Kiss Me in the Summer - Barbara Dunlop Page 0,12

Madeline said.

It was a generous offer, but I felt bad that my predicament had put her in a difficult spot. “I can’t put you out,” I said.

“In this huge place?” She gestured around with her teacup, and she seemed sincere. “I’ll barely even notice you’re here.”

“At least let me pay you something.” She might be sincere, but I was determined to not be a burden.

“Ha!” Madeline scoffed. “Not a chance.”

“That’s way too generous.”

“Now that you mention it . . .” Madeline got a calculating look in her eyes.

“Auntie?” Josh intoned in a warning voice.

His voice drew my attention, and before I knew it, I was drinking in his good looks all over again, his handsome profile, his rangy body.

“She did say she was a lawyer,” Madeline said to Josh. To me she said, “Maine and New York have law license reciprocity.”

“Do you need legal help?” I asked Madeline.

It seemed odd she would need help since she was a lawyer herself, even if she was retired. But it sounded like she had some kind of legal trouble—maybe a result of her driving. I almost smiled at the thought, but then I realized it could be serious.

I wondered if Madeline needed privacy for us to discuss the matter. “Do you need lawyer-client privilege?” I asked.

Josh laughed.

The reaction took me by surprise. “How is this funny?”

“It’s not for me, dear,” Madeline said.

“You?” I asked Josh.

I had a hard time picturing him committing a crime, even a traffic offense, but you never knew. I’d certainly been surprised by clients in the past. Maybe it was white-collar crime.

“Seriously?” he asked, arching a brow. “What crime do you think I might have committed?”

I was guessing nothing. He didn’t look mad. He looked amused. I decided to go along with the humor in his expression. “Embezzlement?” I asked.

“I’m a veterinarian. I own my own business.”

“Really?” I sure wouldn’t have guessed that was his profession.

Not that I’d thought about his profession, and not that I had any preconceived notion of what a veterinarian should look like. Okay, if I had to, maybe I would picture a rotund, pink-cheeked, grinning man in a jaunty driving cap and a bow tie. But that was just from television.

“Yes,” he said, still looking amused. “Really.”

“Malpractice?” I asked, carrying the joke forward.

“Try again.”

“Jaywalking one of your patients.”

He laughed at that, and I really liked the sound. The lawyer part of me wanted to analyze my feelings; the woman part of me wanted to go along for the ride.

“Josh isn’t under indictment,” Madeline said.

“She wants you to help in her law practice,” Josh said.

“You have a law practice?” I asked Madeline. I thought she’d said she was retired.

“I’m only in the office part-time,” Madeline said. “My niece Becky Seymour handles most of our caseload.”

I looked Josh’s way, wondering if Becky Seymour might be his sister.

“My cousin,” Josh said, as if he’d read the question in my expression.

“You have a lot of family in Rutter’s Point?” I asked Madeline.

I should have asked about the law practice instead of her relatives. I should also be agreeing right off to help her out. It was the least I could do, and I didn’t want her to think I was hesitating. I wasn’t. As an only child with no cousins and parents who’d taken to traveling for most of the year, I was curious about their seemingly close-knit family.

“Quite a few,” Madeline said. “I haven’t counted in a while, and Becky’s pregnant, so there’s another one of us on the way.”

“Trust me, you don’t want a recitation of the family tree,” Josh said in a mock dire tone.

Maybe he didn’t, but I wouldn’t mind one.

“Becky is my sister Anna’s youngest daughter Stephanie’s oldest child,” Madeline said, ignoring Josh.

He gave me an I-told-you-so look.

I couldn’t stop a smile. I loved the way that had rolled off Madeline’s tongue. “I’d be happy to help out with your caseload,” I told her. “As much as I can, anyway, since I’ll only be here for a couple of days.”

Madeline clapped her hands together. “Perfect. Problem solved.” She looked at Josh. “See, I told you things would work out.”

I looked from Josh to Madeline and realized something was going on beneath the surface. “What would work out?”

“She’s talking about the summer festival in the middle of the month,” he said.

I didn’t get the connection.

“My law firm and Josh’s veterinary practice team up every year to volunteer in support of the event,” Madeline said. “There’s a lot to get done this week.”

And Madeline had