The Doctor's Dating Bargain

by Teresa Southwick

  More like pretty tempting. Ben spent a lot of sleepless nights thinking about her on the other side of the wall. There was nothing convenient about it.

  “All the dinners and hanging out? It’s not real.”

  “It looked real. And what about that camping trip three or four weeks ago? Did you, or did you not, take her into the mountains?” Alex asked.

  “I did. Just to further the pretense.” Sex hadn’t been a part of the charade. It had been real, and awesome. Unfortunately, having her had twisted everything up. “This whole dating thing is staged.”

  “Doesn’t look that way. People all over town have betting pools going.”

  “Betting on what?” Ben demanded.

  “When you’re going to pop the question. Wedding dates. All kinds of stuff.”

  “People all over town need to get a life,” Ben said. “I’m telling you it’s all an act.”

  “I can’t speak for the lady because I don’t know her that well. But you’re not that good an actor, bro. No offense.”

  “Cam and I made a bargain. My idea.” He didn’t want anyone to get the wrong impression about Cam. She wasn’t dishonest, just the opposite. And funny, sweet, vulnerable, beautiful. Damn it. Even in his own head he was sticking up for her. “I talked her into pretending to be my girlfriend so everyone would think I was off the dating market.”

  “The brilliance of that bachelor strategy makes me proud to be your brother.” Alex shook his head with amazement. “But how did you get her to go along with it?”

  “She was having trouble with the staff at the lodge. I gave her practical advice on how to handle different situations. Because I know most of the key players.” He shrugged. “Women left me alone at the clinic. And everything at the lodge is running more efficiently.”

  “I see.” His brother walked over to the doorway and leaned a shoulder against the exposed wood. “So you don’t have romantic feelings for her?”

  “No.” Unless that included sleeping with her that one time. He wasn’t sure where romantic feelings fit into wanting to sleep with her again. And just plain wanting to be with her.

  “You’re just friends,” Alex persisted.

  “Yeah.” Ben knew this man. These weren’t just idle questions. Something was on his mind and it wasn’t good. “You could say that. Why?”

  “Just wondering. I guess you wouldn’t mind if I asked her out, then.”

  An image of Cam with his brother flashed through Ben’s mind and white-hot anger roared in his head. No way, he thought. He didn’t care if Alex could take him.

  He moved a step closer and his hands curled into fists. “Don’t go there, Alex. You stay away from her. I’m warning you—”

  “Gotcha.” The other man grinned. “You’re too easy.”

  It took a couple seconds for anger to fade and reality to sink in. He’d been had, set up. Alex was right. He was easy. “I should pop you one for that.”

  “Gotta watch those surgeon’s hands. Besides, you could make more work for yourself. On the off chance you did me some damage, you’d just have to patch me up. I’m sorry about that.” His brother didn’t look sorry at all. “I thought you were feeling more than friendly toward the pretty lady and you just proved my point. I did it because someone had to make you see the truth.”

  Ben stared at his brother as thoughts raced through his mind, his conversation with Cam earlier. She’d asked about Judy, whether or not he was avoiding commitment because of her, and he hadn’t lied. He’d been the one to leave and Judy had refused to go with him. Obviously she hadn’t loved him, so he’d dodged a bullet. Eventually he’d realized that a long-distance relationship probably wouldn’t have worked either.

  His feelings for Cam were threatening to spill over the friendship limitation he’d put on them. And she was leaving. He’d suggested this bargain, but she’d agreed because she wanted to go somewhere else. He’d made a deliberate career choice to come back. And no one was supposed to get hurt.

  Things were not going as originally planned.

  Now Alex had just punked him by bluffing about asking Cam out. He’d done it to make a point. Ben asked, “What truth are you trying to make me see?”

  “You’ve got to nip those feelings in the bud, Bud.” Alex nodded emphatically. “If you don’t, you’re going to be in a lot of trouble.”

  Ben blew out a long breath. “Tell me something I don’t know.”

  * * *

  “I really feel awful,” Cam said into the phone. Normally she was at work by now, but she was moving slowly. She leaned against the counter in her small kitchen. “I just wanted you to know that I’m going to be a little late today.”

  “What’s wrong?” M.J. asked.

  “Same as the last couple days. I’m nauseous and tired. I’ll work here in my suite until I can shake it off. Then I’ll come down to the office in a while.”

  “Cam, I’m coming up there,” M.J. said.

  “That’s so nice of you, but really not necessary.” She walked out into the living room because the smell of freshly brewed coffee turned her stomach. “It will pass soon.”

  “That’s what you said yesterday. And the day before that. And the day before that.”

  “I’m okay. Room service is bringing ginger ale and crackers.”

  “Oh, my—”

  Cam couldn’t see M.J.’s face, but the tone of voice didn’t sound good. “What’s wrong?”

  “I’ll be right there. Glen’s going to man the desk for me. Sit tight.” There was a click on the line indicating she’d hung up.

  Cam sat on the overstuffed sofa and leaned back, closing her eyes. If she could stay like this and not move, everything would be just fine. It was when she sat up or walked around that her stomach turned on her.

  She thought about mentioning it to Ben but decided against that. She hadn’t seen him for a few days, since he’d taken her to the construction site for his house. On the drive back to Blackwater Lake he’d given off a weird vibe. Probably she shouldn’t have asked about Judy, but she couldn’t help herself. It would be too sad if that’s what was keeping him from being happy. He’d denied it and she believed him, but there was something standing in his way.

  Her life hadn’t been anywhere close to normal, but even she wondered about building a house big enough for a family when he didn’t seem to want one. He might have thought her questions were a hint, that she was trying to change the rules of their agreement on him. She wouldn’t do that, but it had gotten her thinking.

  There was a knock on her door, which was either room service or M.J. She could take on one or the other but not both at the same time. She managed to stand, walk to the door and open it, all the while keeping her rebellious stomach under control.

  Peg Simmons wheeled in the room service cart. She was in her fifties and had more energy than a lot of people twenty years younger. Silver was liberally streaked in her short, dark hair and her brown eyes were warm. And concerned.

  “Here you go, Cam.” She looked uneasy. “You might want to try and get in some protein. I can go back downstairs and have them fix you an egg and toast—”

  “No.” She pressed a hand to her stomach. Just the thought of it was unpleasant. “Thanks, but this will be fine—”

  M.J. appeared in the doorway. “How’s our girl?”

  If Cam had felt better the words would have produced a warm glow, but the nausea had put that reflex out of commission along with the rest of her.

  She looked from one woman to the other, so grateful that they were on her side now. “I’ll be fine,” she told them.

  “She’s not eating,” Peg said to the other woman. “Ginger ale and crackers isn’t a well-balanced breakfast and this is the fourth morning in a row you’ve ordered this.”

  “Have you talked to Ben about not feeling well?” M.J. asked. There was edginess on her face, but something else, too, as she exchanged a look with Peg. It was as if the two of them knew a secret that she didn’t have a clue
about.

  “As you both are aware, Ben is an orthopedic specialist. Nausea isn’t in his field of expertise.”

  “Then maybe you should see Adam Stone. He’s a family practice doctor.” Peg nodded emphatically.

  “I don’t think it’s necessary—”

  “Peg is right.” M.J. exchanged another knowing glance with the other woman. “Just get a checkup. You’ve been under a lot of stress lately.”

  “That’s true.” She chewed on the inside of her cheek. “Maybe this is female-related. My periods aren’t regular but I’m a little late—”

  Oh, dear God. She was late! She could be...

  No way. That wasn’t possible. She looked at the two women as panic scratched inside her. “I can’t be pregnant.”

  Peg breathed a sigh of relief. “Oh, thank God. I didn’t think you knew.”

  “You did?” Cam blinked at her.

  “I suspected. Nausea and fatigue are classic symptoms, right, M.J.?”

  “Hit me hard, both times. Ben will be so pleased. He’s really great with kids.” M.J.’s smile was happy and excited in that way women get when a female friend is doing the most womanly thing a woman can do.

  “It’s not true—I can’t be pregnant,” she said again.

  “So you didn’t have sex with your boyfriend the doctor?” Peg’s look was skeptical.

  Cam wasn’t thinking rationally enough to lie. “We used protection.”

  “Sweetie, if you’re not on the pill...” Peg’s voice trailed off and let the truth hang there.

  “I’m not.”

  Cam hadn’t trusted any man enough to let him that close so there was no reason to take an oral contraceptive. She hadn’t expected that to change in Blackwater Lake. She hadn’t planned to have sex. She hadn’t planned on meeting a guy like Ben McKnight.

  “Only abstinence is a hundred percent effective,” Peg informed her. “And when a couple gets...” She hesitated, searching for the most delicate word. “Athletic, condoms can be tricky. That’s why my two oldest kids have a brother six years younger.”

  Cam waited for her cheeks to get warm at the frank talk. She didn’t remember having a discussion this personal with her own mother, but somehow didn’t mind it now, with these two women. They were her friends.

  “I’m going to take a wild guess here that you haven’t said anything about this to Ben.” M.J. took her arm and led her to the sofa.

  Cam couldn’t sit. “No.”

  Peg took the soft drink can and a glass of ice from the room service cart and poured the carbonated liquid. She handed it to Cam. “It’ll be okay, honey. He’s a good man.”

  There would be no argument from her about that. But what a mess. And maybe it wasn’t true. She put her drink on the coffee table and looked at them. “Before I tell him, I think it’s important to know for sure.”

  “Pregnancy test,” M.J. said, nodding.

  “If I go get one at the drugstore it will be all over town.” At least here in Blackwater Lake people’s behavior was predictable. Her whole life paparazzi had stalked her every move and she never knew when, where or what she’d done that would result in a horrible, incriminating picture on the cover of a magazine. She met M.J.’s gaze. “Can you get one for me?”

  “Of course. There will be talk about me, but I can take the heat.” Her smile was reassuring. “I’ll go on my lunch hour.”

  “I’ll make it up to you—”

  “No need. It’s what friends do.”

  “Thank you—” Her voice caught and she pressed her fingers to her lips.

  “Getting emotional is another sign,” Peg said helpfully.

  Cam hugged the older woman, then M.J. “Thank you for being here. Both of you.”

  “This is just the way folks in Blackwater Lake roll,” Peg said with a shrug. She pushed her room service cart to the door and M.J. opened it.

  Just after the two women left the suite, the phone on the desk rang. After picking it up she said, “Camille Halliday.”

  “Hi, Cam. It’s Glen at the front desk.”

  “Hey,” she said, trying to sound cool and collected, as if her whole life wasn’t coming apart at the seams. “What’s up?”

  “Your parents are here.”

  Her heart stopped, then started to pound. “What?”

  “Dean and Margaret Halliday just checked in with me here at the desk. You look a lot like your mom,” he said cheerfully.

  The assumption was that she’d be glad to see them. And she was. But the timing of this surprise visit couldn’t be worse.

  “Where are they now?” she asked.

  “They said to tell you they’ll be waiting in your office.”

  “Understood.” Her hand was shaking when she hung up the phone. “I’ll be down soon.”

  Waiting in the office was Halliday Hospitality code for get your tush down here as soon as possible. That didn’t give her much time to transform herself from looking like something the cat yakked up to the business professional she wanted her father to believe she was.

  The thought of facing Dean Halliday Senior made her stomach drop. With the exception of a roller-coaster ride, she couldn’t think of any other occasion when that was a good thing. She’d just realized that she might be pregnant.

  All things considered, throwing up seemed like the sensible thing to do.

  Chapter Twelve

  “Mother. Dad.” Cam walked into her office with a bright, phony smile plastered on her face for the parents who were seated in front of her desk. “This is really a surprise.”

  “I was anxious to see you.” Margaret Halliday lifted her cheek for the traditional air kiss. She was blonde, blue-eyed, petite and perfect. Probably there was a resemblance until you got to the perfect part. “You look tired, Camille.”

  She glanced down at her designer suit and expensive heels, regretting the fact that she’d put herself together in a hurry. She also regretted that there wasn’t enough concealer on the planet to hide the dark circles under her eyes. So much for plan A.

  “It’s been a busy few months. I’m fine.” And possibly pregnant, she thought. But that wasn’t something she would share until absolutely necessary. “How are you?”

  “I’ll be better when you give me a report on this property.”

  Dean Halliday Senior was a handsome man in his late fifties. His hair was dark with the exception of silver at his temples. Stray gray wouldn’t dare crop up on his head to make him look anything but distinguished. If Hollywood was casting someone to play the president in a movie, Dean Halliday could be on the short list.

  Cam leaned down to kiss his cheek and imagined that it was a lot like touching her lips to one of the Mount Rushmore commanders-in-chief. In all fairness, maybe her attitude toward her parents needed an adjustment. At least they were here. Then she half sat on the corner of her desk and met her father’s gaze, bracing for the grilling she knew was coming.

  “Things are going really well, Dad. This property could be something very special. A place to get away from it all. Really away, if you know what I mean.”

  “I do.” Margaret crossed one slender leg over the other, rustling the silk of her black designer slacks. “The only airport is nearly a hundred miles away.”

  “Once you get here, the trip is worth it.” Cam looked from one to the other. “Towering mountains. Lakes and streams so crystal clear you can see the bottom. Fresh air—”

  “You sound like a travel brochure,” her father said.

  “If only a tri-fold glossy paper with words and pictures could adequately convey the splendor.” She straightened away from the desk. “Let me show you. I’ll give you a tour of the lodge.”

  “Lead the way.” Her father stood and buttoned his dark suit jacket.

  “Follow me.” Cam walked out of her office and around to the lobby side of the registration desk, then looked at the blonde wearing square black glasses behind it. “M.J., these are my parents, Dean and Margaret Halliday. This is Mary Jan
e Baxter, one of the best customer service representatives I’ve ever worked with.”

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you both.” M.J. smiled, but the expression in her eyes was questioning. Did the folks know yet about the suspected pregnancy?

  Cam gave a slight shake of her head, then smoothed her hair. “The staff here at Blackwater Lake Lodge is excellent. If you need anything, just let us know and—”

  “How are reservations?” her father asked. “Is there an improvement?”

  “Up sixty percent from this time last year,” Cam said. “We’re completely full for the summer and already starting to take reservations for the fall and holidays. There are even a couple of small regional conferences scheduled.”

  “Hmm.” Her father nodded, but there was no way to tell what he was thinking. Turning away, he inspected the furniture grouping in the lobby by the stone-front fireplace. “Rustic.”

  His tone wasn’t necessarily critical or condescending, but Cam found herself wanting to defend the lodge. “This room reflects the mountain milieu. People from New York or Los Angeles don’t want the chrome, crystal and marble they see there. Here in Blackwater Lake the wood and stone brings the outdoor magnificence inside.”

  “Hmm.” He nodded. “Let’s see the rest.”

  “Okay. Let’s go to the dining room. Amanda will want to say hello.”

  She led the way to Fireside and through the dining room, which was currently dark and empty of people since it didn’t open until five in the evening. All the tables had linens and silverware rolled in cloth napkins. The fireplace was cold now but in a few hours flames would be dancing cheerfully. Through the double doors in the back of the room was the kitchen and that’s where they found Amanda Carson.

  She was about Cam’s height, a beautiful brown-eyed brunette. At work she wore her long hair up in a twist and had on a white chef’s coat with a single row of buttons up the front.

  “I smell something burning.” She sniffed and instantly the sous chef and food preparers were scrambling to find and fix the problem. “That’s not the kind of smell that comes out of my kitchen.”