The Gift of Love (Finding Love Book 9) Read online

  The Gift of Love:

  A Sweet Contemporary Romance

  (Finding Love, Book 9)

  by

  Delaney Cameron

  ©2018 Delaney Cameron

  Photo courtesy of: Andrii Muzyka

  Used under license from Shutterstock.com

  All rights reserved. No part of this e-book can be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted without the written permission of the author.

  This book is fiction and its characters are purely a manifestation of the imagination of the author. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, places, and events is entirely coincidental. (8)

  Other books by Delaney Cameron:

  Finding Love Series:

  Team Mom (Finding Love, Book 1)

  Stealing His Heart (Finding Love, Book 2)

  Love of a Lifetime (Finding Love, Book 3)

  Dare to Love (Finding Love, Book 4)

  Yours, With Love (Finding Love, Book 5)

  Love at Last (Finding Love, Book 6)

  One Woman's Heart (Finding Love, Book 7)

  Mine for a Day (Finding Love, Book 8)

  Tybee Island Series:

  Meant for Each Other (Tybee Island, Book 1)

  Dream of Me (Tybee Island, Book 2)

  Standalones:

  Finding Allie: A Sweet Regency Romance Novella

  To contact me or to sign up for my newsletter, please go to:

  www.delaneycameron.com

  For updates, you can visit me on Facebook:

  https://www.facebook.com/Delaney-Cameron-Author-535252503479579/

  To Granny: Thank you for showing me that tragedy is just a part of life, not the end. No matter how dark the night, the sun will rise again.

  Chapter One

  Leah glanced at the clock on the wall behind the nurses’ station and silently cheered. Free at last. On the way to the side entrance, she bumped into one of the x-ray techs coming out of the breakroom.

  “Where are you going in such a hurry?” Lydia asked, grinning.

  “I’m trying to get out of here on time for a change.”

  “Lucky you. I won’t be leaving anytime soon. Dr. Jesup is running behind as usual. He might be the best back surgeon in Myrtle Beach, but his sense of time leaves much to be desired.”

  Leah removed her name tag and dropped it in her purse. “At least he doesn’t stare at you as if you’re some kind of repellent insect. I was on loan to Dr. Levy last week. He’s definitely brilliant and handsome, but if you get on his bad side, he’s a beast. Did you know he…” She stumbled to a halt, the odd look on Lydia’s face finally sinking in. Into the uncomfortable silence that followed came an all-too-familiar deep voice.

  “Lydia, could you send the report on Mr. Garrison’s CT scan to his primary doctor?”

  “Yes, Dr. Levy.”

  “Thank you.” With a polite nod at both women, he turned to go.

  Leah watched the man she’d come to think of as a permanent thorn in her side until he turned the corner at the end of the hallway. “Do you think he heard me?”

  “If he didn’t, he’s deaf as well as brilliant and handsome.”

  That wasn’t the answer Leah was looking for. This was her third strike with Hutchison Clinic’s leading orthopedic surgeon. The first had been months ago when she fell asleep during his presentation on rotator cuff surgery. As long as she lived, she’d never forget his quiet voice apologizing for disturbing her rest.

  The second had been six weeks later when she defended one of the nursing students who had the misfortune to draw his fire. The poor girl had been so petrified by his cold stare that she could hardly speak. This had been too much for Leah. She’d always been one of those people who feel compelled to champion the underdog. It had landed her in hot water on more than one occasion.

  The stunned glances and ominous silence from her coworkers were enough to know that her action, though done with the best of motives, had crossed a line. She’d broken one of those unwritten rules in the medical community. Never, under any circumstances, question a doctor. Their word is law. For his part, Dr. Levy regarded her intervention with a thoughtful amusement that only added to her uneasiness. For days afterward, she waited for a call from Human Resources with the news that her services would no longer be required.

  Today’s offense far surpassed those previous transgressions. Why hadn’t she kept her thoughts to herself? Or at least waited until she was outside the walls of the clinic?

  “What’s he doing here anyway?” she muttered, more to herself than to Lydia. “His clinic ended at twelve-thirty.”

  “He’s covering for Dr. Mansfield.”

  “Just my luck,” Leah complained, loosening the band holding back her hair. “Oh, well, what’s done is done. I can’t worry about it now. Hopefully, I’ll still have a job when I get back to work on Monday.”

  Lydia laughed. “I doubt it’ll come to that. Dr. Levy might be a somewhat bad-tempered perfectionist, but he doesn’t seem like the type to hold a grudge. Unlike some others around here I could name.”

  “We’ll soon find out, won’t we?”

  “Are we still on for brunch at Jacques Café on Sunday?”

  “I wouldn’t miss it. No one can make croissants like Jacques.”

  “Or crepes. I’ll be at your place at eleven.”

  “Sounds good.”

  As Leah took the short cut through the physicians’ parking lot, she tried to force her thoughts away from the enigmatic Dr. Levy. Unfortunately, banishing him from her mind wasn’t so easy. This had nothing to do with the fact that he was almost indecently good-looking with all that wavy, midnight-dark hair falling over his forehead in the most attractive way, and his fascinating eyes that reminded her of the color of grass after it rains. It also had nothing to do with anything that had passed between them.

  What she’d spent countless hours thinking about was the sadness she glimpsed from time to time in his face. The anxiety she felt on his behalf was ridiculous given the course of their acquaintance, and she couldn’t imagine a situation where she’d be in a position to find out what caused him to look like that. All of which meant she was wasting her time. If anyone could take care of himself, it was Dr. Levy.

  “Howdy, partner,” a high-pitched voice called out when she entered her apartment.

  Leah smiled tiredly as she walked over to the cage by the window. “Hello, Aristotle. I hope your day went better than mine.”

  “Pretty bird,” he responded.

  “Yes, you are,” she agreed, dropping her purse and keys on the coffee table.

  “Time to eat. Time to eat.”

  “Saying it twice isn’t going to make it happen any sooner. Give me a few minutes to unwind. I’ve been going nonstop all day.”

  An hour later when she was putting away laundry, her eyes caught the reflection in the mirror of the teal gown hanging on the back of the closet door. A smile touched her lips as she remembered the crazy scene in the bridal shop a few weeks ago when she, Anne, and Patsy had their final fittings. Evangeline must have taken a hundred pictures for her wedding scrapbook.

  Leah’s hands paused in the act of folding a shirt. In a few months, she’d be twenty-nine with the ominous number thirty not far behind. Never did she imagine she’d still be searching for love so late in her twenties. Her looks almost guaranteed her success with the opposite sex, but quantity didn’t mean quality. Why was finding love so difficult? Was she searching for someone who didn’t exist?

  * * * * *

  Stratton was still smiling when he reached his office. The look on Leah’s face when she realized he was standing behind her had been priceless. Contrary to what sh
e’d obviously thought, her remarks didn’t offend him. Beast wasn’t the worst thing he’d been called. As long as the people working with him did their jobs well, they were welcome to think of him however they chose.

  As far as her opinion of him went, she was definitely in the minority. Most of the single (and a few of the married) female staff had at one time or another tried to draw his interest. Leah was the exception to that rule, and for that she’d earned his respect. She was what his grandmother would call a ‘slip of a girl’, but what she lacked in height, she more than made up for in spirit. The fact that she wasn’t afraid to speak her mind was no detriment in his eyes. He preferred that to blind obedience or worse, fake allegiance, any day.

  He’d only been at Hutchison Clinic a short time before he heard about the ‘hot’ nurse on the second floor. In his usual skeptical fashion he discounted the gossip until he saw Leah for himself. He had no problem admitting that the reports of her stunning beauty hadn’t been exaggerated. With hair the color of pale moonlight, baby blue eyes, and full lips that begged to be kissed, she was the embodiment of every man’s dream.

  It would take a more battle-hardened male than Stratton not to notice such an abundance of feminine perfection. But appreciation was as far as he was prepared to go. Love, romance and the so-called happily-ever-after only existed in the movies. He had a monthly alimony payment to prove it. Putting your happiness in someone else’s hands was just begging to be hurt. He had no intention of letting anyone get close enough to break his heart again.

  Getting his family and friends to understand that he preferred bachelorhood to the messy alternative wasn’t so easy. While he appreciated their concern, he didn’t need the complication of something that had such overwhelming odds of failure. One ex-wife was enough for any man.

  Chapter Two

  Leah walked out the side door of the house and didn’t look back. She’d known that going to this party would be a mistake. What had she expected? This is what happens when you’re dumb enough to go on a trip with three other girls, only one of whom you’re reasonably acquainted with.

  A shudder went through her that had nothing to do with the coolness of the night air. It had everything to do with being around guys who don’t understand what ‘no’ means. She wasn’t going to spend the rest of the evening hiding in the bathroom. The cabin belonging to Jessie’s parents that overlooked Lake Oconee was only a few miles away. She could be there in an hour if she walked fast.

  It was strange that she felt safer on a lonely road than in a house full of people. She’d always been afraid of the dark; now it seemed like a haven. A sweater would have been nice, but then again, she hadn’t expected to be returning from this adventure on foot. Not bringing the right clothes was the least of the mistakes she’d made lately, but thankfully the end of this disastrous weekend was in sight. By tomorrow evening, she’d be back in Myrtle Beach.

  The flash of a set of powerful headlights had her groaning inwardly. She moved off the road and reached in her pocket for her phone. Please don’t stop, she pleaded inside her head. In spite of this silent request, the profile of a truck pulled alongside her followed by the ominous low whine of the window sliding down. Great! This was just what she needed to make this terrible night complete.

  “Excuse me, miss,” said the last voice she expected to hear. “Do you need a ride?”

  Of all people, why did it have to be him? Was she ever going to be in a situation with this man that wasn’t embarrassing? At least he hadn’t recognized her yet. Hopefully, she could keep it that way. Not looking at him, she lowered her voice before replying, “No, thanks.”

  “Are you sure?” his deep voice persisted.

  “Very sure. My house is the next driveway.”

  Dr. Levy laughed and for some reason Leah’s heart began to beat faster. She quickly found a reason for this anomaly. She’d never heard him laugh before. She’d even entertained the thought that he’d forgotten how. Like everything else about him, it was hard to ignore.

  “That’s quite a coincidence,” he was saying. “My house is the next driveway, too.”

  She might as well give up. This just wasn’t her night. “That figures. I can’t even get away with a lie these days.”

  “There’s no need to lie. It’s just common sense.” He leaned across the console and opened the door. With the aid of the dome light, she was able to confirm his identity. She couldn’t decide if it was the absence of the formal attire he wore at work or his ruffled hair that made him appear so much younger and (dare she say it) approachable. Her glance dipped lower, taking in the corded muscles in his arms and chest straining against the material of a long-sleeve t-shirt. Yowza! If the nursing staff at Hutchison’s could see him now… His voice brought her eyes back to his face.

  “Leah! What a surprise! I didn’t expect to find you so far away from home.”

  That made two of them. “I’m, uh, spending the weekend with friends.”

  “Who have apparently left you high and dry. Hop in, and I’ll give you a ride to wherever you’re staying.”

  “Are you sure? I hate to take you out of your way.”

  He smiled lazily, and this time Leah’s heart actually jumped in her chest. Could shock cause that?

  “Let me worry about that.”

  Feeling as if she’d stumbled into some kind of twilight zone, she climbed into the truck and reached for the seatbelt. “The address is 48 River Knoll.”

  He shook his head in what she assumed was disbelief. “You were planning to walk that far?”

  “It was better than staying where I was. Is your house really the next driveway?”

  “I may be a lot of things, but I’m not a liar. My uncle left me a small cabin on the lake.” He pulled back on the road. “You picked a good time to visit this area. The dogwood trees are at their peak right now.”

  Leah forced herself to relax against the seat. “That’s the main reason I came on this trip. Spring is my favorite time of year.”

  “Mine, too. Are you from Myrtle Beach originally?”

  “No. I grew up in Columbus, Georgia.”

  He sent her a quick sideways glance. “You don’t say? I’m from Stone Mountain, which means we’re both Georgians. That must count for something.”

  “I guess it does. You can drop me off by the mailbox.”

  “I don’t drop off passengers at the mailbox, and in case you haven’t noticed, it’s pitch dark outside. We don’t need you tripping over something.”

  Leah lapsed into silence. There was no point in arguing. This somewhat surreal experience would be over soon enough. A few minutes later he drew to a stop in the shadow of the porch.

  “Here we are.”

  She unbuckled her seatbelt and fumbled for the door handle. “Thanks for the ride, Dr. Levy.”

  He threw her the same amused smile he’d done on those previous occasions. “You’re welcome, Leah. Enjoy the rest of your weekend.”

  She barely suppressed a shudder. There had been little enjoyment so far and having Dr. Levy find her in such a predicament hadn’t helped.

  * * * * *

  Stratton watched as Leah unlocked the door of the cabin and disappeared inside. Once he saw the lights come on, he reversed the truck and returned to the main road. Jade must have been watching for him because she met him at the door.

  “Everything okay?” his sister asked.

  “Fine as frog’s hair.” Dropping his duffle bag on the floor, he bent to kiss her cheek. “I would have been here sooner, but I gave someone a ride.”

  “At this time of night? You’re braver than me.”

  Stratton trailed her into the kitchen. “I couldn’t let a woman walk home alone in the dark.”

  “How did you know she wasn’t part of a gang waiting in the bushes to rob you?”

  He helped himself to one of the brownies Jade was offering him. “That thought never occurred to me. In this case, I’m glad I stopped because the woman turned out to be one of t
he nurses from work.”

  “Really? What are the chances of that? Did something happen to her car?”

  He hid a smile at the rapid-fire questions. “I got the impression she wasn’t having a good time wherever she was and decided not to wait for the others.”

  Jade handed him a napkin. “I bet someone was bothering her. Is she pretty?”

  “Very,” he replied somewhat absently, Leah’s words drifting through his mind. It was better than staying where I was. Jade could be right. Anger flared up inside him at the thought of someone making Leah uncomfortable enough to venture out alone late at night.

  “What’s her name?”

  “Leah Langston.”

  “I haven’t heard you mention her before. Is she single?”

  He was in trouble now. He’d just set off the matchmaking alarm in Jade’s head. In the absence of their parents, who migrated to England three years ago, and in spite of being eight years younger, his sister had adopted a motherly attitude toward him that he couldn’t help but find amusing. “That’s because she works upstairs with Dr. Gorman and Dr. Smithe. I don’t see her very often. These brownies are great. What kind of nuts did you use?”

  “The same kind I always use: walnuts. You didn’t answer my other question.”

  He reached for a second brownie. “I was hoping you wouldn’t notice. To my knowledge, Leah isn’t married.”

  “So she’s pretty, single and works at the clinic. What are you waiting for?”

  “It’s too late for an examination of my social life.”

  “You can’t examine something that doesn’t exist. Denver wanted to wait up for you, but the poor thing couldn’t make it. He fell asleep around ten-thirty.” She removed a folded sheet of paper from the pocket of her jeans and held it out to him. “This is his birthday list.”

  A lump formed in Stratton’s throat as he took it from her. “I better get to bed. He’ll be up with the sun.”

  “He asked me to make French toast and bacon for breakfast.”