stretched out before him. His for the taking.
“Will it take long to reach Delano?” Mitzi spoke loudly over the engine noise.
“We should be there in forty-five.” More relaxed now, and fully in control of his emotions, Keenan ventured a sideways glance. “Do you have many patients to see?”
“From the list they gave me of appointments, it looks like a full schedule.” She settled back against the leather seat and her hands unclenched. “Makes the trip worth the time.”
The fact that there wasn’t the slightest hint of snippiness in her tone told him she wouldn’t make the trip miserable simply because they’d had a falling out.
“Who are these patients you’ll be seeing?”
“They’ve all been evaluated by their family doc, and some kind of orthopedic surgery is being considered. I’ll examine them, review their records then decide if I believe surgery is indicated.” She met his gaze. “A lot of patients think that because I’m a surgeon, I’ll push to cut. That’s not the case.”
“How did you decide on your specialty?” he asked politely. She was the client, and friendly conversation was part of the service.
“Bones and joints always interested me.” She shrugged. “Not a very girly thing, but I love it.”
“You followed your dream,” he said. “You should be proud of yourself.”
“Keenan.”
His stomach clenched at the tremor in her voice. He tightened his fingers on the yoke. “Yes?”
“I’m sorry about what happened the other day.”
Shock held him silent for a second. When he started to speak, she talked over him.
“I know how it appeared.” Her words came out in a rush. “I know what I said, what you thought, but it’s not true.”
Keenan didn’t want to discuss her foolishness in focusing on a man who didn’t have an adventurous bone in his body. Not only that, she’d practically come out and said the guy didn’t turn her on. And if she was thinking of heating up the sheets with him, Keenan had made it clear he wasn’t interested in playing secret lover. What more was there to say? “Let it drop.”
“I won’t.” She rested a hand on his bare forearm, scorching him with her touch. “I can’t.”
“Okay,” he said equitably, his voice calm even as his heart jackhammered against his ribs. “Say what you want to say. Then we’ll drop it.”
“I’m thirty-four years old, Keenan. I’ve achieved all of the goals I’ve set so far. One by one I’ve crossed them off.”
“Next up is finding a husband,” he said, unable to keep the censure from his tone.
She lifted her chin. “That’s right.”
“And you really believe Winn Ferris can make you happy?”
“I don’t,” Mitzi said. “That’s why Winn is off the list.”
Keenan pulled his brows together, not sure he’d heard correctly. “List?”
“Husband list,” she clarified. “I believe in being organized and methodical in my approach to a goal.”
“A list,” he repeated and shook his head.
“It makes sense,” she insisted. “Take Winn for example. The chemistry was definitely not there. I tried to give him the benefit of the doubt because he was perfect in so many other ways. I thought it might be me. But—”
“There’s chemistry between us,” Keenan interrupted before she could bring up what had happened in the kitchen. “Where do I rank on your list?”
The question popped out before he could stop it.
“You’re not on it.”
Keenan ignored the sharp pain in his gut and kept his tone conversational. “Why not?”
“You want to have your own plane, your own charter service eventually.”
“True. But what does that have to do with your list?”
“You’ve got the drive and ambition to make that happen. But right now you’re where I was several years ago, working long hours for not a lot of money but with eyes focused firmly on the brass ring. You’re not ready to settle down.” A shadow stole across her face but was gone so quickly he wondered if he’d only imagined it. “I’m looking for a guy who has grabbed hold of his dreams and is ready for a wife and a family. Right now. Not someday.”
“It makes sense,” Keenan said grudgingly.
“Though I meant no harm, I realize now that I was wrong to use you the way I did. I hope you can forgive me.” She tilted her head back, her eyes meeting his. “I hope we can continue to be friends. Your friendship means a lot to me.”
She looked so worried, it took everything he had not to pull her into his arms and comfort. Instead he chuckled. “Does anyone ever stay mad at you?”
“Oh, definitely,” she