Loving the Billionaire Cowboy Doc

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Rebecca Scott never thought running away from the paparazzi would send her straight into the arms of her sworn enemy.

“Mommy!” her daughter, Chloe, said in a tremulous voice.

“Shh, baby. Mommy is here.” Rebecca, more commonly known as Becca, brushed tendrils of Chloe’s dark red hair away from her face and held her close. Chloe quieted and leaned her head against Becca’s chest.

Becca glanced around the Emergency Room cubicle. Structured like a pod in an airplane with its large reclining chair positioned in the center, a computer monitor jutting from an attachment on the left wall, an antiseptic dispenser near the entrance, and a small storage area with wall outlets for the patient’s use, the space had a less sterile look than she would have expected at a hospital. But the occasional moans from patients coupled with the antiseptic smell that hung low in the air reminded Becca that Dexington Medical Center’s ER was not where she had planned to spend this late morning.

Becca had only returned to the country for a week—after being away for the past five years—and had planned to establish a home for Chloe and herself away from the public eye. She’d enjoyed her anonymity while living in Europe and hoped for it to continue in Dexington.

It was also a good time to build the wedding planning business she’d always wanted, even though she didn’t need to work—a few investments had grown her sizable inheritance into a healthy nest egg. But she’d always been great at event planning for high-profile celebrities. It had propelled her into the limelight and given her the opportunity to dip her toes into wedding planning, which she’d surprisingly loved.

But her plans to build a business around it got relegated to the back burner when she found out she was pregnant with Chloe, and she hadn’t revisited it since. But the call from Dana Adams, her niece’s roommate, to plan her wedding had seemed like the Lord’s stamp of approval to revisit her plans and had provided a good reason to move back home.

But Becca had also missed her family—Leah and her husband Edward, and their daughter, Jasmine. With the warm welcome she’d received now she was back and with how Chloe had practically blossomed overnight with family around, Becca was convinced she’d made the right decision.

Until today.

All had been well since her return, so Becca had ventured to take Chloe out for some much-needed shopping at the Waterbridge Mall’s Windsor floor, where VIP shoppers received a personalized shopping experience. She’d managed a last-minute appointment there, and the service had been impeccable as always. But then she’d decided to pick up a chapter book for Chloe from the bookstore on the first floor.

It had been a big mistake.

Becca had realized too late there was a celebrity book signing going on at the time. Her anonymity bubble had shattered with the sound of the first camera click. She hadn’t expected the paparazzi to remember her, since Dexington was a small city unlike New York or Boston, and she looked different now. She’d grown out her hair in its natural color and had also gained weight after the birth of Chloe—not that she minded the change since she was healthy, and that was all that mattered, though she would have preferred a firmer abdomen.

But the celebrity book signing had drawn paparazzi from the larger cities, and a few of them had recognized her.

A frenzy of flashing bulbs followed. Becca had done her best to shield Chloe from it all, but she’d injured her arm instead while trying to prevent one of the photographers from shoving a camera into Chloe’s face. The resulting intense pain had forced her to head straight to the ER. She’d called her sister, Leah Banks, once she arrived, but the call had gone straight to voicemail. Becca had sent her a text and hoped Leah would see the message soon.

The medical staff had attended to her immediately and ordered X-rays and an MRI scan. Chloe had been inconsolable during the separation required for the tests and had just managed to calm down. Becca was now waiting for the test results to come out. Leah’s arrival to help with Chloe would allow Becca to focus on getting the treatment she needed.

She rubbed Chloe’s back, and her daughter sighed in contentment. Becca couldn’t imagine life without Chloe now, though she’d wondered at the beginning if she could raise a child on her own. Chloe had been the reason she’d left everything behind and fled the US to avoid the media as soon as she’d confirmed the pregnancy, and she’d never regretted the decision.

Becca’s ears pricked up at the sound of the curtain being swept aside, and she looked up, expecting it to be the doctor. Instead a short bald man with beady eyes stared back at her. But she recognized who he was, once he pulled a camera from his backpack. Paparazzo.

How had he gotten in here? The security around the ER was typically tight … unless medical staff had let him in.

Becca nestled Chloe’s face into her chest and wrapped her arms tight around her. Her injured arm throbbed painfully from the effort. She straightened her back. “I want you to leave,” she said to the man.

The man gave her a sly grin. “Not without my pictures.”

“Get out!” Becca shouted. She needed help, but she couldn’t reach the call button without exposing Chloe’s face. God help me.

The man lifted his camera to snap a picture. Becca raised her hand to block his view. She needed to stop him but had no idea how.

The curtains flew open, and a tall man in a medical coat over light blue scrubs burst through. He grabbed the paparazzo and dragged him toward the entrance. The reporter stumbled and protested, but the doctor did not relent and soon hauled him out of view.

Becca let out a sigh of relief, and her shoulders relaxed. That doctor was an angel, whoever he was. Thank you, God.

“Are you okay, sweetie?” she asked Chloe.

Chloe opened her eyes and nodded. Becca rubbed the top of her head. She’d thought they were safe in the ER, but it turned out that wasn’t the case. She had to find a way to get out of here before more paparazzi arrived.

The curtain parted gently, and the tall bespectacled man who’d rescued her entered. “Excuse me, ma’am. Are you okay?” the man asked as their eyes met.

Becca got a good look at the doctor’s face for the first time.

A sudden coldness hit her core, and she froze. Unbidden memories rose up, memories that Becca had tucked away at the back of her mind and hoped she’d forgotten. Moments she’d never thought she’d have to face in a million years.

But now they were back.

Her heart dropped.