The Doctor's Dating Bargain

by Teresa Southwick

  “I have a lot of work. My plan was to grab something quick at my desk and—”

  “No.”

  She looked up and met his gaze. “Excuse me?”

  “You’re not going to eat at your desk, and I don’t care if it’s a seven-course meal that takes hours.” He came around the desk and gently tugged her to her feet. “I’m taking you away from all this.”

  “But—”

  He touched a finger to her lips, putting a stop to the protest. Her mouth tingled from his touch and she wished he’d kissed her instead. That would have worked really well for her.

  “No excuses,” he said. “Come with me.”

  “Where?”

  “You’ll see.”

  “Don’t you have patients?”

  “Not for a couple of hours. There’s time.” He smiled mysteriously.

  “Can I have a hint where we’re going?” Passing the registration desk, she waved goodbye to M.J. The sappy smile just got sappier.

  His SUV was parked near the front of the lodge and he opened the passenger door for her. She got in and fastened her seat belt, which suddenly seemed an apt metaphor for her life. After he got in the driver’s seat, it occurred to her that was another appropriate metaphor for them. He always seemed to be plotting the course. Of course it was working for her professionally. And yes, darn it, she was more personally involved than she’d expected.

  “So,” he said, “you want a hint about where we’re going.”

  “That would be nice, yes.”

  “Okay. It’s not in town.”

  “I don’t understand.” She looked at the smug expression on his face. “We’re always in town. That’s the point. So everyone can see us together. To keep up the charade.”

  “M.J. saw us. She’ll spread the word that we’re inseparable.”

  For now. But they’d be separating soon. If the upward trend continued, she’d be lobbying her father for a more high-profile position at a Halliday Hospitality Inc. property in a city far away from Blackwater Lake. The thought made her stomach feel empty and that had nothing to do with being hungry. She would miss Ben and that wasn’t supposed to happen.

  He drove out of town as promised and headed north on Lake View Drive. Trees lined both sides of the road and the sky overhead was big and blue. Big sky country. Words couldn’t describe how beautiful this place was. It was something a person had to experience firsthand. Oddly enough, she could feel the tension easing out of her.

  “Okay. We’re out of town. I need another hint. Is it bigger than a breadbox?”

  “Yes. And it has great views.” He glanced over, mischief in his eyes.

  “Just so you know, I’m not dressed for camping and hiking.”

  He laughed. “Me either.”

  The mountain-man look on their weekend trip had been rugged and appealing, but she kind of liked him in the long-sleeved white cotton shirt and khaki pants he was wearing now. In fact, he didn’t seem to have an unappealing look. She liked him in anything. Or nothing.

  “Are you okay?”

  “Dandy.” She looked out the window so he couldn’t see the heat in her cheeks.

  He made a right turn onto a road that went uphill. At the top there was a lot littered with construction materials and in the center there was the shell of a structure going up.

  “We’re there.” He put the car in Park and turned off the ignition.

  “Is this your house?” she asked.

  “Yes.” He reached into the backseat. “I brought water and sandwiches from the diner.”

  “Good. Because I’m too hungry to wait for you to catch, clean and cook a fish.” She opened her door and slid down. “It’s like a picnic.”

  “Watch your step,” he warned. “The ground is uneven and there’s trash around.”

  And fresh air. “The breeze up here is wonderful.”

  He took her elbow in his free hand and guided her over the uneven ground to where the solid foundation stood and the scent of sawdust tickled her nose. The framing was complete with wooden stairs up to the second floor, but no solid walls separated out the rooms. There was a lot of space.

  Ben pretended to open the front door and let her precede him. “This is the entryway and leads all the way to the family room. To the left there will be a formal dining room and the living room is on the right.”

  “Formal dining?”

  He shrugged. “Family dinner on Sunday night.”

  She walked to the back of the house and looked around. “Is this going to be all windows?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Good. It would be a crime to block a view this spectacular.”

  “I couldn’t agree more.” Hands on hips, he stared at the view of the mountains, which was breathtaking. Then he pointed to a spot in the kitchen. “The sink is going there. You can see the lake while doing dishes.”

  She knew he meant that as a generic “you,” not as in she would be around to see the lake or do dishes. On the cement floor there was writing that looked like measurements. “Is this going to be an island?”

  “Yes. Big enough to land a jet and space for lots of cupboards underneath.” He pointed to the corner. “Over there is a large, walk-in pantry. Beside it will be two built-in ovens and a microwave. A cooktop just there and room for a Sub-Zero refrigerator.”

  “Nice. Really nice. Can I see the upstairs?”

  He grinned at her enthusiasm. “Follow me.”

  She held on to the wooden railing and at the top of the stairs he led her through what would be the double-door entry to the huge master suite, with a large dressing area with his and hers closets. He took her through four more bedrooms, two baths and a big game room.

  “How many square feet is this going to be?” she asked.

  “Five thousand—give or take.”

  “Wow.” She wandered back to the master bedroom with him behind her.

  “Right there,” he said indicating a corner, “there’s going to be a fireplace.”

  “Nice.” What she wanted to say was almost as romantic as the stars in the mountains, but she stopped herself just in time.

  He pointed up. “I’m putting in skylights to bring in light for a dreary winter day.”

  “This is going to be wonderful,” she said, filled with a longing she didn’t understand. “Who’s the builder?”

  “My brother. This is the first of a development of custom homes in this area. I bought the lot from him. I’m the guinea pig, I guess. It will be sort of a model for buyers looking in this neighborhood.”

  “Willing to spend the big bucks,” she guessed.

  “Alex is looking at a tidy profit margin.” He walked over to the wooden window seat, took a napkin out of the bag and brushed it off. “Your table.”

  “Thanks.” She sat and took the club sandwich he held out.

  Ben sat next to her with his own. “Bon appétit.”

  They ate in silence for a few minutes and the breeze drifting around them carried the fragrance of pine and spring wildflowers.

  “This is a beautiful spot. And that doesn’t even do it justice.” She looked at him. “There are a lot of bedrooms in this house. You must be planning to have kids to fill them up.”

  “I hadn’t really thought about it. It’s big and that’s good for resale.”

  “So you didn’t factor in a wife and children when you had the plans drawn up?”

  He shrugged. “Maybe someday.”

  She studied him, looking for signs of—something. She didn’t see shadows or sadness in his expression. “Are you dragging your feet on marriage for any particular reason?”

  “Are you psychoanalyzing me?” He chewed a bite of sandwich and there was nothing but amusement in his eyes.

  “You can call it that if you want. Or it could come under the heading of making conversation. But pretty much I’m just being nosy.”

  He laughed. “I don’t think I’m a marrying kind of guy—”

  She wanted to leave it hanging
there, but just couldn’t. “Are you avoiding a commitment because of Judy?”

  “What do you know about her?” Now he looked annoyed.

  “She was your high school girlfriend. You gave up a prestigious college in the east to go to school close by because you didn’t want to leave her. After graduation you proposed so you could take your wife to med school, but she wasn’t ready to leave. You were willing to do the long-distance relationship thing and she agreed. Six months after you left she married a ski bum and moved to New York.” She looked at him and shrugged. “People talk.”

  “Remind me to have a word with M.J.” He scowled.

  “Did I get it right?”

  “Pretty much.”

  “Does it still bother you?” She watched his expression carefully.

  “I hadn’t thought about her for years. Not until we ran into her on the street.”

  The night he’d kissed her. Studying him, she saw no evidence in his expression that he still had feelings for the woman. “Have you had a significant relationship since?”

  “I’m feeling a cross-examination vibe,” he said, eyes narrowing.

  “This is a great house. It would be a wonderful place to raise a family. We’re putting on a show for Blackwater Lake, but I feel as if we’ve gotten to be friends.” And lovers, even if it was only one time. Intensity shadowed his eyes and she’d bet he was remembering that night in the tent, too. “I’m trying to figure out why you’re building a family house without thinking about a family to fill it.”

  He shrugged. “I dated in Las Vegas. But I was pretty busy growing my medical practice. There wasn’t a lot of time to build a relationship. Women tend to lose interest if they get bumped for a medical emergency too many times.” He finished his sandwich and wadded up the paper.

  That confirmed what M.J. suspected. “So after Judy you didn’t meet anyone who made you want to take a chance on marriage?”

  “No. What about you? Anyone special?”

  “I thought so once or twice, but they had another agenda. Now it’s all about my career.”

  That was his way of changing the subject, because she’d already told him why she had good reasons not to trust. Once a Halliday, always a Halliday. Her last name would always be well-known and she’d never know whether a man wanted her or the recognition that went with her. But building a career was something she could trust.

  “So, I’m curious. Why did you bring me here?” Certainly not for her approval. And he didn’t seem like the kind of man who was a show-off.

  “This is sort of taking our relationship to the next level.”

  “I don’t understand,” she said. “We don’t have a relationship.”

  “Really? You said we were friends.”

  “Well, yes. But that’s a one-level sort of thing. How is this taking it up?”

  “My brother, Alex, was wondering if you’d seen this place yet.”

  “Ah. It would be a logical next step if we were actually dating.” She should have known. It was all part of the act.

  “Right. So, if you happen to see him, or any other members of my family, you don’t have to pretend.”

  Like she was pretending to care about him. Except it was feeling less and less like pretending.

  She’d never met a man who had the capacity to care as much as Ben did. She liked him a lot. She found herself wanting what they had to be more. And now she’d seen where he planned to live. It was a wonderful place to raise a family and the idea of that started a yearning deep inside her for the family she’d always wanted and stopped believing she’d ever have.

  She couldn’t help thinking what a waste it was that a family wasn’t in his plans. That was silly, really, because it wasn’t her plan either. But this bargain had become way more complicated than she’d expected and she was beginning to regret making it.

  The only thing she regretted more was that she wouldn’t be around to see Ben’s house finished.

  Chapter Eleven

  Ben was beginning to regret the bargain he’d made with Cam Halliday.

  After seeing his last patient of the day at the clinic, he drove back out to his house under construction. He walked through the opening where the front door would eventually be and swore he could still smell the fragrance of her perfume. In the big open room where the cement foundation was marked off for the kitchen island and cupboards, he could still see her looking out at the mountains, fascinated by the majestic sight. She’d picked up on the fact that it would be criminal to put in any walls and obstruct that view.

  He climbed up the crude staircase and remembered the sensuous sway of her hips as she’d moved to the second floor. It had taken every ounce of his willpower to keep from scooping her into his arms and sweeping her the rest of the way up. Unfortunately that romantic gesture would have been wasted since there was no big fluffy bed to put her on.

  Then again, maybe that wasn’t such a bad thing. It was the only reason he hadn’t kissed the daylights out of her before loving the daylights out of her. He’d badly wanted to.

  He wanted her so much it hurt.

  In the master bedroom he stared at the window seat where they’d sat and the empty bag from lunch. It wasn’t littering. Not really. This was his house. Eventually he would move in here. Alone.

  Ben remembered Cam’s words and the wistful look on her face when she’d said this would be a good place to raise a family. He could picture her here, putting her touch on everything, infusing her classiness into the decorating, adding a lot of color to the landscaping. And that gave him a bad feeling.

  Inserting her personality into his life wasn’t supposed to be part of this bargain.

  It was so quiet out here he heard the sound of a car coming up the hill, then pull onto his lot. In one of the unfinished front bedrooms he looked out the window and saw his brother’s black truck. Alex was just getting out.

  “Thank God.” He needed a distraction. Anything to keep him from thinking about Cam.

  Ben jogged downstairs to the kitchen. His brother was carefully looking over the framing and whatever else a building contractor inspected. Alex was really good at what he did. He’d started McKnight Construction in California, then opened a branch here in Blackwater Lake when he brought his pregnant wife here to live. But she’d had secrets and Alex’s family had unraveled. Ben wasn’t sure his brother would ever get over that.

  “Hi,” he said.

  Alex dragged his gaze away from the heavy-duty metal floor brackets that held the weight-bearing beams in place. “Hey, little brother. What do you think of the place so far?”

  “I think that everything you talked me into is perfect. So far.”

  “Good.” He settled his hands on lean hips. “Like what?”

  “The walk-in pantry.” Cam’s eyes had glowed with approval.

  “What else?”

  “The window seat in the master bedroom.” Ben could still see her brushing her hand over it as if she was deciding on fabric for the cushion. With an effort he pulled his thoughts back to the here and now.

  It was amazing how Alex managed to look confident and professional in jeans, boots, T-shirt and baseball hat sporting the McKnight Construction logo. But he carried it off beautifully. “And?”

  “What?”

  “Isn’t there something else I was right about?”

  His brother had suggested the corner fireplace in the master bedroom. Ben had pictured himself in a big, fluffy, king-size bed with a fire going and Cam in his arms after making love. It was romantic crap with zero chance of happening.

  “I’m not feeding your Montana-size ego anymore.”

  Alex’s eyes narrowed on him. “Bad day at the clinic?”

  “No.” Work wasn’t the problem. Lunch had unsettled him.

  “Has Cam seen the house?”

  “Why would you ask that?” Ben demanded.

  “Gosh, I don’t know. Maybe because the two of you are always together.” Alex shrugged. “Just seems to me you’d
want her opinion on this place.”

  “I’m building it for me.”

  Could have been the words or the tone, but something about that statement had his brother’s eyes narrowing. “Is everything all right with the two of you?”

  “Of course.” Ben’s voice was sharper and more defensive than he’d intended.

  “That doesn’t sound good at all.” Alex moved closer, studying him. “Want to talk about it?”

  “There’s nothing to say.”

  “You’re not a very good liar, little brother.”

  “What makes you think I’m not telling the truth? That there’s nothing wrong?”

  “Because you look like someone cut the ears off your favorite stethoscope. What’s her name?”

  “What makes you think it’s a her?”

  “Come on, Ben. Tell me what’s going on.”

  “I could. But then I’d have to kill you.” He was going for humor, but his brother’s expression didn’t lighten up.

  “Seriously?” Alex shook his head. “This is me. No way I’m going down.”

  Ben figured he was probably right about that. The guy worked with his hands, swung tools, carried heavy building materials and was in really good shape. Ben ran and lifted weights, but that wouldn’t tip the scales in his favor during a physical confrontation with his older brother.

  “I was kidding. Just drop it, okay?”

  Alex shook his head. “Not when you look like that. Spill it, bro.”

  Ben wondered when he’d become so easy to read. He really needed to talk to someone, because this bargain was dishonest and so not like him. Realistically, he didn’t have much to lose if word got out about it. Cam would be leaving soon and he didn’t have a plan B for when she was gone. So what if he confided in Alex, who then spilled the beans? It would be a relief to tell the truth. Maybe when word spread, and it would, women would get the message that he wanted to be left alone.

  He took a deep breath, then said, “Cam and I aren’t really dating.”

  Alex stared at him for several moments. “That’s funny, because the two of you have been spotted all over town together. And there was that backpacking trip. Your rooms at the lodge are right next door to each other, which makes things pretty convenient.”