Priceless(8)

“Do what?” Mack asked, confused by the sudden return of overt hostility. He’d felt good about the way things had gone during the visit. He was sure he’d lifted Tony’s spirits and gotten his mind off of his illness for a few minutes at least. Wasn’t that the point of his being here?

“Why did you say you’d be back?” she asked.

Mack was annoyed by the implication that he’d made a promise he had no intention of keeping. “Because if I was reading the signals correctly, that boy doesn’t have a dad, and he needs someone around to support him,” he retorted. “Do you have a problem with that?”

“Tony’s not alone. You heard how he talks about his mom. She’s great with him.”

Mack regarded her with a steady look. “And I think that’s fantastic, but now he has me, too.”

Beth’s expression faltered as the sincerity of his intentions finally sank in. “You actually mean that, don’t you?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Because I know what it’s like to grow up without a dad,” Mack said honestly. “That was bad enough. To grow up sick and terrified without a dad must be a thousand times worse. If I can help by coming to visit, then that’s what I intend to do. Any objections, Dr. Browning?”

She hesitated, her gaze locked with his, then finally she shook her head. “None, as long as you don’t let him down.”

“You concentrate on getting him well, Doc. I’ll concentrate on giving him a few extra reasons to live.”

That said, he turned and walked away, not sure whether he was more upset by Tony’s situation or by the doctor who doubted his own good intentions.

Not until he was on his way to his business meeting did Mack allow himself to consider Beth’s earlier claim that she had never spoken to Destiny. Was she telling him the truth? He couldn’t imagine any reason she’d have to lie.

Destiny, to the contrary, might well be inclined to lie if this was another of her matchmaking plots as he’d initially suspected. The instant he’d met the doctor—pretty, brainy, serious—his suspicions had been aroused all over again. The fact that Destiny had never mentioned Dr. Browning being a woman raised all sorts of red flags, as well.

As he drove across town, he voice activated his cell phone and called Destiny.

“Darling, I didn’t expect to hear from you again so soon,” she said. “How did things go at the hospital? Were you able to meet Tony?”

“Yes. He’s in rough shape.”

“Then I’m sure your visit meant a lot. I’m so proud of you for taking the time to stop by.”

“It’s the least I can do.” He hesitated, debating whether it was wise to ask his aunt any question at all about Beth Browning. She might make way too much of his curiosity. Still, he wanted to know what he was up against. Had she schemed to bring the two of them together? If so, she had to know that it was an unlikely match. The woman didn’t even like football, much less understand it, and the game was an integral part of his life. And she seemed to have formed some very negative opinions about the kind of man he was.

“By the way, your Dr. Browning is not exactly a huge fan of the game,” he said eventually.

“Really?” Destiny said.

He listened for a false note in her voice, but didn’t detect one. “You didn’t know?” he pressed.

“How would I know?”

“You did say you’d talked to her.”

“Did I say that? Actually your secretary passed along all those messages.”

Now she was getting her stories mixed up. Mack knew he was on to something. “Destiny, it’s not like you to forget what tale you’ve told. What’s the real scoop here?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about. I asked you to do a good deed. You did it. That’s the end of it, isn’t it?” Now she hesitated. “Or did you find Dr. Browning attractive?”

“In a quiet, no-frills sort of way,” he said, considering that to be a bit generous. She had nice, warm eyes, pale blond hair in a chin-length style and lovely skin, but she didn’t do much to accentuate her femininity, not like most of the women he knew. All of that made it much harder for him to understand the little frisson of attraction he’d felt toward her. Maybe it was nothing more than the obvious challenge she represented.

“Mack, didn’t I teach you that the packaging is not what counts with a woman?” Destiny chided.

He laughed at that. “You tried.”

“Perhaps you should reconsider the lesson. It was a good one.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”