Loving the Billionaire Owner Doc

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Dana Adams heard the wall clock ticking away behind her. Why was time running so slowly today? She dabbed a handkerchief on her forehead. Even though the weather was cool outside, the clinic was an oven with all the bodies crammed into it. This was the one day they needed the air conditioner on full blast, but it had given up the ghost earlier this week.

She looked around the place. Parents and their children filled the tables set up in every square inch of the large hall. Blues music blasted from a radio in a corner of the room—it seemed like a popular choice from the number of folks tapping their feet in rhythm to the beat.

Dana tucked an errant hair under the hat she wore. She loved coming here and had signed up a few years ago when she started medical school. Good thing Dexington Medical Center had also approved it as a site for their residency program.

The place had been around for a very long time—it had been established as some sort of sports clinic but had since evolved and now provided equal care to children and adults alike. There was still a sports field attached to the building that was used mostly during the summer for outdoor events. It had been one of her mom’s favorite places, and Dana felt her presence whenever she came here. She missed seeing her in the corner greeting folks and then giving them their first spoonful of warmth and comfort.

Dana tried to help out here at least twice a month, but it was becoming more and more difficult with her schedule. She wasn’t sure when next she could make it. Good thing there were always doctors willing to help—Dana tried to encourage as many as she could to join.

But she couldn’t wait to leave today. She had a very important appointment she couldn’t afford to miss. She turned her head to look at the clock and sighed. The minute hand had barely moved from the last time she’d checked. She still had three hours before she could leave.

A gravelly voice brought her back to the present. Dana smiled at the grizzly regular standing in front of her as she poured a ladle of hot clam chowder into his bowl, the bright colors of carrot and celery beautifully contrasting the clam, potatoes, and cream. The veteran gave her a toothy grin and shuffled away.

“Going somewhere?” Dana turned and smiled at Verma—a plump lady with short dark hair who she had worked side-by-side with at the clinic for the past few years. Verma was standing next to her behind the serving tables, her hands making quick work of filling the food trays for the walk-ins. Dana had met Verma on her first official day at the clinic, and they had become good friends. “You seem to be looking at the clock a lot today. Are you going on a date?” Verma asked.

Dana couldn’t help but chuckle. Typical Verma, always trying to set her up. Verma had made it her life mission to get Dana to go on dates, but Dana wasn’t having it. She had no interest in just dating. Marriage was part of the package as far as she was concerned, and no one in their right mind would propose to her if they knew her truth. She had no plans to enlighten anyone about it, so why start something she couldn’t finish? “I just have an appointment,” she said.

Curiosity lurked in Verma’s eyes. “With who?” she whispered as she served yet another regular at the clinic.

Dana ignored her and focused on filling the soup bowl for the veteran waiting in front of her. Clam chowder was today’s special and the reason for the filled room. The sooner she attended to those in the queue, the better her chances of making her appointment.

“Dana!” a familiar voice called out.

Dana looked up to see Patricia Weston barreling toward her with a young man in tow, his tailored clothes out of place in the room. Average height with steel grey hair which contrasted with her ageless face and with a frame that carried her bulk well, Patricia moved with an authoritative air that clearly indicated she was the founder and director of the clinic. She had opened it many decades ago, and it remained one of the busiest clinics in the area.

No one knew much about Patricia’s background, but Dana suspected that she’d had some sort of military experience given the efficient iron-clad way she ran the clinic. Patricia had a gruff exterior but was a real mother hen. The clinic regulars loved her.

“Dana.” By now, Ms. Weston had come to a stop in front of her.

“Yes, Ms. Weston?”

“We have a lot of people that still need to be attended to and more waiting outside, so I’ve brought some help. Meet Josh Roman. He’ll be joining us to observe how we do things,” Ms. Weston said.

Warm light brown eyes with amber flecks stared back at her from a lightly stubbled face. Money was written all over him, from his tousled dark brown hair to his Italian custom boots; from the Rolex watch on his wrist to his diamond studded cuff links. She guessed no one had told him it was dangerous to wear such expensive jewelry to this area. She’d met his type—they didn’t last three days at the clinic before never coming back.

And she knew him. Josh Roman, best friend to Blake Dexington, who was engaged to marry Alicia Montgomery, Dana’s roommate and friend. Dana had seen him around on the surgical floors at Dexington Medical Center where Alicia and Blake also worked as medical residents. Blake’s father also owned Dexington Healthcare, a conglomerate that included the medical center.

But Dana was a fourth-year general surgical resident while Josh was a fifth-year orthopedic surgical resident. They’d never worked the same rotation, so she hadn’t really known him until Alicia introduced them. But she’d heard enough about him to know that volunteering was something she’d never expected Josh to do. What was he doing here?

“Hello, Dana.”

“Hi, Josh. What a surprise to see you here. I didn’t take you for the charitable kind.” Where had that come from? Why was she being snarky, unlike herself?

“There is a lot you don’t know about me,” Josh said. Nice comeback. Well played.

“You know each other?” Ms. Weston asked, looking from Josh to Dana. Dana could see Verma pretending not to eavesdrop on the conversation.

“Sort of. Josh is more like an acquaintance,” Dana said. She had to make it clear. No need to give Verma any ideas.

“Then that’s good,” Ms. Weston said. “I’m sure you guys will make quick work of attending to everyone. Where do you want him?”

Dana groaned inwardly. Ms. Weston had it all wrong. Josh was the kind that never took things seriously, though she’d never heard anything bad about his patient care. She’d even heard from Alicia how he loved to play pranks. Not the kind of person she needed right now. But she had no choice. He seemed to have impressed Ms. Weston for some reason. “He can stand next to me,” Dana said. “Carla had to leave earlier.” Carla was one of the other volunteers at the clinic.

“Yes, she told me. Listen, I’ll leave the clinic in your capable hands. I have some paperwork I need to complete by tonight. I’ll be in my office.”

“That’s fine. I’ll take care of it.”

“Thanks.” Ms. Weston patted her shoulder and then walked away.

Dana looked at the clock and back at the long queue that snaked out of the hall. Two hours and forty-five minutes until she could leave. And now she had someone to babysit. She exhaled loudly.

“What would you like me to do?” Josh said.

Dana felt sucker punched. It was like his voice had dropped an octave, giving it a rich baritone feel that made her insides tingle. She struggled to keep her face schooled as she turned to him where he stood on her right. “Just use these tongs to serve each person two rolls of bread.” Dana held out the kitchen instrument to him. “Make sure you grab a pair of gloves first from the counter behind you.” Smooth hands that looked like they had never seen a day’s work touched hers as he took the tongs.

Dana’s skin responded to his touch and she jerked back her hand. What’s going on? This wasn’t the first time she’d seen Josh, and he hadn’t had this effect on her, though she doubted if they’d ever even exchanged handshakes before. She had no time for this. Focus, Dana, she told herself. You still have a clinic to run.

She turned back to the folks in the queue, and working together, they soon made quick work of the rest of the meal service. Dana looked at the clock. Two hours left. She could still make the appointment on time.

Two other volunteers took over once everyone had been served and began clearing the pots and plates away. Dana dumped her disposable hat and gloves into a nearby bin and grabbed a medical coat from a coat stand before moving to the medical station in the next room. Patients were already seated in the general waiting area near the doorway.

The large room had been divided into different cubicles that were screened off, some of which were used for medical consultation, while others were used by the volunteer nurses to administer treatment as needed. Each cubicle housed a desk with matching chairs for medical consultation, an examination table, and a rolling portable sink with its attached storage system.

As Dana walked toward one of the cubicles, several of the patients called out greetings to her. Dana smiled at each one in return; some of them had known her since she was a kid and were like family to her. She would miss them.

She entered her cubicle of choice and sat behind the desk. She felt eyes on her and looked up to see Josh standing beside her, staring at her with eyes that looked like twin pools of creamy chocolate. His nearness caused her heart rate to increase, and she inhaled deeply to calm herself, only to fill her lungs with his woodsy mint scent. Not good. Why of all days was she having this strange reaction to Josh?

Dana forced herself to break eye contact. “Today, we’ll have you observe since you are new here. Grab one of these chairs.”

“Works for me,” he said, shrugging shoulders that filled out his button-down shirt as he moved one of the metallic folding chairs to a place beside her. Shoulders someone could easily rest on. Get it together, she told herself and stole a glance at him. A bemused smile creased Josh’s face as if to mock her. It seemed he had caught her staring.

So what if she had admired his frame? That didn’t mean he could mock her. Dana straightened her shoulders and glared back at him. The smile faded from his face. Good. Now they could get back to business.

For the next hour and a half, Dana saw patient after patient. Quite a number were sports-related injuries, so Dana gave them referrals to Dexington Medical Center. The sports orthopedic surgeon who the clinic had kept on retainer had moved to another state, and they hadn’t found a replacement yet.

As she finished seeing her last patient, Dana noticed that Josh was no longer in the room. Where had he gone? As she ushered the patient out of the cubicle, she saw Josh holding a cherub-faced baby next to a young lady who looked like the baby’s mother.

The baby reached out to grab fistfuls of Josh’s hair as Josh tickled him. Childish laughter filled the air, cutting Dana’s heart in two. It painted such a great picture of love, joy, and family—a picture she could never experience. Dana’s heart squeezed in pain. She turned her eyes away, but not before she noticed Josh give her a quick look.

Dana strode back into the cubicle and tidied the area with shaking hands. There was no point in tormenting herself. Romantic love was the one thing she could never have. She sighed and then shook her head to drive the thoughts away.

She looked at her phone. It was time to leave.

Her appointment was waiting.