Concealed Attractions (Cedar Island Tales) (40 page)

“Y
our
extern
ship isn’t finished yet. But,
before you go back to school,
we should
talk about your plans
after you pass yo
ur Boards and get your license
, whether you plan to start
your own practice
or join
one already ongoing
.”

“Like yours
, maybe
?”
Ben sat up straighter.

“I’m making no promises, but you know
how
we’ve grown the practice, and it’s getting too big for one person to manage.
”

Ben leaned forward
,
beaming
.
“I
’d very much like to discuss
tha
t
. Just tell me when
.
”

“
Before we get to that, first things first.
I have a problem maybe you can help me with.
S
omeone to take your place. That probably means another year with an
extern
,
one who fits well with our needs here.
K
now
any
one
look
ing to
extern
this spring?”

“
Can I get back to you with a name or two?”

“Sure.”
Joel remained silent
, trying to decide how to approach the next topic
on his mind
.
He
took off his glasses
, buying time as he
proceeded to clean them with a tissue
.
“How’s everything
going
with
Danni
?”

“Fine and dandy
.
She and the Bump
are
just fine.”

“And you? How are you fitting
into that picture of fineness
?”

“I’m her guardian roommate, if that’s what you’re asking.
” Ben’s brow
furrow
ed
slightly
.
“
You
have a problem with that?”

“
No. No. I just thought. W
ell, she
seems hap
pier than she’s been in a while,
and
you’re
pretty chipper these days,
too. I like my help to be happy,
is all.”

“
Uh-
huh.” 
Ben
star
ed
back
at Joel
as if daring him to ask another question.
“
At the risk of increasing your work load,
I have an idea
I’ve been
mulling over
about
how
to get that old
coot
at Woolley Acres to start using the clinic
on a regular basis
.
” He shifted in his seat and leaned forward
again
. “
W
ant
to hear it
?”

“
I’m listening
.
”
Joe
l
leaned
back in his chair
and
motioned for Ben to keep talking
.

Angela rolled over, pulling the sheet closer.
Joe
l
continued to snore
softly
. She
looked
him
over, his well-muscled shoulders and chest, now relaxed in sleep
, his hair f
alling
over his forehead
. They certainly were getting along better. If only she didn’t
continue to
have doubts whenever they parted.

She wanted to
take
some advanced
obstetrics training
, but it would mean leaving
her
practice for at least a year, and since the old man’s
semi-retirement
, she wasn’t sure he would agree
to let her go.

She and Joel
were no longer fighting, but he was so busy
—even with
—perhaps
because of
Ben
. Did
Joel
really have time
for
her,
except on occasional weekends or nights
when
they set aside
time
to be together?

Joel shifted in the bed. “Where’d you go?
”

She reached for him and he
s
lid
one hand
along her thigh and up to her breast.

“Just thinking.
”
She
p
laced her hand over
his.

“
’Bout what?
We’re pretty good together
,
Angie
.
”
He kissed her neck and worked
his way downward. “Shall I demonstrate?”

She didn’t answer as she moved the covers out of the way.

Later that morning, in between bites of t
he omelet he
’d
prepared,
Joel
mumbled
, “I think Ben and
Danni
are a couple.”

“
I
t’s tacky talking with your mouth full.
” Angela slid a piece of toast onto his plate. “
What makes you think so?”

“The way
they touch each other,
sort of offhandedly
.
When
he’s working at the table, it’s like
he knows it’s her
and doesn’t look up or anything, except maybe
to give her
a little grin
.
H
e’s
back to his usual curious self,
has been
for quite a while
.
He seems happy. So does she
,
in sp
ite of her not living at home.
W
here
does
she
live
?”

“
That information is in
her
chart.”

“A
nd you’re not
telling
.
”

“You know my rules about privacy.
W
hy don’t you ask Ben?”

“
I did, and he
called himself her roommate and guardian
.
Do you think i
t’s wise
that he’s shacking up with her?”

“What does it
matt
er
?”
She
ran her fingers down
his back as he leaned
closer
to refill her plate.
“B
eing a roommate
does
n’
t necessarily mean they’
re sleeping together.”

He changed tactics.
“A
clinic
al question
.” H
e
was silent until she
look
ed
at him.
“Is it a good idea for them to be doing it when she’s so close to term?”

She
smiled
. “I seriously doubt
Dannilynn
would
agree to
that. And
it’s none of your business. Since when are you so nosy about someone else’s sex life?”

“Curiosity, I guess
.
It’s just that he’s so happy, I figured he was—you know—getting it on with her.”

“Well, even if he is, so what? 
He can’t
get her pregnant.
”

“
Okay
, smartie.
How
is it that every time she arrives at the clinic, it’s in th
e
sam
e car he’s driving
?
And, when they leave, they leave together?”

“
He’s giving her a ride!
She was actually
plann
ing to ride her bike to work until we talked about her center of gravity and how it’s shifted
.
Joe
l
,
it’
s none of
your business.
You said yo
urself he’s her roommate
.
”
She rose from the table and began to clear away the dishes.

“Where are you going
? I
t’s Sunday.
”

“I have to go to the office. I promised to see someone.”

“Come back quickly
so
we can perfect our toget
herness in the shower.” H
e
grinned
. “I thin
k we goofed up a couple of
moves last night. And
you’re always saying that
practice make
s
perfect.
”

She
snorted and
raised one eyebrow at him
then blew him a kiss
.

The
heavy
smell of last night’s dinner hung in the air.
Taking a
dee
p breath and rubbing her stomach,
Danni
reread the course catalog, returning to the pages with
the s
p
ring quarter classes
. 

“
Hey
,
baby,
” she addressed her
bump
, “
i
f
you come
on time,
I’ll
be able to stay home for the first month and then
start
school
. And if I can schedule my classes close together, I won’t have to make up so many in the summer. That means I can
be home more
. But
how many classes can I take
and still take care of you
?”
She sighed.
“
If only
I
knew how
you’
ll be. Your grandma said I was colic
ky and she had to walk me a lot,
sometimes at night, too. But Adam
i
s so easy. Rebecca said all he did was sleep and eat and fill his diaper the first couple
of
months. If you’re like him, I’ll have plenty of time for school.” She
pat
ted her belly
. “
I wish
you would tell me
. Then planning my course load would be
a lot easier
.
”
             

She
set
the catalog a
side
and thought of school. Would Steve still be there? He was supposed to have graduated, but Sarah had seen him on campus
at the start of winter quarter
. How could she avoid him if he was still around? And would he try to hurt the baby? She shook her head
to dislodge her fears
. “I have to think positive thoughts. Maybe he’ll be gone
by spring
.”
But she shivered and worried,
unwilling
to share her
concerns
with anyone.

When
Ben and
Dann
i
returned home
from the clinic
later than
usual
the next day
, a
note was attached to
a
rocking chair
sitting on the porch.

Danni
read the note and grinned.
“It’s from my mom
.
She used it when I was a baby. I haven’t seen it in years.
Let’s get it inside, out of the weather.
”

They brought the rocker into the living room and admired how it
looked
next to the little fireplace.

“You’ll like using it
whe
n the baby comes.
” Ben turned at the knock on the door.
He opened it
and smiled at Mrs. Kelly. “Come in.”