Stella didn’t know how Dr. Davies could be a male spinster. He was calm under pressure, he was kind, and he was sexy. Like, take me now sexy. Standing next to Karl who was six feet tall, Dr. Davies had to be around six-one or six-two. Then there was the sexy combo of broad shoulders and narrow waist that made her wonder if he’d ever done any boxing. His brown hair matched some of the deeper brown in his hazel eyes.
Stella closed her eyes for a second. How pathetic was she that she had looked that closely at the doctor’s eyes? That just made matters worse, because clearly April was correct in her assessment of her aunt needing a man.
“Smooth, cuz,” the fireman in charge, Colton, teased.
Stella’s eyes popped open. She didn’t want Dr. Davies to feel the embarrassment she was currently feeling. “Stop teasing your cousin,” Stella scolded Colton. “I understand Dr. Davies perfectly. Sometimes you sacrifice a lot following your dreams.”
“Well, ma’am, if you’ve been looking for a man to keep you company, I’d be happy to oblige you,” the big man, built like a linebacker, who had taken care of the snake said with a smile and a tip of his firefighter’s hat.
“Seriously, Conley?” Dr. Davies sighed.
“Just being friendly is all, Doc,” Conley smiled and gave her a wink.
Stella couldn’t help but return the smile. Contrary to his looks, it was clear Conley was a teddy bear. “I appreciate all of your help today. I was so scared for April.”
Another of the firemen bent down to April’s level. Apparently being tall, sexy, and built like a linebacker was a requirement to be part of the Keeneston Fire Department. “Hi, Miss April. My name is Jack. Do you want to pull the horn on the fire engine?”
April looked up at her father with anticipation in her blue eyes. “Can I, Daddy?”
“Of course.” Karl always had a hard time saying no to April, and in this case, it looked as if Jack was just as eager to show her the fire engine as April was to see it. “Thanks again, Doctor Davies. Is there anything else I need to do?”
“Her pediatrician can give her a DTaP booster if she hasn’t had one. Or I can. Then you’ll need to change the bandage and apply this ointment.” Jace handed over what he’d used to clean the wound. “Call me or your doctor if you see a rash, increasing redness, swelling, or if a fever develops.”
“I’ll call my wife right now and let you know about the DTaP. Anyway, can we downplay the snake? Maybe say she stepped on two nails?”
Stella instantly felt the guilt return. April had been hurt on her watch and she’d never forgive herself.
“It’s not your fault. These things happen,” Dr. Davies said quietly to her. “Bad things happen to everyone and you responded well.”
Stella stopped biting her lip and turned her head toward him. “That’s nice of you to say but harder for me to believe.”
“Oh, believe it,” Colton added. “You should hear the stories of stuff I’ve seen or worse—done.”
Dr. Davies laughed and nodded his head as if remembering something that had happened between them in the past. His face was angular and covered in neatly trimmed scruff that looked that he just forgot to shave for the day. But his smile. Oh gosh, did it do something to Stella’s heart and other places she wasn’t going to mention.
A loud horn went off and Stella almost jumped. April’s giggles could easily be heard from the fire truck along with several masculine ones. “Is she okay with them? I don’t want her bothering y’all.”
“She’s fine,” Colton assured her. “My guys regularly play with my niece, Emersyn, and she’s still a baby. In fact, to raise money for the fire station, we auctioned off babysitting services before we did the bachelor’s auction. Jace here even volunteered. It wasn’t a surprise that he got the highest bid for babysitting.”
Stella’s ovaries had a fit of the vapors. She’d asked the manager of her Lexington Seasons Flowers and Gifts shop where all the good men were. Well, it sure looked like she’d found them. There were firefighters playing with a three year old and a doctor who babysat for charity. “Who won the bachelor auction?”
Her eyes went to Jace. After hearing Colton call him that, she couldn’t think of him as Dr. Davies. He was Jace. It fit him perfectly. He shrugged. “I came in second.”
Colton rocked back on his boots and grinned. “Let’s just say I can dance.”
Jace grinned, but also shook his head at his cousin.
“Were you clothed?” Stella asked as she got into the playful banter between cousins.
“Mostly. I dance better when I’m not hampered by clothing.”
Jace rolled his eyes. “Have you been hanging out with Draven?”
“Saw him yesterday. Addison only sprayed him three times for inappropriate flirtation.”
“More cousins?” Stella asked, dying to hear the story.
“No. Just friends. Draven is, well, you’ll see. I think he’s here all week so I’m sure Addison, who is the town prosecutor, will come to the opening on Friday and drag her boyfriend along. He’ll be the one with the sword.” Colton looked back as he saw the guys approaching with April.
“Is sword code for something else?” Stella asked, dropping her voice.
Jace and Colton looked at each other and shrugged.
“Yes,” Colton said.
“And no,” Jace added.
“Aunt Stell! Did you hear the honk?” April ran into her arms and Stella scooped her up.
“I did. I think everyone in Keeneston did.”
“It was right nice to meet you, ma’am,” Conley said. “And little ma’am.”
April giggled as each of the firefighters said goodbye.
“We’ll see you on Friday. We’ll tell everyone at the Blossom Café how great it looks out here. You’ll be packed,” Colton called out as he climbed into the fire truck.
“Thank you, again,” Stella called out as her brother joined her.
“My wife is trying to make an appointment for April to get the booster but she’s having trouble getting hold of anyone. We’ll make sure she gets it as soon as possible,” Karl told Jace. “Do you have any sedatives for my wife in your bag?”
Jace smiled at her brother and Stella noticed how easily they got along. Karl had never liked Rick and conversation had been stilted and minimal. “No, but I have some bourbon back at my office.” Jace suddenly spun around. “Colton!”
But the fire trucks were already down the drive.
“There went my ride,” Jace groaned. “Cousins.”
April giggled at the funny face Jace made at her.
“Daddy, can Dr. Davies be my doctor? I don’t like old Dr. Shelling. She’s mean and when she gives me shots, she smiles when I cry.”
“Honey, he’s probably not a doctor for kids,” Karl told April whose bottom lip was already protruding into a pout. “Are you?”
“I’m a family doctor so I can see you from the moment you’re born all the way until you’re old like me.”
April giggled. “You’re not that old. You look like Aunt Stell’s age.”
“And what age is that?” Jace asked and Stella prepared for the impact of brutal child truth.