Page 9 of Single Daddy Doctor Dreamy

“Rivkin,” Joel says, his tone clipped. “Didn’t expect to see you here.”

“I could say the same,” Rivkin replies smoothly, his eyes flicking to me. “And who’s this lovely lady?”

“This is Lucy Harper,” Joel says, stepping slightly in front of me. “My girlfriend.”

The word hangs in the air between us, and I have to fight to keep my expression neutral. Rivkin’s smile widens, but it doesn’t reach his eyes. “Ah, the nanny. I’ve heard about you.”

I stiffen, but Joel’s hand on my arm steadies me. “Then you know she’s an amazing addition to my family,” he says, his voice calm but firm. “We’re lucky to have her.”

Rivkin chuckles, the sound grating. “Of course. Well, I hope you two enjoy the rest of your evening. I’ll see you at the hospital, Anderson.”

With that, he walks away, leaving a trail of tension in his wake. I exhale slowly, only now realizing how tightly I was holding myself. “Well,” I say, forcing a smile. “That was… something.”

“Are you okay? Rivkin can be a real ass,” Joel asks, his brow furrowed.

“I’m fine,” I say quickly, though the unease curling in my stomach says otherwise. “Let’s just… get back to the boys.”

Joel doesn’t argue, but the look he gives me lingers long after we’ve returned to the bustling warmth of the festival. As the night winds down, I can’t help but wonder if the charade is over and we are moving into more dangerous territory, but I’m excited to find out.

Back at the house, the boys are fast asleep, their costumes discarded in a heap by their beds. I tiptoe out of their room, pulling the door closed behind me. Joel is in the living room, sitting on the couch with a glass of wine in hand. He glances up as I enter, his expression softer than usual.

“Want some?” he asks, gesturing to the bottle on the coffee table.

“Sure,” I say, sinking onto the opposite end of the couch. He pours me a glass, and I take a sip, letting the warmth of the wine settle in my chest.

“Long day,” he says, his voice low.

“Yeah,” I agree, staring into my glass. “Good, though.”

Silence stretches between us, comfortable but heavy with unspoken words. The kiss we shared is heavy on my mind. Finally, Joel breaks it. “You seem good at this.”

“At what?”

“The boys, the town… me. You make it look easy,” he says, his gaze steady.

I laugh softly, shaking my head. “It’s not as easy as it looks.”

“What really made you decide to come back to Evergreen?” he asks, his tone gentle.

I hesitate, the question opening a door I’m not sure I want to walk through. But there’s something about Joel’s presence that feels safe, like he’s not asking to judge but to understand.

“I needed a reset,” I say finally, setting my glass down. “New York wasn’t what I thought it would be. Modeling… it was a pipe dream, really. I did get quite a few gigs but not enough. I thought I could make it work, but I was wrong.”

“What happened?”

I lean back, staring at the ceiling. “A lot. The industry chewed me up and spit me out. And then there was Mark.”

Joel doesn’t say anything, waiting for me to continue.

“We were together for a while,” I say, my voice quieter now. “He was charming, ambitious, everything I thought I wanted. Until he wasn’t. He broke things off when he realized I wasn’t going to be the next big thing. Said I was ‘holding him back.’”

Joel’s jaw tightens, and I can see the flash of anger in his eyes. “He sounds like a jerk.”

“He was,” I admit with a bitter smile. “But it was a wake-up call. I realized I was chasing a dream that wasn’t mine anymore. So, I decided to come back to Everwood.”

“To start over,” Joel says, his voice softer now.

“Yeah,” I say, meeting his gaze. “To start over.”

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