Jill Lynn - Her Texas Family

Huh. Graham had thought there might be a skeleton in her closet. Instead, she’d been a defender for the young girls in her classes. Wouldn’t he want someone to do the same for Mattie if she were in a class like that? He’d definitely had Lucy pegged as something she wasn’t.

This woman surprised him. And Graham wanted her to stay working for him. In one morning, she’d accomplished more than any of the temps. His patients even liked her, and they reacted to change as though he was trying to personally offend them.

“Lucy, will you consider coming back to work?”

She rubbed her arms. “I’m not a huge fan of yours right now.”

“I’m not a huge fan of myself right now.”

Those lips curved ever so slightly. “You know, I wasn’t doing anything inappropriate with Hunter. I’d been standing on the chair—”

“I know. He told me. I overreacted.” And seeing his hands on you...hadn’t bothered Graham in the least. Lucy was too young for him to be thinking about her in that way. Plus, besides his other list of reasons, she was his employee. Possibly his employee.

“I’ll get a stool.”

Her head tilted, loose curls cascading over her right shoulder as she studied him. “Why do you want me to stay, anyway?”

“You dealt with this morning’s chaos better than the temps I’ve had in, and they had experience. All I’ve heard today is how delighted everyone is with you.”

Lucy’s eyes narrowed. “But I didn’t get anything done this morning but handling the phone.”

“But you did handle it.”

She didn’t look convinced, but at least she wasn’t running for her car. “I’m not exactly qualified for this position.” Her hand flew through her hair with agitation, sending the locks bouncing. One finger pointed at him. “You can’t just throw me into a medical office and expect me to have a clue what I’m doing. You have to give me some time to adjust and figure things out.”

“I—”

“And you have to at least try to like me. I’m not asking you to fall in love with me—” Good to know since that definitely wasn’t on Graham’s to-do list. “But you could at least make an attempt to get along. People don’t usually have such a hard time with me.”

That was exactly what he was afraid of. Lucy had this energy, this essence that just attracted people to her. Graham felt the tug, too, though he didn’t plan to pursue anything more than a work relationship. A friendly work relationship. That he could handle.

“I accept your terms.”

“Really? You’re not just saying that?”

He raised his right hand. “I pledge to not be a jerk.” He winced. “I’ll do my best. And I really mean what I’m saying.”

Lucy’s eyes began to twinkle. “Do you think we can get one purse a month thrown into my salary?”

“No.”

“How about one for the whole of Hollie’s maternity leave?”

“No.” His lips twitched.

“We could call it a briefcase, make it a business expense.”

“Lucy.” He groaned. What was he going to do with this woman? He wasn’t sure whether to laugh or run in the other direction.

Her shoulders inched up. “I would try to keep bargaining for more, but we both know I’m not that valuable of a commodity. I don’t want to ruin my chances.”

He had a feeling she would be more valuable—to his office—than she realized. Now that he was over his misconceptions, Graham felt relieved he’d found a fill-in for Hollie that his patients liked.

“I think we should shake on it. Graham Redmond, you promise to be patient with me as I figure out this job—and give me a real chance this time—and I’ll do my best to be professional.”

Lucy offered her hand.

“I already pledged an oath.”

She raised one eyebrow, waiting.

Fine. Graham would shake on it. He cupped her hand in his. It was warm and soft and definitely didn’t make him think about a business deal.

He pulled his hand back. Scrubbed it against his pants.

She was right. He hadn’t really given her a chance. He’d been expecting her to fail. But Graham should know by now he was the one who excelled in the failure department.

He’d definitely made mistakes with Brooke. He’d loved her. That much he’d got right. But he hadn’t been able to save her. He’d known when he married Brooke there were risks. She’d had cystic fibrosis, but she’d been on medication and always done well. Until her lungs had got worse and worse. Even then, Graham had assumed he could help her, that she’d get better.

They’d married young—just out of college. She’d worked, putting him through medical school. And then they’d found out Brooke was unexpectedly pregnant. At first, Graham had been shocked. He’d been a wreck. Would Brooke’s body handle the pregnancy okay? How would they make it? How would he provide? He’d planned to quit medical school until Brooke had given him a verbal slap, knocking him back to reality. She’d told him it would be fine.

And she’d been right.

At least for a while. They’d welcomed Mattie into the world, and Graham had fallen for her just as he had her mother. The years of residency had begun. Brooke had been a rock. Working, taking care of Mattie and shining like never before. Motherhood had fit her. Both of their parents had helped out as much as they could while living over an hour away. Things had settled in again. He’d been months from finishing his residency when Brooke got sick.

Graham should have been able to save her. He should have had the knowledge. He’d pushed her doctors for every detail, searched for answers himself—any treatment options they might be missing. But in the end, it hadn’t been enough. He hadn’t been enough. She’d faded quickly, no matter what he’d done. No matter what he’d prayed.

He still didn’t know how he’d made it through those last months of residency without her. Prayers and family had carried him. Graham had come out stumbling. He’d followed through on his and Brooke’s plan to move back to Fredericksburg and open a clinic near both of their parents, missing her as though part of his heart had been surgically removed.

He’d done it for Mattie. Graham would do anything for Mattie. Which was why he’d continued to practice medicine while doubts about his abilities as a doctor assailed him.

If he thought too much about Brooke, about how he’d failed her and been unable to save her, then he wanted to crawl into bed and never come out.

Instead, Graham focused on Mattie. Her needs before his. He kept putting one foot in front of the other, hoping the whole town wouldn’t notice he’d fallen flat on his face two years before.

“You still with me, Hollywood?” Lucy’s question interrupted his sprint down memory lane. She’d moved closer, about a foot away, bringing the scent of lime and coconut with her.

“Hollywood?”

Her lips lifted. “So, you can hear me. I wasn’t sure for a minute.”

A light breeze tousled her hair, and Lucy pulled her curls to one side while the hem of her skirt flitted above her knees.

For a second, Graham questioned his sanity, asking Lucy to keep working for him. He only knew his decision had nothing to do with her looks and everything to do with his medical office. Lucy was good at the position—okay, maybe good was too strong a word at this point. She had the potential to do well, and that was what mattered.

Besides, it wasn’t as if he was in love with the woman. He could simply admit she was beautiful and leave it at that. Anyone meeting Lucy would think the same.

Relief slid down his spine. A bit of attraction? That he could handle. He wasn’t signing up for anything more than a businesslike friendship with Lucy Grayson.