Bidding Wars (Love Strikes)(5)

Luck was on his side. They checked in and sat in the crowded waiting room. Sammy’s head rested on Luke’s shoulder. One of his little hands clutched his belly, while the other was clamped over his mouth.

He glanced around. Most of the kids here were quiet. Guess that’s what happens with a waiting room full of illness. Hopefully they wouldn’t catch anything else while they were here.

An animated movie played on the TV, but the volume wasn’t up high enough for anyone to hear it. None of the kids seemed to mind. A few had smiles on their faces as they watched.

The door that led to the patient rooms cracked open and Sammy’s name was called. The voice was familiar but he couldn’t quite place where he knew it from.

“Come on, bud.” He nudged his son.

He picked his son up and went toward the door that led to the waiting rooms. A nurse stood with her back to him, her brown ponytail bouncing animatedly while she spoke quietly to another nurse, who gave him a slight smile. Clearing his throat, he hoped to alert the nurse he was there. Finally she spun around to reveal the most gorgeous smile he’d ever seen and a pair of familiar almond eyes. He didn’t say anything right away, and neither did she.

Her smile faded and she looked as though she’d seen a ghost.

“You’re Sammy Logan?”

His son nodded, and then Molly slowly turned and motioned for them to follow her.





Chapter Four





Molly led them down a hallway and then into one of the patient rooms. She couldn’t believe it was Luke. Of all the people to be here on a Saturday. Taking a deep breath, she had to put it behind her. This was work, and he obviously had a sick child who needed attention. She would not let her feelings for this little boy’s father get in the way of helping Sammy feel better.

Molly pointed to the table, and Luke set his son down. She stood back a moment as he got Sammy adjusted. The little boy was adorable and almost a spitting image of his father. Which meant she thought Luke was quite adorable as well.

“My name is Molly, and I’m your nurse today.” She smiled at Sammy. “What’s going on?”

“I keep throwing up and my belly hurts bad.”

“He was fine while outside playing in the sprinkler and then he got sick.”

She checked Sammy’s temperature. He was only running a slight one. “Have you been out to eat recently?”

“My mommy took me out last night, and the food wasn’t very good. But it never is when she takes me to that place. We go there a lot. Her boyfriend is the cook.”

She smiled and made a note to find out where this place was so she could avoid it. “Are you in school?”

The little boy nodded.

“Sammy’s in kindergarten.”

“Any of the kids been sick lately?”

“Yes, a girl puked twice at school yesterday and she sat next to me. It was so gross.”

She stepped back and looked at Sammy. She then checked a few more things and listened to his breathing. His ears and throat checked out good. Her best guess was a stomach virus. But she would have to leave that up to the doctor to determine.

She turned toward Luke and studied him for a moment. He had a look of worry for his son on his face—the son she heard about last night.

“The wait shouldn’t be too long before the doctor can come in. There are a few toys in the basket and some books as well while you wait.”

“Is it food poisoning?” Luke asked.

“That or a bug. You did the right thing, though, bringing him in.” She walked toward the door.

“Molly.”

She glanced back.

“It’s nice to have a familiar face here. It’s comforting.”

She nodded and then left the room. Once the door was shut, she let out a long sigh just as Theresa, another nurse, came around the corner with a big grin on her face.

“God, girl, he’s hot. I’d be sighing like that too. Is he single?”

“Yes.” Or so she thought. He was divorced, but that didn’t mean he didn’t have a girlfriend.

“Girl, you better get on that.”

“I’m not interested.”

“Are you mental? If you’re not, then I’ll see if Dr. Hancock will let me go in with him while he checks out the boy. Perhaps I can do some flirting.”

A twinge of jealousy coursed through her. “That’s a little unprofessional.”

“No, it’s a shame you’re not able to move on. We all love you here and hate seeing your pain. But this is the life you were given. Enjoy it.” Theresa leaned in. “And that hot man doesn’t look like a bad place to start.”

“You don’t know the half of it when it comes to that man!” Molly snapped. “Believe me—he doesn’t want anything to do with me.”

“And why not? You’re gorgeous and you’ve got a killer body.”

“Because he’s the one I told you about. He’s got the other offer on my house.”

“Him!” Theresa covered her mouth.

“Yes.”

“Well, dang, I wasn’t expecting that.”

“Break it up, ladies.” Dr. Hancock came around the corner.

Theresa shot Molly a look before she shook her head and walked off laughing. The doctor read over Sammy’s chart and the notes she left. He would almost certainly tell Luke that Sammy just had one of those nasty twenty-four-hour bugs. And all he needed was some rest and plenty of liquids and by the end of the weekend he’d be good as new.

“Do you need me, Dr. Hancock?” She hoped he’d say no so she could busy herself with another patient.

He shook his head. “This looks simple. How about getting a few samples of one of those electrolyte drinks and bringing it in? You know how dads can be with sick kids. Always in a panic.”

She headed toward the stockroom. Inside, she filled a bag with several drinks and tossed in a coloring book and box of mini crayons as well. Hopefully a little coloring would keep him settled on the couch as he got better. She then straightened a few rows of children’s acetaminophen samples, trying to kill time. The less she saw of Luke, the better. She’d give the doctor a few minutes and hopefully catch them right as they were leaving.

Her thoughts turned to the bidding war she’d found herself embroiled in. Her lender wouldn’t up her preapproval amount. So she’d looked over her finances and the money she’d gotten from the divorce settlement. She could scrounge up a little more, either toward down payment or the earnest. But that was as good as she could do.

She was going to be meeting with Diane after work to finalize everything, but she knew she wasn’t going to get the house. Part of her wanted to give up, but the other part said she had to at least put a little more fight. For all she knew, she could have the better-looking offer.

Biting her lip, Molly knew she had stalled as long as she could in the stock room. Leaving the room, she saw the door open to the room she was needed in. She’d timed it perfectly. Luke and Sammy were walking out with Dr. Hancock. He waved her down and told Luke she had some samples for him. He then excused himself to go see the next patient.

Molly handed the bag to Luke. “I hope Sammy feels better. I put some goodies in there besides the drinks.”

“Thank you.” Luke held the bag at his side. “Sammy really liked you. Thanks for being so kind.”

She smiled. “He’s a very cute kid. And I have no reason not to be nice to him.”

Luke laughed. “I think I’m reading a little too much into that sentence.”

“You’re not. See you around, Mr. Logan.” She bent down. “Feel better, Sammy. I bet by Monday you’ll be back to normal.” She stood back up, smirked at Luke, and then went to sanitize the room before placing another patient inside.



* * *





As Luke got Sammy tucked in on the couch with a movie he’d stopped and rented, he did his best not to think about Molly. If they’d met on different terms, would she be interested in him? Even though she was the “enemy,” he didn’t want her to be.

She was so good with kids. Usually pediatric nurses were, but she went an extra step further. Her tone with Sammy had been so sweet and motherly. She’d instantly put his son at ease. Molly didn’t act as though Sammy were just another patient; she treated him as though he were the only patient in the world at that moment.

And Sammy was taken by her. The whole ride home, he told Luke about how pretty and nice she was. Even though the kid was only five, he seemed as though he were giving his approval to get to know her more. Luke wished he could, but certainly Molly was not interested. She was a sweet woman, but she didn’t put up with crap. And whatever had happened in the last year had made her build a wall up around her; it would take a lot to break it down. If it hadn’t been for the house, he would have been up to the challenge. But the house really put a damper on his chances.