The Doctor's Not-So-Little Secret
Cindy Kirk
HAPPILY-EVER-AFTER COMES TO THOSE WHO WAIT… Paediatrician Kate McNeal thought she had it all. But the one thing she longed for – the child she’d given up for adoption nine years earlier – remained out of reach. So when she learned the girl was living with her adoptive father in Jackson Hole, Kate moved her practice.Joel Dennes thought he had it all – until tragedy struck. Now the single dad needs help, and Kate seems like the perfect woman for the job – and for him! But when Kate’s secret comes out, will it be the end of their fairy-tale?
“Kate.”
She turned to find Joel staring. Somehow, without her quite realizing how it had happened, she’d moved closer to him—or maybe he’d moved closer to her—while they’d been singing.
Her gaze met his. For a moment he didn’t speak and time seemed to stretch and extend.
“Thank you,” she stammered. “That was beautiful.”
“You’re beautiful,” he said in a husky voice that made her blood flow like warm honey through her veins.
His fingers weren’t quite steady as they touched the curve of her cheek, then trailed along the side of her jaw as he leaned toward her.
He’s going to kiss me. He’s going to kiss me. He’s going to kiss me.
Dear Reader,
In every book an author has opportunities to incorporate bits and pieces from their life. In The Doctor’s Not-So-Little Secret, Kate had a sister who was the family’s “golden child.” I don’t have a sister, but I had a friend who was in the same situation as Kate. She still struggles with feeling second best.
Then there’s Chloe’s Cabbage Patch Kid. I vividly remember standing outside the local JCPenney store waiting for the doors to open, hoping for a chance to snag one of those coveted dolls.
I wish I could say I’m fabulous on the ice. The truth is I’m closer to Joel’s talent level than Kate’s. I consider it a good ice skating session if I spend more time standing up than falling down.
And as far as what goes on when a couple is alone in the dark on an observation tower … no comment.
Cindy Kirk
About the Author
CINDY KIRK has loved to read for as long as she can remember. In first grade she received an award for reading one hundred books. Growing up, summers were her favorite time of year. Nothing beat going to the library, then coming home and curling up in front of the window air conditioner with a good book. Often the novels she read would spur ideas, and she’d make up her own story (always with a happy ending). When she’d go to bed at night, instead of counting sheep, she’d make up more stories in her head. Since selling her first story, Cindy has been forced to juggle her love of reading with her passion for creating stories of her own … but she doesn’t mind. Writing for Mills & Boon
Cherish™ is a dream come true. She only hopes you have as much fun reading her books as she has writing them!
Cindy invites you to visit her website at www.cindykirk.com.
The Doctor’s
Not-So-Little
Secret
Cindy Kirk
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
Patience Bloom—You’re the best editor around,
and I’m thankful you’re mine!
Chapter One
Dr. Kate McNeal sat back in her seat by the front window of Jackson Hole’s newest coffee shop, enjoying her cappuccino. It was Saturday and, thanks to a very generous on-call rotation schedule at the pediatrics clinic, she had the whole weekend off.
All Dressed Up and Nowhere to Go could be her motto. Kate sighed and took another sip. Although she’d been in Jackson Hole for almost two years, she had no close friends. Oh, she had tons of social buddies, men and women who invited her to their parties and other events. But no one she felt comfortable calling up on a Saturday morning and asking, “Hey, do you want to grab a scone and then do some shopping?”
Part of the problem was that most of the women she knew had husbands and children. Once she’d reached her early thirties, Kate had discovered there weren’t many women left in the single, never-married category. But she couldn’t blame her current loneliness all on her marital status.
As a child, Kate had been painfully shy. While in her professional life she did fine, shyness was still a struggle in social settings. Worse yet, her reticence often led to her being labeled “aloof” or “standoffish” by those who didn’t know her well.
She smoothed the skirt of the buttercup-yellow dress she’d purchased last week. Even though most of the coffee shop patrons were wearing jeans or shorts with a casual shirt, Kate liked to dress up. Wearing pretty things made her feel pretty, a feeling that had been in short supply during her growing-up years. Unlike her sister, Andrea, who everyone still raved over, it had taken years for Kate’s lanky body to develop a few curves and for her teeth to not look too large for her face.
Back in her early twenties, when she was finally reaching out and becoming the woman she was meant to be, her world had fallen apart. Her grandmother had died. Her boyfriend had deserted her. And she’d had to make a decision no woman should ever have to make … alone. A decision she now lived with every day of her life.
Kate choked down the last bite of lemon-curd scone and gazed out the window, wondering if some shopping therapy would help get her out of this funk.
She was ready to give it a try when she saw Joel Dennes heading toward Hill of Beans, his nine-year-old daughter, Chloe, in tow. Even though she told herself to look away, Kate couldn’t take her eyes off them.
Thankfully Joel didn’t see her staring. Dressed in jeans and a striped cotton shirt that brought out the green in his hazel eyes, the handsome contractor’s entire focus was on his young daughter. Joel was tall—at least six foot two—with a rugged outdoorsy build. His child was petite and slender as a reed with delicate features. From the bag Chloe held, it appeared they’d just come from the dance studio down the street.
So far, on this sunny June morning, Kate had seen at least six little girls walk by with their mothers. All carried the same type of “dancer” bag she’d once owned.
The normally reserved Chloe let out a peal of laughter at something her father said, and his eyes crinkled with good humor as he settled his hand on her shoulder.
From everything she’d heard and seen, Joel had been doing his best to be both mother and father to Chloe since the death of her mom two years ago.
As far as Kate was concerned, such actions spoke volumes about a man’s character. She admired him for stepping up to the plate, admired him a lot.
She shifted in her seat so that her back was to the window, ensuring if they looked her way, she’d simply be a dark-haired woman in a yellow dress.
“Is Joel why you told Ryan you didn’t want to see him anymore?”
Kate shifted her gaze to find Lexi Delacourt standing beside her table, latte in hand, wearing a stylish green-and-brown dress with a short green sweater. Lexi’s dark hair hung loose to her shoulders in a sleek bob. The social worker’s amber-colored eyes held a knowing look as her gaze shifted from Kate to the front door. If the bells jingling were any indication, Joel and his daughter had just entered the coffee shop.
“C’mon, Kate, spill.” Without waiting for an invitation, Lexi took a seat at Kate’s tiny table. “Did you break it off with Ryan because you’ve got a thing for Joel?”
Lexi and her husband were part of the large ensemble of young professionals that Kate considered “social” friends. They held frequent parties and embraced any opportunity to get together.
Kate’s ex-boyfriend, Ryan Harcourt, was part of this group. A former championship bull rider, he had gone on to law school, then returned to his hometown of Jackson to practice. He and Kate had dated until recently when she’d told him she thought it best if they didn’t see each other anymore.
In truth, she’d have been content to continue dating him. He was smart, fun and helped fill those lonely hours when she wasn’t working. But Ryan had begun to push for a physical and emotional closeness that was more than Kate could give.
Because of her past, she found it difficult to be open even with guys she dated. No, especially with guys she dated.
Ryan had given their relationship his all. She’d given it as much as she could, but refused to pretend to have feelings that weren’t there.
“Be honest with me,” Lexi pressed. “Do you like Joel better than Ryan?”
“It’s not that.” Kate took a sip of her cappuccino, stalling for time, considering how much to divulge. She hated discussing her personal life. “Ryan and I were—are—simply friends.”
That much was true.
“His feelings go deeper than friendship.” Lexi’s eyes never left Kate’s face. “I know he really likes you.”
Kate fought a surge of irritation. Coming from Pittsburgh and then doing her residency in Los Angeles, she still hadn’t completely acclimated to living in a small community. Even though Jackson Hole was a thriving tourist destination, it sometimes felt as if everyone knew everyone’s business.
“I realize you and Nick consider Ryan a good friend.” Kate chose her words carefully, not wanting to offend. While she might travel in their social circle, she hung on to the fringe by a fingernail while Ryan was firmly woven into the fabric of the group.
“We consider you a friend, too, Kate.” As if she’d read her mind, the attractive brunette reached over and briefly covered Kate’s hand with hers. “As well as Joel.”
The sincerity in Lexi’s voice touched Kate’s heart. Perhaps she should come clean with the beautiful brunette. After all, it wasn’t as if there was any big secret underlying her relationship and breakup with Ryan.
Not like there would be if I dated Joel.
Kate inhaled sharply. Date Joel? Where had that thought even come from? Joel Dennes was the last person she’d ever consider dating. The.very.last.person.
“I’m sorry,” Lexi said unexpectedly when the silence lengthened, her cheeks now a bright pink. “It’s none of my concern.”
“Ryan is a great guy,” Kate said honestly. “But you’re right. He was looking for something more than I wanted out of our relationship.”
Ryan had made it clear he was ready to settle down. He’d been convinced he was in love with her. But how could he be? There was so much about her he didn’t know.
Lexi gave a little laugh. “That simply tells me he wasn’t ‘The One’ for you.”
“The problem wasn’t with Ryan.” Kate rose to his defense. “It was me. I’m not ready to settle down.”
Kate conveniently pushed aside the promise she’d made to herself that when she turned thirty, she’d put her past to rest and move on. That had proven impossible, especially in Jackson Hole.
“If Ryan had been ‘The One’ it wouldn’t have mattered if you were ready or if this was the right time or not.”
Kate opened her mouth to argue the point, but Lexi waved her silent.
“Let me tell you a little story.” The social worker’s hands encircled her cup, the large diamond on her ring finger glittering in the sunlight. “If you’d asked me three years ago why I wasn’t in a relationship, I’d have given the same excuse. I was raising Addie on my own and I was content with that arrangement. Then I met Nick.”
Kate envied the happiness she saw in Lexi’s eyes and heard in her voice, but she wasn’t about to get drawn into a discussion about Mr. Right. She focused instead on Lexi’s other comment. Even though someone had once mentioned in passing that Nick wasn’t their oldest child’s biological father, it was easy to forget. “Your ex-husband doesn’t live around here, right?”
While she waited for Lexi’s answer, Kate took a sip of her cappuccino and noted that Joel and Chloe had gotten their drinks “to go.” Obviously they weren’t staying. The tightness in her chest eased.
“Actually there is no ex-husband.” Lexi’s confession pulled Kate back from her thoughts. “Addie’s dad and I never married. When Drew found out I was pregnant, he made it clear he didn’t want a baby. His career was revving up and he believed having a child would only drag him down. He offered to pay for an abortion.”
“Did you ever consider—”
“Not having the baby?” Lexi shook her head. “Never.”
“How about adoption?” Although Kate felt her lips move, the words seemed to come from far away.
“It’s a great option, but not for me.” Lexi’s gaze grew thoughtful. “Still, I have to tell you, being a single mom was no walk in the park. Addie and I endured some pretty lean years. In fact, when I met Nick, I was working two jobs.”
“Not every woman could do that,” Kate murmured. The scone she’d just finished eating sat like a dead weight in the pit of her stomach.
“Keeping my daughter was easy,” Lexi said, “compared to how hard it would have been to give her up.”
Kate could only nod.
“What brings you two fine ladies downtown this morning?”
At the sound of the familiar baritone, Kate’s heart plummeted to the tips of her toes. Somehow she managed to lift her gaze and smile.
“I rounded at the hospital early and thought I’d check out Cole and Meg’s new business.” Even though Kate’s heart was above the safe number of beats per minute, thanks to years of practice her tone gave nothing away.
“Chloe and I were just talking about how glad we are that they opened a coffee shop just down the street from The Dance Studio.” Joel smiled at his daughter. “We’ve become Saturday morning regulars.”
Kate made a quick mental note not to come here again on the weekend, then settled her gaze on the nine-year-old. Chloe’s straight dark hair, which normally hung past her shoulders had been pulled back into a makeshift ponytail. Like many preteens, her eyes and teeth seemed too large for her thin face. Although it wasn’t obvious to the casual eye, Kate saw the promise of great beauty.
“What do you usually get when you come here?” Lexi bestowed a friendly smile on the two.
“Coffee with cream for me.” Joel lifted his cardboard cup. “Nothing fancy.”
Even though it would have been easy for him to answer for his daughter, to Joel’s credit he merely offered the child an encouraging smile.
Chloe’s eyes dropped to the clear plastic cup in her hand. “I got an Italian soda.”
“I almost ordered one of those this morning,” Kate said, surprising herself by jumping into the conversation. Perhaps because she’d been a shy child and knew how hard it was to have all eyes on you. “My favorite flavor is watermelon.”
Chloe lifted her gaze, her eyes wide. “Mine, too.”
“Watermelon.” Although Joel shook his head in apparent disgust, a smile tugged at her lips. “Must be a girl thing.”
Chloe giggled.
For a second, Kate basked in the warmth of the child’s pleasure. As Chloe’s doctor she’d seen only the little girl’s serious side. She’d even spoken with Joel after that first visit about his daughter’s reticence, thinking it might be related to her mother’s death. But Joel said Chloe had always been shy around strangers.
“Would you like to join us?” Lexi asked. “We could pull up a couple chairs.”
Kate remained silent.
Chloe looked up at her father.
Kate held her breath, hoping he would say no, but at the same time wanting them to stay.
“Thanks for the offer,” Joel said, sounding sincere. “Unfortunately I have a potential client to meet, so we need to hit the road.”
Joel built high-end custom homes in Jackson Hole and from everything Kate had heard, his business was booming despite the economy.
“If that person wants references,” Lexi said, “feel free to give them our number. I know Travis and Mary Karen would also be happy to sing your praises.”
“Thank you for that. Much appreciated.” Joel shifted from one foot to the other, as if embarrassed by the compliment.
Since Joel’s Montana-based company had established a presence in Jackson Hole almost five years ago, he’d built homes in the mountains surrounding Jackson not only for Lexi and her husband, but for Mary Karen and Travis Fisher, as well. Kate knew he was in the process of building one for Cole and Meg Lassiter, the couple who owned the shop where they were seated.
“Daddy.” Chloe tugged on his arm. “You promised we’d stop and pick up my new ice skates before your meeting.”
“You ice skate?” The question popped out of Kate’s mouth before she could stop it. If she truly wanted them to leave—which she did—she was doing a poor job of hurrying them on their way.
“Since I was a little girl,” Chloe said with a nine-year-old’s maturity. “Do you like to skate?”
“I used to,” Kate said. “When I was your age.”
For her, skating had been a way to forget her troubles at home. She hoped it wasn’t that way for Chloe.
“That’s cool,” Chloe said, then ducked her head, staring down at her hot-pink sneakers.
Joel pulled his phone from his pocket and glanced at it. “We better get going.”
From the distant look in his eyes, his thoughts were already on his next appointment.
Kate kept the disappointment she had no right to feel from showing as she watched them walk out the door.
Or at least she thought she’d hidden her disappointment.
“His wife hasn’t been gone all that long. From what I understand they were childhood sweethearts.” Lexi took a sip of her latte, a look of sympathy in her eyes. “Give him time. He’ll come around.”
Kate blinked. “I’m not interested in dating Joel.”
“Really?” A tiny smile played at the corners of Lexi’s lips. “Could have fooled me.”
Even though Kate was absolutely, positively certain she didn’t want to date the handsome contractor, she could see where he could catch a woman’s eye. “I’ll admit he’s a good-looking man.”
“Oh, you noticed.” Lexi looked as if she was trying to keep from laughing. “Even though you’re not interested.”
After a second Kate chuckled and took a sip of her drink. It was probably best to let Lexi think what she wanted. If she protested too much, her friend’s curiosity radar might be activated and she’d ask even more questions.
Questions Kate had no intention of answering.
For now her secret was safe, held close and tight against her heart. And that was just where she intended to keep it.
Chapter Two
Sunday morning, Kate rose early and flung open her closet doors, searching for just the right dress to wear to church. She’d promised herself at the first of the year that she’d start attending services on a regular basis. January had gone well, but by February she’d already fallen off the churchgoing wagon.
She was ready to try again. After all, she couldn’t build relationships or meet new friends sitting home alone.
After donning a simple slip dress in a wild swirl of colors, she pulled out a pair of dangling earrings that had been an impulse buy. Even though at the time they seemed a little bold, today they fit her take-charge-of-life mood.
The decision on what shoes to wear took way too long. By the time Kate waltzed through the front doors of the church she usually attended in Jackson, the congregation was already on their feet for the opening hymn.
There was space for her in the back pews, which were normally reserved for parents with babies and small, noisy children. While Kate loved kids, this morning she didn’t feel like being surrounded by them.
Instead she strolled down the center aisle looking for a place to sit. As she reached the midway point, a sick feeling had taken up residence in the pit of her stomach. Perhaps this was a sign for her to casually pivot on her designer heels and head for the door.
The escape was already in progress when the sound of her name aborted the flight plan and had her turning back toward a pew she’d just passed.
Chloe gave her a shy smile. Joel motioned to her.
His brown hair, which normally looked like he’d just run his fingers through it, had been carefully combed and the stubble on his cheeks had been shaved away. He looked very business casual this morning in a navy blazer with a blue-sapphire plaid shirt and tan chinos. He also looked very handsome.
While Kate took a hesitant step toward him, he and Chloe moved over. Joel gestured to the tiny space he’d opened up next to him. A space so small that if she accepted his offer, she might as well be sitting on his lap.
Her heart skipped a beat. Her breathing quickened.
Kate rapidly considered her two options. Sit down. Or make some lame excuse and walk away.
Before she could second-guess the rightness of her decision, she squeezed in beside him. It was tight. Very tight. His muscular thigh pressing against her bare leg ignited feelings that had no place in a house of worship.
Joel’s gaze lingered on her earrings—or was it a bit lower, say on her breasts?—before turning his attention back to the hymnal.
While slip dresses were popular and no more revealing than a skirt and tiny tee, Kate suddenly felt exposed. As though she was caught in one of those horrible dreams where you leave the house in your underwear and only later realize you’d forgotten to put on the rest of your clothes.
It didn’t help that someone had set the air conditioning on low and she was freezing. Or she would be if Joel wasn’t beside her. The guy was like a blast furnace and the warmth radiating from him made her yearn to throw caution to the wind and cuddle close.
It took every bit of control to ignore the spicy scent of his cologne and his heat, that wonderful heat that wrapped itself around her like a favorite blanket, tethering her to him.
Still, she remained in firm control of her emotions until it came time to share the hymnal with him and Chloe. Standing beside the tall, broad-shouldered man and the girl with a ribbon tied awkwardly around her ponytail felt a little too much like heaven. Or was it hell?
Regardless, it was a vivid reminder of what she’d given up all those years ago. Breathing became difficult and tears stung the back of her eyes.
The only way she held it together was by focusing on the letters and notes swimming on the pages before her. And by ignoring the man next to her and the child in the pink jersey dress with the crooked smile on his other side.
By the time they rose for the closing benediction, Kate’s emotions were raw and bleeding and too close to the surface for comfort.
She needed to put some space between her and Joel.
Between her and Chloe.
The second the minister quit talking she’d say a quick but polite goodbye, then sprint for the exit. Unfortunately her escape plan didn’t include Lexi Delacourt appearing out of nowhere to block her way out of the pew.
“You look absolutely gorgeous, Kate.” The social worker gave her a quick hug, then shifted her gaze to the man now trapped beside her. “Doesn’t she look nice, Joel?”
“Beautiful,” came the deep rumble behind her.
Something in the way he said the word sent a shiver of awareness up her spine. Or maybe it wasn’t the word so much as his warm breath against the back of her neck. Yes, it was definitely time to put some distance between her and the sexy contractor. If only Lexi would move….
“We’re all going to The Coffeepot for breakfast while the kids are in Sunday school,” Lexi announced, her feet firmly planted in front of Kate. “I hope you two will join us.”
“I don’t thi—”
“Sure,” Joel said at the same time. “I’d like that.”
A moment of silence followed. Kate wished sinking through the floor were an option.
“Dr. Kate doesn’t want to go with you, Daddy.” Chloe’s voice came from behind her father. “I don’t think she likes you.”
“Apologies, Kate,” she heard him say and the hitch in his voice made her heart twist. “It wasn’t my intent to answer for you.”
Lexi’s amber eyes remained riveted on Kate, her expression watchful.
Kate swallowed hard. While she’d vowed to keep her distance, she could not, and would not, embarrass this fine man. Besides, it wasn’t as if this was a date. Lexi had said a whole group was going. It wasn’t as if she had to even sit by him.
She turned and met Joel’s gaze over her shoulder. “Breakfast sounds wonderful.”
Her heart tripped over itself as a smile spread across his face. Kate then focused on Chloe. “Everyone likes your father. He’s a great guy.”
“Including you?” the girl asked, surprising Kate with her boldness.
Kate didn’t even hesitate. “Including me.”
“Well, then.” Lexi’s smile broadened. Relief filled her eyes. “Sounds like we have a plan. July and David are already on their way to nab our usual table at the back. We’ll see you two at the café.”
As Kate walked down the aisle smiling and saying hello to patients and their families, she felt Joel’s hand on the small of her back. Of course, that was only because it was crowded and he was behind her. The gesture was oddly intimate and yet, she found she didn’t mind it at all.
When they reached the foyer, Chloe headed downstairs to her Sunday school classroom, leaving Kate alone with Joel. They walked in silence to the parking lot.
“May I give you a ride downtown?” he asked, obviously not wanting to take anything for granted. “Because of the limited parking, it makes sense to take one car. Unless you have somewhere you need to go right after breakfast.”
He’d graciously left her an out. All Kate had to do was say the word and she could drive separately. If things were different, she’d be thrilled at the thought of spending some one-on-one time with the handsome contractor. But before making the decision to move to Jackson Hole, Kate had promised herself that she’d keep her distance. From Joel. And from Chloe.
Yet in her deliberations, she’d never considered the possibility they might end up running in the same social circle or have mutual friends.
This is only breakfast, she reminded herself, nothing more.
“We might as well go together,” Kate said, stumbling a bit over the last word. “I hope your truck isn’t far because I’m starving.”
Joel noticed café patrons casting glances their way as he and Kate wove through the crowded dining room of The Coffeepot.
They weren’t looking at him. It was Kate. She turned heads wherever she went. She was so pretty. Today, her multicolored silky dress showed off her long slender legs to full advantage. She was wearing her trademark heels. Instead of the black ones she’d worn the other day, these were red with a little strap around her ankle.
Even though it wasn’t fair, Joel couldn’t help comparing her to his deceased wife. Fashionwise, Kate and Amy were as different as night and day. His wife had always preferred simple attire, dresses that showed very little skin and serviceable shoes with only a slight heel. Her taste in jewelry had been equally conservative. All she’d ever worn was her wedding band and tiny gold hoop earrings.
Amy would never have worn bright dangly ones that couldn’t help but draw a man’s attention to a woman’s slender neck and creamy skin.
Joel shoved the image of Kate aside and replaced it with a vision of Amy with her short curly blond hair and broad smile. His wife hadn’t needed jewelry; she’d had a natural glow that made everyone sit up and take notice.
His lips curved upward. Amy had loved people. Loved finding out what made them tick. It didn’t matter who: sales clerks, meter readers, the person standing in front of her in the grocery line. She’d start talking and by the end of the conversation, she had a new friend. Her innate gregariousness had sometimes made it hard for her to understand their daughter’s shyness and need for solitude. But she’d been a wonderful mother and had done a lot to make Chloe more at ease in social situations.
Unfortunately when Amy had passed away, Chloe had taken a giant leap backward….
Joel realized with a start that Kate had come to a dead stop. Puzzled, he cast a sideways glance in her direction. Didn’t she realize their destination was just a few feet ahead?
If he hadn’t been so in-tuned to his daughter’s reaction to similar situations, he might have missed the signs.
The hesitation on her face.
The slight furrow to her brow.
The uneven breaths.
Even though Kate projected a bold confidence, he realized that she wasn’t cool or aloof. She was … shy.
A protective urge rose inside him.
“Walking into a group that’s already gathered can be stressful.” Joel kept his tone conversational and low, for her ears only.
“I know everyone,” she said, but her sexy red heels remained firmly planted on the shiny hardwood.
“Yes, you do. And it’s not as if you’ll be talking to all of them at once,” he said in a matter-of-fact tone. “It’ll be just the ones sitting by us.”
Us. The word flowed easily from his lips. After all those years of being married, he still thought of himself as part of a couple. Joel hoped Kate didn’t take offense.
She hadn’t seemed to notice. Her focus was on the battle-scarred table up ahead with its old-fashioned tin coffeepot centerpieces sprouting plastic sunflowers. Even though the table was large—holding twelve or even thirteen if someone took the end—there were only three seats left at the far end and a single open chair next to Lexi. Joel assumed that one was saved for Lexi’s husband, Nick.
A middle-aged waitress with a nose ring and orange lipstick had already begun taking orders.
“We better sit down.” Joel wrapped his hand around her elbow and gently urged her forward. He took a step away from her before they reached the table.
“Hello, everyone.” A smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes lifted Kate’s lips.
As the greetings flew back and forth, Joel positioned himself at the end with the three open chairs. He waited to see where Kate decided to sit so he could pull out her chair.
For a second her gaze appeared to linger on the chair next to Lexi. But if Kate was hoping to sit next to her friend, that option disappeared when Nick showed up, brushing a kiss against his wife’s cheek and slipping into the chair beside her.
Joel and Kate had barely gotten settled and picked up the menus when the waitress asked for their orders. The woman obviously knew they had only an hour before they needed to pick up the children and wanted to keep things moving.
Drinks were already on the table by the time Ryan Harcourt showed up. Unlike the other men at the table who’d come from church, the attorney wore a pair of jeans with holes and a faded navy T-shirt. His thick dark hair was still damp, as if he’d just hopped out of a shower.
Even though Joel tried to steer clear of the whole who-was-dating-who gossip, he’d heard Kate had recently ended a relationship with Ryan. Some speculated it wouldn’t be long before the two were back together. Even if they didn’t, Joel knew Kate wouldn’t be available for long.
The chorus of hellos and ribbing that greeted Ryan’s arrival told Joel that Kate’s former boyfriend was a regular at these gatherings. Not surprising because, like so many of those congregated around the table, Ryan was a Jackson Hole native.
The attorney glanced around, his gaze initially bypassing the empty seat next to Kate. Although Ryan’s cocky grin never wavered, Joel noticed his gaze made a second sweep as if seeking another option before commandeering the last open spot.
“Hello, Joel. Kate.” Ryan placed the paper napkin on his lap and gestured for the waitress to bring him some coffee.
“Decided to skip the sermon, eh, Ry?”
Kate’s light, almost-teasing greeting surprised Joel. Because the two had recently broken up, he’d expected to see some awkwardness. If Kate felt ill-at-ease, it didn’t show.
Ryan took a cup of steaming coffee from the waitress before turning his attention back to his ex-girlfriend, an answering gleam in his eyes.
“I wouldn’t be so cocky if I were you.” The attorney’s gaze settled his gaze on her dress. “At least I didn’t get up late and wear a slip to church.”
For a second she looked taken aback. Then Kate burst into laughter. “Touché.”
Something twisted in Joel’s gut at the playful banter. Something that felt an awful lot like jealousy, which didn’t make sense. He didn’t care if she got back together with Ryan. Didn’t care at all.
“I didn’t see your car outside, Kate,” Ryan said, shortly after the waitress brought the food. “Is the Subaru back in the shop?”
Kate swept a strand of hair back from her face. “Actually, I rode with Joel.”
Ryan’s eyes widened in surprise and when he spoke, his gaze was riveted on Joel. “What are you, a miracle worker? She would never come with me. No matter how many times I begged, er, invited her.”
“Eat your omelet, Harcourt,” Kate said mildly, then promptly changed the subject. “Did I mention to either of you that I agreed to help out at the Jackson Hole rodeo in August? They wanted a doctor available in case any of the kids in the peewee division are injured.”
Joel ate his “Hearty Man’s Breakfast” of eggs, hash browns, ham and toast and listened with half an ear to the ensuing rodeo talk all the while wondering why Kate had come today. More important, why had she agreed to ride with him? He hoped she didn’t have any, well, romantic interest in him.
While Kate seemed to be a fine person, she was nothing like Amy. When he did jump back into the dating scene, he would look for a woman more like his wife. A woman of substance.
Although Joel didn’t doubt Kate’s intelligence or competence as a doctor, he’d noticed that outside of work she rarely spoke of anything beyond the superficial. Personal details were kept to a minimum. Consequently he knew little of her. Even though it didn’t really matter, he was curious.
After Ryan had finished entertaining them with stories from his bull-riding days, Joel slathered some grape jam on his toast and decided this would be an opportunity to get to know more about his daughter’s doctor. “Where did you say you went to medical school?”
Kate took a sip of coffee before answering. “UC Irvine.”
“Did you like it there?” Joel asked.
“I did.”
He waited for her to elaborate, but she simply stirred some more cream into her coffee. Joel had never pulled teeth, but he had the feeling that would be easier than getting basic information from Kate McNeal.
Ryan doused his omelet with more Tabasco sauce before looking up. “Isn’t that in Orange County?”
“That’s right.” Kate took a sip of coffee, obviously not intending to say more.
Joel 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 freckles across the bridge of her nose that Mitzi loved to hate.
The most shocking change was her attire. As Kate crossed the room, her eyes skipped past the blue jeans and simple white cotton shirt to settle on her friend’s feet.
The last time she’d seen her friend they’d lunched at Koi, just off Melrose Avenue. That day Mitzi had worn a darling cap-sleeve dress with a pair of Giuseppe Zanotti peep-toe pumps.
“Seriously, Mitzi, cowboy boots?”
Her friend chuckled. “Hey, you know me. I bloom where I’m planted.”
It was true, Kate realized as she pulled Mitzi close, enveloping her in a hug. Her friend had always been a master at fitting in, no matter where she found herself.
“It’s good to see you.” Until this second, Kate hadn’t realized just how deeply she’d missed her friend and confidante.
“I’m sorry to stop by so unexpectedly,” Mitzi began. “You know that isn’t my style—”
“Yeah, right.” Kate hugged her for another second before releasing her. “You like keeping me on my toes.”
Mitzi simply smiled and took a seat in one of the two leather wingbacks facing the desk. Kate slipped into the other.
“I’m surprised you’re not in L.A. right now, taking care of the rich and famous.” Kate searched her memory. “Didn’t you tell me you’d accepted a position with Beverly Hills Orthopedics and Sports Medicine?”
“I did, but they don’t need me to start until January.”
“This is only June.” Kate raised a brow. “You can’t go six months without doing surgery.”
Mitzi brushed a strand of shiny brown hair back from her face. “That’s why I’m here. I’m going to be a locum at Spring Gulch Orthopedic through the end of the year.”
Kate squealed. If she’d have been standing, she’d have jumped up and down. “You’re staying with me,” she said in the no-nonsense tone she often used with recalcitrant patients. “I have plenty of room and I won’t take no for an answer.”
“Thank you, Kate.” Mitzi reached over and squeezed her hand, appearing touched by the offer. “I was hoping you’d ask.”
Thank You, God, Kate thought. This is just what I needed.
She exhaled a happy breath. “Who are you filling in for?”
“John Campbell,” Mitzi said, naming a prominent surgeon at the largest orthopedic practice in Jackson.
Kate wasn’t surprised. According to the medical grapevine, the doctor had recently been diagnosed with advanced cancer.
“I’m surprised they didn’t ask you to join them permanently.” Even before Campbell was diagnosed, one of the docs in that practice had told Kate they were hoping to add another physician to their busy group.
“They asked.” Mitzi lifted one shoulder in a slight shrug. “While it was a fair offer, there’s no comparison between that money and what I can earn in Beverly Hills.”
“I’m thinking the fact that your best friend lives here should be worth at least half a mil.” Kate fought to keep a straight face.
“Oh, if only I wasn’t so materialistic,” Mitzi said with an exaggerated sigh. “If it’s any consolation, your being here was the reason I chose to take this temporary assignment.”
Even as her heart swelled with emotion, Kate shot her friend a saucy smile. “Gee, thanks, Mitz. Way to put the pressure on me to show you a good time.”
Before Mitzi could fire a comeback, a light knock sounded and Lydia announced that Kate’s last appointment had arrived.
“If you want to give me your address and a key,” Mitzi said, “I’ll head over to your place in my rental car and chill until you get off.”
“You’ll also need a keycard for the gate.” Kate rounded the desk and pulled out the drawer that held her purse. When she straightened, she tossed Mitzi an extra key to her townhome while keeping the fob to her Subaru in her hand. “Walk with me to my car and I’ll give you my extra one. The townhome I rent is in a gated community just outside of town, so you’ll definitely need it.”
Kate had considered purchasing a home, but she wasn’t certain how long she planned to stay in Jackson Hole. Being so close to her heart’s desire, yet needing to keep her distance had been harder than she’d imagined.
“I’ve heard it all.” Mitzi chuckled as she followed Kate out the back door of her office to the employee parking lot. “A gated community in Wyoming. Why? You need protection from big bad elk and moose?”
The two bantered back and forth all the way to the car. Kate retrieved the keycard from her glove compartment and pressed it into her friend’s hand. Unfortunately the good-luck train she’d been riding since Mitzi had walked through her door derailed when Kate saw Joel’s red four-wheel drive pull into a slanted parking stall in front of Rallis Orthodontics.
For a second she considered grabbing Mitzi’s arm and making a U-turn straight back to the building. Then Chloe hopped out of the truck and Kate saw the child point in her direction.
Her heart dropped when Joel waved and began walking toward them, his daughter skipping behind him.
Mitzi’s eyes widened with pure female appreciation. “If the men in Jackson Hole are all like him, it’s going to be an enjoyable six months.”
Kate had to admit that even dressed simply in jeans, boots and a blue polo, Joel looked good. And Chloe looked adorable in a black-and-white-checkered dress with red piping.
“Who is he?” Mitzi whispered in a low tone as the man and child approached. “More important, is he available?”
“Look, Daddy.” Chloe hopped out of the truck and pointed. “It’s Dr. Kate.”
Joel shut his door before turning, knowing his little girl had to be mistaken. They’d just driven past the area where she was pointing and he hadn’t seen anyone who remotely resembled Kate McNeal.
But when he gazed back in that direction he realized Chloe was right. He lifted his hand in greeting, feeling a little awkward about yesterday but surprisingly happy to see the pretty doctor.
As always, Kate looked stunning. Her dark, shoulder-length hair caught the sunlight and she moved with elegance. Under her lab coat she wore a white dress with yellow-and-black bands of color around the waistline. She looked as if she should be walking down a runway rather than tending to sick children.
There weren’t many women in Jackson Hole as lovely and intelligent as Dr. Kate. Not that it mattered to him. Like he’d told himself last night, he was a busy contractor with a daughter to raise and a company to run. Even if he had been interested in dating, Amy would always be number one in his heart. Kate McNeal didn’t seem like a woman who’d be satisfied with second place.
“Hi, Joel. Chloe.” Even though she couldn’t have walked more than ten feet across the parking lot, Kate seemed oddly out of breath. It was probably those spiky heels she wore. While they were very sexy-looking, they had to be hell to walk in.
“This is a pleasant surprise.” Joel knew her office was just across the parking lot from Chloe’s orthodontist, but he hadn’t expected to see her today. He thought she’d be busy inside seeing patients.
“I needed to get something out of my car.” Kate brushed a strand of hair back from her face, her cheeks bright pink from the exertion. “When I saw you and Chloe, I thought it would be a good opportunity to introduce you to my friend.”
“Mitzi Sanchez.” The slender woman offered up a friendly smile. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“Joel Dennes.” He took the hand she’d extended and gave it a perfunctory shake. Although dressed casually in jeans and boots, there was something about this woman that reminded him of Kate. Perhaps it was the directness of her gaze or the firmness of her handshake. Whichever it was, he liked her instantly. He gestured with his head to the little girl at his side. “This is my daughter, Chloe.”
“Joel and Chloe Dennes,” Mitzi repeated slowly, as if their names were familiar. But because that couldn’t be the case, it had to be her way of trying to remember them.
“That’s right,” Joel said, flashing a smile.
Mitzi shifted her attention to the child and studied her for several seconds, as if looking for a resemblance between him and Chloe. Obviously finding none, she simply smiled. “It’s very nice to make your acquaintance, Chloe.”
His daughter’s gaze dropped to her feet and for a second Joel wasn’t sure she would answer. Normally Chloe hated it when a stranger talked directly to her. Just when he’d given up hope, she lifted her head. “It’s nice to meet you, too.”
A surge of pride swept through Joel. He slipped an arm around his daughter’s shoulders and gave a squeeze. That’s my girl.
He chatted with Kate and Mitzi for a few minutes about the weather, then the conversation began to lag. Joel resisted the urge to look at his phone to check the time. They were early for Chloe’s orthodontic evaluation, so there was no reason to rush. “What brings you to Jackson Hole, Mitzi?”
“I’m an orthopedic surgeon. I’m going to be filling in for Dr. John Campbell.” She cast a sideways glance at her friend as if disturbed by her silence. “Kate’s going to let me crash on her sofa.”
“Actually my guest room has your name on it.” The teasing smile Kate shot her friend, brightened her whole face.
Even though the smile hadn’t been directed at him, Joel found himself basking in the warmth. He wondered why Kate didn’t smile more often. After a second he forced his attention back to her friend. “Will you be staying long?”
“Through the end of the year at Spring Gulch and with Kate as long as she’ll put up with me.” Mitzi chuckled. “Right now I’m not sure how long that will be. I can be a real pain sometimes. Who knows? I could be gone tomorrow.”
“Ah, Mitzi, you know that’s not true.” Kate reached an arm around her friend’s shoulders and gave her a quick hug. “You’re my best friend.”
“I had a best friend once,” a small voice piped up. “When we lived in Billings.”
It took Joel a second to realize that it was Chloe who’d spoken. “You have friends here, too.”
Chloe shrugged.
“I know how you feel.” Mitzi placed a hand on the girl’s shoulder. “Good friends—best friends—aren’t always that easy to find.”
“Savannah and I used to play every day.” Chloe’s voice was so low that Joel had to strain to hear her. “I really miss her.”
“Mitzi and I haven’t lived in the same town for five years.” Kate’s eyes softened as they settled on Chloe. “And I missed her so much, but we kept in touch. We sent each other funny cards and we talked on the phone.”
Joel guessed that her not mentioning the internet was deliberate and he was grateful to Kate. He closely monitored his daughter’s time on the web.
“I don’t remember Savannah’s address or her phone number,” Chloe said in the same small voice, pushing the toe of her shoe against the concrete.
“I’m sure I have them.” Joel couldn’t believe his daughter hadn’t mentioned wanting to contact Savannah before now. Or had she? “How about we call her after your orthodontic evaluation?”
“Thank you, Daddy.” Chloe flung her arms around him.
Over his daughter’s head, his eyes met Kate’s. Something in her gaze pulled him right in. Time seemed to stretch and extend. Without his realizing quite how it had happened, their eye contact turned into something more, a tangible connection between the two of them.
Then Kate blinked and looked away.
Joel could feel heat rising up his neck. Dear God, what had gotten into him? You’d have thought he was a luststruck teenager.
“There’s a lot to do in Jackson Hole,” Joel stammered, then stopped and took a deep, steadying breath. “I’m sure you’ll like it here.”
“I have no doubt of that,” Mitzi said.
Her smile was open and friendly while Kate’s shoulders were as stiff as any soldier’s. Of course, right now, his shoulders were feeling pretty tight, too.
“When I was driving around earlier I noticed an indoor ice rink that I’d like to check out,” Mitzi added.
“It’s very nice.” Joel cast a look in his daughter’s direction and she nodded her agreement. “We’ve been there many times.”
“So you like to skate?” Mitzi asked.
“Chloe does. She skates very well.” Joel hooked a thumb toward his chest. “Me, I spend more time getting up from falling than I do gliding across the ice.”
“Oh, Daddy.” Chloe exhaled an exasperated breath. “You’re not that bad. You just need to practice more.”
Mitzi cast a sideways glance at Kate as if waiting for her to add her two cents to the conversation. But the doctor only glanced pointedly at her watch making Joel wonder if she had a patient waiting.
“I’m what would be considered an average skater.” Mitzi waved a hand. “I can usually make it around the rink without falling, but I don’t do any fancy stuff. Kate, on the other hand, can do it all. She’s good enough to be a professional.”
“Hardly.” Kate gave a self-conscious laugh. “But I’ve been skating since I was old enough to walk, so it stands to reason I’d be somewhat proficient.”
Mitzi’s gaze shifted to Chloe, then back to Kate. “Something tells me this young lady might be even better than you are when she grows up.”
“I might already be as good.” Chloe spoke with the blind confidence of youth. “I’ve never seen her skate.”
Kate simply smiled.
“We’d better get going.” Joel rested a hand on his daughter’s shoulder. “Wouldn’t want to keep Dr. Rallis waiting.”
Chloe made a face, making it clear she wouldn’t mind skipping the appointment.
Kate resisted the urge to tell the little girl that she’d had braces for six months when she’d been her age and that it hadn’t been all that bad. In fact, she could give Chloe some pointers to make the experience better. Then Kate remembered that wasn’t her place.
She was Chloe’s doctor. Nothing more.
As Kate watched the father and daughter walk away, a melancholy sadness, at odds with the sunny June afternoon, settled around her shoulders.
“I’ve got a patient waiting,” she said to Mitzi. “If I don’t get back to the office soon, Lydia will track me down and beat me with my own stethoscope.”
“I definitely see the resemblance,” Mitzi said.
An image of the office assistant flashed before Kate. Gray hair. Round face. Glasses. Without thinking, Kate grimaced. “You really think Lydia and I look alike?”
Mitzi shook her head, sending her hair swinging from side to side. “Chloe.”
An icy chill filled Kate’s veins. “What about her?”
“Your daughter, Chloe. She looks just like you.”
Chapter Four
Even though Kate couldn’t stop a rush of pleasure at the words, she had to put a stop to Mitzi’s assumption.
“She.is.not.my.little.girl.” Kate spoke slowly and deliberately so there could be no misunderstanding. “She is Joel’s little girl.”
To Mitzi it might seem like a small distinction, but for Kate it was huge. And it was something she needed to continually keep in mind herself. When she’d signed those papers nine years ago, her child had become Joel and Amy Dennes’s daughter. She could not, would not, let herself think of Chloe as hers.
Mitzi didn’t respond until they were back in the office and the exterior door had fallen closed behind them. “I saw how you looked at her, Kate.”
Kate pulled her brows together. “And how was that?”
“With motherly love.” A sudden look of tenderness crossed Mitzi’s face. “You might tell yourself she’s Joel’s daughter. You might have even convinced yourself. But in your heart she’s yours. And you love her.”
Of course Kate loved Chloe. She’d carried her for nine months. She’d given birth to her. When the attorney had walked from the room with the signed relinquishment papers and her baby—her sweet girl—in his arms, she’d cried and cried.
Her love hadn’t disappeared simply because the child was now someone else’s daughter. Still, Kate thought she’d done a better job of hiding those feelings. A shiver of fear skittered up her spine. “Do you think Joel noticed?”
“Nah.” Mitzi shook her head. “He was too busy drooling over you.”
“Yeah, right.” Kate’s laughter was tinged with relief.
Even if Joel was interested in her, nothing would come of it. Kate couldn’t imagine anything with more of a potential for disaster than becoming involved with the adoptive father of her biological daughter.
“We can talk more about this later.” Kate glanced at the clock on the wall. Emilie had been waiting for almost fifteen minutes. “Right now I have a patient to see.”
“Just one?”
Kate nodded.
“How about I wait?” Mitzi leaned over and brushed a piece of lint from her obviously new boots. “We could go for a walk after you’re finished, then grab some dinner. I saw an elk refuge on my way into town that I’d like to explore.”
“It’ll be like old times.” Kate had fond memories of all the walking and talking she and Mitzi had done in medical school. She’d shared so much about her life during those walks.
Mitzi cast a pointed glance at Kate’s dress and heels. “What about—”
“Gym bag is in the car.”
“Excellent.”
On her way out the door, Kate waved a careless hand in the direction of a coffee table littered with professional journals, the light reflecting off the red fire opal on her right ring finger. “They’re recent issues. Help yourself.”
“Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine? Journal of Medical Genetics? Uh, no, thank you.” Mitzi’s voice followed Kate out into the hall. “Do you happen to have People or Entertainment Weekly?”
The elk refuge on the outskirts of Jackson had been a good choice, Kate decided. The sun shone warm against her face and a light breeze caressed her cheek. She and Mitzi’s only company was a herd of bison far in the distance.
Mitzi slanted a sideways glance, studying her for several seconds. “Biker shorts, UCLA T-shirt and a ponytail. I’m proud to be your friend.”
“People in cowboy boots shouldn’t throw stones,” Kate retorted and Mitzi laughed.
On the way to the wildlife refuge, Mitzi had done most of the talking. Kate had been distracted, unable to forget the despair she’d seen in Emilie Hyland’s eyes. Even though the teen confided she’d known for months that she was pregnant, her mother had been stunned by the news. They’d both cried and when Kate thought of the difficult decision the sixteen-year-old would soon face, she’d wanted to cry with them.
“I was thinking back to the day you emailed me that you’d hired a detective to locate your daughter,” Mitzi said.
“I worried something had happened to her.” Kate hadn’t been looking to interfere in the adoptive parents’ lives; she’d simply wanted confirmation Chloe was alive and well.
Sympathy filled Mitzi’s blue eyes. “I’d have been frantic, too, when her birthday passed with no pictures or updates.”
“First time in nine years.” Kate had only known Chloe’s adoptive parents as Joel and Amy, not where they lived or how to contact them directly. They’d had less information about her. Not even her first name. The correspondence was one way, filtered through the attorney. “Communication simply stopped.”
“Joel should have notified you that Amy had passed away,” Mitzi said, a hint of censure in her tone. The investigator Kate hired had obtained the death certificate. Complications from diabetes had been listed as the cause of death. “Even if his wife had been the one who’d sent updates in the past, he should have taken over that task. After all, in a semi-open adoption, that’s part of the deal.”
“Unfortunately there’s no recourse if the adoptive parents don’t follow through.” Kate expelled a sigh, the past a heavy weight on her shoulders. “You know, sometimes I wonder if I’d have made the same decision if my grandmother had been alive. Or if I hadn’t been so exhausted from the pressures of—”
“You did the right thing,” Mitzi insisted. “You’d just completed your first year of medical school. You’d worked so hard. Keeping her would have cost you everything.”
Although Kate had wanted to be a doctor since she’d put a stethoscope over Raggedy Ann’s candy heart, the price she’d paid had been steep. “When I look at Chloe and think of all I’ve missed, it feels as if I did lose everything.”
“Don’t second-guess yourself.” Mitzi stopped in the middle of the dirt path to face Kate. “You agonized over that decision.”
“I did.” Lots of sleepless nights. Lots of prayers.
“Now a miracle has happened. You’ve been given another chance to be part of your daughter’s life.”
It took several erratic heartbeats for Kate to find her voice. “I gave up that right nine years ago, Mitzi. And after being here for so long, it would be too confusing to Chloe to break my silence now.”
“I’m not saying to tell them who you are. I simply think both Joel and Chloe could use a friend like you.”
“It makes sense, but—”
“No buts.” Mitzi placed a hand on her arm, her voice a gruff rasp. “You put Chloe first when you gave her up. You need to put her welfare first again.”
By the time they finished their hike, Kate and Mitzi were hot, sweaty and so tired that everything made them laugh … including the rumble of Kate’s stomach. Because it was quick and casual, they decided to eat at Perfect Pizza in downtown Jackson. They ordered their pizza at the counter and had been handed glasses for drinks when Mitzi’s phone rang.
In a matter of minutes she was gone, insisting Kate stay behind and wait for the pizza. Since they’d driven separately, it worked. Kate filled her glass with iced tea, tucked the order number under her arm and ambled into the dining room hoping to find a place to sit.
She heard her name and Kate’s heart performed a series of flutters at the sound of the familiar baritone. A sense of déjà vu washed over her when Joel motioned her over, his lips lifted in an easy smile. He must have said something to his daughter because Chloe turned and waved, leaving Kate no choice but to head that way.
By the time she reached the booth, Joel was standing, his steady gaze shooting tingles down her spine. He surveyed her from the top of her disheveled ponytail to the tips of her dusty cross-trainers. “You look lovely.”
Kate gazed into his eyes, noticing for the first time the green in the hazel depths. Discounting the fact that he was Chloe’s adoptive father, there was something about this rugged contractor that appealed to her.
“Where’s your friend?” Chloe pushed herself up in her seat and looked around.
“Mitzi is on her way to my house,” Kate said. “Her niece was in a car accident this afternoon and she had some calls to make. Once the pizza is ready, I’m headed home, too.”
Kate felt it important to make it clear she wasn’t eating here. Despite her conversation with Mitzi, Kate still wasn’t convinced she should be more involved in Chloe—and consequently, Joel’s—life.
“You’re welcome to join us while you wait,” Joel offered. “We’ve got plenty of hamburger pizza.”
“With extra cheese,” Chloe said, sweetening the pot.
There was a beat of silence as Kate hesitated. She felt Joel’s gaze on her mouth. Her lips began to tingle.
“Daddy and I were talking about my appointment with the dentist,” Chloe said. “He never had braces. Did you have braces, Dr. Kate?”
“I did.” Kate moistened her suddenly dry lips with the tip of her tongue and concentrated on the facts. Fact one, she had to wait for the pizza. Fact two, with the dining area so small, it would look like an obvious slight if she sat anywhere else. Fact three, she wanted to sit with them.
“I can move over.” Chloe scooted across the bench seat, making room.
Kate turned back to Joel, noticing the five o’clock stubble on his cheeks. A man’s man. “If you’re sure I’m not interrupting …”
“Sit down, Doctor.” Joel’s smile took any sting from the order.
He stepped back at the same moment she moved forward and her arm brushed against his. His body tensed at the brief contact, but Kate pretended she hadn’t felt it. Or caught a whiff of his spicy cologne.
She placed the stand with the number card on the edge of the table so it was clearly visible, then slid into the booth next to Chloe. When she turned to drop her hobo bag on the seat, this time it was the little girl who stared.
“You have a ponytail,” Chloe said loudly. “Just like mine.”
A self-conscious-sounding laugh escaped Kate’s mouth. She was about to apologize for her appearance when she saw the pleased look in Chloe’s eyes.
“I like my ponytail.” Or she had, when it had been all neatly pulled back. Not so much now, with half the strands out of the tail. “Do you like yours?”
“I do.” Chloe sounded surprisingly serious. “It keeps my hair off my face. And my neck stays cooler in the summer.”
Kate made the mistake of looking at Joel. When his lips twitched, she had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from smiling. “So true.”
Chloe’s gaze narrowed. “You don’t look like a doctor in those clothes.”
Intrigued, Kate angled her head. “Okay, I’ll bite. What do I look like?”
Across from her, Joel took a sip of soda. Puzzlement, along with an unmistakable flash of amusement, glittered in his eyes. Apparently he wasn’t sure what was going to come out of his daughter’s mouth. Well, that made two of them.
Chloe shrugged and took a gulp of milk, suddenly tight-lipped.
Something in Kate told her to let it drop. But curiosity propelled her to offer an encouraging smile. “C’mon, Chloe,” Kate urged, “tell me.”
“You look—” the little girl took a deep breath then began, again, her hazel eyes staring straight at Kate “—like my mom.”
Chapter Five
Kate inhaled sharply.
Joel’s pizza slice dropped to his plate.
“Mommy used to wear those black shorts when she went to the gym. Before she got sick.” Chloe’s voice broke. “Then she died.”
Kate swallowed a nervous gasp. For a second, she’d thought that like Mitzi, Chloe had looked at her and seen …
But she hadn’t and Kate was relieved. Still, her heart twisted at the pain in Chloe’s voice. While some might say it’d been two years and it was time for the child to move on, Kate knew better. Time did make such a significant loss easier to bear, but even after ten years Kate still missed her grandmother. She squeezed Chloe’s shoulder. “I can tell you loved your mother very much.”
“I did.” Tears shimmered in Chloe’s eyes. “I miss her so much.”
Across the booth, Kate saw Joel stiffen and for a second she thought he might put an end to a conversation. Instead he reached across the table and patted his daughter’s hand. The look he shot Kate was filled with unmistakable gratitude. Her breath caught, then began again.
“I bet she loved you just as much,” Kate said softly. “I—I know I would if you were my little girl.”
Kate clamped her lips shut. Where had that come from?
“She told me that she thanked God every day for me.” Chloe’s voice grew thick. “Didn’t she say that, Daddy?”
“You were her world, princess.” Joel cleared his throat. “I’ll never forget the look on your mommy’s face when the nurse put you in her arms. You were only three days old.”
Chloe leaned her head against Kate’s shoulder and Kate stayed very still, afraid to move and ruin the moment.
Finally Chloe straightened and reached for another piece of pizza, moisture clinging like little crystals to her lashes.
“Do you belong to a gym?”
Joel’s question seemed to come out of left field. Not until Kate met his gaze did she understand that while he didn’t want to shut down Chloe talking about her mom, he didn’t want their evening out to turn maudlin either.
“I joined the Y the month I moved here,” Kate said. “I like it there.”
“I took swimming lessons at the Y,” Chloe said. “One of the girls in my class had her birthday party there. Everyone got to swim and then they had cake and ice cream.”
Kate took a sip of tea, missing the feel of Chloe’s head against her arm and conscious of the warmth in Joel’s eyes that seemed directed straight at her. “Was it fun?”
Two bright spots of pink dotted Chloe’s cheeks. “I wasn’t invited.”
Open mouth. Insert foot.
“Well, if they were trying to keep the party small—” Kate scrambled for a logical answer “—she probably couldn’t invite everyone.”
“She had pretty invitations that looked like a flower,” Chloe advised in a matter-of-fact tone, but Kate saw the hurt in her eyes. “She put them in everyone’s cubby at school. All the girls got one except me.”
Anger rose inside Kate. What kind of teacher would allow something like that to go on in her classroom?
“How could your teach—” she sputtered, then stopped when Joel shook his head ever so slightly.
“I’m sorry that happened to you.” Kate took a deep, steadying breath. “Something similar happened to me when I was your age. It hurts.”
Chloe’s eyes widened with surprise. “You? They didn’t like you?”
“Really?” The skepticism in Joel’s voice came through loud and clear.
“I was shy,” Kate admitted. “We moved when I was eight. My sister, Andrea, had a whole group of new friends the first day. I—I didn’t have any. Not for a long time.”
Chloe sat quietly for a second, a strange look on her face.
“I have to go to the bathroom.” She pinned Kate with her gaze. “You have to move.”
“Chloe.” A warning sounded in Joel’s voice. “Ask, not tell. And say please.”
“Please, Dr. Kate.” A pleading note sounded in Chloe’s voice. “Can you move? I have to go real bad.”
“I’m moving.” Kate slid out of the wooden bench. “I need to be leaving anyway. My pizza should be almost done.”
“Don’t go. You talk to Daddy.” Chloe grabbed her hand. “I’ll be right back. I promise.”
Kate glanced at Joel.
“If you have time …” His eyes seemed to glitter, suddenly looking more green than brown.
“I’ll stay,” Kate promised the little girl. “And, really, there’s no need for you to rush.”
“Yes, there is.” Chloe hurried off, her legs pressed tightly together.
Only when the child was out of sight did Kate chuckle. “I guess when you gotta go, you gotta go.”
“Thanks for agreeing to stay.” Unmistakable gratitude flickered in his eyes. “Chloe really likes you.”
“I like her, too.”
His mouth relaxed in a slight smile. “But please, don’t feel you have to make up stories to make her feel better.”
“Unfortunately they’re true.” Kate sighed. “For me, growing up was a painful process. I was gawky, all arms and legs. And very shy.”
“Well, you certainly turned out nice.” Joel’s admiring gaze settled on her. Suddenly her stomach and her heart were involved in a competition for the most flip-flops per minute.
She laughed, a short, nervous burst of air.
“Don’t feel like you have to make up compliments so I’ll feel better,” Kate said teasingly, throwing his earlier words back at him. “I’m well aware of how I look in this outfit.”
“You look beautiful.” He leaned forward, resting his forearms on the table. The gleam in his eyes sent blood flowing through her veins like warm honey. “Casual. Relaxed. Approachable.”
Kate didn’t know whether to be insulted or amused. “Are you saying I usually look uptight and unapproachable?”
“Not all the time,” he said, with a lopsided smile.
Kate firmly ignored the unsettling flutter in her mid-section.
“Your daughter seems like a remarkably well-adjusted little girl,” she said, with a studied nonchalance.
Joel didn’t smile as she expected.
“Her mother’s death hit her hard. And the move here, well, I’m not sure it was the best thing for Chloe.” His expression grew somber. “She had a lot of good friends back home. Kids she’d known since kindergarten.”
“But surely Chloe has made some new friends by now?”
Joel shook his head. “If she has, I’ve never seen them. I’ve noticed girls her age here seem to be much more into adult kinds of stuff than the ones in Montana. Perhaps that’s part of the problem.”
“You think so?” Kate thought of her patients. Coming from Los Angeles, the children here seemed like such innocents.
“I’ll give you an example. A couple of days ago, Chloe asked me for money to buy makeup.” The look of bewilderment on Joel’s face would have been funny at any other time. “She’s nine years old. Who wears makeup at that age?”
“That is really young,” Kate agreed. “How did she take it when you said no?”
“She just looked at me. There was this expression on her face that I can’t even describe.”
“Anger? Resentment?”
“Neither. Crushed would be more accurate. It would have been easier if she’d been angry.”
“Did you ask her why she thought she needed makeup?”
It suddenly hit Kate that they were talking about Chloe the way parents would discuss their child. It seemed so right and, at the same time, so very wrong.
“I didn’t think to ask,” Joel admitted. “I see now where that would have been a good thing to do.”
He looked at her and she felt the impact of his regard all the way down to her feet.
Time to change the subject. “By the way, did Chloe ever get a chance to talk to her friend Savannah?”
“Why don’t you ask her?”
“Ask me what?” Chloe asked, sliding into the booth when Kate rose to let her in.
“Did you speak with your friend in Montana yet?” Kate asked.
Chloe smiled broadly, showing her prominent canine teeth. “She was so excited to hear my voice she almost peed her pants.”
“Chloe,” Joel chided.
“That’s what she told me, Daddy.”
A half smile tugged at his lips.
Kate leaned forward, resting her arms on the table. “What else did she have to say?”
Chloe had just finished going through the entire conversation sentence by sentence when a red-haired girl with a Perfect Pizza T-shirt and an anxious expression stopped at the table.
“Did you order a large ham and pineapple with cream cheese?” the restaurant employee asked.
Kate smiled at the girl. “I did.”
“There was a problem.” The teen’s cheeks turned as red as her hair. “But the new pizza is in the oven now. It will be ready in about ten minutes. I’m sorry for the delay.”
“No worries,” Kate said, feeling guilty she wasn’t more distressed. “Just bring it out when it’s ready. And if you could put it in a to-go box that would be wonderful.”
“Guess you’re stuck with us a little while longer,” Joel said, not looking sorry at all.
Kate wasn’t sorry either. Even though she was still convinced keeping her distance would be best for all concerned, she was enjoying her time with Joel and Chloe. The conversation moved to braces and all things orthodontic. When her stomach growled—even more loudly—Kate finally gave in and accepted a piece of their hamburger pizza.
She’d finished her first piece and had been laughing about something Chloe said when she heard her name being called from across the room.
Sarabeth Brown, one of Kate’s patients, waved wildly.
Kate swallowed a groan and waved back. That was one thing she’d quickly discovered after moving to Jackson Hole. Her pediatric patients—and their parents—were everywhere. Restaurants. Grocery stores. Gas stations. It was one reason she always liked to look her best when she went out.
Not today, she thought with a rueful smile. Today she looked … approachable.
As Sarabeth and her mother crossed the dining room, Kate hurriedly wiped her lips with a paper napkin.
“We don’t want to interrupt your meal.” Mrs. Brown offered an apologetic smile. “Sarabeth saw you and insisted on coming over to say hello.”
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