Opposites Attract: His Country Doctor (The Journal of Medical Romances Book 1) Read online

  Opposites Attract: His Country Doctor

  The Journal of Medical Romances 1

  Lucy McConnell

  Hannah Peterson, PA-C

  Copyright © 2020 by Lucy McConnell

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Contents

  Opposites Attract: His Country Doc

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  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Epilogue

  Now Available from Bestselling and Award-Winning Author Lucy McConnell

  About the Author

  About the Author

  Opposites Attract: His Country Doc

  I'm on Life Plan-B...

  But Andrew makes Life Plan C look pretty good...

  I'm not supposed to be in family medicine; nor am I supposed to be in a small town clinic. But life doesn't always go the way I plan.

  Bumping into Andrew was one of those times.

  He's strong and kind, handsome and tough, and he's worked his way into my heart.

  I can't stay here and chase my dreams.

  But I can't leave him behind.

  I'll have to decide what I want: the dream of a lifetime or a love to last forever.

  You'll love this sweet, contemporary, medical romance because everyone loves to fall in love.

  Grab your copy!

  Claim your free book today!

  This story is an irresistible contemporary romance about a not-so-humble cop who splits his raffle ticket with an unlucky waitress and the actor who falls in love with her.

  (An It Could Happen to You retelling with a twist!)

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  Chapter One

  Harper

  Even though it was my first day on the job, I shouldn’t be nervous. Doctors are used to handling high-pressure situations. It’s part of our training, so my stomach shouldn’t swirl like it did, making me regret the blueberry muffin I’d eaten for breakfast.

  “Just breathe, Harper. You are more than prepared for this.” I knew that once I got started, I would slip into the rhythm of work and be just fine. I’d always been practical. In fact, that was how I ended up in Keokuk, Iowa. When I finished residency, paying off my student loans was heavy on my mind, so I’d decided to join the Health Service Corps. It seemed like the most logical way to pay my loans off fast, then get on with the rest of my career. I took the first job available, which landed me in a rural town that could be dubbed the bug capital of the country. I had the bites on my arm to prove it, and I’d only been here two days.

  Two days was barely enough time to stock my refrigerator and dig out an outfit for my debut as the new doc in town. It certainly wasn’t enough time to call an exterminator to fumigate the yard attached to the adorable little yellow house I’d rented. That would have to wait a couple days.

  I slowly sat down in my brand-new office chair. The rich brown leather creaked as it accepted my weight and cushioned my behind. My hands left sweaty prints on the arms. I wiped them on my pants before tugging my smart ponytail tight and reaching for the patient folder at the edge of the desk.

  I wouldn’t have much time in this room, not once patients poured in, but for now, I absorbed the warm colors and dark woods for their calming effect.

  I shouldn’t be nervous.

  I’d wanted to be an orthopedic surgeon. Surgery was invigorating, and helping others was second nature for me. I’d even applied to the right programs when … I put on the mental brakes. Today wasn’t a good day to take a trip down that road. I had patients counting on me and needed to be 100% for them.

  Besides, there was nothing I could do to change the past. Mom said things happen for a reason, but I’d yet to understand why my dream derailed. I knew I wasn’t the only person on the planet who’d faced that level of disappointment and frustration—and I wouldn’t be the last. At least I’d found a field of medicine I was content with. Maybe not challenged, but definitely content.

  I flipped open the folder, determined to give my best today, and read out loud. “Timothy Allred, 80-year-old male, uncontrolled diabetes. A1-C today is 14.” I tossed my grey stethoscope around my neck and stood. “Looks like we have some work to do.” I worried my lip as I left the quiet of the office and headed down the hall to the exam rooms. Uncontrolled diabetes could be a game changer for someone in their 80s. But it didn’t mean he had to give up and let it do damage. There was plenty we could do to change that.

  Amy, my new medical assistant, was at the nurses’ station, charting. We’d only met that morning, but I was already impressed with her calm personality and attention to detail.

  “Thanks for getting that A1-C for me before I see the patient. I really appreciate it,” I told her.

  “No problem,” Amy responded. She looked up from the screen and gave me her full attention. I prayed she wouldn’t see the way my hands shook. I shouldn’t be nervous. Maybe if I kept telling myself that, it would sink in and my stomach would settle down.

  I’d repaired bones, stitched layers of muscle and tissue back together, and even helped deliver babies at one point in my schooling. Treating colds should be cake. My body acted like I anticipated something big happening today. I pulled in a breath and held it for several counts.

  “Anything else you need before I go and get our next patient?” Amy asked.

  I let out the air, slowly. “No, I should be fine, I’ll let you know if there is anything else after I finish speaking with Mr. Allred.” I used my pent-up nerves to walk quickly down the hall to Room #1. The paintings and pictures on the walls were a blur of muted greens and blues—the colors psychologists determined were the most soothing for patients.

  Halfway there, I buried my nose in the folder to review Mr. Allred’s medical history, hoping to take my mind off the tightening in my chest. Understanding how long he’d struggled with diabetes would help me make a plan for managing the disease. I read quietly to myself as I scanned the page. “Diagnosed in two thousand and—Oof!” Mr. Allred’s lab reports smashed into my face, and the rest of me bounced off of a hard body that was exiting the exam room.

  Disoriented, I stepped back and peeled the pages off my face. I’d been deep in the logical side of my brain, the part where percentages and decimals equated treatments, which was definitely not the part of my brain that knew what to say to the hot and handsome cowboy who stood before me.

  That explained my tongue paralysis.

  Or maybe that was
caused by the six-foot-two frame, dark brown hair, and honest—though sheepish—smile on the breathtaking specimen of a man standing before me.

  I must have breathed, because the scent of hot apple cider filled my nose, spinning my thoughts around like a woman being twirled across the dance floor. The smell warmed me from my head to my toes and awoke something inside of me that buzzed happily. The image of cuddling up with this cowboy under a soft blanket in front of a warm fire had me sighing out loud.

  The image made me dip the folder and papers scattered around our feet. How embarrassing!

  I jolted out of the daydream, praying that I hadn’t spaced out for too long. “S-sorry,” I mumbled.

  “It was my fault,” he said.

  My knees turned to mashed potatoes at his deep voice. It wasn’t enough that his eyes sparkled like something you’d find in a jewelry case; he had to be a bass in the choir too. My eyes dropped to his strong arms, wondering if he’d catch me if I fainted over him.

  He wore a red plaid shirt and a white tee underneath. Neither was tight, yet they managed to show off his incredibly well-formed muscles. He wore a simple pair of jeans and worn cowboy boots. He didn’t need fancy clothes; he was beautiful enough on his own.

  Heaven help me, I think I just drooled.

  He took off his cowboy hat and ran his hand through his hair. “I was just dropping off my grandpa and going to run some errands.” He bent down to help me pick up the papers I’d dropped.

  I didn’t move. I was still under the cider spell.

  He looked up, his brow wrinkled with worry. “Are you okay?”

  I told my body to snap out of it. This wasn’t the first gorgeous man I’d ever seen, and he wouldn’t be the last. I was overreacting because I’d been uneasy about starting today and meeting a new office full of people. I reached down to grab the labs out of his hand. “Yes, I’m sorry, I was … distracted.” I still was—did he have to smell so good?

  Focus, Harper. Focus.

  I managed to remember that I was a professional, and that I had a job to do and a tight schedule to do it on. I extended my hand. “Hello, I’m Dr. Cahill. I’ll be taking care of your grandfather today.”

  He stood and gently shook my hand. Our palms came together as if they’d been made for that purpose. I suppressed a giggle. Doctors don’t giggle.

  From inside the room, Mr. Allred piped up. “Hello?” His hand waved. “Dr. Cahill, I’m Timothy, and this is my grandson Andrew. He was just leaving.” He leveled his grandson with a look that said get out of here.

  Andrew pulled the left side of his mouth up into a playfully crooked smile and poked his head back in the room. “I’ll be back in about 30 minutes. Try not to scare Dr. Cahill off on her first day.”

  I chuckled uneasily. Was Mr. Allred that tough of a patient? I was used to people being cranky when they didn’t feel good, but I didn’t want to start out the day with a bad review. Small towns were notorious for talking about the local doctor. I’d been warned when I’d taken the job that my behavior had to be above reproach—I represented not only the clinic but also the Health Services Corps.

  Andrew stepped back into the hallway and bowed slightly, motioning for me to go in. His smile was open and friendly, with just a hint of teasing thrown in. How I could read all that on a stranger’s face, I didn’t know, but I liked it. “Good luck,” he said, and he strode off down the hall, his long legs covering distance quickly.

  I watched him go. His broad shoulders and trim waist made a perfect triangle. He had an easy, confident gait, but also a happy spring to his step. I wondered what he did for a living. He had a nice tan, the kind that came from working outdoors.

  “Are you coming?” Timothy called.

  Embarrassed to be caught checking out his grandson, I hurriedly walked in and shook Timothy’s thick and weathered hand. He had a couple days’ worth of grey whiskers on his cheeks and the same bright eyes as Andrew. I’d bet he’d broken a few hearts in his day.

  I managed to focus on establishing a good rapport with him and fell back into my analytical brain as we discussed ways to get his diabetes under control. Conversations like this were like riding a bike.

  Timothy’s mind was sharp, and he had a quick wit that had me laughing and enjoying the visit. Being in my element helped me get back to feeling confident and in control.

  Whatever that moment with Andrew had done to me was out of character. I’d put it in the past and make it a distant memory. Medicine was where I belonged and who I was—it was all I ever wanted to be. I’d dedicated my life to the practice, knowing it meant moving around the country and not falling in love, getting married, and settling down.

  Sure, there were sacrifices, but I’d known that going in, and I’d made plans. Nothing was going to distract me from my bright future that lay ahead. Not even a handsome man in cowboy boots.

  Chapter Two

  Andrew

  I wasn’t a man who ran from danger. I’d roped fast steers, wrestled angry calves, and gone head-to-head with my grizzled grandpa over running the farm. But I hightailed it out of that doctor’s office as if my tail was on fire.

  Dr. Cahill was frighteningly beautiful. When our hands touched, my whole body lit on fire. Every flutter of her long lashes raised my temperature another degree. If she’d had any idea how hard my heart pounded from just standing near her, she would have dragged me into an exam room and checked my blood pressure. The idea of her soft hands on my arm for an exam didn’t sound so bad, though.

  I glanced over my shoulder. I could still go back …

  I shook my head at the nonsensical idea. I had a lot to get done in the short time without Grandpa. I hopped up into my old pickup and tossed my hat onto the passenger’s seat.

  “Don’t even go there,” I said to myself as I turned the key.

  Falling for a doctor was a fast track to heartache in this neck of the woods. I’d lived here my whole life, and not one doctor had lasted longer than a couple years. The Community Health Center in Keokuk wasn’t flashy; we didn’t have the latest machines or the prestige that came with big-city clinics. Doctors came in, fulfilled their contracts, and were off to higher-paying positions out of state.

  Even if I wanted to get attached to the beauty with big eyes—not that I would, but if I did—I had too many responsibilities to start dating. A farmer’s life wasn’t one of leisurely evenings spent on the front porch. Not in the summer, anyway.

  I slid the truck into gear and headed off to the feed store. I ran through the list of supplies in my head, adding feed for the horses and molasses for the June bug traps. The bugs were bad this year.

  Aunt Meredith needed a few things from the grocery too. He wasn’t sure what she and Grandpa would do without him once his house was finished and he moved out, but it was time to be on his own. Grandpa had always been something of a tease, but lately his comments had a bite. Luckily, I had thick skin and could let his tone roll off my shoulders.

  As strong as Grandpa’s mind was, his body couldn’t seem to keep up, and he needed a wheelchair to get around now, as his feet were bad. I’m not going to lie: seeing my boyhood hero in a wheelchair was tough. The man who could loosen the toughest lug nuts and haul hay till the sun went down now spent the better part of the day in front of the television. The diabetes was taking a toll, but if he could get it under control, then his feet might get better. Hopefully, this new doctor had as much experience as she did beauty.

  Aunt Meredith and I were banking on her helping Grandpa feel better, which was why I’d taken her first appointment when I called. We’d been without a doc for a couple weeks, and Grandpa wasn’t doing so good. If she hadn't arrived today, I would have hauled him across state lines to see someone. We were a hair’s breadth away from a hospital stay.

  The feed store wasn’t busy, and I was in and out in a matter of minutes. Burt’s Grocery would take me more time. I grabbed a cart and pulled up the shopping list on my phone. I had my head down, reading off ingredie
nts for enchiladas, and was rounding a corner when I heard my name. I looked up to see Nancy from the city council headed my way.

  Shoot. I glanced around for an escape route, but she’d caught me without a produce display to hide behind. “Hi, Nancy.”

  “Do you want to coach a softball team for the tournament?” she asked without so much as a hello or how ya doing. She wore a headband that kept her short hair off her face and a thick pair of glasses perched on her nose.

  I sighed heavily, even though I’d known the question was coming. I’d played baseball in high school, and the team had taken state my senior year. Every year since, I’d been asked to help with the town’s annual 4th of July tournament. I liked spending time on the field; the smell of freshly cut grass and red dirt were invigorating and reminded me of the friendships and fun times with the team. But the older I got, and the more responsibilities I took on, the further baseball fell down my list of priorities. “I don’t know, Nancy. Since Jacob moved away, I’m on my own on the farm, and I’m trying to finish building my house.”

  “Everyone needs to take a break, Andrew, even you. Remember to have a little fun.” She elbowed me in the side and winked as if it was all settled. “I’ll put you down.”