FINDERS KEEPERS

"Dr. Seagrave?"

Jules crashed back to reality. "Yes, I am."

"It?s nice to finally meet you. I?m Nathaniel Mullinax, hospital chief of staff. I can?t tell you how delighted I am to shake your hand." He held out his hand in greeting.

"You?re not surprised I?m a woman?"

"Should I be?"

"Most are, given my name."

"I suppose Jules could be misleading, but your particular field has always held a lure for me. I?ve followed your work for quite some time now. Last year I attended the Maui conference because you were scheduled to talk. I was disappointed you couldn?t make it."

"I was, otherwise engaged. I travel quite a bit for consultations." His earnest face was somewhat appealing. "Normally I make a point to keep all my commitments."

"Believe me, I completely understand. When you called and requested a tour of our facility I was blown away. Physicians of your caliber rarely show up in Bay City wanting to look around our little facility."

The man looked at her expectantly. He was a nice looking gentleman about her age. Quiet unusual for someone so young to hold such a position.

"I know what you?re thinking Doctor. How did someone so young end up as chief of staff at a learning hospital? The truth is they were desperate for someone, anyone, after they went through a staff shortage. So, here I am."

"Staff shortage?"

"Just between us, this place can?t keep an M.D. for more than a year or two."

"That?s such a shame Nate."

"I guess it?s part of the package. Bay City is a wonderful place to raise a family, but it isn?t exactly a world-renowned mecca for the sick and afflicted."

Jules saw her opportunity open wide. "Maybe I can help remedy your situation."

His round, bespectacled face lit up with hope. "You aren?t thinking of moving here are you? I thought you worked exclusively from a clinic?"

Jules? gave herself a mental high-five then linked her arm through his. "Why don?t you show me around Nate, if I can call you that, and we?ll see."

Lost in thought, Jules rounded the corridor corner only to crash into a mountain of man. She groped at the air as his arms caught her mid-stumble.

"Fancy meeting you here," a familiar voice rumbled under her cheek. "I wondered when we?d cross paths again."

Jules righted herself and pushed away from his warmth. "Sorry I?m so clumsy."

There?s nothing to apologize for milady. I?m only glad I was able to be of service," he said. "I?ve been calling your hotel room for two days but you haven?t returned my messages."

"I?ve been very, very busy."

"Too busy for me?"

"I am never too busy for you Jacob." Forgetting herself, Jules let her hand stroke his bearded cheek. "But it does take time when you?re negotiating with hospital bigwigs."

"Then it?s final?"

Jules nodded, a gigantic smile breaking across her face. "It?s final."

"Wonderful!" He whipped her around. "I cannot believe you?re really coming to Bay City."

"I really, truly am, but only if I go now."

"Go?"

She edged away. "You caught me on the way to my hotel. My flight leaves in less than two hours." He followed closely as she continued to a nearby bank of elevators.

"You were going to just leave without saying goodbye?" he asked in a playful voice.

"Oh, don?t you give me that look. It worked at the clinic but I?ve since developed an immunity."

"What look?"

"You bloody well know which one. It isn?t as if this time is forever. The sooner I go the sooner I?m back. Those dark eyes no longer work on me."

"Care to place a bet?"

"Jacob."

"I was hoping we could have dinner with Rachel. Couldn?t you stay ?til the morning?"

"Oh Jacob," she said, "I?ll be back so fast you won?t even know I?ve been gone. But I need to go NOW."

"Alright, if you insist."

"When I return, it?ll be just like old times."

"The good ole days." He hugged her tightly. "Have a good journey my heart and return to me safely."

She let him nudge her toward the open elevator. Turning she saw the sweet smile she?d seen a thousand times before. Impulsively she rushed back to him and planted a solid kiss on his lips.

"Miss me," she whispered before disappearing back into the elevator.

Once the doors slid shut she leaned against the paneling and let out a huge sigh. What was she getting herself into?

"Really darling, I hope you?re not planning to blame the amnesia for this one."

"Bella," he said, "I see you are finished. Shall I take you home now?" He turned to find a stony-faced Donna, arms crossed and none too pleased.

"I?m just in time from the looks of it. The two of you were looking quite chummy. Of course, she was nearly eating you alive with her eyes. You weren?t helping things by flirting with her so outrageously either."

"That is utterly ridiculous Bella. Jules is my doctor and whatever you think you witnessed is all in your imagination."

"I know exactly what I saw Carl. Friend, doctor. It doesn?t matter. Jules is first and foremost a woman and you are a nice looking man. The way she was looking at you screams of a woman on the prowl."

"And you know all about that." He couldn?t help the heavy sarcasm in his voice. "You are far off the mark Bella. Jules and I are nothing more than friends."

"Mark my words?to her you are nothing but a huge dessert and all she needs is a spoon."

"Maybe she could just use her fingers, hmm?" Carl waggled his eyebrows suggestively only to elicit an agonized grown from Donna.

"That?s disgusting! Why do I even put up with you?" She pulled him by the coatsleeve until they reached an awaiting elevator.

"Because after all these years you never stopped loving me. I?m a big dessert you wish to smear all over?"

"Enough! Just take me home. And would you please drive slower this time." The elevator began its descent.

"I wasn?t going fast enough to slow down. Really Bella, sometimes you are such an old biddy."

Donna?s eyes rolled in exasperation. "I should have my head examined," she muttered and tried to ignore the smug little smile on her ex-husband?s face.

Carl was encamped on the sofa when Rachel entered from the foyer. Without a word she wedged herself next to him.

"Good book?"

"Mm-hmm. Hard day?"

"Oh yes. I need a kiss."

"Where?" He graced her with a lingering smooch on the lips.

"That?ll do for now." She snuggled closer and shut her eyes. "How was your day?"

Carl closed the novel and placed it on the floor along with his glasses. "Donna?s appointment went smoothly. She?s still in remission."

"That?s good. Poor thing?s had it so hard lately."

"Don?t let her hear you. Paulina called after you left this morning and asked us to dinner tonight. And before you ask, she and Joe have not reconciled and the rest of the family will be there as well." Rachel groaned. "My feelings exactly my darling."

"We could tell them I have a headache and stay home," she offered.

"No, I?m afraid we?re stuck. How was work? You?re home early this evening. No disasters?"

"Guess who?s playing hooky until next Tuesday?" Rachel snuggled against him. "The boss needs a break."

"I agree. I ran into Jules while waiting for Bella."

"I wish I hadn?t missed dinner the other night. I suppose we can?t get together with Jules tonight what with Paulina. How much longer will she be in town?"

"She?s already left."

"So soon? That?s a shame. I was wanting to get to know the woman who saved my husband?s life."

"I don?t think that will be a problem." Carl twirled a strand of her hair between his fingers. "Jules is moving to Bay City."

Rachel raised up and whacked him in the chest. "Why didn?t you tell me?"

"Ow! I didn?t have a chance. Besides, I thought the prospect would thrill you to no end."

"It does, but I thought she worked solely for the clinic?"

"It?s all part of an effort to keep track of their absolute favorite patient." He laughed. "It?s so heartwarming to know they still care."

"It?s about time."

"Now every time I have an ache you can call her up and interrogate the poor woman." He received another thumping. "That?s not very nice darling."

"I have every reason to worry. Now, on to more important things. Where are my holy terrors?"

"Wherever the stressed Claudia penned them in. Want to check on them?" he asked, stroking her back.

"Eventually," she yawned. "Right now I need a couple minutes of rest before I go be Mommy."

"Close your eyes my darling, I?ll be your bodyguard. Do you notice how our lives revolve around food, sleep and the grubs? I never imagined my life would be so heavenly."

Rachel smiled at his words and rubbed herself along the length of his body and settled even closer, content to be so near him. If only every moment could be like this one.