Page 15 of Christmas in the Shadows

This new Patrick Day looked confident in his white lab coat with a stethoscope around his neck and a Santa hat over his blond hair.

Tex remembered what Gilbert had said about the problems the doctor seemed to be having.

This might be the perfect opening to find out some of those answers.

“Patrick,” Chelsea practically stuttered as she paused in the doorway of the room. “I didn’t know you were working here.”

Truthfully, she’d been avoiding the man. If she’d known he was here, she would have never come.

“I’ve been moonlighting here.” He shrugged. “Trying to pay off some medical school bills. All those student loans aren’t cheap, you know.”

“I can imagine.” She shifted awkwardly.

Patrick’s gaze drifted from her to Tex, and recognition filled his eyes. “Wait—Tex Thrasher? Is that you?”

“Patrick. It’s been a long time.”

The two did the obligatory part handshake, part hug, part pat on the back.

“I’ll get back to you in a minute,” Patrick said to Tex before returning to Chelsea. “First, what brings you in?”

She held up her hand. “I cut myself on some glass. I think I need stitches.”

Patrick had asked her out several times. The first couple of times, she’d said yes. When they had gone out, their time together hadn’t been unpleasant.

But she also hadn’t felt a spark.

Her friends teased her all the time, saying she shouldn’t be holding out for a spark.

But how could she not? She didn’t want to settle.

Sure, she could probably have a happy life with someone she didn’t have strong chemistry with. But it wasn’t what she wanted for her future. People could call her foolish if they wanted. But she’d rather stay single than marry the wrong person.

Patrick’s gaze flickered from Tex to Chelsea again, and questions filled his eyes.

He’d probably assumed they were together.

His attention snapped back to her. “Have a seat on the exam table and let me take a look.”

She carefully climbed on the table and sat atop the crinkly white paper there.

Patrick took her arm by the wrist and leaned close as he examined her wound. “That’s a pretty deep cut. We’re going to have to clean that out, and I’m guessing it will take about five stitches. But I’ll take care of you. Don’t worry.”

Something about the way he said, “I’ll take care of you,” with the emphasis on theI’llmade her uncomfortable.

Was he trying to show up Tex?

Then her thoughts shifted to his words. Five stitches? With needles?

Wooziness captured her at the thought of it.

She could be strong. The last thing she wanted to do was pass out in front of both Tex and Patrick.

As Patrick began pulling supplies from an organizer against the wall, Tex remained near the door with his arms crossed as if he were her personal bodyguard.

“So what brings you back here, Tex?” Patrick asked as he opened a package containing a sterile syringe. “I didn’t think I’d ever see you again.”

Chelsea had wondered that herself. He’d never directly answered the question. There had to be more to the story, right?

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