Read Rachel Goddard 01 - The Heat of the Moon for Free Online Page A

he’d been caught at something. “I must look like a fish out of water.”
    “Dr. Campbell, you own the place now. You can come to work in a dress if you want to.”
    He laughed, a warm deep laugh, and I had to smile at the image I’d called up.
    “I can promise I’ll never show up in a dress, but I don’t think you’ll see me in a tie either. And call me Luke, okay?”
    “Oh, sorry. Sure.”
    This was all very friendly so far.
    Starbucks, a tan stucco building with green trim and awnings, was on Chain Bridge Road next to a 7-Eleven and across from an auto tire store. Despite the poverty of the view, two couples drinking coffee at sidewalk tables seemed to be enjoying the bright brisk day. A dark-haired young man raised his face to the sunshine with that goofy can-you-believe-winter’s-over expression people get in spring. Inside, half a dozen customers stood in line at the service counter.
    Although I’d eaten my sandwich lunch less than an hour before, my mouth watered when I breathed in the aromas of coffee, nuts, mint, chocolate. Luke’s face took on a comically bewildered expression as he studied the list of coffees posted behind the service counter. “Mocha, mocha almond, hazelnut,” he read aloud. “Whew. I’m just a country boy. I’m dazzled.”
    I smiled. “Dazzled by coffee. You’ve led a sheltered life.”
    “You choose for me,” he said. “I trust you.”
    “Okay, let’s keep it basic.”
    I ordered two short lattes, wondering if all this geniality was supposed to make me more receptive to criticism. I decided to beat him to it. As soon as we sat down with our coffee at one of the little round tables, I said, “If this is about my behavior yesterday, I’d like to apologize. You don’t have to tell me it was pretty strange—”
    “Good God,” he said, sitting back. “Did you think I brought you over here to talk about that? It’s the last thing on my mind. Forget it.”
    “Oh.” What were we doing here then, drinking coffee at Starbucks in the middle of the work day?
    He wasn’t ready to tell me. He said, “I think Dr. McCutcheon might come storming back from Florida and kick me out in the street if he heard I wasn’t being nice to you. You’re pretty special to him.”
    “Dr. Mac’s taught me a lot. He let me start working at the clinic as an aide part-time when I was sixteen.”
    Luke nodded, but seemed distracted. I wished he’d get on with it, whatever it was.
    Instead, he asked, “Have you heard from him since he retired?”
    “He called me last week, actually. He wanted to know how you were working out.”
    Luke laughed. “I hope you gave me a good report.”
    “Glowing.”
    “Right answer.”
    This time we both laughed. Then we fell silent, and the silence stretched out long enough to be uncomfortable. I didn’t want to keep up the chat, though. I wanted to know what was really on his mind.
    “Look,” he said. That disarming awkwardness reappeared, and once he started his words tumbled out in a rush. “This is my clumsy way of trying to get to know you better. Personally, not professionally. Now, if you think this is politically incorrect, or you’re involved with somebody, or you just think I’m a creep and you want me to buzz off, say so now and that’ll be the end of it, no hard feelings.”
    I stared at him. Then I burst out laughing.
    His embarrassment was too naked to miss, but he hid it quickly behind a self-deprecatory grin. “I guess that’s better than a slap in the face.”
    “Oh, God, I’m sorry. It’s not you—” I tried to suppress it, but laughter kept bubbling out. I couldn’t meet his eyes. Outside the window, a young couple in business clothes held hands across a sidewalk table.
    “Don’t tell me you had no idea I was interested,” Luke said.
    Now I looked at him, and sobered. My relief at what he hadn’t said gave way to astonishment at what he had said. “No. My gosh, no. I never expected—” I shook my head. “Why