The Doctor's Return

by Narelle Atkins

  “Another reason why they are prepared to employ an exercise physiologist who works at both hospitals.”

  “That makes sense. From what I’ve seen, the gym facilities would suit rehab patients.”

  She nodded. “I’m looking to set up my own business, consulting to private patients and personal training at the gym. I need to rent a consulting room a few days a week, and you own the only medical clinic in town with extra space.”

  His mouth fell open. She wanted to work with him in his clinic. He stood taller, shaking his head. “I do want to lease the space but I’m looking for long-term tenants.”

  “I’m prepared to sign a twelve-month contract with an option to extend.”

  “Seriously?” She was prepared to live in one place for a whole year? He had his doubts.

  “The hospital contract is for a year minimum.”

  “What about skiing? And overseas holidays?” Could she sacrifice her jet-setting lifestyle and settle in a small town?

  “It can wait.” She placed her hands on her hips and lifted her chin. “I’m committed to this new direction for my life.”

  He tugged his mouth into a firm line. “You know you can’t leave your patients and clients without care if you decide to run off overseas or to the ski slopes for a few months. And since I’m going to be one of the doctors referring patients to you, I need to feel confident you’ll be around to look after them.”

  Her wide eyes pleaded for his understanding. “All I can give you is my word. I know why you think I’m unreliable....”

  He rubbed his hand through his hair. “This is a business decision.” A decision clouded by his personal judgments and past experiences.

  “There are currently no exercise physiologists in Snowgum Creek.” She sighed. “You know the health club is fully equipped to suit my needs. I promise you, I’m not going to run off in breach of my contracts.”

  Unlike the way she ran off the night he’d proposed marriage. A week later she was in Whistler, Canada, at a ski resort. He’d been a struggling med student who would have done anything for her, made enormous sacrifices to keep her happy. Instead, he’d learned the hard way that she was more committed to her freedom than to him.

  Now their lives had intersected on an unfamiliar path, and she was the one asking him for favors. Despite being drawn to her, he couldn’t risk his heart by getting involved again. Working with her, seeing her on a regular basis, would be an added complication.

  He couldn’t ignore the fact that his patients were on waiting lists for services Megan could provide. Services they might not receive if he declined Megan’s request and she chose to leave Snowgum Creek. “Okay, I’ll think about it.” Against my better judgment.

  She smiled, her face vibrant in the afternoon sunlight. “Thank you. I appreciate your help and I won’t let you down.”

  “It’s not a done deal yet, and I need to talk to my legal people first.” He tipped his head to the side. “Do you really want a one-year contract with an option to negotiate an extension?”

  “Yes, please.” Her blue eyes gleamed. “I promise you won’t regret this.”

  He swallowed hard. Could he put aside their past history and build a successful working relationship for the benefit of the Snowgum Creek community? Could he afford not to?

  Chapter 2

  Megan climbed a ladder and picked succulent green apples from the high branches in the family orchard. Her neck and back muscles strained from the pressure of holding the apples in a padded canvas fruit-picking bucket. The cumbersome bucket rested against her flat stomach, held in place by a harness strapped over her shoulders.

  After three days in the orchard, she now remembered how physically taxing it was to pick apples. She climbed down, detached the bottom of the bucket and deposited the apples in a nearby wooden crate.

  Jack rode by on his four-wheel motorbike, a full bin of apples attached to a trailer. He cut the engine and jumped off the bike. “How’s it going?”

  She adjusted her baseball cap and wiped the back of her hand over her sweaty forehead. “I’m getting a good workout.”

  He peered into her apple bin. “You’re doing well. I’d forgotten how fast you are at picking.”

  “I’m sure you’re much quicker than me these days. I’m out of practice.” She hadn’t picked apples since her university days when she’d come home for the long weekend Easter break.

  “But you’re still a good worker.”

  She wiped dust off her sunglass lenses using the hem of her T-shirt. “I’m earning my keep until I start the hospital job.”

  “So you signed the hospital contract?”

  “I sure did, and Luke is drawing up a contract for the medical clinic.” She was thankful Luke had agreed to let her work with him at the clinic.

  “It will be good to have you around when the baby arrives.”

  “Yep.” She grabbed her water bottle and drank a few mouthfuls, the cool liquid satisfying her thirst.

  “I’d better keep moving and check up on my other pickers to see if they’re working as hard as you.”

  “Not a chance.” She returned to the tree, spotting a couple of apples she’d missed. If only the Granny Smith apples didn’t blend in with the leaves.

  She worked her way along her row of trees, enjoying the fresh mountain air and the sunlight on her face. Later that week she planned to purchase a health club membership and resume her rigorous indoor fitness regimen. She couldn’t expect to recruit personal training clients if she didn’t train regularly and look the part.

  She climbed down the ladder, balancing her load of apples.

  A familiar deep voice halted her progress to the apple bin. “Hey, Megan, is Jack cracking the whip and putting you to work?”

  Luke ducked under a branch and joined her, a wide grin on his face. He wore a business shirt and long pants, sunglasses shading his eyes.

  She smiled and pulled her baseball cap lower over her face. “I’m having fun.” No doubt she looked a mess, wearing an old T-shirt and shorts streaked with dirt. Her mother had insisted she apply a generous layer of pink zinc cream to protect her face from the sun. “You could always roll up your sleeves and give me a hand.”

  He laughed. “Ben has already tried that one on me today, with no success. I’ve left your lease agreement with your mother.”

  “Thanks.” She waddled over to the crate and released her load of apples into the bin. “I’ll look at it tonight and get back to you.”

  “No worries.” He paused. “I was wondering if you’ve decided where you’re going to live.”

  She shook her head, moving on to the next tree. “I’ll stay with Mom and Dad until I find a rental.”

  “Ben mentioned that Amy is looking to rent out her cottage soon, and she’s planning to lease it partly furnished.”

  “It sounds like a possibility.” She’d been staying with her parents for less than a week and she was already keen to have her own space as soon as possible. She loved her parents and knew they had her best interests at heart, but her mom’s fussing and inquisitive questions tested her patience.

  “I’ll let Amy know you may be interested.” He shoved his hands in his pockets, rocking back and forward on his heels. “By the way, I missed seeing you at church on Sunday.”

  Her grip tightened on an apple, and she wrenched the stalk harder than necessary. “I slept in.”

  “Maybe I’ll see you next Sunday.”

  She shrugged. “I don’t often make it to church.”

  “Really? When we were at university you seemed very committed.”

  “Times change, I guess.” She reached for another apple on a low branch. “I move around a lot and haven’t found the right church.” She also hadn’t felt the need to attend church services on a regular basis.
A fact her mother had reminded her of too many times this past week. She sensed her aunt Doris didn’t approve of her nomadic lifestyle, but at least she’d kept her opinions to herself and hadn’t pressured her to comply with her standards.

  He frowned, checking his watch. “Yes, a lot has changed. I need to get back to the clinic.”

  “Okay. Thanks again for bringing over the contract.”

  “No problem. I’ll see you later.” He waved goodbye and strode away toward the house.

  She repositioned the ladder, ready to climb to the top. Kate had told her all about the lovely and welcoming people who belonged to Snowgum Creek Community Church. It wouldn’t hurt to start attending services again at her old church. It would pacify her mother and provide another opportunity to see Luke.

  Despite their complicated history, she couldn’t help feeling drawn to him. Curiosity drove her to learn more about his life in Snowgum Creek. Why did he seem content to settle in their hometown when his medical background provided numerous opportunities to travel and work in more exotic locations?

  * * *

  Luke walked between rows of apple trees, his brows drawn together. Megan’s attitude toward church had surprised him. She’d been enthusiastic about her faith in her youth, and he’d never have predicted her faith would become lukewarm in her twenties. Her evasive answers affirmed his belief that she was a fun-loving girl who enjoyed her freedom and avoided responsibilities.

  He reached his Jeep and spotted Jack heading his way.

  Jack waved and pulled his four-wheel motorbike to a stop beside the Jeep. “Do you have time for coffee?”

  “Not today.” He pulled his car keys out of his pocket, beeping the vehicle open. “I’m due back at the clinic, and I only stopped by to drop off Megan’s contract.”

  “So, you’re really going to do it?”

  “Yep. It’s a done deal after she signs on the dotted line.”

  Jack let the motorbike engine idle, and tipped his head to the side. “My sister is full of surprises.”

  He swung open the door of his Jeep. “She says she’s determined to stay for at least a year.”

  “To be honest, I’m puzzled by her change of heart.” Jack rubbed his hand along his jawline. “For years she said she’d never move back here.”

  He raised an eyebrow. “She hasn’t told you why she changed her mind?”

  “Nope, and she hasn’t told my parents or Doris, either.”

  “What about Kate?”

  He chuckled. “I can’t ask my wife to break the best-friend code of confidentiality, but I do know Kate is as puzzled as the rest of us. Apparently my sister usually tells Kate everything.”

  He narrowed his eyes. “I guess she’s looking forward to becoming an aunt when the baby arrives.”

  “Yes, but even so, this decision is out of character for Megan.” Jack frowned. “I wouldn’t count on her wanting to stay longer than a year.”

  Luke nodded, the implicit warning in Jack’s tone lodging like a boulder in his heart. It was likely Megan would never be ready to settle down, and he’d be foolish to contemplate the idea of a serious relationship with her again. If her own family doubted her ability to commit to living in Snowgum Creek long-term, he couldn’t see her signing an extension on her current contract.

  * * *

  Three days later, Megan stifled a yawn and stood with the Snowgum Creek Community Church congregation for the opening song. She had dragged herself out of bed that morning, determined to make it to church on time. Jack and Kate had given her a lift. They had selected seats in the second-back row, providing an uninterrupted view of the whole building.

  Memories of sitting with Luke in this church filled her mind. She scanned the rows on both sides of the center aisle, unable to see him. The music and words on the overhead screen at the front were unfamiliar, and she gave up trying to look as though she was singing along with the congregation.

  The song ended and she sat down, a smile curving up her lips. Luke had slipped into a spare seat five rows in front of her across the aisle.

  She wriggled in the uncomfortable wooden pew, frustrated that she’d forgotten to collect a cushion when they’d arrived. The muscles in her back and shoulders ached from six days in the orchards, although she had only worked half days toward the end of the week so she could spend more time with Kate.

  She opened a Bible that was stashed on a shelf behind the seat in front of her and located the first chapter of Jonah for the first reading. She had discovered her dog-eared Bible from her university days while cleaning up her bedroom. A present from Luke for her eighteenth birthday, he had written a heartfelt and loving message on the inside front cover.

  Moisture had filled her eyes as she recalled Luke’s generosity and genuine affection. At the tender age of twenty-one and with big dreams for her future, she hadn’t realized the gravity of casting aside his love in her pursuit of new adventures.

  In the following years she hadn’t met a man who measured up to Luke. She valued her friendship with Kate because the social circles she moved in in the city were filled with pleasure-seeking people who lived only for the moment.

  Before long the pastor commenced his sermon, talking about how Jonah had run away from the Lord because he didn’t want to preach against the wicked citizens in Ninevah.

  Megan understood running away. She’d fallen into a pattern of avoiding difficult situations. The Lord had held Jonah to account by creating a wild storm that threatened to destroy the ship he’d boarded, a ship that was headed in the opposite direction away from Ninevah.

  She cringed as the pastor spoke his closing words. Jonah knew his actions were the cause of the storm. He had volunteered to be cast overboard and was swallowed by a big fish. Could she escape her past? Was she going to have to face the consequences of her decisions soon?

  The service ended and Jack moved away toward the aisle.

  Kate stayed in her seat, furrowing her brow. “Meg, please don’t be mad with me.”

  “What’s wrong?”

  Kate lowered her voice, moving her head closer. “You know how I mentioned we’re going out to lunch after church.”

  She nodded. Jack wanted to buy her lunch to thank her for her work in the orchards. Not that he needed to, because she was a part owner with him and their parents. Her income from the orchards helped finance her overseas trips.

  “Um, I kind of forgot to tell you all the details.”

  “No big deal. Jack mentioned he’d made a booking at the Italian restaurant.”

  “Did he tell you who else is coming?”

  She shook her head, her stomach plummeting like a roller coaster. “You invited Luke?”

  “I’m sorry. Jack asked me yesterday to tell you about the change in plans and I totally forgot.” She let out a big sigh, her hand resting on her belly. “This pregnancy is causing me to forget everything.”

  “Is it just the four of us?”

  “Yes, and I hope you know we’re not trying to set you up with Luke.”

  “It’s okay.” She gave her best friend a hug. “Lunch will be fun, and I doubt Luke will think you’re trying to matchmake.”

  A petite blonde woman ducked into the row in front of them. She greeted Kate before giving Megan a bright smile. “Megan, you’re looking fabulous.”

  “Amy, wow, it’s been a long time. You’re looking great.” Megan stood. “Congratulations on your marriage.”

  “Thanks. I’m glad to hear you’re staying because I need a good trainer to help me get in shape. Ben’s delicious cooking will start piling on the pounds if I don’t do something soon.”

  Luke appeared beside Amy, shooting her a cheeky smile. “Are you criticizing my brother’s cooking?”

  Amy’s blue eyes twinkled. “Of course not, but he likes using in
gredients laden with calories. And he burns more calories in the orchard than I do as your clinic nurse.” She turned to Megan. “It’s great to hear you might be joining us soon.”

  Megan nodded. “I have a few things to organize first.” Her business advisor had confirmed late on Friday afternoon that Luke’s contract was a fair deal. Once she checked out the premises, she was prepared to sign the contract.

  “And Luke said you may be interested in the cottage.”

  “Yes, I’m looking for a twelve-month lease.”

  Amy’s face lit her, her smile contagious. “That could work for me.”

  “Okay, let me know when it’s ready to inspect.”

  “It’s ready to go. Ben and I are driving over to Sunny Ridge now to visit family, otherwise I could have shown you today.”

  “No worries,” Megan said. “We can arrange a time later.”

  Luke turned to Amy. “I can swing by with Megan today and return the keys to you tomorrow at work.”

  “Good idea.” Amy searched her purse and handed Luke a set of keys. “I’d better go and find Ben, otherwise we’ll be late. Thanks for helping me out.”

  “No problem.” He slipped the keys into his pocket.

  Megan smiled. “Thanks, Amy. I appreciate your help.”

  “You’re welcome. We can talk more during the week.” Amy waved goodbye before rushing off toward the front exit.

  Kate nudged Megan’s forearm, her eyes glittering in the muted light. “Jack said he’d meet us in the hall for coffee. Or would you two prefer to check out the cottage now and meet us at the restaurant?”

  Luke shrugged. “I don’t mind either way.”

  Megan held his direct gaze, recognizing an opportunity to delay being interrogated by the townsfolk during morning refreshments. Her mother had forewarned her to expect a couple of people to question her choice to remain single at the age of twenty-nine. “Let’s go there first.”

  “Sure.” He smiled. “What time is the lunch booking?”

  “Midday,” Kate said.

  His eyes softened, reminding Megan of molten honey.