Heaven's Kiss

“Yes, I do love the Double D. I just hope I can hang onto it.”

Luc wasn’t sure how to answer that. He’d got the impression she was sensitive about gossip, but he also had a hunch she needed someone to talk to. Listening was something his profession had made him fairly good at, and Dani DeWitt’s low melodic voice was easy to listen to.

“I’m sure it’s a lot of work for one person.”

She glanced at him, then shifted her eyes away. “I have— I had help. I had to let most of them go. Now I share a hand with Gray McGonigle. He does most of the heavy work, so it’s not too bad.”

Luc glanced down at her fingers, saw the calluses that covered her small palms and felt a pang of sympathy for the chores she’d undertaken. She was so young to be saddled with such a demanding task.

“I’ll soon have to get rid of the rest of the stock,” she murmured, her eyes on a herd grazing a quarter of a mile away.

He understood she was thinking out loud, so Luc leaned back in his chair and sipped his lemonade.

“They’re too much for me to handle and I can’t afford to feed them come winter. Besides, I need the money they’ll bring.” Her voice dropped until it emerged a faint whisper. “I wish he’d told me about the loan. I didn’t have to go to college. I would have been quite happy to stay right here.” She peered up at Luc, her eyes glassy with tears.

“I’m sure your father wanted his daughter to experience college life, Dani. I didn’t know him well, but I don’t think he would have begrudged you the opportunity, no matter what it cost. Let me tell you something I’ve learned, just from watching Joshua Darling. Nothing is too much for a man’s daughters.” He kept his eyes straight ahead, pretended he wasn’t paying attention to her soft sniffles as she struggled for control.

“Daddy insisted I go. At first we even argued about it. But I never could disobey him. Still, I should have refused. I didn’t realize he was so short of cash. He shouldn’t have taken out a loan to send me on that overseas study trip last summer. He should have told me. I’d have come home sooner if I’d known.”

“If you’d known he didn’t have long to live, you mean?” Luc did look at her then, touched by her sense of loss. “Dani, your father wouldn’t have wanted you to put your life on hold, waiting for him to die. He was happy living each day. He put the most he could into his time here, and then his heart failed him. Some men suffer for years, but he didn’t. Be glad you had the time you did.”

“I am.” She sighed. “It’s just…hard. You know? I didn’t even get to say goodbye.”

“I know.” He met her tear-filled eyes. “I was there, I heard him talking about you. He loved you very much.” Who was he to give advice? Still Luc searched for encouragement. “Try to remember the good times you shared. And if you need a friend, I’ll be here.”

“Thanks. I might take you up on that.” She nodded, took a swipe at her tears. “Do you have a family?”

“One sister, two brothers.” He remembered suddenly that he hadn’t written any of them in ages. E-mail wasn’t that difficult to send. He chided himself for not keeping better touch.

“That must have been fun.” A wistful longing filled her voice. “I would have loved a sister.”

“Not mine, you wouldn’t. She was a pain.” Tracy’s stubbornness had not abated in the years since her pre-school temper tantrums, though Luc had never told her that outright. He preferred a hassle-free existence.

“Did you argue?” Dani’s face lit up with interest, green eyes sparkling.

“All the time. She always knew what was right and, unless you did it her way, she nagged you like a festering boil.”

“Doc!” Dani’s laughter bubbled out in spite of her shocked look. “That’s not very flattering.”

“Tracy’s not the kind of sister you flatter. I’m just glad I was never a patient under her care.” He made a face. “You’d get well just so you could escape.”

“She’s a doctor or a nurse?”

“A bossy, cantankerous nurse who always knows what’s best for everyone. Believe me, it wasn’t any hardship to give her away when she got married.” He strove for a lighthearted tone, hoping to ease her sad memories—while hoping Tracy would forgive him for enhancing his characterization of her managerial ways.

“Stubborn? Oh, she’s like you, then.” Dani giggled at his frown, held up her hands. “Teasing, just teasing. I have no basis for comparison. I haven’t even been in your office. I don’t get sick very often.”

No, she glowed like a beacon of good health, her youth and vitality making Luc feel far older than his thirty-three years.

“What about your brothers? Are they stubborn too?”

“Of course.” He nodded. “But you can reason with them, if you can understand them.” He caught her puzzled stare. “They speak an unknown language—at least to me. Computer mumbo jumbo. They’re partners in a tech company in Arizona. I love them both, but a lot of the time I don’t understand a thing they’re saying. Mostly I just nod and slap them on the shoulder.” He shrugged. “Works for me.”

She giggled at his silliness. “And your parents?”

He blinked up at her. “Hey, what is this? Twenty questions?”

“Just curious. But if you have something to hide, then—”

“I never said that.” Luc knew perfectly well that one whisper of a secret in Blessing and he’d be under the microscope of every busybody in town. He resigned himself to explaining.

“It’s just that I don’t talk about my family much. My parents died when we were young. We lived with my grandparents.” He decided that was enough information. “Okay, herein endeth the history lesson. Maybe we should get started memorizing those lines.”

“If I’d known you were so eager, I would have suggested that ten minutes ago.” Dani whipped out her copy of the play and grinned. “Where do you want to begin?”

“Truthfully? I don’t want to begin at all. That’s why I’m here. I was hoping you’d found someone else. You’re sure there is no one?” His heart sank when she shook her head.

“I’m sure, Doc. There’s no one else. It’s up to you.” Dani looked at him through her lashes. “The first line goes…”

He gave in then, reconciled himself to the torture of embarrassment that could not be avoided.

“Doc!” she squealed for the fifth time, ten minutes later. “Think about what you’re saying. You can’t ‘pry the tattles.’ It’s ‘try the paddles.’ Say it again.”

Luc tried, he truly did. But as time went on, and he thought more and more about standing in front of a bunch of people he knew mostly from their presence in his very private examining room, he simply got worse. His tongue twisted into knots that not even Dani’s soft coaching could undo.

“Face it, I’m lousy at this. You have to find someone else.” He lurched up from his chair and paced across the faded boards. “I’m simply no good when it comes to public speaking.”

“Anyone can be good at it. You just need the right method.” She tapped one finger against her bottom lip. “How about singing your lines.”

He groaned. How much could one man take? “I don’t think singing is going to help,” he mumbled.

“It might help you loosen up if you focus on something else. Try this.” She repeated the first of his lines in a catchy little melody.

Luc repeated the notes and words as best he could.

“Again.”

She repeated that word nine times, but by the time he made it that far, she had both ears covered and was curled up in a tight little ball.

“Stop, Doc. Please, have pity on me and stop.”

He stopped, immediately forgetting what he was supposed to say next.

Dani unwound herself, pulled her fingers from her ears and stood. Her eyes were huge.

“Look, Doc, no offense, but I think the singing is out. You are tone deaf.” She blinked at him. “Come on, I’m hungry. Maybe eating will help.”

She didn’t sound hopeful. Luc didn’t feel hopeful. He felt defeated and at the end of his rope as he followed her into the house.

“Why don’t you just let Big Ed do it?” he mumbled, watching her bend over to peer into the fridge. The jeans she wore had a jagged tear just above her knee. All her clothes seemed to be in tatters. He wondered why.

She twisted to glare at him. “We can’t have a cowboy English detective. It won’t work.” The fridge door slammed closed. Now she stood on tiptoe, stabbed one finger at something in the freezer. “Are you hungry?”

He shrugged, then nodded. Breakfast seemed a distant memory. Lunch—had he eaten lunch?

“What if we put some steaks on to grill while we try to think of another method. I studied acting in college. One course, anyway. I should be able to come up with something.” She didn’t wait for his agreement, but thrust a package into the microwave and set the timer. “Can you make a salad, Doc?”

“Are you kidding? I’m a genius at salad making. Piece of cake.”

He accepted the ingredients she handed him and set to work slicing and dicing, hesitating only when he remembered the comment about her cooking. Just how bad was she? Surely no one could mess up steaks….

“I’ll get some potatoes.” Dani was gone for three minutes and returned with two fat potatoes. She lifted the meat out of the microwave, put the potatoes in, then glanced at him. “What if we recorded the words on a tape and you listened to them while you were sleeping at night?”

Luc shook his head, turned back to his work.

“It’s a nice thought, Dani, but I’d be hesitant about wearing a headset at night. I’m usually on call. Besides, I freeze up in front of groups. The sooner you accept that, the sooner you can find someone else.” He spread tomatoes over the salad.

She butted his arm, forcing him to face her.

“If you think your sister is stubborn, Doc, you’re in for a surprise. I do not give up. Not ever. Not with this ranch, and not on that play. There is a way around everything. We just have to find it.” She nudged a piece of tomato to the edge of the bowl with one fingertip. “Tomatoes on the side, not in, please,” she ordered.

“I like them in.” He pushed the tomato back. “And since I’m the salad maker, I get to say.”

“Do not.”

“Do so.”

She smacked her hands on her hips. “For a doctor, you are very immature,” she informed him, her green eyes dancing with fun. Then she snatched the steaks from the counter and stalked outside.

“Am not,” he called after her, then grinned at his foolishness. Being with Dani DeWitt made him feel young, expectant, as if life might just have a surprise or two left to show him.

Which was crazy. Dani was a kid, barely out of college. He’d buried his grandparents, pushed his siblings through school, put his own life on hold until theirs were settled, and then finished his own training. In terms of life experience, he was Methuselah and Dani DeWitt was in kindergarten.

But knowing that didn’t stop him from glancing over one shoulder before he picked up a wedge of tomato and, with a little snicker of delight, buried it under half a dozen lettuce leaves.

It had been a long time since he’d relaxed long enough to tease and joke. Maybe Dani was young, but she was also fun—and she was grilling the juiciest steaks he’d ever seen.

Luc could use a friend like Dani.

Chapter Three

“L ucas, my boy. What brings you into my bakery again today?” Miss Winifred peered at him over the rim of her bifocals.

She hated those glasses, he remembered. Complained that they made her nose stuffy. Luc wondered if she remembered she was still wearing them.

“I, uh, well…I need some help,” he muttered, feeling his cheeks burn with embarrassment.

“Help? With what?” She deftly rearranged the doughnuts into a more attractive display, her fingers nimbly moving from there to the next tray in the glass case. “Well?” She stopped what she was doing to glare at him.

“Is something wrong, Miss Winifred? You look frazzled.” It was true. It was also shocking. During the months he’d been in Blessing, Luc had never seen Winifred look anything less than calm and competent.

“If you’re trying to flatter her, it isn’t working.” Dani DeWitt stood behind him in the doorway. “Most women don’t like to be told they look frazzled, Doc.” She took a second look at the little baker. “Though I have to admit, it is true. Hey, Miss Win. What’s up?”

To Luc’s utter dismay, Winifred Blessing burst into tears. He hated tears. He scanned the room hopefully. Shucks. Dani was blocking the doorway. He was stuck here.

“If you must know, Furly and I had an argument.”

He opened his mouth to ask a question, but Dani nudged him with her elbow, shook her head, her green-gold eyes flashing a warning.

“I’m so sorry. Here, why don’t you come and sit down for a minute on one of these dainty little chairs. You need a break.”

“What I need is to apologize.” Miss Blessing allowed herself to be shepherded to one of the four café tables she’d installed last year. She sat down, dabbing at her eyes. “Furly Bowes and I have run this place together for thirty years. We’ve never argued even once, not until today. I yelled at her. She quit.” She burst into a paroxysm of new tears.

Luc stared over her head at Dani, hoping he’d find some answers there. She shrugged her slim shoulders, pushed one fat black curl behind her ear and gnawed on her bottom lip, thinking. He hoped she would come up with something soon. Those sobs were getting to him.

“Miss Winifred, Furly loves you and she knows you love her. I’m sure she’s hurting as badly as you are. Why don’t you run over to her house and make up. Doc and I will watch things here for you.”

He opened his mouth to protest, but Dani’s black-fringed eyes flashed a warning he couldn’t misinterpret: Be quiet!

“Would you?” Miss Winifred smiled. “Oh, you are such dears. Yes, that’s exactly what I will do. Poor Furly. It wasn’t her fault at all. It’s just that dratted oven. I should have replaced it years ago, but I thought I’d be retired by now, you see.”

“You can’t retire. Blessing needs you too much.” Dani frowned as Miss Winifred burst into new tears. “There’s something else wrong, isn’t there.”

The gray head bobbed once, twice. “I didn’t want to admit it, Dani, but this dinner theater thing has me tied in knots.”

Now this he could empathize with. Luc knew how she felt.

“What, exactly, is the problem?” Dani sat down beside her and waited.

“Well, you see, to seat that many people is a strain on our church fellowship hall. Getting waiters to and from the tables will be almost impossible in the short time between acts, and the limited space only makes it worse.” She sniffed pathetically.

“So we’ll find a new hall,” Dani said. “No big deal.”

“But the seniors’ hall won’t be ready in time. That fire was bad.”

“Miss Win, you’ve been worrying about this too much. Doc and I will check into things, see if we can come up with an alternative. But you are not to worry about it.”

Luc sat up straight. How had he gotten roped into this?

Dani wrapped an arm around the slumped shoulders and hugged. He couldn’t help noticing how frayed her cuff was, or that she’d been less than successful at repairing a tear on the arm.

“Promise me there will be no more of this, Miss Win. You tell me what you need and I’ll see to it. I don’t want you taking on the cares and woes of that project. You do enough.”

“Well, thank you, dear. That’s very kind of you to say.” Winifred stood, removed her spotted white apron and patted her hair. “Now I must go see Furly. I’m ashamed of myself.” She bustled out the door without a backward look, her steps firm and determined.

“Looks like it’s just you and me, Doc.” Dani grinned. “Ever worked in a bakery before?”

“No. And I can’t now. I’ve got to visit a patient.”

“Really? Who is it?” She blinked at his frown, her clear skin glowing with some inner translucence. “Maybe I can help.”

“It would be wrong for me to reveal a professional confidence,” he muttered, wishing he’d stayed in his office instead of racing over to get Miss Blessing’s help. If everyone in town did that, it was no wonder she was frazzled.

“So don’t reveal any confidences, Doc. Just tell me what you need.” She walked over to a coffeepot sitting in the corner, poured two cups and carried them back to the table. “Go ahead.”

“There’s a man,” he began, trying to remember not to give too many details. “He’s elderly and he lives alone. I’m concerned that he isn’t eating properly and I was going to ask Miss Blessing to help me find a way to get him a healthy meal—at least once a day.”

“I see.” She chewed her bottom lip, eyes thoughtful as she swung one slim leg back and forth.

Luc forced his attention back to the subject at hand. Dani DeWitt distracted him too easily.

“He’s proud, you see. It would hurt him to think I’d gone behind his back to ask for help.”

“I get your drift, Doc.” She grinned at him. “Obviously today is not a good day to ask Miss Winifred to work on this. She’s a little stirred up, and in my opinion she needs a break from thinking about meals.”

“What do you suggest?” He waited, knowing she’d come up with something. That was one thing he was learning about Dani—she always had an idea.

“I have a hunch we’re talking about old Mr. Potter, aren’t we.”

“I never—”

“No, you didn’t. And that’s to your credit. But I’ve lived around here almost all my life, Doc. Nothing stays a secret in Blessing. Let me think for a minute.”

She tapped one blunt fingernail against the table, obviously tossing around the possibilities. Her worn leather boots tap-danced their own rhythm against the ceramic tiles.

He frowned. This was taking way too long. He’d been so careful. Wouldn’t the gossips just love seeing the two of them huddled together at Blessing Bakery?

“I’ve got to get out there. I promised to drop off his medication before lunch.”

“Hang on a sec, Doc. I’m thinking as fast as I can.”

Luc watched her glance around the bakery, saw the way her eyes lit when they rested on the individual meat pies chilling in the cooler.

“You’ve thought of something. What is it?”

“I don’t have a long-term solution, yet. But for today, why not take him a couple of those potpies and one of those little salads from the grocery? You could pick up an apple or something for dessert, and maybe a quart of milk.”

“I guess.” It wasn’t exactly the solution he’d hoped for.

“If you took three, you could eat lunch with him.” She studied his face. “What’s wrong with that?”

Luc tried to hide his reaction. “I—uh, that is, I don’t know that I’ll have time to wait while they heat up. I’ve got a clinic this afternoon.”

Dani glanced at the clock.

“Miss Winifred’s oven is empty by now. Let’s pop three of them in and let them heat while we wait for her. Then there won’t be any delay.” She snatched three of the pies off the shelf and scurried into the back, returning with empty hands a few moments later. “Won’t take long in that monster.”

“I can’t wait here, Dani. I’ve got work to do.” Which wasn’t exactly true. His last two patients had canceled this morning, which was why he’d agreed to take Mr. Potter’s tablets out to him.

“Is there something you don’t like about Blessing, Doc?”

Luc’s head jerked back as he stared at her, only now realizing how tiny she was. Somehow Dani seemed like one of those people who were larger than life. She inspired thoughts of grandeur. Which was about as fanciful as a guy could get.

“Why would you say that?” he demanded. “I certainly never gave—”

“No, no.” Dani brushed away his objections. “You never said a word. It’s more the way you act. Take the church groups, for instance. I heard that you don’t join in, haven’t signed up to be on any committees, except for the dinner theater. Why, you even missed the pie social last week, and nobody in their right mind misses that!”

“I didn’t realize it was imperative I be there. I’ll be sure to attend the next one.” He couldn’t disguise his sour tone.

“Keep that attitude and no one will give you even a sliver.” She frowned and cupped her palm around her chin, elbow perched on the table. “What’s with you, Doc? Why are you so afraid to get involved with us?”

“I’m not afraid. Not at all.” Luc searched desperately for another subject, but nothing came to mind.

“Sure you are. In the social department, you act like a big chicken. Why is that? Have you got some secret you don’t want us to know about?”

She was like a dog with a bone, relentless.

“I don’t have any secrets,” he insisted, wishing he’d never walked through the bakery door. “I just enjoy my privacy.”

“Uh-huh.” Dani rose, dealt with a customer, then plopped back down beside him. “You’ve been in town long enough that you should be getting tired of your own company.”

He smirked. “What can I say? I’m an interesting person.”

“Uh-uh. Not buying that, Doc.” She pursed her lips, narrowed her cat eyes and frowned. “How old are you?”

“What?” He couldn’t believe she’d asked that, today of all days.

“Your age, Doc. Forty?”

“Hardly!” He was furious until he noticed the tic of laughter at the corner of her full lips, begging to be released. “Thirty—uh—thirty-four,” he admitted.

“When’s your birthday?”

Oh boy. “Why?”

She shook her black head, the curls dancing around her cheeks as she tut-tutted at his prevarication. “When?”

When he didn’t answer, Dani got up, walked to the phone and dialed. “Hi, Nicole. This is Dani DeWitt. Do you know when Doc—Luc’s—birthday is? Sure, I’ll wait.” She twisted to face him, her eyebrows rising as she listened. “I see. Well, thanks so much. Very interesting. Yes, indeed. I will let you know. Bye.”

“Dani, I—”

She waggled a finger at him. “If I were you, I wouldn’t say another word, Doc. Your secret is out. Thirty-four today.”

He sighed. “Let it go, okay. I saw what the town did for Joshua’s birthday. Believe me when I say I do not want crows all over my yard. Not in the least.”

“So what were you going to do? Pick up a cake and celebrate at home alone tonight?” She clucked her tongue at his guilty look. “Birthdays are meant to be shared, don’t you know that?”

“Well…”

“You have friends here, Luc. Blessing folks would love an opportunity to wish you happy birthday and share in your special day, especially after all you’ve done for them in that clinic.”

“I guess I’m not really into sharing,” he muttered, embarrassed by her soft remonstrance.

“I wonder why that is.”

“Why what is, Dani?” Miss Winifred waltzed through the door, her face beaming. She glanced from Dani to Luc, then shrugged. “Thank you so much for minding the store, my dears. I’ve had a word with Furly and the rift is mended. I’ll make a special note to watch my cantankerous tongue from now on, you can be sure.”

Her curious stare moved from Luc to Dani, then back to Luc, her forehead pleated in a frown of contemplation.

“Have I missed something?”

Dani shot to her feet. “Not a thing, Miss Win. Luc’s going out to a patient’s house to drop off some medicine. I’m going to show him the way. I popped three meat pies in the oven to warm. Hope you don’t mind?”

“Of course not. Are you headed out to Gordon Potter’s?”

Luc stood, shook his head in disbelief. How did these women know this stuff?

“I’m hoping you are because I made a banana loaf for him today. I don’t make them often, but yesterday Dr. Darling mentioned something to the druggist about a refill while I was in there. I meant to phone him.”

“We’ll take it.” Dani prodded Luc with her elbow. “Won’t we, Doc?”

“What? Sure.” We? He’d intended to make a quick trip out, to drop off the pills and something to eat for the man who shared his birth date. He hadn’t intended the whole town to get in on the act. “I’d also like you to box up that small chocolate cake. I’ll take it along too.”

“Is it Gordon’s birthday?” Miss Winifred checked a large white calendar on her wall and nodded. “Yes, it is. I’d forgotten that. Thank you for thinking of it, Luc. Gordon loves chocolate. Just let me write on it, okay?” She picked up a tube of bright yellow icing and wrote across the cake. “There now.”

“Hey, Doc, why don’t you pick up that milk and those salads from the store and meet me back here? It will take a few minutes to wrap up those pies so they don’t get cooled off on the way out.”

“No, it won’t. I have—”

Dani began coughing loudly so that the rest of Miss Winifred’s words were drowned out. He didn’t need his medical degree to know it was a fake cough.

“Go ahead, Doc,” Dani said huskily, patting her chest. “I’ll meet you back here. We’ll take my truck. The road out there isn’t great.”

And what was new about that? Luc wondered. None of the side roads around Blessing were in great condition.

“Fine. It will only take me five minutes,” he warned.

“That’s great.”

He glanced from Dani to Miss Winifred, trying to decipher the strange looks passing between the two. It was no use. He’d never been good at figuring out that unspoken stuff. He pulled open the door and stepped outside.

By the time he returned to the Blessing Bakery, considerably longer than five minutes had elapsed. It was as if everyone in the small grocery store had conspired to delay him by chatting about the most inconsequential things. Luc shoved open the door, and stopped short when Dani’s head popped up and Miss Winifred stopped midsentence.

“Are you ready?” he asked when no one said anything.

“Ready?” Dani frowned.

“Of course she is, Lucas. We just got gabbing and lost sight of the time. I’ll pack those pies into my new Styrofoam boxes and they’ll stay warm as toast.” Miss Winifred bustled away, humming a little tune as she worked in the back room.

Dani folded a piece of paper and tucked it into her pocket.

“What’s that?” Luc asked, curious about the bright red flush on her cheeks.

“Oh, just some notes I made about the dinner theater. Miss Win had some suggestions. Think I’ll phone about the Baptist church hall.”

“There we are. All snug as a bug. Aren’t these carryouts delightful?” Miss Winifred held out three white packages. Thin red script spilled across one corner, spelling out Blessing Bakery, made with love.

Cute, Luc thought. “Very nice,” he said.

“I do like a good design. And red is such a lovely color for a bakery. Vibrant and fresh.” She picked up a square white box with the same inscription, tied with thin red cord. “Here’s the cake. I know Gordon will enjoy it. I put the banana loaf in beside it. I hope there’s not too much for him. He eats like a sparrow.”

“I’m sure he’ll want to save the loaf for tomorrow, but we’ll help him with the cake.” Dani waved and yanked the door open, waiting while Luc paid for his order. She fluttered a hand. “Bye, Miss Win.”

“Goodbye, dears. Have a blessing day.”

Luc rolled his eyes. A blessing day? Rolling over corrugated back roads in Dani DeWitt’s clunker? Oh, yeah, it would be a riot.

In fact, it was. Dani teased Mr. Potter and he teased her right back. He was delighted with their lunch and ate every bit of his pie, gushing compliments for Miss Winifred left and right.

“That woman is a treasure. Too bad she never married. Cooks like a dream, you know.” Gordon licked his lips when Luc lifted out the cake. “Oh my. Chocolate.”

“Happy Birthday, Gordon. And many more of them.”

“Ah, laddie, ’tis a blessed thing ye’ve done here.” Suddenly Gordon Potter’s Scottish burr was as thick as molasses. “I’ve no had a cake for me birthin’ day since Hettie passed on.”

“Then, it’s time you did,” Dani decreed, brushing her lips against his whiskery cheek as she wrapped her arms around his neck in a hug. She burst out singing “Happy Birthday,” nudging Luc rather hard with one toe of her pointed boot, until he finally joined in, though he was careful only to say the words.

“Thank ye, me wee chums.” Gordon savored a mouthful of the chocolate confection, eyes closed.

“If you can remember the words to ‘Happy Birthday,’ you can say your lines at the dinner,” Dani hissed to Luc. “What’s one person more, or less in the group?” She held out a plate with a thin slice of cake on it.

Luc stared at the minuscule portion and frowned. “Is that all I get?”

“I don’t want us to eat all his precious cake, Luc. You heard him. It’s been years since he’s even had a birthday cake.” She plunked the saucer on his knee.

“Ach, surely a lad the size of yerself needs a wee bit more than that, boyo?” Gordon lifted the knife to cut another piece.

“No, Gordon. But thanks all the same. This is the perfect size. I had a snack this morning and it’s not sitting too well.” In truth, Luc had missed breakfast and was starving, but he’d gladly forgo the cake if it got Dani’s warning glare off him.

Luc had barely scraped the last creamy smear of icing off his plate when the alarm on his watch beeped.

“Gordon, it’s been great to visit with you. I wish you a very happy birthday. But I’m afraid I’ve got to head back to town. I’ve a patient scheduled in half an hour.” And considering Dani’s driving on the way out here, he was going to be late. Tortoises moved faster than her tired old truck. And they certainly had better upholstery.

“Yes, we’ve got to go. But will you come over to the Double D tonight, Gordon? Someone sent over a lemon pie this morning and I can’t possibly manage it all myself.”

Why didn’t she ask him to share her lemon pie? Luc wondered. But Dani did not extend the invitation to him, though he hinted at it by telling them both how much he liked pie, especially lemon pie.

“It’d be an honor, Dani. Seven-thirty?”

“Perfect.” She nodded, grinned, then turned on Luc. “Come on, Doc. You’ve goofed off most of the morning. Back to work for you.” She scooped up their debris and dumped it into a garbage pail, closed the cake box, and set it and Gordon’s prized banana loaf in the fridge.