The Police Chief's Lady

She released a sharp breath. “But first you repeated that whole ugly business. Why?”

“It was my job. If I mishandled the situation, I apologize.”

“You don’t approve of me, do you?” she said coolly.

Ethan was caught off guard, perhaps because she’d hit on the truth. “I don’t know you.”

“You’re being evasive.” A death grip on her purse strap revealed her tension.

“You didn’t make a very favorable impression last month,” he conceded. “Perhaps I judged too quickly.”

“You don’t have to like me.” Jenni faced him squarely. “But you’re part of the establishment in Downhome and I don’t want to feel as if I have to watch my back whenever you’re around. I especially don’t want to have to watch it when you’re not around.”

Ethan found the implication insulting. “If you’re paranoid about authority figures, don’t take that out on me.”

“When someone objects to your high-handed behavior, do you always dismiss it as paranoia?” she returned.

They glared at each other across the office. Unwillingly, Ethan found himself admiring the woman’s gumption.

She’d originally struck him as a fluffy California blonde. Now he’d have to describe her as a fierce, fluffy California blonde, if such a creature existed.

Ethan wondered what it took to warm up those blue-gray eyes and why none of the millions of men in L.A. had given her a reason to stay. Suddenly, Downhome had become a more interesting place to live. But not necessarily a more comfortable one.

He needed to defuse the situation. Mildly, he said, “I should know better than to argue with a doctor. Particularly using a medical term like paranoia. I take that back,”

“Do you ever smile?” Jenni asked. “I mean really smile, not just twitch the corners of your mouth?”

He blinked in surprise. “All the time. At home, anyway.”

“I admire your wife if she has that effect on you.”

Ethan didn’t care to discuss Martha with Jenni. “I have a five-year-old son,” he said. “Naturally, he’s a brilliant wit.” Simply mentioning Nick lightened his mood. “He has a gift for making me laugh.”

“That’s better.” She relaxed her grip on her purse strap.

“What is?”

“When you mentioned your little boy, you gave evidence of containing actual human DNA.” she quipped.

A strange thing happened to Ethan then. He chuckled. Until this moment, he hadn’t realized how rarely he did that around anyone aside from Nick. “I’ll have to be careful around you.”

“Why?” Jenni asked.

“You’re smarter than you—” He stopped.

“Smarter than I look?” Her voice held a challenge. “Believe me, I’ve heard that before.” She seemed rueful rather than angry. “It’s amazing the way some students assume a medical school must have accepted a blonde based on her sex appeal.”

“What did you do about it?”

“I kicked their gluteus maximus on exams,” Jenni returned. “It wasn’t easy, since I’m no genius. You can accomplish miracles if you study like a maniac and forgo a social life.”

She hadn’t mentioned needing to work. Perhaps her parents had paid the bills, but Ethan could hardly hold that against her. “I’d say you just kicked my gluteus maximus, figuratively speaking,” he said. “Coming here took guts.”

It was her turn to smile. “You’re a good sport.”

“How about a truce?”

Jenni released a long breath. Apparently, she’d been prepared for a rougher reception. “Fine. Live and let live.”

Ethan became aware that he’d instinctively shifted toward her. If he wasn’t careful, he might start flirting, he realized with a jolt.

He eased back, trying not to be obvious. Although he didn’t completely dismiss the possibility that Jenni had had an affair with her patient’s husband, he could see why Karen and Olivia believed her.

“There is one matter I wanted to mention,” he said.

“Oh?” She withdrew into caution again.

Being rich and gorgeous must be tougher than he’d thought if it produced such a strong defensive mechanism.

“Have a seat.” Ethan wanted to put their meeting on a more neighborly basis. “Coffee?”

“No, thanks.” She perched on the edge of a chair.

He helped himself to a mugful from the pot atop a low file cabinet. “When did you get into town?”

“This morning.”

“You came to my office first thing? You must really have been steamed.”

Her cheeks flushed. “I’m not sure my wheels touched the ground on the way from Nashville. I don’t like the idea of being put under a microscope.”

“Fair enough. In fact, from now on, you have leave to put me under a microscope. Turnabout’s fair play, right?”

Her expression turned to one of mingled amusement and embarrassment.

“What did I say?” he inquired. “You have the funniest look on your face.”

This time she blushed deep red. “I was wondering who you use as your personal physician.”

Now he understood. If he became one of her patients, that would mean getting examined in a very intimate manner.

Ethan hoped his discomfort didn’t show as clearly as hers. “Fortunately for both of us, I have a doctor in Nashville. I make appointments when I take my son in. He’s diabetic,” he added.

“I see. Please let me know if there’s anything I can do to help.” She folded her hands in her lap.

“There is, but not with Nick.” Ethan finished stirring his coffee and settled behind the desk. “There’s a public health project I’ve been trying to get under way for the past year, but it ran into some snags.” He’d mentioned this during her visit, but since she hadn’t responded, he chose to try again.

“Why is a police chief concerned with public health?” Jenni asked.