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He laughed.
“You laugh, but it’s true. Interpersonal communication is not my strong suit. When you came to my office that morning, I’d just come from Dr. Boyd’s office, where he gave me his opinion on the use of traditional medicine in his hospital.”
“He’s very old-school.”
“And I’m new-school, which technically is older school, but… Regardless, I’m more of a blend of the two, but I don’t think he’s interested in blending. Anyway, I am sorry for not speaking to you more professionally that day, as well. I promise it’s not normally like me. If anything, I get accused of being too professional, too…stoic.”
“Okay. Well, then, I’ll return the favor and admit it wasn’t my finest moment when I brought up your age, which inadvertently implied a lack of experience.”
“Thank you. Apology accepted. That is a bit of a hot-button issue with me. It gets…old, for lack of a better word. I try to let my actions speak to my experience and usually it works. But I have my moments.”
Tag resisted the inclination to point out that only experience would make things easier, but as he worked through her explanation he wasn’t so sure. He tried to put himself in her position as a woman and a young, beautiful Native one at that. It was impossible to imagine what she went through, dealing with people’s doubts and preconceived notions, and constantly having to prove herself. In truth, he’d probably be a whole lot more defensive than she was.
A million questions flashed through his mind about her age, her experiences and her life, which he suspected had already been an interesting one. But he wasn’t about to ask any of them now. He didn’t want her to think he had more doubts. He’d already messed that up once. Better to let his actions speak for him.
“I appreciate you laying all this out on the table. I tell you what, let’s work it out later when we can talk more…face-to-face, so to speak.”
A soft sigh sounded in his earphones, giving him the impression she liked the layer of distance the onboard communications provided. “Okay.”
“So, I don’t know if Flynn mentioned it to you, but we’re bringing my sister Iris back with us from Anchorage.”
“He did not mention it. How nice. Does she live there?”
“No, she’s flying in from Washington, DC.”
“She lives in DC?”
“She was living there and going to graduate school. Just finished and now she’s looking for her dream job.”
“Hmm. So, I’ve met two of your sisters, a couple of cousins and I think your cousin-in-law? How many of you are there, anyway?”
“Um, a lot.” Tag hadn’t known she’d met any of his family. He wondered what they’d thought of her. “Tons of cousins. Six kids in my immediate family. Me, Shay, Hannah and then the triplets, Hazel, Seth and Iris.”
“Triplets?”
“Flynn didn’t tell you Iris is a triplet?”
A glance at her told him she was pondering that. “No, he didn’t. I don’t think I’ve ever met a triplet. Where are the other two?”
“Seth lives in Rankins. But he’s a professional fisherman, so he’s gone a lot, out on the water. Works with my dad. Hazel is a travel writer and blogger. Very adventurous. She’s currently in Mongolia.”
“Mongolia? Wow. That is utterly cool.”
He laughed. “I think so. Our dad? Not so much. He doesn’t understand Hazel’s desire to constantly put herself in harm’s way.”
“You probably get her, though, don’t you? The adventure part, anyway?”
A bolt of surprise went through him and it must have shown, because she added, “Pilot is not exactly a low-risk occupation.”
“But I’m a paramedic, too. Saving people cancels out the danger.”
Her husky laughter filled his headphones and worked right into him, into places that had him thinking about her in a way he knew he shouldn’t. Too young for you, James, he told himself. Too young and too…what? Different? Yes. Probably. At this point, he hoped so, because a reason beyond their age difference would help to put him off.
