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a clinic in Portland. You’ll find requisitions in each exam room.” The back door opened and closed once more. “That’ll be Robin, I hope.” He looked at his watch. “Make yourself at home and any questions, ask.”
    He took his coffee and made his way to the front office and waiting room. The true test would be Howard’s attitude toward her patients. And luckily for Josh, he had the perfect insider already scheduled for two forty-five. Susan would be brutally honest with her opinion of the new doc.
    *   *   *
    Lizzie had meant every word. She was going to kill Charlie.
    Charlie had known all along that Joshua Collins was drop-dead gorgeous. She had known all along that he was in his early thirties. A military vet and widower indeed. Lizzie had pictured a retired army doc, perhaps with a little gray hair and a crusty demeanor. That’s who she’d prepared for and she’d been relieved—she could handle that sort of boss right as rain. But Collins? Faded jeans and a golf shirt passing for professional attire … good Lord.
    She flushed a little and tried to turn her attention back to her chart. He did wear the faded denim well. Too well. She’d gotten a good look at his backside when he’d bent over that trash can and she’d called him “the janitor.” Janitor! She’d been so flustered that the only words she could think of to say were to ask where her office was and to tell him she had an espresso machine at home. What an idiot she was.…
    Even worse was the knowledge that Charlie had deliberately kept quiet about such an important detail. That day they’d been touring the town, it had been Collins in the truck behind them, Collins who had laid on the horn and made Charlie laugh. Heat rose into Lizzie’s cheeks. This was the problem with letting people know you too well. Charlie knew that Lizzie would have said no if she’d admitted her partner was a young, sexy, single doc.
    Maybe he wasn’t single. Charlie had mentioned he’d moved back after his wife died, but that didn’t mean there wasn’t a new Mrs. Collins. And Lizzie hadn’t checked to see if he was wearing a ring. Or there could be a girlfriend in the picture.
    Robin tapped on the door. “Dr. Howard? Your two forty-five is here, in room one.”
    â€œThanks,” she said, pushing aside the chart. She was already going crazy. Today she’d seen a total of ten patients. The most exciting one had needed a slight adjustment to his blood pressure medication. God, she missed the emergency room. Missed the activity and the challenge. Maybe this one would actually need some real medical care.
    Outside the exam room she plucked the file off the door and skimmed it. So much for challenge. A ten-year-old patient for a checkup. She sighed. No such luck.
    When she opened the door, a pretty woman in her early thirties was sitting in a chair and the patient was already on the exam table, her hair in a perky ponytail and freckles dotting her nose. “Hi, Susan. I’m Dr. Howard.” She smiled what she hoped was a welcoming smile.
    â€œI’m Sarah, Susan’s mother.” The woman stood and held out her hand.
    â€œIt’s nice to meet you. You’re here for a checkup?” Lizzie shook Sarah’s hand with the odd feeling that the woman was somehow familiar.
    â€œJosh is my uncle!” Susan announced.
    It was tough to keep her smile in place. Oh goody. Josh’s family and on her first day. Was this a test or just a coincidence?
    Sarah let go of her hand and sat down again. “I know it must be strange, on your first day and all. We always saw Phil Nye when he was here, and then when Josh came back to town we started seeing Dr. Yang. It’s a little weird thinking about Josh being our doctor.” She gave a lopsided grin and Lizzie relaxed a little.
    â€œYeah, more like eeew,” Susan answered.