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Healing His Widowed Heart
Annie Hemby


The Doctor Next DoorWidowed firefighter Mason Benfield is happy putting out fires and running a teen center—anything to distract himself from the loss of his wife. A loss he blames on a young doctor’s inexperience. So when he discovers his landlords’ new houseguest is just out of med school and working at the new health clinic, Mason bristles. Since Lexie Campbell is also donating her time to his teen center, he can’t escape the woman…or the attraction he feels to the pretty doctor. As they work together, they develop a bond neither thought they wanted. But can Mason give her—and himself—a reason to take one more chance on forever?







The Doctor Next Door

Widowed firefighter Mason Benfield is happy putting out fires and running a teen center—anything to distract himself from the loss of his wife. A loss he blames on a young doctor’s inexperience. So when he discovers his landlords’ new houseguest is just out of med school and working at the new health clinic, Mason bristles. Since Lexie Campbell is also donating her time to his teen center, he can’t escape the woman...or the attraction he feels to the pretty doctor. As they work together, they develop a bond neither thought they wanted. But can Mason give her—and himself—a reason to take one more chance on forever?


“I’m a doctor,” she said. “Taking care of people is my job.”

An anchor of guilt settled in his gut. Her heart was in the right place. “Okay then, Dr. Campbell. Please, doctor me up.”

A hint of a smile curved on her rose-tinted lips. He tried not to notice, but she was even more beautiful when she smiled. Noticing Lexie’s beauty felt like a small betrayal to Kristin. His late wife was dead, though, and admiring another woman was harmless.

“I’ll be right back.” Lexie jogged downstairs and was standing back in his living room with a medium-sized black bag a moment later. He dutifully laid his forearm down for her to inspect.

Her forehead creased as she leaned forward. “You need to take better care of yourself.”

He’d heard that before. “Is that your medical opinion?” he asked. She smiled again, and he felt like he’d just won a contest. When he wasn’t resisting her, he found himself being pulled toward her.


Dear Reader (#uc3166721-a72b-5d1b-9f19-284b5627627b),

When making plans for our future, we should remember to do so with a healthy dose of prayer and seeking God’s guidance. His plans for our lives are always better than the ones we create for ourselves.

Lexie had her life all planned out. She was going to marry and start a new job as a doctor in the city. Those plans fell through, though, and led her to Carolina Shores and work at one of the last places she thought she’d end up. It also led her to Mason and exactly where God needed her to be.

After losing his first wife, Mason thought he would remain alone forever. That might be what God has in His plans for other widowers, but it wasn’t what He had in store for Mason. Once Mason aligned himself with God’s master plan, he was blessed with a new relationship and hope for the future.

I hope you enjoyed reading Healing His Widowed Heart! I welcome comments and letters at anniehemby@gmail.com.

God Bless,

Annie


ANNIE HEMBY lives on the east coast with her husband, three children and a rambunctious rescue dog named Carter. Annie loves to start her days with prayer and a good cup of coffee and end them praying with her children at bedtime. When she’s not running after her kids and Carter, Annie combines her love for God and writing to pen heartwarming inspirational romance. You can contact Annie by email at anniehemby@gmail.com.


Healing His Widowed Heart

Annie Hemby






www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)


“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

—Jeremiah 29:11

Trust in the Lord with all your heart

and lean not on your own understanding.

—Proverbs 3:5


This book is dedicated to my parents.

To Mom for your support and encouragement

in all my endeavors. To Dad for teaching me

that no goal was beyond reach. I love you.


Acknowledgments (#uc3166721-a72b-5d1b-9f19-284b5627627b)

First, I want to give thanks to God for giving

me a passion for writing and for this amazing

opportunity to work with Love Inspired.

A big thanks also goes to my family and friends

who are a bottomless well of support and

encouragement. To Rachel for making

my writing better and my stories stronger.

To my tireless literary agent, Sarah Younger—

thank you for your guidance and expertise.

I would also like to thank the Love Inspired

team, especially my editor, Shana Asaro,

for holding the From Blurb to Book pitch

contest and taking a chance on

Healing His Widowed Heart.

I have enjoyed every moment

of this new and exciting experience!


Contents

Cover (#u0e51aeba-c6df-5846-90ab-42b410fcd89d)

Back Cover Text (#u16962110-1322-5e0a-84d2-8e9c08d2d849)

Introduction (#u7c72c75a-33dc-53ab-ae56-72e5b47f2456)

Dear Reader (#ude71de05-0d36-5924-8fed-9e79e1ebccea)

About the Author (#ua0de667e-e344-580d-a34a-9dca8059dc8d)

Title Page (#uf72b4ac1-e985-5988-a08b-8c689879ed2c)

Bible Verse (#u0b8399bf-aef8-5c7e-b392-eb002e07ba59)

Dedication (#u741b079c-56d8-5912-b3c1-f11e4e6dcc7a)

Acknowledgments (#u45273b50-e8b1-5602-b5ca-940ede321bf3)

Chapter One (#ub021d981-2bc1-5184-9c5c-1ce9ccf7487e)

Chapter Two (#u4ba6c21d-a9c0-5f09-8aa2-3c09117f959a)

Chapter Three (#u2f9183bd-e2c9-59e8-8be4-f2778ea41ada)

Chapter Four (#ua5a7326c-087c-5261-9285-ec56f8875e8f)

Chapter Five (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Six (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Seven (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eight (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Nine (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Ten (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eleven (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twelve (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Thirteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Fourteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Fifteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Epilogue (#litres_trial_promo)

Extract (#litres_trial_promo)

Copyright (#litres_trial_promo)


Chapter One (#uc3166721-a72b-5d1b-9f19-284b5627627b)

Smoke burned the back of Lexie Campbell’s throat as she took a breath and kept walking, staying clear of the officers guarding her evacuated neighborhood. She only needed to get inside her home for five minutes—just long enough to grab the dress.

Heart pounding, she edged along the woods behind a row of houses. From the news, she knew the wildfire was still a mile away. She’d be completely safe to go to the house she’d rented for the summer and retrieve the only thing of importance she’d brought with her. She’d always dreamed of wearing her grandmother’s dress on her wedding day—a day that was supposed to be two weeks from now.

Change in plans.

Tree limbs crunched loudly beneath her leather boots as she broke into a run. Bringing the dress here had been foolish. She’d come to Carolina Shores, North Carolina to take her mind off her problems and focus on helping others. That was her grandmother’s remedy for a broken heart. Not the kind of medicine that Lexie practiced, but her grandma Jean had always known best. When Dr. Marcus had called to ask for help opening a free health care clinic here, Lexie had jumped at the chance. Looking at the black, smoke-filled sky now, she wondered if her decision had been rash. Unlike her ex-fiancé, though, she kept her commitments.

Seeing the house ahead, Lexie breathed a sigh of relief, which ended in a fit of coughing. She hurried toward the front porch and quickly unlocked the door. Inside, the air was stale, the smoke already seeping through the poorly insulated walls. She ran into the back bedroom and grabbed the dress from the closet. In the kitchen, she found a black garbage bag and stuffed the white-laced fabric inside. She wished she could throw herself in the bag right now. Surely no air was better than this.

Her head spun as she cinched the bag tightly.

Time to get out of here!

She hurried out the front door, making the mistake of sucking in another deep breath. Coughing again, she stumbled down the steps and started to cut across the lawn, heading in the direction of the neighborhood’s front entrance. No reason to sneak around now. She’d left her car parked along the roadside. If she could just make it back, then she’d be fine. After arriving and unloading her belongings here late last week, she’d gone away for the weekend to visit a friend, taking a few changes of clothes and her toiletries with her, which were still in her car—a blessing in disguise. Little had she known she’d be returning to a neighborhood evacuation.

Lexie didn’t bother glancing around to make sure she went unnoticed. No one was here. Everyone in Chesterfield Estates had evacuated. And with good reason, she thought now, feeling her world tilt and re-center like a ride at the amusement park.

A siren stopped her in her tracks. Looking up, Lexie saw a man with dark hair and a hard jawline leaning toward the passenger-side window of a white pickup truck. It was marked with the local fire department’s logo.

“What are you doing out here?” he called. “Don’t you know there’s a mandatory evacuation in this neighborhood?”

Lexie erupted into a fit of coughing as she tried to explain. She wasn’t a material girl, but the dress was sentimental to her. She couldn’t risk letting it burn up in the forest fire.

Stumbling toward him, Lexie doubled over as she coughed. “I...was just...”

Just about to fall over if I don’t get fresh air soon.

“Get in,” he ordered.

Lexie straightened, still wheezing. “Am I under arrest?” she asked through painful speech.

His brows lowered over disapproving blue eyes. “I’m not a cop. If I were, then absolutely. Being here right now is against the law.”

She approached his vehicle and pulled weakly on the door’s handle. She’d gladly accept a ride into fresh air. If not for him, she wasn’t sure she’d have made it out of the neighborhood and back to her car without collapsing. Clearly she’d misjudged the situation.

She tried to open the door, but her hands wouldn’t work.

“Ma’am?” she heard him say, although his voice was fading quickly. She thought she heard his truck door open, and then two hands turned her around and firmly grasped the front of her shoulders. “Ma’am? Are you okay?” He leveled his eyes with hers, forcing her to look at him.

Her knees went weak and not because of his rugged good looks, which didn’t go unnoticed even in her condition.

“Take a deep breath,” he told her, his voice calm and in control.

Her vision grew dim. She clutched the fabric of his shirt in her hand, holding on to him so that she didn’t fall. The garbage bag that she’d stuffed the dress into minutes earlier dropped to the ground below. “Don’t let me die,” she pleaded, feeling her legs buckle. Then she felt the weight of her body being swept up into the man’s arms. He opened the passenger door of his truck and laid her inside as she struggled to hold on to consciousness, watching the colors around her blur like the view inside a kaleidoscope.

“You still there?” he asked, flipping the sirens on as he took the driver’s seat.

The loud sound made her head throb. She tried to nod or say something intelligible. Instead her eyes closed, the world and the handsome stranger beside her fading away.

* * *

Mason Benfield had been hoping to find someone in the evacuated neighborhood, but it wasn’t the woman lying across his passenger seat right now. On a tip, he’d driven through the neighborhood, looking for a teenage girl and suspected runaway. If the runaway was here, he needed to find her before she got hurt like the woman beside him.

He glanced over. The woman appeared to be in her mid-to-late twenties. And either she couldn’t read, didn’t watch the local news, or had a death wish.

He dialed 911 as he sped toward the neighborhood’s front entrance a few blocks away. “I have an unconscious woman who suffered a possible asthma attack. We’re at the entrance of Chesterfield Estates,” he told the operator. He relayed a few more details, and then slowed the truck as he drove past the orange caution cones. He parked and got out, waving over one of the policemen enforcing the evacuation.

Mason wasn’t up for giving the guy a lecture about making sure no one got past. If anyone, the woman in his passenger seat was the one who needed a harsh speaking-to. What she’d done had been senseless. They’d evacuated the neighborhood because it was dangerously close to the forest fire. They were trying to control the blaze, but one change in the wind and the flames could rage in this direction. The fire could engulf miles in a matter of hours. Walking inside the neighborhood on foot was a foolish thing to do.

As he scooped her body into his arms, she stirred, drawing his eyes down to her oval face. He didn’t recognize her. Must be new to town, he thought, carrying her to a patch of grass near the road. He laid her gently on the ground, letting her legs drop first and then cradling her head until her soft auburn hair splayed out around her. He slid his fingers to the side of her neck and checked her vitals—good. Her complexion was rosy—and beautiful.

He breathed a sigh of relief.

“She okay?” the officer asked, walking up beside him.

Mason’s jaw tightened. “Talk to your guys and make sure this doesn’t happen again,” he said, straining to hear any sign of help coming their way. “And keep a lookout for a teenage girl in this area. There’s a suspected runaway that’s been spotted around here.”

The officer nodded. “Will do.”

Mason couldn’t stand the thought of a child finding themselves helpless in the dense smoke. Hopefully the girl had relocated. Hopefully, he thought, she’d gone home where she belonged. His late wife crossed his memory. Once a runaway, too, someone had helped her find her way. Because of that she’d founded the Teen Center, a cause close to her heart, and had helped a few dozen teens when she was alive.

Mason angled his head, listening as the sound of sirens grew in the distance. The woman on the ground stirred. Her eyelids flickered and then she reached for his hand. The feel of her skin on his was like silk. Reflexively, his fingers tightened around hers. He stared down at their interlocked fingers for a long moment, unable to break away. She was scared, that’s all it was, which intensified his desire to keep her safe.

Don’t let me die.

Her words back on the street had been too close for comfort. Pressing down the memories of his late wife, he nodded at the paramedics as they arrived.

“She breathed in a little too much smoke. Maybe an asthma attack,” he said, as they carefully picked the woman up and laid her on a stretcher. His hand broke free from hers. Mason had the sudden urge to follow her inside the ambulance and ride along just to make sure she got there okay, to relieve her fears and tell her everything was going to be all right. He knew from experience, though, that sometimes things didn’t turn out all right.

“My bag,” she said in a barely audible voice.

Mason stepped closer as she was carried away on the stretcher. “What did you say?” he asked.

Her eyes opened just slightly. “My bag. I need that bag,” she said, her eyes widening. Then she was lifted inside the small confines of the ambulance and the doors shut behind her.

What could possibly be so important that she would put it in a black garbage bag and risk her life to save it? Watching the ambulance scream into the distance, he climbed back into his truck to go find out. As he drove, he pushed back those haunting memories of the day his wife had died. His chest throbbed with the deep wound that the memory always reopened.

Everything is going to be okay, he’d told her. The doctors will fix you right up.

At the time he’d truly believed in what he was saying. He’d put his faith in the young doctors at Carolina Memorial, and his late wife had put her faith in his words.

Mason parked on the cul-de-sac and slipped on a mask this time because the air was thick. Just because he was a firefighter didn’t mean he could gulp in smoke and not be affected. Somehow the woman had thought herself invincible. He grabbed the bag and carried it back to the truck. Inside, he ripped open the knot cinching the plastic, surprised when white lace fabric peeked through.

A wedding dress.

Which meant the woman on her way to the hospital was spoken for. Taken. Off the market. That knowledge stung a little, leaving him with something akin to disappointment, which didn’t make sense. She was a stranger and he had no interest in dating or relationships, or ever getting married again. Shifting his truck back into gear, he headed out of the neighborhood with the bagged dress beside him. The smell of smoke was hard to kick. Foolish or not, he didn’t want the bride-to-be to smell like a forest fire on her special day.

A short drive later, he pulled into a gravel driveway and parked.

“Mason.” The woman he rented his garage apartment from turned from the stove as he walked into the adjoining ranch-style house. “What are you doing here at this hour?” she asked.

He set the garbage bag against the wall. “I thought I’d leave this with you for safe keeping if that’s all right. I rescued someone from the fire earlier and—”

Clara Carlyle’s hands flew to her mouth. “Are they okay?”

“Well, she wasn’t exactly in the fire. She just got too close, and inhaled a lot of smoke. She’ll be fine.” That’s what his head was telling him at least. His heart, on the other hand, was sick with worry. Ambulances and hospitals made him nervous. “Do you think you could check on her for me?” he asked. Clara checked on a lot of hospitalized people from church. It was something she enjoyed doing.

“Of course I will. I’m going to the hospital to visit Mr. Jacobs from the choir this afternoon.”

Mason nodded. “Thank you.”

“How are you doing?” she asked then, her brown eyes studying him intently.

A bunch of descriptions rattled off in his head. He was tired. Hungry. Anxious... Lonely. “I’m fine,” he told her, grabbing an apple from her fruit basket on the counter and kissing her temple. “I have to get back to work. Then I’ll be at the Teen Center tonight.”

“You won’t be home for dinner?” Clara asked with a frown.

“Maybe tomorrow night,” he said. If the fire was contained.

“Be careful out there. I don’t want to be visiting you in the hospital, too,” she said.

Not a chance. “I will.” He closed the door behind him and walked back to his truck.

* * *

Lexie awoke to the familiar sounds of a hospital. She was usually the one controlling the sounds. Now, for a reason she tried to remember, she was the patient lying in a stiff, narrow bed. There was an IV poking into her right arm.

Pieces of her morning started to reassemble in her memory. The rental home she was staying at had been evacuated while she was out of town. She’d gone back to get her—

Lexie sat up, her eyes suddenly wide as she scanned the room for her grandmother’s wedding dress.

“You need to relax, dear.” A short woman with white hair and a ready smile knocked as she entered the room, holding a large, leafy potted plant.

Lexie had never seen the woman before, so she guessed she was on her way to see another patient.

“I’m Clara Carlyle,” the woman said, placing the plant on the nightstand beside her and pulling up a chair. “Mason sent me to check on you.”

Lexie didn’t know him, either. “Who?”

Clara smiled softly. “Your knight in shining armor. He rescued you when you passed out this morning. Don’t you remember, dear?”

“Y-yes. I was going back to get—”

“Your dress. Yes, I know.” The older woman looked sheepish. “I may have peeked inside the bag. Oh, it’s a beautiful dress.”

“You have my bag?” Lexie asked hopefully.

“At home. A hospital isn’t the place for something like that. Neither is a fireman’s truck. That’s why Mason brought it to me. I’ll take it to you after you’re discharged. Where will you be staying?”

Lexie’s mouth fell open. That was a very good question. The rental home had been cheap. It was run-down and needed renovations. Until she started her real job in the fall, she didn’t exactly have the extra funds to rent one of the more livable, touristy places in town. She could always go back home to Raleigh, she thought, discounting that idea immediately. She’d promised Dr. Marcus she’d help him open and run the free health care clinic in Carolina Shores this summer. She would also be in charge of the clinic’s outreach to the local teens in the community. “I’m not sure yet,” she told the woman.

“You don’t have any family in Carolina Shores?” Clara asked.

Lexie shook her head. “No.” She’d needed a break from the concerned looks of her family and friends. They meant well, but seeing them only made her dwell on her canceled wedding and happily-ever-after.

There was another knock on her hospital room door. Lexie smiled for the first time since waking up at the sight of a short-statured man with an overgrown, scraggly beard. Dr. Marcus had taught a year of her medical school before returning to the field at Carolina Medical to practice medicine.

“Lexie! When I called and asked you to come to Carolina Medical, I meant to work alongside me, not to be my patient. Although it’s always a pleasure to see you.”

“Good to see you, too. And as soon as I’m discharged, I’ll get right on that,” Lexie promised. “I’m so excited about the work we’re going to do together.”

He smiled. “Me, too.”

Clara stood to greet the doctor. “Hello, Dr. Marcus. How are you?”

He nodded and gave her a hug. “I’m well. Yourself?”

Clara patted his back and sat back down in the chair beside Lexie’s bed. “I’m blessed. I didn’t see you in church last Sunday.” She lifted a brow.

Dr. Marcus shook his head. “I’m sorry I missed it. I hear the sermon was a good one, but duty called. I see you’ve met one of my favorite students from the time when I was a professor in Raleigh.”

They both turned to Lexie. She’d passed her medical boards last month. She was officially a doctor now, and couldn’t wait to start practicing.

“I have,” Clara told him, folding her hands in her lap. “Is she going to be okay?”

Dr. Marcus gave her a serious look. “You know I can’t break patient confidentiality, Clara.”

“So you keep telling me.” Clara winked at Lexie. “He never tells me anything when I come to visit.” Clara pretended to whisper, intending for Dr. Marcus to hear every word.

Lexie laughed. “Am I going to be okay?” she asked, turning to Dr. Marcus. “When can I trade in this hospital gown for my real clothes?” And start looking for a place to stay in Carolina Shores temporarily.

“Just as soon as you promise to stop running toward wildfires,” he said, writing something on the clipboard in his hand.

“Oh, trust me, I won’t be doing that again anytime soon,” Lexie said. Heat moved through her cheeks.

“That’s good, because part of being a good practitioner is setting a good example. Especially when it comes to the teens.”

“Right.” She felt conviction in her spirit. She hadn’t started the job yet and Dr. Marcus was already mentoring her.

“And where will you be staying when you leave here?” he asked.

That seemed to be the question of the moment. Lexie knew that Dr. Marcus would offer her a place to stay if she told him she was now homeless, but she also knew he was a newlywed. He and his new wife were late to find love, and had only been married for a couple months. Lexie had attended the wedding here in Carolina Shores. It was the first time she’d visited the coastal town, and she’d wished she could stay a little longer at the time. Now she was here for the entire summer.

She opened her mouth to tell Dr. Marcus she wasn’t sure, but Clara stopped her.

“She’s my new houseguest, Dr. Marcus. A friend of yours is a friend of mine.”

Lexie shook her head. “I couldn’t let you do that. You don’t even know me.”

“You could and you should. Please,” Clara said. “I never turn down an opportunity to bless someone in need. And you’ll be helping Dr. Marcus with the new health care clinic. Our community really needs medical help for people without insurance. The least I can do is put you up in our guest room.”

Dr. Marcus placed the clipboard under his arm. “It’s settled, then. You’re free to go, Lexie.” He pointed a finger in her direction. “But be back in the clinic downstairs tomorrow morning and ready to start working the other side of the bed.”

Lexie’s head was spinning. She lived according to a plan, always had, and going home with a complete stranger was not part of it. But she didn’t see any other option at the moment.

Clara stood and clasped her hands at her chest, looking excited. “Great. You get dressed and I’ll wait outside for you in the hallway, dear. I’ll call my husband and tell him the good news.”

Reluctantly, Lexie nodded, forcing a smile. “Okay. Thank you,” she said as Clara exited. Lexie stared at the closed door for a long moment, then started to put on her clothes. Another change in plans. This was becoming the theme of her summer. She’d been with Todd, her ex-fiancé, for so long that marrying him had seemed like the next logical step—even though she wasn’t in love with him. That realization hurt. Then her plans had crumbled around her. So she’d planned out her summer here, and now her plans were falling apart again.

Okay, I can do this.

Clara Carlyle seemed like a nice enough lady, and since Dr. Marcus knew her, she wasn’t exactly a total stranger. Lexie would spend her summer helping others at the health care clinic as planned, and then return home to the job that would be waiting for her in Raleigh. There would be no gold band on her finger at the end of the summer like she’d thought, but she was sure that was best. God’s plans were better, Grandma Jean always said, and Lexie believed it. She’d been brokenhearted after Todd had called off the wedding, but she was trying to see the bright side. They’d gotten along fine, but maybe there was something, or someone, out there who was more than fine for her.

“Ready?” Clara asked as Lexie poked her head out of the hospital room.

Lexie nodded. “I left my car at Chesterfield Estates,” she told Clara. “Along the side of the road.”

Clara waved a hand. “My husband, Rick, works on cars for a living. He’ll tow it back to our place. Don’t worry, dear. He’s excited about having you as a guest, too. It’s the more the merrier in our home,” Clara continued as they reached the elevators. “Our other houseguest lives in the spare room above the garage.” She talked excitedly. “Did I hear Dr. Marcus say you’ll be working with teens, too?” she asked.

Lexie nodded as they stepped inside the elevator and headed down to the hospital’s first floor. “Yes. It’s part of the health care clinic’s outreach. I’ll be helping teens learn about proper health care.”

“Oh, that’s marvelous. The two of you will get along just fine,” Clara said.

Lexie was only barely listening. Her head was still a little foggy from her ordeal this morning. Something about another guest who lived in Clara and Rick’s garage apartment. Lexie guessed she’d meet him when she got to her new summer home.

* * *

Mason hadn’t been able to take his mind off the woman who’d broken through evacuation lines all afternoon. The fire covered a little over a thousand acres at this point. He needed to be focused on that instead. He also needed to find the runaway girl as soon as possible, before something happened to her. It eased his mind that Clara had promised to go visit the woman from this morning. Knowing Clara, she’d gone as soon as he’d left earlier and had probably taken a care package, too.

He wiped the sweat from his brow as he pulled the hose from the truck and handed it to one of the guys at the station. They were keeping the fire away from the roads while helicopters circled overhead dumping water where the trucks and firemen couldn’t get.

His actions were on autopilot. There was usually a fire like this one every few years. Either someone had burned a trash pile too close to the woods on a windy day or lightning had struck dry land, such as it was in the current drought that Carolina Shores was suffering. No one usually got hurt. Of course, most people abided by the rules set forth for their own safety.

His thoughts drifted back to the redhead with eyes as verdant as this land once was. She’d risked her life for a wedding dress, which meant not only was she crazy for running toward a burning forest, but she was engaged. Somewhere out there was a man who loved her, who needed her to stay safe for him. She’d acted foolishly this morning and now she was lying in a hospital bed. The bride-to-be had been reckless with her health and her fiancé’s heart—just another reason Mason planned on staying single. Loving someone meant the possibility of losing them, and he’d lost enough people he loved.

After spending another hour as close to the fire as he could safely get, he headed to his truck to grab a drink of water.

Fire Chief Henry Rodriguez stepped up beside him. “Your shift is over, Benfield.”

Mason shook his head. “We don’t keep to our regular shifts during something like this.”

The chief raised a bushy eyebrow. “Let me rephrase that. You need a break.”

Mason twisted the cap off his water bottle. Men with families needed breaks. No one was waiting for him at home—not anymore. Unless he counted Clara and Rick, who treated him like a son and always set an extra place at the dinner table on the chance that he’d make it in time.

The chief held up a hand. “It’s not up for discussion. Get out of here.”

Mason frowned. There was no arguing with his chief. He got inside his truck and drove to the Teen Center for a quick minute, then headed to the Carlyles’ house. He was late for dinner, but at least he’d made it.

So had someone else, he noticed, seeing the unfamiliar gold sedan in the driveway. Clara was always caring for someone. It’s what she did best. He wasn’t a man who usually liked to be doted on, but Clara made it feel like he was doing her a favor when he let her.

Walking up the porch steps on the side of the house, he noticed a pair of woman’s shoes. They were smaller than Clara’s. More feminine. As Mason removed his own boots, something inside his gut rang out like a fire alarm detecting smoke. He suddenly had an uneasy feeling he knew exactly who Clara had invited for dinner tonight.

Mason shouldn’t have been surprised. Helping people was what Clara did. That’s how he’d come to live here. He entered the house as Clara set a steaming serving dish in the middle of the dining room’s table.

“Oh, Mason! I thought you said you wouldn’t make it tonight.” She hurried over to hug him. “This is wonderful.” She pulled away and gestured at the redhead standing shyly in the corner of the room. Mason recognized her from earlier in the morning, although she’d been unconscious at the time. “Look who else is joining us for dinner,” Clara said.

Mason nodded. “I didn’t expect to see you out of the hospital so soon,” he said to the woman.

“Well, expect to see a whole lot more of Lexie. She’ll be staying in the guest room here while her neighborhood is under evacuation,” Clara told him. “And—” Clara clasped her hands in front of her chest excitedly “—Lexie is also going to be working with the teens in Carolina Shores! Isn’t that wonderful?”

Mason stiffened. He was fiercely protective of the teens in this area, and he didn’t know much about this woman, Lexie. The things he did know, however, led him to believe she was impulsive, foolish and not a person he intended to let the local teens have as a role model. Not on his watch.


Chapter Two (#uc3166721-a72b-5d1b-9f19-284b5627627b)

Lexie met the man’s gaze. “Thank you for rescuing me this morning.” She offered her hand to the dirt-smudged fireman in front of her. He shook it, and just that simple touch made her knees weaken. She’d always thought weak knees at the sight of a man were a myth. She was a medical professional and there was no good reason for knees to go weak just because...

Because when God designed this one, He’d tailored him with every trait she’d ever found attractive in the opposite sex.

She averted her gaze, hoping to steady her pulse.

“Nice to meet you under better circumstances,” he said in a deep voice with just a hint of Southern drawl.

“I don’t know what I would’ve done if you hadn’t driven by.”

“God put Mason in the right place at the right time.” Clara turned to her husband, Rick, who had slipped into the room and was now seated quietly at the head of the table. “We can wait a few minutes, right?” She gestured to Mason. “A man deserves to be clean while he eats. Especially one who’s worked so hard helping others today.”

“Indeed.” Rick nodded. “Of course we’ll wait.”

Clara made a shooing motion at Mason. “Go, go. When you come back we’ll eat and get to know our new houseguest.”

Mason frowned, glancing over at Lexie. She felt exactly the same way that he appeared to. Not that she didn’t like Mason—he seemed nice enough—but she’d embarrassed herself with him this morning.

“Go on and clean up before the food gets cold,” Clara told him. “We’ll be waiting.”

With a sideways glance at Lexie again, neither smiling nor frowning anymore, Mason disappeared down the hallway. Lexie stared after him. He was the tenant who lived here with Clara and Rick? The man she’d hoped to avoid for the rest of the summer?

She took a seat at the kitchen table and resisted any negative thinking. She’d kept her spirits up all day despite running toward wildfires and landing herself in the hospital. Living next door to a man she’d hoped to avoid the rest of the summer really wasn’t that big of a deal.

A few minutes later, Mason reappeared, clean-faced and dressed in a T-shirt and pair of jeans. He sat at the table across from her and just the close proximity made her blood pressure rise. Her heart bounced around nervously in her chest. Lexie tried to focus on Clara and Rick instead of the man in front of her. Tried and failed.

“Let’s pray.” Clara turned to Rick. She extended her hand to him and to Mason on her other side. Mason took her hand and then reached for Lexie’s.

Lexie swallowed, completing the chain by taking Rick’s hand on her left and Mason’s on her right.

Rick bowed his head. “Heavenly Father, thank You for the food You’ve provided for us,” he said. “We know that You are our source. Thank You for these friends and family, old and new,” he said, referring to Lexie. Then he prayed for the safety of the town and the firemen as the forest fire raged a few miles away. “Keep us all safe, Lord. You are our protector. In Jesus’s almighty name we pray.”

Everyone around the table said, “Amen.”

Then Clara started to pass the serving bowls to the right.

“She does this every night,” Mason said, serving himself several slices of honey-coated ham.

“And he rarely misses a dinner. Not unless there’s an emergency. Or it’s his night at the Teen Center.” Clara smiled proudly at him, just as she probably would for her own sons if she had any. Lexie didn’t see any pictures of children in the house, though, so she gathered that the older couple didn’t. “You work at the Teen Center, too?” she asked.

“Oh, Mason runs the place, dear.” Clara beamed.

“And I don’t recall okaying any new volunteers lately,” he said, lifting his gaze to meet hers.

Lexie swallowed. There was a hard tone to his voice that made her uneasy. “Dr. Marcus okayed it with you.”

“You work with Dr. Marcus?” he asked.

Lexie got the distinct impression that Mason wasn’t thrilled with her involvement. “Yes. I’m the new doctor who will be assisting him at the free health clinic.”

She tried to smile. She was happy to be able to officially call herself a doctor. “I just passed my boards. Dr. Marcus was a professor of mine in medical school. He asked me to come to Carolina Shores and help him. He says there’s a big need for medical care here.”

“Oh, there is,” Clara agreed, between bites.

“Good medical care,” Mason said, his posture growing stonier by the second.

Was he implying that she wasn’t good at what she did?

Lexie shifted uncomfortably. “Of course.” She didn’t want to take offense, but how could she not? Mason was suddenly glaring at her, like she’d said or done something wrong.

“Just because someone can’t afford medical care doesn’t mean they should get subpar attention from a new doctor, who’s more concerned with wedding planning than medicine.” He set his fork down. “And that goes for the teens in this town, too.”

Okay, now she could get offended.

“I’m sorry, but I’m very focused on my role as a doctor.” She’d wanted nothing more since she was six years old, lying in a hospital bed after her first asthma attack. “I graduated with honors from my class.”

“Dr. Marcus wouldn’t have asked Lexie to come to Carolina Shores otherwise, dear,” Clara said, her brows bouncing nervously. Her fork was suspended in midair as she looked between them.

Mason wiped his mouth with his napkin, scooted his chair back from the table and stood. “I don’t want to be rude, Clara, but I’m not very hungry anymore. I also need to head back to the fire early in the morning.”

Clara and Rick exchanged a look.

“Oh, Mason, can’t you just—”

Rick moved a hand to cover her forearm, stopping her from continuing. For the entire dinner so far, he’d been quiet except to pray. “Good night then, Mason. Be careful tomorrow,” he said.

“I will.”

They watched Mason walk away. Lexie forced herself to take a deep breath. She felt like she’d just failed an exam, except school was over and Mason Benfield’s opinion of her shouldn’t have mattered. But it did. The look of disapproval in his eyes just now stung. She’d been foolish to risk her life this morning, she understood that, but it didn’t reflect on her skill as a doctor. Or it shouldn’t have. Neither did the fact that she’d been planning a wedding for the past year.

“I’m sorry about that,” Clara said, gaining Lexie’s attention. “Mason gives all the young doctors a hard time. He hasn’t exactly had the best experience with medical people.”

So he was like 50 percent of the human population who didn’t enjoy going to doctors’ or dentists’ offices, Lexie thought. That was no reason to be rude. She picked up her fork again and continued to eat, making conversation with her new Carolina Shores family. When the meal was over, Lexie retreated to the guest room down the hall, thankful for a soft place to rest her head, and for the fact that Mason had said he’d be leaving early in the morning. She wouldn’t mind not seeing him before she started her own busy day tomorrow—her first at the new health care clinic. She’d also be going to see the teens as planned tomorrow afternoon, whether Mason Benfield approved of her involvement or not.

* * *

After a long day at work, Mason walked into the Teen Center the next evening and his whole mood shifted. He loved coming to this place that his late wife had founded. It had meant so much to her when she was alive, and over the years it had come to mean a lot to him, as well.

He high-fived one of the boys standing off to the side. “Hey, Albert. How are you?”

“Great, Mr. Mason,” the boy said.

Mason kept walking, waving at the kids he passed, smiling and giving a high five every now and then. He stopped walking, however, when he saw the woman sitting at the end of the table. She was helping one of the girls with her homework. “What are you doing here?” he asked, a hard edge threading through his voice.

Lexie looked up, lifting her chin just slightly. “I told you I would be here. You and Dr. Marcus discussed this a few weeks back. You agreed to have someone from the new clinic come over to volunteer. That someone is me. I told Dr. Marcus I’d take care of this for him, so he could concentrate on other aspects of the business. I’m not going back on that commitment,” she said.

Mason shoved his hands on his hips, speechless. There were a whole lot of things he wanted to say right now, but he didn’t want to say them in front of the teens who were all staring at him. He wanted to tell Lexie that she needed to get up and get out. He didn’t think that she had anything she could teach these kids that would be of benefit. Instead, Mason stared at her for just a moment longer and then continued walking to the office in the back. His good mood was gone. Now his neck ached from the tension pulling between his shoulder blades.

“Bad day?” his friend Dave asked, looking up from his desk as Mason stormed in.

“Not until now,” Mason said.

Dave studied him. “Well, here’s some good news. We have a new volunteer.”

“Yeah, I know. And I don’t want her here,” Mason ground out.

Dave arched an eyebrow. “Why not? It’s not every day we have someone willing to sacrifice their time. What’s the problem?”

Mason crossed his arms in front of his chest. “The problem is... The problem is...” he said again, trying to think of a good reason why Lexie Campbell’s presence was a problem. “Well, for one, she’s careless. She’s the woman who I rescued from the forest fire yesterday.”

Dave nodded. “I know. She told me.”

“And you don’t think that’s a problem?” Mason asked.

Dave shrugged a shoulder. “It’s not like she’s going to be telling the kids here that they should run into burning forests.”

Mason shook his head. “I don’t want her telling my teens anything. And I certainly don’t want her giving them medical advice.”

“I get it. This is because she’s a doctor.”

“A doctor that just graduated medical school,” Mason told him. “She’s barely got her degree and she’ll be offering the people in this town, who you and I both care about, medical advice.”

Dave considered this. “Well, she’s been to medical school, and I haven’t. So I’m assuming that she has better advice than I could give.”

Mason pointed a finger. “You see? Even you would take her medical advice. That’s why having her at the free health care clinic is dangerous. Just because she’s a doctor, people will think her advice is golden. She’s inexperienced. She can make mistakes that can hurt people. Mistakes that can kill people.”

Dave’s expression softened as he stared back at him.

Mason didn’t want to see the look. Yes, he knew his past was influencing his opinion on this. He couldn’t seem to help it, though. “Lexie said she’s not leaving, so at least help me keep an eye on her,” he finally said.

“Sure. But all she’s doing is helping with the kids’ homework.”

“Good.” Mason plopped himself down behind his own desk and ran a hand through his hair. He needed to collect his emotions before he went back out there.

Dave got up and headed to the door. “I promised Trevor we’d play ball. Catch you in a few?”

Mason nodded. “Sure.” He just needed a couple minutes to himself.

After a few deep breaths and a quick prayer, Mason stood and walked to the glass window that looked out from the office onto the room of teenagers. He watched Lexie as she sat with one of the girls, Kim. Lexie threw her head back as she laughed at something that must have been funny to her. Kim cracked a smile for once, too. The teen girl rarely smiled.

Mason resisted the softening of his emotions. He didn’t want to like Lexie. He didn’t want her working here with the kids that meant so much to him. But Dave was right. The center did need all the help they could get. And truthfully, Lexie seemed like a nice woman. So, as long as she kept her medical advice to herself, Mason supposed that having her around was okay. It was just for the summer, he reminded himself. Then things would return to normal and the beautiful redhead would be gone.

* * *

Lexie was having a good time. Dr. Marcus had explained to her that the purpose of the outreach wasn’t exactly to treat the teens here. Instead, it was to form a relationship with them. To give them somebody in the community that they could talk to. To make the medical professionals more approachable.

Lexie had worked with a lot of the youth in her hometown in Raleigh. She’d grown up doing community service and had always loved helping others. Over the past few years she’d gotten away from volunteering, however, due to her demanding schedule in medical school and planning for a wedding that never happened. This summer would be as good for Lexie as it would be the Carolina Shores community. She just hoped that Mason softened up a bit toward her. She didn’t want to spend her summer tiptoeing around him.

She looked up at the office where he’d disappeared half an hour earlier. The door was still closed. She felt sorry that she was the reason he was blocked off from everyone. That hadn’t been her intention.

The office door suddenly opened and her heart stopped. Mason appeared and started walking in her direction. Here it comes, she thought. Mason was going to try to get her to leave again. She braced herself. When she’d spoken to Dr. Marcus earlier in the day about Mason’s stance on her being here, Dr. Marcus had encouraged her to come anyway. He’d described Mason as a big softy at heart. Mason’s jaw was tight right now, though, the muscles bunched along his cheek—nothing soft about the man.

She swallowed and met his gaze as he stood behind her, overlooking the homework she was helping Kim with.

Kim looked up, as well. “Hey, Mr. Mason,” she said, without so much as a smile. “Miss Lexie is helping me do algebra.”

Mason’s gaze moved from Kim to Lexie. “That’s great,” he said. “Every time I help her, she gets the questions wrong.”

Unless Lexie was imagining it, Mason’s mouth curved into the smallest of smiles. She took that as a good sign. “Math was always one of my favorite subjects,” she told him.

He nodded again. “Then I guess we’re fortunate to have you here.”

Did this mean he wasn’t going to escort her out of the building? That he’d had a change of heart? She offered up a smile in his direction, and then returned her focus to the algebra work sheets on the table. She pointed at the next problem. “Okay, let’s try this one,” she told Kim. From the corner of her eye she watched as Mason moved farther down the table and sat beside one of the teenage boys. Relief spread through her and hope blossomed. Maybe she wouldn’t have to tiptoe around Mason Benfield all summer after all.

An hour later, Lexie drove back to the Carlyles’ home to help with dinner as promised.

“Shall I set four place settings?” she asked, gathering the silverware.

Clara shook her head. “Just three. Mason called and said he wouldn’t be coming tonight.”

“Oh.” Lexie swallowed and continued counting out forks and knives. “Is it because of me?”

Clara waved a hand. “No, it’s because of him, dear. He just needs to work through his thoughts, that’s all.”

Lexie nodded, trying to understand. She didn’t, though. She got along well with most of the people she met. His first impression of her hadn’t been the greatest, but people deserved second chances. “I saw him at the Teen Center this afternoon,” she told Clara.

“Oh?” Clara turned to look at her. “And will you be going back?” she asked, not so discretely asking the bigger question: How had Mason reacted to her presence?

“I’m planning on going a few nights a week after I leave the free health care clinic. I’ll help with homework and play games with the kids.” Despite Mason’s initial attitude, excitement swirled around in her chest. “I’m really looking forward to it.”

Clara nodded and lifted a serving plate to carry into the dining room. “That’s good news. God will work things out. He always does.”

Lexie followed behind Clara and sat with her hosts for dinner. There was a void on the other side of the table. Even Lexie felt it. She ate quietly and helped Clara clean up after the meal. Then she retreated to the guest room, thoroughly exhausted from her first day volunteering at the health clinic and Teen Center.

She closed her eyes as soon as her head hit the pillow and thanked God for His grace today. Mason might not have been jumping up and down to see her this afternoon, but he’d allowed her to stay and, considering his reaction to her involvement with the teens the day before, that in itself was the equivalent of moving a mountain. Clara was right. God would work things out in the way He saw fit.

“Thank You, God,” she whispered into the darkness, the prayer fading on her lips as she fell fast asleep.

* * *

The next day, Lexie woke refreshed. She grabbed a banana from the fruit basket on the Carlyles’ kitchen counter and waved at Clara as she headed to her car to drive to the clinic.

“Bright and early,” Dr. Marcus said, turning to wave at her. “Let’s hope we see more patients today than yesterday. Not that I’m hoping for sick people. A few well-check visits would be welcome, though.”

Lexie unloaded her belongings and slipped her arms into the sleeves of her white doctor’s coat. She’d worn a pretend lab coat everywhere she went as a child, fostering this dream. Now she was finally a doctor.

She and Dr. Marcus stared at the clinic’s unbudging front entrance, holding their breath until the door finally opened with the first patient of the day.

* * *

Mason’s skin felt like it was melting as he worked the sidelines of the forest fire. Helicopters overhead dumped the water as fast as they could and the unquenched forest drank it. The loads were like spitting into a fireplace, though. None of it seemed to make a dent in putting out the blaze.

He stabbed his shovel into the ground, digging faster. All of the machines were busy making trenches where the fire was most threatening. If the winds changed, though—he’d seen it happen before—the fire would be heading this way, toward the schools.

And Lexie Campbell’s rental home for the summer.

Guilt knotted inside his stomach. He regretted the way he’d treated her so far. He hadn’t exactly been the most welcoming guy, even if he’d extended the smallest of olive branches to her at the center last night. He could deal with her assistance with algebra equations. Diagnoses and prescriptions, on the other hand, were entirely different. Lexie didn’t have enough knowledge backing her medical advice. What if she made a wrong decision and someone got hurt in the process?

He shook the thoughts away and continued to work. A string of other firemen helped in the effort. A small trench would deter the fire long enough to get the machines over here if they needed to be. All of the firemen from surrounding communities were involved with the effort. Hopefully, within the week the blaze would be handled.

He stopped and wiped his forehead, resting against the shovel’s handle. He’d been here well past his shift, but despite his chief’s earlier encouragement, he couldn’t leave. Besides, if he went home, the beautiful Lexie might be there.

Beautiful? Had he really just thought that? He preferred to think of her as an inexperienced doctor who needed to return to wherever she’d come from. Even though he had to admit having extra help at the center was nice.

Mason started digging again—harder and faster. Maybe the smoke was playing with his thinking.

A loud crack interrupted his thoughts.

“Heads up!” someone yelled through the trees.

His eyes immediately followed the familiar sound through the dense gray smoke hanging in the air. A tree was coming down. Maybe the fire had gotten to it. Maybe the vibration of the machinery on the ground had rattled an already fragile pine. His eyes darted toward the path the tree would most likely take in its fall. Everyone was safe. With a prayer on his lips, Mason began to run, too. The farther away he could get, the better.

A second later, the ground shook with impact.

Mason’s heart raced and blood hammered his eardrums as he turned to inspect the damage. There was more danger here than just the fire. That was a lesson that the newer firemen hadn’t learned yet. They would though, in time. That’s why they worked as a team. He had everyone’s back and everyone had his for the safety of all. In Mason’s experience, that wasn’t true with doctors. They had the backing of their own knowledge, and a new doctor had less knowledge than one with decades of experience. Maybe if Kristin had seen someone else at the emergency room after her accident, she’d still be alive.

Mason swallowed, pushing down the what-ifs. They didn’t help. His wife was gone. She’d trusted him and the young doctor who’d taken care of her. Ultimately, it had been God’s plan to take Kristin. Mason knew that in his head. His heart ached with her loss, though, and no matter how much counseling he’d done, he couldn’t help feeling like he could’ve changed what had happened that day.

Mason walked toward the shovel he’d thrown down when he’d started to run. His cell phone rang in his pocket. He pulled it to his ear. “Hello.”

“Hey, buddy,” Dave said. “Trevor is on his way to see a doctor. One of the older kids is dropping him off.”

Mason froze. “What happened?” he asked.

“A skateboarding accident. Don’t worry, he’s okay. Just a little scraped up. He’s going to need a ride home, though.”

Mason was already walking in the direction of his truck. Trevor was one of the teens at the Teen Center. He was a great kid with a big heart, who just needed a little extra adult influence in his life.

“I’m on my way to the hospital now,” Mason said, picking up speed. He spotted his truck in the distance.

“I think he’s going to that new health care clinic instead,” Dave told him.

Acid rose up in Mason’s throat. Trevor’s mom worked two jobs, and they didn’t have health insurance. No way was he going to let Trevor trade his fear of a big hospital bill for proper health care. Mason didn’t want to see anyone do that, especially the teens. A lot of them came from low-income families. Some were smoking, abusing drugs, dealing with stuff that they were afraid to tell their parents about. They needed health care, of course, but not from inexperienced doctors like Lexie.

He climbed into his truck and cranked the engine. He needed to get to the clinic as soon as possible to make sure Trevor was treated by Dr. Marcus instead.


Chapter Three (#uc3166721-a72b-5d1b-9f19-284b5627627b)

A few patients had wandered into the free health care clinic this morning, but the pace had been slow. Dr. Marcus definitely could’ve handled this on his own, but Lexie was glad to be here. And hopefully, as word got out about the clinic, there’d be more patients.

When a teenage boy walked in the front door that afternoon, she turned to Dr. Marcus.

“Do you mind seeing him?” Dr. Marcus asked, pretending to be busy.

Lexie nodded thankfully and led the young boy back to her examining room.

“Where is your mother?” she asked as he climbed onto the table.

“At home. She told me to come here. It was just a skateboarding accident. Happens all the time,” the kid said. Lexie recognized him from the Teen Center the other night. He was wearing an oversize button-down shirt and had a backward ball cap on his head. There was a grin on his childlike face despite the intermittent grimace that came when he moved his arm.

Lexie nodded, turning her focus to his wrist. She’d already palpated the bone and he’d nearly jumped off the table. His wrist wasn’t broken, just sprained. A dark pool of purple blood resided just below the skin between his forearm and hand. She gently placed an ice pack over it.

“Ouch!” The boy shifted uncomfortably.

Lexie lifted her gaze to the rectangular bulge in his front pocket. “I’m more concerned about those cigarettes in your pocket. You’re not even eighteen.”

His mouth dropped slightly. “They’re not mine. They’re for my mom.”

“I see.” She twisted her mouth to one side thoughtfully, knowing a lie when she heard one. In the sterile room, she could smell the stale smoke clinging to his clothing. “Do you know the harmful effects that smoking can have on a body? You’re young now and probably think you’re invincible, but cigarettes are bad for your health,” she warned.

The teenager stared at her, his eyes glazing over. He wasn’t listening. He might as well have had earbuds blasting music in his ears like all the teens she’d seen around did lately.

“By the time you’re my age, you’ll be short of breath just going up a flight of stairs if you keep that up. You certainly won’t be fit enough to ride your skateboard.”

“They’re for my mom,” the teen said again, his gaze skittering to the wall behind her.

She frowned. “Well, in that case, you should tell your mother that I advise her to quit the habit and take care of herself, because she’s worth taking care of. And so are you.” Lexie pulled a pen out of her white lab coat and jotted down something on her prescription pad. She wasn’t sure her patient was fully listening to her right now, and she wanted to make sure he followed her instructions. “Rest your wrist. Keep ice on it over the next few hours and take over-the-counter ibuprofen for the swelling. You should be fine by tomorrow, but if you’re not I want to see you back here in my examining room.”

The kid nodded. “Okay.”

“And I’d give the skateboard a rest for the next few days. You don’t want to fall on your arm again while it’s healing.”

The kid jumped down from the examining table. “Thanks, Doc.” He took the paper and started to walk toward the door.

“And remember to tell your mother my advice about those cigarettes,” she said, even though she was really advising him. “Quitting now will be easier than trying to quit later. Taking care of yourself is important.”

Lexie opened the door for him and froze at the sight of Mason on the other side of it. “Mason. What are you doing here?”

His mouth was set in a deep frown just like last night. His gaze moved from her to Trevor. “I told you that you could call me anytime,” he told the boy. “I would have taken you to the hospital.”

“I just saw this doctor,” Trevor said, pointing at Lexie. He held up the piece of paper she’d handed him, which outlined her care instructions. “See? Rest and ice. That’s all I need.”

“And stop smoking the cigarettes,” Lexie added.

Mason’s brow lifted. “Really?” He shook his head. “We’ll talk later. Right now we’re getting a second opinion on that wrist.”

Lexie crossed her arms and took a deep breath, mentally counting to five before speaking. “I’m sure Dr. Marcus wouldn’t mind doing that for you if that’s what you need to feel better about my treatment of Trevor.”

“I want the best for him.”

Meaning that she was not the best.

She rolled her lips together and held her tongue, turning to Trevor. “Is that okay with you?”

The teen shrugged. “Mr. Mason is overprotective. He acts like my father sometimes.”

She forced a smile, trying not to take Mason’s behavior personally. “Nothing wrong with that. I’ll just go see if Dr. Marcus can take a quick look.” She gestured for him to take a seat in her examining room again. Mason followed behind him.

He was right. She was a new doctor, not skilled enough to complete brain surgery. But she’d known how to treat a sprain since she was in the Girl Scouts.

“Dr. Marcus?” she called, poking her head into her mentor’s office.

He turned and offered a quick smile. “Everything okay?” he asked. “I saw Mason come in.”

She nodded. “And he wants a second opinion on my patient.” She blew out a breath. “Would you mind?”

Dr. Marcus stood and patted her shoulder. “I’m sure you did a great job, but if it eases Mason’s mind, I’ll take a look. He tends to hover over the kids from the Teen Center. That place means a lot to him.”

She watched Dr. Marcus head toward the examining room that she’d just left, staying back and deciding to keep her distance right now because she didn’t enjoy being doubted. And also because Mason made her nervous for more reasons than his scrutinizing gaze. He was handsome and she admired the fact that he wanted to look after the teens that he volunteered with. He was one of the good guys, even if he didn’t trust that she was any good at the moment.

* * *

Mason glanced around as he walked out of the examining room with Trevor at his side. Lexie was nowhere to be seen, probably off treating another patient, he guessed. Good. He was a little embarrassed by the fact that Dr. Marcus had given Trevor the same diagnosis and medical advice that she had.

“No shooting hoops for you for at least a week. Your arm needs some R & R,” Dr. Marcus said, following them out of the tiny room.

Trevor shrugged and mumbled an inaudible agreement.

“Trevor.” Mason bumped him gently.

With a sigh, Trevor met Dr. Marcus’s eyes. “Yes, sir,” he said. “No shooting hoops for a week. Got it.”

“And?” Mason urged.

Trevor grinned. “Thank you, Dr. Marcus. And that other doctor lady, too.”

Dr. Marcus laughed. “You’re very welcome, Trevor. Anytime.”

Mason was as proud of his teaching the kids at the Teen Center as he was of putting out fires and helping kittens out of trees. “I’ll take you home,” he said, his gaze falling on the rectangular bulge in Trevor’s front pocket. “And we’ll talk on the way there.”

“Hey, Mason,” Dr. Marcus called as they started to leave. “The clinic’s open house is next weekend. I was hoping you’d help.”

“Help?” Mason turned back to look at the older doctor.

“Well, I know you’re trying to raise money for the Teen Center. You could set up something outside to raise money for your group and to draw people in for us. It would help with the clinic’s outreach efforts, as well.”

Mason considered this. It wasn’t the clinic that he had a problem with. Dr. Marcus was a great doctor and he’d told Mason just now in light conversation that other experienced doctors from Carolina Medical would be volunteering their time here, too, in the coming weeks. It was really just the inexperienced physicians that Mason didn’t trust. Mason glanced around the room for Lexie, not seeing her. “I wanted to talk to you in more depth about those outreach efforts.”

Dr. Marcus frowned. “Dr. Campbell is a fine doctor. And she’s here in part to be mentored by me. She’s not going to do anything to intentionally harm anyone.”

Mason nodded. “She’s been great with the teens this week.” Not that he was happy about having one of them in her examining room. “If the wildfire is out by that point, I could spare some time for the open house. I’m sure a few of the other guys could, too.”

Dr. Marcus clapped another hand along his back and gestured to one of the patients in the waiting room. “Great. I’ve got to get back to work. Good seeing you, Mason. Trevor. I’ll see you Sunday at church.”

Mason nodded. Then he led the boy to his truck and headed down the road, already knowing where Trevor lived. Mason had been to the run-down house a few miles away a couple times to fix a broken heater and a leak in the roof. Mason also knew that Trevor’s mother wouldn’t be home right now. She was working tonight, either at the gas station down the street or at her second job caring for one of the elderly members of the church they both attended. She was a well-intentioned mother who had little time to invest in her son, at least if she wanted to keep him fed and clothed. What time she did invest, however, appeared to be quality time.

“So, tell me what really happened.” Mason glanced over at Trevor in the passenger seat of his truck.

“What’re you talking about?” the teen asked.

“If you got that sprain on a skateboard, where’s your skateboard?”

Trevor stiffened and his gaze averted out the passenger-side window.

That was what Mason thought. “We’ve talked about this. Fighting doesn’t resolve things.”

Trevor glanced back, but he didn’t say anything, which told Mason he was on to something.

“And neither does smoking.” Mason tipped his head at Trevor’s front pocket.

“You sound like that woman doctor you treated so bad back there.”

Mason stiffened now. “What are you talking about?”

“She was nice. Is it because she’s a girl?” Trevor asked.

“I don’t have a problem with girls being doctors. You know that. Besides, Dr. Campbell is a woman, not a girl.”

“A pretty one. Is that why you don’t like her? ’Cause she’s pretty?” Trevor was smiling now. The kid was too smart. Somehow in the first two minutes of their “talk,” he’d flipped the cards and was trying to shine the spotlight on Mason.

Mason frowned. “I know what you’re doing, and it won’t work. You’re trying to make me forget about lecturing you on those cigarettes and fighting. You know better than that. How’re you going to play pro basketball if you’re carrying around an oxygen tank?”

Trevor crossed his arms at his chest, then winced at the pain in his bandaged wrist. He leaned forward, looking at the surroundings outside the window. “I thought you said you were taking me home. This isn’t the way to my home.”

“I called your mom on the way to the health care clinic. Told her you’d be going to the Teen Center with me tonight if you checked out all right. And then Mr. Dave would be taking you home afterward. She agreed.”

From the corner of his eye, Mason could see Trevor trying not to smile. He liked the Teen Center. “Fine. You got ice there? Both of those doctors said to rest and ice my arm. Means you shouldn’t make me clean up when we’re done, either.”

Mason laughed. “Talk to Mr. Dave about that. I’m not staying. Not tonight.” He had something else he needed to do. Something that was suddenly weighing on him like a ton of bricks. He wasn’t a mean guy. The fact that Trevor had accused him of treating Lexie badly had convicted him just now. Lexie was just trying to help, which he admired about her—even if she was young and inexperienced, and he absolutely did not want her providing medical treatment for the people in his life.

* * *

Lexie finished writing in the last chart and released a long breath. They’d had a steady stream of people earlier in the morning, but the afternoon until closing had been slow. “I’m not sure you really needed me today,” she said, turning to Dr. Marcus as he walked into the room.

He sat in a rolling chair beside her and laughed. “I couldn’t have done today without you. I’m glad you’re here. I hope you know that.” His gaze narrowed.

Lexie shook her head as her mind trailed back to the incident with Trevor earlier in the afternoon. “I’m not sure everyone in town feels the same way.”

Dr. Marcus frowned. “You’re talking about Mason Benfield. Don’t take that personally. It’s not you. He...” Dr. Marcus’s brows knit tightly together as he considered what to say. “He hasn’t had the best of experiences with doctors.”

“He didn’t have a problem with you seeing Trevor.”

Dr. Marcus smiled warmly. “You didn’t learn this in school, but some people want a doctor to look a certain way. Whether it be male or female, old or young. There’s at least one person in this town that thinks it’s time for me to retire. She’s accused me of practicing ‘old medicine’ on her. I just have to shrug it off and do the very best I can for every patient who comes to see me. Sometimes that means letting someone else treat them.”

Lexie considered this. “You are still the very best teacher I’ve ever had.”

“Thank you, Lexie. And you’re the best student I’ve ever had, which is why I invited you to Carolina Shores to help me open this clinic. I’m sure there are a lot of opportunities in Raleigh, but this will be a great experience, I think.”

Lexie nodded. “I think so, too.”

Dr. Marcus stood, pulling off his white doctor’s jacket and draping it on the back of the chair. “It’s time for me to go home to my new bride.”

The b-word sliced through her. She’d been so busy today that she hadn’t even thought of her canceled wedding and happily ever after.

“You coming? Time for you to go home and get some rest, too.” Dr. Marcus turned to her, oblivious to her sudden heartache. She wasn’t sad because she regretted not marrying Todd, but because she regretted not having the wedding she’d put so much time and effort into. It was going to be a beautiful wedding, just like she’d always dreamed of, with white roses and bridesmaids’ dressed in shades of pink.

Lexie rose to her feet and began to collect her belongings. Home. She wouldn’t exactly call the Carlyles’ place home, but Clara and Rick certainly did make her feel that way. Mason, on the other hand, did not.

She waved good-night to Dr. Marcus in the parking lot and got inside her car. As she drove, she listened to her voice mail. There was one from her best friend, who was currently preparing for a baby-moon with her husband.

“Last chance,” Trisha said into the phone. “You can still decide to go to Hawaii by yourself instead of gifting the trip to me.”

Lexie smiled at the message. She’d rather spend her summer days doing exactly what she’d done today. The next message was from her mother.

“Are you coming home yet?” her mother asked. “I’m worried about you being all alone in a strange place. And the news says there’s a forest fire there. Are you okay? I love you.”

Lexie turned her phone off and tossed it onto the seat beside her. She’d call her mother back after dinner. Pulling her car into the Carlyles’ driveway, her heart sank as she noticed Mason’s truck. She was hoping he’d be at the Teen Center tonight. She couldn’t bear to see the disapproval or judgment in his eyes again today.

No, thank you.

In fact, maybe she wasn’t feeling well anymore. Her stomach was no longer rumbling. Instead, it was tying itself into tiny knots. Clara would understand if she just went straight to bed. It’d been a long day at the new health care clinic, after all.

Getting out of the car, Lexie took a step toward the Carlyles’ side entrance.

“Lexie?”

The voice was deep and even though they were still strangers to one another, she recognized it immediately. Turning, she faced Mason, who was standing in the dimly lit driveway. Her heart thudded painfully in her chest. She didn’t want to fight. Like Dr. Marcus had said, some people had preferences for what their doctors looked like. She had to respect that. Don’t take it personally, Dr. Marcus had told her. Except Mason’s rejection since she’d arrived in Carolina Shores had felt very personal to her.

A soft word turns away wrath, she reminded herself. “Hi,” she said softly. She tried to summon a smile as she looked up to meet his gaze. She didn’t see judgment or disapproval there this time, which relieved her. “What’s going on?”

He took a step closer, coming out of the shadows. He’d been waiting for her in the driveway. She could only imagine why. Trevor had come to see her just like any other patient. She couldn’t apologize for treating him. She’d taken an oath to help people who were sick, hurt and troubled. Looking into Mason’s eyes now, she wondered if he was one of those things, too.

Soft lines formed off the side of his eyes as he returned her smile. It was the first time she’d seen him smile so fully, and...it suited him.

“Can we talk?” he asked.


Chapter Four (#uc3166721-a72b-5d1b-9f19-284b5627627b)

Mason offered his friendliest smile, hoping Lexie would find it in her heart to hear what he had to say, which was that he was sorry. Not for feeling the way he felt, but for the way he’d made her feel. Judging by the look on her face, he’d made her feel awful.

“Please,” he said. “It won’t take but a minute.” Her green eyes softened and she gave the smallest of nods.

He led her up the steps that ran up to his apartment above the garage. He didn’t want the all-seeing-and-hearing Clara to be party to their conversation. Clara had a way of getting involved in areas of his personal life that he really wished she wouldn’t. She was like family in that way, and he loved her like a parent. Unlocking his apartment door, Mason walked inside and turned to Lexie, who lingered in the doorway. “My bark is worse than my bite. I promise,” he said.

She pulled her lower lip between her teeth and stepped inside, closing the door behind her. She didn’t step any farther into the room however.

“I want to apologize.” He shoved his hands into his pockets to keep from fidgeting. Very few things made him nervous anymore, but Lexie was making him anxious for a reason he couldn’t quite explain. “I was a little demanding earlier. And insensitive. I was out of line,” he rambled on, waiting for her to stop him. She didn’t. Instead, she added to the list.

“Not to mention rude,” she said, folding her arms in front of her.

“Yeah, that, too.” He smiled despite himself.

“You think that Trevor needed a more experienced doctor,” Lexie said.

“Yes.” He watched as her posture stiffened. “That’s how I feel.” And he had good reason.

Lexie lifted her chin.

“No offense,” he said. “I’m sure one day you’ll be great.”

“I’m good now. And I have Dr. Marcus’s expertise to draw on if I need help.” She hugged her body tighter. “You know what, I don’t need your seal of approval to volunteer my time for a good cause.”

“You do if you’re going to provide medical attention for the people that I care about.” He found his voice rising as memories of Kristin pushed to the forefront of his mind. He’d thought that he’d dealt with those issues. For the first year after Kristin’s death he’d visited the church pastor for counseling every week. What had happened had been tragic. It was a rookie mistake by a first-year doctor, but nothing happened by mistake. God had a plan in everything that happened, even the things that hurt.

“Well, if that’s all.” Lexie turned on her heel and reached for the door knob.

“Wait.” Without thinking, he reached out to stop her, grabbing her arm gently. “Don’t leave mad.” He’d brought her here to make amends, not to make things worse.

She whirled on him and opened her mouth, probably to argue, when her gaze caught on something. “What happened?” she asked, concern knitting itself in her brow line.

Mason looked down at his arm. “Oh. That. I got called to an illegal bonfire earlier. A bunch of high school kids had a fire too close to the woods. We already have one forest fire going out there. Carolina Shores doesn’t need another. Anyway, one of the girls stumbled as I approached them and I had to catch her.”

“You got burned,” Lexie said.

“Not bad.” He’d had worse. Burns and abrasions were part of the job description.

Lexie stepped closer. “It’s bad enough. Did you put burn cream on it?” she asked.

“I’m a fireman. We firemen like our scars.”

She didn’t smile at his joke. “I have cream in my car’s first aid kit. I can get it for you.”

“Not necessary.” He didn’t want to bother her, and he had a first aid kit of his own. He was fully capable of applying ointment to his own wounds.

Hurt shone in Lexie’s eyes as she looked up. She took his refusal personally, not that he blamed her after the way he’d treated her since she arrived. Even Trevor had noticed. “No offense,” he said, holding up his hands. “I just don’t want to bother you.”

“It’s not a bother. I’m a doctor,” she said. “Taking care of people is my job.”

An anchor of guilt settled in his gut. Her heart was in the right place. “Okay then, Dr. Campbell. Please, doctor me up.”

A hint of a smile curved her rose-tinted lips. He tried not to notice, but she was even more beautiful when she smiled. Noticing Lexie’s beauty felt like a small betrayal to Kristin. His late wife was dead, though, and admiring another woman was harmless. It wasn’t like he intended to act on his feelings. He wasn’t ready for romantic involvement yet, and maybe he never would be again. Besides, Lexie had risked her life for a wedding dress, which he assumed meant she was taken.

So why didn’t she have a ring on her finger? he wondered now.

“I’ll be right back.” Lexie jogged downstairs and was standing back in his living room with a medium-size black bag a moment later. She gestured toward his kitchen table. “Let’s sit over there.”

He dutifully walked over and sat, laying his forearm down for her to inspect.

Her forehead creased as she leaned forward. “You need to take better care of yourself.”

He’d heard that before. It was one of Clara’s favorite things to say. “Is that your medical opinion?” he asked. She smiled again, and he felt like he’d just won a contest.

“Yes, it is.” Her cheeks blushed a deeper rose color. “Not that my opinion matters to you.”

“It matters. I just...” He wouldn’t explain himself to Lexie. He didn’t talk about Kristin to anyone anymore. After hours of counseling, he was done talking about it. “I’m sorry,” he said again, flinching as she swiped a small square of gauze across his burn.

“Big baby.” She grinned as she glanced up and met his eyes.

Those would be fighting words at the fire station. She was teasing him, though, and that felt like a step in the right direction.

“There.” She applied a bandage and pulled away. “All better.”

“Send me a bill,” he said, joking with her. When he wasn’t resisting her, he found himself being pulled toward her. He stood from the table. “Shall we?”

“Shall we what?” she asked, her mouth dropping open as if he’d taken her by surprise.

“Go to dinner.”

Her bright smile fell like a shooting star, falling away into nothingness. “Dinner?” she repeated, looking at him like her new professional opinion might be that he was crazy. “You want me to go to dinner with you?” she asked.

And if Mason wasn’t mistaken, she looked slightly horrified at the proposal.

* * *

Lexie took a tiny step backward, suddenly ready to bolt out of the room. She’d come up to have a private conversation with Mason, but he must’ve gotten the wrong idea. She was fresh out of a relationship—granted, it was one that had been over for a very long time. She wasn’t looking for anything more right now, though, and Mason needed to know that.

“Um. I’m not ready to go out with other...” Her words floundered on her lips. Would it be so bad going on a date with Mason? Things had fizzled between her and Todd a long time ago, starting last summer when she’d barely seen him. She’d been busy with her studies and he’d been busy with his social life. Their goals were no longer the same. The things they’d once enjoyed doing together were no longer enjoyable as a couple.

In retrospect, she’d done all the wedding planning with very little input from him. She and Todd had become a business, checking in with one another about menial things. The foundation that a relationship was built on was unsteady. There was no trust between them as Todd spent time with other females. They didn’t go to church together or study God’s word in each other’s company. Any feeling between them, especially love, was gone. “I, uh...” Her gaze fluttered up to meet Mason’s as she reconsidered.

“You think I’m asking you to dinner?” Mason asked, shaking his head. “I’m sorry. I just meant dinner downstairs. With Clara and Rick. They’re probably waiting for us.”

The blood pooling to her cheeks made her dizzy. “Right. Of course. I’m not ready to eat yet.” She took another small step backward, needing to get out of this room before her embarrassment swallowed her up.

“Well, you’d better find your appetite because Clara won’t take no for an answer if you’re home. Everyone eats together.” He was looking at her strangely. “Are you all right?” he asked. “I hope you didn’t think I was coming on to you. I know you have someone else waiting to see you in that wedding dress of yours.”

Lexie swallowed. Clara must not have told him that her plans had been canceled. “Had someone else,” she said. “I don’t anymore. We called the wedding off.”

Mason nodded slowly, seeming to take this information in. “I’m really sorry to hear that.”

Lexie shrugged, trying to act like it was no big deal. It was, though. Not marrying Todd was life changing. The perfect plans she’d made were gone. “I know you weren’t coming on to me. Of course you weren’t.” She emitted a nervous laugh. Why would Mason be coming on to her? He didn’t even like her half the time. She gestured behind her, taking a few more steps backward. “Anyway, I’ll go wash up for dinner.” She turned and started to leave.

“Thank you,” he said as she left. “For doctoring me up.”

Even if he doesn’t want me to doctor anyone else in his life, she thought.

“You’re welcome.” The soft breeze was refreshing as Lexie escaped out of Mason’s side door and hurried down the steps. She’d gone from wanting his apology to considering a date that he wasn’t even asking her on. He’d thought she was still engaged so there was no way he had been coming on to her. Maybe the oxygen deprivation when she’d passed out earlier in the week had muddled her thinking.

She entered Clara’s house and slid off her shoes, leaving them beside the front entrance’s rug.

“Dinner’s almost ready, dear,” Clara called as Lexie padded down the hall toward the guest room.

“Okay. I’ll be right back.” In the guest bathroom, Lexie quickly washed her hands and ran a comb through her red-colored hair. She couldn’t help but think of Mason as she did. Eating a meal with him several nights a week would be a problem if she didn’t get her emotions under wraps. While Clara and Rick were hospitable people, her neighborhood evacuation couldn’t be lifted soon enough.

She headed back down the hall and into the kitchen. “What do you need me to do?” she asked.

Clara glanced back at her. “Oh, hello, dear. Can you grab the silverware and help set the table?” Her brow line pulled low over her gentle blue eyes.

“Sure.” Lexie didn’t budge. Instead, she continued to inspect Clara, whose face seemed to be frozen in a permanent wince. “What’s wrong?” Lexie asked.

“Oh, just a little headache.” Clara tried to offer her usual smile, but the movement made her wince harder, shutting her eyes momentarily and reaching a hand to rub her left temple.

“Did you take something for it?” Lexie asked.

“Yes. Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine.” Clara gestured toward the drawer again. “We’ll need four sets of spoons and forks.”




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