Part 9 (1/2)
She walked across the street to him. ”You got your ride,” he said.
”I did. Is Uncle Jack still watching me?”
”Oh, yes,” he said, putting his hands in his pockets and laughing a little. ”He's going to be a problem, isn't he?”
”Completely.”
”How would you like to handle that?” Patrick asked.
”Do you think if we ignore him, he'll go away?”
”I have my doubts,” Patrick said. ”He's a little on the grouchy side.”
”So are you,” she pointed out.
”Aw, I'm coming around. He isn't going to beat me up, is he?”
”If he does, I'll never speak to him again and, trust me, that would sting. I'm his favorite. He doesn't admit that because he has a whole flock of nieces, but I am his favorite. But I'm getting a little bored with this-he's treating me like a twelve-year-old virgin.”
Patrick risked his life by fingering a strand of her hair and slipping it behind her ear. ”You're not, are you?”
Here's where Angie might have a little trouble. She was smart, but she wasn't worldly. Especially with men. One of her regrets, actually. She was twenty-three and she'd had a couple of boyfriends and only one had been semiserious. Oh, Alex had been serious to her, but apparently he hadn't been serious about her. She just shook her head and said, ”I told you, I'm twenty-three.”
”I see,” he said. ”That was obviously half an answer.”
”The whole answer is no.”
He laughed at her and asked, ”What are your plans for the weekend?”
”Tree decorating. And then since everyone is in town for the tree, Mel is going to give me an orientation at the clinic today so that Monday morning I can start helping her out. That's about it.”
”I have an idea. Why don't you come to my place tonight. I'll cook.”
”Dinner?” she asked. ”Did you just invite me to dinner?”
”I did. I'm going to try to make up for being so unfriendly-I'm actually a nice guy. Too old for you, but nice. I'm going into Fortuna to get a few things-I make a mean chili and it'll taste good on a cold night. But if you say yes, I want you to tell Jack where you're going to be and that you'll be perfectly safe with that dangerous Riordan.” He laughed and added, ”I should've known this would happen-my brothers haven't all been easygoing. I got a reputation by a.s.sociation. So, any interest in a bowl of chili and a fire?”
”Do you have saltines? And shredded cheddar?”
”I will have. Will you tell your uncle?”
She shook her head. ”Nope. But I'll tell Mel so if he's looking for me, she can keep him under control.”
”I'm serious, Angie-you'll be in good hands. I'll treat you like the little sister I never had.”
She smirked and said, ”Sounds very exciting. I can hardly wait. What time?”
Later that afternoon Mel gave Angie a tour of the clinic, which was in an old house that had belonged to the town doctor before he died. He had willed it to Mel. The living room functioned as the waiting room and was decorated like someone's grandmother's living room. The dining room was the reception center and file storage. Downstairs also held the kitchen, two small exam/treatment rooms and a little office. Upstairs were a couple of bedrooms-one made up as a hospital room, one for a doctor or pract.i.tioner staying overnight, plus a roomy bathroom. Mel showed her where all the supplies were, where the drugs and treatment kits were kept and showed her how to operate the rather old-fas.h.i.+oned autoclaves for sterilizing.