Erica agreed she would and they hung up.
Montana tapped on his partially open door, then entered. “Hi. I was waiting in the hall. I didn’t want to interrupt your call.”
“You wouldn’t have.”
She stopped in front of his desk. “I’m here to take Cece for a walk.”
The little dog had been spending most of her days at the hospital. When she couldn’t be in Kalinda’s room during a treatment or for meals, Fay dropped her off in his office.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, taking in the troubled expression.
“I had a fight with my mom. Except it wasn’t exactly a fight. I don’t know. I asked her about Max.”
“Your boss?”
She told him about the tattoo on her mom’s hip, how she’d had it for years, probably since before she’d gotten married.
“We never knew who the guy was. Even when Max moved here and hired me, I didn’t put it together. He never said anything and Mom never talked about him. But Nevada saw them together. Or rather, not together. They just stared at each other. It was intense.”
“But if they had a relationship, it was years ago.”
She sank into the chair on the other side of his desk. “I know, so it shouldn’t matter, right? She loved Dad. We all know that. But when I asked her about Max, she got angry and told me it wasn’t my business. That she didn’t want me and my sisters talking about her. She seemed really angry. We have a good relationship. I’m not used to being on the outs with her.”
“So talk to her again.”
“Maybe. I’m giving it a couple of days. I would apologize, only I didn’t do anything wrong. We’ve always been a family who talks about things. She and Dad encouraged that. No secrets. But here we are, ignoring a very tall man.”
He’d never had a close family, so he couldn’t relate to what she was feeling. What he did know was that Montana was hurt and he had to help.
“Maybe she’s embarrassed and doesn’t want you to know.”
“Embarrassed about what? An old boyfriend? Max is a great guy. I guess what scares me is that I always thought Dad was the great love of her life. But what if she loved Max, too?”
“People can love more than one person.”
“Other people. Not my mother.”
He relaxed back in his chair and petted Cece. “That’s rational.”
“I know.” She sighed. “As I said, I don’t usually fight with my mom and I don’t like it. All right, enough about me. Who were you talking to before? Is it okay to ask that? It sounded like you were talking about a trip.”
“My assignment after the next one.”
“Oh.”
She glanced at her lap, then back at him. “Where are you thinking of going?”
“Appalachia or Pakistan.”
“That’s a big difference.”
“There’s poverty in both places, and people who need my help.”
“How do you decide?”
“I have someone send me background information. I look over the cases and see which seems like the place I can do the most good.”
“So why did you come to Fool’s Gold?”
“The hospital set up a program that brought dozens of patients from several states here. Also children from Mexico. I don’t have to be in a Third World country to make a difference. I go where I think I can get the most accomplished.”
“I’m glad you chose us.”
He waited for more, for some hint that he should stay, or an attempt to make him feel guilty. Instead she smiled.
“You and Cece are becoming quite the item.”
“She’s my kind of girl.”
“Adoring?”
“It helps.”
“You are just such a typical guy.”
He knew that wasn’t true but liked hearing the words.
He rose, supporting the dog in his arms. “You okay?”
She stood as well. “I guess. I’ll talk to my mom and everything will be fine again.”
“Can I do anything to help?”
“You already did. Talking about it was good.” She reached for Cece. “I’ll take her for a walk and bring her back.”
He glanced at the clock. “I have to prep for surgery.”
“Okay, then I’ll go to Kalinda’s room and see if Cece can stay there. If not, I’ll take her back to Max’s.”
Simon waited for her to ask more questions about where he would be going, or to suggest he should stay. Instead she kissed him lightly, then walked out of his office, leaving him very much alone.
“HOLD STILL,” DAKOTA grumbled, checking the hot curlers clinging to Montana’s head. “These have to stay in longer.”
“How much longer? They hurt.” Montana did her best to ignore the sense of heat burning perilously close to her right ear. She was more a curling iron kind of girl, but hot rollers made the curls last longer.
“You’re such a baby,” Nevada told her, lounging on the bed, flipping through a magazine.
“So says the woman in jeans and a T-shirt.”
“I’m not the one going to a fancy fundraiser. I don’t have to dress up.” Nevada sounded smug.