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If her marital status surprised him, he didn’t let his shock show. “I thought she died last year.”
“You heard that?” Her mother hadn’t been a prominent citizen or anyone important other than to herself and Ryan. “How?”
“My mother still lives in Peachtree. She mentioned seeing the announcement in the local paper.”
Kimberly nodded. How many times when visiting her mother had she been tempted to drive up Daniel’s street? To travel down memory lane?
But she never had. She wouldn’t risk running into Leona. Daniel’s mother had a clear idea of what was good for her son. And what wasn’t.
Kimberly and Ryan fell into the second category.
Besides, she’d have had to face the hurt in her own mother’s eyes if she’d sought out Leona in any way.
“How is she?” she asked of the woman who’d played such an instrumental role in the direction her life had taken fifteen years ago.
His mouth twitched. “Getting older and wishing I’d move home.”
All the blood drained from Kimberly’s body and pooled in the pit of her stomach, causing it to churn with nausea, but she kept her expression bland, feigning little interest.
“You’re thinking of moving back to Georgia?” Lord, she hoped not. “Why would you move to Georgia?” she mused out loud. “Your research is here in Boston. Heart patients worldwide need you.”
“I can do my research anywhere,” he snorted, dismissing her words when she’d expected him to puff up with egotism. Most of the men of her acquaintance would have done so when given such an ego stroke. “But I have no plans to return to Atlanta.”
Outwardly pretending she couldn’t care less, she bit back a sigh of relief.
“I think we should call a truce.”
Surprised, she met his gaze. “A truce?”
“Short of you faking a major illness, in which case I suspect Cardico would either reschedule your training yet again or fire you, you’re stuck here for the week.”
He had a point. As much as she’d like to just walk away, she had a great job at Cardico. Ryan would be leaving for college in a few years. Tuition wouldn’t come cheap. And, there were her benefits, like health insurance and so on. Unemployment, even if just for a few weeks, wouldn’t be a smart risk.
“What kind of truce?”
“We’ll behave on a professional level while at the hospital, treat each other with respect.”
Sounded feasible. In theory.
“When we’re not at the hospital?”
“Any time we spend together outside work…” he flashed a mouthful of perfectly straight teeth in a smile that had sin written all over it “…we’ll decide how to deal with moment by moment.”
“Fine,” she agreed, vowing to make sure she didn’t see him outside the hospital.
She’d do her job, give Cardico their money’s worth, but beyond that she’d stay clear of Dr. Daniel Travis.
And maybe, just maybe, she’d survive this week.
CHAPTER THREE
“HOW long have you had increased difficulty breathing, Mrs. Johnson?” Daniel asked the woman sitting in a chair in one of his exam rooms.
He worked in a cardiac clinic within Boston Memorial Hospital that connected to his private office. Ten cardiologists in total practiced at the clinic. His patient schedule was lighter than normal today due to the time set aside for Cardico.
For Kimberly.
Although tiny crow’s feet fanned her eyes and her body boasted maturity that hadn’t been there the last time he’d seen her, time had only added to her beauty. She looked amazing.
