Read Online Worth Waiting For by Kelly Jamieson - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Kelly Jamieson
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he waited for Ainslie, ever the softie, to agree to take on Mrs. Markham’s sister as a patient.
“I’m so sorry, Mrs. Markham, but you know I’m not taking any new patients,” Ainslie replied, gently but firmly. “I just can’t. However, Dr. Dillon, one of my partners, is taking patients. And I can tell you she’s a very good doctor, too. Very patient.”
Disappointment dimmed Mrs. Markham’s smile. “I’ll tell her that. Thank you.” She glanced at Griff and her smile returned. She winked at Ainslie. “He’s…what do you young girls say…a hottie.”
Pink flooded Ainslie’s cheeks and she shot Griff an apologetic glance. He grinned.
“Thanks,” he told Mrs. Markham.
She turned with a wave, moving a bit stiffly.
He looked at Ainslie. “You turned her down.”
She raised a brow. “Do you think I’m a big meanie?”
“No. I think you’re assertive and caring. Even though you turned her down, you gave her another option.” She gave him a puzzled look and he shrugged. “You stood up for yourself.”
“Well, yeah. I can’t just keep taking patients. I’ve got more than I can handle already.”
“It’s good that you know it, too, though. You might have, at one time, tended to let people take advantage of you.”
She started walking and he fell in beside her.
“Are you mad?” Her silence made his muscles tighten.
She shook her head.
“What’s wrong?”
She stopped and faced him. “You’re right. At one time I would have. At one time I did . I don’t any more. I don’t do anything unless I want to. Get it?”
He was startled. “Uh…we’re not talking about patients any more, are we?”
“No.”
He looked at her. “Yeah. I get it. You’ve changed, Ainslie.”
“I’m sorry.”
“God, don’t apologize! I loved you the way you were…but now…” He choked. “It’s not a bad thing,” he amended. Shit. “You’re incredible.” Activity and noise surrounded them, people brushing past them, arms full of fruits and vegetables and flowers. Something expanded in his chest and he took a deep breath. “Let’s find some wine to go with dinner.”
“Excellent idea.”
“So what was she saying about how you helped her grandson lose weight?”
“Oh.” Ainslie sighed. “I see so many kids who are overweight these days. I know the world is so different now, but it’s very disturbing to me. I’ve had some success in a multi-disciplinary program I started for obese pre-teens.”
“Wow, that’s awesome.” He paused. “Hence the issues with video games?”
“In part. Video games are not the root of all evil, despite what I said earlier.”
“Get out of here. You were arguing with me about something you didn’t really believe?”
She laughed. “Only in part. I do believe they’re part of the problem, but the whole thing isn’t so simple.”
“Then I have a confession to make.”
“What?” Curiosity shone in her clear blue eyes.
“I didn’t really believe all the stuff I was saying either.”
“Huh?” Her brows drew together briefly. “So you’re saying you do realize it’s a problem for some kids to play video games too much?”
“Yeah, I guess that’s what I’m saying.” He could say more, but he’d leave it for now. “We were having an argument just for fun,” he pointed out a little roguishly.
Her lips twitched. “And it was kind of fun.”
He smiled back at her. Man, he was sinking deep and fast. “It takes a lot of confidence to do that.” He could see in her eyes that she knew he was giving her another compliment. “You’re surprising me, Dr. Ainslie Patterson.”
After purchasing some wine, over which they also argued amiably, they drove back to Ainslie’s place.
“That was a nice afternoon.” She stretched her legs out in the car and leaned back into her seat.
“You got some freckles.”
She lifted a hand to her nose. “Oh, no! I can’t believe I forgot sunscreen!”
“You won’t get skin cancer from one
“I’m so sorry, Mrs. Markham, but you know I’m not taking any new patients,” Ainslie replied, gently but firmly. “I just can’t. However, Dr. Dillon, one of my partners, is taking patients. And I can tell you she’s a very good doctor, too. Very patient.”
Disappointment dimmed Mrs. Markham’s smile. “I’ll tell her that. Thank you.” She glanced at Griff and her smile returned. She winked at Ainslie. “He’s…what do you young girls say…a hottie.”
Pink flooded Ainslie’s cheeks and she shot Griff an apologetic glance. He grinned.
“Thanks,” he told Mrs. Markham.
She turned with a wave, moving a bit stiffly.
He looked at Ainslie. “You turned her down.”
She raised a brow. “Do you think I’m a big meanie?”
“No. I think you’re assertive and caring. Even though you turned her down, you gave her another option.” She gave him a puzzled look and he shrugged. “You stood up for yourself.”
“Well, yeah. I can’t just keep taking patients. I’ve got more than I can handle already.”
“It’s good that you know it, too, though. You might have, at one time, tended to let people take advantage of you.”
She started walking and he fell in beside her.
“Are you mad?” Her silence made his muscles tighten.
She shook her head.
“What’s wrong?”
She stopped and faced him. “You’re right. At one time I would have. At one time I did . I don’t any more. I don’t do anything unless I want to. Get it?”
He was startled. “Uh…we’re not talking about patients any more, are we?”
“No.”
He looked at her. “Yeah. I get it. You’ve changed, Ainslie.”
“I’m sorry.”
“God, don’t apologize! I loved you the way you were…but now…” He choked. “It’s not a bad thing,” he amended. Shit. “You’re incredible.” Activity and noise surrounded them, people brushing past them, arms full of fruits and vegetables and flowers. Something expanded in his chest and he took a deep breath. “Let’s find some wine to go with dinner.”
“Excellent idea.”
“So what was she saying about how you helped her grandson lose weight?”
“Oh.” Ainslie sighed. “I see so many kids who are overweight these days. I know the world is so different now, but it’s very disturbing to me. I’ve had some success in a multi-disciplinary program I started for obese pre-teens.”
“Wow, that’s awesome.” He paused. “Hence the issues with video games?”
“In part. Video games are not the root of all evil, despite what I said earlier.”
“Get out of here. You were arguing with me about something you didn’t really believe?”
She laughed. “Only in part. I do believe they’re part of the problem, but the whole thing isn’t so simple.”
“Then I have a confession to make.”
“What?” Curiosity shone in her clear blue eyes.
“I didn’t really believe all the stuff I was saying either.”
“Huh?” Her brows drew together briefly. “So you’re saying you do realize it’s a problem for some kids to play video games too much?”
“Yeah, I guess that’s what I’m saying.” He could say more, but he’d leave it for now. “We were having an argument just for fun,” he pointed out a little roguishly.
Her lips twitched. “And it was kind of fun.”
He smiled back at her. Man, he was sinking deep and fast. “It takes a lot of confidence to do that.” He could see in her eyes that she knew he was giving her another compliment. “You’re surprising me, Dr. Ainslie Patterson.”
After purchasing some wine, over which they also argued amiably, they drove back to Ainslie’s place.
“That was a nice afternoon.” She stretched her legs out in the car and leaned back into her seat.
“You got some freckles.”
She lifted a hand to her nose. “Oh, no! I can’t believe I forgot sunscreen!”
“You won’t get skin cancer from one
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