Page 146 of Family Bonds: Coy & Angel

The doctor being his mother...who was actually a retired nurse.

It’d been her idea after she and his father, whowasa doctor, sat him down and laid it all out.

Since he looked up to his father and followed him into this field of medicine, he was going to listen to the guy who managed to balance the emotional toll this job took better than anyone Garrett knew.

On his way into the building, he waved at several more people. On an island this small, most knew anyone that was part of the Bond family—which he descended from.

He unlocked the door to his office, pulled his laptop out, set it up, and then left with one of the boxes in his hand, locking his office behind him.

After going through a few back halls, he came out in front of the pharmacy and went to the counter. They were open twenty-four seven and since the new pharmacist was starting today, he might as well begin by introducing himself.

“Can I help you?” A woman asked him after he’d stood there a few minutes. Didn’t seem as if there were many working just yet. But it was early and most likely not as busy to have too many on.

“Yes,” he said, looking at her nametag. Yep, she was the one he wanted to meet. Damn, he hadn’t expected someone so young or attractive either. Her shoulder-length blonde hair was almost so light it could be white, yet he could tell it was natural. Her eyes were a clear blue like the summer sky and he was trying not to get lost in them. “I just wanted to welcome you to the hospital. Garrett Mills.”

She accepted his hand and shook it. “Oh,” she said. “Justine Keller.”

“It’s nice to meet you,” he said. “In the oncology department, we tend to start early.”

She frowned. “So you thought you’d come down to get a nudge ahead of other medications to be filled?”

He smiled, trying to keep this friendly. “Not a nudge, but just like to meet who we are working with. And bring donuts,” he said cheerfully.

He set the box on the counter. She laughed, but he could tell it was forced. “So a bribe?”

“Bribe is such a harsh word,” he said, grinning. Her smile was better than the frown, even if it might not meet her eyes. He wasn’t sure what to make of her and was going to give her the benefit of the doubt.

Not everyone liked being forced to work on the island.

He’d asked around at the hospital and had been told she recently moved to the Northeast and no one knew much about her other than they felt bad she barely got settled in Boston before she had to shift to the island.

“Not if it’s the truth,” she said matter-of-factly. “I don’t give anyone special treatment. I’m here to fill scripts as they come in.”

He kept the frown from his face. “We both know the way it works. You push some ahead of others,” he said. “I’m just saying, I’ve got patients coming into the office to stay for hours on end. They are anxious to begin with. The last thing they need to do is sit there waiting while their treatment is being filled.”

“I do know how it works,” she said. “I also know I can’t fill anything until their blood work is approved for them to begin. Once that is sent over, we’ll do what needs to be done. There are a lot less staff here than in Boston.”

“I know that,” he said. This wasn’t going nearly the way he thought it would.

He was a pretty laid back guy and didn’t butt heads with anyone. Yet he seemed to be getting off on the wrong foot here and wasn’t sure how that happened.

“Dr. Mills,” he heard and turned his head. “Sweet. Donuts. You’re the best.”

“Hey, Troy,” he said to the pharmacy tech that walked in the door. He’d been working with Troy for years. Even though Garrett had only filled in here every few months prior, he remembered the staff well that he relied on.

“I haven’t had breakfast yet either,” Troy said. “Oh, you must be the new pharmacist.” Troy pulled a donut out, wiped his hand on his scrubs, and then put it out for Justine. “Nice to meet you. I’m Troy Winters.”

“Justine Keller,” she said. “I was just talking withDr. Mills. Though I wasn’t aware he was a doctor.”

Garrett laughed. He’d had his badge on, but it was clipped to his belt. He didn’t always like it around his neck. He wasn’t formal enough to wear a lab coat around. He didn’t need to.When he was back in the office, he’d have his stethoscope around his neck.

“I don’t normally introduce myself with my title. I find it pretentious as if I’m throwing my weight around.”

Troy snorted. “He’s a laugh a minute,” Troy said. “As if anyone doesn’t know who you are.”

Which meant who his family was and his relationship to this island.

He always hated that but knew at times it came in handy too.

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