All I Ever Wanted by Francis Ray

Author:Francis Ray [Ray, Francis]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Published: 2013-03-24T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 9

No more, Naomi decided on the drive to Richard’s clinic. She wasn’t going to let her fear take any more from her daughter. Somehow she’d get Richard to understand that anything more than friendship between them was out of the question.

She frowned and bit her lip as she recalled that yesterday he hadn’t seemed to pay any attention to her. Perhaps she had misread him. Her ex was the only man she had seriously dated—and look where that had gotten her.

Her hands clamped and unclamped on the steering wheel. She might have jumped to the wrong conclusion. Her face flushed with embarrassment at the thought. But a quick glance in the rearview mirror at Kayla’s happy expression and she stiffened her shoulders. She had to be strong enough to face her doubts and fears if she wanted Kayla to have a normal, happy childhood, and for now that meant having Richard in her life.

Putting on her turn signal, Naomi pulled into the parking lot of Richard’s clinic. There were several cars already there. “Looks like he has a lot of patients.”

“He always has time for us.”

Kayla said the words with such surety that Naomi smiled. Richard and Sierra might be right. Kayla could be stubborn, but that was all right with her mother—up to a point. No one was going to run over her daughter.

Unbuckling her seat belt, Naomi got out of the SUV. Kayla almost beat her out of her seat in the back. She reached for Kayla’s hand. “Remember, we’re just looking.” Kayla nodded, and they started for the front door.

* * *

Richard was having one of those nonstop days that tested his patience. Besides his scheduled appointments, he’d had to work in emergency cases. He usually didn’t mind, but today he was having a difficult time being the calm, unflappable doctor. At least this was his last emergency patient—unless another patient came in. He wanted to vent his anger, brood because Naomi had made it clear she didn’t want him in her life any longer. Still, his hands were gentle and steady as he examined the Lab’s foreleg.

“I don’t think it’s broken. An X-ray will tell for sure.”

“What a relief, Dr. Youngblood.” Tears filled Mrs. Sams’s eyes. “I didn’t know his paw was under the rocking chair.”

Richard curved his arms around her thin shoulder. King had been a patient of his since he was a puppy, and the companion of his eighty-year-old owner, a widow of ten years. The thought of causing injury to her beloved pet was heart-wrenching to her. “It’s not your fault. Accidents happen.”

“That won’t be happening again. I’ve already moved the chair into the guest bedroom.” Her arthritic hand smoothed over the dog’s shiny coat. “Dr. Richard is going to take care of you, and then we’re going to stop by the store and get you a nice steak.”

Richard didn’t try to dissuade her. King and Mrs. Sam needed to do a bit of celebrating. “I’ll get my assistant for the X-ray.” Opening the door, he stepped into the hallway and came to a dead stop.

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