‘So that’s why you were late! We knew it! It was bound to be a woman.’
Joel tilted his head back and swore under his breath. ‘I hope your listening skills are slightly more advanced than this when you’re with patients.’
His father put a hand on his shoulder and gave his older sons a disapproving frown. ‘We’re listening, Joel.’
‘There was an accident on the coast road,’ Joel explained. ‘A nasty one. I stopped to help, which is why I was late.’
Michael shook his head in total disbelief. ‘What is it with you and accidents? The rest of us seem to go through life only ever seeing boils and rashes, but drama is your middle name. You attract accidents like a magnet.’ He leaned back in his chair and lifted an eyebrow. ‘So how did the girl of your dreams fit into this?’
‘She stopped to help. In fact, she was first on the scene.’ Joel’s voice was soft. ‘She’s a nurse. Your nurse. Although I didn’t know that at the time.’
The room fell silent and his brothers exchanged glances.
‘Our nurse?’ His father cleared his throat. ‘You mean Lucy? The woman you’re talking about is our Lucy?’
‘Yes.’ Joel glanced between them, his gaze questioning. ‘What’s wrong with that?’
‘Forget it. She’s not your type,’ Nick said slowly, his expression serious for once. ‘In fact, she’s definitely not your type.’
‘I disagree,’ Joel drawled, a strange gleam in his eye as he looked at his brother. ‘From what I’ve seen, she’s definitely my type. She’s gorgeous.’
‘I didn’t say she wasn’t gorgeous.’ Nick’s mouth tightened. ‘She is gorgeous. But she’s also sweet and gentle and definitely not able to cope with someone like you.’
‘Surely that’s up to her to decide.’
Nick shook his head. ‘Don’t even go there, Joel, don’t even think about it.’
Unfortunately it wasn’t that simple.
He’d thought about little else since he’d seen her bending over the injured motorcyclist, her cheeks pink in the frozen air and her expression troubled.
‘She came here for some peace and quiet and to escape some hassle she was having,’ Michael told him, his face as serious as Nick’s, ‘so she doesn’t need any more from you.’
‘Whoa! Dismount from your charger, will you?’ Joel lifted a hand and looked at them curiously. He’d never seen his brothers quite so protective of anyone before. ‘I don’t want to give her hassle.’
‘No. We know exactly what you want to give her,’ Nick said shortly, walking across the room and pausing with his hand on the door, ‘and you can forget it, buster. You lay one hand on her—just one finger—and I’ll knock you out cold.’
Joel’s eyes gleamed and his fists tightened by his sides. ‘You mean you’ll try.’
‘Oh, for goodness’ sake, grow up!’ Richard Whittaker looked at his sons impatiently. ‘Haven’t the three of you got anything better to do than regress to boyhood? Nick, get on with your calls.’
Nick gave a good-natured smile and waggled his finger at his brother. ‘You have been warned. Anyway, she’s one of Mum’s projects, so you won’t be let near her.’
Nick left the room, leaving Joel to digest his last remark. A real sucker for causes, his mother was always rescuing waifs and strays—animals and people.
‘What’s Mum got to do with Lucy?’
‘She and Dad interviewed her for the job.’ Michael reached for his jacket and ran his hands through his hair. ‘You know Mum. Always a sucker for a sob story, and apparently Lucy’s is worse than most.’
Was it?
Joel leaned his broad shoulders against the wall and looked at his brother thoughtfully.
That would explain a great deal.
Like the sadness in her eyes and the reason she hadn’t wanted to give him her details.
He was experienced enough with women to know when someone was attracted to him, and Lucy had been attracted to him.
But she hadn’t wanted to be.
Suddenly he was intrigued. ‘So what’s her story?’ He asked the question casually but he didn’t feel casual at all. In fact, he felt more serious than he’d felt for a long time.
Maybe ever…
Michael shrugged. ‘Don’t know. Mum refuses to discuss it. All we know is she’s got—’
There was a tap on the door and Ros stuck her head round. ‘I’ve got two urgent calls and Lucy needs someone to see a patient.’
‘Add the calls to my list.’ Michael stood up.
Joel did the same. He glanced at his father. ‘I’ll see Lucy’s patient.’
Richard frowned. ‘Joel…’
‘I’m a GP with this practice,’ Joel pointed out smoothly. ‘I need to start seeing patients some time. It might as well be now.’
Michael shot him a warning glance and Joel smiled.
‘Go out and heal the sick, big brother. I promise to behave myself.’
‘You better had. Nick and I are watching you. I’ll see you later, then.’ Michael followed Ros out of the room and Richard caught Joel by the arm to stop him following.
‘Joel, I need to talk to you. I know Lucy’s pretty, but Nick and Michael are right. She’s not your type.’ His father’s tone was sharp. ‘You’re to leave her alone.’
Joel looked his father in the eye. ‘Where’s she living?’
Father looked at son. ‘Joel!’
Joel clapped a hand to his broad chest and looked innocent. ‘Did I say a word?’
‘You didn’t need to. I’ve known you for thirty-three years and women have always been at the top of your agenda,’ his father said dryly. ‘Especially pretty ones. Come on, Joel, you’re a national heartthrob after that TV series. You’re not short of female company and you never have been. You don’t need Lucy.’
Oh, yes, he did.
Joel lifted his chin. ‘What’s the story, Dad?’
His father sighed. ‘She doesn’t want us to discuss it, so I’m not going to, but let’s just say that there’s no way a girl like her is going to want anything to do with a man like you.’
‘A man like me?’ Joel lifted his eyebrows and glanced down at himself. ‘Two legs, two arms, a good pair of shoulders—what’s wrong with me?’
‘Nothing.’ Richard gave a wry smile as he ran his eyes over his son’s muscular frame. ‘There’s nothing at all wrong with you, as you well know.’
‘So?’
Richard sighed and shook his head. ‘She doesn’t want anyone, Joel. And I warn you now, I won’t have her pestered. The girl’s been through enough.’
What had she been through?
Joel’s voice was quiet. ‘I’m not in the habit of pestering women, Dad.’
‘No, because they usually fall at your feet,’ his father agreed, his tone dry. ‘But Lucy is different. She came here for a quiet life and that is exactly what she’s going to have. She’s out of bounds, Joel, and please remember that or your mother will kill me. And she’ll kill you too, probably.’
Joel wasn’t giving up. ‘It was a man,