Just Around the Corner

She’d also said Phyllis should be getting more rest. That the bleeding was nothing serious at the moment, but these things were frequently warnings of future problems. She’d warned Phyllis to slow down. She could work, take care of business, but she wasn’t to do any heavy lifting or anything that required exertion.

She’d also said Phyllis was already starting to show and seemed a bit surprised by that.

And she’d said all of it when Matt was standing right there, listening.

“You really shouldn’t have told Dr. Mac that you’re the baby’s father,” Phyllis said now, frowning as she thought of the unexpected repercussions she was facing from the day’s phone call. She’d expected an impersonal ride into the city and an equally detached ride home. A bit of small talk maybe, but that was it. Then she would’ve thanked him and said goodbye.

“I had to. Otherwise, they weren’t going to tell me what was happening.”

“I didn’t intend to name you on the birth certificate.”

His eyelids lowered. If she hadn’t been trained to notice such things, Phyllis would have missed the hurt he’d quickly concealed. And the relief that immediately followed.

“You still don’t have to,” he said.

“Dr. Mac—”

“Knows only what I told her. How you fill out your child’s birth certificate is entirely up to you.”

He was right, of course, but—

“You never seem to take that ring off,” Matt said, gesturing toward her fingers that were busily twisting the opal ring on her right hand. “Does it have some significance?”

“It was my mother’s.”

Silence fell. And lingered for several seconds.

“Sounds like you’re going to need a little help around the house during the next few months,” he finally said.

“I can manage,” Phyllis assured him, adding, “I’ve got enough friends to build a house, let alone keep one up.”

The prospect of further involvement was untenable. In the first place because she knew he didn’t want to be there.

And in the second…

“How many leather jackets do you have?” She’d seen two so far, and he looked damned good in them.

“Three.”

“Black, brown and…?”

“Maroon.”

Trying to ignore the interest his dark eyes were stirring inside her, Phyllis looked at the tube attached to her arm.

“You feeling okay?” he asked.

He was attentive, she had to give him that. Far more attentive than a man in his position should be. Especially when she had to remain completely immune to him, for a lot of reasons.

An almost impossible feat after she’d slept with him, Phyllis was beginning to discover.

Which was why he had to stay the hell away from her.

“I’ll come over once a week and do any heavy chores that need doing.”

“What?” Where had that come from?

“I’m partially responsible for this situation,” Matt said, leaning forward, his elbows on his knees. “There’s no reason for your friends to be put out when I’m perfectly capable of doing whatever needs to be done until you’re up and going again.”