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The abrupt change of subject made him blink. “Did she?”
“Yep. She says you know everything about the body. That you had to study it for years. So that’s how you know how to fix people like me.”
She was so damn cute, with little freckles dotted across the bridge of her nose, just like her mom’s.
“Yeah, it takes a long time to become a doctor.”
“Do you think I could do it?” she asked, tipping her head to the side. The movement sprayed more water over his legs.
“For sure. If you studied hard.”
“Because girls can do anything they want, right? Mom told me that.” She was sassy as hell. He loved it.
“Yep. That’s right. Some of the best doctors I know are women.”
“That’s good. I’m going to swim again now.” She lifted her hand and rushed back toward the pool, jumping in and making a splash that peppered the edges. With a smile still curling his lips, Rich walked to the apartment building, giving Gloria a wave as he stepped through the doorway.
She nodded and gave him a strange smile. As though she knew something he didn’t.
Which wasn’t that surprising. She pretty much knew everything that went on around here.
“What exactly did she say?” It was a beautiful, sunny California morning, and he was at his sister’s house. They were sitting on her back deck, overlooking her yard. Flowers had started to bloom in the low-level planters she loved to tend, and their colors were bright against the emerald green grass. When she’d moved into this cottage, he’d arranged to have the yard adapted to her wheelchair, and for the grass to be replaced with artificial turf that she wouldn’t need to have cut every week. Instead, she spent her time planting and feeding the flowers that brought her so much joy.
“That she might have a clash on the day we’d agreed on. Apparently, her business partner had agreed to have a function there without running it by her first.” Belle’s eyes were shining, the sun reflecting off the water that was pooling in them. “She was very apologetic.”
He bet she was. Carlyn hadn’t mentioned anything about another booking when they’d gone in on Saturday. It couldn’t be a coincidence that within a few days of her seeing him with Meghan she was canceling on his sister.
Dammit. He’d thought he had this handled. And now his sister was trying not to cry because of his own stupid mistakes.
“Did she say if you could hold your show on a different day?” he asked, his voice low.
She shook her head. “She just said she might have to cancel, but she’d confirm by the weekend.” She pulled her lip between her teeth, her eyes still shining. “I have no idea what to do. All the dates at the college are full and there are no other galleries with availability. I’ve already started sending out invitations as well.” She wiped her face with the back of her hand. “I really thought it was agreed.”
“It was.” His jaw was tight. “We signed a contract. I’ll go see her and find out what the hell is going on. She can’t break a contract without having consequences.” Christ, he was furious. He had to curl his hands into his fists to calm down.
“Would you do that for me?” She looked up at him, her lip trembling.
“Of course I would. You know that. You just have to ask and it’s done.” He owed her that much. Truth was, he owed her so much more. It was a debt he could never repay.
“Thank you.” She slid her hand into his, squeezing his fingers tightly. “And now that I’ve got my sniveling out of the way, maybe you can tell me how long you’ve been dating the lovely Meghan. She was so much fun on Saturday. She has a real eye for paintings.” For the first time all afternoon, Belle smiled, and it was like the sun coming out. “I like her, Rich.”
So did he. And that was a big problem.
“Mommy, did you know Rich has a scar on his eyebrow?” Isla’s voice was soft and full of sleep, though s
he was fighting it. She was laying beneath her pink coverlet, her cheeks still rosy from her shower, her hair plaited into two braids so it would be easier to tame for school tomorrow.
“Does he?”
“Yep. And I told him about your scar, too. Did you know your scar will never get any hair? Which is good, really, because who wants a hairy stomach?”
Ah, the joys of children. The inappropriateness made Meghan want to giggle.
“Gorillas probably want hairy stomachs.”
“True.” Isla nodded, her face serious. “But you’re not a gorilla, are you?”
“Not the last time I looked.”
