A Family at Last. Jacqueline Diamond

not her mother and certainly not Barry. This captivating side of Chris was simply evidence of what a skilled manipulator he could be.

      She had to make sure to keep that in mind. But given what she’d seen today, it wouldn’t be easy.

      Chapter Three

      “You mean nobody told you?” Dr. Jenni Forrest asked. “Don’t worry, it won’t be too bad—I hope.”

      Chris nearly groaned out loud. His first day on the job had been busier than expected, and now, halfway through the day, he’d been handed a shocker.

      The family practitioner, a forthright blonde to whom he’d taken an immediate liking, planned to leave next Saturday for a belated two-week honeymoon in Europe with her husband of six months, the police chief, Ethan Forrest. Estelle Fellows, the nurse practitioner, would cover nonurgent matters, while regular checkups had been postponed. In addition, a doctor in Mill Valley served as backup.

      However, it would fall to Chris and, to a lesser extent, obstetrician Will Rankin to pick up the slack. One of the unusual requirements of working in Downhome was that specialists had to handle some general on-call duties. Chris didn’t mind, but neither had he expected to take over so many nonpediatric functions so soon—including consulting at the Tulip Tree Nursing Home.

      “I generally drop by at least two afternoons a week to check on medications and make sure there are no unreported problems,” Jenni explained as they sipped coffee in the lunchroom. “Some of the old folks don’t like to complain, but it’s best to nip problems in the bud, as I’m sure you appreciate.”

      “I don’t mind consulting. It’s just that, well, you can see what a zoo it’s been this morning. If this continues, I’m not sure how I’ll find time.”

      “It’s not usually this busy,” Jenni assured him. “Mondays are always the worst.”

      Maria Wilhelmina hadn’t been the only baby to visit the clinic first thing today. To the amazement of the staff, a line of parents and kids had been waiting outside the building when they’d arrived.

      Most of the children weren’t sick. They needed well-child exams and vaccinations, which could easily be conducted in the coming days and weeks. However, most preferred to wait rather than return later.

      One mother had told Chris while he examined her daughter’s ears, “I wanted her to get to know you before anything serious happens. Besides, I heard you might have to limit the number of patients you take, and we intend to make sure she’s one of them.”

      “Who told you that?” Chris had no such policy. If the workload occasionally proved too heavy, he might have to ask Jenni to assist with routine cases, which she’d been handling before his arrival, anyway. But that would only be a temporary measure.

      “Word gets around,” the woman responded.

      “Please tell your friends it’s not true,” he’d requested. “I don’t plan to turn anyone away.”

      He’d done his best to track down the rumor, asking the nurses and receptionist if they’d heard anything. Winifred Waters, the nurse who worked with Dr. Rankin, admitted she’d advised her daughter to bring in her two grandsons first thing, in case Chris became overbooked.

      “I guess she told somebody and the story got bent out of shape,” Winifred said. “Sorry about that. But to make up for it, I’ll do double duty until you find a nurse of your own.”

      “That would be great.” The offer more than compensated for any inconvenience the rumor had caused.

      With her efficient help, he’d thinned out the crammed waiting room by lunchtime. The receptionist, Estelle’s daughter Patsy, had persuaded others to return that afternoon or the following day.

      Just as Chris was finally finishing, Jenni had dropped this bombshell. He’d have to serve on call a couple of extra nights per week, treat additional young patients who might otherwise have continued to see the family practitioner, and trespass further onto Karen’s territory.

      “I’m happy to help,” Chris told Jenni. “I feel a bit intimidated, though.”

      “Trial by fire,” she sympathized. “It seems we all go through it in Downhome, one way or another. When I first arrived, I tangled with Ethan about a patient of mine. In fact, at one point he threatened to arrest me.”

      “He can’t have been serious!” Especially since the police chief had fallen in love with her.

      “Dead serious,” she assured him. “But we worked it out. As for Will, he turned the whole town upside down when he got Leah Morris pregnant. She’s due next month, by the way.”

      “I saw them at church. She looks radiant.” He remembered Leah from high school as a rather shy girl. She’d blossomed, no doubt thanks in part to her recent marriage to Will. “I have to admit that consulting at the nursing home could be a challenge. I don’t have a lot of expertise at geriatrics.”

      “You can always consult with my backup in Mill Valley, Dr. Connor Hardison,” Jenni replied. “The most important thing is to catch problems in the early stages. Prevention is important with old folks because of their lowered resistance.”

      “As with babies,” he said. “But at least babies don’t tell me I’m too young to be a doctor.” He’d received that teasing comment a couple of times on Saturday. “I enjoyed my geriatrics rotation during my internship, so I won’t be completely at a loss.”

      He just hoped his presence wouldn’t exacerbate matters with Karen. Despite their earlier camaraderie, she’d given him the cold shoulder in church yesterday. Chris supposed she didn’t want the whole town discussing how chummy the two of them had become.

      He still hadn’t run into Barry. According to his grandmother, the newspaper editor never set foot in church except for weddings and funerals. During the trial, even before a verdict came in, the then-minister had attacked the two young men from the pulpit with such vehemence that both the Lowells and the McRays had walked out.

      From the clinic hallway, Chris heard cheery greetings underscored by a masculine voice. Judging by the way Jenni brightened, it was no surprise when Ethan Forrest entered the lunchroom. Although he usually wore a business suit, his dark blue uniform indicated he must have gone out on patrol this morning.

      A hearty, gregarious man, he greeted Chris with a handshake and words of welcome. Since they’d met several times before, it felt almost like a reunion.

      “Eating?” he asked his wife as he slipped an arm around her. “I thought we were having lunch.”

      “Not until one o’clock.” She broke off to plant a kiss on his mouth. “Mmm. I don’t mind your being early, though.”

      Wordlessly, he pointed to the wall clock, which indicated 12:55. Jenni regarded it in astonishment. “Oh, my gosh!” She checked her watch. “Must be a dead battery. It stopped an hour and a half ago.”

      “How did you keep track of your appointments?”

      “I don’t have to.” She beamed at her husband. “Yvonne does it for me.” Yvonne was her nurse, an efficient young woman with platinum hair. “I’ve got to finish some notes before we eat.”

      “No problem. I’ll wait here.” Ethan’s fond gaze followed his wife out of the room. To Chris he said, “I pegged her as a blond bimbo the first time we met. Good thing Karen and Olivia Rockwell outvoted me.”

      “I’m glad to hear I’m not the only doctor who wasn’t a unanimous choice.” From the refrigerator, Chris fetched a sandwich he’d bought at the diner that morning. “Sorry to eat in front of you, but I’m pressed for time.”

      “Don’t worry about it.” Ethan took a chair facing him across one of the tables. “Actually, I wanted to alert you in case you have to treat my son, Nick, while we’re gone.