Page 13 of Patch's Bride
I can’t help but chuckle. “How did you find out about that? He swore us all to secrecy.”
Her eyes sparkle with mischief. “And then he sobered up and told on himself.”
I step to the side because Beth is practically hiding behind me. “I’d like to introduce everyone to my new wife.”
The entire front office goes quiet, and Beth chokes out a strangled gasp as her eyes go wide. “We’re not technically married,” she whispers.
I tilt my head slightly. “That marriage license in your purse says otherwise.”
She brings her hand to her mouth and mumbles, “We need to do the second part, remember?”
I shrug and announce, “Fine, she’s my almost wife.”
Sharon looks Beth over, clearly confused. “Where did she come from? Don’t tell me you got yourself a beautiful Russian mail-order bride.”
Beth makes an indignant sound. “I’m not a mail-order bride.” Giving me a quick glance, she adds, “When you know, you know. Patch and I have known one another for years.”
This is Beth, selling the story we came up with. So, I pick up where she left off. “Sometimes you just gotta take the bull by the horns, right?”
Sharon’s eyes narrow on me. “So how come this is the first we’ve heard about you having a woman?”
“We need some entertainment, and shame on you, Dr. Patchett, for not sharing this sooner,” Maggie mock scolds.
I give my nurse and receptionist a look intended to warn them to mind their own business. “Although it’s not anyone’s business, Beth and I have known each other since we were children. Our mothers were best friends.”
Understanding clicks onto Sharon’s face. “So, the moms got tired of you two dancing around each other and made the match. That makes worlds more sense.”
“Yeah,” I tell her. “It was something exactly like that. We decided not to waste any more time.” Glancing around, I tell them, “Look, it’s been a long morning. I’m going to get Beth settled into my apartment upstairs. I’ll be back down shortly. Go ahead and put our patients into exam rooms.”
Sharon smiles at Beth. “It’s nice to meet you. If you need anything at all, don’t hesitate to let me know.”
Beth finally perks up. “That’s really nice of you. I hope to get to know you all better in the near future.”
The other women chime in their welcomes as well. Now, I know we didn’t have to tell them anything. But I’m pretty sure all of my employees bought the story, even Sharon, who is notoriously suspicious by nature. Plus, we’re a pretty close-knit group. This was my way of setting Beth up for success. Now that they know how important she is to me, my hope is that they will go the extra mile to make her feel welcome.
I put my hand at the small of Beth’s back and guide her upstairs. “In addition to my home in the suburbs, I have an apartment above the office. I’m going to give you some time to decompress because you look like you could use it.”
“Thanks. It’s been a rough last twenty-four hours.”
“I can only imagine. I hope you don’t mind me saying so, but you’re holding up like a trooper. I never realized how strong and resilient you are.”
She shoots me a mildly amused look. “I’m more than just a pretty face, as they say.”
“In my opinion, it’s more important to be smart and strong. Beauty fades but good character never gets old.”
“My mother’s beauty never faded, and she was of good character until the day she died,” Beth says earnestly.
“I can’t argue that point. Your mother was a great woman and much loved in our community, especially by me and my parents.”
She chokes up a little but doesn’t respond. I take that to mean now isn’t the right time to touch on her grief.
***
After getting Beth settled in, I head back down to my office, taking our marriage license with me to copy it and put it in my safe. Sinking down into my office chair, I toss the document onto my desk and steeple my fingers together as I decide how to approach her stepfather.
I can’t believe he struts around Las Salinas acting like he’s pious and perfect while trying to traffic his own stepdaughter on the down-low. I can’t even imagine the astronomical amount he could get for such a sweet, innocent young lady. That asshole doesn’t deserve to ever set eyes on her again.
However, deep down, I don’t think that’s punishment enough for him. If there were evidence, a judge might call this attempted trafficking, but to my mind it’s trafficking pure and simple because he already made the deal. He just didn’t get a chance to deliver the victim to the buyer. Sound reasoning tells me no one is looking to acquire an innocent young virgin to exploit her for their own use. The more I think on it, the angrier I get.
