Chapter One

Mallory

I turn the key in the lock, switch the sign on the door to say ‘closed' and pull down the blind that covers the frosted glass, letting out a sigh of relief. I might not like weekends, but for once, I'm glad it's Friday.

For some reason, it seems to have been a stressful week. I don't think Doctor White has had any more patients than usual, although he had that difficult root canal treatment on Wednesday morning, which meant I had to rearrange two of his afternoon appointments to today. So, maybe that's it.

Or maybe I'm just tired.

Tired and fed up.

No. That's not true. I'm not fed up, I'm…

I snap to attention as Greta comes out of the lunchroom, closing the door behind her. I'm pretty sure she's been working here since before Cooper even took over the place, although neither of them has ever confirmed that. Even so, she's never one to hang around once the day is done, and I barely have time to get back to my desk before she wanders out here to the reception area.

When she's not wearing her pale blue scrubs, she looks completely different, and I smile up at her as she stops off to say goodbye.

"How do you feel this week has gone, with the new system?" I ask. It's not really a ‘new' system, but an addition to the old one, which enables me to ping an alert through to the computer in the surgery when the next patient arrives. It's supposed to stop the appointments from running over, but if today's an example of it working, I'm not sure how successful it's been… which is why I'm asking the question.

"It's been okay," she says. "It's helpful to know the next patient is waiting… although that doesn't mean we can deal with the existing ones any faster."

"No. I suppose not."

"Are you doing anything nice this weekend?" she asks, shifting her cardigan from one hand to the other while she fishes in her purse for her keys. She's wearing navy pants and a white blouse, but I guess she's decided the cardigan is superfluous, and I can't say I blame her. It might be the beginning of October, but the weather doesn't seem to have heard about the changing seasons.

"I thought I'd catch up on some laundry," I reply. "And some sleep."

She shakes her head at me, and not for the first time, I wonder how old she is. I know she's married, with two grown-up daughters, but I still wouldn't like to guess at her age. There are times when I could easily believe she's still in her thirties, given the way her blonde hair curls so neatly around her perfectly made-up face. But then, one of her daughters will call, reminding me that's not possible.

"You should get out more," she says. "Make some friends." Her smile widens as she leans a little closer over my desk. "I'm sure there are plenty of young men around here who'd be honored to go out with a young lady as pretty as you."

And at times like that, she feels like someone's grandmother, handing out sage advice to the younger generation. She couldn't be my grandmother, though. I don't have one. That's to say, I must have had one – or two, to be more precise – but I haven't got a clue who they are… or were.

"I don't know about that," I murmur, feeling myself blush, and with another shake of her head, and a wave of her hand, she heads for the door. She has to unlock it to get out, and despite the exhaustion creeping through my limbs, I get up and re-lock it again, bringing the keys back with me this time.

They belong in the top drawer of my desk, and once I've put them there, I sit in my chair and set about closing down my computer for the weekend.

I'm sure Greta meant well, but what she doesn't understand – because no-one could – is that I'm not interested in any of the young men in Hart's Creek. I'm sure there's nothing wrong with them, but they don't do anything for me.

How can I be so sure, you ask? That's simple, really…

It's because I've already met the only man I'll ever want.

The problem is, his name's Cooper White, and I work for him.

No… that's not the problem.

The problem is, Cooper's already seeing someone else.

My heart sinks at the thought of Meredith Sims, the voluptuous red-head, who's occupied his life and his bed for heaven knows how long.

I genuinely have no idea how long they've been together. Certainly a lot longer than the three months I've been working for him… more's the pity.

I jump at the sound of his surgery door opening. It's one of two in the back wall of the reception area… the one on the right. The other one leads to the restrooms. From where I'm sitting, I can see a third door, which is marked ‘Employees Only'. That's the lunchroom, although there's a small, curtained changing area in there for Greta to use, on the opposite side to the kitchen, where we can fix ourselves coffee and lunch, if we want, and sit to read the local newspaper during our breaks.

I'm not looking at that now, though. My attention is fixed on Cooper. He's on the phone, and he wanders out, leaving the surgery door open, a smile etched on his face as he comes into the reception and sits in one of the dark gray chairs that line the wall across from my desk. They're comfortable enough, and after a second or two, he lounges back, crossing his legs and nodding his head, even though the person he's speaking to can't see him.

"Okay," he says. "I'll see you tomorrow morning. And stop worrying, will you? We'll get it done."

He ends the call and puts the phone on the table in front of him, rolling his eyes as he smiles at me.

He's my idea of the perfect man, even if he belongs to someone else. And although he's wearing dark blue scrubs and looks exhausted, I still think he's adorable.

"Is everything okay?" I ask, unwilling to let him go just yet, even though he doesn't seem to be in any hurry to leave.

"It's fine. It's just that Brady and Laurel are moving house this weekend, and in a moment of madness, or possibly drunkenness – I can't remember which – I volunteered to help."

I've heard of Brady. He's the town's sheriff, and everyone here knows who he is. As for Laurel, I've never met her… but that could be said of many people in Hart's Creek. Unless they've been here to see Cooper in a professional capacity, and sat where he is now, waiting their turn, I'm unlikely to have met them at all.

"Is it going to be a problem?" I tilt my head, leaning forward and resting my elbows on my desk, gazing into his chocolate-colored eyes.

He stares at me for a second and then shakes his head. "It shouldn't be. Although Brady's panicking."

"Why?"

"Because he's realized we might not get it all done in one day. It'll be his own fault if we don't. He could have made things a lot simpler if he'd just moved the contents of his house into Laurel's first."

"Excuse me?"

He sits forward himself. "They both have their own houses. Brady lived alone in his for years, pining for Laurel…"

"Pining?" I can't fail to notice the slight smile on his lips, and he switches it up to a grin, which makes my skin tingle.

"Yeah. It's a long story."

"The result of which is, they're together, and they're moving two houses into one?"

"Yes… all on the same day."

I see the predicament now. "Would you like some help?" I ask, the words falling from my lips before I've even had the chance to think them through… probably because I'm too busy concentrating on where that tingling sensation is going.

He tips his head to one side, his eyes boring into mine, which only makes things worse. "Seriously? You'd be willing to help?"

"Of course." My offer may have been impetuous, but if it means I'll get to spend some time with Cooper, what could be better?

He shakes his head, and my heart sinks. "No," he says. "I couldn't ask that of you."

"In case you didn't notice, I offered." I wonder if my willingness is coming over as desperation, or whether he's guessed my ulterior motive and doesn't want me there… his loyalty to Meredith overcoming his friends' need for help. I hope that's not the case, but either way, I can't give in now. "And besides, what else am I gonna do with my weekend?" Laundry?

"Well… if you're sure," he says, with a more encouraging smile.

"I'm positive. Just tell me where you want me." I glance down at the desk, thinking its smooth surface would be just fine with me. If we cleared away my keyboard and notepad, and the little pot of pens, I could lie out along it and let him…

"I'm due to be at Laurel's place at eight-thirty in the morning," he says, shattering my illusion.

"Okay. If you give me the address, I'll meet you there."

He shakes his head. "You don't need to do that. I can drive us both."

"If that's all right with you."

He nods and checks his watch. "Of course it is. But at the risk of being rude, I'd better go. Meredith will be here in a minute."

"I—Is she still coming for the weekend?" Don't tell me I've volunteered to help and I'm going to wind up spending the day watching Cooper and Meredith canoodling? It doesn't bear thinking about.

"No. She'll only be here for tonight." He stands, grabbing his phone, which he puts into his pocket, before he comes right up to my desk, resting his hands on the edge and leaning over, so his face is only a few inches from mine as I gaze up at him, struggling to breathe. "Unlike you, she wasn't so amenable about helping my best friend, so she'll be leaving again in the morning."

"She's not gonna stay here and wait for you… until you get back, I mean?"

"Hell, no," he says, shaking his head, although he doesn't offer an explanation… and I'm not about to ask for one. I might not like what I hear.

"I see," I murmur and he pushes his fingers back through his dark hair before he steps away, moving toward the back of the reception area.

"I'll call for you at eight-fifteen, if that's okay?" he says.

"That's fine. Have a good evening."

"You too." He gives me a perfect smile and disappears out of my sight to the door opposite the one marked ‘Employees Only'. I may not be able to see it, or him, but I know he'll be opening a door that's marked ‘Private', and once he's done that, he'll be climbing the stairs to his apartment. I know this because my own apartment is on the floor above… and it's high time I made same journey myself.

I finish shutting down my computer and check everything's switched off before I grab my purse from my desk drawer and follow Cooper. He's left the door open, but I close it behind me, and make my way up the stairs, pausing outside his apartment for a moment or two before I climb up the second flight and pull out my key from my purse, smiling at the plaintive meow that greets me as I open the door, and the pretty feline face that pokes around the side of the couch.

"Hello, beautiful," I whisper and she comes over, rubbing herself against my leg. I bend to pick her up and she nestles in my arms, all white, and orange, and fluffy, looking up at me with those adorable green eyes. "Did you miss me, Saffron?"

She tilts her head, like she's thinking about it, and then nuzzles my chin, which seems to be a positive. Her fur feels lovely and soft and I bury my face in it for a moment, which annoys her and makes her squirm in my arms.

"It always has to be on your terms, doesn't it?" I say, putting her down on the arm of the couch. She jumps onto the seat, then struts to the other end, where she perches and glares back at me. "It's going to be like that, is it?"

She pounces to the floor, heading for the kitchen area in the far corner, making it clear that food is the order of the moment, and I shake my head and follow her, obedient to her needs, as ever.

"I don't know why I do this," I murmur, reaching for her bowl and grabbing some cat food from the shelf. "You're the one who moved in with me, remember?" She looks up at me, blinking a couple of times, and I have to smile. She doesn't smile back, because she's a cat, but I can't help remembering how she adopted me… and it was definitely that way around, not the other.

I'd only been here for a few days, and was feeling out of my depth, wondering if I'd made the right decision in coming to Hart's Creek. I was nursing a cup of coffee on a Saturday afternoon when I heard a scraping at my door, and I opened it to find the most adorable cat outside. Heaven knows how she got in here, but she darted past me and sniffed her way around the room before making herself at home on the couch. Despite my protests that she really couldn't stay, she moved in… and, like I say, she adopted me.

I had to get Cooper's permission to keep her. He owns this place, after all, but I waited until the Monday morning to ask… not wanting to disturb his weekend. Fortunately, he didn't object.

"As long as she stays upstairs and doesn't come into the clinic," he said.

"I'm sure she'll be fine. She seems very tame."

"And she doesn't belong to someone else?"

"Not that I can tell. She's not wearing a collar."

"Maybe we should place an ad in the newspaper, just to be sure."

I wasn't keen. I'd grown attached to Saffron by then… even giving her a name, as well as buying her bowls, food, and a litter tray. But he insisted, and I didn't feel I could argue. So, I went to see the editor of the local newspaper. He's a man called Nate Newton, and I told him what had happened. He agreed to put something on the paper's website, and follow it up in the next printed edition. In the meantime, I waited. I dreaded someone coming forward to claim my beloved cat, but they didn't. And so, with Cooper's consent, I kept her… or rather, she kept me, because there's no doubting who's the boss in this relationship.

I put her food down on the floor, and she sniffs it, and then starts to eat, while I lean back against the countertop and contemplate my weekend. I'm excited about tomorrow. The thought of spending an entire day with Cooper, and not having to sit behind a desk and simply gaze at him, is almost too much for words, but I also have to get some laundry done. I wasn't kidding about that. I ought to tidy the apartment, too. That's one of the problems with it being so small up here. I have to keep on top of the chores, because there's nowhere to hide from them. So, the fact that I overslept this morning and didn't have time to make my bed, means the whole place looks untidy. That's because it's a studio apartment, with just one room for everything… except the bathroom, which is tiny. Not that I'm complaining. I'm grateful for anything and everything.

Especially as this place is rent-free.

It comes with my job, and when I found the advertisement on the Hart's Creek Courier website, it was the answer to my prayers. I was living in Southern California at the time, but was desperate to leave, and had already decided on Hart's Creek as my destination. All I needed was a job and somewhere to live… and it seemed I'd found them both at the same time.

I applied straight away, and did the interview via video call, trying not to stare too hard at the beautiful man who was asking me questions and telling me about his dental practice. The thought of working for him was another incentive to say ‘yes', when he offered me the job two days later. Little did he realize he'd provided the escape I needed, and I packed my few belongings into my car and drove all the way here. It took me a week, stopping along the way at cheap motels, but it was worth it. I've been here ever since, and in those three months, I've not only fallen for my boss, but I've gained one solitary friend… my cat. Although if she knew I thought of her as mine, she'd probably leave, so I keep quiet about that.

I turn, grabbing a glass from the cabinet above the microwave, and open the refrigerator to get some chilled water. I'm too tired to make coffee, but water will do, and I gulp it down before heading for the bathroom.

Despite my unmade bed, I'm not too bad at keeping this place tidy, and the bathroom is a testament to that. It's spotless in here and I smile to myself as I undress, putting my clothes into the laundry hamper in the corner of the room. The shower itself is minuscule, but I manage, and when I come out, wrapped in a fluffy white towel, I drag the hamper with me, leaving it by the washing machine, while I head toward my bed. Saffron is sitting on the couch and barely bothers to look up as I pass before she rests her head on her paws again.

"It's a hard life for you, isn't it?" I say, but she doesn't even acknowledge me and I continue on my way, opening the top drawer of my dresser to pull out some panties. It doesn't seem worth putting on a bra at this time of night, and I'm just sitting on the edge of the bed when I hear a familiar noise coming from downstairs. I flop backward, staring at the ceiling. "Why now?" I murmur. Meredith can't have been here for more than ten minutes… couldn't they have waited? Clearly not. I feel myself tense as Meredith screams for ‘more' at the top of her voice, and I drop my panties to the bed and clamp my hands over my ears, trying to block her out.

This is the main reason I hate weekends. It's not just because they're all about housework and laundry. It's because no matter what I'm doing, my activities are always interspersed with the sounds of Cooper and Meredith having sex… and believe me, they're not quiet about it.

They're being especially noisy tonight, and I can hear them, even now.

"Yes… right there. Give me more," Meredith yells, and I pull my hands away from my ears, shaking my head. She's so damn bossy, even in bed. She's bossy elsewhere, too. I've occasionally heard her raising her voice out in the hall, telling Cooper to, "Take this," or "Leave that," or – my personal favorite – "Will you stop it?" I've got no idea what she could ever want Cooper to stop doing, but they're not in the mood for stopping tonight. Far from it. Her voice just got louder, her words becoming screams, and I know she's reached the point of no return. Lucky for her. I also know – from bitter experience – that they haven't finished, and I'm proved right within a few moments, as the noises start up again.

Does Meredith have any idea how lucky she is to have a man who can keep going like that? Jonah certainly couldn't. He's my ex… my only serious boyfriend to date, and the man who took my virginity, although I'll admit, I gave it very willingly. Which was a mistake. It's a mistake I refuse to think about right now, though. Not when I can think about Cooper instead. Except I'd rather not… not when he's with Meredith.

I pull on my panties, trying to ignore the noises coming from the floor below, even though it's impossible.

Meredith is yelling for ‘more' again, and I can hear the occasional grunt from Cooper. I hate that so much, but I hear Meredith's cry of pleasure and Cooper's loudest groan, and I know the moment is over… for both of them. Thank God.

Everything is quiet now. That's not surprising. They're probably exhausted, and I lie back for a while, wondering if the silence will last. It does sometimes, and then other times, it all starts up again… not with more sex, but with bickering. That happens a lot these days, and quite often, their bickering develops into something more. To be honest, that's the only reason I haven't given up on my feelings for Cooper. I'm not someone who lusts after another woman's man. After everything Jonah did to me, I'm the last person who'd do something like that. But I can't see how Cooper and Meredith can be anything other than miserable. Okay, so they have a lot of sex, but is that enough to hold a relationship together when they spend the rest of their time fighting? I don't think it is… and that's what makes me wonder if they're right for each other. That's what gives me hope…