you,” Colby said casually as he unwrapped his sandwich.
Valerie suppressed a sudden urge to giggle. “So … he mentioned me before his attack.”
“At every opportunity.” He frowned as he said it. He was, no doubt, thoroughly sick of the subject.
Valerie settled back and crossed her arms, enjoying herself. “In other words, Dad’s preoccupation with matching the two of us up isn’t something new.”
Colby paused, averting his gaze. “Let’s put it this way. He wasn’t quite as blatant about it as he’s been the past few days.”
“You must’ve been curious about me.”
“A little.”
“And?” she said. “What do you think?”
Colby lifted his shoulders, as if to say she hadn’t impressed him. Or was he saying she hadn’t disappointed him?
“That doesn’t tell me a thing,” she complained.
“You’re everything your father said and more,” he muttered, obviously hoping to satisfy her and at the same time put an end to the conversation.
Valerie knew it was sheer vanity to be so pleased. Still, although he might have intended his remark as a compliment, she didn’t read any admiration in his eyes. If Dr. Colby Winston was attracted to her, he concealed it well. She hated to admit how much that wounded her pride. The truth was, she wanted him to be fascinated with her. She wanted him to feel enthralled, enchanted, impressed—the way she was with him. Because, despite herself, and despite their awkward beginning, despite the prospect of a relationship with Rowdy Cassidy, she couldn’t get Colby out of her mind.
In a strictly objective way, Valerie knew she was slim and attractive. No matter what her father said about her hair, it was styled in an exuberant tangle of russet curls that highlighted her cheekbones and unusual gray-green eyes.
Those eyes were her greatest asset in the looks department, although her mouth tended to be expressive. Being tall, almost five eight, was a plus, too. Norah was barely five three, and the entire world seemed to tower above her sister. When Valerie wore heels, there wasn’t a man in her field she couldn’t meet at eye level, which she considered a definite advantage.
“You don’t like me, do you?” she asked bluntly.
Her question clearly took him aback, and he didn’t immediately respond. “I don’t dislike you,” he finally said.
“I make you nervous?”
“Not exactly.”
“Then what is it?” she prodded. “Don’t worry. I’m not planning to fall in love with you. As I said before, there’s someone else on the horizon. I’m just … curious.”
“About what?”
“How you feel about me.”
His mouth tightened, and Valerie could tell he wasn’t accustomed to dealing with a woman as direct as she was. Most men weren’t. Valerie didn’t believe in suggestion or subtlety. The shortest distance between any two points was a straight line. She’d learned that in high-school geometry and it had worked equally well in life.
“I think you’re very good at what you do.”
He was sidestepping her question and doing a relatively competent job of it, but she wasn’t fooled. “Which is?” she pressed.
“Functioning in a male-dominated field.”
“Are you implying I’ve sacrificed my femininity?” She couldn’t help sounding a bit sarcastic.
His lips tightened again. “You’re good at putting words in someone’s mouth, too, aren’t you?”
“Sometimes,” she agreed, “but only when it suits my purposes.”
“No doubt.”
“You’re not sure how you feel about me, are you?”
“On the contrary, I knew the minute we met.”
She cocked an eyebrow, waiting for him to finish. “Well?” she asked when he didn’t supply the answer.
“You’re bright and attractive.”
“Thank you.” It wasn’t what she’d hoped to hear. He’d revealed no emotion toward her. She’d rarely met a man who was so … she searched for the right word. Staid, she decided. Stoical. He seemed to close himself up whenever he was around her, almost as though he felt he needed protection.
Valerie knew she could be overpowering and opinionated, but she wasn’t cold or hard. Just straightforward. They were alike in that way, both sensible, seasoned professionals. It was common ground between them, yet Colby seemed determined to ignore their similarities.
He’d been kind to her, she reminded herself. But she sensed that he would have behaved in the same compassionate manner regardless of who she was. Valerie understood that, even applauded it.
So why was she looking for something that wasn’t there?
She shook herself mentally. “All right, Dr. Winston,” she began in a brisk voice. “Tell me about my father.”
Norah was asleep on the sofa when Valerie returned from the cafeteria. She spread the blanket over her sister, wondering why Norah wasn’t at home. Norah stirred, her eyes fluttering open.
“Hello, Sleeping Beauty,” Valerie said, smiling tenderly.
“Where were you?” Norah asked, sitting up. She swept tangled hair away from her face, and Valerie saw that her soft blue eyes were puffy, as though she’d recently been crying.
“Down in the cafeteria with Colby.”
Norah blinked, looking mildly surprised.
“He hadn’t had dinner yet and asked me along so we could talk.”
“I feel bad about what happened this morning,” Norah said. “I was upset about Dad and angry with you for going behind Colby’s back. But then I realized I should have explained things better—you know, told you about his qualifications.” She sighed. “I was angry that you hadn’t talked to me first.”
“If I had, I might have saved myself a lot of trouble,” Valerie agreed. “Don’t worry about it, sis—I would’ve been upset, too.”
“If there was ever a time we need to stick together, it’s now. We can’t allow a quarrel to come between us.”
Valerie nodded. Norah looked small and lost, and Valerie crossed the room to sit down beside her, placing a protective arm around her sister’s shoulders.
“I wish Steffie was here,” Norah murmured.
Valerie did, too, but in some ways perhaps it was best that their sister hadn’t arrived yet. Her absence might well be the only thing keeping their father alive.
