Page 95 of The Blessings of Christmas
“We used to cut our own tree,” Betsy said, making a face. “Then it got too messy.”
Your “messy” is nowhere near as messy as mine. A fresh paper sheet like the one her dentist used was draped under Victoria’s chin.
Audrey returned, pushing a laptop on a stand. “Ready for bedside registration?”
“Okay. Sure.” The holiday music playing in the background mocked her.Holly, jolly Christmas?I don’t think so.Betsy left the room while Audrey helped Victoria find her insurance card. While the registration clerk typed everything up, Victoria’s mind rambled. “I put drops in my eyes. But I couldn’t get it out.”
“Dr. Darling will fix you right up. He’s very good.” And with that, Audrey wheeled the laptop away.
Dr. Darling?Victoria must be hearing things. Maybe the splinter had embedded itself in her brain.
Returning in her squishy white shoes that looked like marshmallows, Betsy helped her off with her jacket to take her blood pressure. “Hmmm,” she said. “A little high but understandable.” Then she took Victoria’s temperature, looked at it and smiled. “Okey doke. We’re good.”
Going to the end of the bed, she hung up the chart. “All set. Let’s get Dr. Darling in here.”
That can’t really be his name. As Victoria lay there, questioning her sanity and shivering because the room was icebox cold, the hottest man she’d ever seen swished through the drape.
With one large whoosh, her breath left her.
Why hadn’t she taken up nursing? Tall with broad shoulders and movie star features, Dr. Darling was way more than, well....darling. The man was flaming hot.
After glancing over her chart, Dr. Hot Stuff bent over her. “Looks like you got into some Christmas mischief.”
Don’t I just wish.“I–I was sawing off some pine branches. No big deal until this happened.” She tried to inject a saucytone. How she wanted to be that girl, someone like Emily or Josie who just grabbed hold of projects and got them done.
Without injuring themselves. That part was important.
Dr. Hot Stuff shined a light in her eyes and she blinked. Why hadn’t she checked her eye makeup before leaving the apartment? Oh, right. Her right eye was streaming with tears. “I’m just going to open your eye a little bit. Let’s see what we’ve got.”
“Okay.” She felt helpless under his hand.
And why did that feel good?
Very gently, his fingers opened her eye wider. “Look left, please.”
She did as she was told. His breath smelled like mints. Maybe spearmint, her favorite.
“Now right. Hope this doesn’t hurt.” His tone softened.
“Oh, no.” This guy was the best pain medicine she’d ever had. Victoria tried to smile bravely while questions exploded in her brain. Was Dr. Darling married or seeing someone?
When he backed away, she checked his ring finger with her left eye.Nope. Turning her gaze to his dark hair and gray eyes with blue flecks, she felt woozy. Good thing she was lying down. Betsey had appeared at his elbow.
“Let’s give her some drops, and I’ll need a tweezers.”
“Will I need surgery?” That fake tree hadn’t been bad. Victoria had to learn to leave well enough alone.
But not when it came to her dating life. One touch of Dr. Darling’s fingers and she knew this. Nurse Betsy handed the doctor something.
“Surgery? I don’t think so,” he said with a cute grin. “Now, I’m going to squirt this numbing agent in your eye.”
“Will it hurt?”Victoria, that sounds cowardly.
“Not at all. Just some drops.”
The liquid hit her right eye, which he gently closed.
Those fingers. His hands. My heart.
