If she’d lived past the age of two.
They arrived on Maddy’s floor, and he started down the hallway, only to feel a small hand grab his. The tension in his body ramped up to an all-time high. He glanced over at Maddy’s sister to find Roxy fixing him with a speculative gleam that was even more pointed. And ridiculous. He and Maddy were not hooking up.
Although he had to admit the thought had crossed his mind more than once the first time he’d seen her emerge from the head of that costume. But she’d just lived through a horrifying experience. The last thing she wanted or needed was a superficial one-night stand.
And she had a young daughter. Another big strike against the idea. Not just because it wasn’t easy to find alone time with a child in tow, but because Kaleb’s insides were twisted in knots from just this short encounter with Chloe.
If he were smart, he would just point the pair in the direction of Maddy’s office and send them on their way, but that would mean he would have to shake off the little girl’s grip, and he didn’t want to do that. But once she let go of him to hug her mother, he could simply withdraw and leave them to it.
Before he could knock on the door, though, it opened, and a woman stepped into the hallway, followed by Maddy. She stopped whatever she’d been saying midsentence to look at him.
“Hi, Mommy!”
Chloe’s excited greeting caused her glance to slide down Kaleb’s arm until it collided with her daughter. Then her eyes jumped back to his before returning to her patient. Confusion changed to a darker emotion.
She placed a protective hand on the little girl’s head, her voice calm and collected as she finished giving her instructions to the woman, but there’d been a moment of horror in her gaze when she’d realized he was holding Chloe’s hand. Because of what had happened with Matthew almost a week ago?
Kaleb opened his hand to try to release the girl’s, but the little girl’s fingers stubbornly squeezed tighter. Roxy was practically crowing with delight on the other side of him, despite her sister’s obvious discomfort. He ignored her.
After walking a few more steps with her patient, Maddy reminded the woman to call if she had any questions or concerns. And then all her attention swiveled back to them. She squatted on her haunches and held out her arms. Right on cue, Chloe thrust the still-naked doll into Kaleb’s hands and leaped into her mother’s embrace. “You have to help me dress Patsy. I couldn’t find anything for her to wear.”
His lips curved despite himself.
“Really?” Maddy murmured, her expression clearing. “What about that shopping trip you and Aunt Roxy went on? Surely you found something for her.”
“Yes. But I want her to be pretty when I fly my kite.”
“Kite?”
Roxy shifted. “I may have mentioned the kite festival the hospital puts on every year. Surely you heard about it.”
“Yes, but after what happened I didn’t expect to...”
Maddy’s sister frowned. “Of course we’re going. All of us. It’s a family event. And God knows you need something to take your mind off things. I go every year, and since you live here now—and since you work at the hospital that hosts it—we have to take part in it. It’ll be great.”
“Who did you go with before?”
“That’s something I’d rather not talk about.” Roxy set the bag of doll clothes on the ground, then bent down and scooped Chloe up with a comical roar, sending the girl into hysterical giggles.
Kaleb wanted to hand over the doll and get the hell out of there before things got deeper than they already were. But it looked as if there was no escape. Especially when Maddy stood up, putting her directly in front of him. She didn’t quite meet his eyes, though. The same curl that had escaped the headband she’d had when wearing that costume spiraled down the side of her face. His finger itched to touch it again. He curled the digits into his palm instead. This woman had almost as much baggage as he did.
“How did you wind up with this crew?” She nodded at the doll in Kaleb’s hands.
“They were coming into the hospital at the same time I was. Your sister wasn’t sure she could find your office.”
“Oh, she wasn’t, was she?” One brow went up. “Exactly how many times have you been here, Roxy?”
Roxy peppered Chloe’s cheek with kisses. “It’s a huge building. I always get lost.”
Somehow he got the idea that Maddy’s sister had arrived at her destination just fine in the past. So he’d been hoodwinked. And Maddy evidently wasn’t thrilled about it. Well, if Roxy had ideas about doing some matchmaking, she was out of luck. Neither he nor the pulmonologist needed her help. For one thing, he didn’t want a steady relationship. For another, Maddy hadn’t fared too well either in the love department. And Kaleb wasn’t exactly the greatest catch on the planet. There was that baggage—lots of it. His eyes went back to Chloe. Especially when it came to little girls who reminded him of Grace.
“Is it time for lunch, Mommy?”
“Yes, it is, sweetheart. Let’s find Patsy something to wear before she embarrasses Dr. McBride.”
Roxy sent him a sideways glance. “I bet he’s held a naked doll in his arms a time or two, haven’t you, Doctor?”
Heat seeped into his face, a sensation he didn’t like. Nor was he going to touch that comment. Instead, he handed the doll to Maddy.
Chloe pointed at him. “I think he should help us find clothes for her.”
“Honey, I’m sure Dr. McBride has more important things to do than help us dress Patsy.”
“This is important.”
Her sister shifted the girl on her hip. “Yes, it’s very important to get a man’s opinion on this one. ‘Does this tutu make my...er...trunk look too spacious?’”
“Roxy.” Maddy’s tone held a distinct warning.
“Oh, and I saw the sign-up sheet for the kite-making contest out front and added our names to it.”
“Whose names?”
“Yours and mine. It’s for a good cause. The funds will go to fight childhood cancer.”
Kaleb’s eyes suddenly felt as if they were on fire in his head.
“Let’s discuss this in my office.” Maddy motioned toward the open door, mouth tight, ushering her sister and daughter through it.
Kaleb hesitated in the doorway, until he heard Chloe’s plea. “Can the doctor please come too?”
Maddy stared at him. “I don’t know. That’s up to him.”
Was it his imagination or was there a hint of pleading exasperation in her voice. Or maybe she just wanted to be rescued from her sister. Whatever it was, he found himself inching past Maddy, unable to resist tweaking that strand of hair as he went by. “You look like you could use a helping hand.”
