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Taking over an empire like this one required a great deal of guidance, a lifetime of knowledge only Robert could give.
The irony was that Thea would have embraced the opportunity. Bobby ran from it like a colt high-tailing it up into the hills to avoid a saddle.
But whether he liked it or not, Bobby had to start accepting the responsibilities handed down to all the firstborn Maxwell sons for generations.
Robert knew his health was failing. He’d suffered a heart attack a few months ago, and the pressure in his chest sometimes made it nigh impossible to breathe. He couldn’t hang on forever waiting for the boy to grow up.
And soon it would be too late to guarantee the future of Walking Stones Ranch.
CHAPTER THREE
THE NEXT MORNING, Matt stood at the front bumper of his pickup with a bouquet of wildflowers in his hand and studied the clinic.
Jolie had seemed like just a girl next door when they’d first met. Not some doctor with a handful of degrees after her name.
But no matter what this might look like to anyone in her waiting room, this visit was duty and not flirtation. She wasn’t his type—he didn’t evenhavea type anymore.
After Barb’s death, he’d eventually tried dating again, but his abiding sense of betrayal to her memory had made it impossible. Nothing—and no one—had ever felt right.
Jolie was a just neighbor, and she’d been nice to the kids. So he needed to be neighborly and wish her well in her new practice.
With heavy footsteps, he approached the building, then walked into the empty waiting room.Not bad,he mused, surveying the obvious face-lift. Cheerful colors, plants,newmagazines on the end tables.
He approached the receptionist’s window and tapped on the bell. Maybe he’d just leave the flowers with an employee. He and Ed had plans to go over...
Jolie came from a back room. Dressed in trim black slacks, a silky peach blouse, and a thigh-length white lab coat, she hardly resembled the jeans and sweatshirt–clad woman he’d met before. Now her hair was twisted up in some sort of fancy knot on top of her head, and small gold hoops glittered at her ears. Uptown. Definitely uptown.
As far from South Chicago as a guy could get.
“I just wanted to drop these by for your new clinic.” He cleared his throat as he handed her the flowers. “And asapology for my son’s behavior. He and I had a discussion about trespassing on other people’s property.”
“They’re beautiful. Thanks—this is so thoughtful of you.” After an awkward pause, she added, “Would you like a tour?”
He should have declined, but when she set the flowers on the counter at the receptionist’s window and motioned him to follow her, he couldn’t bring himself to refuse.
Her scent was like lilies after a rain—a light, delicate fragrance that drew him to her as she led him around the clinic.
At the door of her office, he inadvertently brushed against her. When he reached out for her elbow to steady her, he saw her eyes flare wider.
“So...” She cleared her throat as she took a step back. “What do you think should be done in here?”
“Nice desk. Good lighting with those south-exposure windows. But that old paneling ought to go.”
“I agree.” She tapped a forefinger against her full lower lip. “Sheetrock instead, do you think?”
“All of the old paneling in this building should be replaced.”
She laughed. “I can just imagine what the city council would say to that. The town owns this building and the council has balked at most of my requests thus far. I think they’ve seen too many young doctors come and go.”
She led him through the rest of the clinic, stopping here and there to get his opinion on remodeling projects.
He tried to keep his attention on the tour and not the guide, but glimpses of the silky peach blouse beneath her unbuttoned lab coat made her seem even more feminine. Delicate. As if she would be needing protection from some of the rougher folks who would soon be walking through her clinic door.
Though given who her father was, he was pretty sure no one would bother her. And if someone did, he’d soon deeply regret it.
The floor joists creaked as they moved down the hallway. Water stains darkened the ceiling of the lab. The cupboards were battered, with doors hanging slightly askew on old hinges.
The back door locked with a push button on the door handle and a cheap surface slide bolt that any self-respecting vandal could break through in a split second.
