First and Only (Callaghan Brothers #2)

“I’m sorry,” Lexi said, the words coming out in a rush. “I just – well, I –“.

If the doctor had a surprised look, Lexi knew she was witnessing it right then, though beyond the very slight rise of an eyebrow, there was little to distinguish it from any other. This woman was the epitome of professionalism, her implacable face rarely giving anything away. Lexi felt herself redden under her gaze, feeling more like an impatient child than ever.

“This is not like you, Alexis,” the woman said, her voice as smooth as the glass in her tranquility fountain, an unusual accent slightly coloring the enunciation, “to be so impatient. Something has changed in your situation, has it not?”

Hell, yes. “My - ”, she started, then faltered. How exactly should she refer to Ian? What reference would be appropriate here? Boyfriend sounded so juvenile in this distinguished space, and he really didn’t fit that mold anyway. Husband was an even further stretch. Every word she came up with seemed just as inadequate. Friend? Um, no. Acquaintance? Uh-uh. Love of my life? Soul mate? Accurate, but probably not appropriate.

“Patrick’s father is in town,” she blurted out finally. Yeah, that would work. The small sentence got a full quarter-inch tilt from the eyebrow. Big-time stuff.

“Ah, I am beginning to comprehend. He knew not of the little prince until recently.” Lexi nodded, feeling a brief, momentary vibe of disapproval from the doctor before the atmosphere leveled out again. “And now? How does he perceive the situation?”

Such an odd way of asking, Lexi thought, wondering for the hundredth time exactly from where the enigmatic Elena McKenzie had come. Her manner of speaking, the slightest hint of an unidentifiable accent – it all gave Lexi the impression that the doctor was originally from somewhere in Eastern Europe, but she’d been unable to pin it down to one specific region.

At least she could answer the doctor’s question pretty easily. “He is the world’s proudest father,” she said with a smile. “He and Patrick – they’re inseparable. Ian feeds him, bathes him, talks to him. And Patrick – he just adores his father.” The words tumbled out in a rush, but they were all true. Ian was an incredible father.

Dr. McKenzie’s head bobbed just slightly, a single nod of comprehension. “And what about you, Alexis? How does the prince’s father perceive you?”

Well, that was the million dollar question, wasn’t it? One that wasn’t quite so easy to answer. “I think he’s... afraid.” It felt like a betrayal of sorts to suggest that her hard, strong ex-SEAL was scared, but even as the words left her mouth she felt the truth of them.

Green eyes studied her with more than just clinical interest. Lexi could practically sense the doctor’s brain processing the situation behind them, connecting the dots at inhuman speed. Lexi was used to that. But what weirded her out a little was the very subtle emergence of a woman from behind the impeccable clinical fa?ade. The sharp edges softened, just a little.

“He should be,” Dr. McKenzie said softly, her words a carefully metered cadence. “As any male of worth should be. His dalliance nearly killed you.”

A surge of irrational anger rose up within Lexi quickly, rolling over her like a wave. “It was no dalliance!” she said defensively, surprised at her own vehemence. The mere thought that what she and Ian had shared was anything less than the realization of a life’s dream for her was completely unacceptable. “Ian is the most honorable, loving, good man I’ve ever known. I’m the one that left him, Doctor.”

“And yet one must wonder, if he is as good a man as you profess, why you would do such a thing.”

They were way beyond the typical doctor-patient conversation here, but Lexi didn’t care. She needed to talk to someone, and she was a little skinny on the BFF’s at the moment.

“Because I love him more than anything,” Lexi admitted. “Because I did not want him to live in fear of what might happen every time he touched me.” Like he is doing right now. “He is a strong, virile man, Dr. McKenzie. Tying him to someone like me would be like trying to domesticate a wild tiger. It would be... cruel.”

But would she ever have the strength not to? She would never keep Patrick from him, so how could she handle seeing him on a regular basis?

“You are not so fragile, Alexis. I am confident that with proper care and preparation, no door is closed to you.”

“More meds,” Lexi said, shaking her head, knowing what the recommendations would be: more toxic chemicals with side effects as bad as or worse than the disease itself. She’d refused everything because she wanted to breast feed her son. Dr. McKenzie knew this.

“We’ve discussed this. I will give my son every advantage I can. No drugs.”

“It puts you at great risk.”