The Doctor's Unexpected Family: (Inspirational Romance) (Port Provident: Hurricane Hope) by Kristen Ethridge

insulin levels maintained. Think of it as concierge medicine. They say that’s the next big thing in healthcare, anyway.”
    A nagging sense of discomfort poked at her. “No, Pete, really. You’ve been more than generous. I can see why Gloria enjoyed working for you the last few years. But…”
    He cut her off, and that sense of discomfort pricked even more sharply.
    “But nothing, Angela. I don’t have a job right now, until I hear back on what I hope will be my next opportunity. My time is my own, except for an appointment with a FEMA inspector at the end of the week to discuss some structural things at the clinic. You have too much on your plate right now, and I don’t have enough. I can’t make city government decisions for you, but I can organize cases of water and diapers. My responsibility is to make sure you get well, and lowering your stress is one way to help you do that. I’m offering you two extra hands. Are you telling me you’re not going to take them?”
    She wanted to turn him down. She’d stood on her own two feet for a long time. She’d never needed to clone any part of herself before.
    But two more hands sounded like a gift right now.
    Angela picked up what was left of her banana and popped the last bite in her mouth. She could still feel her sugar levels bouncing around inside like a bobble head doll. She didn’t like admitting it, but Pete had been right earlier. She had to get well so she could take care of the people who depended upon her—an entire district of them.
    Plus Celina. Even if she let Pete go do a preliminary evaluation of what had been brought to the church, she still had a responsibility to her daughter.
    “I still have to find a place for Celina.”
    “She can come to the church. Your family is there, and all your church and neighborhood family too, right?” He reached out and patted her hand. If only every doctor had a bedside manner that was equally decisive and caring.
    “So we’re settled?” Pete raised an eyebrow.
    “I guess so. I don’t think you’re taking no for an answer.” A wide yawn escaped Angela’s mouth. For the first time in longer than she cared to remember, she felt tired not because of exhaustion, but because she’d relaxed. The thought of tomorrow didn’t completely stress her out.
    “Doctor’s orders.” Pete stood up from his chair. “Celina seemed perfectly healthy when I carried her up. I think she just needs a good night’s sleep on a real bed, so she’ll be her regular self in the morning.”
    Angela agreed. Her sweet, compassionate girl worried about her mother more than she should. Her first real night of rest in a real bed in more than a week would probably do her more good than all the medicine in the world.
    Pete pointed toward a door near the kitchen. “That’s the bedroom. You can stay in there.”
    Angela looked around the rest of the small beach house. She didn’t see any other doors.  And the living room clearly gave off a “bachelor who wasn’t home much” vibe.
    “But what about you? Where are you going to sleep? You don’t even have a couch in here.”
    He grinned, and this time Angela knew the flutters in her veins didn’t come from glucose. “Out on the deck. I happen to know where there’s a pretty good tent. I have an airbed in the closet, so I’ll get everything set up out there, and then my house is your house.”
    “My tent?”
    He nodded. The white teeth of his smile stood out brightly among the slightly-more-than-five-o’-clock shadow that dusted his cheeks and chin. “Why not? I’ve been camping before. The tent is in the bed of my truck. I’ll just go down and get it. It was easy to take down. It shouldn’t be any problem to put it back up.”
    Angela didn’t even know what to say, except that she wasn’t sure she could trust his planning abilities for tomorrow, because his current plan for sleeping arrangements was nothing short of ridiculous. He was really planning on sleeping in a