The Best Of The Year - Medical Romance. Carol Marinelli
man who stepped into her path.
“Oh, I’m sorry.” She turned around. “I didn’t see...”
Her voice died away, and her face drained of all its color as she looked up at the man she’d just run into. She let go of Jack’s hand in a rush.
The stranger’s brows came together, and his eyes narrowed as he studied Jack and then Mira. Then he addressed her, saying, “I think you have some explaining to do.”
Her arms went around her waist, and she drew in a shaky breath. “Daddy, what are you doing here?”
MIRA TRIED TO give off an appearance of calm.
But her heart was ticking at an alarming pace, and she was aware of Jack standing just behind her. He had to be wondering what the hell was going on.
He wasn’t the only one. She was pretty much wondering the same thing.
Why was her father here? He rarely put in an appearance at the lodge these days. And he wasn’t exactly what she would call “involved” in her life any more. Although much of that was her own fault. Even when he’d tried to get close over the past several years while she’d been at med school, she’d tended to pull away. Her mom had let his infidelity go, why couldn’t she?
“Well?” he said, evidently waiting for that explanation he’d asked for.
She lifted her chin, refusing to act the part of the meek little girl he’d once carried around on his shoulders. “You want an explanation? Maybe you should ask Robert for one.”
“Robert, what’s he got to do with this?” He looked genuinely puzzled.
Gulping, she scrambled to figure out what else he could be talking about. She figured her ex had called her father—like he’d hinted he would do—to cry on his shoulder or ask him to intervene on his behalf. And that her dad had hightailed it up to Silver Pass to give her hell. Okay, so if that wasn’t the case, it could only mean he was asking for an explanation about why she was holding hands with a strange man. She glanced back at Jack and blew out a breath at the grim expression on his face. Her dad wasn’t the only one asking some mental questions. Better get the introductions out of the way.
“Sorry. I’ll talk to you about Robert later.” She motioned Jack closer. “Daddy, this is Jack Perry. He’s the team doctor for the Texas Hawks. He helped out with an accident on the slopes a few minutes ago.”
“The Hawks? I’m impressed.” He stuck out a hand. “Nice to meet you.”
He proceeded to grill Jack on his opinion of this team or that and what he thought of Texas and Colorado’s chances for making it to the playoffs next year.
She felt bad about throwing Jack to Papa Wolf, but if anything could distract her dad it was football. It would at least give her time to think before the subject eventually swung back to her and what she feared would be the subject du jour: why she was holding hands with a man who wasn’t her fiancé, team doctor or no team doctor.
Not that she owed him any explanations after the way he’d treated her mom. But, still, it would be awkward to tell him to mind his own business in front of Jack.
So, what could she tell him?
How about: Jack was blind, and she was helping him find the reception desk.
Nope, that wouldn’t work, since the Hawks probably wouldn’t hire a blind physician.
That left... Yeah. She was drawing a complete blank.
“Mira?” Her dad’s voice dragged her from her thoughts.
Her head came up. “Sorry?”
“I invited Jack to have dinner with us tonight at eight. Hope that was okay?”
She couldn’t have been any more shocked if her dad had suddenly started doing the chicken dance in front of everyone in the crowded lobby. She’d expected a scene and had gotten a dinner invitation instead. Although with her dad, it normally came out sounding more like an ultimatum. “No, of course I don’t mind, if it’s all right with him.”
Jack glanced at the lobby, and Mira noted that Predator in Pink was still watching them closely. “It’s fine with me,” he said.
Did this make two or three dates with guy number five? She was supposed to be moving on to the next eligible bachelor and then the next. Her gaze slid back to the woman across the room. Yeah, she so did not want to become that. Maybe she should stop being so anxious to zip from man to man.
Besides, she and Jack hadn’t actually had their first date yet. Right? Because the hot chocolate didn’t count, and the ski lesson had been interrupted by the rescue on the slope, so that didn’t count either.
And the sleigh ride?
Hmm, that could definitely be classified as a date. Which would officially mark the end of their association.
Her father gave her a quick hug. “Do you want to ask Robert to come as well?”
“Robert?” Nothing like her emotions swinging from relief to panic. She was going to have to break the news to her father. But not now. Not in front of Jack. “I’m sure he’s busy with lessons.”
“Okay, if you’re sure.” He smiled as he released her. “You know, that boy’s future father-in-law is the owner of this joint. I could probably pull a few strings and have him let off early.”
Jack visibly stiffened beside her. “It was nice meeting you,” he said to her father. “But I need to turn in my equipment and get cleaned up. Thank you for the dinner invitation.”
The last thing she wanted was to be left alone with her father. “I can go with you to the rental kiosk, if you don’t remember where it is.”
“I remember. Thanks for your...help earlier. I think I’ve got it from here.”
That must be one of the man’s favorite phrases. How many times did that make now? Three?
About as many times as she’d been with him. Well, that was just great.
Waiting until Jack was three or four strides away, she raised her voice just enough for the woman across the room to hear. “Don’t forget about making the reservation for the sleigh ride. Believe me, you won’t want to miss it.”
Now, why had she said that? Maybe because it stung that he couldn’t seem to get away from her fast enough.
Jack stopped in his tracks for a second or two before throwing her a look that was filled with lazy amusement totally at odds with his abrupt departure. And when his voice came back, it was much lower than hers had been. “Believe me, I haven’t forgotten.”
A shiver went over her at the dark intensity of his words. She glanced sharply up at her father to see if he’d noticed, but he seemed lost in his own world at the moment. Once Jack had gone through the door she turned her attention back to her father, bracing herself for a confrontation. Better to just tell him the truth and get it over with.
“Dad, I have something to tell you,” she began.
“I have something to tell you as well. Actually, I wanted to ask you for a favor. It’s why I came up here today.”
She gulped. A favor? “Is it about Robert?”
If he was going to ask her to give her ex a second chance, she might just blow her top. One cheater asking her to forgive and forget the transgressions of another cheater? Not hardly. Especially when one of the women Robert had cheated with was standing on the other side of the room.
“It’s not about Robert, it’s about...” He focused on her face. “Is everything okay between the two of you?”
She frowned, trying to figure out exactly what