Sarah Morgan Summer Collection

CHAPTER TWO

KYLA opened the boot and removed the box, trying not to stare as Ethan Walker uncurled his powerful body from the front seat of her car and stretched.

All the way in the car she’d been aware of him. Aware of the shadow of stubble darkening his jaw, of long, masculine leg brushing against hers and the long, searching looks he kept casting in her direction. She’d felt those looks—felt him looking at her—and something about the burning intensity of his gaze had disturbed her so badly that she’d driven fast to keep the journey as short as possible.

Her nerve endings had snapped tight and she’d been breathlessly conscious of every movement he’d made during the short journey.

She knew everyone who lived on the island. She was used to men who were safe and predictable. And she sensed that Ethan Walker was neither.

When her brother had given her the lowdown on the new island doctor, she’d conjured up a vision of a bespectacled, wiry academic who’d spent his life looking down a microscope and seeing patients from the other side of a large desk.

She hadn’t expected to be knocked off her feet by the sight of him.

It wasn’t just the handsome face and the athletic body that made it hard not to stare at him. It was the air of quiet confidence and the dark, almost brooding quality that surrounded him. She sensed that his emotions were buried deep inside him. Were those emotions responsible for the hard, cynical gleam in his eyes?

And what was he doing up here in the wilds of Scotland?

He’d evaded her question but she wasn’t a fool. If Logan was right, then Ethan had been on the fast track. Hadn’t he said that Ethan had been the youngest consultant they’d ever had in the hospital? A single-minded, ambitious over-achiever? Why would a man with that sort of career ahead of him suddenly leave it to work in a backwater?

It had to be something to do with his love life.

Hadn’t he ignored the question when she’d asked it? Which was entirely typical of a man, she thought to herself, because since when did men ever talk about their feelings? They were all completely hopeless.

She slammed the boot shut, deciding that it would be interesting to get some answers. And interesting to spend some time with him.

The thought surprised her because it had been a long time since she’d found herself wanting to spend time with a man.

The problem with island life, she reflected as she slipped the postbag onto her shoulder, was that she knew absolutely everyone. There were no surprises. She wasn’t suddenly going to look at Nick Hillier, the island policeman, and feel a hot flush coming on. She wasn’t going to go to bed dreaming of Alastair and his fishing boat. She knew everyone on the island as well as she knew her family.

But Ethan—Ethan was a surprise. A surprise that promised to make the long days of summer more interesting than usual.

Her mouth curved into a smile as she anticipated the days ahead.

It would be interesting, she decided, to find out more about him.

She pushed open the surgery door.

Her brother was sprawled in a chair at the reception desk, hitting keys on the computer. ‘I’ve a full list here, Kyla. Did you book these in?’

‘And good morning to you, too.’ Her eyes scanned her brother’s face, looking for signs of strain. Tiredness. Logan was the toughest person she knew but all the same she worried about him. He was doing all right, she decided. She was proud of him. ‘Have you been here all night?’

‘It certainly feels like it.’ He pushed the chair away from the computer and stretched. His hair was dark and touched the edge of his collar, but his eyes were as blue as hers. ‘I need every second of the day to see these patients. We have to stop booking them in.’

Kyla threw him an exasperated look. ‘Well what do you expect me to do, you idiot? Tell them to go away and pick another day to be ill?’

‘Nice to get some proper respect around here,’ Logan drawled, but there was a twinkle in his eyes. ‘I’m just pointing out that there’s only one of me and at the moment I’m spread rather thinly.’

Kyla slammed the post down on the reception desk. ‘Well, despite what you may think, I don’t spend my time going round the Island drumming up business for your surgeries. Can I help it if people think you’re the answer to their problems? Anyway, there isn’t just one of you any more.’ She turned with a wave of her hand. ‘I brought you reinforcements from the ferry, Dr Ethan Walker. I expect you already know that because he’s the only stranger that stepped off the ferry this morning so I dare say the jungle drums have been beating for the last half an hour. Treat him well and perhaps he’ll help you with your surgery.’

‘Ethan—pleased to meet you.’ Logan straightened and the two men shook hands while Kyla tilted her head to one side and studied them both. They had a similar physique and yet they were entirely different. Both dark, both tall, both broad-shouldered, but the resemblance ended there. While her brother looked rough and rugged, as though he’d just strode off the hills, Ethan was smooth and slick. City slick, Kyla thought as she turned away and started stacking the post neatly for Janet, their receptionist, to open later. He was a man who looked … she searched for the right term … expensive.

And he probably wasn’t going to last five minutes in a place like Glenmore.

The two men were deep in conversation when the phone rang. Reaching over the desk, Kyla lifted the receiver, her hair falling forward.

‘Glenmore Medical Centre.’ Her voice was bright and friendly and she ignored a look from Logan that warned her that trying to cram another patient onto his morning list would put her life at risk. ‘Hello, Janet! How are you doing?’ She straightened and pulled a face. ‘Oh, no—that’s awful! I’m so sorry to hear that. Don’t move her. Logan will be right over.’

She replaced the receiver to find Logan gazing at her in disbelief. ‘Remind me to fire you and replace you with a moody, scary battleaxe who frightens away patients. If you’ve booked me a house call two minutes before my morning surgery starts then I’m going to strangle you with my bare hands,’ he growled. ‘What do you think I am? Superhuman?’

‘A good doctor.’ Kyla scribbled the details on a scrap of paper and then walked across and gave him a swift kiss on the cheek. ‘A good but exceptionally moody doctor. That was our Janet. She popped round to check on her mum this morning and found her collapsed on the floor.’

‘Gladys?’ Logan’s frown changed to a look of concern and Kyla thrust a piece of paper into his hands.

‘You see? You care really, you know you do. You just hide it well. This isn’t going to wait, Logan. She needs to be seen right away.’

‘I have surgery—I can’t be in two places at once.’

‘Well, I think the place you need to be is with Mrs Taylor. Janet thinks she’s broken her leg. You go. I’ll keep the patients happy. Evanna and I will see the ones that we can and the others will just have to wait.’ Kyla waved a hand towards the door. ‘Go forth and heal, oh great one. I can sing and dance and generally entertain them while you swan off like a knight in shining armour.’

‘I’ll start your surgery.’ Ethan stepped forward, cool and unflustered, watching the exchange between them with puzzled curiosity. ‘Why not?’

Logan ran a hand over the back of his neck. ‘Because you’ve been travelling all night? Because you must need a shower and a rest? Because you don’t know the patients or the island? How many more reasons do you need?’

Ethan gave a faint smile. ‘I’m used to travelling and the shower and the rest can wait. As for not knowing the patients or the island … ‘he gave a dismissive shrug of his broad shoulders ‘… I don’t see why that should that be a problem. Presumably Kyla’s on hand if I need help. Keep your mobile on. If I have any questions, I’ll call you.’

‘All right, then. If you’re sure.’ Without further argument Logan reached for his bag. ‘If she’s fractured her hip, I’m going to need the air ambulance, Kyla. I’ll call you.’

‘You do that.’ Kyla watched her brother stride through the door and then picked up a set of keys. ‘All right, Dr Walker. Looks like you’re on duty. I’ll show you your room then I’ll fetch you a cup of coffee. Hopefully that will see you through until we have time for something more—’ She didn’t finish her sentence because the surgery door crashed open and a large man staggered in. His face was pale and shone with sweat, his hand pressed against his chest.

‘Doug!’ Kyla was by his side in a flash, her arm sliding around him in an instinctive offer of support. ‘What’s happened? Are you ill?’

‘Pain.’ His face was contorted in agony and tiny drops of sweat clung to his forehead. ‘Terrible pain in my chest. I was down in the basement, shifting crates of beer, when I started to feel funny. A bit sick, to be honest. Then it hit me all of a sudden. It’s like an elephant on my chest.’

‘Can we lay him down somewhere?’

‘In the consulting room.’

Ethan took the man’s arm and he and Kyla guided him down the corridor into the room. ‘Let’s get you up on the couch, Mr …?’

‘McDonald,’ Kyla said quickly, raising the back of the couch and helping the patient to lie down. ‘Doug McDonald. Fifty-six years of age, been treated for hypertension for the past three years. He’s taking beta blockers, an ace inhibitor and a statin.’

Ethan lifted a brow as he took Doug’s pulse and reached for a stethoscope. ‘You know every patient’s history by heart?’

‘Small community, Dr Walker. What do you need?’

‘Start with oxygen?’

‘There’s a cylinder to your right with a mask already attached, and I expect you’ll want to put a line in. I’ll fetch you the tray.’ Brisk and efficient, she reached into the cupboard, removed the tray and placed it on the trolley next to him. ‘Just breathe normally through that mask, Doug. That’s great. I’ll squeeze while you find a vein, DrWalker.’ She put her hands around Doug’s arm, watching while Ethan stroked the back of his hand, searching for a vein.