When Janet walked into the office the following Monday morning determined to confront Gage about his behavior at the party on Friday night, she found him playing peek-a-boo with a toothy seven-month-old.
He held his lab jacket up between him and the baby who was sitting in his lap, then pulled the coat down and cried, “a-boo” in a startled voice.
The baby shrieked with laughter.
For no good reason, goose bumps did the cha-cha up Janet’s arm. What would it be like, she wondered, to have a baby as cute as this one? To have a husband who knew how to play peek-a-boo?
Banish the thought! She didn’t want a husband.
Or a baby.
Egads! Gracie was slowly but surely getting to her. She had no time for a husband or babies. Not for years and years to come.
If ever.
And yet she watched him interact with the child, mesmerized. Gage, big and strong and sandy-haired. The baby girl, tiny and sweet with curly raven tresses. The way he held her tucked securely into the crook of his arm made Janet’s heart feel too big for her chest. He dropped a kiss on top of the baby’s head and lightly tickled her belly.
Her own father had never played with her like this. She wasn’t really sure men did that sort of thing. Especially with children who weren’t even theirs.
“Who’s your friend?” Janet asked casually, struggling to deny the unexpected feelings churning inside her. She dropped her purse and medical bag onto her desk.
“This is Miranda.” Gage circled the baby’s tiny wrist with a thumb and forefinger and waved at Janet. “Say hi to Dr. Hunter, Miranda.”
The baby cooed, blinked her big brown eyes, and blew a spit bubble.
“Isn’t she a heartbreaker?” Gage gave them both a loopy grin. He seemed besotted with the child. “I bet you were a heartbreaker when you were this age.”
Janet ignored that last comment, but a treacherous fissure of pleasure pushed through her at his words.
“You probably had your daddy wrapped securely around your pinky.”
Ha! Shows what he knew. Enough of this nonsense. “She’s a beautiful baby, but what’s she doing here?”
“I’m babysitting.”
“Babysitting! You’ve got patients to see, a practice to run.”
“Settle down, oh Great Task Master. Miranda is one of my patients. Her mother forgot her purse at home and went back to get it. Miranda just had her shots, and I’m watching her for fifteen minutes to make sure she doesn’t have an adverse reaction to the vaccine. I hope that’s won’t cramp your style.”
Good grief, he made her sound like Cinderella’s cruel stepmother and that wasn’t how she wanted him to think of her. Flustered, Janet pushed a hand through her hair and plunked down behind her desk.
“I’m sorry,” she muttered. “You’re right. I was overreacting.”
She had arrived at work aiming to confront Gage about that kiss. She had a speech prepared and a myriad of reasons he must keep both his hands and his sultry looks to himself. Instead of finding him alone, she had found him with a baby. He had completely disarmed her without even trying.
“Excuse me?” Gage cupped a hand behind his ear. “What’s that? Did I hear an apology?”
“Don’t push your luck,” she threatened, but inside she fought off his charm.
“Imagine that. The Ice Princess has a pulse after all,” he teased, bouncing little Miranda on his knee.
“Please, don’t call me that.” Janet inhaled sharply.
In med school her classmates had teased her with taunts of Ice Princess because she was always studying and had no time for parties or practical jokes. It hurt to think they had so misunderstood her.
She had a sense of humor. She could have had a good time if she wanted, but she had been so determined to earn the best grades possible, so resolved to make her father notice her, that peer acceptance hadn’t factored into the equation.
But despite the hard work, her efforts had been in vain. She had sacrificed friendships and popularity for a 4.0 grade point average and a father who had never given a hoot about her achievements.
“You’re right,” Gage said contritely, pulling Janet back to the present. “I shouldn’t call you names. Not even in jest.”
“Thank you.” His apology soothed her ruffled feathers.
“Come on,” he coaxed. “Why don’t you give us a smile?”
She shot him a sideways glance. Both he and Miranda were grinning bigger than Dallas. Who could resist that? Grudgingly, she lifted her lips at the corners.
“You call that a smile? You can better than that. Pretend you just gave your mother and her newest find the slip.”
It was scary how much he already knew about her. Defeated, Janet allowed a smile to wash over her face. She had to admit it felt good to let down her guard for a moment.
Gage ducked his head to Miranda’s ear. “Will you look at that! Isn’t that the most beautiful smile you’ve ever seen in the whole wide world?”
“Goo!” Miranda waved a fist.
“It’s unanimous.” Gage raised his head and met Janet’s gaze. “You simply must smile more often.”
She wanted so much to dislike the man, but it was next to impossible. She had to keep her mind on her goal—to reiterate that he was not to kiss her again, or even flirt with her. They were partners in a pediatric practice. That and nothing more.
Janet cleared her throat, sat up straighter in her chair, and drummed her fingers on the desk. “I need to speak to you. Alone. Schedule permitting, can we meet for lunch at Donovan’s?”
Hot dog, but Janet was sexy when she glared at him. From the moment Janet had walked into the office that morning, Gage knew she had a bone to pick with him, and he suspected it had something to do with that kiss under the canape table on Friday night.
If he hadn’t been in the middle of rescuing two damsels in distress—little Miranda and her harried mother—Janet would have lit into him first thing. As it was, he got to watch her stew for a good three hours.
No one looked prettier in a snit than Dr. Hunter, and nothing pleased him more than trying to turn that frown into a smile. He had done it once, with a little help from cooing Miranda, but now, without the baby, and he was on his own.
They were sitting across from each other in a booth at the down-home-cooking restaurant across the street from Saint Madeleine’s. Voices buzzed loudly around them. Silverware clinked. Delicious aromas filled the air, but apparently Janet didn’t notice any of these things. Her stern gaze riveted on him, and he found the attention disconcerting.
She had waited until they’d placed their lunch orders before straightening her shoulders, clearing her throat, and saying those four dreadful words men the world over shudder to hear.
“We have to talk.”
Time to turn up the heat on his charisma. Over the years, his aw-shucks-ma’am grin had gotten him an invitation into a lot of beds. Janet, however, seemed immune.
He nodded and tried not to notice how her tailored kelly green coat dress molded to her curves. “Fire away.”
Janet drummed manicured nails restlessly against the white Formica tabletop. A few tendrils of dark hair had sprung loose from her elegant chignon, framing her face and softening her features.
“I get the impression that you’re very accustomed to having your way with women.”
“Can’t argue with that,” he said lightly, his eyes never leaving her face.
“I’m sure it makes for a very exciting romantic life.”
“I’m not complaining.”
“That being the case, Dr. Gregory, may I suggest that from now on you do your skirt chasing far away from our office.”
“Skirt chasing?” Gage tried not to smirk—honestly, he did—but the serious look on her face, the stiffness of her vernacular was more than he could handle.
“This isn’t funny! We can’t have a repeat of what happened on Friday night. Such incidents could irreparably damage our reputations and I don’t know about you, Dr. Gregory...”
“Gage,” he interrupted.
“Dr. Gregory,” she reiterated firmly. “My career means more to me than anything else in the world. I’ve worked hard for what I’ve achieved, and I won’t allow you or anyone else to jeopardize it.”
She let out her breath. Her skin had reddened as she spoke, her eyes glowing with somber intent. This was a woman who took life far too earnestly. Idealism was one thing; inflexibility was quite another.
Gage, however, was prudent enough to hold his tongue. “Simmer down, Janet. I totally agree with you.”
“You do?” She stopped drumming the table and stared at him in suspicious disbelief.
Yes. No.
Hell, he knew they weren’t a suitable match. He had to stop rescuing women, and she needed to lighten up. Getting involved with her was lunacy. They worked together and as she had pointed out; they were both starting their careers, a daunting task.
But Gage wanted her as much as he had ever wanted any woman, and while he might have a tendency to fall for damsels in distress, no one could accuse Janet Hunter of being a helpless flower.
She was a powerful woman who stood up for what she believed in. A woman who challenged not only herself, but those around her to achieve their very best. Was this, after all, the kind of woman he needed? Hadn’t he learned the hard way he couldn’t rescue the world? Maybe he was the one who required rescuing.
It was a novel thought.
Gage glanced up to see Gracie Hunter come through the door of the restaurant, a Mr.-Universe-Wannabe looming behind her.
“Don’t look now,” he said, “but isn’t that your mother? She’s got some guy with her.”
“What?” Janet paled.
“Yoo-hoo, sweetheart.” Her mother waved and made a beeline for their booth.
Janet groaned and planted her face into her upturned palms.
“Here you are!” Gracie exclaimed, stopping beside them. “I dropped by your office, and the receptionist told me you’d popped over here for lunch. Hi, Dr. Gregory.”
Gage nodded and returned her smile.
“Mother.” Janet clenched her fists. “What are you doing here?”
“I wanted to introduce you to Oscar. He’s my personal trainer.” Gracie waved with a flourish at the tower of a man beside her.
Oscar dressed in black Lycra gym shorts and a muscle shirt, proudly displaying his buffed physique. Gage felt like the proverbial ninety-pound weakling, and he was glad they weren’t at the beach. He wasn’t crazy about having sand kicked in his face.
“See there, Oscar, didn’t I tell you that my little Jan-Jan was beautiful.” Gracie clasped her hands together and gazed adoringly at her daughter.
“Since when do you need a personal trainer, Mother?” Janet asked.
“Everyone needs a trainer,” said Oscar in an oddly high-pitched voice. He raked his gaze over Janet like he was peeling a peach. He stuck out his tongue and licked his lips.
Gage had to grit his teeth to keep from saying something.
“Stand up and turn around,” Oscar said to Janet.
“Excuse me?”
“Come on, dear.” Gracie took Janet’s hand and tugged her to her feet. “Let Oscar assess you.”
“Mother! This is ridiculous.”
“Yes, Gracie,” he said. “Your daughter is exquisite, but it wouldn’t kill her to do extra crunches.” Oscar angled his head and eyed Janet’s tush. “Lunges and squats are in order, too. Looks like someone’s gotten lax in their fitness routine.”
Anger, quick and unexpected, shot through Gage. How dare this over-inflated baboon barge over and start criticizing Janet, who possessed the most amazing body he had ever laid eyes on? He would never kick her out of bed for not possessing buns of steel.
“So, Mother, is there any reason you and Oscar dropped by to humiliate me?” Janet plunked back down in her seat, folded her arms over her chest and glared at the duo.
“Don’t feel ashamed, dear. I just got to thinking that maybe the reason you couldn’t get a man was because you needed a little extra toning. Oscar volunteered to give you some pointers.”
“Perhaps we could discuss this at a later time,” Oscar, the slab of beef, offered.
“Yes, later, that’d be much better.” Janet wearily shook her head.
“Say tonight, over dinner at a healthy restaurant.” Oscar glanced around Donovan’s and turned up his nose at the chicken-fried steak on the platter of a nearby customer. “How about Tofu’s? It’s a new vegetarian restaurant on Eighth.”
“No. That’s not good for me. I’ve got a jogging date with Lacy and CeeCee this evening.” Janet shoved an escaping tendril of dark hair behind one ear.
“Honey, don’t you get it?” Gracie interrupted. “Oscar isn’t here just as a trainer. He wants to date you.”
Date! Gracie wanted her intelligent, gifted daughter to go out with this Neanderthal? The woman was so misguided. She had no idea what kind of man her daughter needed. Gage clenched his hands to keep from sharing his opinion. No one had asked him.
“Mother, please don’t put me in the position of being rude to your trainer.”
“Oscar.” Gracie laid a hand on the big man’s shoulder. “Why don’t you wait outside in the car for me?”
Oscar hesitated a minute, then nodded and went back through the restaurant.
Janet looked desperate. She was frowning, her lips puckered in displeasure. More than anything, Gage wanted to ease that frown. He wanted to get Gracie off her back.
“Now, sweetheart, if you would just give Oscar a chance, I’m sure he’s a wonderful man with...”
“I’m not going out with him,” Janet interrupted. “And that’s final.”
Yay! Hip, hip, hooray! Stand up against her mother’s matchmaking. She deserved so much better than some muscle-bound jock who would monitor every fat gram she ate.
“Honey, please. We simply have no time.” Gracie even looked at her watch as if each second was important. “I went to see Nadine yesterday.”
“Not again,” Janet groaned.
“Don’t close your mind so fast, Missy. Nadine said if you haven’t already met the man of your dreams, you will meet him very soon. Romance is in your stars. But she said your stubbornness will blind you to his true identity. We can’t let that happen.”
“That’s Nadine just covering her backside in case this mystery man never appears.”
“Ahem.” Gracie cleared her throat. “Nadine predicted you would be a girl, didn’t she?”
“Fifty-fifty chance on that one.”
“Will you just listen to me a minute, Miss Hardhead, and stop interrupting? In eighteen months, I will be fifty-two. It will kill me never to have grandchildren. I so hated that you were an only child. Please give Oscar a whirl. You never know, darling; he might be the one.”
“Believe me, Mom, I know Oscar isn’t The One. Actually, I don’t believe there’s any such thing as The One.”
“Tsk, tsk, so stubborn.”
“I don’t understand why you believe this astrologer. Why are you trying to arrange our lives to fit into her predictions?”
“You know she’s been the family astrologer for over three decades. Your grandmother used her and your Aunt Rhonda, too. That has to count for something, doesn’t it? And Nadine has never failed me.”
Janet gave her mother a skeptical look.
“Well, okay, she told me not to buy cell phone stock because she thought cell phones were only a fad and maybe she made a mistake when she told me that Hamilton Mint commemorative gold-plated Elvis Presley toilet scrub brushes would triple in value. I admit financial predictions are not her long suit, but she’s never been wrong about matters of the heart. Please listen to her. I love you and I want to see you happy.”
“I am happy.”
“You don’t look it.”
Janet glanced over at Gage and shot him a “help me” expression.
Superman’s theme song played in his head. Janet needed him. Gage to the rescue!
He rose to his feet. “Mrs. Hunter.”
Gracie blinked. “Yes, dear.”
“Janet can’t go out with Oscar. Not tonight or any other time.”
The relief gleaming in Janet’s eyes galvanized him. He felt like a million bucks. She had needed his help.
“And,” he continued, warming to the subject, “she won’t be going out with anyone.”
“Oh?” Gracie’s eyes rounded in surprise. “And why is that?”
“Because we happen to be dating…exclusively.”