understanding.
„Shaw.“
„Oh, for crying out loud, Caro.“
„No, I’m serious. You should have seen her, Dana. She walked in, demanding to see him before her scheduled appointment. He was still in with Wade. So I knock to see if he’s finishing with Wade soon and she pushes by me, all regal-like. Dismisses me like I’m the servant of the house. Then gives Max the eye.“
„The evil eye?“ Dana had leaned forward, elbows on the table, her chin propped on one fist.
„No, the sexual eye.“ Caroline demonstrated, then slumped in her chair. It had been so humiliating. Her heart hadn’t even slowed down from those surface-of-the-sun stares in his office when Monika came in and taught her a thing or two about what men really want. One look at Max Hunter and Monika went into chase mode, fluffing her platinum blond hair and pulling her shoulders back in her tight-fitting silk suit, jutting her breasts out for Max’s fullest appreciation. And as always when faced with Monika Shaw’s natural elegance, her own self-esteem plunged.
Dana winced. „Oh, no.“
„Oh, yeah.“
„So did your Dr. Hunter take the bait?“
„How could he not? He’s a man after all.“ That was the understatement of the century. Max Hunter was the quintessential man.
„Caroline, you are not being fair, to him or to yourself. Not all men are suckers for a pretty face, and Shaw’s isn’t even that pretty.“
„She’s gorgeous, Dana, and you know it.“
„She has bad skin and hides it with fifty-dollar-a-bottle concealer.“
Caroline smiled, glad for Dana’s loyalty, however skewed and managed to pull the entire situation back into perspective. „Doesn’t matter anyway.“
This time Dana narrowed her eyes. „Why the hell not?“
„Because I’m not in the market for a man. Not now, not ever.“ It was the truth. It would have to be.
„Caroline – “
Caroline held up one hand to silence Dana while rubbing her forehead with the other. A headache was brewing. „We’ve had this conversation before. It would be wrong for me to start a relationship with someone knowing I’m unavailable. Bigamy is still against the law.“
Dana pursed her lips. „So is beating your wife within an inch of her life.“
„So two wrongs don’t make – “
„Aright,“ Dana finished impatiently. „Do I have to throttle you to make you listen to reason? Just because a man’s interested in you doesn’t mean you have to marry him. Go on a date, have a good time. Kiss a little. Pet a little. A little sex isn’t bad either. Jeeze, Caroline – “
Caroline smacked her hand on the table, cutting Dana off in mid-argument. Cutting off the mental images that had sprung to life simply by the words, „a little sex.“ There would be no such thing as „a little sex“ with a man like Max Hunter. „Enough. I will not challenge Monika’s staked claim or anyone else’s for that matter. I will not be interested in Max Hunter.“ She drew a breath, held it, then let it out. „I stopped by Hanover House at lunch and you’ll be happy to know Cody’s fever broke this morning after you left. Dr. Lee says he’s going to be just fine. But I’m not so sure about his mother. She looks to me like she just might go back to her husband.“
Dana locked her arms across her chest, her jaw stubbornly jutting to one side. „You’re changing the subject, Caro. And like it or not, it’s not your business if she stays or goes back to her husband.“
Caroline frowned. They had this argument every time a woman left the safety of Hanover House to return to her abusive partner. „Are you staying for dinner or not?“
Dana sighed, releasing the stronghold she had on herself and raked her freed hand through her short hair. „Sure. I’m a sucker for plastic pizza and I still have nothing in my cupboards.“
Caroline pushed away from the table. „Then I’ll make a salad. I swear you’d have scurvy in a week if it weren’t for me making you eat some
„Shaw.“
„Oh, for crying out loud, Caro.“
„No, I’m serious. You should have seen her, Dana. She walked in, demanding to see him before her scheduled appointment. He was still in with Wade. So I knock to see if he’s finishing with Wade soon and she pushes by me, all regal-like. Dismisses me like I’m the servant of the house. Then gives Max the eye.“
„The evil eye?“ Dana had leaned forward, elbows on the table, her chin propped on one fist.
„No, the sexual eye.“ Caroline demonstrated, then slumped in her chair. It had been so humiliating. Her heart hadn’t even slowed down from those surface-of-the-sun stares in his office when Monika came in and taught her a thing or two about what men really want. One look at Max Hunter and Monika went into chase mode, fluffing her platinum blond hair and pulling her shoulders back in her tight-fitting silk suit, jutting her breasts out for Max’s fullest appreciation. And as always when faced with Monika Shaw’s natural elegance, her own self-esteem plunged.
Dana winced. „Oh, no.“
„Oh, yeah.“
„So did your Dr. Hunter take the bait?“
„How could he not? He’s a man after all.“ That was the understatement of the century. Max Hunter was the quintessential man.
„Caroline, you are not being fair, to him or to yourself. Not all men are suckers for a pretty face, and Shaw’s isn’t even that pretty.“
„She’s gorgeous, Dana, and you know it.“
„She has bad skin and hides it with fifty-dollar-a-bottle concealer.“
Caroline smiled, glad for Dana’s loyalty, however skewed and managed to pull the entire situation back into perspective. „Doesn’t matter anyway.“
This time Dana narrowed her eyes. „Why the hell not?“
„Because I’m not in the market for a man. Not now, not ever.“ It was the truth. It would have to be.
„Caroline – “
Caroline held up one hand to silence Dana while rubbing her forehead with the other. A headache was brewing. „We’ve had this conversation before. It would be wrong for me to start a relationship with someone knowing I’m unavailable. Bigamy is still against the law.“
Dana pursed her lips. „So is beating your wife within an inch of her life.“
„So two wrongs don’t make – “
„Aright,“ Dana finished impatiently. „Do I have to throttle you to make you listen to reason? Just because a man’s interested in you doesn’t mean you have to marry him. Go on a date, have a good time. Kiss a little. Pet a little. A little sex isn’t bad either. Jeeze, Caroline – “
Caroline smacked her hand on the table, cutting Dana off in mid-argument. Cutting off the mental images that had sprung to life simply by the words, „a little sex.“ There would be no such thing as „a little sex“ with a man like Max Hunter. „Enough. I will not challenge Monika’s staked claim or anyone else’s for that matter. I will not be interested in Max Hunter.“ She drew a breath, held it, then let it out. „I stopped by Hanover House at lunch and you’ll be happy to know Cody’s fever broke this morning after you left. Dr. Lee says he’s going to be just fine. But I’m not so sure about his mother. She looks to me like she just might go back to her husband.“
Dana locked her arms across her chest, her jaw stubbornly jutting to one side. „You’re changing the subject, Caro. And like it or not, it’s not your business if she stays or goes back to her husband.“
Caroline frowned. They had this argument every time a woman left the safety of Hanover House to return to her abusive partner. „Are you staying for dinner or not?“
Dana sighed, releasing the stronghold she had on herself and raked her freed hand through her short hair. „Sure. I’m a sucker for plastic pizza and I still have nothing in my cupboards.“
Caroline pushed away from the table. „Then I’ll make a salad. I swear you’d have scurvy in a week if it weren’t for me making you eat some
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