The Best Blind Date In Texas

“Then why is his wife so convinced he’s going to look at other women.”

Gladys shrugged. “Who knows? All I can say is be careful. That man needs medical treatment. He’s a prime candidate for a stroke.”

“Thanks, Gladys.” Amy sighed and walked toward her dad’s office—which was her office now, too. She was still having trouble thinking of the clinic and the desk as also her domain.

A blast of cold, fresh air swirled through the waiting room as Ambrose Wheatley hobbled inside.

“Good morning, ladies,” he greeted for the second time that day. He’d left before the clinic opened to run an errand. Amy suspected he’d treated himself to a sweet roll and coffee at the café.

“Hi, Daddy,” Amy said, trying to make her voice and expression cheerful.

“What’s wrong, Amy girl? Not an emergency?”

“No, just one Mrs. Gresham who thinks I’m too young and unattached to treat her husband.”

Her dad shook his head. “She’ll come around. Some of these people just need a little time.”

Time. Well, now that she was back in town to stay, Amy suspected she’d have plenty of that commodity. Especially since she wouldn’t be going out on any more dates with Grayson Phillips.

AMY HAD DECIDED TO take Wednesday afternoons off so she had some free time during the week to conduct personal business or just spend some time away from the clinic. She hadn’t had much time to start any hobbies in Forth Worth. Maybe now that she’d settled down, she could pursue some of her other interests. She’d love to look up some of her old friends, although she knew many of them had married and moved away. Looking up friends hardly qualified as a hobby.

First, she needed to find something interesting besides medicine. Immediately, Gray’s image popped into her head. Now there was a man who could become a full-time hobby.

She shook off the unproductive thoughts as she pushed open the door of the Four Square Café. She had a craving for one of their turkey club sandwiches and French fries. Thelma and Joyce were just getting up from their usual chairs when Amy walked past to take a seat.

“Good afternoon, ladies.”

“Amy! How nice to see you,” Thelma greeted. The newspaper owner and editor had been nice enough to run an article on Amy’s return to town and work at the clinic.

Joyce reached out and fluffed her hair. “How’s that new cut coming?”

“Fine. I’ve gotten used to the layering around my face and I really like it.”

“Good. It makes you look a little older. More sophisticated,” Joyce added.

“I wish you’d convince some of my patients that I’m plenty old to practice medicine.”

“Oh, they’ll come around.”

“That’s what my father says, but I’m worried. I’ve had two women this week who hinted they didn’t want their husbands treated by a young, single doctor.”

“Old habits, my dear,” Thelma answered. “Some of these people are very entrenched in their thinking.”

“I’m just concerned. I’m sure things will work out.”

“Of course they will,” Joyce advised.

“Have you heard from our Mr. Phillips?” Thelma asked.

“No, I haven’t.” And she hadn’t expected to, either. Not that she hadn’t remembered him every night as she’d slipped between the cool sheets of her lonely bed.

“I thought perhaps he might have asked you out again.”

“No. Why did you think so?”

“Because we mentioned a certain other young lady who needed a date for a wonderful arts event in San Marcus, and he claimed he was unavailable. For Saturday night! Can’t imagine why unless he had a previous engagement,” the editor said, her expression questioning.

Amy shrugged. “Not with me.” But perhaps she knew why. Perhaps Gray had gotten tired of the constant demand for blind dates. Maybe after talking it though on their date, he’d decided to take a stand against the two matchmakers.

“We’ll have to check back with him.”

“Maybe he just doesn’t want to date,” Amy suggested.

“Nonsense.”

“What if he isn’t looking? Maybe he’s happy being single.” The idea of Gray with another woman caused a different type of pain near her heart. She wouldn’t call it jealousy, because she had no claim upon his time or affections. But she did recognize the potential for problems. She absolutely couldn’t start thinking about “what ifs” where Gray was concerned.

“Nonsense,” Joyce said. “Men just think they’re happy single. It’s up to women to convince them otherwise.”

Amy smiled and shook her head at their obvious rigid thinking on the subject of single men. “Well, good luck, ladies. I’ve had my one date with Grayson Phillips.”

The two older ladies jerked to attention. “One date? What do you mean by that?” Thelma asked.

Oops. Amy knew she’d slipped up. She was certain Gray didn’t want anyone else to know his unwritten rule of dating. She wasn’t about to give away his secrets. “I meant that I don’t think he’ll ask me out again. We had a good time, but I don’t have any more events to attend in the near future. And surely he’s a very busy man.”

Thelma narrowed her eyes in thought, and Joyce appeared to be scheming. Before they could come up with more questions, Amy hurried to an empty table.

ON FRIDAY AFTERNOON, two men showed up without an appointment. One worked at Grayson Industries; the other was the boss.

Amy had to take a few seconds to school her features and lower her pulse before she approached them. She hadn’t seen Gray since she’d bolted from his car early Saturday morning. She’d even tried telling herself, in the dark hours of the night, that he wasn’t as appealing as she’d remembered. She’d been wrong. His black knit shirt defined his impressive chest and accented his flat stomach and lean hips. A leather aviator-style jacket was thrown casually across one of the reception area chairs.

“Gray?” Amy asked as she walked past the half-walled reception area. “What are you doing here? Are you ill?” He certainly didn’t appear to be ailing. He looked…wonderful.

“No,” he said, his gaze taking in every detail from her newly trimmed hair to her slightly rumpled lab coat. “I brought one of my employees, Steve Curtis. He slipped while lifting a box and hurt his back.”

Thankfully, her father wasn’t here at the moment to see his daughter stumble through this seemingly innocent meeting. Amy motioned for Gladys to come over.

“Would you take our patient into Exam One and get him a gown?” With a startled look, Steve followed Gladys out of the waiting room.

Of course, Amy realized a moment later, she was now alone with Gray. Had that been her subconscious intention? She wanted to say no, but how could she when the attraction was as strong as ever?

“Well, I’d better take a look at him. Umm, as soon as he’s had a chance to get into the gown.” She paused, her eyes hungry from the sight of Gray. He was dressed in business casual, but he looked even better than he had in a tuxedo. “Will you stay?” she asked, her voice sounding breathless and not at all professional, “So I can give you an update on his condition?”

“I’ll be here.” His gaze told her he’d be waiting impatiently.

Her pulse started racing again and she felt her cheeks heat with a blush. She nodded in response, embarrassed by her reaction, unwilling to trust her voice. She should have been thinking of her patient, but all that she could remember for one moment was how Gray’s kiss had sent her running for safety.

Resisting the urge to run once again, she grasped her stethoscope and hurried to her patient. After a knock on the closed door, she took a calming breath and stepped inside.

The young man in her exam room had changed into a gown, and was sitting on the padded table. Amy went through a series of questions and had him carefully move so she could determine the extent of his injury. She soon realized Steve wasn’t in extreme pain, as she’d sometimes seen from lifting accidents. Oh, there was discomfort, but hardly an emergency situation requiring immediate care.

She also discovered he was a bit amazed that the boss had taken him to the doctor, instead of advising the young man to drive himself to the clinic after work.

Interesting.

Either Gray was the most considerate, concerned boss she’d ever encountered, or he had another reason for coming to the clinic. Like seeing her, perhaps?

Interesting.

She wrote a prescription for painkillers, advised Steve not to drive while taking the medicine and told him to schedule a follow-up visit for next week.

Then she went back to the waiting room to find out why Gray had taken such a personal interest in his employee. Or if there might be another reason he was pacing the room instead of running his successful business.

Chapter Four

Gray shifted impatiently on the outdated chairs in the clinic’s waiting room. How long did it take to look at one slightly strained back? More importantly, how long would Amy be cloistered in the exam room with the young, muscular stock room employee?

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