Score two for Doc. He had a real knack for instantly deflating her smiles with an abrupt and sobering question.
"What about him?"
"Is he a consideration?"
"No."
"Are you sure?"
"Of course I'm sure."
"No lingering-"
"No."
He frowned doubtfully. "You looked awfully funny when I mentioned him."
Inwardly she was pleading with him not to put her through this. By the same token, telling the story would serve him right for being so nosy.
'John Malone. Great TV name, huh? With a face and a voice to go with it. We met through work and fell hopelessly in love. The first few months were bliss. Then shortly after we were married, he was hired by one of the networks to be a foreign correspondent."
"Ah. I see."
"No, you don't," she retorted. "Not at all. Professional jealousy didn't factor in. It was a fantastic opportunity for John, and I was foursquare in favor of it. The thought of living abroad was enticing. I envisioned Paris or London or Rome. But his choice came down to either South America or Bosnia. This was before most Americans had even heard of Bosnia. The struggle there was just beginning."
Absently she picked at a loose thread on the hem of the T-shirt. "Naturally, I urged him to take the safer choice- Rio. Where, incidentally, I could go with him. I didn't relish the thought of my groom leaving me Stateside and going into a war zone, particularly one where boundaries were imprecise and everyone was still choosing up sides.
"He opted for the more thrilling of the two. He wanted to be where the action was, where he would be guaranteed more airtime. We argued about it. Virulently. Finally I said, 'All right, John, fine. Go. Get yourself killed.' "
Raising her head, she met Doc's eyes directly. "And that's what he did."
His expression remained impassive.
Tiel plunged on. "He had gone into an area where journalists weren't supposed to go-which didn't surprise me," she added on a soft laugh. "He was an adventurer by nature. Anyway, he caught a sniper bullet. They shipped his body home. I buried him three months shy of our first wedding anniversary."
After a time, Doc said, "That's tough. I'm sorry."
"Yes, well…"
They were silent for a long while. It was Tiel who finally spoke. "What's it been like for you?"
"In regards to what?"
"Relationships."
"Specifically…?"
"Come on, Doc. Don't play dumb," she chided softly. "I was candid with you."
"Which was your choice."
"Fair's fair. Share with me."
"There's nothing to share."
"About you and women?" she asked incredulously. "I don't believe that."
"What do you want? Names and dates? Starting when, Ms. McCoy? Does high school count, or should I begin with college?"