Page 102 of A Doctor for Daisy

“What?” he asked and turned his head to see the woman that just walked in the door.

“Play along, please. I’ll explain later.”

“Daisy, dear. How are you doing?”

“Great, Gretchen. How are you? Are you coming in to buy a piece of jewelry or just checking things out?”

“I saw you leaning on the counter and figured you were working the store to cover for Rose. How is she doing?”

“She’s doing well,” Daisy said. “I’m sure you’ve been asking about her with everyone.”

“Aren’t you going to introduce me to your boyfriend?”

He didn’t know who this lady was or how she knew Daisy and he were dating. Maybe the sharing of the pizza gave it away.

“Gretchen, this is Theo James. Theo, Gretchen owns the shop across the street. She watches everything that goes on on Main Street.”

“She’s like a hawk,” Ivy said a few feet away and giggled.

“Ivy is just being childish like we all know she is,” Gretchen said.

He thought that was rude coming from this woman. Maybe Ivy shouldn’t have said what she had, but something told him the woman in front of him was a regular participant in the small town gossip that went on.

“I find Ivy very refreshing,” he said.

“How do you know Ivy?” Gretchen asked.

“He knows everyone I work with,” Daisy said. “We are dating. I’d ask how you know, but as Ivy said, you seem to know it all.”

“It’s like all you girls are finding love. And what do you do, Theo?” Gretchen asked.

He looked at Daisy. He wasn’t sure what “play along” meant, but before he could answer, Daisy said, “He’s a fixer.”

“A fixer?” Gretchen asked. “What does that mean?”

He leaned closer and said quietly, “You know. When things are broken... I fix them for people.”

Ivy was all but bent over laughing. Daisy snorted, but he found this was fun. It wasn’t a lie.

“You mean like secret things?” Gretchen asked, her eyes wide as saucers.

“Oh yeah. I can’t talk about anything that I do. There is a strict code in my line of work.”

“Oh dear,” Gretchen said and turned and left quickly.

Daisy started to laugh. “I didn’t know you had that in you. Well done.”

He took a slight bow. “You did promise to loosen me up a long time ago. I suppose you’re still doing it. Let me guess, the town gossip?”

“I knew you were smart. I didn’t want her to know you’re a doctor. She’ll spin it to me trying to better myself I’m sure. I don’t need other people saying things I’ve thought of for years.”

Theo almost growled when she said that. More so after the call with his mother. “Daisy.”

“Whoa,” she said. She leaned in closer to him. “You’re sexy when you’re angry. That is an angry look, right? I’ve never seen it on you before. I didn’t mean anything by it. Just saying it’s how I felt early on and I don’t need to hear it now. Nothing more. I promise. Here, have another bite. Maybe you’rehangry.”

“Very cute,” he said.

“Nope,” she said. “You’re cute. Kiss me and let me get to work. I’ll text you when I get home.”

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