The Rescuer. Ellen James

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ Robbins.” They shook hands briefly.

      Denise brought both orders of pancakes, doing only a slight double take when she saw Colin and the woman sitting together. She did, however, give him a meaningful stare as she put the plates before them. He’d known Denise ever since she was a kid tagging after her brother, one of Colin’s high school friends.

      “Thanks, Denise,” he said now.

      “Sure thing,” she answered flippantly. She set down a cup of tea, replenished his coffee, gave him another look and went off again.

      “Am I missing something?” Alex Robbins wanted to know.

      “Not much,” he said. “It’s just that Denise figures she knows everything about me. She probably thinks I’m trying to pick you up.”

      “Are you?” Alex asked.

      Colin poured blueberry syrup over his pancakes. “I’m out of practice when it comes to picking up women. And, as I recall, I wasn’t very good at it.”

      She eyed him consideringly. “You’re being modest, no doubt. Something tells me you don’t have to try very hard when it comes to women.” It didn’t sound like a compliment. But she was right about at least one thing. Since his divorce, he hadn’t tried very hard where women were concerned. Somehow he’d lost the knack for doing all the little things you were supposed to do to attract a woman. Any relationships he’d had could be blamed on happenstance, and they’d all been for the short term. Maybe he was just proving his ex-wife right: he was no good for the long haul.

      Alex Robbins started in on her breakfast.

      “No syrup?” he asked. “Trust me, it’s good. Maggie’s secret recipe.”

      She took the jar of syrup and poured out a cautious amount. “Just who is Maggie?”

      “You know, of Maggie’s Diner...Denise’s grandmother, and founder of this place.”

      “Do you know everybody in this town?” Alex asked.

      “Just about.” He spoke without enthusiasm. “What about you?” he asked. “Vacationing in Sobriety?”

      She hesitated, and again he sensed her reluctance. “Actually,” she said at last, “I’m a psychologist. Mr. McIntyre, you’re going to find out sooner or later. The reason I came here was...for you.”

      He settled back. “Hmm...I see,” he said gravely. “You’re here for me.” He took another forkful of pancake and a sip of coffee.

      Now Alex Robbins seemed impatient.

      “Aren’t you going to ask me what I want from you?”

      “No, not really. I figure you’ll tell me soon enough. Besides, right now I’m enjoying my breakfast. I’m also enjoying sitting across the table from a pretty woman. Kind of hate to ruin the moment.”

      She glanced at him sharply. “You are trying to pick me up.”

      “Is it working?”

      They gazed at each other once more. A very subtle, very appealing flush stole over her cheeks.

      “Mr. Mclntyre—”

      “‘Colin.’”

      “Mr. McIntyre, I saw a video of the Bayview rescue. You were quite impressive.”

      “What video?” he asked indifferently.

      She swirled the tea bag in her cup. “You’re being deliberately obtuse. You must know your rescue of that child made the national news. And so, of course, did you. Not that you were cooperative about giving an interview.”

      “Never did care for journalists.” He’d finished his pancakes. Denise promptly appeared and placed a fresh stack in front of him.

      “You’re having more?” Alex asked disbelievingly.

      “Pancake special is all you can eat,” Denise supplied. “And Colin has a healthy appetite.”

      “Thanks, Denise,” Colin said pointedly.

      “Oh, you want me to leave.” With a sarcastic little wave, Denise went off to another table.

      “Let me guess,” Alex said. “Ex-girlfriend.”

      “No. Denise was too smart to ever get involved with me.”

      Alex appeared to give this some thought. “Anyway,” she went on in a determined voice, “a colleague of mine recorded you on the news and sent the video to me. She thought you’d be an excellent candidate for a study I’m conducting. I believe she’s right.”

      Colin poured more blueberry syrup. “You know,” he said, “someday I’ll have to ask Maggie exactly what’s in this stuff.”

      “Mr. Mclntyre—Colin. Ignoring me won’t make me go away.”

      “I’m not ignoring you,” he said, his gaze lingering on her. He liked the way the flush deepened in her cheeks.

      “Now, here’s the deal,” she muttered. She leaned toward him, her brown eyes serious, intent. “I’m doing an in-depth study of the Type R male. Rescuers—men who risk their lives for others. And after I saw you on that video... well, the rest is simple. When I called your number in California, your boss told me you were visiting out here—and I got on a plane from Chicago as soon as I could.”

      Too bad Alex Robbins wasn’t just a pretty girl in a diner. “So you want me to be a kind of guinea pig,” he said.

      “That’s a crude way of putting it. I just want to find out what motivates someone like you, what makes you choose a job where you risk your life for others.”

      Maybe he was through with the pancakes after all. He took some bills from his wallet and put them on the table. “My treat,” he said.

      “I can pay for my own breakfast,” she objected.

      He stood. “Nice talking to you, Alex.”

      She stared up at him. “Is this your way of telling me I won’t get anything from you but a free breakfast?”

      “I don’t think I’d make a very good guinea pig,” he remarked. “Besides, you’re not sure about it yourself. You don’t want to be here. This whole time you’ve been debating whether or not you even want to talk to me. For a shrink, you’re kinda easy to read, Alex Robbins.”

      She looked exasperated. “I’m not giving up,” she said.

      “Could be fun, you not giving up.”

      She looked more annoyed than ever.

      “See you around, Alex,” he said, and then he left the diner.

      

      “HERB—YOU HERE?” Colin’s voice echoed along the СКАЧАТЬ