They parted with mutual warm wishes. How wonderful to have a friend and ally here, Jan thought.
Dr. Tartikoff, who’d been grumpier than usual without his favorite scrub nurse, managed a rare smile at Jan’s confession. “Always wondered who the dad was. Glad he’s stepping up to the plate.”
“He’s great with Kimmie,” Jan said.
“Good.” With a nod, the surgeon headed off.
Jan departed earlier than usual to prepare for the move. Her mother had promised to pick up Kimmie after school and keep her for dinner, safely out from underfoot. And also away from any temptation to smuggle in the cat.
Everything seemed under control, Jan reflected, as she packed last-minute items from the bathroom and kitchen. Yesterday, she’d gathered key personal and financial property to take in her car, and had emptied drawers and cabinets with a sense of déjà vu. She’d performed these same tasks in Houston less than two months ago.
The smelly pile of cushions and ruined furniture had been removed yesterday. Aside from a few new cushions stained beyond salvaging, she didn’t miss the lot, except for the dent that replacing them was going to make in her bank account. The scary part was wondering how much she might owe the landlord. Staying at her mom’s would save on rent, though, Jan mused.
The movers arrived promptly at six, a trio of young men who operated a discount local service. She’d just finished showing them around and was about to start loading her car when her cell rang.
It was Zack. “Have you moved yet?”
Strange question. “They’re carrying the stuff out now.”
“Change of plans,” he said.
“What do you mean, ‘change of plans’?”
He cleared his throat. “Have you talked to Kimmie?”
“About what?” Jan asked. “My mom picked her up after school.”
Over the phone, she heard Berry’s voice in the background. “When are they coming?”
“Hold on,” he said, apparently to Berry. Then, into the phone: “It seems our daughters have arranged for you both to move in here until you can find another place. There was some mention of saving a cat’s life.”
Faintly, Jan heard Berry’s voice again. “Don’t forget the bed.”
“And a canopy bed that’s going to change hands temporarily,” Zack noted. “I’ve hired a sitter for Berry. Okay if I come over?”
“Better hurry,” Jan said.
* * *
MAKING LAST-MINUTE MAJOR changes in his living arrangements went against the grain for Zack. The bumping and grunting as the movers carted a disassembled bed frame through Jan’s empty living room contributed to his sense of losing control.
“I’d suggest we think this over, except that once you move in with your mom, I doubt you’ll want to move again in a few days,” he explained as they stood out of the way.
She pressed her lips together, clearly trying to process what he’d told her. Kimmie had corralled Berry at lunchtime and persuaded her that moving in together would be a great thing. She’d offered the use of her princess-style bed. This seemed strongly appealing to Berry, as was the prospect of rescuing a stray cat. While Zack wasn’t keen on animals, he understood the sympathy factor better, now that he’d seen all those abandoned animals at the shelter.
“Why are you willing to do this?” Jan asked.
Zack had debated with himself before calling her, going so far as to list pros and cons. The pros had won by a slim margin. Despite a sense of unreality, he’d decided to go with his instincts about what was best for the kids.
“It means a lot to both girls, and I’m pleased to see them getting along. Also, this way I can spend more time with Kimmie.” Honesty compelled him to add, “Plus I’d rather not go down in family history as a cat murderer.”
“Neither would I,” Jan retorted grimly. “Now I’m the bad guy if I say no. And have you taken into account how this will look at work?”
He had. “If tongues are wagging, let them wag as hard as they like.”
That startled a smile from her. “What about the logistics of who sleeps where?”
“The girls can share—there’s space in Berry’s room for two beds. You’ll take the guest room. The garage can accommodate any stuff that doesn’t fit in the house.”
The movers were making short work of Kimmie’s furniture, Zack observed. Soon they’d be tackling Jan’s. Like it or not, a decision had to be reached quickly.
“I’d like to get closer to Berry, since our lives are entwined now, one way or another,” Jan conceded. “But how do you think they’ll react when I find another place and we move out? I was hoping to do that soon.”
“They’ll adjust.” Zack hoped so.
“Setting a target date for leaving will reduce the uncertainties,” Jan said. “How about early December? That gives me two months to line up a place, and we can be settled by Christmas.”
“Fair enough.” Speaking of the holidays... “What about Thanksgiving?”
“We spend that at my mother’s,” Jan replied promptly. “I’m sure you’d both be welcome.”
“We eat at my parents’ house.” A stiff affair, but at least the elder Sargents always invited Rima’s brother, for Berry’s sake. “We’ll work out the details later. Well?”
“I may regret this.” Jan twisted a corner of her pink T-shirt. “I don’t suppose my mother will mind. I didn’t give her a lot of choice about letting us stay there.”
Zack remembered Maria Garcia fondly. “I always liked her.”
“She liked you, too.”
He wished he could count on his own parents to be supportive. Last weekend, when Zack had broken the news about Kimmie’s existence, his father had spoken bitterly of Jan’s selfishness, with a brief reference to Zack’s role in keeping the birth a secret. His mom had simply asked when they could meet their new grandchild, to which he’d responded, “Soon.”
Best not to worry about it.
“So that’s a yes?” he asked Jan.
Their gazes met for an electric moment. Zack couldn’t deny his strong physical attraction, but too many years and too many hurts stood between them. They had to focus on becoming coparents for the girls, and on smoothing the relationship between Berry and Kimmie.
“I’ll tell the movers about the new destination,” Jan said. “Now we’d better see about catching that cat.”
He’d brought Smidge’s new carrier. “I came prepared,” Zack assured her.
* * *
YOU MUST BE OUT OF YOUR MIND. Not only did Jan repeat the phrase to herself, she expected to hear it from her mother, as well.
Over the phone, however, Maria merely said, “Kimmie’s been telling me about her plans. That girl’s quite a go-getter.”
“Thanks for being a good sport, Mom.”
“All in an excellent cause.” Exactly what her mother meant by that, Jan didn’t dare ask. “Good luck finding the cat.”
In the background, Kimmie called, “Look in the bushes near the clubhouse!”
“I’ll do that,” Jan responded. The area by the clubhouse, which tenants could rent for parties, should be a good source of discarded or dropped food.
As she clicked off, she saw Zack do the same with his phone. “I called my neighbor, Ilsa Ivy, who runs the animal shelter. She said we could drop the cat at her place and she’ll have him neutered.”
“That’s kind of her.” Jan hadn’t been looking forward to a night of screeching from the dow
nstairs bathroom, not to mention the potential damage a tomcat could wreak.
While the movers continued working, Jan and Zack went outside into the fading light with the heavy plastic cat carrier and a can of tuna. “There’s no guarantee Gorilla will trust me,” Jan worried.
“If we don’t round him up tonight, the girls will be upset. Besides, I’ve made all the arrangements,” Zack pointed out.
“You’re not exactly dressed for cat-catching.”
He looked down at his tweed sports coat, polo shirt and pressed slacks. “I’ll take my chances.”
They rounded a corner and approached the clubhouse, a one-story structure with double glass doors, now firmly shut. Only exterior lights were on. The daytime temperature had hovered near eighty, but nights cooled rapidly in October, making Jan wish she hadn’t packed all her sweaters.
“Kimmie isn’t supposed to go outside without permission, let alone wander this far,” she grumbled.
“I have the impression she doesn’t care much for rules.” Zack halted, scrutinizing the azalea bushes and calla lilies that edged the building.
“She’s a powerhouse when she believes she’s right.”
“That’s not entirely a bad thing,” he murmured.
But you were always so rigid about following rules. “I thought you believed in walking the straight and narrow.”
“She’s only seven.” Zack crouched and set the carrier on the concrete. “Does Gorilla have a patch of white on his face?”
“Yes. And on his chest.”
He indicated the bushes. “He’s watching us.”
She heard a whisper of movement and saw a bush quaver. “I completely missed him.”
“Those gray-and-white stripes make incredible camouflage.”
Having recaptured a few runaway kittens in Houston, Jan had no trouble formulating a strategy. “Let’s leave the tuna inside the open carrier. He won’t come if we’re too close.”
“This isn’t a trap that will spring by itself,” Zack reminded her. “He could run off before we get to him.”
“We might beat him to it. If not, he’ll enjoy a good meal.” Kneeling, Jan popped the flip top. The scent of fish wafted into the air.
The bush twitched again. “He’s sticking his nose out.” Zack sounded amused.
“He couldn’t smell it that fast!” Gorilla must be a dozen feet away.
“A cat’s sense of smell is nearly fifteen times as strong as a human’s,” Zack said, unlatching the metal grill that served as the carrier’s gate. “They also have a special scent organ in the roof of their mouths.”
Since when had Zack become an expert on cats? “Don’t tell me they teach that in medical school.”
“Wikipedia.” He grinned. “Berry’s influence.”
Reaching past him, Jan slid the can inside the carrier. As she did so, the shelter of Zack’s body enveloped her in a delicious warmth. “There. He’ll have to go all the way inside to get a taste of that.”
“It’ll be hard for him to turn around. Maybe catching him won’t be so difficult, after all.” Zack touched her shoulder to steady himself in the crouching position.
“Cats can back out fast,” Jan warned. “And when they’re scared, they sprout claws all over.”
“I don’t mind the clothes but I wish I’d brought heavy gloves.” Zack’s forehead furrowed.
“I’ll spring the trap.” Jan recognized the importance of protecting a surgeon’s hands. But the male ego counted for something, too, so she added, “I have more experience at this. We used to provide kitten foster care.”
“There is such a thing?”
“You bet.”
A short distance away, Jan plopped down on the sidewalk. While it felt hard and cold, she preferred it to the nearby damp strip of grass. “Stay low. We’re less threatening that way.”
Zack eyed the concrete dubiously, then folded himself down beside her. “You cold?”
“A little.”
He slid off his jacket and draped it across her shoulders. His woodsy scent surrounded her. “Better?”
“Much. Thank you.”
His long legs stretched beside her shorter ones. The contact felt safe and comforting.
They sat quietly in the twilight. Jan caught a whiff of barbecue from some unseen kitchen, which reminded her she’d eaten only a yogurt for dinner. From a nearby apartment drifted the chatter of a TV news show, and on the walkway, a woman hurried past, high heels clicking.
Gorilla, who’d been creeping closer, beat a hasty retreat into cover. “He’s jumpy,” Zack murmured.
“That’s what comes of living dangerously.” She hadn’t missed the slash mark on his face, no doubt a souvenir of his latest battle.
“He’s footloose and fancy-free.” His low voice vibrated in her ear.
“But lonely. Cats have tender hearts.” Having grown up around dogs, Jan had taken to felines only at her daughter’s insistence and been caught off guard by how affectionate they were.
“And empty stomachs,” he said, peering at their quarry.
Gorilla had once again crept from his leafy refuge. He inched toward the carrier, every muscle taut as if he were stalking prey.
Zack slid an arm around Jan. “You were swaying,” he said softy. “I’m afraid you’ll lose your balance.”
What a ridiculous remark. “I’m sitting down.”
“Shhh. You’ll scare the cat.”
Jan gave him a light poke in the ribs as payback for his teasing. In response, he tightened his grip, and rather than struggle, she leaned against him. After all, he must be chilly without his coat, and it felt good to rest her head on his shoulder.
The cat braced, studying them. “It’s okay,” Jan told it. “You can trust us.”
“We come in peace,” Zack added.
The cat tensed.
“Shhh.” It was her turn to issue a warning.
“Sorry.” He nuzzled her hair.
Gorilla took their measure, the temptation to flee obviously counterbalanced by the lure of the tuna. His eyes glowed with reflected light.
As they awaited his next move, Zack’s lips traced Jan’s temple, sending a pleasurable tingling through her body. She’d missed this sense of intimacy, this instinctive reaction. None of the other men she’d dated over the years had inspired a response that even came close. Perhaps that was why none of the relationships had lasted past a few outings.
She rubbed her cheek against the stubble that sprouted along his jaw. When Zack’s finger touched her chin, she lifted her face obligingly and parted her lips in welcome.
A flick of his tongue sparked an electric current. Her arms encircling him, Jan relished the strength of his body and the pounding of his heart, a match for her own speeding pulse. As his mouth probed hers, flames flickered across her skin, and her breasts tightened as if he were cupping them in his hands.
She wanted more, but the awareness that they were in public view, although obscured by shadows, halted her. What if the movers came by? And what about their mission?
As she drew back, she felt Zack’s grip tighten. Then, with a reluctant sigh, he eased off. Had it been a mistake? It didn’t feel like one to Jan. Yet with so much hanging in the balance, she knew they’d be wise to let it go.
A few feet away, Gorilla was eating the tuna, body bunched inside the carrier with his tail flicking outside. He’d taken advantage of their distraction.
Gotcha! Rising to a crouch, Jan
crossed the short distance, pushed the tail inside and snapped the door shut.
A protesting meow filled the air. The cage rocked as the cat tried to back out, then twisted awkwardly.
“Sorry,” Jan told Gorilla, who regarded her as if she’d betrayed his trust. She felt guilty for tricking him. “You’ll be better off now, honest.”
His protesting yowl shattered the evening peace. “That’s one ticked-off cat,” Zack observed as he got to his feet. “Good job, Jan.”
“I feel like a dirty rat,” she admitted.
“But you’re on the side of the angels.” He picked up the carrier and they headed toward the parking area. The cat thrashed about and then froze, obviously terrified by its unstable environment.
“Dare I hope you brought a blanket to protect your van?” Jan asked.
“I keep one in the back. For picnics and beach trips with Berry.”
Under a security light Jan used her phone to snap a shot of Gorilla’s face peering between the bars. “To prove we really did catch him, since he’ll be gone for a few days.”
“Kimmie won’t take your word for it?”
“Yes, but she’ll worry. Ask me ten times if I’m sure I got the right cat, that kind of thing.” Jan knew her daughter well. “She has maternal instincts.”
“I guess Berry might, too.” He took a picture with his phone. “In case your shot doesn’t do the trick.”
With Gorilla safely stowed in his van, Zack helped Jan tote her computer and suitcases to her car. He tucked a few large items into his vehicle, as well. She would stay to lock up and guide the movers to his house while Zack dropped off Gorilla.
The carrier was wrapped in a blanket with room for air, and the cat had calmed down by the time Zack slid behind the wheel. It mewed plaintively as Jan took a final peek.
“You’ll be happy in your new home,” she told it. “I promise.”
She hoped the same would be true for all four humans, who’d just taken a leap of faith. It was only temporary, Jan reminded herself, and strode back to her apartment.
SH Medical 09 - The M.D.'s Secret Daughter Page 12