This elicited a snort from Eliza, a formerly delightful child who seemed to have developed a personality disorder moments after blowing out the twelve candles on her last birthday cake. Traffic? Were in the backwoods of nowhere. They probably only get one car a day on this road.
Brenna cocked her head to the side, smiling at his daughter through the open door. Actually, someone passed by less than five minutes ago.
At an apparent loss for a response, Eliza merely twisted a strand of her long hair and looked away. It was such a change from the constant sniping that Adam wanted to cheer. Instead, he asked Brenna, The people ahead of us didnt stop for you? That didnt bode well for the friendly small town hed been promised in the tourism literature.
They paused briefly, but were on the way to the county hospital. The passenger was in labor, she explained, stepping aside to let Geoff pass, so I told them Id try to flag down the next car. I heard you coming by then and was hoping youd be someone I knew. But- She stopped, checking her watch. The leather band was covered with paw-print cutouts. Her hair, styled in a short, elegant bob, was tucked behind her ears, revealing matching silver paw-print studs.
Problem? Adam asked as she scowled.
Time crunch. Would I sound too melodramatic if I said it was a life-or-death situation?
Thats my specialty, he assured her wryly. Had he even introduced himself? Being trapped in the SUV with the kids had robbed him of his adult people skills. Im Dr. Adam Varner, cardiac surgeon from Knoxville. My children and I are staying in Mistletoe until just after July fourth.
At least two and a half weeks? Wish I could get my clients to go away for that long, she murmured, more to herself than him. Then I could replace the lemon.
Clients?
Im a local pet-sitter, owner of More than Puppy Love. I take care of other peoples animals. Like Lady Evelyn here. And Patch, a diabetic cat. His owner is in Savannah on business. I have to make sure Patch gets his daily insulin shots on time.
Someone keeps a pet even though they have to give it shots every day? Eliza asked, climbing out from the back seat. Adam should have known that if he let one kid out, the others would follow. Just as well-they probably needed to stretch their legs. Sounds like a lot of trouble.
Its not ideal, Brenna said, but most of my clients consider their pets family members. You go the extra mile for someone you love.
Though Adam couldnt see his daughters expression behind him, he felt her accusing stare boring holes into his skull. Was she thinking of the instances he hadnt made enough time for his own loved ones? He sighed, trying to be patient. It was true that hed been overwhelmed by the demands of residency at the hospital and hadnt been the husband and father Sara and the kids had deserved. But Sara had just remarried, happily moving on with her life, and Adam was doing his level best to reconnect with his kids. By the end of the summer, theyd see that.
I hope.
Daddy doesnt like pets. This was from curly-haired Morgan, not her terminally ticked-off older sister.
Thats not true. He turned, defending himself in a mild tone. I grew up with animals. Ive always liked animals.
But you wouldnt get a dog for your place, Eliza said. Which would have been the perfect solution since we cant have one at our house!
Our house-the house hed bought right after Sara discovered she was pregnant with Morgan. Sara had asked him to move out just before their youngest daughters first birthday. Watching his wife-ex-wife-marry someone else last weekend had been something of a wake-up call. An entirely new household was forming under his erstwhile roof; he was more determined than ever to make up for lost time. He never again wanted to feel as if hed blinked and missed entire chunks of his childrens lives.
Daddy Dans allergic to dogs, Morgan informed Brenna, creeping forward with a hand outstretched to the Yorkie.
With effort, Adam managed not to flinch at the Daddy Dan. After all, Saras new husband had earned the moniker. Hed been there for Elizas dance recital when Adams patient had encountered postsurgical complications. Adam had tried to make the most of watching her ballet solo with her on tape afterward, but she hadnt been mollified. Dan had also been there when Morgan got the chicken pox, sitting up with her at night to reapply calamine lotion and distract her from her misery. He was a good guy.
Pushing away an immature stab of resentment, Adam reminded Eliza, I didnt want to get a dog, because it wouldnt be fair. Im not home enough to take care of it and give it the companionship it deserves.
Right. Youre always at the hospital, his daughter agreed. She flounced off to join her brother by Brennas car, not giving him much chance to respond.
He shot an embarrassed look at Brenna. Unaware of his past missteps with his daughter and the latitude he was trying to give her now, Brenna must think Eliza was a demon child and that he was the worlds most ineffectual parent. The redhead wasnt looking at him, however.
Instead, she busied herself with showing Morgan how Lady Evelyn liked to be petted. Not for a minute did he believe Brenna had missed the tense exchange, but he was grateful she was pretending not to notice.
I have my cell phone in the SUV, he told her. We can call someone for you. Or we can give you a ride, if that will get you to the cat faster.
Brenna set down the dog but held on to the leash, not that the pooch seemed motivated to escape Morgans adoration. We can try your phone, but reception in this particular spot is lousy. I would have called someone by now if I could get a signal. And I really do need to reach Patch.
Were happy to take you, he reiterated.
She bit her lip. Well, I wouldnt normally
Come to think of it, was he setting a terrible example picking up a stranger? Hed make sure the kids understood later that this was a rare exception. In her khaki shorts and navy-striped tank top, both of which revealed long, well-toned limbs, he couldnt imagine where Brenna would conceal any weapons. Since he outweighed her by probably forty or fifty pounds, he was confident he could take her physically-a random thought that somehow got all turned around in his mind and heightened his awareness of the golden expanse of dewy skin.
Luckily Brenna, who was looking around at his kids, was oblivious.
She turned to him with the beginnings of a smile. You dont exactly seem like an escaped convict.
He pulled his wallet from his jeans pocket and handed her his Tennessee drivers license. Im an upstanding citizen, I swear. The only thing scary about me is my association with- he affected a shudder -teenagers. Theyre not for the faint of heart.
She laughed, a warm, husky sound. Pleasure tightened inside him, and he reminded himself that a responsible single father didnt get lust-stricken on the side of a dusty road over a total stranger with his three kids standing right there. His sole purpose in Mistletoe was to focus on rebuilding his relationships with his children. He had only a few weeks to make up for the past few years. There was no room for distractions.
Brenna pulled a business card out of her pocket and handed it back with his license. I once helped take care of a ball python, so I should be able to brave teenagers.
Its settled, then, Adam said. Well take you to give Patch his injection and to figure out what to do about your car once the medical crisis has passed.
She hesitated only a heartbeat before nodding. Let me grab Lady Es bag out of my car and make sure the doors are unlocked. With any luck, some enterprising thief will figure out a way to get it running and steal it.
BRENNA WAS ACCUSTOMED to odd herds. Shed once worked for a family who owned a domesticated pig, two hermit crabs and a ferret. And she was no stranger to unusual human clans, having been raised by a man with no biological ties to her and a woman who would have been well within her right to resent the heck out of her presence. So despite Dr. Adam Varners alternately mortified and apologetic glances during their drive into Mistletoe town proper, she was mostly undaunted by his childrens antics.
The littlest Varner, with her mop of unruly honey-gold curls and light eyes, looked the least like her father and was also the least inhibited. Brenna would have expected such a small child to be shy, but Morgan chattered constantly. She was the one who volunteered that they were on vay-cay-tion, pronouncing the word with emphatic concentration, because Mama and Daddy Dan wanted alone time to kiss. Last week I saw Geoff kissing his girlfriend on our couch!
Morgan! Her brothers voice cracked on the second syllable. He leaned forward, poking his head between the front seats. Please excuse my sister. Shes too young to understand adult matters.
Brenna managed to keep a straight face as she nodded, but his sister Eliza didnt bother hiding her derisive snort.
Adult? She chortled. You just turned fifteen. You cant even get a drivers license until your next birthday.
I have my learners permit, he said stiffly, and Im a lot more-
Kids, Adam interjected warningly, cant we-
-grown up than you, Geoff finished. You cry half the time for no reason at all. Even Morgan doesnt-
Thats enough, Adam said, this time hitting the palm of his hand on the steering wheel for emphasis. I dont want to hear another word for the rest of the ride. Does everyone understand?
Eliza, who was either fearless or harbored a death wish, muttered, Are we allowed to answer that?
Despite herself, Brenna was fascinated by the ill-mannered girl. Brenna herself had possessed more reason for anger than most adolescents, yet shed remained unnaturally well behaved. It had taken her years to shake the terror that her stepfather and his new wife-who was actually his old wife, long story-might decide they didnt want her.
After all, Brennas own mother hadnt kept her, not only leaving her husband, Fred Pierce, but leaving Brenna behind in Mistletoe. Brenna hadnt known whether to feel betrayed or relieved.
Sorry about all this, Adam said to Brenna.