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“I mostly let others talk.”
“Another solid strategy.” She swept him with an unreadable look.
“Maybe we can share tips,” Harry said.
“How does a doctor avoid small talk, though?”
The worddoctormade his guts clench. He frowned. “That’s different.”
“Hmm,” she murmured. “Temperance mentioned you live in L.A.? You’re a long way from sunny California, Dr. Brady.”
“That’s the idea.”
“You came all the way across the country for your family’s bonfire?”
“Ah, not exactly.”
“Why are you here, then?” she pressed.
Escape,Harry thought.
“I have a thing for ponds,” he said instead.
Pause, then a small sideways smile. “I didn’t mean here on the dock, Doc.”
Harry chuckled. “My folks retired this year and bought this place. They don’t know how to be idle, I guess. Big plans. I took a leave of absence. To help.”
Liar.
“You planning to trade the stethoscope for some bypass pruners, then?”
Harry shrugged. “I’m not sure what bypass pruners are, but that vineyard is a mess, from what I hear.”
Rowan took a long drink of the wine. She blinked slowly, watching him.
“Shit, was that small talk?” Harry said.
“No. But it wasn’t an answer, either.”
“Maybe I’m afraid you’llthinkmy answer is small talk? I don’t want you to hide in bathrooms every time you see me.”
“Wow, you’re really overthinking this,” she laughed.
“Overthinking used to be all I did. Now, I, ah—do everythingwithoutthinking.” Harry tucked a hand back through his hair.
“You still haven’t answered my question. Why are youhere? If I ever take a leave of absence, I’d go somewhere that’s—not Pennsylvania.”
“My family wanted me closer,” he said. “So, here I am.”
“No strings to tie you down, then?”
“Are you asking if I’m married, or if I’m Pinocchio?”
Confusion briefly crumpled her features, then a loud, bubbling laugh. “Funny.Areyou?”
He didn’t answer and looked out over the pond. Night wind pleated the surface of the water like black silk.
She sat forward, pushing the bottle of wine to him. Her fingernails were short, and a narrow sliver of soil darkened her thumb’s cuticle. “You brought more baggage with you than would fit in the overhead bin, didn’t you, Dr. Brady?”
