Just a Kiss in the Moonlight: Georgia Moon Romance Book 2 (2 page)

Luke’s mouth returned to its grim state as he took a step away and nodded his head at the nurse. “Thanks. I’ll check it out.”

Without glancing at Taylin again, he pivoted and entered the room. She flinched as the door shut in her face and was annoyed how her stomach tumbled at the lingering scent of his cologne.

She stared at the door, tempted to follow him into the room. The man needed a lesson in Southern manners from her mama—or maybe her daddy.

“Don’t feel bad,” the nurse said with a laugh. “I reckon he’s just shy.”

Taylin held back an eye roll. “I’m sure that’s it.” She waved goodbye and marched toward the nursery.

New Guy wasn’t that hot. Sure, his eyes were gorgeous. And boy did he fill out his scrubs nicely. But Taylin wasn’t really into surly males. She liked men who were… happy.

Taking a seat at her workstation, she noticed a flyer on top of her clipboard. The picture on the notice made her heart flutter like she was in V-fib.

Say hello to Luke McKay, Mitchel Creek’s newest CRNA, Friday, September 23, from seven until eight-thirty in the dining room.

A yellow sticky was stuck on the bottom of the paper. It was a note to Taylin from her manager, Margaret.

Taylin, thank you for agreeing to help me out with the employee bulletin board. I’d like to feature Luke as the newest member of our team. I’ve attached a list of suggested questions you can use to interview him, or you can come up with some of your own. It would be nice if you could get it done before the open house.

Great. Just before leaving for Hawaii, Margaret had cornered Taylin and asked her to take charge of a bulletin board, which would feature the employees on the women’s floor to help promote camaraderie between the staff members. Since Taylin wanted to transfer from well-baby nursery into the newborn intensive care unit, she hadn’t dared to say no. Plus, Margaret was very supportive of Taylin’s desire to go abroad for a year with the Vital First Breath program. She’d promised Taylin her full support if she got accepted.

Taylin read through some of the questions and sighed. Where on earth had her manager gotten these questions? She did not want to ask a good-looking, grumpy man if he could be any fictional character who would he choose, or what super power would he like to have? Whatever happened to simple questions like where did you grow up or what is your favorite food?

Knowing she needed to focus on her charting before she was called in for another delivery, she turned the flyer over and picked up her paperwork on Ryan’s baby girl. Interviewing Luke McKay would have to wait for another day.

L
uke crossed
the floor to his patient to check the epidural line he’d just placed an hour before. The young mother had debated about going natural, but decided to go with the meds when she heard the screaming going on down the hall. She now lay asleep on the bed with her husband sitting nearby, talking on his phone.

The alarm beeped, indicating the line was blocked. His patient had twisted on her back, kinking the thin tubing. He silenced the alarm and straightened the tubing. Pulling a roll of tape from his pocket, he secured the line and re-programmed the pump.

He watched the pump to make sure everything was okay and thought about the pretty nurse he’d literally run in to. Her blonde hair came past her shoulders, contrasting against a very nice bronze tan. And those blue eyes reminded him of a summer sky back home in Montana. Her tears had enhanced the color. Tears from the wonder of birth.

His stomach tightened at the thought of her emotional response. There needed to be more women like that in the world. Not the kind with cold, calculating and deceitful hearts like his ex-wife’s.

“Everything okay, Doc?” the young soon-to-be father asked as he ended his phone call.

Luke didn’t correct the title. People mistook him for a doctor all the time. He should’ve gone to medical school, but Vivian hadn’t wanted him to be in school that long, or the expense. Instead, he’d opted for nursing school, followed by two years in California to become a nurse anesthetist.

“Yeah,” he said, assuring the father and explaining about the medication. “Everything looks great.”

He left the couple and headed to the small office the hospital assigned him. Taking a seat, he pulled out his phone to check his messages. The one from his contractor made him smile. His house was almost completed, needing only carpet and paint. By this time next week, he could move out of the hotel suite and into his newly remodeled home on Plantation Lake in Mitchel Creek, Georgia.

The house sat on lakefront property and was something he could’ve never afforded, but the previous owners had a main water line break while on vacation, damaging the kitchen, bathroom and a couple of bedrooms. The work was so extensive, they opted to sell it as is, and in the depressed economy, Luke had gotten it for a steal.

A familiar ache settled around him, extinguishing his excitement as quickly as the epidural medication numbed his patient’s pain. He never dreamed that when he purchased his first home he would be single. It was something he thought he’d share with his wife.

He typed out a quick reply to the contractor. Another message dinged and he was grateful it wasn’t from Vivian. Even though their divorce was final over a year ago, his ex-wife still periodically tried contacting him through text or email. Just last week she’d asked him for a forwarding address. She wanted to send him a housewarming gift. Luke had immediately deleted the message. Vivian’s boyfriend wouldn’t appreciate his girlfriend sending her ex a gift.

The text was from Dave Matthews, the youth pastor at the church Luke attended, inviting him over for dinner. Dave, a newlywed of only a few months, was the main reason Luke landed the job in Mitchel Creek.

His wife, Rachel, was also from Montana. She’d been Luke’s little sister’s roommate before meeting her Southern husband at a youth ministry conference held in Yellowstone National Park.

Rachel was there with the music and had wanted to meet the youth minister with the same name as the well-known rock star. They’d fallen in love and married a few months later. Rachel knew all about Luke and Vivian’s unstable relationship and their subsequent divorce. When her husband mentioned hearing about the position for a nurse anesthetist opening up at the small hospital, she’d immediately contacted Luke’s sister. The timing couldn’t have been better, and Luke immediately jumped at the chance to move away from Vivian, her boyfriend, and the new baby boy they’d had together.

Although being around a happily married couple didn’t sound fun, Rachel was a good cook, and Luke and Dave had become friends over the past couple of weeks. Being in their home would beat sitting around in his lonely hotel room.

He accepted the invitation, asking if he could bring anything. Dave’s reply came quickly.

Nope, just come prepared to play a quick game of B-ball before dinner. I need to redeem myself from last week.

Do you really think that’s possible? I beat you by thirteen points.

Ouch. For that I’m going to tell Rachel to set you up with one of her single friends.

Idle threat. She knows I don’t date.

She wants to change your mind.

Maybe I’ll order pizza tonight.

Yeah, right. I’ll see you at six. I promise no set ups.

Luke smiled and dropped his phone in the pocket of his scrubs. Dave and Rachel wanted everyone to be as blissfully happy as they were.

Luke’s marriage had been anything but happy. The entire four years had been an unhealthy pattern of Vivian leaving him for someone else, and then a few months later Luke forgiving her and taking her back.

He’d been raised to believe marriage was something you did forever. No one in his family had ever been divorced before. Both his brothers and sister were all as happily married as his parents. So, each time Vivian came crawling back, Luke had swallowed his pride and forgiven her. The marriage had finally ended when Vivian got pregnant during one of their reconciliation times—only Luke wasn’t the father.

So now he was a single-divorced-thirty-one-year-old man, and he didn’t have plans of changing that status any time soon. Women complicated his life. He didn’t need one to be happy. Maybe someday he’d find a wife. Someday when he could trust a woman to be faithful.

The blue-eyed blonde flashed in his memory, the sound of her silky, Southern voice echoed in his mind. Luke shook his head. He did
not
need to be crushing on some cute nurse. Hospital trysts were so cliché, and he didn’t plan on having one. Even if she was beautiful and cried at the birth of a baby.

His chair creaked as he leaned back and placed his hands behind his head, closing his eyes. After tomorrow, he’d have two days off. It would lessen his chances of running into the blonde again. But then again, he’d been at the hospital for three weeks without seeing her. Maybe she only worked one shift a week. Or maybe she was a temp. Or maybe she….

Maybe
he shouldn’t worry about it.

Pushing the girl out of his mind, he sat forward, stood up and moved to the window. The blue sky looked inviting. Late September in Georgia was different from Montana. The warm days felt more like summer. Perfect weather for fishing. Tomorrow he planned on taking his boat out on Plantation Lake to see how fishing for crappie and catfish differed from trout. He’d heard crappie put up a decent fight and tasted pretty good considering their name. He could hardly wait.

A knock on his door brought his thoughts to a halt. “Come in.” He walked over to the door and pulled it open. He tried not to let his irritation show as he greeted the human resource director. Reece Watkins was a thirty-something, beautiful, dark-haired woman. She’d made it no secret she was interested in him as more than just a new employee.

“Hello, Luke.” Her full lips parted into a seductive smile. “How are you?”

Luke looked away from her intense gaze and wished a patient would need him in order to save him from Reece’s advances. She’d been at it for the past three weeks, getting bolder with each encounter. Because of her, he’d been a little gruff with the other women who showed interest in the new, non-married guy.

“Things are good.” He tried to keep his voice flat and uninterested. “I…” He lost his train of thought when he saw the blue-eyed blonde in pink scrubs walk past his office. She glanced his way and their eyes met for a brief moment. The corner of her mouth twitched before she turned her head.

Reece looked over her shoulder just as the blonde rounded the corner. When her dark eyes returned to his, they were filled with displeasure. “I hope everyone is making you feel welcome.”

“Um, yeah.” He wished she weren’t blocking his exit. “You have a very competent staff here.”

One perfectly shaped eyebrow arched as she eyed him for a few uncomfortable seconds. “I’m glad you approve.”

Uh-oh
. He’d ticked her off. Better try and be at least a little charming. He forced his mouth into a smile. “I’m glad I was hired. I love it here.”

Appreciation replaced her anger, and she gave a soft laugh. “Good to hear.” She lifted her hand and tucked a piece of her short hair behind her ear. “I’m just heading down to the cafeteria to grab a bite to eat. Would you like to join me?”

Luke knew there was much more to the innocent invitation. If he accepted now, he had a feeling there would be no turning back. Before, when she’d asked, he’d always been right in the middle of something. Today had been a slow day, and he needed to tactfully decline. Right now, having a girlfriend would come in handy.

“Thanks, but I’ve got a patient I need to check on. I’ll probably end up grabbing something out of the doctor’s lounge.”

He held his breath and waited to see what she would do. Professionalism won out. This time. “Okay. Have a good day and remember to call me if you need…
anything
.”

Hmmm
. The way she said that last sentence—in her husky Southern accent—brought him right back to uncomfortable. She handed him a business card. Just one of the many he already had from her. “My personal cell is on that one.”

“Thanks.”

She gave him another slow smile before finally leaving him alone.
Ah, man
. Why was this happening to him? Now he was going to
have
to get a girlfriend. Having the HR director hit on him could get dicey and possibly get him fired. Maybe he’d have to cave and let Rachel set him up after all.

He walked down the hall to check on his patient and refused to think about the cute nurse. Or where she might be. Or if she was dating anyone. Or if…
what?
He shook his head, deciding not to go there.

But when it came time for the birth of another baby, he was very disappointed when the nurse who attended the delivery was a middle-aged brunette.

T
uesday evening Taylin
knocked on the bathroom door. “Ashlee, we have to leave in a few minutes or we’re gonna be late.”

Her twin sister opened the door. “Go ahead without me.” She slipped past her wearing a tight pair of black skinny jeans and a snug T-shirt. “I’m going out instead.”

“Ashlee, you promised you would help me tonight.” Taylin followed her twin into her bedroom. Clothes—some of which were Taylin’s—were scattered all over the floor and unmade bed. “I need you.”

Ashlee laughed and slipped on a pair of red stilettos. “You do not. We both know the invite was because you felt sorry for me after that jerk of a boyfriend of mine cheated on me.”

“Maybe, but I really could use your help, and the kids like you.”

“They like you better. Besides, you should get Jared to help you. He’s into all things Xbox, right?”

Taylin held back an eye roll. The one and only time she’d asked her boyfriend to help her at the youth center, he’d told her he wasn’t into churchy stuff other than his sporadic church attendance on Sunday.

“Since dancing doesn’t involve shooting or killing then I doubt he’d be interested.”

“Get Pastor Dave’s wife. She loves that kind of thing.” Ashlee slipped on a leather jacket. Taylin’s new leather jacket.

“Where are you going anyway?” Taylin asked, feeling slightly irritable that Ashlee hadn’t asked if she could wear the coat.

“Grayson, a new guy at the office, asked me to dinner tonight.” Ashlee’s blue eyes lit up. “He’s so cute and a little on the shy side. If I turned him down, even for something as legit as volunteering at the youth center, he’d never get up the guts to ask me out again.”

Taylin wasn’t sure what new guy her sister was referring to since she had a new crush almost weekly. To be honest, Taylin didn’t even know what office Ashlee currently worked for. She changed jobs almost as fast as boyfriends.

Ashlee spritzed on some perfume. “How do I look?”

“Beautiful,” Taylin said. Although they looked similar, and most people thought she and Ashlee were identical twins, Taylin always felt like her sister was prettier.

“Thank you.” She hugged Taylin. “By the way, do you mind if I borrow your new jacket? Please?”

Ashlee had a tendency to misplace items like sweaters, jackets and occasionally shoes. Taylin had no idea how it happened, but loaning her sister clothing always held a risk.

“No, I don’t mind. Just please don’t lose it.” Taylin pulled back. “I’ve only worn it once.”

“I promise not to lose it.” Ashlee grabbed her purse. “Good luck tonight.”

“Thanks.”

Both girls heard the doorbell chime.

“That’s him!” Ashlee squealed. “I’ll see you later.”

Ashlee darted out of the room, and Taylin slowly followed behind her. Since their parents weren’t at home, Ashlee answered the door. Staying out of sight, Taylin watched her sister work her magic. The girl might struggle with finding a career, but she knew how to flirt.

Her date was pretty cute. He looked a little like Ryan Reynolds. A nervous Ryan Reynolds. Ashlee said something that made him laugh and the guy seemed to loosen up a little. He seemed like a decent guy. At least he was gentleman enough to come to the door.

That was more than could be said for Jared. Since they’d been dating the past few months, he rarely came to the door to get her. Usually he sent her a text to notify her he was on his way, and she’d watch for him out the window. Or, lately, Taylin ended up meeting him over at his condo. Either way, her parents weren’t impressed with Jared.

After grabbing a bottle of water out of the fridge, Taylin made her way outside. A warm breeze tousled her long hair. She loved the weather in Georgia, especially this time of year. Not too hot, and definitely not too cold. It was perfect.

She climbed into her car and started the engine, noting the outside temperature on the overhead console. Lifting her phone up, she took a picture of the number eighty-two and then sent the picture to her brother Chase. He and his wife, Addie, lived in Idaho, and even though this was his sixth year living out West, Chase still missed the warmer temps of his home state.

The leaves in the Idaho Mountains not far from Chase’s house were in full color right now. Addie was a fabulous photographer and had captured some beautiful shots of the area where they lived. The pictures she’d posted to Facebook the night before were of their three-year-old daughter, Isabelle, playing in the leaves.

His one word reply made her laugh. “Brat.”

The drive to the youth center was quick. She wanted to arrive a little early to make sure everything was set up. Plus, she wanted to see if she could talk Rachel into participating with the dance competition. She didn’t want things to get out of hand like they usually could with a bunch of teenage kids who came from diverse backgrounds.

Before getting out of the car, her cell phone chimed an incoming text. Glancing at the screen she grimaced. It was from Margaret, her manager. Swiping her finger across the screen, she read the brief message.

Taylin I know tomorrow is your day off but Luke McKay will be in his office getting some paperwork done. It would be the perfect opportunity to interview him. The open house is on Friday and I’d like to have the bulletin board updated by then.

Why had she accepted this assignment? Her plate was already full with working three twelve-hour shifts a week and volunteering at the youth center.

Thanks for the information. I tried talking with him today but he wasn’t at work. I’ll be sure and get it all done by tomorrow.

After sending the text, she shoved her phone in her purse and climbed out of her car. Walking toward the entrance, Taylin heard the distinct sound of a basketball bouncing. She glanced at the courtyard and recognized the youth minister playing basketball with a few other guys.

“Hey, Taylin,” Pastor Dave said, pausing with the ball to give her a nod of his head, all the while keeping the coveted sphere away from a boy she didn’t know.

“Hey,” she said. “Is Rachel inside?”

“Not yet, but she should be comin’ any minute.” Dave passed the ball to another boy Taylin recognized as a regular at the youth center. While the other two players aggressively surrounded the kid with the ball, Dave wiped his hand across his forehead. “Everything’s all set up, but holler if you need anything else.”

“Sure thing.”

Dave got back into the game and Taylin turned to walk inside.

“Watch out,” someone yelled just before something hard slammed into her back. She maintained her balance and watched the offending basketball slam into the glass door, making it rattle.

“Are you okay?” The male voice questioning her was vaguely familiar and lacked a southern drawl.

Slowly, she turned around and met a pair of silvery gray eyes. What on earth was Luke McKay doing playing basketball at her youth center?

He appeared as stunned as she was. He stood there, staring at her with his mouth slightly ajar. His dark hair was a little damp, and his jaw was covered with a dark shadow of whiskers.

“Dude,” one of the kids yelled out. “You can stare at Miss Taylin after the game is over. Get the ball.”

The other players all laughed, but Luke didn’t move. Taylin wasn’t sure whether or not to be flattered. She turned around and picked up the basketball. “Hello again,” she said, tossing the ball at his chest.

He caught it, his eyes remaining fixed on her. “Sorry you got hit. Are you sure you’re okay?”

The low timbre of his voice made her stomach dip. “I’m fine.”

“Mr. McKay,” one of the boys yelled. Luke tore his gaze away and looked over his shoulder. “Pastor Dave got a phone call so I guess our game is up.”

“Thanks for letting me play.” Luke tossed the ball at the boy. “And remember you can call me Luke.”

“Yes, sir.”

Luke turned back toward Taylin, his expression both troubled and curious. Although she wanted to ask why he was here and how he knew Pastor Dave, she gave him a soft smile and waited to see what he might say.

Instead of returning the smile, his lips flattened. “I’m glad you’re not hurt.” He took a step backward. “Have a good evening.”

With those parting words, he spun around and strode purposely away. Taylin stood there, watching him in disbelief. She glanced around to see if anyone else had witnessed the man’s rebuff. Thankfully Pastor Dave still had the phone to his ear and the two boys had started a game of one on one.

Luke McKay might be handsome— an observation Taylin couldn’t deny— but his ego made him a jerk. Either that or he was painfully shy and awkward around women.

The rumble of a motorcycle drew her attention, and a moment later Luke drove by on a Harley. Any guy who rode a shiny motorcycle like that was not shy, which made him a jerk.

Taylin went inside the youth center, grateful Rachel hadn’t arrived yet. She wanted a few minutes to compose herself. That was twice now the guy had been rude to her. Interviewing him tomorrow would be incredibly uncomfortable. She wished she could find out some general information on him without having to talk to him. She knew the first place to look.

Pulling out her phone, she opened the Facebook app and typed Luke McKay into the search field. Unfortunately his name was more popular than hers. She was the only Taylin Nichols on the social media network. She scrolled through a long list of guys with his name until she found him.

His profile picture was pretty cute, which irritated Taylin. He was on an ATV with two adorable little girls sitting in front of him. Were they his kids? She tapped on his picture and was disappointed to find his page was private. For a second she was tempted to send him a friend request, if for no other reason than to annoy him.

She opened his list of friends and saw they had two mutual friends: Dave and Rachel Matthews. Taylin tapped on the youth minister’s page and scrolled through his posts. Halfway down she saw one from Luke. The selfie was of Luke sitting on a boat, holding a string of fish. His post said, “You should’ve seen the one that got away.”

Taylin smiled at Pastor Dave’s comment about the evils of telling fish stories. Luke’s equally witty reply wasn’t congruent with the man’s stony personality. Going back to his page, she opened his photos. With his privacy setting, there weren’t very many she could view, but most of them were of the outdoors and fishing. None of them showed Luke with a wife, girlfriend, or the little girls again.

“Earth to Taylin,” Rachel said, making Taylin yelp and almost drop her phone.

“You scared me to death.” Taylin placed a hand over her racing heart.

“Sorry.” Rachel laughed and placed a box of donuts on the countertop. “I thought you heard me say hi.”

“No. I was too busy Facebook stalking a guy.”

“Oh, really.” One of Rachel’s sculpted brows lifted. “Did you and Jared finally break up?”

Taylin shot her friend an annoyed look. “No, we didn’t break up.”

“Okay.” Rachel opened a package of napkins. “Do I dare ask who it is you’re stalking?”

If Taylin revealed the name of her prey, Rachel would turn it into something romantic. Since she met her husband rather uniquely, she assumed the rest of the world found love in a similar way.

“I’m not stalking him because I’m interested in him.” Taylin lifted the lid to the box of donuts. Comfort food would help assuage her wounded ego.

“Then why are you stalking him?” Rachel handed Taylin a small paper plate. “Here, you might need this if you’re going to steal one of my donuts.”

Smiling, Taylin selected a cinnamon and sugar donut. “What do you know about Luke McKay?”

“I love Luke!” Rachel squealed, hugging Taylin so tightly she nearly dropped her treat. “He is so cute, and so available.”

“And you’re so married,” Taylin murmured as she wriggled out from Rachel’s embrace.

“I’ve wanted to introduce him to you ever since he moved here but then you were gone to Hawaii, and you’re dating Jared, and then things got so crazy around here with the cancelation of our retreat.” Rachel clasped her hands together. “Do you want me to set y’all up? I’ve been dying to get him out on a date.”

“I told you I’m not interested in him that way. And I’m still dating Jared, remember?”

Rachel’s eyebrows pinched in confusion. “Then why are you stalking him?”

Taylin explained what her manager wanted her to do and about the two run-ins she’d had with Luke. “I really don’t want to show up at the hospital tomorrow to interview him. He’ll probably think I volunteered for the project just so I could talk to him.”

“He really was rude to you?” Rachel asked as she selected a donut for herself and tore it in half. “That doesn’t sound like the Luke I know.”

“How do you know him?” Taylin asked, taking a bite of her donut. “And how did he end up in Mitchel Creek, Georgia?”

Rachel explained her friendship with Diane, Luke’s younger sister. “Ever since college, Diane and I have kept in touch, and I knew Luke was looking to relocate somewhere else besides Montana. When Dave heard about the position opening up at the hospital, I let Diane know.” Rachel handed Taylin a bottle of water. “She told Luke, and since his hospital is owned by the same corporation as Mitchel Creek, he was able to transfer without any problems. Within a few weeks, he found himself a house and moved here.”

Taylin uncapped the bottle and took a sip of water. “Is there a reason he wanted to leave Montana?” Maybe if she asked Rachel enough questions, she wouldn’t even have to ask the man himself.

“Yeah, living in the same town with his ex-wife and her boyfriend was hard on the guy.”

“He was married?” Taylin remembered the Facebook pic with Luke and the two little girls. “Did they have any kids?”

A sadness filled Rachel’s eyes. “No, they didn’t have any kids. I don’t want to gossip, and his story isn’t mine to tell, but Vivian—that’s his ex-wife—gave birth to a baby boy about eight months ago, and Luke wasn’t the father.”

Ouch.
No wonder the guy didn’t like women. He’d been burned big time.

“Oh, wow, that is so sad.”

“Yeah. Luke is one of the nicest guys I know, so I’m surprised he’s been rude to you. Unless…” Rachel’s eyes widened as a smile curved her lips. “…Luke likes you.”