The Doctor's Not-So-Little Secret. Cindy Kirk

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СКАЧАТЬ couldn’t help but smile remembering how excited he and Amy had been when they’d landed at the John Wayne Airport in Orange County on their first and only trip to the West Coast. “My daughter, Chloe, was born at the Women’s Hospital in Laguna Hills, which isn’t that far from Irvine.”

      Kate didn’t look up, apparently more fascinated by the granola in her yogurt parfait than the conversation.

      Ryan took a bite of his omelet, then quickly followed it with a shot of water. “I didn’t know you used to live in California.”

      “Actually, Chloe is adopted. We went there to pick her up and complete the rest of the paperwork.” Joel smiled. “When all that was done, we took her home to Montana.”

      “That’s wonderful,” Ryan said.

      “It is,” Kate echoed.

      “I remember how beautiful it was there. Are you from that area?” Joel asked Kate.

      “I grew up in Pittsburgh.”

      “Do you go home often?”

      “Kate and her family aren’t close,” Ryan said. “Her parents are still married. She has one older sister, Andrea, who is the family’s golden child. Andrea is married with three kids, a boy and two girls.”

      Kate’s brows slammed together and a warning that even Ryan couldn’t fail to recognize, flashed in her hazel eyes.

      The attorney raised both hands. “Don’t glare at me, sweetheart. It took me six months of intense effort to ferret out the basics. I’m simply helping the new guy out. Getting him up to speed.”

      “I’m not the—” Joel began.

      “Thank you, Ryan.” The sarcasm in Kate’s tone came through loud and clear. “Is there anything else you’d like to share about my life?”

      A thoughtful look crossed Ryan’s face. “Kate thinks she wants to settle down, but there’s something in her background, I never did discover what, that keeps her from—”

      “Enough.” Her voice cut like a knife. “That’s quite enough.”

      Even though her face was perfectly composed, Joel heard the anger and saw the tremble in the hands she clasped in her lap. Without thinking, he reached over and covered her hands with one of his.

      Almost immediately, she pushed it away.

      But in the second that his hand had closed over hers, he learned that her skin was soft as silk. Joel had a sudden image of his arms wrapped around her, those hands sliding down his bare chest …

      Dear God, what was happening to him? He jerked to his feet, pulled out his wallet and tossed a couple bills on the table. “I need to get back to the church. I don’t want Chloe to wait on me.”

      Only after the words left his mouth did Joel remember he hadn’t come alone. Not only had Kate barely made a dent in her yogurt parfait, but there was also plenty of time left to pick up Chloe.

      “Go ahead.” Kate waved a spoon filled with yogurt in the air. If she seemed disturbed about his impending departure, it didn’t show. In fact she appeared almost … pleased.

      “I can catch a ride with someone,” she continued when he made no move to leave. “Or I may walk. The church isn’t far.”

      Joel knew he should feel relieved, but all he felt was irritated by her cavalier attitude. “I’ll wait.”

      “Go ahead, Dennes.” Amusement danced in the attorney’s eyes. “I’ll take the lady wherever she wants to go.”

      “I’m not going anywhere with you.” Kate shifted her gaze from Ryan to Joel. “I’ll be fine.”

      Ryan heaved a melodramatic sigh and placed a hand on his chest. “Ah, Kate, you’re breaking my heart.”

      Kate rolled her eyes.

      Joel experienced a sudden urge to shove a fist in the attorney’s smirking face, but that would accomplish nothing. He’d brought this on himself.

      “Are you sure?” he asked Kate one last time. “I’ll be happy to wait.”

      “Positive.” She held up her cup and took more coffee. “No worries. Go ahead.”

      “Okay, well, I’ll be seeing you around.” As he walked away, Joel turned back one last time to look at Kate.

      For a second their eyes met and he thought he saw a look of regret. Then she turned back to Ryan, leaving Joel with no choice but to head to his truck.

      This time, alone.

       Chapter Three

      Kate leaned back in her office chair and stretched, grateful the hectic Monday was almost at an end. She hadn’t gotten much sleep last night. The incident in church and then at the café had consumed her thoughts.

      Her feelings for Joel had taken her by surprise. In the quiet of her bedroom, staring up at the ceiling, she’d admitted to herself that she liked the guy. He was intelligent and hard-working and she respected how much he cared about Chloe. If he wasn’t Chloe’s father, she’d be hoping he’d ask her out.

      But he was Chole’s dad and she had more important things to think about, like what was up with her last patient.

      Emilie Hyland. Kate pulled her brows together. She’d seen the sixteen-year-old last fall for a sports physical. No health issues had been identified on that visit. The vivacious cheerleader had been the picture of good health.

       I wonder why she’s coming in today?

      Normally the receptionist indicated the reason for the visit next to the name, but the field had been left blank.

      “Dr. McNeal.” Lydia Albrecht, one of the front-office staff, stuck her head inside the door. “I’m sorry to disturb you, but there’s a woman at the desk who says she’s an old friend of yours. She asked if you might have a few minutes to see her.”

      An old friend? While Kate didn’t have many friends now, she had even fewer that she would categorize as “old.” “Did she give you a name?”

      Lydia glanced down at the paper in her hand. “Mitzi Sanchez.”

      Surprise of the most pleasant kind rippled through Kate. She and Mitzi had been roommates all through medical school. This would be the first time Kate had seen her friend since they’d met in L.A. for an afternoon of lunch and shopping right before Kate had moved to Jackson Hole.

      Kate rose to her feet. “By all means, send her back.”

      Less than a minute later, Mitzi stood in the doorway. Even though she’d once told Kate she didn’t speak a word of English until she began grade school, with her fair skin and blue eyes, she was far from the stereotypical exotic Latina. Her hair, which had once been down her back and dark brown, now barely brushed her shoulders and was definitely a shade lighter. One thing hadn’t changed … the smattering of СКАЧАТЬ