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Patti nudged Katie. “Or the fact that his muscles have muscles?”
“Or that you can see clear to heaven in those blue eyes?”
“No wonder she’s hiding him out back.”
“All right, all right.” Heat flooded Avery’s cheeks, and she cursed her fair skin. “He was a patient over the weekend, that’s all. He came in Saturday night, burning up with fever and—”
“Are you sure he was the one who was feverish?” Katie said. “Sometimes it can be confusing.”
Laughter rolled through the room. Avery forced herself to roll with it. “Haha. Hot male patient, single female doctor.Very funny. I get it. But he had—has—a URI and was severely dehydrated so I kept him overnight. Long story short, he’s a contractor and he’ll be starting the carriage house renovation, so he’ll be hanging around a couple weeks.”
“Is he single?” Sharise asked.
“I have no idea. He was my patient—and now he’s here to work and I’m not interested.”
“I wasn’t asking for you.” Sharise fluttered her lashes.
“All right, you’ve had your fun.” Avery checked the time and stood as the phone rang. “It’s that time. Let’s have a great day, everyone.”
Patti and Sharise filed out, still laughing over the hottie in their backyard as Avery slid behind her desk.
Katie approached, head tilted, coy smile curving her lips. “So, what was all that about?”
“All what?”
“Attractive mountain man, hiding away in the clinic with you all weekend... Ringing a bell?”
“I told you, he was severely dehydrated. And he didn’t have insurance so he wouldn’t go to the hospital.” She opened her mouth to say more but decided to stop before she overexplained.
“You don’t normally keep patients overnight.”
Avery crossed her arms. “I’ve done it before.”
“You said he came in on Saturday night, so you kept him two nights, and we both know it doesn’t take that long to rehydrate.”
“He was ill and he didn’t have anywhere to go, being Fourth of July weekend, and you know what? Sometimes having a best friend working for you is a pain in the butt.”
Katie chuckled, then her gaze homed in on Avery’s face,which was probably an unflattering shade of pink. “It’s nice to see you interested in someone, that’s all.”
“I am not interested in him.” She wasn’t. He’d just been pleasant company this weekend. It had been a minute since she’d enjoyed the company of a male who wasn’t related to her.
Katie stared at her for a long moment. “Okay. Good. Then I hope you’ll give Rick Rodriguez a real chance. Keep Friday night free. It’s going to be so fun, double dating. Just like when we were in college.” And with one last smile Katie exited her office.
Chapter8
It was almost 6:00 p.m. when Wes awakened from a nap he’d never intended to take. His fever had returned in the afternoon, and his plans to measure the windows went right out the, well, window.
He sat up and ran a hand over his face. The beige sofa wasn’t much to look at, but it had embraced him like a warm, soft woman. He felt much better now. Definitely well enough to start on the windows.
Avery wouldn’t approve, but she didn’t have to know. If the openings weren’t standard size, he’d have to order the windows, and he wanted to make sure he got them installed for her. Besides, he’d been bored silly today. He wasn’t used to sitting around. Sick or not, he needed something to fill the hours. He still had a long evening ahead.
A knock sounded on the front door. He ran a hand throughhis snarled hair as he made his way to the door. Avery stood on the stoop. He hadn’t seen her since he barged in on her meeting, though she’d checked up on him via text.
She’d exchanged her lab coat for a long tee and yoga pants, and her hair gleamed red in the afternoon sunlight. A black cat with white paws snuggled in her arms.
“How are you feeling? Looks like you just woke up.”
“I’m feeling well. Best I’ve felt yet.”
