Renee Ryan - The Doctor's Christmas Wish

Against her better judgment, she allowed herself to observe man and dog. Halfway between their yards, Baloo bounded into a snowdrift, then popped up with a ball in his mouth and white flakes clinging to his black fur. Keely could hear Ethan’s uninhibited laughter as he brushed off his snow-covered dog.

She never saw this side of him. She couldn’t help wondering why. She sensed something tragic had happened to him before he returned to Village Green. There were times when they weren’t sniping at each other that she saw the grief in his eyes. Thanks to Cutter, she knew that look of loss well.

Though Keely didn’t know any details, she sensed Ethan’s heart had been shattered by the loss of a woman.

Had it been a death or a bad breakup?

Either scenario indicated a man unwilling to let go of something, possibly someone, from his past. A good reminder, she told herself, that Ethan wasn’t the man for her.

That didn’t mean Keely couldn’t enjoy watching him now. Riveted by the sight of all that masculine energy unleashed in a game of fetch, she continued to stare.

As if sensing her eyes on him, Ethan paused in the middle of his windup. The smile he shot in her direction reached deep inside her heart and squeezed.

Gasping softly, she moved away from the window and that heart-tugging grin. No doubt about it, she was in serious trouble.

What was it about the man? He was good-looking, and sure, she liked good-looking men. What woman didn’t? He was also single, financially stable and a successful doctor.

But she also knew he could be arrogant, bossy and treat a woman—Keely—like a twelve-year-old girl instead of the adult she’d become. Added to her suspicions as to why he didn’t date, she knew to keep up her guard.

Minutes later, even prepared for the resounding knock, Keely still had to lock her knees and gulp for air.

Felicity rushed into the kitchen. “I heard a knock at the back door. Do you think it’s Dr. Ethan?”

The kid had excellent hearing. Keely filed away that piece of information with everything else she’d discovered about the little girl today. Turned out, Felicity enjoyed dance classes and ice-skating as much as Keely had at her age.

She also disliked playing soccer, tennis and other organized sports. Again, just like Keely.

There was still so much to discover about her cousin. At least she’d made considerable headway today. Unfortunately, whenever the subject of school came up, or Keely broached the possibility of meeting new friends, Felicity’s face turned gray and the complaints of not feeling well began.

Keely was concerned there might be a larger problem brewing than the child’s simple reluctance to attend a new school and meet other girls her age. Please, Lord, let this be a normal part of the transition into my home and not a symptom of something bigger.

A second knock sounded. Felicity gave Keely a look of impatience. “Can I see if it’s Dr. Ethan at the door?”

“Go ahead.”

The door squeaked on its hinges mere seconds before Ethan’s low chuckle rumbled in response to the child’s excited hello. Clearly, Felicity wasn’t shy around their handsome neighbor. The thought gave Keely hope for the girl’s future.

“I brought my dog over to meet you,” she heard Ethan say to Felicity. “His name is Baloo.”

A series of happy barks mingled with delighted little-girl squeals. “He’s so pretty.”

“Don’t let him hear you say that.” Ethan spoke the words in an amused stage whisper. “Baloo’s sensitive about his gender.”

“Oh, sorry. He’s so handsome ,” Felicity cooed. “You’re a handsome boy, aren’t you?”

It wasn’t long before the child invited their visitors to come inside the house.

Baloo bounded into the kitchen first, tail wagging fast as a whip. Keely smiled at the handsome black Lab. “Hey, big boy.”

All but quivering with excitement, the dog leaped at her. Ethan caught hold of his collar just in time.

“Sit,” he ordered.

Baloo whined pitifully but immediately obeyed, then politely offered a paw to Keely.

Charmed, she obliged the dog by giving him a hearty handshake.

“That’s so cool,” Felicity announced, moving in for a better look. “Can I try?”

“Go for it.” Keely stepped aside so the little girl could take her place in front of Baloo.

With the same patience he’d displayed the previous evening, Ethan showed Felicity a series of tricks that Baloo could do. Sit. Shake. Lie down. “Now you try.”

“Okay.”

Only after Felicity took over issuing the commands did Ethan shift his attention to Keely. Oh boy . She blamed the stutter in her pulse on those piercing blue eyes. When Ethan zeroed in on a woman, she knew it, all the way down to her toes.

He’d changed clothes since this morning. The five o’clock shadow provided a dangerous, appealing edge. He wore a different T-shirt, but the slogan was similar to last night’s: Here I Am. What Are Your Other Two Wishes?

The man really was annoying. Snorting in exasperation, she lifted her head, found herself caught once again in his gaze. She really wished he’d quit staring at her with... those eyes .

“Hey,” he said with a knowing smirk.

Unable to speak, she hummed out a quick response.

His smile turned into a muffled chuckle. The slightly condescending sound increased her unease. Then came the familiar frustration. Antagonism was one step away. But giving in to the emotion would be childish.

“I, uh...” Keely grabbed the remaining scraps of her dignity. “I wasn’t expecting you to stop over again tonight.”

“Came to check on my patient.” He broke eye contact—finally—and focused on Felicity.

The little girl was running Baloo through his repertoire of tricks a second time around.

“How you feeling this evening, Flicka?”

“Huh?” Hand wrapped around Baloo’s outstretched paw, the little girl looked up. “Oh... I’m good. I didn’t have to go to school, so Keely and I spent all day baking cookies and making care packages for the Youth Center’s Christmas party.”

“Sounds like fun.”

“It was super fun. In a few days I have to meet Keely’s best friend, Olivia, and her daughters, Megan and Molly.” The child’s eyebrows pulled together in a worried frown. “They’re my age and Keely says they can’t wait to meet me.”

“If Keely said that, then it’s true.”

“I guess so.” She heaved a sigh, the little-girl worry evident in the sound. “Hey, can I take Baloo into the other room and see if he’ll play tug-of-war with a sock?”

Though innocently asked, the question brought a complete change over Ethan. His smile dropped, his shoulders tensed, his gaze went distant. It was as if he’d been transported to another place, at least in his mind, somewhere not altogether pleasant.

He cleared his throat, twice. “It’s one of his favorite games, especially with little girls on the other end of the sock.”

As the two hurried off, an awkward silence fell over the kitchen. Keely couldn’t understand why Ethan’s entire demeanor had changed simply because Felicity wanted to play tug-of-war with Baloo. She remembered a similar change in him last night.

In the days leading up to their broken engagement, Cutter had looked much like Ethan now. The memory made her doubly wary of the man standing in her house.

Nevertheless, she couldn’t stop herself from worrying about Ethan. He needs me . The thought surprised her. Ethan Scott was the most capable man she knew. And the most annoying.

And yet...

She placed her fingertips on his arm. “Are you all right?”

Shrugging away from her touch, he blinked slowly, squared his shoulders and drew in a long breath. Once again he was Mr. Cool, Calm and Casual.