The Doctor's Christmas Read online

  His expression suggested he didn’t find it particularly livable. “Is it always this cold?”

  “The county can’t afford to heat the place when no one’s here.” She indicated the cellar door. “I’ll start the furnace, but you’d better come with me to see how it works, just in case it shuts off on you in the middle of the night.”

  She’d prefer he not think she was at his beck and call for household emergencies.

  Taking the flashlight from its hook, she opened the door, letting out a damp smell. She vividly recalled the female doctor who’d flatly refused to go into the cellar at all. Grant looked as if he were made of sterner stuff than that, but you never could tell.

  She took a steadying breath and led the way down the rickety wooden stairs. Truth to tell, she hated dark, damp places herself. But she wouldn’t give in to that fear, not anymore.

  Grant’s footsteps thudded behind her. He had to duck his head to avoid a low beam, and he seemed too close in the small space.

  “There’s the monster.” She flicked the light on the furnace—a squat, ugly, temperamental beast. “It’s oil fired, but the motor’s electric.”

  She checked the oil gauge, knelt next to the motor and flipped the switch. Nothing.

  Grant squatted next to her, putting one hand on her shoulder to steady himself as he repeated her action. His touch was warm and strong, giving her the ridiculous desire to lean against him.

  “Doesn’t sound too promising.”

  His voice was amused, rather than annoyed, as if he’d decided laughter was the best way of handling the situation. Maybe he was imagining the stories he’d have to tell, back in the city, about his sojourn in the wilderness.

  “It’s just stubborn.” She stood, putting a little distance between them. She closed the door that covered the switch, then gave it a hearty kick. The furnace coughed, grumbled and started to run.

  “Nice technique,” he said. “I’ll remember that.” His voice was low and rich with amusement, seeming to touch a chord within her that hadn’t been touched in a long time.

  She swung around, the beam of the flashlight glancing off rickety wooden shelves lined with dusty canning jars. A wave of discomfort hit her, and she went quickly to the stairs.

  “The furnace will keep running until the thermostat clicks off, but it’s always a little drafty upstairs. I hope you brought a few sweaters.” I hope you decide this isn’t for you.

  If he left, they’d be without a doctor until after the holidays. If he stayed—

  She didn’t have any illusions about his reaction if he discovered the secret she hid. No one else in Button Gap would give her away, but he might.

  “I’ll make do,” he said. He closed the cellar door behind them.

  Grant wouldn’t have a chance to give her away, because he’d never know. She’d make sure of that.

  “Do you have a family, Maggie?”

  Her heart stopped. “No. Why do you ask?”

  His gaze fixed on her face, frowning, as if he considered a diagnosis. “I thought I saw a kid at your window when I arrived.”

  “That must have been Calico.” She tried for a light laugh. “My cat. She loves to sit in the window and watch the birds. You probably saw her.”

  He gave her a cool, superior look that said he wasn’t convinced. “Must have been, I guess.”

  Oh, Lord, I’m sorry. Really I am. But isn’t protecting some of Your little ones worth a white lie?

  Somehow she didn’t think God weighed sins the way she’d like Him to.

  And she also had a sinking feeling that told her she might not get rid of Grant Hardesty anytime soon.

  “So you lied to the man, child?” Aunt Elly looked up from the piecrust she was rolling out on Maggie’s kitchen table, her faded blue eyes shrewd behind her steel-rimmed glasses.

  “I didn’t want to.” The defensive note in her voice made her sound eleven again, trying every trick in the foster-kid book on Aunt Elly before realizing the woman knew them all and loved her anyway. “But I didn’t want him to find out about the Bascoms.”

  She shot a glance toward the living room, where Tacey, five, and Robby, four, were playing some kind of a game. Joey, at eight considering himself the man of the family, wasn’t in her line of sight. He’d probably curled up with a book on the couch, keeping an eye on his siblings. She lowered her voice.

  “You don’t know what he’s like. Stiff-necked, by-the-book and arrogant to boot. I can’t take the risk of letting him know about the kids. He’s the type to call social services the minute he knew.”

  Aunt Elley fitted the top crust over apple slices from her own McIntosh tree. “So you been saying, child. But you don’t know that for sure. Might be good to have a doctor handy with three rambunctious kids in the house.”

  “I can take care of them. Besides, Nella will be back soon.” She wouldn’t give in to the fear that Nella Bascom, having lived with an abusive husband for too many years, just didn’t have it in her to raise her kids alone.

  “You heard anything more from her?” Aunt Elly slid the pie into the oven and closed the door.

  “Three cards and one phone call.” She nodded at the Christmas card she’d taped on the refrigerator where the children could see it every day. “She says she’ll be back for Christmas. That’s what she said in the note she left with the kids in the office.”

  Shock had hit her when she’d opened the office that morning and found the Bascom kids in the waiting room. Tacey and Robby had been curled up like a pair of kittens, sleeping since Nella had left them at dawn. Joey had been watching over them.

  “Nella will come back,” she said again firmly, as if Aunt Elly had argued with her. “Once she gets used to the idea that her husband isn’t around to hurt her anymore, she’ll adjust.”

  “You could go looking for her.”

  She could. The postmarks told her Nella had run to the small West Virginia town where she’d once lived. “I’ve thought about it. Prayed about it. But—”

  Aunt Elly nodded. “You figure if Nella’s going to have strength enough to raise those youngsters on her own, she’d best come back on her own.”

  “She will. And I’m not going to let those kids get sucked into the system in the meantime. Nella would probably never get them back if that happened.”

  They both knew what Maggie had experienced in the foster care system. It lay unspoken between them.

  “I reckon Button Gap can take care of its own,” Aunt Elly said. She glanced out the kitchen window. “But it looks like you’ll have to tell the new doc something.”

  “Why?” She slid off her stool, dusting her hands on her jeans.

  “’Cause here he comes, and he’s got ahold of Joey by the collar.”

  Before Maggie could move, a knock thundered at the door. Shooting Aunt Elly an appalled look, she moved to open it.

  Grant stood on her step, holding Joey by his frayed jacket collar. “This kid belong to you?”

  “Not exactly.” She grabbed the boy, pulling him inside the kitchen. “He’s a friend. What are you doing with him?”

  “I found him in the cellar.” He stepped inside without waiting for an invitation. “He was trying to dismantle my furnace.”

  “He can’t have been.” Her rejection was automatic, but her heart sank. Actually, he could. Joey was fascinated by all things mechanical. Worse, he might have heard her earlier and decided to help the new doctor go away.

  “Yes, he was.” Grant planted his hands on his hips, glowering at her. Then he seemed to become aware of Aunt Elly, watching him with what might have been an appreciative twinkle in her eyes. And of Tacey and Robby, standing in the doorway, looking scared. “Sorry, I didn’t realize you had company.”

  “Not company.” Aunt Elly wiped her hand on the sprigged apron she wore over a faded housedress, then extended it to him. “I’m Aunt Elly. I guess you’re the new doctor.”

  “Grant Hardesty.” He sent Maggie an annoyed glance. “I thoug
ht you said you didn’t have any family. Your aunt—”

  “Nope, not her aunt.” Aunt Elly was obviously enjoying herself. “Ellenora Glenning, if you want to be formal.”

  “Mrs. Glenning—” he began.

  “Call me Aunt Elly,” she said. “Everyone does.” She grabbed her bulky gray sweater from the coat hook inside the door. “I’d better get, Maggie. Watch that pie. And you children behave yourselves, you hear?” She twinkled at Grant. “You two can probably fight better without me here.”

  She scooted out the door, leaving Maggie to face the music.

  Maggie gave Joey a gentle push toward the living room. “You go in and play a game with your brother and sister now. We’ll talk about this later.”

  Joey sent a sidelong look at Grant. “I won’t be far off, if you need me.”

  She tousled his fine blond hair. “I know. Go on, now.”

  When he and the other children were out of sight, she turned back to Grant.

  “Why did you lie to me?” he asked before she had time to think.

  “I didn’t, not exactly.” Well, that sounded feeble. “You asked if I had any family. I don’t.” She pointed to the windowsill where the elderly calico cat slept, oblivious to the hubbub. “And you might have seen Callie.”

  “I might have, but I didn’t.” His frown deepened. “It’s obvious these kids are staying with you. Why didn’t you want me to know?”

  Part of the truth was better than none. “Their mother is a friend of mine. She had to go out of town for a few days, so I’m watching them while she’s gone.”

  “That doesn’t explain why you didn’t tell me the truth when I asked.”

  “Look, I just didn’t want you to think the children would interfere with my work.” She hated saying it, hated sounding as if he had the right to disapprove of anything she did. “They won’t. I have plenty of people to take care of them when I’m working.”

  “Your system didn’t seem to work too well when the boy decided to take my furnace apart.”

  “Joey. His name is Joey.” She took a breath. He had a point, unfortunately. “I’m sorry about that. He’s interested in how things work. Do you need me to come over and fix it?”

  “I can manage.” There was a note to his voice that she didn’t like. “But I don’t want to work with someone I can’t trust.”

  She wanted to lash out at him, tell him she didn’t want to work with him, either. Tell him to take his changeable eyes and his chiseled profile and go right back to Baltimore where he belonged.

  But she couldn’t. Like it or not, she was stuck with him.

  Chapter Two

  Maybe he shouldn’t have been that rough on her. Maggie’s face looked pale and stiff, her promise delivered through set lips. They’d definitely gotten off on the wrong foot, mostly her fault, but he didn’t need to contribute to it.

  Not being told the truth was a flashpoint with him, maybe because his parents had spent so much of their time either avoiding the truth or prettying it up until it became palatable to them.

  Still, he had to work with the woman for the next month, and he was the temporary, not she. He needed to establish normal business relations with her, or his time here would be even more difficult.

  He forced a smile. “Look, we’ve had a rocky beginning. What do you say we start over?”

  Emotions flitted rapidly across her face. Maggie wasn’t as impassive as she probably liked to believe. He could see her questioning his motives and wondering whether he meant what he said. He could see her distaste at the thought of cooperating with him. And then he saw her reluctant acceptance.

  Why reluctant? What made her tick? His own curiosity surprised him.

  She tilted her head, considering. “Maybe that would be best.” She took a deep breath, as if preparing to plunge into cold water. “Welcome to Button Gap, Dr. Hardesty.” She extended her hand.

  He took it. Her hand was small, but firm and capable in his.

  “Call me Grant. After all, we’re going to be working closely for the next month.”

  “Fine.” The reservation was still there in her dark brown eyes. “Grant.”

  He’d held her hand a little longer than necessary. He released it and glanced around, looking for some topic that would ease the tension between them.

  “This is a lot nicer than the temporary doc’s quarters.”

  The big square kitchen had exposed beams in the corners and crossing the ceiling, with rough white plaster between them. Old-fashioned dish cabinets with multipaned glass fronts lined one of the walls, and a wood-burning stove took up floor space on the worn linoleum. In the corner nearest the door, she had a square oak table, its surface worn with the scars of countless meals.

  Maggie managed a more genuine smile. “You should have seen it when I moved in.”

  “I can imagine.” He saw the work she must have put in, now that he looked for it. The faded linoleum was spotless and brightened by rag rugs in bright colors. Someone, presumably Maggie, had polished the wood-burner to a black gloss. Red-and-white-checked curtains dressed the three small windows, and each windowsill sported a red geranium.

  “No one had lived here for a lot of years. I had to fight the mice for control of the kitchen.” Satisfaction laced her words, and she glanced around possessively.

  “I suppose the cat helped.”

  “Callie?” Her face softened as she glanced at the white-orange-and-black ball of fur. “Callie’s way too old for much mouse-catching, but we get along okay.”

  “How long have you been here?” He leaned his hip against the counter, wondering if she’d ask him to sit. Or if she was just waiting for him to leave.

  “Five years.”

  Something shadowed her face when she said that—some emotion he couldn’t quite decipher.

  “You’ve made a nice nest here.” He sniffed the aroma filling the kitchen—apples and cinnamon, he thought. “Is that the pie I smell?”

  She nodded. “Aunt Elly always claims I’m her one failure in teaching the fine art of crust-making.”

  “If that means she bakes for you, failure might be worthwhile.”

  “Don’t you dare tell her that.”

  Her smile was the first genuine one he’d seen directed at him. It lit the face he’d been thinking plain, brightening her cheeks and making her eyes sparkle. He realized he was leaning toward her without meaning to.

  “I promise,” he said solemnly.

  “Well.” She glanced toward the pot on the stove, her color still heightened. “Supper’s almost ready. Aunt Elly left us stew and biscuits. Why don’t you stay and eat with us? I know you can’t have gotten any food in yet.”

  He hadn’t even thought that far. “Thanks, but I can just go out and grab a bite.”

  “Not unless you want to make do with a sandwich from the general store. The café doesn’t serve supper except on weekends.”

  He really was in the boonies. “In that case, I’ll set the table.”

  “You don’t have to do that.” She lifted a stack of plates and bowls from the cabinet.

  He took them from her hands. “My pleasure.”

  It only took minutes to set the scarred table. Maggie poured milk from a mottled enamel pitcher and scooped stew into bowls, then called the children.

  Joey gave him a sidelong look as Grant slid onto a chair. “He staying for supper?”

  “Yes.” Maggie’s return gaze was cautionary. “You be polite, you hear?”

  “We’ll get along fine, as long as Joey doesn’t try to repair my furnace again.” Grant studied what he could see of the kid’s averted face. “What made you decide to work on the furnace, anyway?”

  Thin shoulders shrugged. “I dunno.”

  He wanted to pursue it, but Maggie held out her hand to him. Startled, he took it, then realized they were all holding hands around the table. Joey frowned at him, ducking his chin. Apparently they were going to pray.

  “Father, we ask You to bless this foo
d.” Maggie’s warm, intimate tone suggested she spoke to a friend. “Please bless and protect Nella and bring her back to us soon.” There was an almost imperceptible pause. “And we ask Your blessings on the guest at our table, Lord. Make his time here fruitful. Amen.”

  He didn’t remember the last time anyone had prayed for him. It made him uncomfortable and touched him simultaneously. He and God hadn’t been on speaking terms in years, but he didn’t suppose he’d ever tell Maggie that.

  “Good stew.” Joey was well into his bowl already.

  Maggie caught Grant’s eyes and smiled. “He’s a growing boy. He eats like a bear.”

  Joey growled, making his little sister and brother laugh. The kid’s answering grin was pleased.

  The girl, Tacey, was a mouse of a child, thin and shy, with light brown hair tumbling into her eyes in spite of the pink plastic barrette that was pinned in it. The smaller boy laughed at Joey’s antics, then glanced around as if maybe he shouldn’t have.

  An interesting combination. Maggie seemed to lose that perennial chip on her shoulder when she talked with the kids. Her brown eyes warmed with caring.

  When he’d first seen her that afternoon, he’d thought he was looking at an overworked nurse with an antipathy toward outsiders, doctors or both. Now he saw another side to Maggie, one that was ruled by protectiveness toward the three kids, the old cat and probably also the elderly woman.

  She glanced up and caught him watching her. Her eyes widened, and for an instant he didn’t hear the children’s chatter. Their gazes caught and held. Awareness stretched between them like a taut cord.

  Maggie broke the contact first, looking down at her bowl, her cheeks pinker than they’d been before. He yanked his attention to his stew, stirring the brown gravy as if that was the only thing on his mind.

  What had just happened?

  No sense asking the question. He already knew the answer. He’d looked at Maggie and felt a shockingly strong wave of attraction. Maggie had felt it, too.

  That wouldn’t do. He rejected the temptation. This month would be difficult enough without that kind of entanglement.

  A pleasant, professional relationship—that was what was called for here. Maybe he shouldn’t have tried to move beyond that instant antagonism. Maybe he should have settled for being sparring partners with Maggie, because anything else was out of the question.