of a dutifuldaughter for not producing an environment conducive to a visiting, meddling parent.
As expected, the chatty letter ended with:
P.S. I lit a candle for you at Mass on Saturday that someday you will find a man who will make you as happy as Albert makes Fannie. How is Bob?
Georgia closed her eyes and laid her head back on the couch. Fannie had made The American Dream look so easy. She’d slighted her studies in favor of socializing and snared the son of the man who’d created some newfangled racing snow ski, ergo the lodge in Denver big enough to host the winter Olympics. Their wedding had been the social event of the year in Denver. Georgia’s bridesmaid gown had cost as much as a semester’s tuition. And their mother…Well, her happiness was cinched when the star of a nationally syndicated decorating show flew in from Los Angeles just to make the table arrangements.
How was a little sister supposed to follow that act? She wanted all those wonderful things, too, but maybe Fannie had inherited all the husband-hunting genes. Maybe she was destined to be simply a good aunt.
Her phone rang, an alien noise that sounded like a sick pet. Rob, finally. She yanked up the portable phone and pressed the Talk button. “Hello?”
“Hey, it’s me,” Toni said.
“Oh, hi.”
“I take it from your depressed tone that Rob hasn’t yet called to, um, return the favor?”
She sighed. “He left a message at the hospital saying he was called out of town unexpectedly, and that he would phone, but I haven’t heard from him yet.”
“He’s probably just busy or away from a phone. Hey, what’s this about you treating a dog in the E.R.?”
Georgia swallowed. “How much trouble am I in?”
“A lot. What the heck happened?”
She stood and paced the room. “A cop came running in carrying a patient wrapped in a blanket. I didn’t find out it was a dog until we were already in an exam room.”
“So you booted out the cop, right?”
“I tried. But when I refused to treat the dog, the guy started bandaging him up himself.”
“So being the big-hearted person you are, you gave him a hand.”
“I didn’t have a choice!”
“Uh-huh. Well, I hope the guy was worth the grief you’re going to catch tomorrow.”
She glowered. “He wasn’t.”
“Dr. Story is liable to fire you, you know.”
“Thank you for giving me something else to obsess about this evening.”
“Something else? Oh, you’re worried about Rob’s reaction.”
Georgia gasped. “I was fine until you started talking about buyer’s remorse!”
“Well, just in case things don’t work out with Rob, is the cop single?”
“I so completely didn’t ask.”
“Cops are supposed to be great in bed.”
She blinked away the image of the man’s huge feet.“I could have sworn we were talking about me being fired.”
“Just a little trivia I thought you might be interested in.”
Erotic visions skipped through her head—uniforms, frisking, handcuffs. “Well, I’m not.”
“Hey, did you find a dress?”
“Yes, the Toms practically flung it on me.”
“Aren’t they great?”
“I think ‘frightening’ is the word you’re looking for.”
“But I’m sure you’ll look fabulous for Rob at the wedding.”
“I just hope he’s back in time to go with me.”
“Yeah, you can tell a lot about a guy by how he acts at a wedding. You’re lucky that you have the chance to expose him at this point in your relationship.”
Georgia sighed. “I’m not so sure that Rob and I have a relationship.”
“Well, after last night, he’s bound to make a move in one direction or another.”
“Yeah, well, thanks again for reminding me how far out on a limb I’ve climbed.”
“Don’t worry about Rob. Just try to get to work a few minutes early tomorrow to circumvent Dr. Story’s lecture. And dress up.”
“I appreciate the warning. See you tomorrow.”
She disconnected the call, feeling itchy and restless. What a lousy end to
As expected, the chatty letter ended with:
P.S. I lit a candle for you at Mass on Saturday that someday you will find a man who will make you as happy as Albert makes Fannie. How is Bob?
Georgia closed her eyes and laid her head back on the couch. Fannie had made The American Dream look so easy. She’d slighted her studies in favor of socializing and snared the son of the man who’d created some newfangled racing snow ski, ergo the lodge in Denver big enough to host the winter Olympics. Their wedding had been the social event of the year in Denver. Georgia’s bridesmaid gown had cost as much as a semester’s tuition. And their mother…Well, her happiness was cinched when the star of a nationally syndicated decorating show flew in from Los Angeles just to make the table arrangements.
How was a little sister supposed to follow that act? She wanted all those wonderful things, too, but maybe Fannie had inherited all the husband-hunting genes. Maybe she was destined to be simply a good aunt.
Her phone rang, an alien noise that sounded like a sick pet. Rob, finally. She yanked up the portable phone and pressed the Talk button. “Hello?”
“Hey, it’s me,” Toni said.
“Oh, hi.”
“I take it from your depressed tone that Rob hasn’t yet called to, um, return the favor?”
She sighed. “He left a message at the hospital saying he was called out of town unexpectedly, and that he would phone, but I haven’t heard from him yet.”
“He’s probably just busy or away from a phone. Hey, what’s this about you treating a dog in the E.R.?”
Georgia swallowed. “How much trouble am I in?”
“A lot. What the heck happened?”
She stood and paced the room. “A cop came running in carrying a patient wrapped in a blanket. I didn’t find out it was a dog until we were already in an exam room.”
“So you booted out the cop, right?”
“I tried. But when I refused to treat the dog, the guy started bandaging him up himself.”
“So being the big-hearted person you are, you gave him a hand.”
“I didn’t have a choice!”
“Uh-huh. Well, I hope the guy was worth the grief you’re going to catch tomorrow.”
She glowered. “He wasn’t.”
“Dr. Story is liable to fire you, you know.”
“Thank you for giving me something else to obsess about this evening.”
“Something else? Oh, you’re worried about Rob’s reaction.”
Georgia gasped. “I was fine until you started talking about buyer’s remorse!”
“Well, just in case things don’t work out with Rob, is the cop single?”
“I so completely didn’t ask.”
“Cops are supposed to be great in bed.”
She blinked away the image of the man’s huge feet.“I could have sworn we were talking about me being fired.”
“Just a little trivia I thought you might be interested in.”
Erotic visions skipped through her head—uniforms, frisking, handcuffs. “Well, I’m not.”
“Hey, did you find a dress?”
“Yes, the Toms practically flung it on me.”
“Aren’t they great?”
“I think ‘frightening’ is the word you’re looking for.”
“But I’m sure you’ll look fabulous for Rob at the wedding.”
“I just hope he’s back in time to go with me.”
“Yeah, you can tell a lot about a guy by how he acts at a wedding. You’re lucky that you have the chance to expose him at this point in your relationship.”
Georgia sighed. “I’m not so sure that Rob and I have a relationship.”
“Well, after last night, he’s bound to make a move in one direction or another.”
“Yeah, well, thanks again for reminding me how far out on a limb I’ve climbed.”
“Don’t worry about Rob. Just try to get to work a few minutes early tomorrow to circumvent Dr. Story’s lecture. And dress up.”
“I appreciate the warning. See you tomorrow.”
She disconnected the call, feeling itchy and restless. What a lousy end to
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