“I’ll do my best.” Delaney glanced at Charlotte, who was trying to rub her arm against the exam table.
Dr. Wright smiled at Charlotte. “The medicine will make the itching better soon, I promise. You were very brave today, but next time, stay out of the woods, okay?”
“’Kay,” she said around her thumb.
“You did the right thing bringing her in,” Dr. Wright said to Delaney. “With reactions this severe, it’s wise to be safe.”
“Thank you.” She felt better knowing she’d made the right call.
He hesitated, then asked, “Where in Maine are you from? I’ve got distant family up there.”
“Shadow Cove.”
A spark of interest lit in his eyes, but he said, “Never heard of it. It’s on the coast, I guess?” Odd that his words didn’t seem to match his reaction.
“Yeah, near Portland.”
“I’m sure it’s lovely.” His head tilted to the side. “Are you all right?”
She realized her hand was pressed against her sternum. “It’s just a bruise. Car accident.”
“Okay, well, let me know if it starts to hurt worse. We could do an X-ray.” He lifted Charlotte down from the table, saving Delaney from having to do it. “I’ll walk you two out.”
In the waiting area, Delaney spotted a familiar figure striding through the automatic doors, his face tight with concern. Mr. Aylett scanned the room, his gray eyes finding her and Charlotteimmediately. Relief washed over his features, and then his expression hardened.
Uh-oh. He was angry.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
“Uncle Noah!” Charlotte’s voice carried across the emergency room waiting area, her small face lighting up when she spotted him.
His relief had evaporated as quickly as it’d come when he’d spotted Delaney talking to a doctor.
Noah crossed the waiting room in long strides, then lifted Charlotte into his arms. She had an angry rash on her cheeks, and she burned with fever, adding more ammunition to his irritation. She clung to him.
“I touched poison plants,” she whispered against his neck.
“I see that, Charlie-Bear.” He held her tightly, staring at Delaney, who was chatting blissfully with the too-young, too-handsome doctor. They’d been talking when he walked in, the doctor smiling down at her like she was the most fascinating person he’d ever met.
And why wouldn’t he find her fascinating? She was beautiful, kind, and clearly good with children. Everything about her invited attention. Attention she was supposed to be giving Charlotte, not some random doctor.
As Noah approached, the man managed to drag his eyes away from the nanny to focus on him. He extended his hand. “Dr. Ethan Wright. You must be Mr. Aylett.”
Noah shook the doctor’s hand harder than necessary. The guy couldn’t be more than thirty. Was he even old enough to have completed medical school?
“What’s going on with Charlotte?”
“Severe reaction to poison oak. She’ll be fine with the medication I’ve prescribed.” Dr. Wright’s professional demeanor never wavered, but something flickered in his eyes—amusement, maybe? “The rash should start clearing up in a few days.”
Amazing that the man had looked away from Miss Wright long enough to figure that out. How long had they been talking before he got there?
“She touched some berries in the woods this morning,” Delaney said, her voice carefully neutral. “I should have recognized what they were.”
“You’re not from around here,” Dr. Wright said, that same warm smile returning as he looked at her. “Poison oak doesn’t grow in Maine.”
How did he know where she was from? Noah felt a headache forming and realized he was clenching his jaw. Had she been sharing her life story with this stranger while Charlotte scratched her rash and burned with fever?
“The important thing is that she got medical attention quickly,” Dr. Wright continued. “Delaney made the right call bringing her in.”
