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“Just curious.”
“It’s sweet of you to look after her. Then again I’d expect nothing less. You’ve always liked playing hero.”
Playing hero?“What do you mean?”
“Garret, you know you like fixing everything. Your family. The hospital. This is no different. Your second-child characteristics are very strong. It’s very heroic and very admirable. That’s a good thing.”
Then why did she make it sound like a flaw? Because he hadn’t remembered the permit? “Ethan thought you’d be upset.”
“Yes, well, Ethan’s experiences with women fighting over his attentions at the hospital would make him think that. But no, I’m not upset. For pity’s sake, you just said she’s how far along? If you’d left her by the side of the road, I’d have been horrified. I understand completely, Garret.”
Her words rang with truth. She wasn’t jealous, wasn’t upset. In fact, it seemed as though Joss didn’t mind at all. While he knew it was juvenile of him, it bothered him that she wasn’t more troubled. He’d care plenty if Joss took another man home with her.
“Make sure you call the hotels before you leave this afternoon. There were so many power outages I heard the companies brought in extra crews and they’re staying in the area.”
“I’ll do that.”
“Good. Now I’d better go. I’ve got to call Daddy and check in before he calls out the National Guard. Take care of your guest and let me know how things go. Bye.”
Just like that the phone clicked in his ear. No “I love you,” no nothing. Just “Bye.” Shouldn’t she be the slightest bit jealous? Have asked more questions? Even Ethan had issued a brotherly warning about Darcy. Shouldn’t his girlfriend be a little more curious?
He pressed the button on the phone and set it aside. He and Joss hadn’t spent more than a few hours in each other’s company the entire month. And most of that time they had spent was surrounded by his family and hers on Christmas day.
She trusts you. Be glad she’s not upset. Then you’d be kissing up trying to make amends.
Garret got back to work and was nose deep reading a deposition when the phone rang. Ahh, here it was. Joss had thought about things and was calling him back. “Hello?”
“Garret, what the hell is going on?”
He stilled. Had Joss called her father with her complaints instead of voicing them to him? What kind of behavior was that? “Sir?”
“I just got a call from a board member who said there are ten-foot snowdrifts in the parking lot.”
He switched mental gears.That’swhy Harry was calling? “There’s a lot of snow out there, Harry. They were told to pile it on the back lots farthest from the entrances.”
“I don’t want it there at all!”
He gritted his teeth, his hand gripping the phone tight. “It has to go somewhere. When they scrape off the parking lot becausewewant the spaces clear, where are they supposed to put it? They can’t put it back in the air.” Did Harry not have any sense?
Harry hem-hawed and grumbled for a moment. “Fine, but if I go down there to check things out and there’s a snow pile on any of the front lots, that team is history. Fired! Do you understand me?”
“Yessir.” Garret rubbed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. So much for Darcy’s massage.
“Jocelyn called, too.”
He braced himself.
“I don’t approve of her staying in that rat-trap building, son. Why she had to set up shop in the old part of town, I’ll never know.”
“I, uh, think rent had a lot to do with it.”
“It’s a waste of time and money. You need to take her in hand, Garret, and the only way you’re going to do it is if you put a ring on her finger. What are you waiting for?”
He smiled wearily. Yet another jab. Joss could’ve been more interested in him, but at least she hadn’t told her father about Darcy. Ethan was right. If Harry got wind of Darcy’s presence, however innocent, his temper would blow sky-high and the pressure would really be on. “She’s fine. The security system is top-notch.”
“If she had a home and family to take care of she wouldn’t be going so far to entertain herself.”
“She likes art, Harry, and she’s good at what she does. You should be proud of her accomplishments.”
