been close friends and Meghan really didn’t mind helping her out. The only problem was what to do with the boys after school while she worked. The boys, eight and ten years old, had energy to burn. Today would definitely be interesting.
Her cousin’s happy marriage had inspired her desire to be a matchmaker. If everyone had the kind of love Laura and Josh shared the world would be a much better place—where children grew up in two-parent homes and little girls weren’t abandoned. She stuffed the memory of the worst day of her life into the deep hole it had escaped from. She would not think about it.
Thirty minutes later, Meghan breezed into the clinic and logged on to the computer. Today was full of appointments. With a sigh, she went to find Dr. Harding. She hoped he wouldn’t mind her young cousins’ presence this afternoon, but it couldn’t be helped. Maybe he’d even have an idea about how to keep the two boys busy and out of mischief.
She rapped on the doorjamb. “Knock, knock.”
Dr. Harding swiveled around. “Morning, Meghan. You ready for a busy day?”
“Actually, I had a little hiccup arise. My cousin Laura and her husband are heading out of town for the night, and I’m the only one who can watch their boys. Would it be okay if they stayed here after school?”
“Josh’s wife, Laura?”
She nodded.
“I forgot you were Laura’s cousin. Small world. Josh is a good friend. Of course. Trent and Alex are always welcome.”
“Thanks.” She blew out a sigh of relief. “Um. Any idea what will keep them out of mischief? They aren’t into gaming, so I won’t have an electronic built-in babysitter.”
“Checkers. Trent is good. He’s even beat me a few times.”
“Now that you mention it, I think he beats most people. But, I don’t have a checker set.”
“Leave that to me. I’ll grab Keira’s set at lunch. Let me ask her if she has any other ideas. I imagine she’ll have a few suggestions.”
Meghan grinned at the mention of her boss’s wife. Her son Cody had practically spent the first five years of his life playing in the stockroom of Keira’s candy shop, so if anyone could help keep her
cousins occupied it’d be her. For the first time since Laura’s early morning phone call, Meghan breathed easy. “Thanks! You have no idea how much I appreciate this.”
“I think maybe I do. Besides, you’ve helped me out enough in the past. It’s the least I can do.”
“By the way, how are Max and Molly doing?” She’d grown to love Dr. Harding’s dogs when they were puppies and she missed seeing them. “You don’t bring your dogs to work much anymore.”
“Ah, Molly is a sweetheart and Max is a rascal. Cody showers them both with love and attention.”
“That’s great. Well, I guess I’d better get busy.” Meghan hurried to the front desk and looked through the schedule—it would be hectic, but not overwhelming. She hummed, pleased beyond words that her boss was finally content and happy. He’d been tough to work for until he’d met Keira, and her son Cody had been the icing on the cake. The boy and his mother had molded Dr. Harding into a well-rounded person who was now a pleasure to work with.
The front door opened, and Charity, her longtime friend, walked in holding a cat carrier.
“What are you doing here?” Meghan swept around the counter.
“I found this little cat in my backyard a few days ago, and he won’t leave, so I thought I’d bring him in to have him checked out.”
“I never thought of you as a cat person.” Meghan peered inside the carrier. “So you’re keeping him?”
“Maybe,” Charity hedged. “I hate to dump him at the shelter, and he’s pretty cute. But he has to be an outdoor cat. My mom is allergic.”
“Dr. Harding’s schedule is full today, but—” The door opened, admitting their first scheduled patient of the morning. “Hi, Mr. Mann.” She petted his dog. “Looks like Roxie is doing better. Her fur seems much fuller.”
A Match for Meghan (Heartsong Presents) Page 2
