“Seems like a nice kid,” Liv said, turning back to Matt, wondering why she couldn’t have just gone home. Going home would have made her life so much easier. Why make it harder by doing this?
Because she had some things to say and she was no longer the kind of person who avoided unpleasantness in order to keep other people happy.
Because she hated to see anyone give a guy like “Dr.” McElroy money. Or destroy their joints by numbing them with painkillers so they could compete—not that she knew for a fact that Matt was going to do any of those things, but from what she understood from Andie, toward the end of his practice, people only saw McElroy for one reason.
And because part of her wanted to tell Matt that she knew what he was doing and that it was wrong. Just plain wrong.
“Word travels fast,” Matt said.
Liv frowned. “What are you talking about?”
“My horse.”
“I’m not here about a horse,” Liv said. “I’m here about a quack.”
* * *
OH, YEAH. THIS WAS TURNING out to be one fine day.
“McElroy?” Matt asked wearily. This was why she was here all fired up? He was glad it wasn’t about the horse, but still...
“Got it in one,” she replied with the same quiet intensity she’d had when she was trying to explain a math concept that he just wasn’t getting. “I don’t know if anyone else is going to tell you that seeing McElroy is stupid and unethical, so I am.”
“Really.”
She nodded.
“Well, first of all, you don’t know what I’m going to do. Second, it’s none of your business and third, why do you care?”
Her color rose on the third point, in a rather fascinating way, actually. Anger or self-consciousness?
“Fourth,” he continued in a low voice, refusing to let himself be fascinated by the woman who wouldn’t return his horse, “how do you know I’m going to see McElroy?”
“Our receptionist was concerned about you.”
Matt snorted. “I think your receptionist wouldn’t mind seeing me in hell.”
“She did mention something about heat,” Liv muttered.
“You know, Liv, you may have helped me through calculus, but you really don’t have much say in what I do.”
“But I know what’s ethical and what people should and shouldn’t do to their body. And who they should and shouldn’t give money to. You’re supporting a quasicriminal if you go to this guy.”
He moved a step closer, not much liking her point about supporting a quasicriminal because he had a feeling she was probably right. “Just what is it you think I’m going to do to my body?”
From the way her lips parted then closed, Matt once again got the feeling that she was more aware of him, in a man-woman sense, than she wanted to be. Which would have been an interesting circumstance in another time or place.
“I think you’re going to numb the pain in your knee so that you can compete. And then I think you’re going to destroy the joint.”
“But you aren’t a doctor. McElroy is.”
“Allegedly.”
“I need to get back into the game before it’s too late,” he finally said. “I can only be competitive for so long and the clock’s ticking.”
“Maybe it’s ticked past midnight.”
“Thanks, Liv.”
“It’s possible.”
“And it’s also possible that the guys I’ve seen about my knee have approached the matter with a closed mind. They know the norm. They don’t know me.”
“How many therapists and doctors have you seen with closed minds?”
“Two. One doctor. One therapist.”
“Don’t make McElroy number three.”
“So maybe I should come to you? Would you approach things with an open mind?”
“I would tell you the truth.”
“Yeah?” He tilted his hat back slightly so that he could see her face better. “Seems to me that you went a long time without telling me the truth.”
It took a moment for his meaning to sink in. “That doesn’t count,” she snapped, blushing again. “I shouldn’t have come. You just go ahead and do what you have to do.” Liv turned to walk back to her truck, but Matt reached out and took her arm, his hand sliding down to her wrist to stop her.
She jerked back at his touch and he instantly let go. “Don’t go, Liv.”
“Why?”
“We have things to settle.” Before she could respond, he said, “Things other than doctors, alleged or otherwise, and old crushes.”
“What things?” Liv asked, her expression dead. He was touching too many nerves, but it worked both ways. If she could come here and shove health advice at him, then he could