The Doctor Claims His Bride by Fiona Lowe

won’t miss Susie’s daughter’s wedding.’ Her expression was one of ‘situation sorted’. ‘I’ll get the penicillin injection.’
    His chest tightened as if bands of steel circled his torso. ‘Patient care is far more important than attending a wedding. She needs bed rest and I’m taking her to Darwin today.’
    Mia’s gaze immediately narrowed, zeroing in on his face with uncompromising intensity. ‘Of course patient care comes ahead of a wedding.’
    ‘I’m glad we’re on the same page.’ He breathed out, not realising he’d been holding his breath. ‘You can go to the wedding and represent the clinic and I’ll take Alice to Darwin.’
    ‘I don’t think so.’ She tossed her head and a fine layer of red dust floated around her, looking like a halo. ‘This treatment plan goes against everything you’ve ever taught me. It goes against everything you believe. She’s sick but not as critical as Jimmy, and you kept him here.’
    Her words rained down on him, their truth harshand accurate. ‘I believe I’m the doctor, Mia, and I make the final decisions about patients in my care.’
    Mia folded her arms across her chest, her eyes glinting like sparks from a welding iron. ‘Primum non nocere.’
    First do no harm . The Hippocratic oath.
    Anger simmered inside him, as much against himself as Mia. ‘What about it?’ He strode over to the desk, planning on ringing Royal Darwin Hospital. Alice would benefit from some good food and real rest in hospital.
    ‘I want to know the real reason why you’re evaccing a non-critical patient on a Saturday afternoon.’
    The walls of the clinic seemed to close in on him. He had to deflect her, make her stop. ‘I don’t have to justify my medical decisions to you. I’m the doctor, you’re only the RAN.’
    She flinched, the tremor running along her jaw and down through her body, but she held her ground. ‘You do have to justify your decisions if they’re coloured by something personal.’
    He dropped the phone back in the handset as her soft words pierced him. He turned to look at Alice, whose eyes were wide with confusion, not understanding what was going on. He rubbed the back of his neck. Hell, what was he doing? He couldn’t take her to Darwin. Mia was right. He couldn’t let his personal feelings affect his medical judgement.
    He raised his gaze to Mia’s—a gaze full of steely determination and concern. Concern for him—despite the cruel barb he’d just sent her way.
    He didn’t want to see concern or pity in her eyes. That had been why he’d left Brisbane. ‘Alice will stay here.’
    ‘Good.’ She smiled at him as if he was a recalcitrant child finally doing the right thing. ‘I’ll organise for Jenny to come and sit with Alice.’
    There was no way he was going to that wedding. ‘No need to do that. I’ll stay.’
    She shook her head vehemently. ‘You’re not needed here. You’re the island’s doctor and that comes with responsibilities other than just treating patients. You’re going to support one of our most experienced health workers by attending the wedding of her daughter.’ Her eyes flashed as her hands gripped her hips. ‘We will get Alice settled and Jenny installed. Then, before we go to the church, you’re going to tell me what on earth is going on.’
    Right then he realised he’d lost the battle. After two years on the run his past had finally caught up with him and he had nowhere left to hide.

CHAPTER SIX
    ‘A LICE ’ S temperature has come down and she’s asleep.’ Mia poured a large glass of cold mineral water and pushed it toward Flynn, deciding not to beat around the bush. ‘You once said to me that everyone here is running away from something, so what brought you here?’
    Brown flecks flashed against green, his eyes defiant. ‘I lived here for a couple of years as a child and I thought I’d come back.’
    Surprise rocked through her. So that was why he seemed to belong so well. But she wasn’t going