Celebration's Family. Nancy Robards Thompson

off chance when they did end up in a bind—like they had this morning—she’d always been able to pull a rabbit out of her hat and make things work.

      Liam didn’t know how she’d managed it. She had been perfect like that. Tiny, intuitive and good-natured, Joy had always been all about her family.

      A series of sickening flashbacks transported Liam to that night when the cop had stood on their front porch and asked, “Is this the residence of Joy Thayer?” He’d told Liam that there’d been an accident but wouldn’t give him much information, just asked if he would come to the hospital. When he’d identified his wife’s body, his life and the lives of their daughters had shattered into a million irreparable pieces.

      Liam scrubbed a hand over his eyes, trying to erase the memory. It had been two years. When would life without Joy get easier? When would the numbness give way to the manageable ache that the grief counselor had promised would come in time? Maybe never. Because part of his soul had died right along with his wife that night. The part that lived and laughed and felt.

      Now his daughters kept him going. Because life didn’t stop to mourn. Hell, it didn’t even slow down to regroup. It kept marching forward, and if you didn’t get on your feet fast, it would drag you right along behind it.

      He refocused, irritated that he had to waste time this morning listening to the chief and this woman rattle on about...bachelor auctions? For God’s sake.

      This had to be a joke.

      But a sinking feeling warned him not to bank on Dunlevy delivering the punch line. Especially when his boss glanced over at the blonde and uncharacteristic warmth drew up the edges of his mouth.

      “This is Kate Macintyre of the Macintyre Family Foundation,” said Dunlevy. “She and her staff have been working tirelessly to raise money for the new pediatric surgical wing here at Celebration Memorial Hospital. I’ll turn the meeting over to her and let her tell you more.”

      The new surgical wing—Joy had been excited about it. In fact she’d been one of the first volunteers to organize a kick-starter fund-raiser.

      “Good morning,” said the blonde.

      What was her name again?

      “Thank you, Dr. Dunlevy. I appreciate you letting me attend your meeting today. Even more, I am grateful that each of you has agreed to help raise money for the final leg of funding for this very special project. This pediatric wing is extremely near and dear to my family and me. I appreciate you all taking an active role in making it a reality.”

      Near and dear to her family? Liam glanced at her left hand. She wasn’t wearing a wedding ring. Reflexively his thumb found the back of the band he still wore. It was the touchstone that kept him grounded, and reminded him of what was and always would be important in life. Family.

      The blonde smiled at Liam’s colleague, Charlie Benton, an internist, who was seated to her left. She held out a stack of pamphlets. “Would you mind taking one of these and passing them around, please?”

      Eagerly Charlie obeyed.

      Great. Judging by the look on his coworker’s face, Liam would bet if she’d asked Charlie to run out to fetch her a bagel and a cappuccino, he would’ve fallen all over himself to oblige. Liam glanced around at the other men in the room. They all seemed transfixed, too. Apparently Liam was the only one immune to a pretty face and a great pair of legs.

      “For the past three years, the Macintyre Family Foundation has partnered with the hospital to raise money to build a much-needed pediatric surgical wing,” she said. “During this time we’ve been diligently working with the hospital’s Department of Charitable Giving. They’ve been amazing. We only need five percent more to reach our two-million-dollar goal.

      “That’s why we were delighted when Dr. Dunlevy agreed to the idea of giving you all, the doctors of Celebration Memorial, the opportunity to play a key role in raising part of the remaining funds. When I learned that I’d be working with seven single male doctors, I thought, what was the chance of that?”

      Her blue eyes sparkled as she looked from one face to the next, radiating enthusiasm and sincerity. She was doing a credible job.

      “With seven eligible men, it only seemed natural to hold a bachelor auction. So, everyone, please save the date—one week from Saturday—for our first ever In Celebration of Bachelors auction.”

      Liam shifted in his seat, resisting the urge to excuse himself. This bachelor auction was not a joke, but there was no way in hell that he was going to subject himself to the humiliation of being sold off to the highest bidder. Even if the shenanigan would raise money for a good cause.

      As a pediatric hospitalist and a single father to two teenagers, he didn’t have enough time to devote to his daughters on a good day. He certainly didn’t want to waste a night going out on a date with a woman who’d bid on him like a steer in a cattle sale. He might have been providing all the necessities, but he hadn’t been able to give his children as much of himself as he wished he could. Not like his wife, who had always been there for them emotionally.

      And, he had to admit, at the root of everything, participating in something like this felt disrespectful to Joy. Even if she was gone, it didn’t mean he felt any less married. Certainly not single.

      “Is something wrong, Dr. Thayer?” Cullen asked. “You look like you smell something.”

      Liam clicked his ink pen. He wanted to say, There’s nothing like the stench of a bad idea first thing in the morning. But one glance at Kate Macintyre’s hopeful expression—Kate Macintyre, that was her name—and he was weighing his words. “Is this bachelor auction idea a done deal? Do we have any other options?”

      Kate blinked—once, twice—but her smile stayed unfalteringly in place. “Well, yes. I mean we’re working on a very tight time line because of some special incentives, which I’ll tell you about in a few moments.” She glanced at Cullen as if for help.

      “Yes, Liam, this is a done deal,” Dunlevy said. “Is there a problem?”

      “Yes. I have a family. I’m happy to make a donation, but I won’t be participating.”

      With that, Kate’s smile finally faltered. “Oh, I’m sorry. I thought Dr. Dunlevy said all members of the senior staff were single.”

      “We are,” Cullen confirmed. Then he flashed Liam a look that was part warning, part Let’s not do this now and mostly Man up and be a team player.

      By this time the pamphlets had made their way around to Liam. He took one and passed the scant remainder to Austin Roberts, an emergency room doctor who was seated to Liam’s left. The slick, glossy brochure featured a picture of a man, a woman, two kids and a yellow Lab frolicking on the green grass in the backyard of a nice suburban home.

      The ideal family.

      Liam waited to feel something—a stab, a pang or even a twist in his gut—but he didn’t. He was numb. The only emotion coming through loud and clear was anger. He shifted his gaze to the bottom of the page, which was emblazoned with the Macintyre Family Foundation logo and the words Family, Community and Education written in bold red letters.

      “It’s true we’re all single,” Liam said. “I’m a widower.”

      “I’m sorry that you lost your wife.”

      Although her condolences seemed sincere, he shrugged, rejecting her pity and biting back the urge to say, Can we just get on with this? I have things to do, patients to see. Instead, he said, “A bachelor auction isn’t a good fit. Maybe we can come up with something else.”

      “How can a date with a beautiful woman be a bad idea, Thayer?” asked Nick Chamberlin, who worked with Roberts in the emergency room.

      Jake Lennox, the other staff internist, snickered. “It’s a dirty job, but someone has to do it.”

      Liam glanced at his watch. “Knock yourselves out but don’t count me in.