Page 55 of A Soldier's Return

“How is he doing?” Julia asked.

“Bored out of his mind,” Eli said with a smile. “My dad is the kind of guy who likes to be on the go. I knew the toughest part of his recovery would be the monotony of being sidelined. But his knees are already stronger than they’ve been in years, so the surgery was a good thing, for him and for his patients here in Cannon Beach.”

He wrapped up the appointment a few moments later with another handshake and a warm smile.

After he left, Julia shook her head at Melissa. “I love Dr. Sanderson Sr., I’m not going to lie, but that son of his. Yum. Honestly, even though I’m extremely pregnant and extremely happily married, I don’t know how you keep from constantly melting into a pile of hormones with that slow smile of his.”

Melissa couldn’t tell her friend she did exactly that. “He’s my boss,” she reminded Julia. “I have to keep my hormones—and everything else—to myself where he’s concerned.”

“Good luck with that,” Julia said with a laugh.

Melissa forced a smile. She needed far more than luck where Eli was concerned.

Eli wasn’t sure what had happened, but somehow over the last few weeks, since the Sunday afternoon when he had gone with her and Skye to fly the girl’s kite, Melissa had withdrawn from him, treating him with a polite reserve that was far different from the friendship that had been growing between them.

She wasn’t rude. In fact, she was respectful and professional, but as distant as if he were just some scrub who had stepped in to help out at his dad’s practice in Wendell’s absence.

He was glad, he told himself. He had crossed too many lines he shouldn’t have with her.

Still, he missed her easy smiles and her funny sense of humor and the warmth that seemed to envelop him around her.

“You all know my dad wants to come in next week,” he said to her, Carmen and Tiffany as the three women prepared to leave for the day on Friday.

“I hope he doesn’t overdo,” Carmen said with her characteristic frown. “My sister had knee replacement surgery and had to have the whole thing done all over again six months later.”

“We’ll all have to make sure he takes it easy. It’s going to have to be a team effort. But the truth is, he’s going crazy at home after three weeks away and thinks his patients need him. He won’t be up for much patient care, but he should be fine handling consultations or refilling prescriptions, if he could do that from his desk. We’ll all have to watch out for him.”

“We can make sure he behaves,” Tiffany said. “I’m glad he’s coming in. I was hoping he’d be back before I leave.”

The CNA had put in her notice the week before and had been talking nonstop about her plans to move to Los Angeles, where they already had a manager and a few gigs lined up.

“It will be good to have him back,” Melissa said. “I’ve missed him.”

“I’ll add a few appointments into his schedule,” Carmen said. “Nothing too drastic. Just consultations, like you said.”

“He wants to jump back into things with both of his artificial knees, but I worry about him overdoing.”

“Sounds good, especially since you’re going to be leaving us soon,” Carmen said.

Against his will, he glanced at Melissa. Had she stiffened at that?

“Yes. I’ll be here until the end of next week, and then I have to report to duty again. I’ve already talked to the medical temp agency in Portland about sending a replacement until my dad is back up to speed.”

“We’ll miss you,” Carmen said gruffly.

“Especially the female patients,” Tiffany said with a teasing grin.

Eli could feel his face flush and he forced himself not to look at Melissa, who hadn’t said a word.

“If that’s everything, can I go?” Tiffany asked. “We’re playing down in Manzanita tonight, at least until the power goes out from the big storm on the way.”

“They’re not canceling your gig?” Melissa finally asked.

Tiffany shook her head. “Not that I’ve heard. The storm’s not supposed to be here until nine or so. We’ll play until we can’t play anymore.”

“That’s the spirit,” Carmen said.

“Could be nobody else will show up, then we can all go home. So can I take off?”

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