A Fool's Gold Wedding - Susan Mallery Page 0,3

socially. He never knew what to say or how to act. Plus, their conversation wasn’t very interesting. The things people cared about were so mundane. His was a world of life and death. Saving his patients was what mattered. Everything else was easily dismissed.

This was his life, he told himself. He was content with the choices he’d made. He was all about his work. Let others fall in love, have children, go camping. He lived on a higher plane. He didn’t need ordinary pleasures. They only wasted time.

Which brought him back to why he was in town. He’d taken a three-week leave of absence from his work and was determined to meet Dr. Bradley and get him to understand that Joaquin needed to be in his program. Davis’s wedding had given him an unexpected opportunity and Joaquin had seized on it, along with the offer that Melissa’s sister would show him around. He planned to be charming—as much as was possible for him, given his lack of ability in that department—and friendly. As they toured the ridiculous town and did whatever it was people like her did, he would divine a way to meet her uncle. He was confident he and Simon Bradley had much in common. Once the two men met, the problem would be resolved and Joaquin could return to his life. Of that he was certain.

He glanced at his watch, then back out the window. He could see groups of what he assumed were tourists starting to fill the sidewalks. Banners advertised the Dog Days of Summer festival. He wasn’t sure if there were real dogs or not, nor did he care. It was all so tiresome.

He looked at his watch again. Less than twenty seconds had passed. The next three weeks were going to be long, but worth it. The ends justified the means, he reminded himself. At least they always had for him.

CHAPTER TWO

ABBY SHIFTED IN the leather chair in her uncle’s office. The space was nice enough—big, airy, with lots of formal-looking diploma thingies on the wall. There was a big bookcase filled with really thick medical journals, along with citations and awards. One whole shelf had pictures of his wife, her aunt Montana, and their kids, Skye and Henry. She smiled at the familiar faces. Whenever she was home, she was Simon and Montana’s go-to babysitter. Abby loved all kids, but those two in particular.

Simon ended the call and put the receiver back in place. “Sorry about that,” he said with an easy smile.

“No problem. I appreciate you meeting with me on such short notice.” She resisted the urge to moan or writhe. “I have a problem and I need your help.”

“Here I am.”

Simon Bradley was an interesting guy. From what Abby knew, he’d come to Fool’s Gold on a very short-term basis—to help out in the burn ward of the hospital. He’d met and fallen madly in love with her aunt Montana and had married her and settled here.

He was a tall, imposing sort of man, with piercing green eyes. But what always caught people’s attention was his face. Half of it was perfect and the other half was terribly scarred from burns he’d endured as a child.

“You never got surgery,” she said before she could stop herself. Abby instantly slapped her hand across her mouth. “Oh, no. I’m sorry. That was rude. I shouldn’t have said anything.”

Simon smiled at her. “To make the scars less noticeable? You’re right. I never did.”

“But something could be done.”

“Yes. For a long time the scars were there to remind me of what was important.”

“You mean to stay focused on your work?”

He nodded. “After a while, I realized they were reassuring for my patients. I’d been through what they’re going through. The scars made it easier for my patients to trust me. Now, honestly, I just don’t notice them. Do they bother you?”

The question was asked gently, as if he was trying not to upset her. “Simon, you know they don’t. I don’t really notice them much at all. Every now and then I see them, but it’s no big deal.”

“I’m glad. Now how can I help you?”

“Oh, right. That.” She’d nearly forgotten. “There’s this guy.”

One eyebrow rose. “You’ve met someone?”

“What? No. I mean, I’d like to, but no. This isn’t that.” From what she’d heard, dating Joaquin would be a nightmare for sure. “Okay, so Melissa is marrying Davis and Davis has a brother we’ve never met because I don’t know why. I guess he’s