The Doctor And Mr. Right

by Cindy Kirk

  She expected him to hesitate or turn the conversation back to her. Instead he said one word. “Finley.”

  Michelle’s slice of pizza fell from her hand back to the plate. “Beg your pardon?”

  “Whoever I date, whoever I consider marrying will need to understand that Finley and I are a package deal.” His eyes were clear and direct. “I’ll never get serious about any woman who considers my daughter a nuisance. Finley is a great kid. She deserves a stepmom who will love and cherish her just as much as I do.”

  The raw emotion in Gabe’s voice touched a chord in Michelle’s heart. She’d known he loved his daughter, but this time she felt it. Here was a man with a great capacity for love.

  A love that would never be hers. While Michelle liked Finley, she couldn’t imagine letting her guard down long enough for the girl into her heart. And from Gabe’s impassioned speech, it was apparent that her inability to love his daughter would be the ultimate deal breaker.

  * * *

  “Are you positively triple-dog-dare sure that he can be trusted?” Finley ignored the boy standing next to Addie and held on tight to Sasha’s collar, keeping the dog protectively by her side.

  “Absolutely.” Addie glanced up at the tall geeky boy with a bad case of acne. “He’ll take super-good care of Sasha. Right, Josh?”

  Josh nodded and swallowed convulsively, his Adam’s apple bobbing up and down in his thin neck. “I’ll drive him around with me. Then, at eight o’clock, I’ll sneak him into my neighbor’s fenced yard. She works at the animal shelter, so once she discovers a strange dog has shown up, that will be the first place she’ll call.”

  “Sasha is a her, not a him.” Finley had a bad feeling about this “test,” but knowing her dad had been sneaking around behind her back had given her a bad feeling, too.

  “Give her to him, Finley,” Addie urged, glancing around furtively. “My mom will be here to pick me up any minute. She can’t see Josh.”

  Reluctantly Finley let the boy snap a leash on Sasha’s collar and the dog willingly hopped into the cab of the boy’s truck. They were out of sight in minutes.

  “She’ll be okay.” Addie squeezed Finley’s hand as they went back inside. “Josh is a huge animal lover. He’ll take good care of her.”

  “How can you be sure?” She liked it that Josh had come the second Addie had called him, but that still didn’t mean he could be trusted with Sasha.

  “I’ve known him forever,” Addie said. “He’s Coraline’s nephew.”

  Her friend said the words as if that should clear away the doubts. Instead Finley felt no more reassured than she had seconds before. “Who?”

  “Coraline runs a bed-and-breakfast. My mom used to work for her.”

  “I thought your mother was a social worker?”

  “She is, but before she married Nick, she had two jobs. I call Coraline my Wyoming grandma.” Addie smiled. “When we were little, Josh and I used to play together all the time. Now that he’s seventeen, I don’t see him much.”

  “If anything happens to Sasha...”

  “Nothing will happen to her.” A gleam filled Addie’s eyes. “But you will get to see how Michelle reacts under stress.”

  “Sasha is her baby.” That sick feeling filled the pit of Finley’s stomach. Michelle loved the golden retriever the way most people loved their kids. “She’s going to freak when she realizes she’s gone.”

  “We wouldn’t be doing this if it wasn’t important.” Addie’s eyes took on a faraway look. “My mom once dated a guy who seemed nice, but he went ballistic one day when someone did a hit-and-run on his car in a parking lot. He got so angry that my mom and I were afraid he was going to hit us. She never saw him again after that night.”

  Even though Finley didn’t think Michelle would ever slug her or her dad, the pretty doctor did seem too nice to be true. And she’d learned that people could be different than they appeared. When it came to women, she couldn’t rely on her father’s judgment. Take her mother, for example. Her dad had liked her, too.

  Look at how that had turned out....

  Chapter Ten

  Michelle arrived home a little later than she had planned that night. As she pulled into the driveway, she noticed the light on in Gabe’s kitchen.

  A smile lifted her lips as she pictured him sitting at the table being interrogated by his daughter. It was obvious the girl hadn’t been pleased to see her with Gabe.

  Michelle wished she could think of a way to tell Finley she didn’t need to worry.

  As the garage door closed behind her car, Michelle waited for Sasha to welcome her home. Instead of staccato barks, only silence greeted her. Could Finley have taken her for a walk? Or perhaps Sasha was outside, in the small fenced area off the back deck?

  Despite all sorts of logical possibilities Michelle hurried into the house, her heart moving as fast as her feet. “Sasha,” she called out. “Mommy’s home.”

  Michelle paused and listened. No toenails clicking on the hardwood floor. No little whines of delight. Only the heavy thumping of her own heart.

  By the time she’d searched every room, Michelle’s voice had begun to crack and she found it increasingly difficult to breathe. Holding on to the hope that she’d find Sasha safely in the backyard, Michelle stepped outside and called some more. By the time she reached the fence and saw the gate ajar, she was light-headed. She took several deep breaths, telling herself it wasn’t as bad as it looked.

  Obviously Finley had taken her for a walk. Yes, that had to be it. The girl had noticed Michelle had been running late, had seen Sasha in the backyard and had taken it upon herself to help. Sasha was probably sitting by Gabe’s table at this moment begging for scraps.

  With shaky hands, Michelle wiped away the tears that had leaked from her lids. She squared her shoulders and headed across the lawn, praying all the way.

  * * *

  The knock at the back door took Gabe by surprise. He and Finley had just finished dinner and he wasn’t expecting anyone to stop by.

  He glanced at his daughter. Her one-shoulder shrug told him she was equally puzzled.

  “I’ll see who it is.” Gabe pushed back his chair. When he opened the door, he saw Michelle. Twice in one day. This could get to be a habit. A very pleasant one. He smiled. “What a nice surprise.”

  Before he’d even finished speaking, Michelle was inside, glancing around. “Is she here?”

  “Finley is in the other room.” For the first time Gabe noticed the frantic look in her eyes. “Is something wrong?”

  “I’m looking for Sasha.” Michelle’s voice shook with emotion. “Is she over here?”

  Finley appeared in the doorway. “What’s going on?”

  “I’m not sur—”

  “Is Sasha here?” Michelle cut him off, her gaze now riveted to Finley.

  His daughter shook her head.

  “I need to know the last time you saw her. It could be important.” Michelle paused and took a deep breath. It was obvious to Gabe that she was trying to hold onto her control. “Sasha is missing.”

  His daughter’s face paled. “I saw her earlier this afternoon when I walked her. She seemed fine.”

  “What time did you walk her?” Michelle took a step toward Finley.

  Finley’s eyes widened. “I—I don’t know for sure. Probably around two.”

  Michelle crossed the room in several long strides to where Finley stood. “Are you the one who left the gate open?”

  “I was with Addie all afternoon.” Finley’s voice quivered and she looked at him.

  “You must have left the gate open when you walked her at two,” Michelle muttered. “It’s after eight now.”

  Even though Michelle hadn’t moved from where she stood, Finley took a step back. “I put her in the house after we walked.”

  “I always latch the gate,” Michelle said, almost to herself. “I double and triple check it to make sure it’s latched. It had to be you.”

  Finley’s face bl
anched as if she’d been slapped.

  “Wait a minute.” Gabe slid a reassuring arm around Finley’s shoulders. “I know you’re upset, Michelle, but it sounds like you’re blaming Finley for Sasha’s disappearance.”

  Michelle whirled, her eyes wet with unshed tears. “Sasha is missing. Don’t you understand?”

  “And Finley and I are going to do everything we can to help get her back.” He glanced at his daughter who nodded. “But I won’t have you blaming Finley for something that isn’t her fault. Who knows how the gate got unlatched? Maybe some kid opened it to play with Sasha this afternoon and forgot to close it.”

  “There are no kids in this area, Gabe.” Michelle clasped her trembling hands together. “Only Finley and Mrs. McGregor are home during the day.”

  “Have you spoken with Mrs. McGregor?” Gabe gentled his tone. “Maybe she saw something.”

  “Dad.” Finley’s hand touched his shirt sleeve. “Mrs. McGregor volunteers at the hospital on Monday afternoons.”

  “Great.” Michelle raked her fingers through her hair and closed her eyes. “No witnesses to the crime.”

  “We don’t know there was a crime.” Gabe kept his tone soft and low. “If the gate wasn’t firmly latched, Sasha could have pushed on it and decided to do some exploring.”

  Michelle’s face crumpled. “I don’t know what I’ll do if anything happens to her.”

  Gabe told himself to keep his hands off her, especially with Finley standing there, but he couldn’t hold back any longer. He pulled Michelle close. “It will be okay. We’ll find her.”

  “Sasha is all I have,” she whispered against his shirtfront.

  Tears slipped down her cheeks. Gabe let her cry, stroking the back of her head. He glanced at Finley who appeared rooted where she stood. “Honey, could you please call the animal shelter and see if anyone has reported finding a golden?”

  “I didn’t leave the gate open,” Finley said, not moving a muscle.

  “No one is saying you did, Finley.”

  “She did.” Finley pointed to Michelle who’d stepped back from Gabe’s arms and stood swiping at her tears. “She tried to blame this all on me.”

  Great. Now he had two upset females on his hands.

  “I’m sorry.” Michelle’s red-rimmed eyes focused on Finley. “You said you didn’t do it and I believe you.”

  “Okay, then,” Finley said reluctantly, almost grudgingly.

  “The animal shelter,” Gabe repeated.

  Finley nodded. “I’ll get the number and call now.”

  “If she’s there, tell them I’ll be right over to pick her up.” Michelle turned to Gabe. “Sasha is so friendly sometimes people don’t realize how sensitive she is and how easily she gets upset.”

  A stricken look crossed Finley’s face. “I hope she’s not scared.”

  For a second, Gabe thought his daughter was going to cry. He placed a hand on her shoulder, praying this would have a happy ending for all their sakes. “I can make the call if—”

  “No, I’ll do it,” Finley spoke quickly. “I—I want to help.”

  “Everything will be okay,” Gabe told Michelle. “Can I get you a glass of iced tea?”

  “Do you have something stronger?” Michelle retorted and he chuckled.

  Seconds later, Finley returned, a broad smile on her face. “They have her.”

  “Ohmigod, thank you both.” Michelle flung her arms first around Gabe, then around Finley.

  Finley gently extricated herself from the hug. “I didn’t do anything.”

  “Yes, you did.” Michelle’s gaze shifted to Gabe. “Both of you were so supportive. Thank you. Really. Thank you.”

  “How about we take you to the animal shelter?” Gabe offered. “I believe we’d all like to see for ourselves she’s okay.”

  “If you don’t mind driving, I’d appreciate it.” Michelle gave a little laugh. “My hands are still shaking. I don’t think they’re going to stop until I see her.”

  “You two go,” Finley said. “I’ll stay here.”

  “Are you sure?” Gabe asked.

  “I—I don’t want to see her in a cage.” Finley gazed down at her hands. “Besides, Michelle is the one she’ll be eager to see.”

  “I still think—” Gabe began, but Michelle touched his arm.

  “It’s okay,” Michelle said. “I understand what Finley is saying, but I’m going to bring her over here to see you when we get home.”

  “You don’t have to do that—”

  “I want to,” Michelle said firmly. “You’ve been such a good friend to both me and Sasha. It’s the least I can do.”

  * * *

  On the way home from the animal shelter, Gabe took Michelle’s hand. She made no attempt to pull away. Sasha was sleeping in the backseat. All was right in her world.

  “I’m sorry I was such a baby earlier.” Heat crept up her neck as she recalled her earlier behavior. “When I found out Sasha was gone, I lost it.”

  “There’s no need to apologize.” Gabe’s fingers tightened around hers. “Finley and I understand how much you love her.”

  Michelle felt the warmth of his touch all the way up her arm. She tried to ignore the sensation and focus on the conversation. “I think your daughter loves Sasha almost as much as I do. I feel bad about accusing her.”

  “She understands,” Gabe said. “And you apologized. Don’t give it another thought.”

  “It was nice of her to give me this time alone with Sasha.”

  “You’re not completely alone,” Gabe reminded her. “I’m with you.”

  “Tonight made me realize how grateful I am for our friendship.” Michelle grew pensive. “You’re lucky to have Finley. It’s not easy going through life alone.”

  “I am lucky,” he agreed. “But being alone is a choice.”

  She gave a little laugh. “Please don’t tell me you’re going to bring up finding me a man.”

  “No.” He reached over and caressed her cheek with the back of his hand. “I simply want to remind you the answers to many problems can often be found right next door.”

  * * *

  “I told you Sasha would be fine.” Satisfaction filled Addie’s voice. “Tell me about Michelle. How did she act?”

  Finley pressed the phone more firmly against her ear. Even though her dad was in the living room and she was in her bedroom with the door shut, she kept her voice low. “Stressed to the max. She was crying and everything.”

  “I bet that was a big turn off for your dad.” Finley could almost see Addie wrinkle her nose. “Runny nose, red eyes, slobbering all over. Yuck.”

  “He hugged her.”

  “In front of you?” Addie’s voice rose and cracked. “No way.”

  “She got the front of his shirt all wet.” When Michelle had cried, Finley had wanted to cry, too. But she wasn’t about to reveal that to Addie. “Dad didn’t seem to mind.”

  “Just like we thought, he’s got it bad for her.”

  Finley hated to admit her friend was right, so she remained silent.

  “Did she do anything crazy?” Addie asked when the silence lengthened, a hopeful note in her voice.

  “Not really.” Finley thought for a moment. “She accused me of leaving the gate open, but then apologized.”

  “Are you telling me her inner she-devil didn’t come out at all?”

  Finley found herself shaking her head, then realized Addie couldn’t see her. “She was just really, really worried about Sasha. It made me feel like pond scum.”

  “Remember, nothing happened to Sasha other than she had a fun adventure. She’ll be babied now because Michelle will be so happy to have her home.”

  “What if Michelle ends up marrying my dad? How’s she going to feel when she discovers this was all a setup? She’ll hate me forever.”

  “Well, for starters, she’s not going to find out.” Addie spoke with a confidence Finley envied. “We’ll lay low for a while.”

  Finley expelled
a breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding. She’d worried Addie might press for another test. “That sounds like a good idea.”

  “In the meantime, just remember that everything Michelle does and says will reveal her true character. All you have to do is pay attention.”

  Chapter Eleven

  The week passed quickly. Gabe had planned to take Finley hiking and then to the shootout in Town Square on Saturday until she reminded him about the lock-in at the church. Finley told him he’d signed the permission slip, but when she mentioned the entire youth group would be spending the night at the church—including the boys—Gabe had dug in his heels.

  He’d immediately called the youth group leader to tell him Finley wouldn’t be coming. The youth leader had done his best to reassure Gabe that the kids would be closely chaperoned at all times. Still, his unease persisted. When Finley told him Addie’s parents weren’t worried at all, Gabe called Nick.

  His friend confirmed everything the youth leader had said and assured him that he and Lexi knew the chaperones personally and trusted them. Only then had Gabe given his okay.

  But that meant he was on his own today. Unless he asked a friend to spend the day with him. Or perhaps a neighbor...

  Gabe had already dropped off Finley at the church and was getting home when he saw Michelle and Sasha down the street heading his way.

  The temperature was in the mid-fifties, but the breeze from the north made it feel much colder. Michelle must not have listened to the forecast because her white shorts and tiny blue T were clearly designed for temperatures twenty degrees warmer.

  With bright pink cheeks and artfully disheveled hair, she reminded him of a woman who’d just tumbled out of bed after a night of lovemaking.

  His gaze dropped from her full lips to linger on the tight points of her voluptuous breasts. As she drew close, he forced his eyes upward and tried to act casual.

  The amused look in her eyes made him wonder if mind reading was another of her attributes.

  “Where were you off to so early?” Michelle asked in lieu of a greeting. “I was just getting Sasha’s leash when I heard your truck leave.”