Jake was an honest-to-goodness hero, judging by the expression on that young momâs face.
âYou were really wonderful with that patient,â Hope told him.
His eyes narrowed, but not before going stormy as shadows flitted through the gray. There was desolation there, too. Hope wasnât sure how she knew that, except maybe it took one to know one. Sheâd experienced despair, and when youâve gone through something like that, it wasnât hard to recognize the look in someone else.
âItâs easy when the news is good.â Jake slid his hands into the lab-coat pockets. âIâm not sure what gave you the impression that my heart is two sizes too small, but I do have one. And I know how it feels to have absolutely nothing.â
Surprise didnât come close to describing what Hope felt. He was the golden boy with the magic hands.
Dear Reader,
As I drove to my semiannual plot group, a song came on the radio that always makes me cry. Itâs the part where Johnny Mathis and Jane Oliverâs achingly beautiful voices blend in the refrain, and sing that the last time they felt like this they were falling in love. In The Surgeonâs Favourite Nurse, that became the core of Hope Carmichaelâs conflict.
Two years after the loss of her husband, she takes a temporary job in Las Vegas to escape the painful memories. She never wants to hurt like that again, and her instant attraction to surgeon Jake Andrews is not a happy thing. But the doctor is as stubborn as he is charming and refuses to give up on the woman who is quickly becoming his favorite nurse. He teaches her that life is precious and love is a miracle.
These two characters became very special to me. I hope you enjoy spending time with Hope and Jake as much as I did.
Happy reading!
Teresa Southwick
Here comes trouble.
Hope Carmichael knew more about trouble than she ever wanted to and recognized it instantly. The man whoâd just walked into her office had the big T written all over him.
Jake Andrews, M.D. Dr. GQ. Thatâs what the Mercy Medical Center nurses called the hotshot trauma surgeon.
She could see why. The charcoal suit probably had an Armani label. His snappy red tie said follow me home if youâre looking for a good time. And the sexy grin aimed straight at her was all about who he intended to have that good time with. Simply put, his fabulous dark hair, chiseled jaw and charismatic career made him a chick magnet.
âHi. Iâm Jake AndrewsâDr. Andrews,â he added.
Hope stood behind her desk. Ordinarily she would have walked around it to shake someoneâs hand. This time she didnât and wasnât sure why. âI know who you are.â
âI didnât think weâd met.â
âBecause your memory is infallible?â she asked, trying to control the nerves tweaked by his shameless scrutiny.
âBecause a pretty lady like you is unforgettable.â
Oh, please. If she had a nickel for every time sheâd heard that line before.
Actually, sheâd never heard it before.
Hospital gossip had warned her about him. Two out of the three doctors in his medical practice had recently married and officially resigned from the bachelor ranks. Jake Andrews was the last playboy standing. Her new job meant sheâd have to deal with himâwhether she wanted to or not.
Two weeks ago sheâd arrived in Las Vegas to assume her duties as trauma coordinator of Mercy Medical West, the hospitalâs third campus which was a few months away from opening its doors. Sheâd done her employment orientation at the main campus and someone had pointed out Jake Andrews to her, which was why she knew him. Definitely a capital T for trouble.
âYouâre correct,â she said. âWe havenât been formally introduced.â
âA situation Iâm here to rectify.â He held out his hand. âLetâs make this official.â
She hesitated to touch him and knew she didnât cover it very well because she was out of practice with men in general and a man like him in particular. Although out of practice would imply that at some point sheâd been competent with his type, which was so not the case.
Finally she reached across the desk to place her hand in his. âIâm Hope Carmichael, Dr. Andrews.â
âA pleasure. And call me Jake.â
Maybe it was his take-no-prisoners smile or his touch, but Hope felt a blast of heat that was nuclear in scope. With good reason sheâd hesitated to touch him, but there was no uncertainty when she quickly pulled her fingers from his.
âItâs nice to meet you,â she said.
âLikewise. So, Iâm curious. How did you know who I was?â One corner of his mouth quirked up.
His ego was asking and she resisted the urge to roll her eyes, but on the inside she was groaning. It was a good thing her job was to organize the new hospitalâs trauma department and not choose the doctor who would run it, the job this surgeon was campaigning for. If she got a vote, it would be firmly in the no column.