Prescription: Marry Her Immediately

“That sounds faintly indecent.” Oops. She didn’t want to ruin her “been there, done that” image. “Not that I’m against moral decadence, but not on my lunch break.”

“Okay. Why don’t you come over to my apartment tonight instead?” he said. “I’m working the late shift but I’ll be done by seven.”

Before Saturday, Amy hadn’t worried about giving Quent the wrong idea because he treated her like one of the boys, but that had changed. “What are you proposing?”

“How about Ping-Pong, followed by getting to know each other a little better?” He waggled one eyebrow suggestively, ? la Groucho Marx.

“You have a Ping-Pong table in your apartment?” It didn’t fit with her mental image of a seductive bachelor pad.

“It was either that or a pool table, and Ping-Pong is more portable in case I have to move,” he said. “How about it?”

She’d love to play. But that wasn’t all he had in mind, and Amy knew where it would lead. “No, thanks.”

Quent regarded her with a crestfallen expression. “Is it my breath?”

“No!” Amy laughed. “It’s just…I mean, I’d rather keep it light. I already told you…” An idea hit her. “Actually, there is something I want to discuss.”

“Great!” He beamed at her, lighting up the room. “We can talk over pizza at my place.”

“We can discuss it now.” She checked her watch. Fifteen minutes to go. “It’s about the Moms in Training program.”

“Something I can help with?” Quent straightened. “I’d be glad to.”

Amy explained Heather’s request about the presentations. “You’re the expert on infant development. When it comes to child discipline, you could provide a pediatrician’s perspective and I could discuss it from a counseling perspective.”

Quent was all business now. “It would be my pleasure, but shouldn’t you pick a doctor who has kids of his own?”

Amy decided to level with him. “There’s another matter involved that calls for discretion, and I’m afraid the other doctors might be tempted to gossip. It concerns Heather.”

“What about her?”

She searched for a way to explain without revealing too much. “About the reason she took leave. It’s likely to come out when you visit the center.”

“What’s all the mystery?” Quent asked.

“It’s not my story to tell,” Amy said. “I’d just ask that you keep anything you learn confidential.”

“Okay. I promise not to blab any deep dark secrets.” After a moment’s thought, Quent added, “You realize we’re going to have to meet to prepare our joint program.”

Amy was about to say they could do it at the office, when she realized it wouldn’t be appropriate. Although her involvement with the young mothers was good public relations for Doctors Circle, it was a volunteer job and shouldn’t be done on her work time. “I suppose so.”

“Which brings us full circle,” Quent said cheerfully. “Seven o’clock at my place. I’ll buy the pizza.” He wrote the address on a scratch pad and handed it to her. “We’ll keep it strictly on the up and up. Unless, by mutual consent, we decide to lie down on the job.”

“Don’t count on it.”

“A guy can hope, can’t he?”

A figure appeared behind Quent in the doorway. Gray of complexion, with pouches that gave his eyes a perpetual squint, Dr. Dudley Fingger wore the frown of a disapproving bureaucrat. “There you are, Dr. Ladd. You were due back from lunch five minutes ago.”

“Really?” Quent looked at his watch, then made a show of putting it to his ear, frowning and shaking it.

Amy hid a smile. Dr. Fingger was a fussbudget whose plodding sternness never failed to stimulate Quent’s penchant for teasing.

Seniority had led to Dudley Fingger’s appointment one month ago as temporary director of the Well-Baby Clinic. His predecessor, Dr. Spencer Sorrell, had been a pompous bully whose departure had been cause for celebration.

“The gift shop carries an excellent selection of watches,” Dr. Fingger said solemnly.

“I’ll check it out. Should I go there now?” Quent asked with pretended earnestness.

“You have patients waiting!”

“Oh, I see,” Quent answered. “I guess I should go back to work then, huh?”

“Yes, you should,” said his supervisor. “Sorry to disturb you, Ms. Ravenna.”

“No problem.” Amy wondered if she should suggest that the strait-laced pediatrician address her as “Doctor,” just to amuse Quent, but decided against it.

Given his nature, Dr. Fingger would no doubt go around insisting that everyone call her Dr. Ravenna. Although she’d earned her Ph.D., she didn’t like to use the title in case people got the mistaken idea that she was a physician.

Quent started off, then returned to poke his head in the door. “Tonight.” With a wink, he scooted away.

Amy chuckled. What a scoundrel!

She sobered at the realization that she would be spending the evening alone with Quent. She’d have to rely on her strength of will to keep him at arm’s length.

It wasn’t going to be easy.

Chapter Four

Amy tried on two outfits while deciding what to wear to Quent’s house. If she’d had any more clothes with her, she would have tried those on, too.

“This must be some hot date,” said her cousin Kitty, who’d popped in to visit and was reclining atop the brightly colored comforter on the double bed. At seventeen, she had an outgoing nature and plenty of curiosity.

Unfortunately, there was no question of borrowing her clothes. Not only was she shorter than Amy, but she preferred skin-tight pants and tops.

“I’m just going to see my friend Quent.” Amy turned sideways to study her jeans and pink turtleneck in the full-length mirror. “We’ve got some work-related stuff to discuss.”

If she wanted to look her best, she was going to have to buy a mirror like this when she got back into her condo, she decided. Or maybe she should give away every mirror she owned and put on her makeup by feel. There was much to be said for giving your appearance as little thought as possible.

“I’ll bet he’s cute.” Kitty flipped back a long strand of brown hair.

“He is,” Amy agreed. “But he’s not for me.”

“Why not?”

“Too much of a playboy,” she said.

“If he’s in love with you, he’ll change,” advised her cousin with wisdom accumulated from years of watching TV shows.