Saving Dr. Ryan by Karen Templeton Page A

on your doorstep in labor.” He grinned. “You want my opinion, Maddie’s in far more danger fromthe married womenfolk in this town than she’d ever be from me. If she sticks around, I guarantee every woman within a fifty-mile radius is gonna try her hand at fixin’ her up with somebody. Which reminds me…” Cal hauled himself up into the driver’s seat, leaving the door hanging open. “I hear Ned McAllister’s her uncle or something?”
    Despite himself, Ryan felt his anger begin to fade. Flirting really was just his brother’s way. And even though Cal used to go through women like they were M&M’s—maybe he did respect them, but let’s just say there was a big turnover in the girlfriend department—Ryan guessed he hadn’t really heard much dirt on his brother in the past few years. These days, Cal’s business pretty much kept him out of trouble. And out of sight.
    â€œHer husband’s great-uncle, yeah,” he now said. Damn, it was cold out here. And damp. Ryan folded his arms over his chest and glanced up, frowning at the clouds, then back at his brother. “She’s got this idea she’s going to be able to stay with him out at his place.”
    â€œYou tell her that’d never work?”
    â€œWhat do you think?”
    â€œAnd judging from that just-ate-grapefruit look on your face, I’m guessing she wasn’t dissuaded.”
    â€œWell, in her position, I don’t suppose I’d feel I could afford to be too picky, either. I reckon she’ll change her mind soon enough, though, once she sets eyes on the place.”
    â€œAnd then what?”
    Ryan sighed, his breath coming out in a white puff. “Yeah, well, that’s the part I haven’t figured out yet.”
    Cal craned his neck, looked up at the house, then back at Ryan. “No reason why she can’t just stay here, is there? At least until she gets back on her feet?”
    â€œOther than the fact that the last thing I need is a woman and her kids underfoot indefinitely? What’s so blamed funny?”
    â€œYou are,” Cal said, still chuckling. He grabbed his door, slammed it shut. “You come roaring out here after me, clearly intent on defending Maddie Kincaid’s honor, then turn aroundand give me this crock about her and the kids ‘being underfoot.’ The truth is, something about that gal’s gotten to you. And you haven’t got the slightest idea what to do about it, do you?”
    Ryan ignored feeling that he’d just been suckerpunched and said, “And you’re off your rocker.”
    â€œOh, yeah?”
    â€œYeah. For one thing, I’ve known the woman exactly two and a half days. For another, she’s more’n ten years younger than me. And she just buried her husband. Besides, you know full well why I can’t get involved with anybody.”
    Cal didn’t have anything to say to that for a moment. Then he twisted the key in the ignition, gunning the engine. “Yep. That’s a nice crop of reasons you got there.”
    â€œI don’t like the way you said that.”
    That got a chuckle. “You know, one of these days, you and Hank both are gonna realize I’m not your kid brother anymore. That maybe I know a thing or two. Especially about women,” he added with a lopsided grin.
    â€œWhich brings me back to my earlier observation.”
    Cal let out a ragged sigh. “I’m not looking to start something with Maddie, okay? At least…not this week.”
    With that, he backed out of the driveway fast enough to get the neighbor’s dog all riled up.
    Â 
    Another week passed before Ryan got around to taking Maddie into Claremore to see Ned. Maddie wasn’t all that sold on the idea of leaving Amy Rose with anybody, not even Ivy—she’d gotten the boy enrolled in kindergarten and the girl seemed to take to the church day care right