Blessings

“Obviously not enough.” He slipped his other shoe on and tied it slowly, taking his time while his mind whirred. Nothing. “I’ll stand by my question—why do you ask?”

“Because of your attitude, of course.” She sat perched on the edge of her chair not two feet from where he stood.

“My attitude?” Joshua frowned. She said it as if he’d been rude. There was nothing wrong with his attitude. “What attitude?”

She sighed. “Never mind. I know a block when I see one.”

“Dr. Brandt—Nicole. I have no idea what you’re talking about. I don’t have an attitude or a—a block, as you put it, about you or anyone else. All I want is a short-term assistant who can function within the parameters I’ve set out without causing additional stress.”

“Do you realize that in the past week you’ve reminded me at least three times, every single day, that I am not a permanent fixture in your office?” She leaned forward, eyes blazing in her beautiful face.

That spark of anger alerted Joshua; he knew he’d gone too far. He stayed exactly where he was and did her the courtesy of quietly listening, though it cost him dearly.

“Hear this, Dr. Darling. I am not staying. I will not be hanging on to your coattails, prevailing upon you to keep me when my six months are over, not even if you beg me on bended knee.”

As if that would happen!

But Joshua got the drift. She was mad. The air around her sizzled, and her blond hair flickered through the air just like the girls’ hair did when there was too much static. He almost smiled.

Big mistake.

“Don’t you laugh at me! I have plans for my future, Dr. Darling, big plans. And they do not include working for, with, or beside you after my term here has been served. There’s no way I’m prepared to give up my dream of surgery and remain secluded in this little town, meting out care to my patients in parsimonious ten-minute intervals. Not one chance in a thousand.”

Like you.

Joshua heard everything she didn’t say. He knew she’d seen past his pretense of doctorly concern to the cad he was beneath. He’d been going through the motions of caring for his patients, and she knew it! The thought galled him, but he couldn’t acknowledge it—not here and not now. He just couldn’t.

“I’m glad to hear that, Dr. Brandt, because as you know, I intend to find the perfect partner.” This time he left the remainder unsaid. “Girls! It’s time to leave. Now.”

They came from all corners of the house, black patent Mary Jane shoes tapping overhead, across the oak floors in a cacophony of scurrying steps. One by one, the girls bounded down the stairs and presented themselves in the front hall.

Joshua gulped at the sight.

They had on hats. Strange, gaudy-looking straw boaters that had originally arrived as Easter bonnets from Aunt Win, and had subsequently been decorated with fuzzy chicks of various rainbow colors, tiny bird’s nests and pussy willows.

He thought Rachel’s was almost decent, covered as it was by tiny pink bows and rosebuds. Until he saw the gaping hole at the back and remembered that Ladybug had sampled it. Straw stuck out, tattered and broken.

Deliberately Joshua moved on to Ruth Ann. She was artistic, creative. Surely—but no, her hat had obviously suffered from her one-handed state. The pretty blue ribbons that had once rippled down her back now hung wrinkled and dingy, their ends frayed. Her motif was chicks. Little puffy bits no bigger than Joshua’s pinkie rimmed the brim, peeping down into her face, their stick feet barely secured to the straw.

But it was his baby, his smallest angel, who’d gone all out to imitate their guest. Yards and yards of filmy white cloth not unlike the bathroom curtain swathed her hat, bent the brim so that it drooped down and created a beehive effect that swayed whenever she moved. A bit of the fabric draped over the front of Rosalyn’s hat, completely shielding her eyes and all but the very tip of her little pink nose. The entire concoction was held in place with a thousand safety pins that glittered and shone in the sunlight.

“Don’t worry, Dad. I helped her with the pins,” Rachel informed him with an artless smile.

“Thank you, dear.” Joshua never knew where the words came from. He only knew that his girls had worked feverishly to attain the same fashion statement as Nicole, and failed miserably.

He also knew that anything he said now would be wrong, so he clamped his lips shut, held open the front door and motioned them all outside.

“Thank goodness Ladybug’s gone.”

“Yeah, she would have wrecked our hats.” Ruthie led the way to the car, eased her way in, then turned to help Rosie.

Rachel followed in a stately saunter that threatened to trip them all up if they didn’t get out of her way.

Dr. Nicole Brandt stood beside him watching the procession, a smile twitching at her lips. Finally she looked at him. He was shocked by the merry twinkle dancing in her eyes.

“You did very well, Dr. Darling,” she whispered. “Now keep a stiff upper lip and everything will be just fine.”

“Easy for you to stay.” He didn’t bother to hide his pained expression. He waited for her to walk out the door, then went to close it. Her hand on his arm stopped him.

“Dr. Darling?”

“Yes?” He frowned. What did she want now? Hadn’t she wreaked enough havoc in his life?

“About the casserole.”

“I put it in the oven and set the temperature, as you said.” He tried to close the door again, but her delicately sandaled foot prevented that. “What?”

“You have to turn the oven on,” she whispered.

Her eyes met his in one quick glance, then she went sashaying down his walk as if she belonged there in her pencil-slim dress, fancy high heels and that ridiculous hat.

Joshua turned his back on them all and went inside to switch on the oven. He knew that—he did! It had simply slipped his mind…with so much else going on.

Discomfited by his own forgetfulness in front of his new doctor, he stomped back outside, slammed the door closed so hard the window creaked, and snapped the dead bolt home with his key.

“I love Sundays,” Nicole sang out as soon as he was in the car. “It’s so much fun to gather together and hear Bible stories. I always imagine what it must have been like in those olden days. I love it.”

“Me, too.”

Agreement with Dr. Brandt’s sentiments echoed through his car twice more. What was he raising—parrots?

Joshua kept his mouth clamped shut and concentrated on getting them all to church without disaster. Once there, he chose a parking spot as far from the door as possible in hopes that the wind would take care of the hat problem for him. Unfortunately, the day was totally calm and the hats remained firmly attached to his daughters’ heads.

The girls raced across the lot as fast as they could manage, calling to their friends as they went.

“I don’t think it’s fitting to take those, er, creations, into the house of God,” he muttered, staring up at the gigantic cross that sat atop the church.

“Why on earth not? They worked so hard making them. You should be proud.” Nicole frowned at him fiercely. “Every single time those girls go out of their way to make something special like this, you should be bursting your buttons with pride.”

“Their mother would kill me.”

Dr. Brandt’s eyes grew cool, frosty. The tension between them grew until he could feel the ice crackling.

“I doubt that very much. I think she’d be very proud. But even if it were true, their mother isn’t here. They are. And so are you. They need to know you love them, no matter what.”

What had caused such anger? he wondered. It came from nowhere. One minute she was smiling like a movie star, the next growling at him as fiercely protective as a mother cub.

“I do love them.” Why was he defending himself?

“Have you told them that lately?” She glared.

Joshua stalked away, a spurt of anger burning inside. What right had she to judge? She didn’t have three kids dependent on her. She was free as a bird.

“You can run, but you can’t hide.” The whisper came from behind his left shoulder.

“I’m not running. I just thought I might sneak into the back pew before anybody figured out the three in those ridiculous getups are my daughters.”

Her hand on his arm prevented him from entering the sanctuary. He looked from it to her eyes, and flinched at the challenge he saw there.

“‘Man looks on the outward appearance,’” she whispered. “‘But God looks on the heart.’ And I can tell you right now, Dr. Darling, that those three girls with their funny hats have the purest little hearts in this entire building.”

She stepped past him, walked through the doorway and disappeared inside.

Joshua grimaced at her invisible back. Dr. Nicole Brandt would make a good surgeon. She cut right to the quick without messing about.

The problem was, her condemnation burned all the way to his soul.

Chapter Four

“It’s not that I want to leave you alone, dear.” Winifred inclined her head, her eyes darting around the foyer packed full with those departing after the service. “It’s just that Furly and I always go out for lunch on Sunday. The poor thing has no family, you know. She depends on me and I don’t want to cancel our date. Silly of me to have forgotten it, really.”

“I’ll be fine.” The words slipped out automatically, though Nicole couldn’t help wondering why the woman hadn’t said something about this lunch date earlier.

“No, you—I know! Why don’t you share lunch with Joshua and the girls? I’m sure they’d enjoy seeing a new face at the table.” She looked delighted with her idea.

Nicole wanted to run.

“Miss Blessing, there’s no need for that. Really. I’ll just make a sandwich. I’ve got a new text I’d like to study anyway.” No way was she going back inside that house with the grouch.

“You can’t!” The words burst out, loud enough to attract attention.

“I beg your pardon?” Nicole stared, amazed that this calm, competent woman seemed so frazzled.

“I—I haven’t any bread. Or buns. I forgot to bring some home yesterday. And there’s no meat. Sandwiches need meat.” She turned, caught sight of her nephew and waved him over. “Joshua, yoo-hoo.”

He came willingly enough, until he spotted Nicole.

“Is something wrong, Aunt Win?”

“No.” Nicole pressed her heels into the floor and refused to look at him.

“Yes,” Winifred said at the exact same moment. “I have a lunch date with Furly and there’s not a thing in the house for Nicole to eat.”

“Nothing to eat? At your house?” Skepticism marred Dr. Darling’s good looks.

“Not a thing, dear. I’ve been a little preoccupied lately and I guess…” She let the sentence trail away.

“You’re feeling all right, aren’t you?” He raised a hand, as if to check her temperature. “Nothing bothering you?”

Winifred backed up.

“I’m fine, dear.” She smiled at him. “I just wanted to ask you if Nicole could share that casserole I sent over for you and the girls. It’s not nice for her to have to eat all alone.”

Nicole held her breath, suppressing the laugh that bubbled up as distaste flooded Dr. Darling’s expressive eyes.

“But—why doesn’t she go with you and Furly?”

“Oh, I couldn’t do that, dear.” Winifred rushed into speech, words tumbling out at a furious pace. “Furly has something rather important that she wants to confide in me, you see. I don’t think she’d open up with someone else around.”

Oh, to be wanted. Nicole felt like a tennis ball being shunted back and forth, from one court to the other.

“Couldn’t she tell you at work tomorrow? You two are alone there for hours.”

“No, Joshua.” The older woman’s voice firmed. “I think it’s best if Nicole eats with you. There’s plenty of that casserole for one more to share.” Winifred leaned forward and pressed her lips to his cheek. “Thank you, dear.” Then she sailed away, majestically nodding to the left and right at various friends.

Joshua glared at her back, his mouth twisting into a grim line.

“Listen, I’ll look after myself. There’s no need for me to impose on you, other than accepting a ride back.” Nicole almost laughed at the chagrin that washed over his face.

“Of course you’ll ride back with us, and eat lunch, too.” His glance roved the parking lot in front of the church. “We’ll leave as soon as I find the girls.” He turned away to locate his children.

Nicole reached out and stopped him with a hand on his arm. He looked down at her hand, then up into her face.

“Problem?”

“Just because she said it doesn’t mean we have to obey. I’ll be fine. I’ll catch a ride with you, but that’s all. You just enjoy your afternoon off, with your daughters.”

His lips tightened, but he said nothing more until they were driving home.

“I’m afraid I have to insist you eat with us, Dr. Brandt. My aunt expects it. Afterward you may feel free to leave whenever you wish.”

She tried to get out of it up until the moment he turned into his drive.

“I will not change my mind, Dr. Brandt.”

“Oh, for goodness’ sake!” Exasperated, she climbed out of the car. “You’ve really got to get over this rigid adherence to rules.” She stomped down his driveway toward Miss Winifred’s.

“Where are you going?”

“To change my clothes. I’ll be back in three minutes. We can eat, and then you’ll be free of me.”

In actual fact, it took Nicole more than five minutes because she made a detour through Winifred Blessing’s kitchen. While it was true that there were no buns or bread hidden away, there was a box with the familiar red Blessing Bakery script. Inside were six featherlight croissants that would have made yummy sandwiches. Nicole snatched the box on her way out.

“Two can play this game, Winifred,” she muttered, retracing her steps across the road.

Ruthie opened the front door before she got there.

“I changed, too.” She scrutinized Nicole’s favorite jeans with a curious look. “You got holes in your pants.”

“I know. It’s because I wear them so often. They’re my favorite. Don’t you have favorite clothes you like to wear?”

The little girl shifted. The door opened wider to reveal her father.

“Don’t ask that,” he warned. One glance took in the disreputable jeans. “Hers aren’t in quite that bad a condition, however.”

Nicole was not in the mood to endure another word of censure. She thrust the box of croissants at him.

“These are for lunch. Compliments of your aunt.” She glanced down as Ruthie’s hand twined into hers.

“Wanna help me set the table?”

“Sure.” It was better than staring at Joshua Darling, Nicole decided. He’d changed, too. The suit and tie replaced by khaki cords and a tan shirt, he looked every inch the respectable family doctor. Not one hair was out of place.

Sheer perversity made Nicole say it. “Are you going to help us with the treasure boxes?”

“Uh—I beg your pardon?” He walked toward the kitchen, as if he could get away from her.

Nicole followed right behind, tugging Ruthie with her.

“You remember, Daddy. We’re going to make treasure boxes so we can keep our special things in them.” Ruthie dragged open a drawer and began hauling out cutlery.

“Oh. Boxes. Yes. Right.” He plopped the croissants onto a plate and set them on the table, then turned to find the butter.

Nicole countered every step he took with her own as she searched for plates, cups, napkins. His impatience at the constant run-ins grew until he finally demanded she sit down and let him work in peace.

“I could make a salad,” she offered, and pulled the ingredients from the fridge.

“I don’t like radishes.” Ruthie frowned, watching carefully as Nicole kept slicing thin red pieces into the lettuce. “An’ me and Rach don’t like those green things, either.”

“You’re kidding?” Nicole slipped a bit of celery into her mouth and crunched on it. “This is my second-favorite food. It’s even better when you put cream cheese on it.”

“Show me.”

Nicole dressed several celery sticks. Ruthie picked up one and let it graze her lips. After a minute she took a bite, nodded and took another one.

Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.

Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».

Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.

Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.