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course, but I may not answer.”

      Touché. “Why did you leave Border Free Physicians and apply here?”

      Gavin’s easy smile faded and his mouth pressed into a thin line, his brow furrowing. Virginia couldn’t help but wonder if this was something he wasn’t going to answer. In his few weeks here she’d ascertained he was a private man. He didn’t socialize with many people, ate his lunch alone and did his job efficiently, as far as Virginia was concerned. Maybe not to the board’s approval, but as long as the patients lived and there were no lawsuits she was happy.

      “I’m needed here,” he said finally. Only that’s all he said. No explanation about why he’d applied for the job or why he’d told her he wasn’t happy here and wouldn’t be happy anywhere but with Border Free Physicians.

      So why had he left?

      “You look confused,” Gavin said, the teasing tone returning to his voice.

      “Not confused.” Oh, who am I kidding? “Okay, a bit confused.”

      “I’m sorry. I didn’t really want to put you in this position.”

      “You haven’t put me in a position, Dr. Brice.”

      “Gavin.”

      Heat bloomed in her cheeks. “Gavin. I only want to help you, even if this position is not the one you want.”

      Gavin nodded his head. “I thank you for that.”

      “For what?”

      “For trying to help, but I really don’t think I need it.”

      “I know it’s difficult, you came from a job where you worked in rough conditions and had to think on your feet and quickly, but the board of directors has to protect the hospital’s best interests.”

      “Isn’t that basically what all trauma surgeons do?”

      Virginia smiled. “Yes, but there are certain rules and regulations that have to take place in a hospital setting. They feel what happened today was inappropriate.”

      He snorted. “Inappropriate to save a man’s life?”

      “There are rules and the board is protecting the interests of the hospital.”

      “So you keep reiterating.”

      “It seems I have to.” She crossed her arms. “Do you understand what I’m saying?”

      “The bottom line.” That look of disdain returned and he shook his head slightly.

      Virginia knew and understood what he was feeling, but what choice did they have?

      “Unfortunately.”

      Gavin stood. “I have to protect my patient’s best interests, Dr. Potter. I won’t change the way I practice medicine.”

      “I’m trying to help you.” Now she was getting irritated. How could she help someone who didn’t want her help? Easy. She couldn’t. She was losing an uphill battle when it came to Dr. Brice.

      He pulled out his pager and glanced at it. Not looking at her, thus silently ending their conversation. “I appreciate that, but I’m needed back in the ER.”

      Stunned, Virginia stood as he left and then watched through the glass as he jogged down the hall towards the ER.

       What just happened?

      She slowly sank back down into her chair, feeling a bit like a deer caught in headlights, like someone had just pulled a fast one on her.

      The board wouldn’t be happy with her for not reining him in, but then again she didn’t really want to. Dr. Brice was someone who moved to the beat of his own drum. He annoyed the nurses because he couldn’t remember their names, didn’t have much time for interns and, yes, performed a medical procedure in front of a bunch of rich investors, but the point was he saved lives.

      His curriculum vitae was impressive. As far she was concerned.

      His image, his work in Africa, doing surgery on refugees, brought in good press for the hospital. People had a soft spot for good Samaritans.

      Even if the board thought he was a bit of a rogue surgeon.

      Virginia rubbed her temples. Her tension headache was becoming stronger. Couldn’t he see how she was trying to make his transition to a metropolitan hospital setting just a bit easier? There was one thing Virginia took away from this meeting today and that was that Dr. Gavin Brice was a bit of a pompous ass.

      Dammit.

      Gavin glanced at his wristwatch and noticed the time. He was late and Lily was going to kill him. Rose wouldn’t, though, she was so sweet, but Lily was a force to be reckoned with. This was the third time he’d missed taking her to ballet lessons and he’d pinky-sworn that he’d be the one to take her this time instead of Rosalie, the sitter.

      He had no idea what he was doing and he was a terrible father figure, but that was the crux of the matter—he wasn’t Lily’s and Rose’s father. He was their uncle, but as he was their only caregiver since their mother, his sister, had died of cancer, he was no longer cool Uncle Gavin who sent them postcards from new and exciting locations as he traveled to different developing countries with Border Free Physicians.

      Now he was Mr. Mom and not very good at it. Lily, who was eight, had reminded him of it every day for the last couple of months.

       “That’s not how Mom did it.”

      Rose was four, all smiles, but she didn’t say a single word.

      It’s why he was here, in San Francisco, instead of continuing with Border Free Physicians. He hated not being where he wanted to be, but he’d do anything to take care of those girls. To give them the home life and stability he and his late sister, Casey, had never had.

      After all his nieces had been through, there was no way he could drag them from pillar to post, living rough while he worked. He’d had to give up his life as a field trauma physician and get something stable, reliable and in the girls’ hometown.

      He needed to give them structure and not rip them away from all they knew. Especially not when their world had been shattered after their mother’s recent death and their father’s when Rose had been only an infant.

      He had to be reliable or he could lose the girls to their paternal grandparents. He’d promised Casey he wouldn’t let that happen. It had been only three months since Casey had died and though he’d always said he didn’t want to be tied down, he wouldn’t give the girls up for anything.

      Even though he was a hopeless failure.

      A cool breeze rolled in off the bay and Gavin shivered. He pulled his coat tighter. Even though it was August, there was a nip in the air and he still wasn’t acclimatized to anything that wasn’t subtropical.

      He stuffed his hands in his pockets and headed for the grey minivan he’d inherited from Casey. His motorbike was sitting alone and forgotten under a tarp in the garage, because you couldn’t ferry kids to and from various dance rehearsals, art classes and Girl Scouts’ meetings on the back of a motorcycle.

      As he made his way across the parking lot he caught sight of Virginia walking toward her dark, sleek-looking sedan. Gavin paused a moment to watch her move. She was so put together and she moved with fluid grace. Even if she seemed tight, like a taut bowstring most days.

      Her dark hair was piled up on her head, not a strand of hair loose. There was a natural look to her and she didn’t need to wear garish makeup to accentuate those dark, chocolate eyes or those ruby lips. Her clothing was stylish and professional but sexy. Today it was the pencil skirt, paired with a crisp shirt and black high heels that showed off her slim but curvy figure in all the right places.

      She climbed into her car, and just as she was sitting down her skirt hiked up a

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