Susan Carlisle - Hot Single Docs - Meeting His Match - NYC Angels - The Wallflower's Secret / NYC Angels - Flirting with Danger / NYC Angels - Tempting Nurse Scarlet

NYC Angels: The Wallflower’s Secret NYC Angels: The Wallflower’s Secret Susan Carlisle

Back Cover Text Some secrets are best shared… Since making the ultimate emotional sacrifice for her sister, counsellor Lucy Edwards has kept her feelings buried and her heart on lockdown. Enter neurosurgeon Ryan O’Doherty, complete with piercing blue eyes and roguish charm. Working with him on an emotive case brings all of Lucy’s painful memories to the surface…and even closer to Ryan. Lucy’s finally tempted to let someone in—but will their fragile relationship survive her most difficult revelation?

Dedication This one is for you, Drew. I love you.

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

NYC Angels: Flirting with Danger

Back Cover Text

Dedication

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

CHAPTER NINETEEN

CHAPTER TWENTY

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

EPILOGUE

NYC Angels: Tempting Nurse Scarlet

Back Cover Text

Dedication

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

About the Publisher

NYC Angels: The Wallflower’s Secret

Susan Carlisle

Some secrets are best shared…

Since making the ultimate emotional sacrifice for her sister, counsellor Lucy Edwards has kept her feelings buried and her heart on lockdown. Enter neurosurgeon Ryan O’Doherty, complete with piercing blue eyes and roguish charm. Working with him on an emotive case brings all of Lucy’s painful memories to the surface…and even closer to Ryan. Lucy’s finally tempted to let someone in—but will their fragile relationship survive her most difficult revelation?

This one is for you, Drew. I love you.

CHAPTER ONE

PEDIATRIC NEUROSURGEON DR. Ryan O’Doherty’s attention remained on the child lying in the ICU bed of Angel Mendez Children’s Hospital in New York City as he spoke to the father. “I removed as much of the tumor as possible. I didn’t get it all because I couldn’t risk additional impairment.”

This father wasn’t the first person to hear those words and he wouldn’t be the last. Ryan made a point not to gloss over the truth when speaking to parents. Despite the fact that Ryan knew he possessed more than competent skills, he’d done all he could for the child. He couldn’t fix them all. Parents had to accept that.

“I understand. His mother and I will take him home and love him for as long as we can,” the father said in a voice filled with tears.

The father had courage. He’d have to cling to it down the road.

The sharp, shrill sound of Ryan’s phone filled the air. He tapped the screen, stopping the offending noise, and looked at the message. Human Resources. He’d forgotten all about being expected down there. What could possibly be so important in the paper-pusher department that he was needed so urgently?

He glanced at the father again. “The neurologist will re-evaluate your son’s case. I’ll be here if needed,” he said curtly. “Now, if you will excuse me...”

“Thanks for all you’ve done.”

Ryan nodded. It was his job.

Ten minutes later, Ryan walked through the network of gray hallways on his way to the human resources department. Hospital leadership was notorious for putting HR departments in the basement of the oldest section of the hospital and in the furthest corner, if they could accomplish it. Angel’s was no different. Ryan hadn’t seen this particular region of the building since he’d become an official employee five years earlier.

He wasn’t sure why he’d been summoned, but he’d received an email the day before, requesting his presence. When he’d called to say he was too busy to make the meeting, Matherson, the HR director, had stated it was mandatory that he attend. Ryan was sure the trip down would be a complete waste of his time. Whatever he was needed for, surely could be handled by email.

Despite technically being an employee, he still wasn’t used to being called into someone’s office. If there was something to be said he was typically the one doing the calling. Expected for a surgery consultation in just a few minutes, he needed to get this over with. He made the final turn in the hallway and pushed the faux woodgrain door open, entering the functional waiting area that would have been drab if not for the colorful framed pictures of children hanging on the wall.

Ryan headed straight to the middle-aged woman sitting behind the L-shaped reception desk. “Dr. O’Doherty here to see Mr. Matherson,” he said with a smile he didn’t feel. He’d learned long ago that it paid to mask your emotions.

“He’s expecting you,” the woman at the desk chirped, as if she’d said it hundreds of times.

Not bothering to sit, he stood over the receptionist as she picked up the phone and spoke into it, and looked around the room.

A young woman, maybe in her late twenties, sat facing the entrance in one of the three utilitarian chairs set against the office wall. She glanced up at him. Her large blue eyes reminded him of a summer afternoon, but held a sadness that contradicted their lovely color. With a single blink, the melancholy was replaced by an unwavering stare before she looked away.

“Dr. O’Doherty is here, Mr. Matherson.” The receptionist listened a moment then glanced at the woman sitting in the chair.

Ryan followed the receptionist’s look. The woman sat with her ankles crossed and her hands laced primly in her lap. There was little outstanding about her apart from those large eyes and a rope of hair that fell over her shoulder. She wore a business suit of light gray with a flimsy peach blouse beneath. A little too school-marmy for his tastes.

He could tell her clothes were of a fine quality. He snorted quietly. Must have been all those long-suffering shopping trips he’d made with his sisters that had given him that knowledge. He quirked a corner of his mouth. Should he be proud of that?

“Ms. Edwards, Mr. Matherson would like to see you and Dr. O’Doherty now.”

Who was this Ms. Edwards and why would she have anything to do with him being here? Ryan’s focus sharpened when she stood. The woman was tall, with a willowy frame that spoke of someone who took care of herself. Her gaze met his. The sadness he’d seen early in her eyes had been replaced by a resolute look. She held his gaze a moment before her attention turned to the HR man.

Mr. Matherson, a round bodied man with a balding head, had come round a corner. “Dr. O’Doherty and Ms. Edwards, please come back to my office.”

Ryan stepped back and allowed her to go ahead of him. Her head reached his shoulder. Her wheat-colored hair was controlled by a braid. What was it called? He’d heard his sisters talk about them enough. Something foreign. A French braid, that was it. Even with the braid her hair went midway down her back. Did it touch her hips when free?