LITMIR.BIZ

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he’d had every intention of seeing her again.

      All the way to the surgery he’d been racking his brains for a way of tracking her down, but now here she was, in his father’s waiting room. He couldn’t believe his luck.

      He was about to throw a lifetime of commitment phobia to the wind and propose to her on the spot when he heard his name.

      ‘Dr Whittaker. Dr Whittaker!’

      He blinked, shook himself and reluctantly dragged his eyes away from Lucy, focusing instead on the woman smiling up at him.

      ‘Er—hello, Ros.’ He bent to kiss her cheek, genuinely fond of the woman who had been his father’s receptionist since he was a child. ‘You look gorgeous. Nice jumper.’

      He always noticed what women wore. In fact he always noticed women, full stop.

      Especially when they looked like Lucy.

      ‘Go on with you!’ The receptionist blushed and lifted a hand to her hair, visibly flustered by his attention. ‘You’re late, Dr Whittaker. Your father and brothers were expecting you this morning.’

      ‘Something came up.’ Joel gave her a saucy wink, knowing that she’d think the worst of him, because people always did and it amused him to wind them up.

      With a last regretful glance towards the nurse with the curves, who still hadn’t noticed him, he followed Ros through the waiting room, along the corridor that ran past the consulting rooms and up the stairs to the staff sitting room.

      ‘I saw you on the television, Dr Whittaker.’ Ros grabbed the handrail, slightly out of breath as she negotiated the stairs. ‘In fact, I have to admit I didn’t miss a single episode of Helicopter Doctor. You were fantastic. So cool and calm and wonderfully in charge of every crisis. I could hardly believe I once changed your nappy.’

      ‘Thanks for that reminder, Ros.’ Joel’s tone was dry but his eyes gleamed with humour. ‘Just as long as you don’t sell any photos of me in the buff to the press…’

      Ros laughed. ‘What was it like, trying to work with a camera on you all the time?’

      ‘Actually, I hardly noticed them,’ Joel said truthfully. ‘I just got on with the job and they hovered in the background. When you’ve got a patient lying in pieces after a road accident you don’t exactly care who’s watching.’

      ‘But now you’re giving it all up to be a GP. Do you think you’ll miss all the drama?’ Ros paused at the top of the stairs and Joel gave a careless shrug.

      ‘I don’t think so. Six months with the air ambulance was long enough, really. I’m ready to join the family firm.’

      Particularly now he’d seen the nurse that his father had employed.

      The job was looking up by the minute.

      Ros smiled. ‘It’s your father’s dream, you know. All three of his sons in practice with him.’

      ‘Yeah, I know. We spoil him.’ Joel gave her a friendly wink and then went ahead of her and pushed open the door of the staffroom.

      His father and older brother had practised in an old converted house until four years before, when they’d moved into this purpose-built, architect-designed medical centre built around an impressive glass atrium, which allowed plenty of light into the building. His father, who believed in the importance of pleasant working conditions, had also insisted on a spacious, well-equipped staffroom which had stunning views over the Cornish coastline.

      Both his older brothers were in the staffroom now, deep in conversation with their father.

      Joel sauntered in and slung his bag down on the floor. ‘I thought GPs were supposed to be having a hard life at the moment. Since when did life get this relaxed? And there was I thinking you were desperate for some help from a decent doctor…’

      ‘Well, well—it’s the prodigal son.’ Richard rose to his feet, strode across the room and clapped Joel on the back. ‘Better late than never. We expected you earlier. What kept you?’

      Joel cleared his throat. ‘Well, actually—’

      ‘Don’t you mean who kept him? It’s bound to have been a woman. It always is.’ His older brother Michael gave him a wry smile from the comfort of his chair and gestured to the coffee-pot. ‘Are you in need of caffeine?’

      Joel nodded. ‘Yes, please, but I’ll have you know I was—’

      ‘If you’re seriously joining the family firm, you’re going to have to curb your social life.’ His other brother Nick interrupted his attempt at an explanation, his expression mocking. ‘You don’t get special treatment here. You can’t bunk off just because you’re a film star.’

      Joel’s eyes gleamed with humour and he rose to the bait. He was well used to responding to his brothers’ banter. He’d had thirty-three years of constant practice. He gave Nick a sympathetic look, designed to drive him mad. ‘I didn’t realise you’d be so jealous.’

      ‘Me? Jealous of you?’ Nick gave a disgusted snort. ‘Don’t be soft. As if I’d want to spend six months practising medicine with a film crew stuck up my—’

      ‘Thank you, Nick, this is a family show.’ Michael’s tone was dry as he cut in and handed Joel the coffee. ‘You did a good job, Joel. It was an interesting series. You almost made medicine look exciting and you’ve definitely got the proudest mum in Cornwall.’

      ‘You’ve also got the biggest mailbag,’ his father commented. ‘You’re certainly not going to be short of adoring women to choose from after all the exposure you’ve had.’

      ‘As if he ever was. Unfortunately, most of the female sex can’t see further than his pretty face.’ Nick yawned, and Joel leaned broad shoulders against the wall and looked at him innocently.

      ‘If you like, you can help me answer my mailbag.’

      Nick gave him a withering look and then grinned. ‘Any naughty ones?’

      ‘Dozens.’ Joel’s smile was wicked. ‘You just don’t want to know what some women would like to do with my underwear.’

      Nick gave an exaggerated shudder. ‘Please! Spare us the details.’ He glanced at his watch. ‘Enough of this idle banter. I’ve got calls to make, so I’ll catch up with you later.’

      His father lifted his eyebrow. ‘Are you and Tina joining us for supper at the house?’

      Joel brightened at the prospect of a family gathering. ‘Has Mum killed the fatted calf?’

      ‘Yes, although I can’t think why.’ Nick stood up and gave his brother a wink to take the sting out of his words. He bent down and picked up his jacket and his bag. ‘Yes, we’ll be there, Dad. Tina can’t wait to see Joel. Seems to think that if he’s living here she can calm him down and find him a nice girl who’ll cure him of his wicked ways.’

      ‘Who says I want to be cured?’ Joel’s eyes gleamed. ‘And I don’t need Tina to find me anyone. The girl of my dreams is standing in your waiting room at this very moment.’

      There was a moment’s silence while they all digested this piece of information and then Michael cleared his throat.

      ‘No way is any girl who features in your dreams, which are undoubtedly pornographic, sitting in our surgery,’ he said mildly, delving into the fridge for something to eat. ‘Oh, for crying out loud—no more milk. Didn’t anyone remember to shop this morning? Whose turn was it?’

      Nick looked sheepish. ‘Er—I think maybe mine, but I had an urgent house call…’

      Michael picked up the empty carton with a sigh and threw it in the bin. ‘OK, so who’s volunteering to go across the road to the shop?’

      There was a sudden chorus of excuses and Joel rolled his eyes.

      ‘How

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