Page 3 of Family Bonds- Garrett & Justine

“I get to spend six months on an island.”

Tim’s jaw dropped. “Oh man, Justine. I’m sorry. That sucks for you.”

Great, more comments to make her look forward to one more major upheaval.

How bad was this going to be?

1

WELCOME YOU

“Morning, Dr. Mills.”

“Morning to you,” Garrett said when he got out of his car on Monday morning. He didn’t remember the medical tech’s name that filled in once last month.

There were temps coming in and out of his office all the time, and though he tried to be good with names, it didn’t always happen.

His office didn’t open for another thirty minutes. He liked to get here early and get everything in order before his day started.

He pulled his bag out that held his laptop and lunch, then reached for the two boxes on the front seat.

The crisp morning breeze of early April woke him up after a great night’s sleep.

Something he hadn’t had in a long time.

The decision to spend a year in his weekend home and work on the island to recharge might have been exactly what the doctor ordered.

He grinned over that thought.

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 balanced 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 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 recognized it as 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.

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